Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

On the afternoon of the second day of the Lunar New Year, as the sun began to set, a lazy and content atmosphere permeated the courtyard. The festive hustle and bustle of the holiday had subsided slightly, and each household was enjoying the last moments of leisure during the holiday.

The children were still full of energy, chasing and laughing in the yard, with occasional sporadic firecracker sounds – that was a game of taking apart duds they had found, emptying the gunpowder, and relighting them.

The adults gathered in small groups, some sitting in the doorway chatting in the sun, others playing cards and eating melon seeds in a house, the air filled with the faint smell of tobacco and the aroma of roasted nuts.

In the east courtyard, Wang Xiulan was tidying up the clothes that had been drying. Sunlight filtered through the bare branches of the jujube tree, casting dappled shadows on the blue brick floor.

Wei Ran lay on the small square table, intently looking at a comic book her brother had found at a secondhand bookstore, occasionally letting out a giggle. Wei Chen, meanwhile, was tidying up some tools and odds and ends in the room.

A gentle knock was made on the courtyard gate.

"Who is it?" Wang Xiulan asked, wiping her hands on her apron as she went to open the door.

Standing outside the door was a travel-worn young man, wearing a slightly worn but clean blue cotton-padded jacket, a similarly faded single-layer hat, and carrying a bulging cloth bundle on his back. He had a simple and slightly tired smile on his face.

"Second Aunt! It's me, Wei Feng!" the young man said, his voice carrying a familiar local accent.

"Oh! Fengzi's back!" Wang Xiulan's face immediately lit up with a delighted smile. She quickly stepped aside. "Come in, come in! You must be tired from the journey, right? It's so cold outside, come inside and warm up!" As she spoke, she called into the house, "Chen'er! Ranran! Come out quickly, your eldest brother is back!"

Hearing the noise, Wei Chen came out of the house, and Wei Ran also put down the comic book and ran over curiously.

"Brother Feng!" Wei Chen greeted him with a smile, stepping forward to take the bundle from Wei Feng's shoulder; it felt quite heavy. Wei Ran also called out cheerfully, "Brother Feng!"

"Xiao Chen! Ranran, Happy New Year!" Wei Feng entered the courtyard, took off his hat, and revealed his face, which was red from the cold wind.

He was two years older than Wei Chen, with a sturdy build, and looked like a typical farmer, but his eyes and brows conveyed honesty and kindness. Since getting a job as an apprentice at the steel rolling mill with Wei Chen's help, he had been living in the factory's dormitory, only occasionally going back to Wei Chen's house on holidays and Sundays. A few days ago, he even went back to his hometown for the Chinese New Year.

"Come inside quickly, it's cold outside." Wang Xiulan hurriedly ushered Wei Feng into the main room, and then said to Wei Ran, "Ranran, quickly go and pour a bowl of hot water for your brother Feng to warm him up."

The fire in the main room was burning brightly, filling the room with warmth. As soon as Wei Feng entered, he felt a wave of heat wash over him, dispelling the chill from his body. He put his bundle on the ground and rubbed his hands, which were a little stiff from the cold.

"Second Aunt, Xiao Chen, when I went back this time, my mother, my father, and my third uncle asked me to bring some things for you." Wei Feng said, squatting down to open the homespun cloth bundle.

The bundle was a piece of coarse cloth that had been washed until it was almost white. Inside, several bundles of dried vegetables tied neatly with hemp rope were visible—dried green beans, dried eggplant, and dried radishes, all dark yellow in color but clean. There was also a small cloth bag of thick, dark black wild fungus. And at the very bottom, there was a small packet of fragrant roasted pumpkin seeds wrapped in oiled paper.

"Oh, Fengzi, look at you, bringing all this stuff from so far away! It's not easy for the family!" Wang Xiulan complained, but her eyes and brows were full of smiles. She picked up a bundle of dried green beans, examined them carefully, and then brought them closer to smell them.

"Hmm, these green beans are dried well, no musty smell. Your mother's vegetable drying skills are still so good! These wood ear mushrooms are also good, thick and fleshy. Your mother has gone to a lot of trouble, please thank your mother for your second aunt when you get back." She stroked the dried vegetables with their rustic scent, as if touching her long-lost hometown.

"Second Aunt, please don't be so polite." Wei Feng smiled憨厚ly. "My mother said that Brother Chen has helped me so much, giving me a place to stay in the city and a job in the factory. This little bit of stuff is nothing. This is all the stuff we have that we can show off. These pumpkin seeds were roasted by my mother before the New Year for Ranran to have as a snack."

Wei Ran had already brought over some hot water and handed it to Wei Feng: "Brother Feng, have some water."

"Oh, thank you, Ranran." Wei Feng took the bowl, gulped down a big mouthful of water, and felt much more comfortable as the warm water flowed into his stomach.

"Brother Feng, is everything alright at home? How are Grandpa, Uncle, and Third Uncle doing?" Wei Chen asked Wei Feng to sit down on the stool by the stove, and then pulled up a small stool and sat down opposite him.

Mentioning his hometown, Wei Feng's smile faded slightly. He sighed and put down his bowl: "Well... for the New Year, things were alright on the surface. Thanks to the grain and meat you sent back, Brother Chen, this year's New Year was the most prosperous one our family has had in recent years."

He paused, seemingly recalling the scene at home, his tone tinged with gratitude and a hint of heartache: "I arrived home on the 28th of the twelfth lunar month. When my mother saw the white cornmeal and such a large piece of meat I carried back, tears immediately welled up in her eyes. My father and third uncle also kept praising you. You just went back a while ago and brought back meat and flour, and now you're asking me to bring more for the New Year! Your eldest uncle even said I was being inconsiderate, taking so much stuff, wondering if Chenzi's family would have enough!"

"Hey! Uncle and the others don't know, but you don't know, brother! I'm not short of food, it was prepared for them!" Wei Chen said with a smile.

"Yes! That's what I told my dad too, and I almost got beaten up. My dad told me to tell you not to worry about things at home, not to work too hard, just enjoy yourselves in the city! Also, on New Year's Eve, we made dumplings with a mix of wheat flour and cornmeal, with meat filling! We also stewed meat and vegetables. Grandpa ate half a bowl more rice than usual, saying he'd never had such a comfortable New Year in his life."

Wang Xiulan listened, her eyes reddening slightly, both relieved that her son had helped their hometown and moved by the hardships they faced. "That's good, that's good... How are your grandfather's teeth? Does your uncle's rheumatism still flare up in the winter?"

"Grandpa's health is alright, but he's getting old and his energy isn't what it used to be. My dad's old leg pain still hurts when it gets cold, but this year the house is warmer, so it's not as bad as in previous years," Wei Feng replied, then his tone lowered, "But Second Aunt, Brother Chen, our family is fortunate to have you, but in the village... sigh, so many families, it's really hard to explain."

He picked up the water bowl and took another sip, as if trying to suppress the bitterness in his throat: "This winter, there was hardly any snow, and the rain was even scarcer. The ground was so dry it cracked. The autumn harvest was already bad, and after paying the grain tax, there wasn't enough left to eat. The commune canteen... went out of business a long time ago. Many families survived on thin porridge and wild vegetables after the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month. On New Year's Eve, the aroma of meat wafted from our house, and I don't know how many neighborhood kids were peeking over the wall to smell it..."

Wei Feng's voice trailed off: "Before I came back, my dad and third uncle pulled me aside and repeatedly told me to thank my second aunt and brother Chen properly, to work hard in the city, not to bring shame to the family, and not to cause trouble for brother Chen. They also said... they also said that if things got really difficult, I shouldn't worry too much about the family and should take care of myself first. But in my heart..." This simple rural man couldn't continue, and just sighed heavily.

A silence fell over the main room, broken only by the occasional crackling of the fire in the stove. The faint sounds of laughter from outside the window only amplified the somber atmosphere inside.

Wang Xiulan wiped her eyes and murmured, "Heaven is trying to kill us... Even in the hardest years, I've never heard of anything like this. Your uncle and the others... Sigh."

Wei Chen listened quietly, his expression calm, but a hint of seriousness flashed deep in his eyes. He knew that Wei Feng was only describing the tip of the iceberg.

1960 was the most severe period of the three-year period of hardship, especially in vast rural areas. Drought, policy mistakes, and other complex factors led to severe food shortages.

The situation in Wei Feng's hometown is merely a microcosm of countless rural areas in this era. Moreover, based on historical trends, this hardship will likely continue for at least another year. He can help his own relatives, but he cannot change the overall environment. Thinking of this, his heart felt heavy.

"Brother Feng, don't worry too much," Wei Chen said, his voice steady. "Your eldest uncle and third uncle are both sensible people; they know what's important. What we can do now is to establish ourselves in the city, work hard, and if we have the means, we can find a way to help the family. You brought back food and meat this time, which should at least sustain the family for a while. Let's see how things are in the spring; maybe things will turn around."

His words were both a consolation to Wei Feng and the truth. An individual's strength is insignificant in the face of the tides of the times, but protecting those around him, doing his best, and having a clear conscience is the limit of what he can do at present.

"Chen-di is right." Wei Feng raised his head, rubbed his face vigorously, and perked up. "My dad said the same thing, telling me to learn the skills well at the factory, listen to the leaders, get along well with my coworkers, and not let down the opportunity you gave me, Chen-di. Oh, by the way..."

As if remembering something, he took out a small cloth bag from his pocket, carefully opened it, and inside were a few crumpled but neatly folded grain coupons and a few yuan. "This is what my father asked me to bring to you. He said that the money and coupons for the things you asked me to bring last time should not be used to help you out. No matter how difficult things are at home, this money must be paid back."

Wei Chen looked at the meager amount of food coupons and money, feeling a pang of sadness. He knew this was probably money his uncle's family had painstakingly saved. "Brother Feng, I can't accept this money. It's only right that I bring things home. My uncles are getting old, and you've just established yourself in the city; you need money for everything. Take this money back with you, or you can buy them something next time you go home."

"No way!" Wei Feng was anxious, his face turning red. "My father and third uncle specifically instructed me that I must repay this debt! They said even close brothers keep clear accounts, and I can't keep taking advantage of you. If you don't accept it, I won't be able to explain it when I go back!" His attitude was firm, even a bit stubborn.

Wang Xiulan glanced at her son, then at her nephew, sighed, and stepped in to smooth things over: "Chen'er, Fengzi, don't argue anymore. Fengzi, consider this money a small token of your aunt and your brother Chen's appreciation, to buy some nutritional supplements for the elders at home. If you really feel bad about it, you can help the family more when you're more successful at the factory and earn a higher salary, okay?"

Wei Chen understood his mother's intention and softened his tone: "Brother Feng, Mom is right. Keep the money for now. We're all family, no need for formalities. Work hard at the factory, get promoted soon, and get a raise—that's more important than anything else. Then you'll have the confidence to support your uncle and help the family."

Looking into the sincere eyes of his second aunt and cousin, Wei Feng felt a lump in his throat, nodded emphatically, and carefully put the cloth bundle away again: "Yes! Brother Chen, don't worry, I will definitely do a good job! I won't let our Wei family down!"