Finally bought a house!
Cao Dalang's wife was very satisfied.
But the couple only had a few taels of loose change left after they added up all their money.
In order to buy a house, I even used up the money from selling gas.
"We can't go back like this!"
The couple agreed.
If I go back to my hometown at this time, my parents will definitely ask about the money I earned from selling gas.
How can they afford to make up for the shortfall in buying a house?
If the deficit from buying a house is not made up, the fact that I bought a house in Beijing cannot be concealed.
Cao Dalang's wife muttered, "This house is our private property. We can't let our parents know about it. If they find out, there won't be any share of the house between us. We'll have to give it up in half at least."
Cao Dalang has several brothers, and the family has not yet split up.
If my parents knew about the house and took charge, there was a high possibility that the house would be lost.
Even if it can be saved, at most two houses can be saved.
Who would like to have one house turned into two rooms?
Cao Dalang nodded heavily.
He said, "If you don't go back, you have to write a letter to explain."
His wife was straightforward. "Just say we've found an opportunity here, and we'll go back when we make some money by the end of the year."
"What if my parents ask the second son to come to the capital as well..." Cao Dalang was a little worried.
His wife pinched him and said, "Please tell me more about the difficulties you have in finding food and accommodation in your letter. The prices have gone up a bit compared to the past. My parents are reluctant to spend money. When they hear about the price increase, they will definitely not let the second son go to the capital and waste money."
"Your idea is good. Just write it like this."
Cao Dalang wrote a letter and asked Sanhe Express to send it back home.
Then the couple settled down in the capital.
Cao Dalang's wife is a capable person. She washes and cleans the house inside and out.
He used the little money he had to buy several sets of second-hand cheap furniture, as well as pots and pans, and started renting them out.
Her job at the refugee resettlement site was to communicate and take care of the female refugees, and to report various problems to the higher authorities on their behalf.
This job is trivial, but extremely challenging.
She used to be very shy when dealing with strangers and didn't dare to speak actively.
After the training in the refugee camp, she became more open and took the initiative to greet scholars who were interested in renting a house.
Life in the refugee camp not only honed her abilities, but also sharpened her vision.
I can't say I'm 100% accurate in judging people, but I'm pretty sure there will be no problems.
After the rental information was posted, all four rooms upstairs were rented out within a few days.
Scholars are particular about the choice and would not be willing to live on the first floor if they have the option of living on the second floor.
Cao Dalang's wife plans to rent the first floor to a nearby merchant.
Cao Dalang was literate and had experience working in a refugee camp, so he successfully found a job doing odd jobs and running errands in the Imperial College, which made him very proud.
"As the saying goes, 'Those who are near water get the moon first.' I work at the Imperial College, and I earn a good salary. If Dabao has a promising future, maybe he can get in through some connections. Once you're in, food, supplies, and clothing are all free. You can save a lot of money, and you can also study and learn skills."
Cao Dalang's wife chuckled and said, "Life will definitely get better and better."
Cao Dalang said proudly, "Luckily I insisted on coming to the capital, and it just happened to coincide with the Imperial College's expansion. I didn't expect the house to be so easy to rent; it was rented out in just a few days. Once this place becomes bustling, the rent will definitely go up."
The rent is very cheap at the moment, but with this rent subsidy, the couple can save some money every month.
With a house, money and a job, the couple officially settled down in Beijing.
Cao Dalang's wife can't sit still.
She wants to find a job as a house-sitter so that she can look after the family.
I went out in the morning and walked around the community.
She knew a few words, and when she saw someone posting a job posting, she went up and asked, "Are you looking for someone to look at houses? Do you think I'd be a good fit? My family also bought a building in this neighborhood, and number 183 is mine."
Wang Xuecheng looked at the other person and said, "Judging from your accent, you are from another place."
"I'm from Xihe County and I'm a refugee in Beijing. I was one of the first refugees to arrive in Beijing. I worked in a refugee resettlement site for two years and I know everything."
"Can you read?" Wang Xuecheng asked curiously.
Cao Dalang's wife felt a little guilty, "I only know a hundred or so characters, and I learned them in the refugee camp."
"Being able to read is good. You said you bought a house here too?"
"Yes, yes, I also bought a house. You can go to the public housing estate in front to check the housing information. My husband's surname is Cao, and mine is Hu, so we are called Cao Hushi. My name is on the record, and I dare not lie to you. Old Zhang, Old Zhang, come and testify for me."
Cao Hu stopped the community security guard who was passing by.
"Tell this gentleman that I am the owner of Room 183."
"Yes, yes, this is the owner of No. 183. Her husband works as a handyman at the Imperial College. We all know each other. Are you the owner of No. 65?"
Old Zhang was hired as a security guard for the community, so he must have some skills. He can recognize people accurately.
Wang Xuecheng nodded. "I'm the owner of No. 65. I'm looking for someone to help look after the house, clean it, and take care of the tenants. I work in Xinmin County on weekdays, so I can only come here on my days off."
"Come find me! We live in the same neighborhood, you don't have to worry that I will run away, and you don't have to worry about my dirty hands." Cao Dalang's wife eagerly promoted herself.
Wang Xuecheng hesitated. "I have a friend who also needs to find someone. We have six apartments in total. Can you do it alone?"
Yan Ci was unwilling to employ his family members, fearing that they would find out that he had secretly acquired property outside, which would lead to financial disputes.
To him, money is a trivial matter. He mainly hates all kinds of social pressure and family disputes.
All kinds of ugly faces disgusted him and affected his ideas for writing.
So he would rather spend money to hire someone to look at the house.
However, he was too lazy to deal with such trivial matters, so he authorized Wang Xuecheng to help him.
Wang Xuecheng had a similar reason. He didn't dare to use his family members for fear of causing financial disputes, so he had to spend money to hire someone.
When Cao Dalang's wife heard about six houses, her breathing became rapid.
Old Zhang, who was standing by, was also tempted. "Mr. Wang, my wife can also help look after the house and the tenants. Is that okay with you?"
"It's probably a bit of a stretch for one person to look after six buildings."
Cao Dalang's wife wanted to guarantee that there was nothing wrong with her, but she was also worried that something might go wrong and she might be sued, so she was a little hesitant.
Old Zhang quickly agreed, "It's no problem to be alone, I can still help."
Wang Xuecheng thought about it and realized that one was a homeowner in the community and the other was a community security guard. It would be inappropriate to use either of them.
"How about this, you each get three sets. Old Zhang, could you please ask your wife to come over so I can see for myself if she can do the job efficiently?"
"Quick, quick! I'll call them over right away. Mr. Wang, please wait a moment."
Old Zhang was very excited.
If my wife could get this job, she wouldn't have to wash and mend clothes for others every day, and her hands would be sore from washing.
Wang Xuecheng first took Cao Dalang's wife to look at the house.
He and Yan Ci both bought medium-sized apartments with eight rooms on the upper and lower floors. They were spacious and bright, and the main room was large enough.
The furniture has been purchased and we are just waiting to find someone to rent it out.
"Don't worry about renting the house. I've already entrusted the leasing office at the sales office to handle it. You just need to help clean and look after the house, boil water for the tenants, and wash the dishes. If you're willing, you can also cook for them for a fee."
"I'm happy to, I'm happy to. I can cook for more than a dozen people at home too."
Cao Dalang's wife is very familiar with making big pot meals.
As a daughter-in-law for many years, she is very good at managing the household.
"Three apartments, plus your own house, can you handle it?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Wang. I promise to keep an eye on your and your friend's house and won't be careless at all."
"I see you're an honest and hardworking person. How about this: we go to the public housing unit now and, after confirming that all the information you provided is correct, we'll formally sign the employment agreement."
"Thank you, thank you!"
Cao Dalang's wife was excited and thrilled.
She didn't expect things to go so smoothly, and she signed contracts for three houses in one go.
Wang Xuecheng was quite decisive in his actions, mainly because he had limited time and had to rush back to Xinmin County.
He signed employment agreements with Cao Dalang's wife and Lao Zhang's wife respectively.
The leasing office of the sales office acts as a witness.
After the agreement was signed, he handed the keys to the two of them and said, "I'll leave the house to you. I'll come over to check it out on my day off."
"Don't worry, Mr. Wang, I will definitely take good care of the house for you."
After finishing his business, Wang Xuecheng took a double-track horse-drawn carriage back to Xinmin County. He bought a ticket for an ordinary carriage, which cost five cents.
After the initial novelty period, there were obviously fewer people riding the double-track carriage.
However, Wang Xuecheng still had no seat.
At the starting station, all seats are always sold out.
He bought his ticket late and had to stand, but fortunately he didn't have to squeeze with others and there was still some space around him.
There were vendors and students in the carriage.
Everyone is clearly divided.
The students talked and discussed whether it was better to apply for the Imperial College or the Shanhe Academy.
The two sides argued endlessly.
The vendors' baskets occupied the aisles, causing dissatisfaction.
Wang Xuecheng casually asked the vendor, "It's only the afternoon, why are you in such a hurry to go back? Aren't you going to do business anymore?"
The hawker is honest, mainly because Wang Xuecheng has a good-looking face that makes people feel good about him.
The vendor told him, "Even though the Imperial College seems to be bustling lately, business here is still slow. I've been selling for two days, but it's not as good as what I sold in half a day in Xinmin County."
"The gap is so big!" Wang Xuecheng was a little surprised.
The vendor said, "There are still not many people around the Imperial College. Maybe it will be better next year."
Wang Xuecheng said, "Oh," and then asked, "With the double-track carriage, it will be very convenient for you to travel to the Imperial College."
The vendor shook his head. "If we want to go easy, we have to catch the first train in the morning. That's when there are fewer people, and we can take up the aisle with our baskets. When there are fewer people, we won't be hated. But when there are more people, the conductor won't let us get on with our baskets unless we hang them outside. But with so much stuff in them, how can we hang them outside? What if they fall off?"
Wang Xuecheng exclaimed, puzzled, "I heard there are freight cars. Can't we put baskets in them?"
"There's a separate charge for freight cars, and they only run on a few scheduled trips in the morning and evening. Sometimes I can't catch a trip, so I have no choice but to squeeze into a regular car. Luckily, there weren't too many people today, so I didn't feel annoyed."
Wang Xuecheng said with emotion: "It's not easy for everyone."
The vendor echoed this, saying, "It's still much more convenient than before. If there weren't double-track carriages, we small vendors wouldn't even come to the Imperial College to do business. In short, this double-track carriage is still more convenient for everyone."
"You're right. It's really convenient for everyone, and the fare is cheap. Five cents is the starting price for a rickshaw."
"Who says it isn't? Privately, everyone is praising the Empress for coming up with such a convenient device to make travel easier for everyone. In the past, a round trip from Xinmin County to the Imperial College would have taken up a whole day. Now, a round trip only takes an hour or two, so there's no delay at all."
Once the peddler started talking, he couldn't stop.
He chatted with Wang Xuecheng, "Many merchants from the south are envious of the double-track carriages. I heard from the owner of Yuhua Lane that the Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce is planning to send people to the capital to lobby Huanyu Transport to build a double-track road in Jiangnan to facilitate their business. Merchants from the north are also very interested, saying that it will be very convenient for transporting goods. They can run day and night, only needing to stop and change horses along the way."
Wang Xuecheng said, "Railroad tracks are not cheap, and we have to be wary of theft along the way. Even if we want to build them, we need money."
"The Jiangnan Chamber of Commerce is rich."
"That's not how you spend money. And the ticket price is so cheap, I'm afraid I can't even make back the money for the horse fodder and the station staff's wages."
"How can we not make enough money? So many people take the carriage every day." The vendor didn't understand.
"You only look at the number of people, but you don't consider the cost involved."
Wang Xuecheng and the vendor explained everything one by one.
The initial investment to build such a railway is astronomical.
The tracks, the stations, the staff, the horses...
The investment is huge and it requires continuous consumption, but the ticket price is so low, how can we make money?
The vendor wondered, "How can anyone do a business that's not profitable? Are they just losing money to gain publicity?"
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