Chapter 19, Chapter 19: Entrustment
The group followed Xuanmao out of the alley and came to a small road behind the main street of East Street, where an ancient courtyard wall built of gray and white mountain stones appeared in front of them.
The courtyard wall was also built of mountain stone, and rose and rose vines climbed all over both sides of the wall. Clumps of pink, white and bright red roses and roses covered the courtyard wall, which looked particularly beautiful from a distance.
The black cat stopped in front of a wooden door in the middle of the courtyard wall, licking the fur on its legs, waiting for Old Yu to open the door.
This door is the back door of the house that Old Yu sold. The yard is also the back yard. The front door is on East Street. It can be used for living and business.
Old Yu took out a string of ancient, gilded, openwork keys from his pocket, used one of them to open the back door, and gestured for Cheng Ying and the other two to follow him inside.
The black cat was the first to run and jump into the yard, meowed twice at Old Yu, and then ran into the house to play.
Cheng Ying followed Old Yu into the backyard and looked around.
The backyard is quite large, about fifty square meters. The ground is paved with bluestone slabs, with some lush green weeds growing in the cracks. Fruit trees are planted in the four corners of the yard, especially in the right corner, where a large grape trellis is built, laden with green grape bunches that gleam enticingly in the sunlight.
Old Yu pointed to the thick grapevines under the trellis, saying, "Comrade Cheng, this grapevine was planted by me when I was a child. It's over sixty years old. Before my son and grandson had their accident, this vine would bear fifty or sixty bunches of grapes every summer. My grandson especially loved them. But after their accident, I didn't want to come back to this place of sorrow. My great-granddaughter can't eat them all by herself, so these grapes are just hanging there. Cheng, Director Li, Fang, please don't be shy, pick some and eat them."
Fruit was a scarce commodity in those days. The land belonged to the collective and was mainly used for growing crops and grains. Few villages relied on growing fruit for a living. To satisfy their cravings, many people would plant a few fruit trees in their own yards. When the fruit ripened, they were reluctant to let their families eat too much of it and would take the better fruit to the non-staple food purchasing station to sell for some money.
It's truly rare to find someone like Old Yu, who owns such a large grapevine with so many bunches of grapes, neither eating them himself nor selling them.
Cheng Ying and the other two thought that the grapes were not tasty, which was why Old Yu and his grandson did not eat them. They all reached out and picked the green grapes that looked ripe and ate them.
The expected sour and astringent taste did not appear. The grapes were sweet and juicy, seven parts sweet and three parts sour. Director Li and Sister Fang stared wide-eyed as they ate them, and couldn't help but pick two more bunches of grapes, eating them one by one.
Both of them wanted to keep some of these delicious grapes so they could take some home for their children to try.
Old Yu didn't see their movements and led the three of them into the house.
This house is a typical example of Southwest Chinese architecture. The house is built very tall, with the main entrance facing East Street. A front yard, similar to a storefront, was built in front of the front yard. Behind the front yard, a row of houses was built, with two main rooms on each side and a living room in the middle. On both sides of the yard, there were kitchens, outhouses, woodsheds, and storage rooms. Each room had a wooden window with a thick layer of dust on the glass, which had not been cleaned for a long time. Standing in the yard, you could vaguely see some of the furnishings inside the house through the blurry glass.
Old Yu led the three men around the living room first, then to each of the rooms. Apart from a carved round octagonal table, a carved mahogany long sofa, and a few small tables in the main hall, all the furniture, including tables, chairs, benches, wooden beds, and cabinets, in the other rooms had been smashed. The floor was littered with fragments of wood and other debris. The windows of the two rooms on the left were also smashed to pieces, and the floor was covered with sharp shards of glass.
Director Li saw the trash in the room and asked Old Yu, "Was this something those young Red Army soldiers smashed up back then?"
Old Yu nodded heavily, his eyes filled with sorrow. "Back then, when the situation changed, my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, who were teachers in primary and secondary schools, suddenly became 'stinking intellectuals' hated by everyone. Those students they had once taught transformed into 'Red Guards,' coming to our house in droves, smashing and destroying our belongings, humiliating and bullying my son and grandson. All the valuables in our house were taken away by these little Red Guards. My great-granddaughter was also frightened into having mental problems; she's very timid. Then, she witnessed her grandmother hanging herself, and she was terrified for a long time..."
Seeing the garbage in the house, Cheng Ying guessed how much inhuman humiliation and abuse Old Yu's son, daughter-in-law, and grandson had suffered during that catastrophe. She saw a broken picture frame in the corner of the right wall, picked it up, and looked at it.
The photo was in black and white, and due to the long exposure, it was quite blurry, with faint signs of water stains and mold around the edges. The photo was a family portrait, with Old Yu sitting in the middle, holding a baby girl still in swaddling clothes. To his left stood two middle-aged men and women around forty-seven or forty-eight years old, both with polite and proper smiles on their faces. To his right stood two young men around twenty-five years old, also with smiles on their faces.
However, now, only Old Yu and his great-granddaughter remain in the photo. Old Yu only mentions his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, but not his granddaughter-in-law. Cheng Ying wouldn't be foolish enough to ask about the whereabouts of his granddaughter-in-law.
After viewing the house, Director Li and Director Fang asked Cheng Ying what her thoughts were.
Cheng Ying remained silent, seemingly considering whether the house was suitable for her to buy.
Old Yu said, "Comrade Xiao Cheng, you are someone Xuanmao approves of. If you want to buy a house, I can sell it to you at a lower price."
Cheng Ying raised an eyebrow: "What's the story behind this?"
Old Yu pointed to the black cat playing with a small round ball made from a pillar in the living room and said, "After my son and the others had their accident, I didn't want to come back here and be reminded of the past, so I rarely come back. Usually, it's my great-granddaughter who comes back to visit every few days. People outside know that we have fruit trees, especially in the summer when the grapes are ripe, and there are always neighborhood kids climbing over the wall to steal grapes from the backyard. Little Black doesn't like them. Whenever they come, it goes crazy, scratching and clawing at them. They want to catch it, they want to kill it, but it runs too fast and is too agile." "Jie, they couldn't catch it, and they even got scratched and injured. Several times they came to me demanding medical bills, but I couldn't be bothered with them. Occasionally, neighbors or people interested in buying a house would want to visit my house, but Xiao Hei wouldn't let them in. As soon as they stepped onto the path in front of my backyard gate, Xiao Hei would scratch them, and if they went any further, it would bite them mercilessly. It wouldn't allow them to enter our house, even if I went with them. But today, when you came, Xiao Hei didn't react at all, and even led the way to our house, which means it accepts you."
"Oh?" Cheng Ying was surprised. She half-squatted down, beckoned to the black cat playing with the ball, and gently called out, "Little Black, come here, let me pet you."
When Xiao Hei heard her call, it turned its head and meowed at her. Then, with its tail held high, it ran towards her with small steps, rubbing its fluffy head against her palm, looking very affectionate towards her.
Cheng Ying felt a ticklish sensation as the cat rubbed against her palm, and couldn't help but reach out and stroke its fluffy head. It was the first time she had ever encountered such an obedient and intelligent kitten, and her heart softened.
"See? Little Black really likes you. Usually, apart from me and my great-granddaughter, no one else can even touch it," Old Yu said with a smile.
"Is it really that strange?" Director Li, standing nearby, was skeptical. He bent down and reached out to touch the black cat's head.
The black cat turned its head and hissed at her, startling Director Li, who cried out and took a step back, rubbing her chest and saying, "This little thing is really strange. How come Comrade Cheng can touch you, but I can't?"
Sister Fang said with a smile, "It is said that black cats are spiritual beings and have been beloved pets of nobles since ancient times. They are usually kept to ward off evil spirits and protect the home. Perhaps this black cat prefers soldiers like Xiao Cheng who serve the country and its people. Director Li, you and I are just ordinary people, so it looks down on us."
These words made Director Li feel much better, and he muttered, "This cat is fiercer than a dog; it's quite good for warding off evil spirits."
Cheng Ying had a sudden thought. The black cat was a spiritual being. Did it like her? Could it be that it could tell she was a person who had been reborn? Did it see her soul and, from some strange scientific perspective, was afraid of her or respect her, which was why it was willing to get close to her?
Seeing that she was stroking the black cat's head and seemed somewhat tempted, Old Yu persuaded her, "Comrade Cheng, why don't you buy this house? We can discuss the price."
Cheng Ying was still hesitant. "Grandpa Yu, this house of yours, well, something happened here... I'd better think about it some more." She said, and then turned to leave.
Old Yu panicked and quickly stopped her, saying, "Comrade Cheng, my daughter-in-law is a good person. Even if she hanged herself in this house, she never harmed anyone in life, and she won't harm you in death. Don't believe in those ghost stories. In this world, there are no ghosts that harm people; only people harm people. People are much more terrifying than ghosts! If you sincerely want to buy it, I can sell it to you at the lowest price. Then I'll get some familiar neighbors to clean the house thoroughly, and you can repaint it, leaving no old things or old-fashioned decor. It will then be a new home. However, I have one condition for doing this..."
"What are your requirements?" Cheng Ying stopped and turned to ask.
She said she wanted to think about it and leave, but that was just an excuse to lower the price. In reality, she was very satisfied with the house. After all, it's really hard to find a house in Qingqu Town that can be used for business, live in, and has a large backyard.
Old Yu, with his cloudy eyes and sorrowful gaze, said, "I'm already in my fifties, and I might pass away any day. My great-granddaughter is still young, and my relatives are all troublemakers, not people I can entrust with anything. Comrade Cheng, you've served in the military, and your character and conduct are recognized by the country. If you can promise me that after I'm gone, you'll take care of my great-granddaughter, and I'll let you live in this house without asking for your money."
Cheng Ying paused for a moment and said, "I'll buy the house, and the price will be the one you agreed on. I can also take care of your great-granddaughter for you, but I need you to find the leaders of the town's commune, the women's association, the street office, and other relevant people, and in front of them, make a will stating that after your death, I, an outsider, will take over your responsibilities and act as your great-granddaughter's guardian until she grows up. Before that, no one can have any designs on your great-granddaughter's property. Is that acceptable to you?"
This was to prevent Old Yu's relatives from using the pretext of raising his great-granddaughter to fight Cheng Ying for custody of her, thus avoiding a bitter dispute.
Cheng Ying didn't want to keep arguing with Old Yu's relatives over some trivial matters; it was too exhausting, and she didn't have the patience to waste time on these unfounded issues.
She was unwilling to live in Old Yu's house for free; she would rather pay for it. There's no such thing as a free lunch. If she really lived in Old Yu's house for free, who knows what kind of trouble she might cause in the future.
It's better to buy it with money. Once you buy the house, you can register it at the county housing management bureau and transfer the land deed. Only then will the house truly belong to her, and she'll feel at ease living there.
Old Yu nodded with great joy, "Okay, we'll do it your way!"
Cheng Ying was a retired soldier, and her father was a well-known and reliable postman in town. Her father was a good man, and she was naturally a good man too. With her promise to help take care of his great-granddaughter, Old Yu could rest easy and die with a smile on his face. He immediately started discussing the price of the house with Cheng Ying.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
