Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Wei Chen's "ordinary" demeanor was interpreted differently by others.

To those with a keen eye, this is called "composure" and "shrewdness"; to those who are envious, it's called "pretentiousness"; to most ordinary neighbors, it's simply "capable yet unassuming," making them even more worthy of friendship.

After Jia Zhangshi's fabrication of rumors and subsequent apology, the people in the courtyard clearly realized that Wei Chen was not someone to be trifled with. He was capable, had a temper, and was truly capable of violence if pushed too far. The fact that Jia Zhangshi's face had been swollen for several days was the best proof of this. Moreover, he acted with reason and evidence, and even an old man couldn't control him.

Now, he has received such a great honor at the factory, been promoted, and received a raise; his status is now vastly different. Therefore, the conclusion is obvious: the Wei Chen family is someone you can only befriend, not offend.

So, in the following days, some subtle changes occurred in the courtyard. When Wang Xiulan went out to buy groceries or do laundry, more people would greet her and chat with her; when Wei Ran played in the yard, aunties and grandmas would give her a handful of melon seeds or a few dates; and some people would even "casually" mention that if they had any difficulties at home, or wanted to exchange for something rare, they would always think first, "Your Wei Chen has many connections..."

Beneath the surface of harmony, undercurrents persisted. Jia Dongxu's gaze towards Wei Chen held a newfound gloom and resentment; Sha Zhu would occasionally snort and turn away when he encountered Wei Chen; Yi Zhonghai remained even more silent, but his occasional glances at Wei Chen's house were unfathomable; Xu Damao, on the other hand, began to seek opportunities to "accidentally" bump into Wei Chen and exchange a few words.

Regardless, Wei Chen's status in the courtyard house, boosted by the factory's commendation and the deterrent effect of the previous incident, had been quietly established. He was no longer the ordinary young man who had just moved in, unknown and easily manipulated, but had become a "person" with power, means, and status, who needed to be treated with caution.

When Wei Chen pushed open the familiar wooden door of the east wing of the courtyard house, the afterglow of the setting sun was bathing the small courtyard in a warm golden light. The bare branches of the old jujube tree in the yard cast sparse shadows on the ground, and his mother, Wang Xiulan, was squatting by the small vegetable patch in the corner, carefully watering the rows of spinach that were overwintering.

A ladle scooped up the rainwater stored in the jar and sprinkled it evenly on the dark green leaves, making a soft rustling sound. My younger sister, Wei Ran, wasn't there; she'd probably gone to play with Niu Xiaocao at Aunt Liu's house in the middle courtyard again.

"Mom, I'm home." Wei Chen closed the door behind him and greeted her softly.

Hearing the sound, Wang Xiulan looked up and saw her son. A kind smile immediately bloomed on her face, and the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out. "You're back? I've left some hot water in the pot for you. Wash your face first, dinner will be ready soon." She put down the ladle, wiped her hands on her apron, and stood up briskly. "Why do you seem to be a little later than usual today? Are you busy at the factory?"

Wei Chen walked to the hand pump well, washing his hands and face while pumping water, and replied, "Yeah, something came up, I was held up for a bit." The cool, clear well water dispelled some of his fatigue. He paused, then continued in a casual tone, "The factory... held an awards ceremony today, it was announced on the loudspeaker!"

Wang Xiulan was walking into the house when she heard this and paused slightly. She turned around and looked at her son with bright eyes: "The radio? Is it about your matter?" Her voice was filled with cautious anticipation and undisguised pride.

Wei Chen wiped his face with a towel, nodded, walked to his mother's side, and said calmly, but with a smile in his eyes, "Yes, they said I did a good job with this procurement task, and the factory gave me a reward."

"Really?!" Wang Xiulan's voice suddenly rose, and she instinctively gripped the corner of her apron with both hands. "What kind of rewards did they give? Tell Mom quickly!" She pulled Wei Chen's arm and hurriedly walked into the house, as if she couldn't wait to hear the details.

Upon entering the main room, bowls and chopsticks were already set on the table, along with a small bowl of steaming hot steamed buns made from a mixture of wheat and water, a dish of pickled shredded vegetables, and a small bowl of stewed pork, cabbage, and glass noodles, containing quite a few slices of meat. Clearly, these were "good dishes" that Wang Xiulan had specially reserved for her son.

Wei Chen helped his mother sit down at the table before sitting opposite her. Looking at her hands, slightly rough from years of hard work and now trembling with emotion, a warm feeling welled up inside him. He cleared his throat and said in as calm and clear a tone as possible, "The factory has decided to award me the titles of 'Advanced Worker of the Factory' and 'Production Model Worker'."

"Yes! Good! Good!" Wang Xiulan nodded repeatedly, her eyes slightly red. In the heart of this woman from the countryside, who only valued hard work, this title was more glorious than anything else.

"And another thing," Wei Chen continued, "I was promoted one level ahead of schedule, and now I'm a level three clerk."

"Level 3... Clerk?" Wang Xiulan didn't have a clear concept of this level, but she knew that "clerk" was a cadre who sat in an office and didn't have to swing a sledgehammer and sweat like a worker in a factory.

"Yes, that's the cadre level now," Wei Chen explained. "My salary has also increased; from now on, it'll be sixty-two yuan a month."

"Sixty-two yuan?!" Wang Xiulan gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief as she covered her mouth with her hand.

She clearly remembers that when her son first joined the factory, he was a level 5 clerk with a salary of about thirty yuan. Later, he made a meritorious contribution and his salary increased to more than fifty yuan, which she considered to be a great thing.

Now... sixty-two yuan?! She subconsciously calculated in her mind how much grain she could buy, how much cloth she could gather, and how much she could accomplish! "My God... six... sixty-two?" she murmured, her voice trembling slightly.

"Yes, sixty-two." Wei Chen nodded firmly, holding his mother's hand. "Mom, our family's life will only get better and better from now on."

Wang Xiulan gripped her son's hand tightly in return, nodded vigorously, and finally couldn't hold back her tears as they rolled down her cheeks, but she smiled and said, "Good! Good! My son has made something of himself! He's really something! If your father knew..." She choked up and couldn't finish her sentence, only wiping away her tears with the back of her other hand.

Wei Chen felt a surge of emotion. In both his past and present lives, his greatest wish was to give his family a good life, to free them from humiliation and worries about basic needs. Now, he had finally taken a solid step forward.

"And another thing," Wei Chen continued after his mother calmed down a bit, "the factory also needs to organize my materials and submit them to higher authorities to apply for the title of 'Advanced Worker of Sijiu City'."

"An advanced worker in the city?" Wang Xiulan's tears, which she had just wiped away, welled up again, this time with pure joy and pride. "My son... is going to become an advanced worker in the city? May our ancestors bless him!" She clasped her hands together and bowed towards the void, as if to comfort her deceased husband's spirit in heaven with this wonderful news.

"Mom, don't get upset, eat first, the food is getting cold." Wei Chen comforted his mother, picking up a steamed bun and handing it to her.

"Yes, yes, eat! Look at me, I was so happy!" Wang Xiulan took the steamed bun, but she didn't really want to eat it. She was only focused on looking at her son. The more she looked at him, the thinner he seemed, but he was also more energetic and composed.

She picked up all the slices of meat from her bowl and dumped them into Wei Chen's bowl: "Eat more! You've lost weight since you left! You need to eat even better when your work gets heavier!"

"Mom, you should eat too." Wei Chen tried to put the meat back on his plate.

"I won't eat it, I'll just have pickled vegetables! You eat! You're still growing, and you're using your brain at the factory!" Wang Xiulan firmly stopped her son's chopsticks, her eyes filled with complete satisfaction and tenderness. To her, seeing her son succeed was more satisfying than eating delicacies herself.

The mother and son ate the simple meal with a rare sense of joy. Wang Xiulan kept asking about the details of the factory's commendation meeting, and Wei Chen told her what he could, but he kept the large sum of money that Li Huaide had given him to himself for the time being.

As they were eating, the courtyard gate creaked open, and Wei Ran flew in like a happy little bird, followed by the shy Niu Xiaocao.

"Brother! You're back!" Wei Ran called out cheerfully, running to the table, her little face flushed with excitement. "Sister Xiaocao said the factory loudspeaker praised you! They said you're some kind of...some kind of worker, and you even got a promotion and a huge raise! Is it true?"

Niu Xiaocao stood at the door, shyly calling out "Brother Wei Chen" and "Godmother," then didn't know what else to say.

Wang Xiulan quickly greeted, "Xiao Cao's here? Come in and sit down! Haven't eaten yet? Want something to eat here?"

"No, no, Aunt Wang, I've already eaten." Niu Xiaocao waved her hands repeatedly. "I just brought Xiaoran back. My mom also said... congratulations to Brother Weichen." The last sentence was spoken softly, but it was full of sincerity.

"Thank you, Mom, and thank you too." Wei Chen smiled gently and said to his sister, "It's true, I did well at the factory, and the boss gave me a reward."

"Wow! Brother, you're amazing!" Wei Ran cheered, looking at her brother with admiration. "Does that mean we can eat white flour buns every day from now on?"

The child's innocent words made everyone laugh. Wang Xiulan jokingly scolded, "You little glutton! You're lucky to have cornmeal to eat, yet you want white flour every day!" But she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes.

Wei Chen patted his younger sister's head and said, "Eat well, study hard, and you'll have whatever you want to eat in the future."

Niu Xiaocao stayed a while longer before saying goodbye and going home. Wei Ran was also hungry, so she climbed onto a stool, grabbed a steamed bun, and started eating. While eating, she kept asking questions, and the courtyard was filled with a long-lost sense of relaxation and joy.

After the meal, Wei Ran took the initiative to clear the dishes and wash them, while Wang Xiulan pulled Wei Chen aside and asked him in detail about the commendation, especially what "City Advanced Worker" meant, whether there was a certificate, and whether he would be paraded with a big red flower, etc. Wei Chen patiently answered all her questions.