114 Moving to a new house

All three families got what they wanted. The other three had to go back to work, so Guan Yuehe turned around and left the car factory, heading straight for the department store.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Sitian and Xu Chengcai had discussed going to Ding Xuewen's new house for dinner. They decided that the three of them, including Lin Sitian, would pool their money to prepare a gift so they could buy something nice.

Ding Xuewen lacks industrial ration coupons, and may not be able to gather enough daily necessities.

And the task of buying the gift fell to her.

She went to the department store and also stopped by the newspaper office to find Xie Dongxue, finally getting to eat at the newspaper office's cafeteria.

“Last time I went to Peking University to see you, you were sighing and complaining. Now you’re about to graduate and you’re going to work for the Ministry of Foreign Trade?!” Xie Dongxue held her hand and joked, “Maybe I’ll get a task to interview you in the future.”

Guan Yuehe casually replied to her joke, "Sure, I do have connections at the Daily News, you have to get me on the front page!"

"Just wait, we'll definitely arrange it for you."

As they talked, Xie Dongxue asked He Shuangshuang, "Have you two been in contact lately? How is she doing?"

"I'm too busy with my studies. I can only see Lin Yiku once a week at most." She hadn't even been in touch with Xie Dongxue for a long time, so this time she made a special trip to the department store to buy things, which gave her a chance to see Xie Dongxue.

Xie Dongxue sighed, "If Shuangshuang had waited another six months, she could have applied for graduate school directly and saved a year of study. With her dedication to learning, she probably would have graduated early like you."

Guan Yuehe, however, thought differently. "We only think this way because we've come this far."

"At the time, they only talked about restoring the college entrance examination. There was no definite answer as to when postgraduate studies would be restored. Of course, we just took whatever opportunity we could get. I think it's good that she went to the Foreign Languages ​​University. The Ministry of Foreign Trade recruits more people from her school."

"Too."

Policies change frequently; who can predict the future? At that time, taking the college entrance examination was the best way out, and given He Shuangshuang's personality, it was impossible for her not to seize this opportunity.

Fortunately, things aren't too bad now.

"Have you gained weight?" Guan Yuehe suddenly pointed at Xie Dongxue's face. "The daily newspaper office must be really lucrative!"

Xie Dongxue glared at her, glanced around, and then whispered, "I'm pregnant, not even three months along, and my appetite has doubled recently."

Guan Yuehe's first reaction upon hearing the news was shock. After a few seconds, she realized that they were both approaching thirty, no longer teenagers when they first met, so having children was perfectly normal.

"What's with that expression?" Xie Dongxue said with amusement. "I've been married for quite some time now."

"I suddenly realize how fast time flies." As she spoke, Guan Yuehe placed a piece of meat on her plate. "Here, eat more to nourish yourself."

"It's really not easy to get a piece of meat out of your bowl."

Guan Yuehe rolled her eyes at her. "Didn't I ever share meat with you before? I was always the fastest runner, and even after I caught some, I still had to share it with you. Meat was so precious back then..."

"Yes, yes, you're the best, Yuehe. Come to our newspaper office for meals often, it'll be on me."

"If I have free time at noon, I'll definitely come." The Foreign Trade Department isn't far from the Daily News office, but you have to pedal your bicycle a bit fast.

"Oh, by the way, you said you bought a house, when are you moving in? I'd like to come and join in the fun."

Guan Yuehe chuckled briefly, and under Xie Dongxue's questioning gaze, slowly said, "They've already moved in, and I reckon it's already getting lively."

The Wuxing Automobile Factory and Yinxing Hutong are bustling with activity.

Guan Yuehe's house was highly sought after, with many people eyeing it. But before they could even make a move, news spread from the housing management department: the house had already been allocated!

This time, he couldn't sit still any longer. He stormed off to the housing management office and demanded as soon as he entered, "Whose house was allocated housing? Why wasn't my family allocated any?"

After finally calming the person down, the housing management staff explained with a pained expression.

"You mean, the house was given to Luo Guifang's family? Luo Guifang's house was given to Jin Hongchang and Wu Erni?"

Having received confirmation from the housing management department, the troublemakers were filled with anger but couldn't vent it. They racked their brains but never imagined that Guan Yuehe would do such a thing!

No. 2, Ginkgo Hutong.

As soon as Luo Guifang, Wu Erni, and Jin Hongchang got home from work, they waved their hands and ordered the children in the family to start moving.

Although the agreement had been signed and the house was registered in their names, people would still be eyeing it if they didn't move in. Fearing things might get complicated, Luo Guifang and Wu Erni discussed it on their way back: they would help Luo Guifang move first, then help Wu Erni move; they would finish moving that night, even if it meant staying up all night!

The three Zhou sisters had been waiting for news since this morning. When they heard Luo Guifang say they were moving, they first hugged each other excitedly and shouted. Then they immediately split up and started packing their own luggage. Finally, they moved the large items out of the house.

Wu Jiawang was dumbfounded: Moving? Why do we suddenly have to move?

"Dad, where are we moving to? To the new family compound?"

He only moved to the new residential compound because he was already familiar with the area around Ginkgo Alley. Moving to the new compound would make it inconvenient to collect recyclables.

Kim Hong-chang then mentioned the house swap.

"Don't cook for now. Go help out at the neighbor's house. From now on, you'll live next door to Jiahe."

The house next door was divided into two rooms, just enough for the two brothers to each have a room.

"Huh? Oh." Wu Jiawang was still confused, but he obediently took off his apron and went over to help move the tables and chairs.

The neighbors from Courtyard No. 2 all came over to see what was going on, and upon hearing the news, they all clapped and cheered.

The houses have been divided between these two families, and no new neighbors will move in, so there's no need to worry about troublemakers.

In Courtyard No. 2, people were calling out to each other, and the whole courtyard mobilized.

Some people are slow to get the news and are thinking of going to the No. 2 courtyard after get off work to check if Guan Yuehe has really moved out.

When they arrived, they saw everyone in courtyard number two busy moving things out. Luo Guifang's belongings were being moved to the backyard, and Wu Erni's belongings were also being moved out, saying they would be moving them to the neighbor's house later...

"No, what's going on in your department?"

Aunt Bai ordered her two sons to help, giving him a disapproving glare. This man really had no sense of propriety; didn't he see the tables and cabinets he was moving? Not only did he not lend a hand, but he also came to ask questions, only causing trouble.

"Didn't you see it? Moving!"

Seeing that he was about to run to the backyard, Aunt Bai grabbed him and scolded, "Can't you see everyone is busy? The backyard is a mess. Which yard are you from? I've never seen you before. Are you trying to steal something in the chaos? Stay here!"

"What?! I work at a car factory too."

The person who came to view the apartment was in a hurry. Besides Guan Yuehe's apartment, were there any other vacant apartments in No. 2 Ginkgo Hutong? Why did they move out? Did the head of the housing management department take his bribe and then refuse to do his job?

"You're from a car factory, and you're here too!"

The man who came was at a loss. The old woman treated him like a thief or a human trafficker and was wary of him. All he could do was inquire whether Guan Yuehe's house was still vacant.

But he only saw Aunt Bai staring at him suspiciously, which made him realize that something was very wrong. And indeed it was!

"Yuehe's house has already been given to Guifang's family, and they're moving in now." Aunt Bai quickly guessed that this person was also eyeing the house, and was glad that Luo Guifang had already moved in today, otherwise it might have been more troublesome.

"Since you also work at the car factory, why don't you come and help with the moving? The sooner we finish, the quieter the yard will be," said Aunt Bai, as she began to assign him tasks.

But the person wasn't there to help. When they heard that the house had already been given away, they were so angry they were about to explode. They shook off Aunt Bai's hand and rushed out.

A short while later, he walked back quickly and asked Luo Guifang which house was now empty after she changed rooms.

Aunt Bai suppressed a laugh and pointed to the right, "This house was also allocated today, to the family next door."

The man looked in the direction she was pointing and came face to face with Kim Hong-chang.

Jin Hongchang was taken aback for a moment, then greeted him, "Team Leader Huang, are you here to visit relatives in Ginkgo Alley?"

He remembered that Team Leader Huang's home was in the new family compound, which was too far from Ginkgo Alley, so he wouldn't come here unless there was a reason.

Team Leader Huang finally understood that the house Luo Guifang had been allocated had been given to Jin Hongchang's family.

Team Leader Huang angrily pushed his bicycle out, but as soon as he got on, the ground became slippery, and the bicycle wobbled for a while before regaining its balance.

He got even angrier when a group of children ran by and laughed loudly at him.

It wasn't just that Team Leader Huang was out of the loop; even the other residents of Ginkgo Hutong only found out when they saw the bustling activity of moving things out of Courtyard No. 2.

Zhang Ersao swung the rag in her hand with a loud thud, and muttered to herself, "We've been neighbors with the Guan family for so many years, but Yuehe has never asked us to move houses!"

She was so upset; she should have gone to Yuehe to change rooms first.

When Zhang Desheng returned from his holiday, he said, "Why change? Whoever moves in will be the envy of others."

But Luo Guifang wasn't afraid of being envied. If people talked about her, she could just say that Zhou Gong had sacrificed his life. Besides, she didn't expect to be promoted to a leadership position. She had three daughters, two of whom already had jobs, and she would just transfer her job to her youngest daughter later. People might be envious of her, but they couldn't do anything about it.

If his family moves to that house, Zhang Quanbin can expect to be a handyman at the school for the rest of his life.

Zhang Quanbin pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "What's wrong with being a handyman? It's much easier than being a teacher."

They all get the same salary, and there are no extra bonuses for teaching more classes or teaching well. He felt that being a handyman was a million times better than being a teacher.

Aunt Xie from the backyard was also grumbling at home, saying that Guan Yuehe had asked Luo Guifang to exchange houses, but not Xie Zhenxing. "We've been neighbors for so many years, don't expect me to smile at her anymore..."

Liu Axiu remained silent, feeling that Yuehe's replacement was a good decision. As long as Xie Zhenxing's family didn't move in, everything would be fine.

Xie Zhenhua pretended not to hear, put a piece of meat on Liu Axiu's and daughter's plates, put one on his own plate, and continued eating in silence.

The quick-tongued Tingting couldn't keep a secret and kindly reminded her, "Grandma, Aunt Yuehe beats people. You used to say that Aunt Yuehe doesn't respect the elderly and care for the young... umm."

Tingting frowned, her mouth covered. Her grandmother had said it herself: Aunt Yuehe didn't respect the elderly or care for the young. If Aunt Yuehe would beat the young, she would definitely beat the old...

That evening at dinner, several families were quietly cursing Guan Yuehe at home.

But Guan Yuehe was all smiles, and whenever she saw someone outside, she would ask with a smile, "Have you eaten yet?"

Regardless of whether the person replying was forcing a smile, she was in a particularly good mood.

When Jiang Guiying saw her coming, she waited until she entered the house and got closer before poking her arm and saying in a low voice, "Someone is going to be furious with you!"

“I’m moving my own house, not theirs. They’re just worrying about nothing.”

As he spoke, he handed over the meat in his hand, saying, "We'll have an extra dish tonight."

Guan Canghai strolled back with his hands behind his back and said to her, "Someone's eye on a duck flew away before it even reached their mouth, and now they're going crazy at home."

Guan Yuehe was delighted to invite Lin Sitian, who rarely got off work on time, to join her for a walk in the alley after dinner, just to hear which family was the most furious.

"That's a good idea." Lin Sitian covered her mouth and chuckled. "I've been fed up with these people for a long time. All they do is covet what other people have. They deserve to be driven crazy."

Passing by Courtyard No. 2, Lin Sitian met Lu Yan's gaze as she was about to leave. Lin Sitian let out a loud snort, and Guan Yuehe walked past without saying hello.

It's true that Lu Chang and Lu Yan got the Niu family involved to inflate the price of the house, but Guan Yuehe genuinely disapproved of them. The Niu family had already signed the agreement with Lin Yiku, yet they still secretly sought help; it was truly unethical.

If they compete openly and honestly, and they buy the house at a higher price, she won't have anything to say.

Once inside, Lin Sitian seemed thoughtful. "Do you think their family really has some good things passed down from their ancestors?"

Guan Yuehe shrugged, indicating that she did not know.

The fact that Lu Chang and Lu Yan were secretly raising prices to try and snatch the house was "inadvertently" spread by Lin Yiku, making the couple immediately known to the people in the alley.

This couple spends a lot of money, and they always tell others that they don't have children, so they should enjoy life as soon as possible and worry about their old age later.

How could a couple who spend money so much possibly come up with over six thousand dollars to buy a house?

It must be something good passed down from our ancestors.

Ding Laowu would visit Lu Chang and Lu Yan's house every few days, saying he could help them find big buyers and definitely help them sell at a good price.

Every time he went there, Ding Laowu would look around inside, but he just couldn't find where they had hidden the good stuff.

Lu Chang and Lu Yan, who were practically invisible, were so angry that they almost got into a fight with Ding Laowu.

So now everyone in Ginkgo Hutong knows that Lu Chang and Lu Yan have something valuable, worth at least tens of thousands of yuan. Otherwise, why would they spend over six thousand yuan to buy a house?

Now, whenever the neighbors pass by No. 2 Courtyard, they subconsciously look towards the gatehouse where they live, wondering if they have kept their family heirloom at home.

Some people even secretly followed Lu Chang and Lu Yan, trying to see if they had hidden something outside.

Lu Chang and Lu Yan were so angry that they were jumping up and down at home.

"I knew I shouldn't have fought with them for that dilapidated house!" Lu Yan slammed the door shut and said angrily, "Every time I run into that couple, nothing good ever comes of it!"

—

With the Spring Festival approaching, Guan Yuehe and her two mothers began preparing for the New Year.

She asked Xie Zhenhua to write the couplets for her family, because she felt that Mr. Xie's calligraphy was better than the printed ones.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Zhang Desheng came over with his hands in his sleeves.

Zhang Desheng is being sarcastic again.

There are three graduate students in Yinxing Hutong. The other two are graduating early and have already been assigned jobs, but he himself is still unsure where he'll be assigned. He's thinking of asking if there are any "secrets" to getting a good job.

"Teacher Xie has also been assigned a job? Which unit is she going to?" Guan Yuehe asked casually.

Aunt Xie suppressed a laugh, and finally it was her turn to be smug. She replied loudly, "I'm going back to the factory to be an expert! Experts at the factory get to live in little villas!"

As far as she knew, the factory's villas were all detached, two-story buildings, located in the new staff housing area. Four people living in one villa? She'd be laughing in her sleep!

A few days ago, Tingting was still angry that Guan Yuehe refused to exchange houses with Xie Zhenxing. Yesterday, when her in-laws came over, Tingting let slip that the factory leaders had gone to the school to talk to Xie Zhenhua before the holiday and had already decided that he would return to the factory as an expert after graduation.

Forgetting her anger at her eldest son and his family for keeping it from her, she turned around and went out to spread the good news to the neighbors.

Now, most people in Ginkgo Hutong know that Aunt Xie will be living in the factory's small villa from now on.

"Congratulations." Guan Yuehe also wanted to live in a small villa. She had only seen what the villa looked like from the outside, and had no idea what the layout inside was like.

She probably won't be able to live there in her lifetime.

But Aunt Xie's way of speaking is really unpleasant.

Xie Zhenhua's reassignment back to the car factory as an expert is good news. But does it really warrant such underhanded tactics to undermine her?

Why did she specifically mention that working in a factory is better than working in a company?

While it's true that state-owned factories are more profitable and offer better benefits than most other workplaces, it still doesn't sit well with me.

"Such a nice house, Sister Xiu, your parents should be able to fit in, right?"

Liu Axiu and Xie Zhenhua didn't want to tell them beforehand because they were afraid that Aunt Xie would make a fuss about it everywhere, given her current state.

Upon hearing Guan Yuehe mention her parents, Liu Axiu deliberately said, "There's enough room. I asked around, and the villa has four rooms. My parents can stay there too."

Aunt Xie felt as if she had been choked, staring wide-eyed at Xie Zhenhua. Not receiving any support, she was filled with anxiety, fearing that her in-laws would also move in.

She felt inferior in front of her in-laws. If her in-laws also lived in a villa... she might as well just live in a bungalow in Ginkgo Alley!

Aunt Xie slunk back into her house, already pondering how to persuade Xie Zhenhua to stay in Ginkgo Alley.

But she was worrying for nothing.

"My mother-in-law is talking nonsense. There's no sign of the villa yet." It's not like you'll be assigned a villa just because you go back to the factory and become an expert. There are plenty of talented people in the car factory; you'd have to be someone like Zhang Xinbi or Guo Xusheng, someone who's in charge, to get one.

Liu Axiu apologized to Guan Yuehe; she was at her wit's end with her mother-in-law.

She helps with chores at home a lot, but she's completely clueless when it comes to important matters.

Zhang Desheng couldn't help but ask again how they had allocated the supplies in advance.

Xie Zhenhua gently advised him not to worry, "The first batch of graduate students and the first batch of undergraduates, as long as they perform well, will not be assigned to remote or obscure positions."

Zhang Desheng is a Beijing resident, while most other non-local students will be assigned back to their home provinces after graduation, and only the exceptionally outstanding will be retained.

Zhang Desheng returned home with some doubt.

But Liu Axiu reminded them, "Teacher Zhang has his own plans, you don't need to offer any advice."

Guan Yuehe didn't offer any suggestions, but she remembered: Zhang Desheng was also a seasoned veteran who had worked for many years. He had no way to get ahead in the past, but now that he had the opportunity to be assigned to a good unit, he must have already found out almost everything.

People who know to seize the opportunity to pursue a master's degree to change their job are not necessarily foolish.

Guan Yuehe muttered to herself as she carefully carried the couplets home.

"Sister Yuehe, my mom said she's treating the neighbors to dinner on the second day of the Lunar New Year. Remember to come!" Zhou Baoyu greeted her.

Before Guan Yuehe could respond, Wu Jiawang's younger brother, Jin Jiahe, also said, "Aunt Yuehe, my family is also hosting a dinner on the second day of the Lunar New Year!"

"knew!"

This year's Spring Festival was quite lively, with banquets and feasts being held one after another.

Guan Yuehe has moved to a new house and doesn't plan to host a dinner party for the time being.

First, she hadn't paid off her debts yet, and second, the house wasn't ready yet; she always felt that the house wasn't quite a new house.

But they chose a day when Lin Yiku was off work, and the two of them spent half a day preparing a delicious meal, inviting their families and Zhou Hongqi's family of three over for dinner.

"We are able to buy this house thanks to our two mothers, who helped us look for houses everywhere. And also to Brother-in-law Jin, who promptly sent messages and helped us negotiate the price."

Guan Yuehe, holding her bowl, thanked them again and then said, "Alright, pick up your chopsticks and eat, or the food will get cold."

Everyone laughed and started offering each other food.

The two chicken drumsticks were given to Yuanbao and Guyu. The two chubby girls, one big and one small, sat side by side, nodding their heads a few times after each bite, both finding the food at their aunt's house delicious.

"I'm sleeping with my aunt tonight!" Gu Yu told her father. Sometimes she would stay at her maternal grandmother's house, and she felt that staying at her aunt's house for one night was a very ordinary thing.

“That won’t do,” Guan Yuehe said. “Your kang (heated brick bed) at your aunt’s house is too small; there’s not enough room for you.”

"I sleep on the bed, not the kang (heated brick bed)."

Guan Yuehe was speechless. She had forgotten that the apartment buildings in the garment factory's residential compound had heating in the winter, and people didn't build kang beds in their rooms.

Yuanbao frowned, wanting to say that his aunt's house was uglier than before and didn't look like a good place to live. But he swallowed the words back and instead reminded Guyu to eat her chicken leg, which distracted Guyu.

Gu Yu couldn't stay at her aunt's house, but from that day on, she came to her aunt's house every day.

Sitting on a small stool in the kitchen waiting for my aunt's fried meatballs to come out of the pan, I did spring cleaning and pasted paper cuttings with her...

"Aren't your parents coming to pick you up yet?" Guan Yuehe took out her watch from her pocket, checked the time, and frowned. "Did they sneak off to the movies again?"

"It doesn't look good." Gu Yu held the enamel cup, carefully blew on the milk inside, and tentatively leaned in to lick it, only to be burned and stick out her tongue like a puppy.

"You idiot, you're the one who thinks the movie is bad." Guan Yuehe was getting impatient and guessed that the couple must have left the child with her and gone on a secret date!

Yuanbao across the street kept calling Guyu over to play, but Guyu insisted that someone else come over. Neither could convince the other, and they shouted across the yard.

Suddenly, the area outside the courtyard became lively. Guan Yuehe listened carefully and thought she heard the word "northwest".

As soon as Guan Yuehe left, Gu Yu followed with an enamel cup, afraid that her aunt would sneak off to buy food.

I peeked out from behind my aunt and saw someone wearing a green military uniform...

"Auntie, Uncle is back."

Guan Yuehe sighed and looked down at Gu Yu calling Song Xibei "Uncle-in-law". She really wondered if Gu Yu hadn't inherited her sister's brain.

"Sister Yuehe!" Song Xibei was dealing with the enthusiastic greetings from the elderly when his eyes swept across the room and landed on the person standing at the entrance of Courtyard No. 1.

His eyes suddenly lit up.

Guan Yuehe's feelings were quite complicated. This young man, who had seemed quite composed just moments before, suddenly turned into a mischievous monkey who was always causing trouble as he walked towards her with a loud laugh.

"Sister Yuehe, what are you doing here?"

"I've moved here."

"Huh? Then we're not neighbors anymore?" Song Xibei lamented, wondering why they had moved here.

Just as he was about to ask another question, he looked down and suddenly saw a chubby little girl. Looking up at Guan Yuehe, Song Xibei exclaimed, "Sister Yuehe, your daughter can already walk?!"

He'd only been in the army for a few years, and when he came back, Yuehe's daughter was already so grown up!

"...This is my sister's daughter."

"Huh? You look strangely like me." Song Xibei laughed a few times to cover up his embarrassment. "I'm going home now, I'll come over later to chat with you and Brother Yiku."

Once they entered Courtyard No. 2, Guan Yuehe finally burst out laughing. This little rascal hadn't been in the army long enough; he was still laughing and joking.

"Little stick, you're back."

"Oh! Auntie, I want to eat meatballs!"

Guan Yuehua and Gu Mannian, who were walking to the door, looked at each other and hesitated whether to go pick up their child or turn around and go to the movie theater.