pjbooks Chapter 192 A New Look for the Courtyard: A Reunion with Neighbors
Chapter 192 A New Look for the Courtyard: A Reunion with Neighbors
The next morning, the sunlight was exceptionally generous, streaming through the guesthouse windows and casting golden patches on the floor. Xiaoyu got up as soon as it was light, carrying the miniature courtyard house model and pacing around the room, muttering that he wanted to see the real old locust tree. Lin Chen and Su Qing finished getting ready, and Liu Guangfu was already waiting downstairs with his wife and daughter. He was wearing a worn blue work uniform with a "Guangfu Hardware Store" badge pinned to his chest. Upon seeing Lin Chen, he quickly came forward, his rough hands gripping Lin Chen's hand tightly: "Brother Lin, I've been waiting for you to come back! My hardware store has been able to stay afloat until now entirely thanks to the skills and business acumen you taught me back then."
On the way to the courtyard house, Liu Guangfu talked incessantly about the changes in the courtyard: "A couple of years ago, the district said they were going to do some protective renovations. At first, everyone was worried that they would have to move out, but later they found out that it was to be renovated according to the old layout, and even the blue bricks and gray tiles had to be custom-made by the old kiln. Yan Bugui's old house was about to collapse, but his grandson Xiaowei took leave to come back and renovate it. He even framed the old man's account book from back then, saying that he wanted to keep it as a memento." As Lin Chen listened, the outline of the courtyard house gradually appeared in his mind, and those long-forgotten memories floated gently in his mind like dust awakened by the sunlight.
When the familiar blue-brick gatehouse came into view, Lin Chen's steps unconsciously slowed. The vermilion gate had been repainted, the brass rings were polished to a shine, and the plaque above the lintel that read "Red Star Courtyard" was newly made but deliberately aged, exuding a rustic charm. Pushing open the heavy gate, he was greeted by the screen wall in the front courtyard. The originally mottled wall had been re-plastered, and a traditional Chinese ink painting of "Neighborly Harmony" was painted on it. Although the brushstrokes were not professional, they were full of life.
"This screen wall was built by several families in the courtyard. Grandpa Wang took the lead, Jia Dang painted the picture, and my daughter even helped with the coloring." Liu Guangfu pointed to a small inscription in the corner of the screen wall. "Look, there's also Xiaowei's inscription here." Lin Chen leaned closer to take a look and sure enough, there were the words "Written by Yan Xiaowei." The handwriting was neat and strong, somewhat similar to the handwriting of Yan Bugui's accounting book back then, but less harsh and more gentle.
The old house of Yan Bugui in the front yard has been completely renovated. The gray-blue tiles are neatly arranged, and several pots of blooming roses are placed on the windowsill. The flowerpots are made from old pottery jars, showing a bit of ingenuity. Sure enough, there is a glass photo frame on the stone stool at the door, containing Yan Bugui's yellowed arithmetic ledger from back then. Although the edges of the pages are torn, the writing on them is still clearly visible. The record "Yan Jiecheng stole half a cornbread and owes 0.05 jin of grain coupons" is still there, but there is an extra line of small print next to it: "Grandfather was very frugal all his life. It was not easy to support the family. The descendants should remember his hard work."
"This was written by Xiaowei. He works as an accountant at the neighborhood office now. He said that the old man's ledger was actually the survival wisdom of that era," Liu Guangtian explained from the side. "Back then, when you exposed Grandpa Yan's claim of poverty, he often mentioned it in his later years, saying that you were the first person who dared to settle accounts with him clearly. Later, Xiaowei learned accounting, which was influenced by the old man's ledger." Lin Chen smiled upon hearing this. Back then, when he took out Yan Bugui's receipt for the prize to expose his lie, he never imagined that it would end like this many years later. Time can indeed smooth out many rough edges and also settle into a lot of understanding.
As they were talking, the door to the west wing of the front yard opened, and a young man in a white shirt came out. He paused for a moment when he saw Lin Chen and his group, then quickly stepped forward: "You must be Uncle Lin Chen? I'm Yan Xiaowei. My grandfather always mentioned you when he was alive." He was holding an account book in his hand, which was another account book that Yan Bugui used to keep track of the family's income and expenditure. "I heard you were coming back, so I specially found my grandfather's account book and wanted to ask you to take a look. There are a few records related to you in it."
Lin Chen took the ledger and turned to a page. It read, "March 1961, borrowed an enamel mug from Lin Chen, not returned, debt recorded." Next to it was a later addition: "October 1980, Xiao Wei bought a new enamel mug and returned it on behalf of his grandfather. Uncle Lin Chen did not accept it, a favor recorded." Lin Chen recalled how, twenty years after he exposed Yan Bugui's lie about borrowing the enamel mug, his grandson still remembered this "debt," and a warm feeling welled up inside him. He took a custom-made thermos from his suitcase and handed it to Yan Xiaowei: "This is a gift for you. Your name is engraved on the lid; consider it my way of accepting your kindness."
Yan Xiaowei took the thermos and, seeing the words "Red Star Neighborhood Affection" on it, his eyes reddened slightly. "Thank you, Uncle Lin Chen. My grandfather said before he passed away that back in the courtyard, the person he admired most was you, earning a living with your skills without being arrogant or servile." He turned and went into the house, taking out a cloth bag containing several packets of dried locust flower buds. "These are the locust flower buds from the old locust tree in the courtyard this year. Grandpa Wang dried them, saying that you loved drinking locust flower bud tea back then, and asked me to save them for you."
Passing through the moon gate in the front yard, the scene in the middle courtyard filled Lin Chen with even more emotion. The once bare courtyard was now paved with bluestone slabs, and several pomegranate trees grew on both sides of the path, their branches laden with bright red pomegranates, like little lanterns. The Jia family's courtyard was no longer the cluttered place it once was; a trellis had been built against the wall, covered with morning glories, and a small vegetable garden had been cultivated in the center of the yard, planted with cabbages and radishes, a lush green expanse brimming with vitality.
The main door of the Jia family's house was wide open, with a conspicuous signboard hanging above it that read "Qin Huairu Tailor Shop" in five red characters, written in a delicate handwriting—Jia Dang's own. The rhythmic clatter of a sewing machine emanated from inside. Through the open window, one could see Qin Huairu sitting at her sewing machine, busy at work. She wore a navy blue corduroy jacket, her hair neatly combed. Though fine lines had appeared at the corners of her eyes, she exuded a composed and confident air, a far cry from the pitiful figure she had once contrived by the pool.
"Aunt Qin, we're here!" Xiaoyu ran over first, holding the overlock machine parts Su Qing had prepared. "This is a gift my mom brought for you. She said they're imported parts and very useful." Qin Huairu heard the voice, stopped what she was doing, looked up and saw Lin Chen's family. She was stunned for a moment, then a bright smile appeared on her face as she quickly walked out: "Xiao Lin, Su Qing, you're finally back! I heard from Guangtian yesterday that you were coming back, so I specially finished the work at the shop ahead of schedule."
Su Qing stepped forward, took Qin Huairu's hand, and carefully looked her over: "Aunt Qin, you look much more energetic than in the photos. This tailor shop is doing really well; I just saw several neighbors come to pick up their clothes." Qin Huairu smiled and patted Su Qing's hand, her gaze falling on Lin Chen, her eyes full of gratitude: "If you hadn't persuaded me to make a living with my skills back then, I don't know what I would be like now. Look, although this shop isn't big, the money we earn each month is enough to support our family. It's reassuring!"
At this moment, a young woman in work clothes came out of the inner room. It was Jia Dang, who was now the technical director of the textile factory. She was carrying a roll of fabric. When she saw Lin Chen, she quickly stepped forward to greet him: "Uncle Lin Chen, you're back! My mom told us yesterday that you were coming back, and she specially asked me to leave work early today to help prepare the meal." Behind her was a girl in a white coat, Jia Huaihua, who was now the head nurse at the hospital. She was holding a little girl who was a little over one year old, her daughter.
"This is my granddaughter, Nian'an, which means wishing everyone peace and safety." Qin Huairu took her granddaughter and carefully showed her to Lin Chen. "Huaihua said that if it weren't for you helping my Gengzi get on the right path back then, I don't know what would have become of him. Gengzi is now a key technical worker at the steel rolling mill. He called back yesterday specifically to say that he wanted to leave work early today to come home and have a drink with you."
Looking at the well-behaved Nian'an in his arms, Lin Chen recalled Jia Geng, the mischievous boy who used to steal grain, now a key technical worker, and felt a surge of emotions. He took out a small silver lock from his bag and hung it around Nian'an's neck: "This is a gift for the child, wishing her a healthy growth." Jia Huaihua quickly thanked him: "Thank you, Uncle Lin Chen. My brother always tells us that when you took him to the steel mill workshop, pointed to the equipment my father used to operate, and said those things to him, he'll never forget them."
Just then, a hearty laugh came from the courtyard gate, and Grandpa Wang walked in, leaning on his cane. His hair was completely white, but he was still very energetic, carrying a food box in his hand: "Xiao Lin is back! I told you the magpies were calling in the trees this morning, it meant good things were coming. This is some locust flower cake I just steamed, Xiao Yu, try it, it tastes just like the ones your father ate back then." Xiao Yu took the locust flower cake, took a bite, it was sweet with a faint locust flower fragrance, and couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "Grandpa Wang, it's delicious! It's even better than the pastries I ate in the South!"
Grandpa Wang's eyes narrowed into slits with a smile as he pulled Lin Chen by the hand and led him to the old locust tree in the middle courtyard. "Look at this old locust tree," he said, "it watched you confront Jia Zhangshi and reason with Yi Zhonghai back then. During the renovation, the construction team wanted to move it, but I told them that this tree is the root of the courtyard. If it's moved, the courtyard will lose its soul, so I insisted on keeping it." Lin Chen stroked the rough trunk of the old locust tree, which was thicker than before, with lush branches and leaves. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
"It was under this tree that I first talked to Liu Guangtian about forging techniques." Lin Chen pointed to an inconspicuous mark on the tree trunk. "Look, this is what Guangtian carved back then. He said he wanted to learn the technique from me and become a good blacksmith in the future." Liu Guangtian walked over, looked at the mark, and smiled sheepishly: "Back then, I was young and ambitious, always thinking about making a name for myself as soon as possible. Thanks to your patient guidance, Brother Lin, otherwise I wouldn't be where I am today."
The courtyard gradually became lively. Neighbors, having heard that Lin Chen had returned, came over to greet him. Aunt Zhang from the front yard brought over freshly roasted melon seeds, and Uncle Li from the back yard brought over his homemade medicinal wine. Even Liu Guangfu's son, who used to always follow Liu Haizhong around, came over to bow and greet Lin Chen. Everyone sat around under the old locust tree, reminiscing about the past and talking about the changes now, their laughter echoing through the courtyard.
"If Grandpa Yi had been more open-minded back then and hadn't always been so calculating about his retirement, he could be enjoying a peaceful life now," Grandpa Wang said with a sigh, taking a sip of tea. "After he went to prison, Grandma Yi became depressed, and it was Sha Zhu who helped her find a caregiver. Sha Zhu is doing really well now; he's a chef at the military guesthouse, married a nurse, and has a son. He even came back last year, bringing gifts for all the elderly people in the facility."
Lin Chen recalled how Yi Zhonghai had schemed and plotted for his retirement, only to end up abandoned by everyone, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. Just then, Qin Huairu brought over a plate of freshly made dumplings: "These are chive and egg dumplings I made. Back then, you were always hungry in the courtyard, so eat more today." Lin Chen took a bite of a dumpling, and the fresh, fragrant taste spread in his mouth. It was the taste of home, the warmth that time had accumulated.
Looking at the harmonious scene before her, Su Qing quietly said to Lin Chen, "Now I finally understand why you always care about this courtyard house. Although there have been schemes and conflicts here, there is more of the mutual support and care among neighbors, and the warmth of supporting each other through difficult times." Lin Chen nodded, watching Xiao Yu and the children in the courtyard chasing and playing under the old locust tree, watching Su Qing chatting with Qin Huairu and Jia Dang, and watching Grandpa Wang and Liu Guangtian talking about the past of the steel rolling mill, his heart was filled with peace.
As evening fell, Jia Geng returned home from get off work, dressed in his steel mill uniform with a "Technical Backbone" badge pinned to his chest. Upon seeing Lin Chen, he quickly approached and bowed respectfully: "Uncle Lin Chen, thank you for enlightening me back then. I finally understand that making a living through craftsmanship is never as reliable as stealing." He took out a notebook from his bag, filled with notes on forging techniques. "These are my accumulated experiences over the years. I'd like to ask you to take a look and offer some guidance."
Lin Chen took the notebook and carefully flipped through it. The handwriting was neat and the records were very detailed, covering everything from temperature control in forging to precision adjustments of parts, all reflecting his own insights. Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. You are very talented and hardworking. These notes are very professional, much better than when I first started learning." He took out a forging technology manual he had compiled from his suitcase and handed it to Jia Geng, "This is the experience I've summarized over the years. I'm giving it to you, hoping it will be helpful."
Jia Geng took the manual as if it were a priceless treasure, his hands trembling with excitement: "Thank you, Uncle Lin Chen! I will definitely study it carefully and live up to your expectations." Qin Huairu looked at her son, her eyes filled with tears of relief. She held Lin Chen's hand and choked out, "Xiao Lin, thank you, thank you so much. If it weren't for you, Gengzi's life would be ruined, and our family would be ruined too."
As the sun sets, golden sunlight spills onto the gray bricks and tiles of the courtyard, bathing the entire place in a warm glow. Under the old locust tree, everyone sits together, eating dumplings and chatting. The laughter of children, the chatter of adults, and the rhythmic clatter of sewing machines blend together, creating a heartwarming scene of neighborly harmony. Looking at all this, Lin Chen understands that his return home this time was not only about reliving the warmth of his hometown, but also about seeing how the principles he upheld—"being honest and hardworking, and making a living through skills"—have taken root, sprouted, and borne fruit in this land.
As night deepened, the neighbors gradually dispersed. Lin Chen's family stayed in the side room on the north side of the courtyard. This room had been renovated and was no longer drafty or leaky. Old photos hung on the walls, documenting the courtyard's past. Xiaoyu was already asleep, a smile still lingering on her face from eating locust flower cakes. Lin Chen and Su Qing sat by the window, watching the moonlight in the courtyard. The moonlight filtered through the branches of the old locust tree, casting a gentle and tranquil glow on the ground.
"Let's go see Yi Zhonghai's grave tomorrow," Lin Chen suddenly said. "Although he schemed against me back then, we were still neighbors. His ashes have never been claimed, so I still want to erect a monument for him so he can have a final resting place." Su Qing nodded and took Lin Chen's hand: "Okay, I'll go with you. Everyone makes mistakes in life; once it's over, let it go."
Looking at the old locust tree outside the window, Lin Chen was filled with emotion. Thirty years had changed so many people and things. The scheming and disputes of the past had long since faded with the passage of time, leaving behind the warmth of neighborly relations, a love for life, and the belief in creating happiness with one's own hands. He knew that this return home was not an end, but a new beginning. He would continue to pass on this warmth and belief inherited from the courtyard house, passing it on to his son and to many more people.