Chapter 089: Failed to View House Again
It was another sunny morning, and the slum became noisy early in the morning as usual.
As usual, Shi Yue and Shi Qiu Shui slept until nearly seven o'clock before getting up. After getting up, they hurriedly washed and packed up, and prepared to go out for breakfast.
Shi Yue led Shi Qiushui out of the house and saw Ma Yulan leisurely fetching water in the yard. He asked curiously, "Hey, Aunt Ma, why are you so calm today? Aren't you going to work?"
When Ma Yulan heard this, her face instantly fell. She said with a very bad expression: "I'm not going to work today."
After saying that, she took the washbasin and left. Looking at her back, Shi Yue was full of question marks.
"No, what's wrong with Aunt Ma? I didn't say anything, why is she..."
Li Xiuying, who was standing nearby, glanced at Shi Yue and said, "Hey, you, why did you have to ask about Lao Ma's absence from work when you could ask about something else? Don't you know that Lao Ma has been having a quarrel with the junior leader in their department and has taken leave?"
Shi Yue was confused: "No, I don't know about this?"
He inquired curiously, "Aunt Li, what's going on? Why is Aunt Ma having a quarrel with the junior leader? I remember Aunt Ma had a good relationship with Director Jiang from the logistics department, didn't she?"
Li Xiuying pulled Shi Yue aside and said, "Hey, you don't know, they used to have a good relationship, but not anymore!"
"What's going on? What's going on? Aunt Li, please tell me."
Shi Yue was waiting for Li Xiuying's next words with a curious look on his face, while Shi Qiu Shui beside him also pricked up his ears with an expectant look on his face.
Li Xiuying: "Well, this is a long story. Let me put it simply. Director Jiang is planning to transfer Old Ma to another place."
Shi Yue: "Ah? Why? Aunt Ma is doing a good job, why does she want to transfer her away?"
Li Xiuying: "What else could it be? Isn't it to make room for someone else? There are only a few positions in the logistics department. Transferring Old Ma will make it easier to recruit new people."
She pulled Shi Yue and whispered, "I'm only telling you this, don't tell anyone else."
Shi Yue nodded quickly and assured: "Don't worry, I will definitely not tell anyone else. Please tell me what happened."
Li Xiuying: "You know Director Zhang from the labor union, right? Didn't he send his son to our factory a while ago? The boy worked at the grassroots level for a while, but couldn't continue and wanted to change positions. Director Zhang has been trying to find a way to get his son into the logistics department. I heard he's been to Director Jiang several times recently."
Shi Yue raised his eyebrows and understood.
Li Xiuying sighed and said, "Actually, it's just Old Ma's bad luck. After all, she's the only one in the logistics department who's about to retire. If Director Jiang doesn't move her, who else can he move? It's such a pity for Old Ma. During the Chinese New Year, Old Ma said Director Jiang promised her a promotion to team leader by the end of the year. If she's transferred out of the team, I don't know if she can still get a promotion."
Promoting retiring employees is an unspoken rule in state-owned factories. This is because employee pensions are tied to their job titles and ranks, and since a veteran employee is about to retire, her promotion can be used to promote others, without delaying work. Therefore, veteran employees who have performed well are generally given a half-rank promotion before leaving.
But if Ma Yulan is transferred, it will be hard to say.
Shi Yue finally understood why Ma Yulan was angry. He asked, "What does Aunt Ma mean now?"
Li Xiuying: "Director Jiang wanted to transfer Lao Ma to manage the cleaning staff, but Lao Ma was not happy about it. He had an argument with Director Jiang and then asked for leave. He asked for leave yesterday."
Shi Yue muttered to himself, it turned out that Aunt Ma had asked for leave yesterday, no wonder she was free to help Jiang Ling find a job yesterday.
Li Xiuying: "Actually, I don't think Old Ma doesn't want to be transferred. If she could be transferred to another position and promoted to team leader, she would be happy to do so. But Director Jiang didn't mention it at all, so Old Ma is angry. She asked for leave now, probably to show her attitude to Director Jiang. Maybe later..."
Shi Yue nodded. Ma Yulan and Director Jiang were in a tug-of-war. Ma Yulan wanted a promotion, and Director Jiang wanted to transfer her. The two of them were in a tug-of-war to see who would give up first.
As for Shi Yue's own words, he felt that Director Jiang would definitely be the first to give up.
Their machinery factory was state-owned, and employees couldn't be fired unless they'd committed a major offense. Furthermore, Ma Yulan's request for leave was legitimate and legal, so Director Jiang couldn't say anything. Ma Yulan had nothing to lose except a small salary loss, so she could take as much leave as she wanted. But Director Jiang was different. Director Zhang was still waiting, so he was definitely more anxious to transfer Ma Yulan.
Shi Yue understood the situation clearly, and Li Xiuying was also aware of it. She said, "I think after a couple of days, Lao Ma won't be bothered by this anymore. But for the next two days, don't mention work to her. She's still mad about it."
Shi Yue nodded: "I understand."
Shi Qiushui also said, "I understand."
Li Xiuying looked down at Shi Qiushui and asked with amusement, "What do you understand now that you understand?"
Shi Qiushui pouted: "Isn't it just that you don't want to tell Grandma Ma..."
Seeing that Shi Qiushui's shrill voice was about to attract the attention of everyone in the hospital, Shi Yue quickly said, "Alright, alright, girl, we all know you understand."
Li Xiuying also smiled and said, "Okay, it's getting late. I won't bother you with any more nonsense. Hurry up and take your Xiaoqiu to eat."
"Yeah, okay."
With his ears full of gossip, Shi Yue led Shi Qiu Shui out of the yard. As usual, he took Shi Qiu Shui to the breakfast stall to buy two breakfasts. After eating, he went back to pick up Zhao Ran, and then sent the two children to the martial arts class.
After sending the child to school, Shi Yue went to work at the factory. The technical competition that had lasted for a while had just ended two days ago, and their security department was idle, especially Shi Yue, the deputy section chief.
Because he doesn't have to patrol, he has even less time than the other employees in the security department. He just sits in the office all day reading newspapers and drinking tea.
It was the same today. He fished for most of the day. When the lunch break bell rang, he stood up, but he didn't rush to the cafeteria as soon as he stood up.
Instead, he hesitantly approached Zhao Hui and said, "Brother Zhao, let me tell you something."
Zhao Hui: "Hmm? What's up?"
Shi Yue: "I want to take a leave this afternoon."
Zhao Hui: "Ask for leave? What's going on?"
Shi Yue nodded: "Yeah, something happened."
"If you have something to do, go ahead. I'll remember it for you." Zhao Hui didn't ask Shi Yue what the matter was, and readily approved his leave.
Shi Yue thanked him and left the office.
He took a day off today to go house hunting.
Yes, we need to look at houses again.
He saw two houses in West City in the newspaper. The addresses of the two houses were not far from each other. Shi Yue planned to use his time this afternoon to go and see both houses.
After he came out of the factory, he found a fast food restaurant, had a simple meal, and then took a bus to Xicheng.
The first house we visited was also a small bungalow in a large courtyard.
However, this slum is different from the one where Shi Yue and his friends live.
There is a saying in Sijiu City that goes, "The south is poor, the north is humble, the east is rich, and the west is noble." It means that in the old society, the south of Sijiu City was inhabited by poor people, the north was inhabited by people of low status, the east was inhabited by rich people, and the west was inhabited by dignitaries.
Although many years have passed and the city of Beijing no longer has this particular style, the shadow of this saying can still be seen in the architecture, such as the large courtyard that Shi Yue was about to enter. The two majestic stone lions at the entrance, the magnificent Guangliang gate, the carved beams and painted pillars on the front porch... Shi Yue knew at a glance that this house must have once been the residence of a high-ranking official.
When he stepped over the gate and saw the situation in the yard, Shi Yue couldn't help but sigh with regret.
This house has been badly damaged.
The screen wall and hanging flower gate at the entrance had been completely stripped away, leaving only a few traces of their existence visible in the scattered piles of things. The corridor inside had been converted into a kitchen and storage area. Furthermore, the courtyard was filled with all kinds of daily necessities, completely losing the appearance of a residence of an official.
Shi Yue sighed with regret, but then again, it has been many years since the founding of New China. The officials of the old society no longer exist. The people living here are ordinary people, so of course everyone lives the way is convenient for them.
Shi Yue put aside his unnecessary emotions and continued walking inside. The family whose house was for sale as mentioned in the newspaper lived in the innermost third courtyard.
As expected, Shi Yue was stopped as soon as he reached the second courtyard.
The one who called out to Shi Yue was a chubby, round-faced woman. She asked, "Hey, you're not from our hospital, are you? What are you doing here?"
Shi Yue smiled politely and said, "Ah, I saw the house for sale in the newspaper and came to see it."
"Oh, you are here to see the house? Then go in. It's in the inner courtyard. You can see that they are the only family living in the backyard." The round-faced aunt was quite enthusiastic and pointed in the direction to Shi Yue.
"Oh, thank you very much." Shi Yue thanked the round-faced aunt and continued to walk in. He passed through the door of the third courtyard and saw the door of the back room. The door was closed and he could not see clearly through the window whether there was anyone inside.
Shi Yue reached out and knocked on the door: "Hello, is anyone there? I'm here to see the room."
He took pictures for a long time, and finally a hoarse voice came from the room: "Wait a minute!"
Then, about half a minute later, a gray-haired old man who looked to be in his sixties or seventies pushed the door open with the help of a cane. The old man had a square face that looked intimidating even without anger, and his stern face made him look even more serious.
He came out and looked Shi Yue up and down, then asked, "What are you doing here?"
Shi Yue: "Uncle, I'm here to look at the house. I saw the sale information of this house in the newspaper. Is this house for sale, correct?"
In order to avoid the situation like yesterday, he confirmed with the owner of the house as soon as he came up.
The old man glanced at Shi Yue and said, "Nonsense, if I'm not selling the house, why would I put an advertisement in the newspaper?"
Shi Yue: ...
This old man speaks in a very unique way!
Old man: "Let's go."
Shi Yue didn't react for a moment: "Huh? Where are you going?"
The old man said: "Where are you going? Aren't you here to see the house? Of course you follow me into the house to see it."
"oh oh."
Shi Yue followed the old man into the house.
The old man said: "My house has three rooms in total. The one on your right is where I live now. The one in the middle is the living room. The one on the left used to be my son's room. The kitchen is outside the door, and there is a small room I built separately."
Shi Yue glanced around the room and was quite satisfied.
Each of these three houses is not small, and there is only one house in the backyard. If you buy this house, it is equivalent to having the entire backyard to yourself.
Thinking of this, Shi Yue politely asked, "Uncle, how much do you plan to pay for this house?"
The old man said: "One price, two hundred thousand."
“Wow.”
Shi Yue knew that the asking price for this house could not be low, but the price the old man asked for was still beyond his imagination.
He was surprised for a moment, then asked tentatively: "Uncle, two hundred thousand is a bit too much, can you give me a discount?"
The old man said: "No, I said, the price is two hundred thousand, I won't sell it for a penny less."
Shi Yue: "If that's the case, forget it. I can't afford your house. Sorry to bother you."
This is too much. If it was 100,000 yuan, he could go to Panjiayuan to buy a few items to make up the money, but 200,000 yuan, forget it, it's too much.
Shi Yue said goodbye to the old man decisively. The old man did not try to keep him, but only said, "Close the door when you leave."
Shi Yue: “…Yeah, okay.”
Shi Yue came hurriedly and left hurriedly. When he left, the aunt in the second courtyard saw Shi Yue and waved to him: "Hey, young man, come here."
Shi Yue walked over and asked, "Are you calling me for something?"
Auntie: "Oh, it's nothing. I'm just curious. How did you get out so soon, young man?"
Shi Yue smiled and said, "I took a look and the house wasn't suitable, so I left."
Auntie: "What's wrong with it? Is it the price?"
Seeing Shi Yue's surprised expression, she said, "Did the stubborn old man ask for 200,000 yuan? You can't afford it?"
Shi Yue didn't expect that this old lady knew everything, and his expression was stunned for a moment.
Auntie: "Well, I knew that old stubborn guy would be like this. Everyone who came to see the house before was sent away by old stubborn guy in the same way. You are not the first one."
Shi Yue: “Before?”
The old lady said, "Yes, that's right. Ever since the old man put the house information in the newspaper, several groups of people have come to look at it, but they were all scared away by his exorbitant price. In fact, those of us living in this compound were also shocked when we heard the price. In my opinion, the old man just doesn't want to sell the house, otherwise he wouldn't have asked for 200,000 yuan. It's such a small bungalow, 100,000 yuan is the most he can afford. But he has to sell the house. His son has come to him several times, urging him to sell the house quickly and go abroad with him. Oh, the old man's son is really a fool. There are so many wonderful places in our country, why does he have to go abroad? What's so good about it abroad? And he insists on taking the old man with him. If I were the old man, I wouldn't want to sell the house and go with his son. After all, he is so old and can't speak foreign languages. What can he do abroad..."
The round-faced aunt muttered to herself for a long time, and suddenly remembered Shi Yue's existence.
She slapped her lips and said with an embarrassed look: "Look at my mouth, I can't stop talking nonsense. Sorry, young man, I've wasted your time."
Shi Yue waved his hand: "No, no, I don't have anything to do anyway."
He asked, "Auntie, I just heard you say that the man who wants to sell his house in the backyard wants to go abroad with his son?"
Auntie: "Yes, he wants to go abroad. Old Juetou's son went to study in the United States a few years ago and has stayed there. He married a beautiful American girl and wants to settle down there. He will probably live there for the rest of his life. So he wants to bring Old Juetou, his biological father, over. That's why Old Juetou wants to sell the house."
Shi Yue's eyes flashed. He had originally wanted to give up this house, but after hearing what the aunt said, he felt that this might not be impossible.
The son of the old man who is selling the house has already married abroad, so he must go abroad, and the old man must also sell the house. The reason why he is asking such a high price now is simply that he is unwilling to go abroad and wants to delay the sale of the house.
But in the end, he still had to leave and the house still had to be sold.
By that time, he might be able to take over the house at a cheaper price!
Although Shi Yue thought so in his heart, he also knew that this matter was not so easy to accomplish, so he still had to plan it slowly.
Let's put this house aside for now. He still has another house to see. He will talk about it after he finishes seeing it.
Shi Yue chatted with the round-faced aunt for a few more sentences before leaving with a smile. He was not just chatting with the aunt for no reason. He had been asking about the situation of the old man who was selling the house. He left only after he had found out enough.
Shi Yue left this house and walked for about twenty minutes before arriving at another house he wanted to see.
This house is different from the houses he has seen before, because it is not a bungalow, but a building, a real tube-shaped building.
The address written in the newspaper was the third floor of the tube-shaped building, but as soon as Shi Yue stepped onto the stairs to the second floor, he heard a burst of fierce cursing coming from the third floor.
Wow, there's something exciting to watch?
I have to say that Shi Yue is actually a very trustworthy person. He quickened his pace, took three or two steps up the stairs, and reached the third floor.
As soon as I got to the third floor, I saw a burly woman holding a bunch of leeks, yelling loudly: "Fuck you, which little bastard is so shameless that he took all my leeks! I just bought a bunch of leeks this morning, and now more than half are gone. Who did this? Get out here now and compensate me for the leeks!"
Someone next to her said to her in a gentle voice, "Li, are you sure someone stole your leeks? Why do I feel like you bought this much this morning?"
The woman said, "Bullshit! I bought half as much this morning!"
She stared at the person who was speaking in front of her, her eyes suddenly flashing with suspicion: "Is it you? Did you steal my leeks? Yes! It must be you. You saw me buying leeks today. It must be you, the shameless one who stole my leeks. Give them back to me right now!"
"No, what are you talking about? When did I steal your leeks?"
The woman insisted: "You are you, give me back my leeks, give me back my leeks!"
Her unreasonable and unreasonable behavior annoyed the person on the other side, who had no choice but to admit defeat and said, "Okay, okay, I'll return your leeks. I'll return them. How much are your leeks? I'll give them to you."
The woman rolled her eyes, spread her hands and said, "I don't want money. Just give me eggs. I saw you buy eggs this morning. So, I don't want more. Just give me eight."
“Eight?!”
"Yes, I want eight. Will you give them to me? If you don't..."
"Okay, I'll give it to you. Isn't that okay? Just wait, I'll go home and get it for you."
In the end, the quarrel ended with eight eggs as compensation. The burly woman happily walked into the house with the eight eggs in her apron. The remaining people in the corridor only started to murmur when they saw her leave.
"Oh, what leeks were stolen? I think she just set her sights on your eggs, Old Pang."
"Of course. How much did Lao Pang pay for the eggs? How much were her leeks? She's obviously trying to blackmail Lao Pang."
"Old Pang, you're really miserable. You have a shameless neighbor like Liu Li..."
Everyone was talking about it, blaming the big and strong woman who had just left. After a while, someone finally noticed Shi Yue standing at the entrance of the corridor.
“Hey, you are…?”
Shi Yue saw everyone's eyes on him and quickly said, "I'm here to look at the house. Does anyone know if the owner of room 302 is here?"
When they heard Shi Yue say that he was here to look at the house, everyone in the corridor exchanged glances, and finally looked at Lao Pang who had just been blackmailed for eggs.
Lao Pang wiped his hands with the hem of his clothes and said, "Well, comrade, I am the owner of Room 302. You want to see the house, right? Well, well, I'll take you to my house to have a look."
Shi Yue only felt a blackness in front of his eyes.
It wasn't that he had any problem with Old Pang, but he still remembered what they had just discussed. That unreasonable, big and strong woman lived next door to Old Pang!
If he bought this house, then...
Shi Yue shook his head. With such a bad neighbor around, he planned to leave without even looking at the house.
He pursed his lips and said, "Uh, well, comrade, I'm sorry, I suddenly remembered that I have something to do at home, so I won't be looking at houses for now. I'll be leaving now."
Lao Pang's expression was not very good, but he was helpless and could only say, "Okay then, comrade, take care."
Shi Yue said goodbye to everyone and turned to leave.
Don't get me wrong, he's not afraid of that woman. If he's afraid, he's not. On the contrary, he has a hundred ways to deal with that person, but it's unnecessary.
That woman is obviously a scoundrel, and it is too troublesome to deal with such a person.
This isn't the only place selling houses in the city. He doesn't have to buy this one, and there's no need to waste his time on a scoundrel.
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