Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

The space was still brightly lit. Having already defeated the monsters for the day, Wei Chen teleported directly back to the hunter's hut. He took a hot shower; the hunter's hut had a modern bathroom, which was Wei Chen's favorite feature.

After washing away the dust of the mountains and forests and the hustle and bustle of the ghost market, I threw myself onto the soft bed and fell into a deep sleep, conserving my energy for returning to Beijing the next day.

As dawn broke and the morning star still twinkled on the horizon, Wei Chen appeared beside the pile of rubble where he had disappeared the previous night. He looked around to make sure no one was there, then with a thought, a well-maintained Forever brand 28-inch bicycle appeared before him—the very one provided by the factory.

Then he took out two brand-new, large baskets woven from tough brambles from the hunter's cabin's storeroom.

These baskets are large-capacity, sturdy, and durable, making them a common household item in rural areas. When he returned to the village this time, he specifically sought out the village's best bamboo craftsman and ordered more than twenty, which he stored in the hunter's hut for future use. Now they came in handy.

He secured the two large baskets to the back of the bicycle with sturdy hemp rope, one on each side. Then he rode the bicycle along the dirt road leading to Beijing, creaking and groaning as it went.

The morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, and early-rising farmers were already working in the fields on both sides of the road. Wei Chen's peculiar way of "carrying goods" immediately attracted countless gazes. Envy, surprise, and even a hint of greed were projected from the eyes of those carrying hoes and loads.

As they approached Beijing, with no one around, Wei Chen moved his mind, and a small wild boar appeared in the basket on his left! It was robust, with glossy fur and short but already showing its sharp tusks! It weighed about 120 or 130 pounds! Although it was called a "small" wild boar, its bulging muscles and fierce aura were enough to make ordinary people fear it.

In the basket on the right, there was another roe deer, equally plump and strong with brownish-yellow fur! A standard product of the game, with a well-proportioned body and a plump physique, weighing around 70 jin (35 kilograms).

Two wild game animals filled two large baskets, with only their heads and parts of their backs sticking out. Wei Chen mounted his bicycle, adjusted his center of gravity, and pushed off with his feet. The old-fashioned bicycle, carrying this unusual "cargo," continued its journey towards Beijing.

I had only ridden a few steps into town when I heard a rapid bicycle bell ringing behind me and a hurried voice: "Comrade! The comrade riding ahead! Please wait!"

Wei Chen stopped, braced himself on one foot, and looked back. A man in his thirties, wearing a gray Zhongshan suit with four pockets, glasses, and looking like a cadre, caught up on another bicycle.

He stopped beside Wei Chen, panting, his eyes burning as he stared intently at the wild boar and roe deer in the baskets on either side of the bicycle. A warm smile spread across his face: "Comrade, hello, hello! I'm Liu Mingyuan, the purchasing agent from the logistics department of our textile factory. Where are you planning to send this...this wild game? Would you be interested...spare some to our textile factory? The price is negotiable! Our factory workers are short of money too!"

Wei Chen saw the undisguised desire in the other person's eyes and understood. He shook his head slightly, his tone calm but with an undeniable stance: "Comrade Liu, hello. I'm Wei Chen, a purchasing agent from Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. These items are for the factory canteen; there are quotas to meet. I'm truly sorry."

"From the steel rolling mill?" A hint of disappointment flashed across Liu Mingyuan's face, but upon hearing that the other person was also a purchasing agent, a fellow "food supplier," his eyes lit up again, and his attitude became even more enthusiastic, "Oh! So you're a colleague from the steel rolling mill! A pleasure to meet you! Comrade Wei Chen, right? I understand, the mission is important!"

He immediately pulled a small notebook and a pen from his pocket, quickly wrote down his name and the textile factory's address and phone number, tore off a page, and handed it to Wei Chen. "This is my contact information! Comrade Wei, if you ever come across anything good in the future, our factories can exchange some with each other! We can share resources! The price will definitely satisfy you!"

Wei Chen took the note, glanced at it, and nodded. "Okay, I'll contact you when I have the chance." He put the note in his pocket. Liu Mingyuan was satisfied to see that he had accepted it. After exchanging a few more pleasantries about "taking care on the road," he got on his bike and rode away.

Wei Chen continued pedaling forward. After entering Beijing, the number of pedestrians and vehicles on the road gradually increased. His bicycle, fully loaded with "mountain delicacies," became a moving focal point. Whether it was workers hurrying along or residents carrying vegetable baskets, everyone turned to look and discussed among themselves.

"Whoa! See that? A wild boar!"

"And a roe deer too! Goodness, who's that? Quite capable!"

"Judging from that direction... it looks like they're heading towards a steel rolling mill? A purchasing agent from the steel rolling mill?"

"That's right! I recognize him! Just last week! It was him! He single-handedly brought back seven large wild boars! It caused a sensation throughout the entire factory!"

"My God! It's only been a few days! And he's brought back a wild boar and a roe deer? This young man... he's amazing!"

A cacophony of exclamations, envy, and speculation drifted over. Wei Chen kept his eyes straight ahead, steadily riding his bicycle, and soon arrived at the magnificent, red-painted iron gate of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. It was the peak time for the early shift workers to enter the factory, and a dense, dark mass of people surged toward the gate like a tide.

The appearance of Wei Chen and his "heavily loaded" bicycle immediately caused an even greater commotion in the crowd!

"Look! It's Wei Chen!"

"My God! He's got meat again! Wild boar! Roe deer!"

"It really is him! He's the one who brought in seven pigs last week! Our cafeteria's profits all depend on him!"

"Wow, that's some serious skill! Now we can expect to see meat in the cafeteria again!"

The crowd parted automatically to make way, and countless eyes focused on Wei Chen—some with admiration, some with curiosity, and some with pure joy (thinking of extra food in the cafeteria). A buzz of discussion arose.

Amidst the crowd, Yi Zhonghai, dressed in faded blue overalls, was walking into the factory with his apprentice, Jia Dongxu. Jia Dongxu, with sharp eyes, pointed in Wei Chen's direction and exclaimed, "Master! Look! It's that kid Wei Chen! He's caught some wild game again!"

Yi Zhonghai looked in the direction of the sound and saw the conspicuous wild boar and roe deer in the baskets on both sides of the bicycle. A hint of undisguised surprise flashed across his usually deep and somewhat "scrutinizing" eyes.

He paused for a moment, then put on his usual gentle and approving smile, parted the crowd, and went to greet them.

"Comrade Wei Chen!" Yi Zhonghai's voice boomed, carrying an authoritative enthusiasm. "It really is you! Good lad! You've got real talent!"

He walked over to Wei Chen's bicycle, his gaze sweeping over the little wild boar and the silly roe deer, clicking his tongue in admiration, "Look! This wild boar, so plump and strong! This roe deer, so healthy and strong! In just a few days? It has done a great service to our factory again! Solved a big problem for the workers! The younger generation is truly formidable! The younger generation is truly formidable!" He reached out his hand, as if to pat Wei Chen on the shoulder to show encouragement.

Wei Chen subtly shifted his body slightly, avoiding Yi Zhonghai's hand, and put on a polite but distant smile: "Master Yi, you flatter me. It was just a coincidence." He noticed Jia Dongxu behind Yi Zhonghai, who was staring at the wild game in the basket with a mixture of jealousy and scrutiny.

"You're too modest! Too modest!" Yi Zhonghai seemed oblivious to Wei Chen's avoidance, his smile undiminished, his tone even warmer, adopting the demeanor of an elder "caring for a junior." "How is it, Comrade Wei Chen? Did you settle everything into your family when you went back to the village a few days ago?"

He changed the subject casually, asking, "By the way, while you were away these past few days, the land in your east wing has been leveled. It's a huge place! Construction is about to begin on the house, which is a big deal! If you need any help, just tell the people in the yard. We all work at the same factory and are neighbors, so please don't hesitate to ask!" His gaze seemed concerned, but it actually carried a hint of probing, as he tried to extract more information from Wei Chen about the house and the source of the money.

Wei Chen sneered inwardly, but remained calm on the surface: "Thank you for your concern, Master Yi. Everything is fine at home. As for the house, we'll leave it to Master Wu. He's a worker under the neighborhood committee, so he's definitely trustworthy. We'll take our time and not rush things. We won't trouble anyone else."

He didn't want to get entangled with Yi Zhonghai any longer, so he pointed to the factory gate and said, "Master Yi, you're busy. I need to hurry up and deliver the things to the canteen. The logistics department is waiting."

"Oh! Right, right! Business is important! Business is important!" Yi Zhonghai suddenly realized, and quickly made way, still smiling. "Go on! Don't delay! Be careful on the road!" He watched Wei Chen push the cart toward the factory gate, a complex and inscrutable light flashing deep in his eyes.

The security officer on duty at the factory gate had already recognized Wei Chen, the "star purchasing agent." The shock of those seven wild boars from last week was still fresh! Seeing him return with more "good stuff," the officer smiled, opened the side door, and warmly greeted him, "Purchasing Agent Wei, you're back? Wow! More good stuff! Please come in! The logistics team will be overjoyed!"

Wei Chen nodded to the gatekeeper, and pushed the bicycle, which carried the hopes of all the factory workers for "profits" and countless complex gazes, into the bustling and steel-filled expansive factory area of ​​the steel rolling mill.

The bicycle wheels rolled over the hard cement road of the steel rolling mill with a dull rolling sound, and the wild boar and roe deer in the baskets on both sides occasionally caused exclamations from the passing workers.

Wei Chen pushed the cart, heading directly towards the logistics warehouse. Just as he rounded the corner of the administration building, a loud voice, brimming with surprise, boomed like thunder:

"Wei Chen?! You rascal! It really is you!"

Wei Chen looked up and saw Liu Yuan, the leader of the third purchasing group, carrying an old briefcase with peeling paint, hurrying over from another side road.

His square face was now filled with undisguised surprise and appreciation. His thick eyebrows were raised high, and his eyes, like searchlights, instantly locked onto the "hard currency" in the baskets on both sides of the bicycle.