Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Just then, hearing the unusual noise in the courtyard, two more people came out of the house. The one in the lead was a young man of medium height, stocky build, and broad shoulders. He was wearing a similarly worn, dark blue work jacket, with some stains on the cuffs and chest that couldn't be washed off, but he was clean and tidy overall.

His face was square, his skin dark and rough, the marks of years of outdoor labor. His lips were somewhat thick, his eyebrows were bushy, and his eyes, though not large, revealed the honesty and simplicity characteristic of farmers. At this moment, his face held a hint of doubt, but mostly a gentle smile; this was Wei Qiang, his cousin-in-law, who was not good with words.

Beside Wei Qiang, peeking out, was a little boy, about two years old, with a chubby face. The little guy wore a handmade tiger-head hat, his round face was red from the cold wind, and his big, black grape-like eyes were staring timidly yet curiously at the unfamiliar visitor in the yard, his little hands tightly gripping his father's trouser leg.

"Qiangzi, look who's here! It's Xiaochen! My brother! Weichen!" When Wei Zhenzhen saw her husband come out, she quickly wiped away her tears and raised her voice to introduce him, her tone full of uncontrollable joy and pride, as if the arrival of her brother was a great joy.

"Brother-in-law," Wei Chen greeted with a smile, his gaze immediately falling on the chubby-cheeked little fellow. His smile softened even more. "This is...?"

"This is my son, nicknamed Tiger. Tiger, come on, call him Uncle!" Wei Zhenzhen released one of the hands that was holding the wild animal, gently pulled her son over, pointed at Wei Chen, and guided him in a gentle voice.

Tiger was still a little shy. He looked up at his mother, then at his father, and finally his gaze fell on Wei Chen's face. He seemed to think that this "chirp chirp" had a nice smile and didn't look like a bad person. So he called out softly and unclearly, "Chirp chirp..." His childish voice was tender and babyish, which instantly diluted the awkwardness and sadness of the adults meeting for the first time. Everyone couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey! Tiger's so good!" Wei Chen replied with a smile, his heart softening. He casually put the candy in his pocket, grabbed a handful from his spatial storage, and placed it in Tiger's hand. His hand was too small to hold all the candies, so he put the extra ones in his little pocket.

The little guy didn't know what it was, so Wei Chen peeled one and put it in his mouth. The sweet taste made the little tiger happy, and he chirped "chirp chirp" a few more times.

"Xiao Chen, don't give him so many! He's just a kid, one is enough!" Wei Zhenzhen said with a smile.

Wei Qiang rubbed his calloused, large-knuckled hands together, speaking in a simple, honest manner, his welcome sincere despite his few words: "Xiao Chen's here, good, good. Come in quickly, there's a stove in the house, it's warm." He then naturally stepped forward, taking the bicycle handlebars from Wei Chen's hand. "Give me the bike, I'll push it inside and put it against the wall, it'll be stable." His movements were practiced, his tone simple, devoid of any formality, yet it conveyed a sense of reassurance.

Wei Chen released his hand, saying, "Thank you for your help, brother-in-law."

"No trouble at all, we're family." Wei Qiang waved his hand, pushed his bicycle to a sheltered corner under the eaves and parked it. He even carefully covered the seat with an old tarpaulin from the corner of the wall to prevent it from getting dusty or frozen.

Wei Zhenzhen was already carrying a wild rabbit and pheasant, leading Wei Chen towards the main room. The main room was warmer and brighter than the courtyard. It wasn't very big, and to the left of the entrance was a stove with a large iron pot, which was kept clean and tidy, with embers still burning in the firebox, radiating continuous heat.

Against the wall to the right is a slightly worn eight-immortal table and four long benches, with a faded plastic sheet covering the tabletop. On the front wall are common portraits of leaders and a few New Year pictures, old but neatly arranged.

The windows were wooden lattice windows covered with white paper, polished to a shine, allowing plenty of afternoon sunlight to stream in during the winter. Although the house was simple, it was clean and orderly in every detail, reflecting the hardworking and thrifty nature of the woman of the house.

"Sit down, sit down! Have some hot water to warm up!" Wei Zhenzhen temporarily hung the wild animal on a nail behind the door, hurriedly grabbed the thermos from the stove, poured a large enamel mug of hot water for Wei Chen, and then called to Wei Qiang, "Qiangzi, go to the grain store quickly and tell Dad that Xiao Chen has come, see if Dad can come back early. Also, add more coal to the stove and make it burn brighter!"

"Okay, sure." Wei Qiang replied, turned around and walked out, but turned back at the door with a sheepish smile, "Xiao Chen, you sit down first, I'll be right back."

"Brother-in-law, no rush," Wei Chen quickly said.

Wei Qiang nodded, lifted the thick cotton curtain, and went out. Wei Zhenzhen then started preparing to wash the cups; in fact, there weren't many decent cups in the house, mostly enamel mugs.

Then, from a covered bamboo basket next to the stove, she carefully took out two roasted sweet potatoes with golden-brown skins and a faint sweet aroma, along with a small dish of dark-colored pumpkin seeds that looked like they were roasted by herself, and pushed them all onto the table in front of Wei Chen.

"Have something to eat first. You must be hungry after walking such a long way! I'll cook for you right away! Perfect timing, you brought such good stuff, let's make dumplings tonight! Wild rabbit meat with some cabbage, it'll be delicious! Pheasant soup, to nourish you and Hu Zi!" Wei Zhenzhen's face was filled with heartfelt joy and enthusiasm, which was not only the anticipation of a good meal, but also the appreciation for her younger brother's deep affection and the enthusiasm to treat him well.

"Sis, don't bother, I'm really not hungry, I had lunch late." Wei Chen quickly persuaded her, looking at the fine beads of sweat on his cousin's forehead and her cheeks flushed with excitement, he felt both warm and a little guilty. "I just came to see you, your husband, and the kids, just to chat. Don't tire yourself out."

"No way! You've come all this way, I'm so happy!" Wei Zhenzhen said without waiting for a reply, already scooping out a small half-spoon of slightly dark yellow whole wheat flour from the flour bin, adding a handful of even coarser cornmeal, preparing to knead the dough. "Don't worry about being tired, I'm just happy! You sit down, have some water, play with Hu Zi for a while, the food will be ready in no time!"

She moved swiftly, kneading the dough while directing Tiger, who had just sidled up to the table and was eyeing the roasted sweet potatoes longingly, "Tiger, be good, go play by yourself, let your uncle rest for a while." As she spoke, she shoved the softest sweet potato into Wei Chen's hand, "Eat it quickly, it's still warm. We don't have much good stuff at home, these sweet potatoes were traded by your brother-in-law with someone a while ago, they're sweet."

Wei Chen couldn't refuse, so he accepted the warm roasted sweet potato. The aroma of the sweet potato filled his nostrils, carrying the most primal temptation of food. He broke off a piece, and the golden-red, soft, and sticky flesh steamed. He first handed a small piece to the eagerly waiting Tiger: "Tiger, here, eat."

Tiger looked at his mother, and Wei Zhenzhen smiled and nodded, "Here you go, thank you, Uncle."

Tiger then reached out his little hand, took the sweet potato, and said in a childish voice, "Thank you, Chuchu." Then he carefully blew on it and ate it in small bites, looking very satisfied.

At this moment, the cotton curtain outside the door was lifted again, and Wei Qiang returned, followed by an elderly man in his fifties who was thin but had a straight back.

The old man was wearing a faded but clean dark blue Zhongshan suit, buttoned up meticulously, and a similarly worn dark-colored liberation cap. He had a gentle smile on his face and bright eyes. He was Wei Zhenzhen's father-in-law, Wei Changshuan, the warehouse keeper of the grain store. He was also holding a white enamel mug with red lettering, probably his usual drinking water at work.

"Dad, this is Zhenzhen's younger brother, Wei Chen. He works at the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill in Beijing." Wei Qiang stepped aside to let the old man enter the house first and introduced him.

"Uncle Wei, hello." Wei Chen quickly put down the sweet potato in his hand, stood up, and greeted him respectfully.

"Alright, alright, sit down, sit down, don't be shy, make yourself at home here." Wei Changshuan waved his hand, gesturing for Wei Chen to sit down. He then sat down on a bench on the other side of the octagonal table, took off his hat and placed it on the table. His gaze fell calmly on Wei Chen, and he looked him up and down, nodding slightly. "I've heard Zhenzhen and her father mention you before, saying you're young and promising, working in a big factory in Beijing. What brings you to our little town today?"

His tone was unhurried, carrying the natural concern of an elder, but without the deliberate enthusiasm or flattery often seen towards "city dwellers" or "employed people," giving people a sense of peace, composure, and understanding.

"Uncle Wei, you flatter me," Wei Chen said modestly, sitting down again. He explained, "The factory has a heavy production schedule lately, and logistical support also needs to keep up. They sent me on a business trip to see if there's an opportunity to procure and allocate some unplanned supplies. Since it's a long trip, the factory only gave me a few days off, so I came back to see my grandparents. It just so happened that I was passing through here on my route, so I thought I'd visit Sister Zhenzhen and her husband, and also you two. I haven't had a chance to come yet, and I've been thinking about it."

"A business trip for procurement? This is an important mission and a great opportunity to train yourself." Wei Changshuan nodded, picked up his enamel mug, took a sip of hot water, and his gaze inadvertently swept over the wild rabbits and pheasants hanging behind the door. A knowing look flashed in his eyes, but he didn't show any unusual expression. He simply continued the conversation with a sigh, "These days, the shortage of supplies is nationwide. It's not easy to go on a long trip for procurement. Be especially careful on the road, and keep your letters of introduction and money safe. You young people are adventurous; it's a good thing to travel and see more of the world."

"Thank you for the reminder, Uncle Wei. The factory has issued a letter of introduction, and I will keep that in mind," Wei Chen replied. He felt that although the old man didn't talk much, every word he said was to the point, and his attitude was sincere.

By this time, Wei Zhenzhen had already skillfully kneaded the dough, covered it with a damp cloth to let it rest, and then began processing the wild game that Wei Chen had brought. She took the rabbit to the yard, quickly rinsed it in the cold well water, and then brought it back to the chopping board inside the house, where she skillfully began to skin, debone, and chop the meat. The thud of the cleaver striking the chopping board echoed in the warm house, carrying a reassuring rhythm of life.