Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Wei Chen was overjoyed, knowing that the pack of cigarettes and those words had worked.

He then took another half step forward, lowering his voice even further, with a hint of negotiation: "Master Ma, there's something else I need your help with. Tonight... I might be back a little late. You see, I'm new here and don't have any connections yet. I'll have to go out tonight and see if I can get in touch with any 'special' suppliers... You know, our factory has thousands of people, and they all depend on the little bit of oil in the canteen." He deliberately emphasized the word "special," his eyes conveying the message, "You know what I mean."

Old Ma paused, his fingers holding the cigarette, and stared at Wei Chen for a few seconds with his cloudy eyes. The factory was short of oil and meat; it was as obvious as a bald man's lice.

The purchasing team was elusive, bringing back all sorts of shady items, some of which were indeed obtained through clandestine means—something he was well aware of. Wei Chen, however, brought up the guise of "getting things for the factory," and even hinted at possible "grease money," which carried a different weight.

"Hmm..." Old Ma clicked his tongue, took another deep drag of his cigarette, the butt suddenly glowing brightly in the dim light. "You need to get something... well... alright!" He finally relented. "As long as you can actually get some decent stuff for the factory, you'll be a hero! Late is fine! I'll leave the door ajar for you; you can sneak in quietly when you get back, just don't make too much noise. What time?"

"I estimate... around eleven o'clock." Wei Chen estimated the time.

"Eleven o'clock..." Old Ma pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Alright! Tonight, leave the front door ajar from the inside, don't bolt it shut. Be careful."

"Oh! Thank you so much, Master Ma! You've been a huge help!" Wei Chen thanked him repeatedly, a grateful smile on his face. He had successfully overcome this first hurdle with a pack of economy cigarettes and a few "honest" words.

After settling into his bunk, Wei Chen walked to the innermost part of the large dormitory.

The so-called "bed" was a space about one meter wide and two meters long on the kang (heated brick bed), right next to another bed also covered with a tattered straw mat, with no obstruction in between. A small wooden cabinet with badly peeling paint and a small, broken lock stood under the edge of the kang; this was his only "private territory."

Wei Chen opened the cabinet door, and a faint musty smell wafted out. He stuffed the two sets of work clothes, enamel basin, thermos, lunchbox, gloves, and other odds and ends he had received inside, and then locked it.

He carefully pushed the brand-new bicycle to the covered parking area at the dormitory entrance and locked it securely to the support post with his own lock.

Only after doing all this did the hunger pangs truly rise within him. He then remembered that the food he had eaten at noon was long gone, and the factory only provided dinner occasionally for overtime work, otherwise just lunch. He was carrying the "huge sum" of over three hundred yuan he had earned from selling wild boar, but he hadn't had time to exchange it for the factory's internal meal tickets.

"Alright, let's go out to eat." Wei Chen patted his stomach, deciding to treat himself and also to learn the ins and outs of dining in Beijing.

He walked out of the dormitory area, pushed his bike, and, relying on his impressions from the day and directions from passersby, headed towards a small street near the steel mill workers' residential area.

As dusk settled, the streetlights were sparse, casting a dim glow. The narrow street was lined with low, single-story houses, yet the atmosphere was surprisingly lively. After walking about a hundred meters, a storefront with a wooden sign reading "Red Star Hotel" came into view. The storefront was small, with a dim, yellowish light shining through its greasy windows, and shadowy figures moving inside.

Wei Chen parked the car in a conspicuous spot by the entrance, locked it, and then lifted the heavy, greasy blue cotton curtain and went inside.

A wave of heat, a mixture of cooking fumes, vinegar, garlic, and the aroma of noodles, hit me. Inside, there were seven or eight square tables and benches with peeling paint, almost all of which were occupied.

Most of the people were steel mill workers in overalls, looking tired, with a few who looked like local residents. The air was filled with the buzzing of conversations, the slurping of noodles, and the shouts of waiters.

"Comrade, what would you like to eat?" A young waiter wearing a white apron and a gray towel draped over his shoulder came up to him, his face showing professional busyness.

卫辰快速扫了一眼墙上用粉笔写着菜单的小黑板：素炒饼（2两粮票+1角2分），肉丝炒饼（2两粮票+2角8分），炸酱麵（3两粮票+1角5分），打滷面（3两粮票+1角8分），素麵（2两粮票+8分），二锅头（散装，1两粮票+1角）……种类不多，价格清晰地标注着钱和粮票。

"A bowl of vegetarian noodles, a large bowl, please." Wei Chen chose the most affordable option. He wasn't short of money, but food coupons were a major problem.

"Alright! One bowl of vegetarian noodles, a large bowl! Two ounces of grain coupons, eight cents!" The waiter shouted briskly towards the kitchen, then turned to Wei Chen, "Comrade, grain coupons."

Wei Chen took out eight cents and two crumpled one-ounce national grain coupons from his pocket (which he had exchanged at the ghost market earlier) and handed them to the shopkeeper.

The clerk took the ration coupon, quickly glanced at the stamp on it to confirm it was correct, then tore off a small slip and handed it to Wei Chen: "Please have a seat, it'll be ready soon!"

Wei Chen found an empty seat against the wall and sat down. Several workers next to him were drinking loose liquor with peanuts, talking loudly about the factory's iron production and gossip about the workshop director. He listened quietly, observing everything in the snack bar.

The figures of waiters shuttling back and forth, the flames and fumes from chefs wielding spatulas in front of the stove, the satisfied or tired faces of diners, the faded slogan on the wall that reads "Saving is glorious, wasting is shameful," and the honeycomb briquettes piled up in the corner... all of these vividly depict the rough and raw picture of everyday life in this era.

Soon, a steaming bowl of vegetarian noodles was served. It was served in a large, rough porcelain bowl, containing perfectly cooked wide noodles. The broth was a clear soup made from soy sauce and pork bones, with a few specks of oil and chopped scallions floating on top. There was not a trace of meat in it; it was extremely simple.

But for the ravenously hungry Wei Chen, this was an unparalleled delicacy. He picked up his chopsticks, ignoring the heat, and began slurping with gusto. The noodles were chewy, the soup savory and flavorful; though simple, it carried the purest aroma of grains.

Eight cents plus two ounces of grain coupons—in those days, being able to exchange for such a hearty bowl of hot soup noodles was a decent comfort for an ordinary worker after get off work.

After finishing his noodles, even drinking the broth, Wei Chen felt warm and his strength returned considerably. The slight pang of regret he felt at spending his precious food coupons when paying was quickly forgotten, replaced by the satisfaction in his stomach. He walked out of the snack bar, pushed his cart, and slowly strolled back to the third single dormitory in the cool early autumn evening breeze.

I got back to the dorm around 7 p.m. It was much livelier than before; almost everyone had returned to their bunk. The lighting was still dim, with only a few low-wattage bulbs on the ceiling, but the room was bustling with noise.

The sounds of people playing cards, arguing, boasting, chatting, laughing, and someone playing a tuneless erhu in a dimly lit corner, their voice hoarse.

The smells of sweat, feet, tobacco, coal stove, and lingering dinner (mainly pickled vegetables and cornbread) mingled together, creating an intense and pervasive atmosphere of daily life.

Wei Chen pushed the cart in, locked it, and immediately attracted a lot of attention. After all, a "Forever" 28-inch heavy-duty bicycle was definitely a rare item in this large dormitory.

He walked to the end of his kang (heated brick bed), opened the small cabinet, and took out the box of "Economy" cigarettes that had just been opened and was still more than half full. Then, with a gentle smile on his face, he walked along the large communal sleeping area, going from one bunk to another.

"Fellow workers and colleagues, I'm Wei Chen, new here in the purchasing department. I'll be staying temporarily at our dormitory from now on, so please take care of me!" His voice was clear and bright, brimming with the youthful energy. As he spoke, he pulled cigarettes from his pack and enthusiastically offered them to everyone who looked at him. "Here, have a cigarette! It's an economy pack, a bit strong, but please don't mind!"

These days, cigarettes and alcohol are the way to go. Especially in these testosterone-filled worker dormitories, offering a free cigarette can instantly bridge the gap. Whether you know them or not, you can't refuse a smiling face, especially one that comes with a "gift."

"Hey, new here? From the purchasing department? Nice company!" A burly man with a full beard took a cigarette, lit it with the light of someone next to him, blew out a puff of smoke, and sized up Wei Chen. "You look quite energetic, young man!"

"Thanks, bro! You're generous!" Another tall, thin guy took the cigarette, smiled, and patted Wei Chen on the shoulder.

"Purchasing Department? Group 3, right? I heard your group has a lot of capable people!" Some people asked curiously.

Wei Chen smoked cigarettes as he went, responding with a smile, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant, neither overly enthusiastic nor distant. He quickly covered most of the area.

As the group dispersed near the entrance, a few workers were excitedly discussing the factory's "big news" of the day. One of them, a square-faced man in his thirties, took a cigarette, carefully examined Wei Chen's face by the light of the oil lamp, and suddenly slapped his thigh, his voice rising abruptly: "Hey! I knew you looked familiar! Aren't you... aren't you the young man who brought a cartload of wild boars into the factory this afternoon? Good heavens! Five big wild boars! Fat and strong! Old Zhang from the canteen was grinning from ear to ear! It's you, isn't it?"

His shout immediately attracted more attention. The previously noisy dormitory instantly quieted down, and dozens of eyes focused on Wei Chen.

Wei Chen smiled frankly and nodded: "It's me. I was lucky to run into you while I was in the mountains."

"Wow! It really is you!" The square-faced man stood up excitedly, his voice booming, "Comrade Wei Chen! Well done! You've done a great service to our factory! You didn't see how many people gathered at the canteen entrance when we were unloading the truck! That meat looked so tempting!" He slapped Wei Chen's arm hard, so hard that Wei Chen grimaced slightly.

"Yeah, yeah! I heard that wild boar was huge! There'll definitely be meat dishes in the cafeteria tomorrow!"

"Comrade Wei Chen, you're amazing!" Someone nearby gave a thumbs up.

"Purchasing Department Group 3? No wonder! They're quite capable of procuring so much meat!"

"That's great! At least we'll have meat at lunch tomorrow! Thanks, Wei Chen!"

In an instant, praises, thanks, and curious inquiries rose and fell. The atmosphere, which had been somewhat distant, instantly became incredibly warm and friendly because of the "meat bonus" brought by these few wild boars.

Wei Chen's name quickly spread throughout the dormitory. In this era of extreme scarcity, those who could bring tangible benefits to others naturally carried a halo.