The Courtyard House: The Little Red Devil Returning from the Peninsula

Old Xu slung his spear across his shoulder, but before raising the muzzle, his eyes scanned the windows of the Jia family's house.

"Anyone itching for a fight should ask this gunstock first."

There was no trace of Jia Zhangshi behind the window paper.

He Daqing dragged He Yuzhu into the house, and He Yuzhu's neck twisted like a pretzel.

"Father, I just want to take a look."

"Look at you! The soldiers are on duty, what are you doing getting involved, you little brat by the stove?"

He Yuzhu was carried away, his heels leaving two gray marks on the blue bricks.

Yan Bugui ran fast and returned quickly. He and a colleague carried the bellows from the blacksmith's shop next door into the yard. The wooden planks were still covered with old coal dust, and the leather bladder had two holes, panting heavily.

The shopkeeper was about to start haggling when he noticed the Mauser pistol on Zhou Shichang's waist and changed his mind.

"Just return it after you're done using it."

Zhou Shichang took out two copper coins from his pocket and threw them over.

"They charge for something that leaks air?"

The waiter caught the copper coin, a smile plastered on his face.

"No leaks, no leaks, it can be used again after a quick patch."

Zhao Weiguo was already squatting against the wall, moving aside a few broken bricks. He laid the scraps of the old pot on the ground and then had Old Xu pour in the charcoal. The black charcoal rolled down, hitting the metal sheet with a crisp sound.

Zhou Shichang frowned.

"Just do it in the yard?"

"It'll suffocate in there."

Zhao Weiguo propped up a broken tile to block the north wind.

"Keep the fire steady, keep the airflow low, and don't let the smoke hit the blade."

Old Xu squatted down and took a look.

"With just a few bricks, you think you can start a furnace?"

Zhao Weiguo pointed at him.

"You're working the bellows, don't ask random questions."

Old Xu was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and scolded.

"Hey, you're even ordering me around now."

Zhou Shichang kicked him.

"pull."

The bellows started to run.

Whoosh—hiss.

Whoosh—hiss.

The charcoal first emitted white smoke, then red dots appeared, merging together like a nest of eyes hidden in the ash. Zhao Weiguo placed the first knife into the fire, only heating the section near the crack, burying the rest of the blade in a damp cloth.

Yi Zhonghai stood three steps away, his eyes fixed on Zhao Weiguo's hand.

"If you heat it up like that, the knife will deform."

Zhao Weiguo didn't look at him.

"So you need to press a damp cloth against your back."

"A wet cloth explodes when heated."

"That's because there's too much water."

Yi Zhonghai opened his mouth, then closed it again. The red mark on the back of his hand looked purple under the light, but his fingers couldn't help but twitch slightly in response to Zhao Weiguo's movements.

Zhou Shichang glanced at him.

"Apprentice, if you want to watch, stand back. If you block the fire, I'll put you back in the furnace."

Yi Zhonghai took a half step back, burying his face in the shadows.

Zhao Weiguo tucked the knife between his legs, and flames crept along the cracks. Dark red, cherry red, orange red—the colors formed distinct lines in his eyes. The system panel hovered above the flames, the text cold and indifferent.

[Temperature range: Insufficient]

[Suggested increase in airflow: 10%]

Zhao Weiguo held up two fingers.

"Old Xu, hurry up!"

Old Xu increased the pressure on his hands, causing the bellows to bulge and the flames to engulf the blade.

[Temperature range: Suitable for localized annealing]

"stop."

The bellows stopped.

Zhao Weiguo took out the knife and pressed it into the ashes beside him. The ashes sank, and a wisp of smoke rose from them.

Zhou Shichang squatted down beside him, his eyes narrowed.

"Aren't you going to quench it?"

"Antification first, the cracks need to soften. If you quench it directly, it'll break on the first cut tomorrow."

"Did you do it this way last time?"

"The last one didn't crack completely."

Zhou Shichang stroked the stubble on his chin.

"Is your brain really that of a ten-year-old?"

Zhao Weiguo drew the second knife.

"The Japanese won't spare me a blow just because I'm ten years old."

No one in the courtyard responded.

A gust of wind swept through the courtyard, causing the oil lamp's flame to veer to one side. Old Xu's hand paused on the bellows handle, his smile fading. Another soldier stood in the doorway, a rifle in his arms, the toe of his boot crunching against a sunflower seed shell.

Jia Zhangshi muttered in a low voice inside the room.

"What's with the attitude? It's just blacksmithing..."

Old Xu suddenly turned his head.

"Who farted in the house?"

The sound of bowls and chopsticks clattering immediately came from inside the window, and then nothing more was said.

Zhao Weiguo annealed the five knives one by one, then used a makeshift grinding wheel holder to secure the blades. The hand crank wasn't completely smooth yet, and it jerked as it turned. He shaved an iron nail into a small wedge, used it to hold the shaft in place, and then applied some lamp oil ash to the threads.

"He Yuzhu".

The head popped out from behind the moon gate again.

"what?"

He Daqing's cursing followed.

"You've crawled out again!"

Zhao Weiguo did not look up.

"Come and shake this. Keep your hand steady, don't rush."

He Yuzhu glanced at his father, but his foot had already stepped out.

He Daqing chased after Zhou Shichang to the door with a rolling pin in his hand. When he saw that Zhou Shichang did not stop him, his face twitched.

"Sir, this child is ignorant."

Zhou Shichang had an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"You can't kill someone by just rocking a wheel."

He Yuzhu squatted down by the table and gripped the crank handle with both hands.

"Which way?"

"Just over there."

The grinding wheel spun, its edge brushing against the blade, sending sparks flying and landing on Zhao Weiguo's sleeve. He didn't flinch; his left hand pressed down on the back of the blade, while his right hand controlled the angle, the blade gradually revealing a cold glint.

He Yuzhu's eyes widened.

"Hey, that's really bright."

"Don't look at Mars, look at your hands."

Why are you looking at my hands?

"If your hand shakes, the knife will be ruined."

He Yuzhu immediately bit his lip, his arm stiffening taut.

Yi Zhonghai moved forward an inch.

Zhao Weiguo suddenly spoke.

Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Zhonghai was taken aback.

"What are you doing?"

"Go and get the fine file from your shop. Borrow it, don't borrow it for nothing."

Yi Zhonghai stared at him.

"What are you giving me?"

Zhao Weiguo kicked the flared gun cover out of the sack.

"This piece of steel is enough for your master to make two good chisels."

Yi Zhonghai's breath hitched. He bent down to pick up the protective plate, rubbed his fingers on the broken edge, and his eyes lit up before he suppressed them again.

"I'll go get it."

Zhou Shichang watched his retreating figure pass through the hanging flower gate and chuckled softly.

"You even dare to order the people in this courtyard around."

Zhao Weiguo attached the blade to the grinding wheel.

Mars took flight again.

"When people are idle, they tend to cause trouble."