"ah?"
Yan Bugui shuddered.
Do the children in the yard run around without looking where they're going?
Isn't it obvious that you tripped over it?
But when Yan Bugui turned his head and met Wang Dabao's fixed gaze, he instantly understood everything.
He was a shrewd man, considering himself the most meticulous shrewd person in the compound. He immediately understood from Wang Dabao's expression that he was being told to pretend he hadn't seen anything!
“This kid has always been impulsive and reckless. He runs like the wind, so it’s normal for him to fall down. He’ll behave himself next time.” Yan Bugui said sternly to the lying-on-the-ground stick, pinching the temple of his glasses with one hand.
Upon hearing this, Bang Geng cried even harder.
He was spitting out blood and foam.
Wang Dabao was lucky he wasn't amused by Bang Geng's miserable state.
He knew perfectly well that the idiot kid crying his eyes out in front of him didn't deserve any sympathy. This kid was the number one ingrate in Beijing, and he had so many messes up that he couldn't even finish listing them all in a day and a night.
Looking at Bang Geng's empty pockets, Wang Dabao breathed a sigh of relief.
Looks like I'm not too late now; that kid Banggeng probably hasn't come inside yet.
"Nephew, don't just stand there, come inside and see if anything's missing." Yan Bugui quickly pulled Wang Dabao toward the front of the house.
Wang Dabao looked through the west window and saw obvious signs of prying, though the marks were faint. Clearly, Bang Geng's skills wouldn't allow him to open the window anytime soon.
Take out the key and open the door.
Upon entering, you enter the hall. To the left is a round dining table with a thermos and other items on it, along with two chairs. To the right is a basin stand, and an old-fashioned hanging mirror hangs on the wall. Further back are the cooking utensils, making it resemble a small kitchen.
The room on the left after entering is the bedroom, while the room on the right is filled with items, suggesting it's being used as a storeroom.
Overall, the items were arranged in an orderly manner, and the floor was clean and tidy.
Wang Dabao looked around the room and was generally satisfied.
Although it's a rear building with Xu Damao's west wing in front, it doesn't block out the light, and the house is very bright. In this courtyard, apart from Sha Zhu's three large rooms, there really isn't a house that can compare to this one.
One has to admire Uncle Wang Zhen's foresight. In that era, he had the courage to buy the house and make it his private property. Nowadays, it would probably take a lot of effort to buy one.
"Old Wang is a good man. This house is so clean and tidy. What a pity!"
Yan Bugui pursed his lips, revealing a sorrowful expression. Then, his small eyes scanned the entire room through his glasses. "Nephew, you, a young man, certainly won't use these bedding, clothes, thermos flasks, and teacups anymore. Why don't you pack them up and give them to me? It'll save you the trouble of going out to throw them away."
A glint flashed in Wang Dabao's mind. No wonder this old man was so enthusiastic; he had been plotting this all along!
“Master Yan, just call me Wang Dabao. Don’t call me ‘nephew’ or people will think we’re related.”
“Alright, then I’ll call you Da Bao. Don’t call me Master Yan, it’s too formal. Just call me Third Uncle, it’s much more friendly.” Yan Bugui grinned and said.
"Alright, Master Yan..."
As he spoke, a hint of sadness appeared in Wang Dabao's eyes. "As for the items you just mentioned, I really don't plan to use them anymore, but I don't plan to throw them away either. After all, they are my uncle's beloved possessions!"
"So you're planning to keep it as a collectible?"
Yan Bugui looked at Wang Dabao incredulously, "Don't blame me for being blunt, this is bad luck."
Wang Dabao shook his head, "You misunderstood. I plan to take these things to my uncle's grave and burn them for him, since they were all things he used when he was alive."
"You're going to burn all of these?"
Yan Bugui was getting a little agitated. He picked up the thermos on the dining table and said, "This is still about 80 or 90% new! And all the bedding in the room is in good condition, and all the clothes too. Burning all of this is just wasteful!"
Wang Dabao sighed deeply, rubbing his face. "You probably don't know the bond between my uncle and me. Seeing these things reminds me of him..."
"I understand, you're just reminiscing about someone because you're looking at this object."
Yan Bugui slapped his thigh and then said, "Dabao, I didn't expect you to be such a filial child. But Old Wang might not be able to receive these things you burn. Why don't you pack them up and sell them to me, and then you can buy some paper money to burn for Old Wang. He can buy whatever he wants down there."
Upon hearing this, Wang Dabao exclaimed, "Hey, there's a chance! The fish are starting to bite!"
Wang Dabao definitely won't use these things anymore, so their only destination is the junkyard. He doesn't have time to sell secondhand items on the black market.
Now it seems that selling them to Yan Laoxi was a good choice, and it saved me the trouble of carrying them out myself.
However, this act still needs to be performed thoroughly.
“Master Yan, it would be too polite to say you’re selling them. After all, I have no use for these things. If I could give them to you, I would have done so long ago.”
"But my uncle paid for all of these. If I just give them away without any money, he'll probably come to me in my dreams and scold me. He won't be able to rest in peace in the afterlife!"
Wang Dabao's face was sincere, conveying a "you have to understand me" expression, but then he abruptly changed the subject, "However, Master Yan, what you said makes sense. Maybe we really won't be able to get any by burning these things. But if we don't get enough money from selling them, I'm really afraid my uncle will come looking for me tonight..."
"Your words are rather creepy."
Yan Bugui looked distressed and pondered for a moment before saying, "How about this, you pack your things first, and I'll go back and discuss it with your third aunt. Once you're done packing, bring your things to my door."
"Okay."
Wang Dabao reluctantly agreed.
After seeing Yan Bugui off and closing the door, Wang Dabao didn't rush to pack his things but went to the bedroom.
He was still thinking about the money and receipts his uncle had entrusted to him.
With some effort, they moved the bed aside and, sure enough, found an iron box at the very back.
Find the key and open it. Inside, there were several neatly stacked bundles of money wrapped in oil paper. No need to count them; the way they were arranged so neatly meant it must be the amount mentioned in Uncle's suicide note.
Looking at the money, Wang Dabao was suddenly moved. In later generations, a thousand yuan would not be much, but in this era, it was indeed a huge sum of money.
My uncle's annual salary is only a little over four hundred yuan. After deducting food, drink and daily expenses, it would take him at least five or six years to save up this much money.
Perhaps his lack of children made him feel insecure, and he planned to use the money to support himself in his old age, but now he has ended up benefiting himself.
Wang Dabao made up his mind that he would burn more paper money for his uncle during festivals.
Pick up a bulging handkerchief from the tin box, and open it to find various coupons: grain coupons, oil coupons, meat coupons, coal coupons, and cloth coupons. There were plenty of each kind, which shows that my uncle usually lived a very frugal life.
Although he lived alone, the fact that he had saved so much money and receipts still moved his nephew, Wang Dabao.
Wrap the receipts in a handkerchief and put them in the tin box.
Having learned from the previous experience with the stick, Wang Dabao felt it was better to put important items in the wooden house.
With a thought, the person and the iron box disappeared and reappeared inside the wooden house on the island.
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