He pulled a brown paper envelope from his pocket and carefully took out several yellowed photocopies of land deeds.
"See that? A land deed from the Guangxu era! This courtyard used to be inhabited by a princess of the Bordered Yellow Banner, and it was only vacated last month. It's a three-courtyard layout: the first courtyard was for entertaining guests, the second for living quarters, and the third had a small garden and a well!"
Lin Li's gaze was drawn to the elegant calligraphy on the land deed; buying this house was truly worthwhile.
"Take us to see it."
"Okay! It's just a bit far, it would be more convenient if we rode bicycles."
Upon hearing this, Lin Laosan ran and shouted.
"Wait for me a moment, I'll go back and bring over the two bicycles from home."
"Third Uncle, I'll go with you!"
Upon hearing Lin Laosan's words, Lin Hu quickly followed him out.
The two uncles and nephews rushed home and brought their bicycles back; the whole process took less than ten minutes.
"Mom, let's each take one of the boys!"
Lin Li looked at the two uncles and nephews; although their faces were covered in sweat, their eyes shone brightly.
"Okay, I'll take Yao Yao, and Xiao Hu can ride in your car."
After the assignments were made, Mr. Chen led the way, and the two followed on bicycles.
It was Lin Yao's first time riding a bicycle, and he tightly hugged Lin Li's waist with his little hands, pressing his waist against hers.
Along the way, it would sometimes yell and sometimes giggle, its mouth always turned up in a happy smile.
The two vehicles sped along, and after a short while, they turned a corner and stopped in front of a courtyard house with a hanging flower gate and flying eaves.
"arrive!"
Lin Li and Lin Laosan parked their car and stood in front of the door, looking at the courtyard house in front of them.
Although the vermilion lacquer on the entire courtyard is now faded, it cannot conceal its former grandeur.
Despite weathering the elements, the brick-carved "Fu" character on the lintel still exudes an air of wealth and prosperity.
Master Chen took out a brass key. The red silk on the key ring had faded and turned white, but it was still stubbornly tied with a bow.
Squeak—
The heavy wooden door was slowly pushed open, and a scent mixed with sandalwood and moss wafted out.
Everyone was so shocked by what they saw that they stopped breathing.
Upon entering the courtyard, a path paved with blue bricks leads directly to the hanging flower gate. Although the pomegranate trees on both sides have withered, tender green buds are sprouting from their roots.
At the base of the wall, several square bricks from the Qianlong era are neatly stacked, with lifelike reliefs of two dragons playing with a pearl on their surfaces.
"Look at these bricks!"
Master Chen squatted down and used his sleeve to wipe the dust off the brick surface.
"Where can you find these old things now? Just these few bricks alone could be traded for a black and white TV!"
His smile sparkled in the sunlight.
"The second courtyard is even more exquisite. The five main rooms are all made of golden nanmu wood beams and pillars, and the corridors are painted with stories from 'The Romance of the Western Chamber,' which were painted by craftsmen from the palace back then!"
Passing through the hanging flower gate, the second courtyard suddenly opens up into a bright and spacious area.
On the bright pillars and corridors, amidst the faded painted decorations, Cui Yingying and Zhang Sheng gaze at each other across a screen.
Lin Li reached out and touched the cloud-patterned carvings on the pillars, the cool touch spreading from her fingertips to her heart.
She seemed to see the princess with her hair in a Manchu-style headdress leaning against the railing gazing at the moon, and hear the silvery laughter of the maids echoing in the courtyard.
"This courtyard... really costs 28,000?"
The sound of flowing water came from the third courtyard, and she then discovered an ancient well hidden in the corner, its rim covered with deep and shallow rope marks.
Master Chen took out his notebook, tore off a piece of paper, and quickly began to calculate.
"Comrade Lin, let me do the math. This location is only three stops from Wangfujing; this layout is detached and undisturbed; these items, even a single brick could be an antique! Twenty-eight thousand is really not expensive. However..."
He moved closer, his body emitting a mixture of sweat and cheap cigarette smoke.
"If you're really serious about it, I'll negotiate with the landlord and get it for 25,000, no questions asked!"
Lin Li squatted by the well, her fingers tracing the indentations on the well's edge.
This place must have been used to fetch countless buckets of water, cook countless meals, and witness countless family reunions.
"Master Chen, I'm paying the deposit."
She suddenly stood up and took out banknotes from her handbag.
"Take this five hundred first, I want the house. But you have to promise that no one but me can see it."
Mr. Chen was stunned for a moment, then his face lit up with a smile, and he stuffed the money into the inner pocket of his Zhongshan suit.
"Don't worry! I, Old Chen, keep my word! I'll take you to see the landlord tomorrow, and we'll discuss the price face-to-face!"
"Okay, thank you, Master Chen."
Lin Li and her group followed Master Chen out of the courtyard. They watched him lock the large bronze gate, and their eyes lit up with joy.
Master Chen had other things to do at the shop, so he left first. The mother and son, along with their two little ones, stood at the entrance of the courtyard and looked back one last time.
"Grandma, will this be our new home from now on?"
Lin Hu was still in a daze. Why did everything seem unreal to him?
Was he dreaming, having such a beautiful dream?
I pinched my arm hard.
Ouch! That hurts! Is this a dream? Are they really going to move into such a beautiful house soon?
Lin Li grinned as she watched Lin Hu pinch her.
That kid hit really hard; he must be so insecure!
"Let's go out for dinner today. First, to celebrate Tiger and Yaoyao coming to Beijing to live with us; second, to celebrate that we're going to buy another house."
Lin Yao cheered happily when he heard that they were going out to eat.
Lin Hu was slightly taken aback.
Isn't Grandma going to buy a courtyard house soon?
That's 28,000! And they still have money to go out and eat well?
Just as Lin Hu was about to suggest that they go home for dinner, Lin Laosan took his hand.
"Okay, I'll treat everyone to dinner today! I've earned some money this month too!"
Lin Hu: Isn't Third Uncle still in school? He's already started earning money?
Unaware of Lin Hu's worries, Lin Li and Lin Laosan took the two children by the hand and led them to eat the most famous Peking duck in Beijing.
After a hearty meal, the two little ones patted their round bellies, their eyes slightly narrowed.
After eating, I just want to sleep!
Lin Li and Lin Laosan each took one child and brought the two little ones home.
Seeing that the luggage was only half-packed in the yard, the two little ones regained their energy.
He quickly helped Lin Li and Lin Laosan tidy up the room.
"Tiger, Yaoyao, you two can stay in this room for now. Once we move, you can move out separately, okay?"
After arranging the two children's room neatly, Lin Li smiled and asked them.
"Grandma, I want to live with Brother Tiger forever."
After hearing this, Lin Hu took Lin Yao's little hand and nodded in agreement.
"Grandma, I also want to live with Yaoyao. He's still young, and I can take care of him at night."
"I'm not young anymore, and I live alone back in my hometown..."
When Lin Yao heard Lin Hu say that she was still young, her little face turned chubby with anger. She put her hands on her hips and said angrily.
"Yes, I'm not a child anymore. Who told me that I stay up all night until dawn, only daring to close my eyes and sleep when I hear noises outside the village?"
...
When Lin Yao heard Lin Hu expose his secrets, his arrogance immediately vanished.
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