Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 209: Picking up bargains in Houhai
This year's Sijiu City is different from previous years. There are many small vendors setting up stalls, selling all kinds of things. Yan Jiekuang truly feels that the prelude to reform and opening up is coming. The young people on the streets have also begun to change. Their clothes are not limited to blue, black and gray, but bright colors. Some young people wear frog glasses and bell-bottom pants. Of course, they are still a very small part of the population.

But Yan Jiekuang knew that at this time, there were still many young people returning to the city who could not be resettled. When Wang Qing came again, Yan Jiekuang also asked Wang Qing about the current situation in the ghost market.

Now the ghost market is getting more and more prosperous. Many young people have joined in because they have no jobs and no source of income. Wang Qing himself no longer sets up a stall there. He has become a supplier, going to the surrounding suburbs and villages to collect fish and then transporting them to the city to distribute to the vendors. Yan Jiekuang advised: "Now is not the time. You are now a serious speculator. If something goes wrong one day, you will definitely not be able to escape."

Wang Qing listened to Yan Jiekuang's words very much and took them to heart, but it would take more time for him to stop now, mainly because he still had a group of people who depended on him for food. Yan Jiekuang thought for a moment and said, "Let's change it. I'll go on a long journey with you in a while. By the way, please look for reliable people on the railway."

Wang Qing was about to leave when he slapped his head and said, "I forgot what I came here for. There's a man who came back from the northwest. He said that his parents died later. His family has a three-story courtyard in Houhai, next to Shichahai. Do you want to go and take a look?"

When Yan Jiekuang heard this, he said, "Isn't it not far from here? Let's go and see if he is home."

Wang Qing said: "At home, he has no job. Although the house is back, life is still a bit difficult."

Yan Jiekuang left without delay. He said hello to Aunt Wang and left with Wang Qing. Not long after, they arrived at Qianhai West Street. Yan Jiekuang took a look and was surprised. What kind of place is this? It is the gathering place of the Plain Yellow Banner of the Qing Dynasty.

The two men walked to one of the alleys. Wang Qing took Yan Jiekuang and walked to the end. Yan Jiekuang was a little puzzled. There was a screen wall opposite, and there was no door. When they reached the end, they found that there was a small path on the right that could only accommodate two people. Turning right, the path was only one and a half meters. After entering, Yan Jiekuang's eyes lit up. He thought it was a small door and a small household. Turning right, there was a small square that was five meters long and five meters wide. On the right was the bright door to the house.

Wang Qing went up and knocked on the door knocker. Yan Jiekuang took a look and thought that the house was too well preserved and did not look like the courtyard house in Beijing at all. After a while, a middle-aged man wearing a pair of glasses and looking very gentle came out. When he saw that it was Wang Qing, he quickly invited the two of them into the courtyard.

As soon as they arrived at the front yard, Yan Jiekuang liked it, mainly because it was still authentic and had not been touched at all. After passing through the hanging flower gate and entering the middle yard, the middle-aged man invited them to the main room and poured tea for them enthusiastically. After the three of them sat down, Wang Qing introduced them, "This is my good friend Yan Jiekuang, who is also interested in your yard. This is Shi Xiangdong, the owner of this yard."

The two greeted each other, and Yan Jiekuang said, "Although I haven't been to the backyard yet, I am really satisfied with this yard, but I have a question, why is this yard so intact? Has no one lived in it since then? There is not even a trace of damage."

Shi Xiangdong smiled and said, "You saw it when you came in. This courtyard is really not open to anyone. The main thing is that it originally did not have three courtyards, but five courtyards with two cross courtyards. My father was a wise man. He knew that such a large courtyard could not be protected, so he hired people to seal all the doors leading to the surrounding courtyards and even made them look old. This door now is a trick used by my father. Otherwise, you would not be able to find it even if you came."

Yan Jiekuang suddenly realized and admired Shi Xiangdong's father. Shi Xiangdong said, "My father has two sons. I am the second oldest. The eldest son was sent to the other side of the ocean by my father very early. This was also arranged by my father. I was too young and my mother was reluctant to let me go. But I didn't expect things to be so drastic."

"Are you willing to give up this yard?" Yan Jiekuang asked.

"I have become discouraged about this. I plan to look for my brother. After my brother implemented the policy here, he sent an invitation letter to me and my parents. He doesn't know yet that my parents have passed away. I plan to go there to find him," said Shi Xiangdong.

Yan Jiekuang nodded and asked, "What price do you want?"

Shi Xiangdong said, "You also know the current market situation, and you also know how difficult it is to preserve this courtyard. How about this, thirty thousand dollars, US dollars."

Yan Jiekuang calculated it and found it was about 45,000 RMB, which was not very high. He nodded and said, "Okay, but you should know the transfer method. We have to change the way..."

Shi Wendong was happy and said, "I understand. How about using the house to repay the debt? I know. Don't worry, I will fully cooperate."

Yan Jiekuang thought for a moment and said, "There is one more thing. You cannot move the furniture here. You must give it to me in the same condition as it is now when you leave." Shi Wendong frowned and said, "No, I have a lot of antiques at home. Are you trying to find a bargain?"

Yan Jiekuang saw that this person was a wise man, so he asked, "How much? Can you leave the things here untouched?"

Shi Wendong pondered for a while and said, "Add another 20,000 and I'll give it all to you."

Yan Jie Kuang didn't even bother to fight, but nodded and said, "It's a deal. I'll give you half this afternoon, and the other half after I finish the formalities. Don't worry, I'm a trustworthy person."

Shi Wendong said: "Okay, we are the same. I am also a trustworthy person."

That afternoon, Yan Jiekuang gave half of the US dollars to Shi Wendong. The two of them made an agreement and went to Shichahai Street. Yan Jiekuang didn't know anyone in Shichahai Street, but fortunately, although the people in the street had some doubts, they still handled the transfer and name change.

Then Yan Jiekuang gave the remaining money. Wang Qing watched the whole process. He had always thought that it was only a deal of three to five thousand yuan, but he didn't expect it to be such a large amount. After Shi Xiangdong left, Wang Qing asked, "Brother, is it worth so much money?"

Yan Jiekuang patted him on the shoulder and said, "Remove the word 'ma'. Okay, you've been running around all day. This thousand dollars is a reward for you." Then he took out a thousand dollars and handed it to Wang Qing. Wang Qing was a little hesitant. Yan Jiekuang was unhappy and stuffed it into his hand directly, "This is given to you by brother, you can take it boldly." Wang Qing nodded and left happily.

Yan Jiekuang returned to Yu'er Hutong and was still humming a little tune as he entered the courtyard. At this time, a voice came over, "Is this our San'er? How big a bargain do you have to make to allow you to go home singing a little tune?"

When Yan Jiekuang heard why Yan Bugui was here, he immediately smiled and said, "Dad, why are you here?"

Yan Bugui stared at Yan Jiekuang and said, "Tell me, what good thing happened to you that made you so happy."

Yan Jiekuang admired his father's intuition, but still said, "I just ran into an old classmate and had a good chat. Why did you come here?"

Yan Bugui did not ask any more questions and said, "Siheyuan is in turmoil right now. There are endless things happening. Someone borrowed money from Yan Jiecheng, and your mother is worried. She said she wanted to ask for your opinion and asked me to ask you, a top student, to go back and hold a family meeting."

Yan Jiekuang was very puzzled. Why was there so much trouble in this small courtyard? He decided to go back and take a look. He said, "Okay, I'll take the children with me to take a look."

Aunt Wang said, "You go back by yourself. The children played wildly for a while after lunch and fell asleep. I wanted to wake them up before dinner."

Yan Jiekuang nodded, turned around and strolled back with his father. On the way, Yan Bugui tentatively asked Yan Jiekuang again. Yan Jiekuang insisted that he just met an old classmate, but Yan Bugui was still skeptical.

After a while, the two men entered the courtyard. As soon as they entered, they saw Yan Jiecheng, Sun Xiaolong and Yi Jun whispering and smoking in a corner of the yard.

Yan Jiekuang was shocked and thought, what could have happened to alarm so many people in the yard? Yan Bugui called Yan Jiecheng and went home, and Yan Jiekuang followed behind.

(End of this chapter)