Chapter 656
"Let's go and look at houses!" Su Yuanzheng waved his hand proudly, causing the three young men to burst into laughter.
Ye Jiayin held Su Miao's arm and shook it, with a smile in her eyes:
"Uncle Yuan, it seems like he wants to buy up the entire alley. Uncle Yuan, there's a house not far from here. Should we stop by and take a look? I've already said hello, and the owner of that house is home today."
Because the distance was not far, they did not drive. Instead, they walked and took the opportunity to see the surrounding environment.
Occasionally, a 28-inch bicycle passing by on the street would make a crisp sound, and as you got closer, you could see the faux leather backpack hanging on the handlebars, the edges polished to a shine.
From a distance came the hawking voice of "Popsicles ~ Red Bean Popsicles ~", which echoed in the alley with a long tone.
The roadside food shop wafted the salty aroma of pickles mixed with the rich flavor of sesame paste. Su Miao took a deep breath and suddenly felt that this smell was more lifelike than any perfume.
After walking towards the Lama Temple for about five minutes, Jiayin stopped in front of a mottled red-painted wooden door.
The copper ring on the door has oxidized and turned black, but its former exquisiteness can still be seen.
The four large characters "Fu Shou An Kang" (happiness, longevity, and health) on the door lintel are still faintly visible, though most of the gold paint has peeled off.
"This is it. It's closer to the subway than my house and bigger too." She walked forward and knocked on the gate, and there was an immediate response from inside.
After a while, the door creaked open, revealing a wrinkled face.
"Grandpa Qin, I brought my friends to see the house." Jiayin greeted him familiarly.
The old man called Grandpa Qin was about seventy years old. He was wearing a blue Zhongshan suit. His hair was completely white and combed meticulously.
He narrowed his eyes, glanced at the people following Ye Jiayin inconspicuously, then stepped aside to make way:
"Come in, it's hot and the room is cool."
Mr. Qin took them to see the house, his voice hoarse but powerful:
"The house passed down from my ancestors used to have three courtyards. It was taken away a few years ago, and when it was returned, they couldn't make room at the back, so now there are only two courtyards left."
Su Miao looked at the two courtyards, which had been well preserved. Although they looked a bit dilapidated, the beauty that had accumulated over the years was overwhelming.
There is an old locust tree in the middle of the yard. Its crown is higher than the roof of the house, and its branches and leaves are lush, casting a cool shade.
There was a stone table and several stone benches under the tree, with half a cup of tea on the table. It was obvious that the old man was enjoying the cool air here.
Both the outer and inner courtyards are very large, so Jiayin was right when she said it was bigger than her house.
"I live in the main house now. This side is the kitchen and that side is the bathroom. It was renovated a few years ago, but the bathroom still doesn't have a sewer. If you need it, you'll have to find someone to fix it yourself.
We used to grow grapes in the yard, and we had a trellis there, so it was really cool to eat under it in the summer. But unfortunately, I'm too old to maintain it, so I just took it all down."
Su Miao nodded, but her eyes were attracted by the colorful paintings under the eaves of the main house.
Although the delicately painted paintings had faded a little, their former beauty could still be seen. She couldn't help but take a few steps closer to see them more clearly.
"Little girl, do you understand this?" Old Master Qin noticed her actions, and a glimmer of light flashed in his cloudy eyes.
Su Miao shook his head and said, "I don't really understand. I'm an archaeology student, and I happened to have a course on this this semester. Is this a Hexi colored painting?"
Mr. Qin smiled and nodded, saying proudly:
"That's right! This is the Hexi colored painting, known for its rigorous composition and intricate patterns. It's the highest grade of colored painting on official buildings in the Ming and Qing dynasties!"
Su Miao asked curiously, "Grandpa Qin, I remember the textbook said that Hexi colored paintings were usually used in the main halls of large buildings such as palaces and temples. Can ordinary people also have them painted in their homes?"
"Hahahaha~ This is a long story. My grandfather used to be a craftsman in the palace, and Hexi colored painting was his specialty.
My father started learning from me since he was a child. By the time he was really able to become a master, the Qing Dynasty had fallen and this kind of painting was no longer a royal craft.
"We relied on the money we'd saved to stay home and avoid the war, but the two of us were bored and itching to do something creative, so we decided to renovate our own house. Unfortunately, the yard wasn't ours for a few years, so we haven't been able to maintain it, and it's a bit dilapidated now."
He led them towards the main room, where a scent of wood and books filled their faces.
The interior of the main room was more spacious and brighter than Su Miao had imagined.
The layout is three rooms, with a living room in the middle and a bedroom on each side.
The furniture was old, but all of it was made of solid wood and was very clean. The most eye-catching thing was the row of bookshelves against the wall, which were filled with various books.
"These books..." Su Miao couldn't help but walk over.
"They are all my treasures, some of which were passed down from my grandfather's generation. I can sell the house, but I have to take these books away." Grandpa Qin said with pride.
Su Miao sincerely felt that it was not easy to preserve this book from that era.
"Grandpa Qin, can we go see other rooms?"
"Sure, how about this, you can walk around and look around as you please. My old bones can't move anymore, so I'll wait here for you."
Jiayin said, "Then let's go check out the wing rooms."
They crossed the courtyard and came to the west wing.
It was obvious that this place had been vacant for a long time, but the basic furniture was still there, and sunlight shone through the carved wooden window frames, casting beautiful light and shadows on the ground.
Su Miao discussed quietly with his family: "This house is really nice. Although it is a bit old, the structure is intact. It will be very good after a little repair."
Jiayin said, "I guessed you would think it was okay. Grandpa Qin asked for 80,000, which is not a low price, but considering the location and area, it is actually very cost-effective."
Su Miao quickly calculated in his mind that although the house price was not cheap, the foundation was very good and compared to those dilapidated courtyards, a lot of renovation costs could be saved.
The layout of the courtyard was neat and simple, and the tour was completed quickly. Mr. Qin invited them to have tea in the hall.
Old Master Qin asked, "Are you planning to live in this yard?"
"Yes, Mr. Qin, I plan to buy it and live with my daughter." Su Yuanzheng said politely.
Old Master Qin turned around and looked at them carefully again, then said with a smile:
"Is that so? I thought these two young people were your children. This young man's temperament seems a bit similar to yours. I misunderstood."
Su Miao and Ye Jiayin turned their heads to look after hearing what Grandpa Qin said. Jiayin smiled and said, "I didn't notice it before, but now that I look closely, they do look a bit like each other. Not in terms of facial features, but in terms of temperament and body shape."
Su Miao looked at the two men's straight backs, nodded and said:
"Yes, it's a bit similar. Maybe it's because my dad and Brother Ziyi are both descendants of military personnel."
"Oh! Now that you mention it, it is true!" When Mr. Qin heard this, there was a hint of enthusiasm in his eyes.
Su Yuanzheng asked, "Mr. Qin, this yard looks nice. It's convenient for transportation and quiet. Why do you want to sell it?"
"Alas~" Old Master Qin sighed and knocked his pipe against the sole of his shoe.
"This is a long story, so I have to tell it slowly."
He filled the cigarette with tobacco, lit it with a flint, and started to smoke. In the smoke, his eyes became a little distant.
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