Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 144 Red silk ribbons adorn the lintel, old troubles turn into joyful smoke.

In late April, at the Hongxing Courtyard, the Chinese toon trees were just sprouting tender red buds, while the morning glory vines climbing the courtyard walls were already eagerly adorned with flower buds. Under the windowsill of Yan Bugui's house in the front yard, newly planted mint emitted a cool fragrance, mingling with the aroma of noodles wafting from the middle courtyard, creating a sweet, homely atmosphere throughout the courtyard. On such a wonderful day, the most unexpected news for everyone in the courtyard was that Xu Damao was getting married.

The news was announced by Xu Damao himself, banging on an enamel mug in the Intermediate People's Court. That morning, he was wearing a faded blue cotton jacket, his hair was slicked back, and he stood by the stone table, clearing his throat as he held a red slip of paper in his hand: "Dear neighbors, I have some news to share—I, Xu Damao, will be getting married on the first day of the fifth lunar month. I'm marrying Sister-in-law Li Shulan from the scrap yard. Everyone, come and join the wedding feast!"

The neighbors who were drinking porridge at the stone table all stopped eating. Sha Zhu had just taken a bite of his steamed bun and almost choked. He patted his chest and laughed, "Xu Damao, are you finally settling down? Don't do those petty thievery things anymore, it'll only make that girl suffer!" Qin Huairu, who was picking vegetables, nodded in agreement, "Yes, Master Xu, I've met Sister Li. She's a very honest person. You must treat her well."

Xu Damao blushed and scratched his head: "I used to be a slacker, but I won't be anymore. Brother Lin Chen advised me back then, 'Working hard is what makes a decent person,' and I remember that!" As he spoke, he turned to Lin Chen, who had just gone out to fetch water, and quickly went to greet him, taking out a folded red paper from his pocket: "Brother Lin Chen, this is an invitation. You absolutely must come. If you don't, I won't feel at ease about getting married."

Lin Chen accepted the invitation. On the red paper, written in calligraphy, was the message: "We cordially invite Mr. Lin Chen and Ms. Su Qing to a wedding banquet to be held at noon on the first day of the fifth lunar month." The handwriting, though not perfectly neat, conveyed a sense of earnestness. He smiled and nodded, "Congratulations, Da Mao! Su Qing and I will definitely be there. If Sister-in-law Li needs any help, please don't hesitate to ask."

Xu Damao's eyes lit up, and he nodded quickly: "I really do have something I'd like to trouble you all with. My room hasn't been cleaned in a long time; the roof leaks and a lot of paint has fallen off the walls. Sister-in-law Li has a six-year-old son, Xiao Jianjun, and we need to add a bed. Also, I'd like to ask Brother Shazhu to help with the cooking for the wedding banquet. I've been thinking about his braised pork knuckle."

Sha Zhu immediately patted his chest and agreed, "No problem! I'll go shopping two days in advance, I guarantee everyone will eat and drink well! But you'd better be willing to spend money, the meat and vegetables have to be fresh!" Xu Damao quickly pulled out a cloth bag, inside were neatly folded banknotes: "This is my saved eighty yuan, plus twenty jin of grain coupons and five jin of meat coupons, all for you to use. If it's not enough, I'll figure something out!"

Seeing that Xu Damao was genuinely trying to make a living, the neighbors in the courtyard all offered to help. Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses: "I'll help you with the accounts. I'll write down every single purchase detail, making sure not a single penny is wasted. I used to manage the accounts for the school, and I never made a mistake." Liu Guangtian, who had just returned from get off work, heard the commotion and came over: "I'll fix the leaky roof. I learned bricklaying in the workshop, and with a couple of helpers, it can be fixed in a day."

Qin Huairu smiled and said, "I'll take Jia Dang to sew you some new quilts and make a new outfit for Jianjun. I can also cut out the 'double happiness' characters and red silk ribbons, I promise to decorate your room with a festive atmosphere." Lin Chen added, "I'll go to the scrap yard and talk to Station Master Wang, ask him to leave some sturdy wooden planks so we can make a desk and bed for Jianjun. The child will be starting school soon, he needs a place to study."

Xu Damao's eyes instantly welled up with tears as he looked at the neighbors in the yard who were all offering to help. He remembered how he used to be a bully in the yard, stealing chickens and dogs, fighting tooth and nail with Sha Zhu, and having countless conflicts with Lin Chen. Now, on his wedding day, not only did they not hold grudges, but they were also so eager to help. He wiped his eyes and choked out, "Thank you everyone, thank you everyone… I was a scoundrel before, but I promise I'll be a good person from now on and won't let you down."

From that day on, Xu Damao's usually closed west wing became lively. Liu Guangtian, along with two coworkers, carried ladders and tiles to repair the roof. Xu Damao handed them tools from below and occasionally offered them water and wiped their sweat. Yan Bugui followed Shazhu to the market with a small notebook, noting down everything he bought, even the price of a few cents for cilantro.

Qin Huairu and Jia Dang were sewing quilts in Xu Damao's room. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the red silk quilt and giving their faces a rosy glow. Jia Dang carefully cut out the character for "double happiness" with scissors: "Uncle Xu, what color does Jianjun like? Shall I make him a blue jacket?" Xu Damao happened to come in to bring hot water and nodded quickly: "Yes! Yes! Jianjun likes blue the most. Thank you, Miss Jia Dang."

Lin Chen took Su Qing to the scrap yard to choose some planks. Station Master Wang, having heard that Xu Damao was getting married, specially reserved a few high-quality camphor wood planks: "Little Lin, Xu Damao is much more reliable now. He works from dawn till dusk every day and always helps clean the warehouse. He's completely different from before. You can take these planks; consider it my wedding gift." Lin Chen thanked Station Master Wang and then asked a carpenter to come over. It took two days to make a desk and a single bed for Xiao Jianjun, and a small military emblem was even carved on the headboard—Xiao Jianjun's father was a soldier who died in the line of duty. Li Shulan had kept it a secret from the child, only saying that her father had gone on a mission far away.

The day before the wedding, Xu Damao made a special trip to Li Shulan's house. Li Shulan lived in a small, simply furnished house in the suburbs, but always spotlessly clean. Little Jianjun was doing his homework on a small stool. Seeing Xu Damao enter, he timidly called out, "Uncle Xu." Xu Damao went over and pulled a brand-new pencil case from his pocket: "Jianjun, this is what Uncle bought for you. Tomorrow we'll move to the courtyard house. Uncle made you a new desk; you can do your homework there from now on, okay?"

Jianjun's eyes lit up. He took the pencil case and examined it closely, whispering, "Thank you, Uncle." Li Shulan came out with tea, her eyes filled with satisfaction as she watched this scene. Xu Damao took the tea and said solemnly, "Shulan, the neighbors in the courtyard are all very kind, helping to tidy up the house and prepare for the wedding feast. Don't worry, I will definitely take good care of you and Jianjun from now on and won't let you suffer any grievances."

Li Shulan nodded, her eyes slightly red. "Da Mao, I believe you. Ever since you helped me get my stolen scrap metal back and helped Jianjun transfer schools, I've known you were a good person. The past is the past; let's live a good life from now on." Last winter, a batch of scrap metal collected by Li Shulan was stolen, and she cried in despair. It was Xu Da Mao who, using his "reconnaissance" skills honed in the yard, found the thief and recovered the scrap metal. Later, hearing that Jianjun was having difficulty transferring schools, he asked Lin Chen to use his connections at the neighborhood office to successfully enroll the child in Hongxing Primary School.

On the first day of the fifth lunar month, the courtyard house was adorned anew. Bright red silk hung on the doorframe of the central courtyard, red tablecloths covered the stone tables, and the windows of Xu Damao's west wing were covered with Qin Huairu's intricately cut "double happiness" characters. The new roof tiles gleamed in the sunlight. Four square tables were set up in the courtyard, already laden with melon seeds, peanuts, and candies. Sha Zhu was bustling about in the kitchen, the aroma filling the entire courtyard.

Around 10 a.m., the wedding procession returned. Xu Damao, wearing a borrowed Zhongshan suit with a big red flower pinned to his chest, rode a brand-new Forever bicycle, with Li Shulan sitting on the back. Li Shulan wore a red floral blouse, a red velvet flower in her hair, and a shy smile on her face. Xiao Jianjun sat on the front frame of Lin Chen's bicycle, holding a small red flag, shouting "Daddy's marrying Mommy!" all the way, attracting passersby to stop and watch.

As they entered the courtyard, Sha Zhu and several young men blocked the door, laughing and saying, "Xu Damao, getting a wife isn't that easy. First, answer a few questions! Tell me, what do you like most about Sister-in-law Shulan?" Xu Damao scratched his head, his face turning bright red: "I like that she's kind, capable, and good to children!" Li Shulan, listening nearby, secretly chuckled. Lin Chen smiled and smoothed things over: "Alright, alright, don't make things difficult for Damao. Let the newlyweds in, or the food will get cold."

After the newlyweds entered the courtyard, they performed the traditional Beijing wedding ceremony, bowing to heaven and earth. When bowing to their parents, Xu Damao specially invited Lin Chen and Sha Zhu to the main seats, choking back tears as he said, "My parents passed away early, and Brother Lin Chen and Brother Sha Zhu are like family to me. I used to be a scoundrel, and they disciplined me a lot, but they also helped me a lot. Today I bow to them to thank them for pulling me back to the right path." Lin Chen quickly helped him up, saying, "Damao, living a good life from now on is the best way to repay us."

After the wedding ceremony, the feast began. The four tables were packed full, occupied not only by neighbors from the courtyard but also by Xu Damao's colleagues from the scrap yard and Li Shulan's relatives. Sha Zhu served the first dish—braised pork knuckle, its color a glossy red, its aroma irresistible. Xu Damao picked up his chopsticks and first placed a piece on Li Shulan's plate: "Try it! Sha Zhu's cooking is even better than the chef at the guesthouse." He then placed a piece of lean meat on Jianjun's plate: "Jianjun, eat more; you need to grow strong."

Yan Bugui stood up, holding his wine glass, and cleared his throat: "Dear friends and relatives, today is the wedding day of Xu Damao and Ms. Li Shulan. On behalf of the neighbors in the courtyard, I would like to say a few words. Xu Damao did have many flaws in the past, but everyone has seen his transformation over the past year or so. He is hardworking, filial to his elders, and good to his children. Ms. Shulan is a good girl, kind and capable. I wish them a happy marriage, a long and happy life together, and a prosperous future!" After speaking, he downed his glass of wine.

Everyone raised their glasses in response, and the courtyard was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation. Sha Zhu, holding a wine glass, walked up to Xu Damao and patted him on the shoulder: "Damao, let's wipe the slate clean today. From now on, treat Sister-in-law Shulan and Jianjun well. If you dare bully them, I'll be the first to punish you!" Xu Damao quickly raised his glass: "Brother Sha Zhu, I know I was wrong, I won't do it again. This glass is for you, thank you for helping me cook, and thank you for the lessons you taught me before." The two drank it all in one gulp, and years of grudges vanished in the wine.

Lin Chen and Su Qing also came over with their wine glasses. Su Qing smiled and said, "Sister Shulan, we're neighbors now, so feel free to tell me anything. If Jianjun has any problems with his studies, I can tutor him." Li Shulan quickly stood up to thank them, "Thank you, Sister Su Qing, I'll be troubling you in the future." Lin Chen looked at Xu Damao, "Damao, I spoke with Station Master Wang at the scrap yard. He said you've performed very well, and there's a promotion opportunity in the second half of the year. Make the most of it."

Xu Damao's eyes lit up, and his hands trembled with excitement: "Really? Brother Lin Chen, thank you so much! I will definitely work hard and live up to your and Station Chief Wang's expectations!" Li Shulan was also moved to tears: "Damao, look how good everyone is to you. We must repay everyone in the future."

Halfway through the wedding banquet, Jianjun ran over with a red envelope and handed it to Xu Damao: "Dad, this is a red envelope from Uncle Lin and Aunt Su, and Grandpa Yan gave me an arithmetic book." Xu Damao took the envelope, opened it, and found ten yuan and a note inside that read, "Wishing Jianjun good studies and progress every day." Yan Bugui also smiled and said, "Jianjun is a smart kid. I'll teach him abacus from now on, and I guarantee he'll be better at arithmetic than anyone else."

After finishing their meal, the children in the courtyard ran to Xu Damao's room to see the new bedding and desk. Xiao Jianjun proudly introduced them to everyone: "This is the desk Uncle Lin made for me, and it even has a military emblem on it! This is the new blue jacket Sister Jia Dang made for me, and I love it the most!" The children chattered around the desk, and the room was filled with their laughter.

In the afternoon, the relatives left one after another, and the neighbors stayed to help clean up. Sha Zhu and Liu Guangtian were in charge of washing dishes, Qin Huairu and Jia Dang helped fold the quilts, and Yan Bugui was checking accounts with Xu Damao in a small notebook, calculating the expenses of the wedding banquet item by item. Lin Chen and Su Qing took Xiao Jianjun to play in the yard and taught him to kick shuttlecock.

Xu Damao felt a warm glow in his heart as he watched his busy neighbors. He walked over to Lin Chen and offered him a cigarette: "Brother Lin Chen, thank you so much for today. Without you, I don't know where I'd be struggling to make ends meet, let alone getting married." Lin Chen took the cigarette, lit it, and took a puff: "Damao, no need to thank me. You made your own way. We're all happy for you that you can live a peaceful life."

Xu Damao nodded, looking at the Chinese toon tree in the yard, then at Li Shulan playing with the children, a smile he had never shown before appeared on his face. He suddenly remembered what Lin Chen had once told him: "Earning money with your own hands is never as reliable as stealing or robbing. You reap what you sow; if you treat others well, they will treat you well in return." He hadn't taken it seriously before, but now he finally understood the meaning of those words.

As evening fell, the neighbors gradually returned home. Xu Damao saw Lin Chen and Sha Zhu to the gate, holding two packets of wedding candy: "Brother Lin Chen, Brother Sha Zhu, these are wedding candy. Take them home for your families to try. Come visit us anytime; Shulan's dumplings are delicious." Sha Zhu took the candy, smiling, and said, "Sure, if I ever crave dumplings, I'll come over for a meal!"

Lin Chen and Su Qing walked home. Su Qing smiled and said, "I didn't expect Xu Damao to change so much. He used to be the most troublesome person in the neighborhood." Lin Chen nodded, "Everyone makes mistakes. The key is to be able to correct them. Actually, Xu Damao isn't a bad person at heart; it's just that no one guided him properly before. Now that he has a family and someone to care about, he's naturally more at ease."

Back home, Lin Chen looked out at the courtyard house. Moonlight bathed the gray bricks and tiles, casting a silvery glow over the entire courtyard. Warm light shone from Xu Damao's window, and the laughter of Li Shulan and Xiao Jianjun could be faintly heard. The Chinese toon tree in the courtyard swayed gently in the breeze, releasing a delicate fragrance.

He suddenly recalled the time when he was first reborn, a time filled with conflict and scheming. Jia Zhangshi was a petty thief, Yi Zhonghai was biased and protective of his own, Yan Bugui was calculating, and Xu Damao was cunning and deceitful. Now, Jia Zhangshi had toned down her arrogance, Yi Zhonghai, though still in prison, was frequently visited by Sha Zhu, Yan Bugui had become warm-hearted, and Xu Damao had become a down-to-earth and good man. All these changes stemmed from the undying kindness in everyone's hearts, from the mutual help and tolerance among neighbors.

Su Qing walked over and handed Lin Chen a cup of hot tea: "What are you thinking about?" Lin Chen took the tea and took a sip: "I was thinking that this courtyard is like a big family. No matter how many conflicts there were in the past, everyone can always unite when it matters. As long as everyone puts in a little sincerity, life will get better and better."

Su Qing nodded and leaned against Lin Chen, looking out at the courtyard house together. Under the moonlight, Xu Damao was watering the flowers in the yard with Xiao Jianjun. Li Shulan stood at the door, holding a coat in her hand, and called softly, "Damao, Jianjun, it's getting cold, come in and put on some clothes." The figures of the family of three looked particularly warm under the moonlight.