Chronicle of the 70s

Mr. Wang is a junior cadre in the nearby community. In February, he received a request from Mr. Xun, who wanted to buy a house. In fact, Mr. Wang was quite willing to help, as he was well aware of the prestigious background of Mr. Xun. A single word spoken amiss could get him transferred away.

He was very diligent in seeking housing, although it was a bit far from Mr. Xun’s home. Today’s jeep was available for the whole day, and after driving for about fifteen minutes, they arrived. There were even more courtyard houses here, all large and imposing. The decorations at the entrance looked like something from an ancient noble neighborhood. Li Xianglu thought to herself that many courtyards had been demolished in later generations, with only a few preserved. If she bought hastily now and it too was later torn down, she would be none the wiser about which areas would not be demolished.

The location of the house was very good too, the second one from the entrance of the alley, with a pair of stone lions from the Ming Dynasty. They were very exquisite, and the black paint on the door had flaked off, exposing the dark wood underneath. Li Xianglu paused for a moment - this was no ordinary wood. It looked like ironwood.

Even before entering the house, they could hear a conversation between two people.

An elderly man said, "It’s not that I don’t want to sell it to you, it’s just that those people have already agreed not to sell it to anyone else unless they’re unsatisfied. If that happens, I guarantee I’ll sell it to you, all right?"

However, the young man said, "Grandpa, look, I really like this house, and my offer is definitely higher than theirs. What do you think? Isn’t the purpose of selling a house to ensure that it will be well preserved by the next owner, and to get a more generous sum of money in return?"

Mr. Wang frowned - who was this blatantly trying to interfere? He was about to get angry when Li Xianglu rushed in first and yelled, "Qin Xi!"

Qin Xi was pleading with someone; his friend had agreed to watch over the house, which suddenly got word that an official wanted to buy it. He ran out without having a bite to eat or a sip to drink when he got home. This area of courtyard houses was from a later period, the most well-preserved without any demolition, and the architectural style was excellent. The materials used were exquisite, and a small renovation would make them livable. To think they had only arrived in the capital, and someone was already inquiring about this house.

Hearing a familiar voice, Qin Xi turned and saw a girl in a thick cotton-padded coat and a red woolen hat, her face beaming with surprise, rushing over.