He Yuzhu died on a snowy night beneath a bridge. The person who chased away the wild dogs and carried his body was Xu Damao, the very man he had fought with his whole life.
He had stayed by the Deaf Old Lady’s side until her death, supported Yi Zhonghai in his old age, and raised Qin Huairu’s three children. In the end, Qin Huairu and Bang Geng tricked him out of his home and savings, leaving him to die of cold and hunger like an old possession that had been used up and thrown away.
When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the winter of 1960.
The three-year famine had reached its hardest point. Grain coupons could save lives, and half a cornbread bun could reveal what was in a person’s heart. Jia Dongxu was still alive, Qin Huairu had not yet truly latched onto him, Yi Zhonghai still wore his cloak of respectability, and the Deaf Old Lady’s cane could still make the whole courtyard bow its head.
But when black-market grain sacks, counterfeit meal tickets, and an impending workplace accident all came together, he discovered that Jia Dongxu’s death in his previous life had not been an accident. It was a murder plot meant to cover up the fraudulent accounts surrounding the grain subsidies.
Should he save his enemy, or let him die just as he had before?
He Yuzhu chose to let him live.
Live to confess. Live to repay his debts. Live to watch everyone hiding behind a show of kindness reveal their true faces.
Everyone has a reason for going hungry, but not everyone steals, cheats, or kills. There are no saints in this courtyard, only ordinary people looking out for themselves. Some cross the line; others, even after giving in to fear, still find the courage to stand up.
This time, what He Yuzhu wants to win back is more than just his home and money. He wants his name, his family ties, and the life that should have been his.
The writing is quite detailed, and the text is comfortable to read.