It was lunchtime, and Uncle San didn't want to trouble his in-laws, so he asked Jiang Si to find a long-established state-run restaurant.
After lunch, Huo Tingzhou was about to take them back to Xishan Compound to rest.
My third uncle suddenly gave me an address.
"Xiao Huo, you've dropped us off here. We won't be staying at the Xishan Compound for the next few days."
Huo Tingzhou thought the old man was afraid of getting into trouble by entering the military region.
"Third Uncle, the gatekeepers have already informed you, so your comings and goings won't be affected these next few days."
"How about we go stay at Xishan Compound? It would be more convenient that way."
"No need, no need, I've already spoken to them," said Uncle San.
Jiang Si knew that her third uncle had a wide network of connections, so since he had said so, she would just let him be.
Moreover, the address that Uncle San announced is also in Xicheng District, just one street away from the Huo family's old residence, so living here is quite convenient.
However, when they arrived at their destination, Jiang Si was still slightly surprised.
She originally thought that the house her third uncle was staying in was a small bungalow or a house in a family compound, but she didn't expect it to be a courtyard house.
After glancing at it a few times, Jiang Si looked away.
She didn't let Huo Tingzhou take her there, even though it was only a short distance; instead, she arranged a job for him.
"When you get back, help me pack a few outfits, and don't forget the things on the dressing table."
"Oh, and there's a suitcase in the wardrobe. Bring it to me as well."
Huo Tingzhou had no idea what was inside the suitcase, which had a combination lock.
If she needs anything, she can just take it from her spatial storage.
Third Uncle was about to say that it didn't need to be so complicated.
You can find anything here.
But thinking about the surprise he was going to give the little girl later, he held back from saying anything.
The two had been together every day during this period, and Huo Tingzhou was still a little unaccustomed to being separated for a few days.
However, the couple cannot meet the day before the wedding, which is a customary practice among the older generation.
Huo Tingzhou could only keep it to himself, no matter how reluctant he was.
"Then you guys go in and rest for a while. I'll bring your things over later after I've packed them up."
Jiang Si nodded, and only looked away after Huo Tingzhou's car had left the alley.
At this moment, Uncle Zhong had already opened the gate of the courtyard house.
Just as the group was about to carry their luggage inside, a loudspeaker suddenly sounded behind them.
Shortly after, two Jiefang brand trucks pulled over to the side of the road.
The car door opened, and more than a dozen burly men stepped out.
Jiang Si was stunned when she saw the person in the lead.
This person was none other than the branch leader who had helped capture Master Yan last time.
Seeing that Jiang Si was staring at him, Ninth Master smiled and made a joke.
"What, little girl, don't you remember me?"
"Ninth Master is too kind. How could I not remember you? I owe you a lot for your help last time."
Upon hearing this, Ninth Master laughed even louder, "It's nothing, it's nothing. We're all family. Don't be so polite next time."
After saying that, he quickly bowed to his third uncle with a deep salute befitting a member of the gang.
The ceremony was only halfway through when Third Uncle glared at him and stopped her.
"You're on the street, so watch out. It's fine if you bother me, but don't bother my Si girl."
"Alright, alright, stop standing around outside and come in to talk."
"Okay, okay."
Ninth Master happily agreed and then turned to give instructions to his men.
"Be careful when lifting things, so you don't bump or knock them over."
As soon as Ninth Master finished speaking, the people who got off the truck with him quickly climbed into the back of the truck and removed the tarpaulin covering the truck bed.
Jiang Si was completely stunned when she saw what was in the truck bed.
"Third Uncle, these things..."
"These things are the dowry I prepared for you."
As he spoke, Uncle San pulled the man towards the courtyard.
"Let them move their things first. Come over and take a look at this yard. What do you think? Do you like it?"
What does that mean?
What does this courtyard mean? Does she like it?
"Third Uncle, you didn't actually buy this courtyard, did you?"
Third Uncle raised his voice.
“Didn’t you say before that Xiao Huo would be transferred back to Beijing in a few years? So I picked out a two-courtyard house for you.”
"It's not far from the Huo family's old residence, so it's convenient for you to go back there regularly."
"When we have children in the future, we'll have more space to live here."
Uncle San was quite satisfied with the location and the condition of the house; the only drawback was that the second courtyard was too small.
It's not even as big as the Jiang family's garden!
"Ninth Brother, go and look around again, see if there are any three-courtyard houses nearby."
"this……"
Everything else was easy to handle, but this one thing really stumped Ninth Master.
"Third Uncle, please don't make things difficult for Ninth Master."
Jiang Si has been in Beijing for some time now and is fairly familiar with some of the city's policies.
Seeing that his third uncle looked puzzled, he gave him a simple explanation.
"Third Uncle, Beijing is different from Shanghai. They implemented a private housing renovation policy here in 1958."
"Private house renovation?"
"Yes, if a house has more than 15 rooms or the total area of the houses exceeds 225 square meters, it must be handed over to the housing management bureau for unified state rental."
Renting it out is still better, since most of the houses have been confiscated.
This third uncle really didn't know that although Shanghai has similar policies, they are not as strict.
Jiang Si added, "The East and West districts are already overpopulated with fewer houses. Ninth Master must have put in a lot of effort to find such a good house in such a short time."
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