Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Seeing the unwavering seriousness in Director Wang's eyes and listening to the sincere persuasion from Officer Liu and the others, Wei Chen knew that further refusal would seem pretentious. He nodded and accepted the envelope containing the money: "Alright, thank you, Director and comrades."

"That's right!" Director Wang's face broke into a smile again, then he said seriously, "From now on, if you have any extra catches while hunting, whether it's wild boar, roe deer, pheasant, or rabbit, as long as you're willing to sell them, give priority to our subdistrict office! We'll pay you according to the rules, and we'll never let you suffer a loss! This is also your way of supporting the subdistrict's work and contributing to the disadvantaged people in our jurisdiction!"

"No problem, Director Wang. As long as there's an opportunity, we'll definitely prioritize the neighborhood." Wei Chen readily agreed. This was a stable and mutually beneficial channel.

At this moment, Officer Liu quickly handed over the prepared approval slip: "Comrade Wei Chen, this is the approval slip for your application to build a toilet, connect sewage pipes, and open a small side door in the east courtyard. Please keep it safe. If you encounter any pipeline problems or minor troubles coordinating with neighbors during the construction process, feel free to come to me."

"Thank you, Officer Liu, for your trouble." Wei Chen took the note stamped with the red seal and carefully put it away. With Director Wang's personal intervention, these two troublesome matters were finally resolved.

Seeing that the sun was already high in the sky, Wei Chen politely declined Director Wang's invitation to stay for lunch and pushed his bicycle away from the still bustling neighborhood office compound. Behind him, there was a lively scene of people dividing meat and cleaning up offal, and the air seemed to be filled with the aroma of meat in advance.

As he rode his bike, a distinct feeling of hunger welled up in his stomach. Wei Chen turned onto the main street and found a restaurant with a fairly clean storefront and a sign that read "State-Run Restaurant for the People".

It was lunchtime, and the place was quite crowded, filled with the aroma of stir-fried dishes and the lively chatter of people. He found a seat in a corner, ordered a large bowl of noodles with soybean paste, and added a crispy fried meatball. The noodles were chewy, the sauce was rich and flavorful, the meatball was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the portion was generous. After eating and drinking his fill, he paid the bill and left, having spent less than one yuan plus two ounces of grain coupons.

The midday sun beat down mercilessly on the earth, making even the asphalt seem to melt, radiating distorted waves of heat. Few pedestrians were on the street, and those who were there hurried along, all wanting to escape the scorching sun as quickly as possible.

Wei Chen pushed the cart and turned into a secluded alleyway lined with high walls on both sides, with almost no doors visible. The alleyway was deserted, except for the cicadas chirping tirelessly in the locust trees overhead.

He walked to the deepest part of the alley, and after confirming that no one was around, he subtly put the bicycle into his backpack. His figure vanished instantly, as if the air itself had been distorted by the intense heat.

The scene before my eyes transformed instantly. The scorching heat, the blinding sunlight, and the annoying cicada chirping all vanished. In their place came the refreshing and pleasant scent of a mountain forest.

A gentle breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and the dampness of earth, the temperature just right, making one feel completely comfortable. This was his own personal "game world"—the safe zone where the Hunter's Lodge was located.

Wei Chen took a deep breath of the pure air, as if washing away the heat and pollution from the city. Without delay, he immediately began his "daily routine"—clearing out the spawned monsters.

The sounds of arrows whistling through the air, the roars of wild beasts, and the thuds of heavy objects falling echoed rhythmically around the tranquil town. The battle was swift and decisive, and experience points, along with some scattered copper coins and materials, were deposited into the account.

The battle ended, and the forest returned to tranquility. Wei Chen pushed open the door of the hunter's cabin. The house was a modern three-story building with a yard, exceptionally clean and tidy, filled with the natural fragrance of pine.

He walked to the water vat in the corner, scooped up a ladle of clear, sweet spring water, and gulped down several mouthfuls, the icy feeling penetrating to his very core. Then, he walked to the wooden bed in the courtyard and lay down fully clothed.

Exhaustion washed over me like a tidal wave. In just half a day, I had dealt with Deputy Factory Director Li, navigated the meat-distribution controversy at the neighborhood office, and run around under the scorching sun... The mental strain far outweighed the physical exhaustion.

Beneath him lay a bed of soft hay, the scent of pine filling the air, with only the occasional chirping of birds from outside the window. His tense nerves completely relaxed, a deep weariness enveloping him. His eyelids grew heavier, and his consciousness gradually sank into a warm and comfortable darkness.

……

When Wei Chen regained consciousness and opened his eyes on the wooden bed in the hunter's cabin, he estimated that it was already afternoon outside, and the summer heat should have subsided somewhat.

With a thought, he reappeared in that quiet alley. The heat and noise of the real world immediately enveloped him, though not as intense as at noon, it was still stifling. He hopped on his bicycle and rode towards No. 95 Nanluoguxiang.

As the car turned into the alley, the two heavy, black-lacquered gates of the courtyard house were visible in the distance. On the bluestone steps at the entrance and in the shady area under the gatehouse, a group of women were sitting or squatting.

Led by the wives of the three aunts, Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong, they were fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans, sewing shoe soles, mending clothes, and picking vegetables, all while chatting enthusiastically. Their voices carried far in the quiet alley.

"...If you ask me, this new Wei kid is really burning money!" The second aunt's loud voice carried a distinct sarcasm and an air of condescension. She was furiously sewing a thick shoe sole, the needle and thread making a hissing sound.

"The government provides housing, what a great thing! It's so convenient to live there for free! But he insists on tearing down that dilapidated courtyard and rebuilding it! And he's even paying for it himself! Tsk tsk, how much will that cost? Bricks, timber, labor... I bet it'll cost at least a thousand or eight hundred!"

"Who says otherwise!" the third aunt chimed in, deftly picking a handful of green beans, her voice lowered with a hint of mysterious inquiry. "I saw it yesterday, the delivered bricks, cartload after cartload, all top-quality city bricks! And those roof beams, wow, so thick and straight, they look so sturdy! This kid, he's got some serious connections! Where did he get so much money, a newcomer to the city? From hunting?"

A younger woman standing nearby chimed in, "Isn't he a purchasing agent specially recruited by the steel mill? I heard he's incredibly capable, able to procure wild boars! Maybe the factory pays him well?"

"No matter how high the purchasing staff's salary is, there's still a limit!" Another middle-aged woman curled her lip. "I think either they have a family fortune, or... humph, this money comes so fast, who knows what's going on." She didn't say it explicitly, but the implication was clear.

"Exactly! What a fool!" Auntie concluded, vigorously rubbing the needle in her hair. "With that money, it would be better to put it in the bank and earn interest, or buy some belongings! Building a house? These days, as long as it's habitable, that's enough. Why be so fussy!"

The group's discussions were mixed, ranging from envy and jealousy to incomprehension and even a hint of schadenfreude. In this era of scarcity and egalitarianism, Wei Chen's "unconventional" yet seemingly "wealthy and arrogant" behavior naturally became the hottest topic in the alley.

Just then, Wei Chen appeared at the entrance of the alley on his gleaming bicycle, riding slowly toward the gate.

The sharp-eyed third auntie spotted him first, immediately nudging the second auntie next to her with her elbow. At the same time, her face instantly broke into a beaming smile, and her voice rose several octaves: "Oh! Isn't this Wei Chen back? Off work already?"

Her shout was like a mute button being pressed. The buzzing murmurs that had been going on just moments before ceased abruptly. All the women at the door, regardless of what they had been saying, immediately raised their heads, their eyes fixed on Wei Chen.

The second aunt's sarcastic and skeptical expression quickly vanished, replaced by a slightly exaggerated smile: "Yes, Wei Chen's back! It must be so tiring in this heat!"

Wei Chen stopped the car at the entrance, put one foot on the ground, and wore a perfectly appropriate smile that was neither too friendly nor too distant. His gaze calmly swept over everyone: "Second Aunt, Third Aunt, all the aunts and sisters-in-law, are you all here? It's quite hot outside."

"That's right, this little shady spot by the door is the only place where anyone can stay." The third auntie chimed in with a laugh, but her eyes couldn't help but dart towards Wei Chen's brand-new bicycle and empty basket. "Wei Chen, you... didn't go to work? What time is it? Why are you back already?"

Wei Chen understood immediately; he knew this was an attempt to probe. He smiled, his tone relaxed and natural: "We purchasing staff are different from the workshop workers. After the weekly meeting on Mondays, the rest of the time, we're mainly out and about. Either we're wandering around various supply and marketing cooperatives and grocery stores in the city looking for connections..."

Either they had to ride their bikes to the countryside and villages to contact the villagers and see if they could bring back any unplanned supplies. Wind, sun, and rain were their daily routine. Unlike the factory workers, who were in the workshops, where the machines were running, and they were sheltered from the wind and rain—so much more secure.

His words were half true and half false, highlighting the special nature of the purchasing work (flexible hours but arduous work) while also elevating the status of workshop workers (stability), leaving no room for criticism.

"Oh! Is that so? Running fieldwork is hard work! Hard work!" Aunt Er nodded in agreement. "Yes, yes, it's all for the factory!" The others echoed, their smiles widening, though the probing look in their eyes hadn't completely faded.

Wei Chen had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with them. He simply greeted them a few times and said, "Yes, it's not easy for anyone. You all chat, I'll go back and check on how my house is being built." With that, he pushed his cart through a path that the crowd had automatically parted to make way for him and went straight into the courtyard house.

Behind him, he could still faintly hear scattered whispers, though deliberately kept low: "Listen to that, that's what you call talent..." "Field work, it's lucrative..." "Look at his bicycle, it's a factory-issued one!" "Shh...keep your voice down..."

Wei Chen ignored them, parked his bicycle under the eaves of the rear house, and locked it. He strode across the front yard. The middle courtyard was still relatively quiet; those going to work hadn't returned, and those going to school hadn't finished yet. He headed straight for the moon gate leading to his east courtyard.