Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Starting with the Korean War, returning home to take charge

He Yushui missed school for three days in a row.

He Yuzhu left in the morning while she was still lying in bed, covered by the blanket. He lifted the corner of the blanket; her eyes were red and swollen, and she didn't speak. He sat by the bed for a while, wanting to say something, but in the end, he just tucked the blanket around her again and left.

On the morning of the fourth day, the deaf old lady stood in the yard with her cane.

He Yuzhu was about to leave when he saw her and paused for a moment.

"Grandma, why are you out here?"

The old woman ignored him. She stood there, staring at the Jia family's door for a long time. Then she raised her cane and walked over step by step.

People in the courtyard started peeking out.

Yan Bugui came out of the house, still holding a rice bowl, but stopped chewing halfway through. Liu Haizhong stood at the door, pretending to tie his shoelaces, but his eyes were glancing this way. Aunt Erda, holding a child, stood by the hanging flower gate, craning her neck, afraid of missing anything.

The old lady walked to the Jia family's door and raised her cane.

Clang—crash—

The windowpanes shattered and splashed in the morning light.

A scream from Jia Zhangshi erupted from inside the house, followed by curses: "Which damned bastard—"

She rushed out, saw the old woman, and the sound of her cursing stuck in her throat, as if someone was choking her.

The old lady looked at her but didn't say anything.

Madam Jia took a step back, her face twitching. Anger, astonishment, and guilt flashed through her expression in a rapid succession. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

Another person rushed out of the house. He was in his early twenties, thin, and wearing factory work clothes; it was Jia Dongxu. He saw the shattered glass on the floor and the deaf old woman standing at the door, and his face turned pale.

"Grandma, you..."

The old lady raised her cane and, before he could dodge, struck Jia Zhangshi's leg with it.

Jia Zhangshi screamed and jumped to the side, clutching her leg.

The old woman chased after her and struck her again with the stick.

"Ouch! Someone's been killed! Someone's been killed!" Jia Zhangshi clutched her leg and ran all over the yard like a chased hen.

The old lady stopped chasing. She stood there, leaning on her cane, catching her breath. Sunlight shone on her gray hair, gilding it with a golden edge. She looked at Jia Zhangshi, her voice not loud, but every word was firm and impactful.

"Jia Zhangshi, listen to me carefully. This courtyard used to belong to my family. I donated it the year of Liberation, but the state didn't want it and let the steel mill rent it as dormitories. The building belongs to the state, but I set the rules."

Jia Zhangshi stood there, clutching her leg, her face deathly pale.

The old lady took a step forward.

"If you don't behave yourself, I can take this house back tomorrow with just one word. You can go wherever you want, but don't cause trouble under my nose."

Jia Zhangshi opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Jia Dongxu ran over and stood in front of the old lady, his face flushed red. He glanced quickly at He Yuzhu, then lowered his eyes again.

"Grandma, my mother... she has a sharp tongue, I apologize on her behalf. Please don't take it to heart."

He turned and glared at Jia Zhangshi, a flicker of struggle in his eyes: "Mom, aren't you going to apologize?"

Jia Zhangshi stood still.

Jia Dongxu raised his hand, paused in mid-air, and then pushed her.

"mom!"

He pushed Jia Zhangshi, causing her to stumble forward. She lowered her head and mumbled something, which was unintelligible.

Jia Dongxu pushed her again, his fingernails digging into her arm.

"Speak louder!"

Madam Jia raised her head and looked at the old lady. Something flickered deep in her eyes, but quickly disappeared again.

"I'm...I'm sorry."

The old lady didn't say anything.

She turned around and walked back, leaning on her cane. When she reached He Yuzhu, she glanced at him.

"Pillar, remember this. I'm still here in this courtyard."

She continued walking forward.

He Yushui didn't know when she had arrived at the door. She saw the old lady approaching, saw the cane in her hand, and saw the sweat on her face. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she rushed over, burying her face in the old lady's arms, her shoulders heaving.

The old lady placed her hand on her head and patted it gently.

"With Grandma around, no one will dare to bully you."

He Yushui cried even louder, her sobs muffled by the old woman's clothes, like a wounded little animal.

Everyone in the courtyard—standing, squatting, peeking out—watched this scene. Yan Bugui, holding his rice bowl, forgot to chew. Liu Haizhong stopped pretending to tie his shoelaces. Aunt Er, holding her child, had slightly red eyes.

No one spoke.

Jia Zhangshi knocked on the door the next morning.

She stood at the door for a while. Her expression shifted between anger and joy, her lips pursed and relaxed repeatedly. She raised her hand, lowered it, and raised it again. Finally, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

He Yuzhu opened the door. She stood in the doorway, holding a basket of eggs, a smile plastered on her face. The smile seemed forced, as if something else was pressing down on it.

"Deputy Factory Director He, about yesterday... it was my loose tongue, please don't take it to heart. These eggs are for the rainwater to nourish the body."

He Yuzhu looked at her.

"Take it."

The smile on Jia Zhangshi's face froze for a moment, and the muscles at the corners of her eyes twitched.

"Deputy Factory Director He, I..."

I said take it away.

Jia Zhangshi stood there, still holding the basket of eggs. After a few seconds, she put the eggs on the threshold, turned around, and left. Her back was ramrod straight as she walked away.

He Yuzhu looked down at the basket of eggs and didn't touch it.

He Yushui came out of the house and stood next to him.

"Brother, she..."

"Don't touch it."

He Yushui nodded.

The basket of eggs sat on the doorstep all morning.

Yan Bugui passed by, hands behind his back, glancing down twice. He smacked his lips, looked around, stretched out his hand, and just before touching the edge of the basket, pulled it back. He coughed, put his hands back, and slowly walked away.

In the afternoon, Jia Dongxu came over and took the eggs back. He didn't look up at anyone, just took them and left.

That evening, the old lady called He Yuzhu into the house.

Under the oil lamp, she sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her shadow trembling on the wall. She pulled a cloth bundle from under her pillow. It was made of blue cloth, faded from washing, with frayed edges. She handed the bundle to him.

He Yuzhu took it and opened it.

Inside was a piece of yellowed paper, folded into four sections, its edges somewhat brittle. He carefully unfolded it; on it were several lines of calligraphy, the ink already faded.

"This is……"

The old lady looked at him.

"The property deed. The one for this yard."

He Yuzhu was stunned for a moment.

"Didn't you say you'd donate?"

The old lady nodded.

"I donated it. But I kept a copy. It's not that I wanted to keep it, it's just something to remember the memory of."

She took the property deed back, folded it neatly, and put it back into her cloth bag.

"Keep this here. You'll need it later."

He Yuzhu looked at the cloth bag.

"Grandma, what's wrong...?"

The old lady waved her hand.

"Don't ask anymore. Just keep it."

He Yuzhu wrapped the cloth bag in his arms and pressed it against his chest.

The old woman stared at him for several seconds. The lamp oil crackled.

"Zhuzi, you're a good boy. Yushui is a good boy too. Grandma is getting old and can't protect you for many more years. From now on, you'll be in charge of setting the rules for this courtyard."

He Yuzhu didn't say anything.

The old lady lay down, her back to him.

"Go."

He Yuzhu stood up and walked out. But when he reached the door, he turned back.

The old lady's back looked like a mountain.

He gently closed the door and stood in the courtyard. The moon hung in the east, cold and clear. He touched the cloth bag in his arms, then glanced at the light still on in He Yushui's room. He stood there for a long time before finally returning to his own room.