Chapter 1
The City of Four-Nine.
1952, the depths of winter.
The north wind howled like a blade, relentless and sharp. On winter nights, a few stars, dusted with frost, glimmered with a cold, bluish light, making the already chilly sky seem even colder.
The cold wind whipped through the night sky like a sharp sword, slashing through the leaves of the trees, creating a piercing sound.
In a narrow alleyway in Nanluoguxiang, Director Wang from the neighborhood committee was walking, cradling a small infant in his arms. He arrived at the entrance of the courtyard at number 95.
Director Wang looked down at the infant in his arms: "Little one, this is the last house. If no one wants to take you in, I'll have to send you to the orphanage."
It was 1952, a period of "Three Returns" and "Five Returns," where some businesses were shut down and commercial trade decreased, leading to unemployment in several sectors and for many small-scale artisans, leaving them without an income.
Adding to this, the influx of refugees from rural areas to the City of Four-Nine filled the shelters and orphanages to overflowing.
Director Wang, out of desperation, had no choice but to search for a family in the alleyways, hoping someone would take in this infant.
The infant seemed to understand Director Wang's words. His large, watery eyes gazed up at Director Wang, docile and innocent.
Director Wang felt a pang of tenderness. "What a lovely child. Don't worry, even if you're adopted, I will help you find your family."
The infant blinked. Director Wang smiled. "Little one, can you actually understand me?"
The infant blinked again.
Director Wang: "Oh, you must be so tired, you're probably just having hallucinations."
The infant: "..."
The infant's original name was Shen Wei. In his previous life, he was an orphan. On Qingming Festival, while offering incense to his parents, he prayed that he would find a gentle and virtuous wife, someone who didn't care about money.
And then, white smoke billowed from his parents' grave. After a whirl of swirling smoke, Shen Wei was lifted into the air, his body transforming into an infant, appearing out of thin air at the entrance of the Nanluoguxiang police station.
He was found by two patrolling police officers and taken to the neighborhood committee.
Unfortunately, the neighborhood committee was overcrowded. Director Wang, being a kind man, took the infant with him every day, searching for a family willing to adopt him.
And thus, the scene at the beginning unfolded.
Shen Wei was helpless. His parents in his previous life wouldn't agree, then why send him here?
Looking at the low, old, and age-worn buildings, and feeling the howling north wind,
Shen Wei secretly cursed his unreliable and short-lived parents.
Director Wang noticed Shen Wei shivering and quickly wrapped him in the small blanket. "Don't worry, the First Uncle in this courtyard is a well-known good man. Most importantly, his wife can't have children.
If someone offers to adopt a ready-made son, he will be very happy.
He is a senior worker in the steel mill, with a salary of hundreds of thousands, enough to raise you!"
Shen Wei was taken aback. Steel mill? Senior worker? Can't have children?
Oh, please don't be the courtyard full of squabbling neighbors!
It was already miserable enough to have transmigrated from the twenty-first century to this world full of retro vibes, but if it was the courtyard, his parents in his previous life would be the biggest villains!
Shen Wei prayed silently in his heart.
Unfortunately, Heaven automatically blocked his prayers.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, they saw the Third Uncle, wearing a black padded coat, with black-rimmed glasses and a sly look on his face: "Oh, Director Wang, what brings you here on such a cold day?"
Director Wang: "Old Yan, I'm here to talk to you folks. Go call the neighbors in your courtyard!"
"Okay, I'll go right away!"
Yan Bu Gui turned and went back into the house. "Yan Jie Cheng, get up quickly, Director Wang is here. He said he wants to hold a meeting for the whole courtyard."
Yan Jie Cheng reluctantly got out of bed: "It's so cold, what kind of meeting are we having? We're going to freeze to death!"
Yang Rui Hua: "Old Yan, it's almost New Year's Eve, is something going to happen?"
Yan Bu Gui: "Director Wang is holding a small infant. I guess it has something to do with the child."
Director Wang, carrying the child, walked into the middle courtyard. Qin Huairu was carrying Bang Geng on her back, washing clothes in the courtyard.
Qin Huairu: "Director Wang, you are... ?"
Director Wang: "Huai Ru, washing clothes? You're the most virtuous woman in our alley. Look at how well you've taken care of the child!"
Qin Huairu smiled, her lips slightly pursed: "Director Wang, I can't take compliments. I'll get arrogant."
"It's okay, you're a kind and gentle child. Who in our alley doesn't give you a thumbs up when they mention you?"
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Qin Huairu, Director Wang walked towards Yi Zhong Hai's house.
When Shen Wei saw Yan Bu Gui and Qin Huairu, he was sure.
This was truly the courtyard at number 95 in Nanluoguxiang.
Director Wang must have thought that Yi Zhong Hai was a childless couple, who would definitely adopt him, so he put all his hopes in this family.
But Shen Wei knew, Yi Zhong Hai would never be willing to spend his money on raising someone else's child.
In the original story, Yi Zhong Hai wanted Qin Huairu to take care of him in his old age, and even got Sha Zhu to support Qin Huairu, taking advantage of others.
A man like that would never do something that brought no benefits.
"Old Yi! Xiu Ju, is anyone home?"
Sun Xiu Ju opened the door, wearing a blue cotton-padded coat with white flowers. "Director Wang, come in quickly, warm up!"
Director Wang carried the child into the house. "Xiu Ju, look at this child."
Sun Xiu Ju looked down at the child in Director Wang's arms. At a single glance, she fell in love with the infant, his large eyes and fair skin.
"Director Wang, this child is..."
Director Wang sighed. "The child appeared at the police station entrance, no one knew how he got there. Officer Bai and Officer Zheng sent him to the neighborhood committee.
You know the situation at the neighborhood committee right now. Because of the Three Returns and Five Returns, the shelters and orphanages are overflowing. I'm hoping to find a good and stable home for the child.
He's a boy, too. You and Old Yi don't have children. If you raise him, wouldn't it be like having your own son?"
Sun Xiu Ju's heart skipped a beat when she saw the child. "What a good child. How could his parents bear to abandon him like this?"
Sun Xiu Ju had been yearning for a child of her own for years.
But Yi Zhong Hai always wanted Jia Dong Xu to take care of him in his old age, and her relationship with Jia Dong Xu and Qin Huairu wasn't as close as it was with Old Yi.
If something were to happen to Yi Zhong Hai and he were to pass away before her, would Jia Dong Xu and Qin Huairu take care of her in her old age?
First Aunt saw everything clearly. The Jia family was only flattering and fawning over Yi Zhong Hai because of his salary and status.
Once they lost Yi Zhong Hai, First Aunt would be alone and helpless in this courtyard.
But if she adopted the infant before her, it would be different. He would treat First Aunt as his own mother.
Sun Xiu Ju's eyes welled up with emotion. "Director Wang, I want to adopt him, but I can't decide this myself. I have to wait for Old Yi to come back!"
Shen Wei's eyes narrowed slightly. The Three Returns and Five Returns happened in 1952, so this was 1952, the year Love in the Courtyard started?
Jia Dong Xu hadn't died yet. Qin Huairu had just married into the courtyard. He Da Qing had run off with a widow, and Yi Zhong Hai wasn't a level-eight worker yet.