The courtyard had grown dim by the time Lin Wei washed the dust from his face and arms. The cold water stung his skin, running brown at first, then clearer, until only faint scratches remained.
When he straightened, Liu Fang was waiting with a clean towel.
"You should sit," she said firmly. "You're shaking."
"I'm fine," Lin Wei replied—but the quiver in his hands betrayed him.
She didn't argue.She simply guided him to the stone bench beneath the apricot tree.
Not too close.Not too far.A quiet, respectful distance.
And yet her presence felt warmer than the lamp light flickering from the nearby window.
"Were you in danger today?" she asked softly.
Lin Wei hesitated.
Lies came easily to him when it involved not worrying others.But when he met her eyes—full of gentle fear—he couldn't bring himself to lie.
"…Yes," he admitted.
Liu Fang's breath caught.
"Then why do you look so calm?"
Lin Wei smiled faintly.
"Because I'm home now."
Her cheeks warmed at his simple honesty.
Before she could respond, the courtyard suddenly burst with noise.
Auntie Zhang marched in, waving a ladle like a weapon."Young man! You're back! That trench collapse was on the radio announcements! Are you alright?!"
Uncle Chen followed behind, huffing."Boy, you can't let yourself get buried in the foundation! Who's going to fix my roof then?!"
Old Lady Sun chimed in, clutching prayer beads."I told you he had an auspicious fate… Heaven won't take him so easily!"
Liu Fang froze as the crowd gathered.Lin Wei blinked, overwhelmed.
He wasn't used to attention.He wasn't used to being cared for.Not like this.
Auntie Zhang put her hands on her hips.
"Look at you! Filthy! Injured! What do those bureau people think you are, a mule?! Sit still, I'll bring hot porridge."
Uncle Chen added loudly, "Two bowls! The boy needs strength!"
Liu Fang tried to hide a smile.
The neighbors fussed around him—scolding him, praising him, asking questions—until Liu Fang finally stepped forward.
"Everyone, please," she said softly but firmly."He needs to rest."
Surprisingly, the courtyard quieted.
She offered Lin Wei her hand.
"Come. You should eat before you fall asleep."
He took her hand.Shaky fingers.Warm palm.
It steadied him more than the hot porridge would.
Later That Night
The moon had risen when Lin Wei finally returned to his small room. He closed the door behind him and exhaled deeply.
Silence.
For a moment, he leaned against the wooden frame, letting exhaustion sink into his bones.
Then—a chime echoed softly in his mind.
[System Notice][Due to repeated high-risk labor and life-saving actions, the host has earned a cumulative merit reward.]
[Reward Unlocked: Structural Intuition Lv.2—Enhanced perception of load distribution—Advanced collapse prediction—Greater precision in emergency calculations
Additional Reward: Physical Endurance +1]
Lin Wei closed his eyes.
So the system acknowledged today's chaos as "merit."
Of course it did.Heaven rewards hard work.Even hard work that nearly killed him.
He sank onto his narrow bed, rubbing his sore hands.
"Just… don't make the rewards come from danger every time," he murmured to the ceiling.
The system didn't answer, but he felt something like a quiet hum—approval?encouragement?or perhaps a reminder that his path had only begun.
Outside the window, the siheyuan was peaceful again.
Children laughed in sleep.Water dripped from laundry lines.Distant radios crackled with old songs.
Lin Wei listened until his heartbeat slowed.
Then—
A soft knock at his door.
"Lin Wei?"Liu Fang's voice.Hesitant, gentle.
He blinked in surprise and stood quickly to open it.
She held a small cloth bundle in both hands.
"I made medicinal paste," she said, not quite meeting his eyes. "For your bruises. You should… you should use it before you sleep."
Lin Wei's chest warmed.
"Thank you, Liu Fang."
She nodded, flustered, and stepped back.
"Goodnight."
Before she could turn away, he said softly:
"I'm really glad I came back."
She froze.
Then, with a shy smile that made her look like the first light of dawn—
"Me too."
When she disappeared into the shadows of the courtyard, Lin Wei lingered at the door for a long moment.
A dangerous world awaited him outside.
But in this courtyard…he had found something worth protecting.
And that thought carried him into sleep.