The old man who guarded the scrap metal yard was still there, but unlike before when he would sit in a rocking chair at the entrance, he now held a palm-leaf fan in one hand and a teapot in the other.
This time, the old man was hiding in the small gatehouse by the main gate, warming himself by the stove and drinking tea.
Perhaps because few people come here to buy and sell things at this time of day, the old man was somewhat surprised by the arrival of the brother and sister.
However, Chen Shuning was a regular customer of the scrap metal recycling station, so the old man only opened the door and glanced at him before letting the two of them go in by themselves.
Chen Shuning, knowing exactly what was going on, led the man directly to the furniture storage room, letting Chen Jiandang wander around as he pleased.
She then started searching for antiques in the warehouse, using the knowledge she had crammed on during this time.
After looking around, Chen Shuning was somewhat disappointed. There were quite a few good items, but they were all ordinary furniture pieces, and there wasn't a single one that was mixed in with other items.
What Chen Shuning didn't know was that the old man had just taken back that wardrobe and hadn't had time to examine it closely yet; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy for her to own it.
Now, even if there were any smuggled items in the warehouse, the old man had already taken them away, so naturally she couldn't find them.
She came here to find a legitimate source for her illicit income through Chen Jiandang, so she stopped worrying about it.
After searching through a pile of jewelry boxes for a long time, she actually found a hidden compartment in a rosewood jewelry box, but the compartment was empty and she couldn't find anything inside.
But none of that matters. All Chen Shuning wants is a box. The little yellow fish he found in the closet last time is still there. He'll just put a few in there.
I glanced at my watch and it was already past one o'clock. They had been in the warehouse for an hour without realizing it, and it was time for them to leave.
So he called out to Chen Jiandang, who was still excitedly touching and looking around, "Little brother, we have to go. We still need to buy New Year's goods. If we stay any longer, we won't be able to catch the oxcart back."
"Okay, I'll be right there." Although he was still a little reluctant to leave, Chen Jiandang obediently jogged out.
At that moment, neither the siblings could have imagined that this simple trip to the purchasing station would lead to their future as great antique collectors.
Of course, that's all in the future. When Chen Jiandang ran over, he saw the jewelry box his sister was holding and instinctively reached out to take it.
"Sis, are you buying this? Give it to me, I'll carry it for you?"
Although Chen Jiandang felt that such a small box was not very practical and was far inferior to the large box he had just seen.
But since it's his sister who likes it, he won't say anything.
Before the smuggled items were put in, it was naturally not advisable for Chen Jiandang to hold them. Otherwise, if gold were to be put in later, the weight would be noticeable as soon as he picked it up.
But we can't put the items inside now, since we haven't paid for them yet. If we put them in early, and the old man at the door decides to check again, we'll be exposed.
So when Chen Jiandang reached out to take the box from her hand, Chen Shuning quickly dodged and said casually, "It's not that heavy, I can carry it. I saw you looking at it for a while, is there anything you like that I'll buy for you?"
Chen Jiandang, assuming his sister was only reluctant to part with the little box because she liked it so much, didn't think much of it. Hearing Chen Shuning's question, he smiled and replied, "They're all pretty, but forget about buying them. Where would you fit anything else in your little room?"
Chen Shuning thought about it and realized that there was indeed not much room left in her small house, so she smiled and said, "That's true, but it's okay, I'll buy you another one when we go back to Beijing next time."
"Come on, sis. Our place isn't much bigger than yours. By the way, sis, I heard from Mom that Uncle San got a new house and will be moving out after the New Year."
"I wonder when our family will be able to move into an apartment building in that area around the slaughterhouse."
Sensing the envy in his younger brother's tone, Chen Shuning said dismissively, "What's so great about apartment buildings? They're tiny rooms, and you have to cook in the hallway. If you eat something delicious, the whole building will smell it."
The corridor is full of broken boxes and cabinets; if there's an emergency, you can't escape.
The houses were next to each other, and the walls weren't soundproof. You could hear the sound of someone on the east side beating their child clearly, even if you lived on the west side.
If any child in the building gets sick with a headache or fever and starts crying, the whole building will be in for a world of trouble.
"Huh? Is that really true? Sis, if apartments are so bad, why is everyone still scrambling to buy them?"
"Just looking for something new. By the way, little brother, have you heard what will happen to Uncle's house if his family moves out?"
Her third uncle's house was in a small courtyard with two sections. Although it consisted of side rooms, it had the advantage of having its own independent courtyard.
Moreover, the courtyard where her family lived was a house allocated during the land reform movement, and Chen Shuning remembered that each room had a corresponding property ownership certificate.
When the family property was divided, her grandparents originally intended to hold onto the property ownership certificates, but her third and fourth aunts were both very capable and refused to comply. In the end, the elderly couple reluctantly distributed the property ownership certificates to each family.
The location of that courtyard may seem a bit out of the way now, but if it were in later generations, it would definitely be considered a residence within the second ring road.
Although the people living in the courtyard are a bit mixed now, with more and more buildings being built in Beijing and people's preference for living in apartments these days, it's not impossible for her to buy the courtyard little by little. After the reform and opening up, she can renovate it and it will definitely become a luxury mansion.
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