Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

On Sunday morning, the sun, unusually, pierced through the winter gloom, bringing a touch of warmth to the cold earth. Before nine o'clock, the courtyard was already bustling with activity. Many families hadn't slept in; they got up early, ate breakfast, and then strolled around the central courtyard, some intentionally, some not, while others simply sat on small stools in front of their doors, carrying chores in their hands, their eyes occasionally glancing towards the moon gate.

Sha Zhu got up before dawn and groomed himself from head to toe. He ironed his Zhongshan suit again and again, polished his leather shoes, and applied a full ounce of hair oil to his hair, making it shiny and lustrous. The house was cleaned again, and the candy, melon seeds, and peanuts were placed more prominently. The stove was burning brightly, and the kettle sat on the stove, hissing and emitting white steam, giving it a warm and cozy feel of "home."

Around 9:30, there was finally movement from the Moon Gate. Matchmaker Liu's signature high-pitched, smiling voice rang out: "Master He! Is Master He home? We're here!"

With a whoosh, as if a switch had been flipped, heads popped out from behind almost every window in the courtyard, or doors were opened a little wider.

Sha Zhu, as if struck by lightning, darted out of the house, his face plastered with what he thought was his kindest and most enthusiastic smile, his voice hoarse and distorted with nervousness: "Yes, yes! Aunt Liu, you're here! Please come in! Please come in!"

The matchmaker, Liu, led a young woman through the moon gate and into the central courtyard. All eyes immediately turned to the woman.

The girl was in her early twenties, of medium height and slightly thin, but neatly dressed. She wore a slightly worn floral cotton-padded jacket, dark blue cotton-padded trousers, and black cloth shoes that had faded a bit from washing.

Her hair was styled into two neat braids that hung down her chest. Her face was unadorned, her skin a healthy, slightly yellowish hue, and her features were regular, with delicate eyebrows and eyes. She wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but she had a pleasant appearance; she was the kind of person whose looks grew on you and who inspired a sense of security. She kept her head slightly lowered, appearing somewhat shy, and nervously twisted the hem of her clothes with her hands, but her steps were steady as she followed closely behind Matchmaker Liu.

This is Han Chunmei.

Sha Zhu was overjoyed at first glance! Her looks and figure were even better than he'd imagined! She had the refined air of a city girl, just like his ideal wife! He quickly stepped aside to clear the doorway, saying repeatedly, "Aunt Liu, Comrade Han… please come in! It's warm inside!"

Matchmaker Liu beamed, walking inside and loudly proclaiming, "Zhu Zi, this is Chunmei! Chunmei, this is Master He Yuzhu, the head chef of the steel mill canteen—his cooking is amazing!" She gave a thumbs-up and then smiled at the neighbors peeking into the courtyard, "Stop staring! The young lady is shy! Go about your business!"

That being said, the onlookers were far from leaving. They only restrained themselves slightly, but their gazes remained intense.

Han Chunmei followed her into the house, quickly and discreetly surveying her surroundings. The house wasn't large, consisting of three rooms: an outer room that also served as a dining room, and inner rooms that were bedrooms. The furniture was simple and old, but it was fairly tidy (thanks to Sha Zhu's surprise visit), and the stove was burning brightly, making it quite warm.

On the table were candies and melon seeds, as well as two white porcelain tea mugs with the double happiness symbol printed on them, filled with steaming tea. The air was filled with a faint smell of soap and... well, a lingering musty smell. The house was too old; no matter how much Sha Zhu cleaned it, it was bound to be unpleasant.

She breathed a slight sigh of relief. It seemed that this Mr. He was at least a clean and thrifty person. Although the house was a bit old and small, she could understand it given the housing shortage in the city.

Matchmaker Liu, familiar with the process, gestured for Han Chunmei to sit down, then sat down herself and began introducing the two parties' situations. In fact, both parties had already learned the basic information from her; this was merely a formality, allowing the two to discuss things face-to-face.

"Master He, what about Miss Chunmei? I told you about her last time. She's twenty-two years old, lives in the bearing factory's residential compound, her father is a veteran worker at the bearing factory, her mother has passed away, and she has a younger brother who is still in school. Miss Chunmei is hardworking and sensible, and she's good at everything, both at home and outside. She just doesn't have a formal job yet, and she does odd jobs on the street to supplement her family's income." Matchmaker Liu spoke with great enthusiasm.

"Comrade Han, you know Zhu Zi, he's a full-time cook at the steel rolling mill, a level nine cook, earning thirty-one yuan and fifty cents a month. The canteen benefits are good, so he won't go hungry. He has three main rooms at home, and a younger sister named Yu Shui who's in school. She's a very sensible girl. Zhu Zi is an honest man, not one for tricks, just a bit straightforward, but he has a good heart!" Matchmaker Liu continued to flatter him.

Sha Zhu rubbed his hands together, nodding repeatedly, but his eyes couldn't help glancing at Han Chunmei's face. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became, his heart pounding like a rabbit's. He quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, Aunt Liu is right! I'm a good person, nothing special, just honest! I can cook! Comrade Han, don't worry, with me, I guarantee you won't go hungry! I'll take care of all the cooking at home! Whatever you want to eat, I'll make it for you!"

These words were a bit too blunt. Han Chunmei blushed slightly, lowered her head, and whispered, "Master He, you're too kind."

Seeing this, Matchmaker Liu knew there was a chance, and quickly smoothed things over: "Zhu Zi is just honest! Chunmei, don't be shy. When it comes to marriage, you need someone like Zhu Zi—reliable!"

She said some things to smooth things over, then "sensibly" stood up: "Well, Zhu Zi, it's Chunmei's first time here, shouldn't you show off your skills? Let Chunmei taste your cooking! I'll talk to Chunmei for a while longer."

This was to create an opportunity for the two of them to be alone, and also to let Sha-zhu show off his "core competency"—his cooking skills.

Sha Zhu was just worried about not having a chance to show off, and upon hearing this, he immediately patted his chest and said, "No problem! Aunt Liu, Comrade Han, please have a seat, I'll go cook right away! I guarantee you'll be satisfied!" With that, he excitedly went into the small kitchen that had been built next door.

Only Matchmaker Liu and Han Chunmei remained in the room. Matchmaker Liu lowered her voice and began to speak intimately with Han Chunmei, praising Sha Zhu for being honest, skilled, earning a high salary, and ensuring she wouldn't go hungry after marrying him.

Han Chunmei listened quietly, nodding occasionally, but a hint of caution remained in her eyes. She was not an ignorant young girl; her mother had passed away early, and she had taken on the responsibility of caring for her father and younger brother at a young age. She knew that marriage was an important matter and could not be judged solely on appearances.

Mr. He's conditions are good, but his temper is "a bit too straightforward." Just how straightforward is he? Also, his family has three rooms, and his younger sister is still in school. Will the burden be heavy in the future? She needs to observe these things carefully.

After a while, Han Chunmei said to Matchmaker Liu somewhat embarrassedly, "Aunt Liu, I...I need to go to the restroom."

"Oh, okay, of course," Matchmaker Liu quickly pointed out the way, "Turn right after you go out, and the public restroom is at the end of the walk. Would you like me to go with you?"

"No need, no need, I can go by myself." Han Chunmei stood up, straightened her clothes, and went out.

As soon as she stepped outside, the subtle gazes from the courtyard focused on her again. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Han Chunmei quickened her pace, head down, and walked towards the public restroom.

She had just walked to the vicinity of the public restroom and was about to go in when someone suddenly appeared beside her, startling her.

"Oh, this must be Comrade Han Chunmei?" The newcomer had an overly enthusiastic smile on his face; it was Xu Damao, who had been waiting for her for a long time. He had deliberately changed into a simpler outfit today, his face beaming with smiles, but his eyes were scanning Han Chunmei like a scanner.

Han Chunmei took a half step back warily, looking at the strange man who had suddenly appeared, without saying a word.

"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid!" Xu Damao waved his hand, his smile becoming even more "kind." "I live in this courtyard, the same courtyard as Sha Zhu... oh no, He Yuzhu. My name is Xu Damao, and I'm a film projectionist at the steel mill. I just came back from outside and heard that Zhuzi was on a blind date. The girl came, so I thought I'd come and say hello." He deliberately emphasized the respectable profession of "film projectionist" and used the intimate term "Zhuzi" in an attempt to lower Han Chunmei's guard.

When Han Chunmei heard that he worked at the steel rolling mill and was He Yuzhu's neighbor, she relaxed her guard slightly, nodded as a greeting, and turned to go into the restroom.

"Hey, Comrade Han, wait a minute." Xu Damao quickly called out to her, looking hesitant and worried.

Han Chunmei stopped and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

Xu Damao looked around, lowered his voice, and put on a troubled and sympathetic expression: "Comrade Han, there are some things... I don't know if I should say. Logically speaking, it's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. But I see you're an honest girl, and marriage is a major life event. I really can't bear to see you... jump into a fire pit!"

"A fiery pit?" Han Chunmei's heart tightened, and her expression changed. "You... what do you mean?"

Xu Damao sighed, as if he had made a great decision: "Comrade Han, Zhu Zi and I grew up together. This guy… well, how should I put it? His nickname is 'Silly Zhu,' and there's a reason for that. He really is a bit… simple-minded. That's not all; the worst part is his terrible temper! He's like a firecracker, easily ignited! Which of the young people in the compound hasn't been beaten by him since childhood? He never holds back!"

He observed Han Chunmei's expression, and seeing her brow furrow, he continued to embellish the story: "That's not all. He's even more terrifying when he's drunk! He acts like a madman, yelling at everyone he sees, and throwing things when he gets angry! We used to have a neighbor in our building who almost broke her arm after he pushed her because she tried to tell him to drink less! Tell me, if you marry him, what if he gets drunk one day and attacks you?"

Han Chunmei's face began to turn pale. Her father was a factory worker who drank occasionally, but he would never lay a hand on his family. If He Yuzhu was really the kind of person who lost control when drunk... she dared not think about it.

Seeing that the initial results had been achieved, Xu Damao was secretly pleased, but on the surface he became even more "sincere": "Also, you probably don't know about his family situation. His father, He Daqing, ran off with a widow years ago, abandoning him and his sister. People from families like that are scheming and don't care about their families!"

Look at his sister, He Yushui, she's as thin as a stick, a gust of wind could blow her over. He's a head chef at a steel mill, he gets so much fat and oil! But have you ever seen his sister eat anything decent? She's so stingy, only thinking of herself! If he treats his own sister like this, how can he treat others well?