Winter clung stubbornly to the old siheyuan, leaving frost on its grey bricks and a chill in every corner of the courtyard. The narrow alley outside echoed with the clatter of bicycle bells and the shouts of peddlers, but inside, only the sound of sweeping could be heard.
Lin Wei swept slowly, methodically, as if controlling every grain of snow with intention. His hands were red from the cold, but his movement was steady.
"Boy, don't freeze your fingers off."Old Madam Chen's voice cracked like kindling from her doorstep.
Lin Wei straightened and bowed slightly."It's fine, Grandma Chen. I'm almost done."
She harrumphed but her eyes softened. "Come in for some hot water when you're finished."
"Yes, Grandma."
She disappeared back into the house, muttering that orphans these days didn't know how to rest.
But Lin Wei wasn't just working.
He was activating the system.
The faint golden glow no one else could see shimmered faintly around his hands.
[Hard Work Recorded: Courtyard Cleaning – 3 hours][Rewarding Effort… Efficiency x20]
Warmth surged through his limbs. When he straightened, his back no longer ached. His arms felt stronger, steadier.
It was a quiet miracle—one earned, not freely given.
Life Between the Courtyard Walls
The siheyuan was loud in all the familiar ways. Auntie Zhang argued with her husband about cabbage prices. Uncle Luo performed his daily ritual of pretending he didn't feed stray cats. Children ran around holding icy mantou like treasures.
And through it all, Lin Wei moved like a shadow—helping here, fixing there, quietly becoming indispensable.
But not everyone was appreciative.
Liu Fang, daughter of the east wing, stood with arms crossed as she watched him carry buckets of coal.
"You'll break your back one day," she said, smirking. "All that work, and you're still poor."
Lin Wei didn't reply.He simply bowed his head, letting her mockery slide off him like melting snow.
What she didn't know was that every bucket he lifted strengthened his muscles tenfold. Every time he bit his tongue instead of snapping back, the system rewarded his patience.
Hidden in silence, he grew.