Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 71 Making a living on a cold night, small acts of kindness warm people's hearts

December in Beijing was bitterly cold. At five in the morning, the Hongxing Courtyard was still shrouded in inky darkness. Only a dim kerosene lamp shone from the crack in Liu Haizhong's window in the backyard, accompanied by intermittent coughs and suppressed sobs, faintly audible in the cold wind. Lin Chen wrapped his thick work coat tighter around himself. As soon as he pushed open the door, the biting wind made him shrink back. The faint light and the soft sounds made him involuntarily veer towards the backyard.

"Cry! All you do is cry! How did I raise such a good-for-nothing!" Liu Haizhong's roar suddenly pierced the window paper, slurred with alcohol and barely concealed anxiety. "Fifteen years old and can't even find a decent job? Am I supposed to support you for the rest of my life?" Immediately following was Aunt Liu's attempt to calm him down: "Father, Guangfu is still young, don't scold him like that..." "Young? His older brother, Guangtian, was already an apprentice in the factory at fifteen! And him? What can he do besides hand me a wrench?"

Standing under the old locust tree in the corner of the courtyard, Lin Chen looked at the trembling window and recalled the scene he had witnessed in the workshop yesterday—Liu Guangfu, wrapped in a faded single-layer shirt, was squatting in a sheltered spot by the back door of the workshop, gnawing on a cold cornbread. When he saw Lin Chen approaching, Liu hurriedly hid the cornbread in his clothes, his face red with embarrassment. This boy had grown up amidst Liu Haizhong's beatings and scoldings; timid by nature but diligent by hand. The last time Lin Chen asked him to help move alloy scrap, he not only stacked the scrap neatly but also secretly gathered the scattered small scraps together, put them in a paper bag, and handed it to him: "Director Lin, these scraps might still be usable; it's a waste to throw them away."

Just then, the backyard door creaked open, and Liu Guangfu walked out with his head down, clutching a tattered cloth bundle in his frozen, purple hands—clearly containing all his belongings. He had barely reached the middle courtyard when he was spotted by Yi Zhonghai, who was emerging from the east wing. Yi Zhonghai, sleeves tucked in, glanced at the bundle in Liu Guangfu's hand and snorted, "What are you doing wandering around so early in the morning? Don't be like your father, so carefree and irresponsible. You have to follow the rules of the yard."

Liu Guangfu shuddered in fright, lowering his head even further. He mumbled a reply, "I'll go find some work," and started to walk out of the courtyard. Lin Chen stepped forward and stopped him, pulling a still-warm coarse grain bun from his pocket and handing it to him: "Have something to eat first; it'll be even colder going out on an empty stomach." Liu Guangfu looked up, tears still welling in his eyes. He swallowed hard, staring at the golden bun, but shook his head and backed away: "Director Lin, I can't accept your things. My father said I can't just take favors from others."

"Here, consider it payment for helping me move scrap last time." Lin Chen stuffed the steamed bun into his hand, noticing that his sleeve was torn, revealing his wrists, red and swollen from the cold. "Where do you want to find work?" Liu Guangfu took a bite of the bun, the warm, wheaty aroma spreading in his mouth. He mumbled, "I'll go ask at the general store on Qianmen Street if they need apprentices... I asked last time, and the shopkeeper said they needed someone who could do accounting, but I can't..."

Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat. He remembered that when he went to the scrap yard in the suburbs last week to dispose of scrap, the boss, Lao Wang, complained to him about the lack of a quick and efficient helper: "It's cold now, and no one wants to do this hard work. The scrap we collect is piled up in a mess, and my old back is about to break." Lao Wang was an honest man. Last time, when Lin Chen sold him a batch of fused scrap steel parts, he not only gave him a fair price but also gave him an extra two pounds of dried sweet potatoes, saying, "It's not easy for young people to work in the factory."

"Come with me, I'll take you somewhere." Lin Chen turned and walked out of the courtyard. Liu Guangfu hesitated for a moment, glanced at the steamed bun in his hand, and quickly followed. The two walked towards the outskirts of the city on the icy road. The cold wind felt like knives cutting their faces, but Liu Guangfu became more and more energetic as he walked, occasionally stealing a glance at Lin Chen's back ahead. His steps gradually became firm from hesitant.

Sure enough, the scrap yard was piled high with scrap metal. Old Wang was squatting on the ground sorting it when he saw Lin Chen arrive. He quickly stood up and said, "Young Master Lin is here? Do you still have that kind of alloy scrap you mentioned last time? I have a few customers looking for it." "Boss Wang, I'm not here to sell scrap metal today. I brought someone with me." Lin Chen pulled Liu Guangfu in front of him. "This kid's name is Liu Guangfu. He's hardworking and observant, but he's a bit young. Do you think he could help out here?"

Old Wang looked Liu Guangfu up and down. Although he was thin, his eyes were clear, and his hands, though red and swollen from the cold, were covered in calluses. He knew Liu was a hard worker. "How old is this kid? What can he do?" "Fifteen. He can move things, sort things, and clean. Besides, his brother is an apprentice at a steel mill, and we know his family well." Lin Chen added, "His family isn't well-off. Just give him some food and some pocket money."

Liu Guangfu quickly stepped forward and bowed, "Boss Wang, I can do anything! I'm not afraid of hardship or the cold! I can even help you stack the scrap metal neatly!" Old Wang was amused by his earnestness and patted him on the shoulder, "Alright, then you can stay and give it a try. Seven in the morning to five in the afternoon, two meals provided, and five yuan at the end of the month, how about that?" Liu Guangfu's eyes lit up instantly, too excited to speak, he just kept bowing, "Thank you, Boss Wang! Thank you, Director Lin! I will definitely work hard!"

After settling Liu Guangfu in, Lin Chen gave Lao Wang a few more instructions, "Don't let him carry anything too heavy," before heading to the steel rolling mill. As soon as he arrived at the forging workshop, he saw Liu Haizhong squatting at the entrance, smoking, his brow furrowed so deeply it could trap a fly. Seeing Lin Chen approach, he hurriedly stubbed out his cigarette, stood up to greet him, but then, remembering his previous conflict with Lin Chen, his face flushed red, and he turned to walk into the workshop.

"Master Liu, wait a minute." Lin Chen called out to him. "The Guangfu matter is settled. Boss Wang from the scrap yard on the outskirts of the city has hired him to help out. He'll provide room and board, and he'll get five yuan for his work at the end of the month." Liu Haizhong stopped in his tracks, slowly turned around, his eyes filled with disbelief: "You...you found him a job?" "I saw him helping you move things last time, and Boss Wang happened to be short-handed, so I mentioned it to him." Lin Chen said casually, "The kid's still young, it's always good for him to gain more experience."

Liu Haizhong opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end he could only manage a hoarse "thank you." He watched Lin Chen's back as he walked into the workshop, remembering how he had made things difficult for Lin Chen before—making him do the hardest rust removal work, demanding grain coupons as a gift for becoming an apprentice, and even trying to steal his grain coupons. Yet Lin Chen was still willing to help his son find work. His heart felt heavy, a bitter and sour feeling welling up inside him.

Lin Chen had just reached his workstation when Liu Guangtian ran over with a forged part, his face beaming with excitement: "Director Lin, look at this! I've improved the 'residual heat forging method' you mentioned, and the scrap rate has dropped again!" Lin Chen took the part and used the system to check it. The precision had improved by 0.02 millimeters compared to last time. He nodded in satisfaction: "Not bad, you've made rapid progress. By the way, Guangfu works at a scrap yard in the suburbs. Go see him when you have time; it's cold there, bring him a warm coat."

Liu Guangtian was stunned for a moment, then understood, and his eyes welled up with tears: "Director Lin, thank you... My father didn't treat you well before, and you still help our family like this." "We're all colleagues in the same workshop, it's only right to look after each other." Lin Chen patted his shoulder, "Work hard, and when your skills are more proficient, I'll ask the director to let you take on an apprentice." Liu Guangtian nodded vigorously, his hand holding the part trembling slightly with excitement.

During the lunch break, Lin Chen had just taken out his lunchbox when he saw Yan Bugui walking over with an abacus, followed by his third son, Yan Jiekuang. "Director Lin, busy?" Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses, a rare smile on his face. "I checked the mold material utilization rate you asked me to calculate last time, and found that it can be optimized further, saving an additional 0.05 kilograms of material."

Lin Chen put down his lunchbox and took the ledger Yan Bugui handed him. It was filled with meticulously written calculations in delicate handwriting, each step clearly marked. "Teacher Yan, you're so meticulous," Lin Chen exclaimed sincerely. Yan Bugui's face showed a smug look, then he said somewhat shyly, "Jie Kuang heard that Guangfu found work and he's looking for something to do too. I was thinking you have a wide network of connections, could you help him ask around?"

Lin Chen glanced at Yan Jiekuang standing behind Yan Bugui. The boy, like his father, wore small glasses and looked quite refined, holding a book in his hand. "Can Yan Jiekuang read? Can he do arithmetic?" Lin Chen asked. Yan Bugui nodded quickly, "Yes! I taught him abacus; he has no problem with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division!" Lin Chen thought for a moment and said, "I know Officer Li from the neighborhood office. They're currently organizing resident files and need a temporary worker who can do arithmetic and write. I'll ask around for you."

Yan Bugui was so excited that he bowed repeatedly, "Thank you, Director Lin! Thank you, Director Lin! If this works out, I'll definitely make sure Jie Kuang does a good job!" He pulled Yan Jie Kuang to bow to Lin Chen, his eyes full of gratitude. Lin Chen watched the backs of the father and son, remembering how Yan Bugui used to always scheme against the neighbors, even keeping accounts for his children's food rations. Now, for his son's job, he had put aside all his pride. He couldn't help but sigh, thinking that all parents in the world are probably the same.

As Lin Chen stepped out of the workshop after get off work in the afternoon, he saw Liu Haizhong standing at the door waiting for him, carrying a cloth bag. "Director Lin, I've been waiting for you for ages." Liu Haizhong handed the cloth bag to Lin Chen. "These are cotton shoes that your aunt made for Guangfu. She made an extra pair, so you can wear them." Lin Chen opened the cloth bag, and inside was a pair of brand-new black cotton shoes. The stitches were fine, the soles were thick, and they even had a faint cotton scent.

"Master Liu, this is too valuable, I can't accept it." Lin Chen handed the cloth bag back. Liu Haizhong pressed his hand down, his face flushed red: "Director Lin, if you don't accept it, you're looking down on me, Liu Haizhong! I was foolish before, always going against you, and you even helped Guangfu find work. Consider these cotton shoes a small token of my appreciation." Looking at Liu Haizhong's sincere eyes, Lin Chen had no choice but to accept the cotton shoes: "Then I won't be polite, thank you, Master Liu."

Back at the courtyard house, Lin Chen had just entered the central courtyard when he saw Qin Huairu holding Jia Huaihua, basking in the sun, while Jia Dang and Jia Geng helped prepare vegetables. Seeing Lin Chen return, Qin Huairu quickly stood up, a gentle smile on her face: "Director Lin is back? I just cooked some sweet potato porridge, would you like some to warm yourself up?"

Lin Chen was taken aback. In the past, when Qin Huairu saw him, she would either feign pitifulness to gain sympathy or avoid him altogether; she rarely gave him such a genuine smile. "No, thank you, Sister-in-law Jia. I still have food at home," Lin Chen said with a smile. Qin Huairu didn't insist, pointing to the courtyard gate: "Guangfu came back this afternoon and brought you some old copper wire he collected from the scrap yard. He said you might need it, so he left it at your door."

Lin Chen walked to the door and, sure enough, saw a paper package on the ground containing some neatly arranged old copper wires. He picked up the package, feeling a warmth in his heart. These old copper wires weren't worth much, but they represented Liu Guangfu's kind intentions. Just then, Liu Haizhong's voice came from the backyard: "Guangfu, take that bundle of firewood to Director Lin!" Liu Guangfu's reply followed: "Yes, Dad!"

As soon as Lin Chen entered the house, Liu Guangfu carried in a bundle of firewood, his face covered in sweat. "Director Lin, my dad asked me to bring you some firewood. It's cold, it'll keep the kang (heated brick bed) warm." "Thank you, come in and have some water." Lin Chen poured Liu Guangfu a cup of hot water. "Is working at the scrap yard tiring? Did Boss Wang give you a hard time?" Liu Guangfu drank the hot water and shook his head. "Not at all! Boss Wang is a very kind person. He even taught me how to distinguish different types of scrap and said he'd hire me as a full-time employee when I come of age!"

Seeing Liu Guangfu's excited expression, Lin Chen recalled the hardships he faced when he was first reborn. Without the system and his own efforts, he would probably have frozen and starved to death long ago. He patted Liu Guangfu's head: "Work hard. Earning money with your own hands is better than anything else." Liu Guangfu nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling with anticipation for the future.

That evening, Lin Chen sat under the lamp, looking at the cotton shoes and old copper wire on the table, his heart filled with emotion. He opened the system panel and found that his points had increased by 200 points. The system notification read: "The host has practiced 'mutual assistance with goodwill' and gained the recognition of his neighbors. Points reward." Lin Chen smiled. He never did these things for points, but to protect the warmth in his heart.

The cold wind was still howling outside the window, but warmth was gradually spreading through the courtyard. The sounds of arguing were no longer heard from Liu Haizhong's window; instead, Liu Guangfu's laughter filled the air as he told his family amusing stories about the scrap yard. The light in Yan Bugui's house stayed on late as Yan Jiekuang practiced writing and accounting. In Qin Huairu's courtyard, Jia Dang was helping his mother sew clothes, while Jia Geng chopped firewood. Although life remained poor, it was full of hope.

Lin Chen walked to the window and looked at the lights in the courtyard. He remembered what He Yushui had told him before: "Most of the people in the courtyard are forced to scheme by life. They are not bad at heart." Before, he only thought about how to protect himself and how to fight back against those who schemed against him. Now he understands that sometimes a little kindness can melt the ice in people's hearts and make this cold winter warm.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door. Lin Chen opened it and saw Yi Zhonghai standing there, holding an enamel mug. "Xiao Lin, I made some ginger soup. I brought you a bowl. It's cold; it'll warm you up." Lin Chen took the mug, the warmth of the ginger soup spreading from his hands to his heart. He looked at Yi Zhonghai and noticed a rare sincerity in the eyes of this usually calculating, retirement-minded eighth-grade fitter.

This winter, the wind in the Hongxing Courtyard is still biting, but people's hearts are gradually warming up through mutual help and kindness.