Chapter 283 The Siheyuan on the Shicha Seaside
This time I went to Yanjing to visit relatives. Three days was naturally not enough, so Fang Minghua took another three days off so that I could have a few more days in Yanjing.
The train is speeding across the Great Plains of North China.
Fang Minghua and Song Tangtang were sitting very intimately on the lower bunk. At first glance, they looked like a newly married couple.
Song Tangtang is still wearing the military uniform - this is the last time she wears the military uniform for a long trip, and she will change her job and return to her hometown when she comes back.
However, compared with before, she is less heroic and more charming like a little woman.
"Minghua, when you see grandpa this time, you must not drink with him. The doctor said that he has a heart problem and cannot drink anymore."
"Also, this time I go to Yanjing , go check out the courtyard house. It seems that the one last time has not been sold yet. I must go and check it out this time."
Song Tangtang said.
Fang Minghua could only nod.
Do girls have to talk more after they get married?
That seems to be it.
I arrived in Yanjing at noon the next day and took a bus to the Huangsi General Administration Courtyard. Grandpa and grandma were waiting for them at home with a smile.
My grandpa has just recovered from a serious illness. He looks a little weak, but he is in good spirits.
The two came in and called out affectionately. The two old men took out red envelopes from their pockets and handed them to Fang Minghua.
"It's the first time my grandson-in-law comes to visit. According to the rules, he has to give a red envelope."
Fang Minghua hurriedly declined, and Song Tangtang next to him also said: "Grandpa, we don't want it. Doesn't Minghua come here often?"
"That doesn't count! Now he is a serious grandson-in-law!"
I#￥%%...
Fang Minghua had no choice but to accept the two red envelopes obediently.
Fang Minghua had nothing serious to do when he came to Yanjing this time. He wanted to visit his grandpa and grandma, meet old friends, and the most important thing was to see the courtyard house for sale as Song Tangtang said.
My grandfather heard about that courtyard house by chance when he was chatting with his friends. He said that there was a courtyard house for sale in a good location.
Fang Minghua contacted the owner of the courtyard and arranged a time to go and take a look.
After lunch the next afternoon, Fang Minghua and Song Tangtang left the General Political Courtyard and took the bus straight to Shichahai.
The courtyard house said to be for sale is near Maoer Hutong, located in the northwest of Dongcheng, not far from Qianhai of Shichahai. The house is called Liuya Hutongli.
When Fang Minghua and Song Tangtang found the courtyard numbered 039 in the alley, they saw a man in his thirties standing at the door. He was wearing a gray windbreaker and glasses and looked quite elegant.
The man’s surname is Su and his name is Sumu. This is the message given to him by his grandfather.
Fang Minghua first introduced himself and had to show his work permit. Unexpectedly, the other party smiled and said: "No, I know you, Fang Minghua, deputy editor-in-chief of "Yanhe" magazine, the second Mao Dun Award winner."
Looking at Fang Minghua's slightly surprised look, Su Mu smiled again: "I teach literature at Yan Normal University."
That's it!
"Near here is Mao'er Hutong. Editor Fang, as a literati, you must also know that Mao'er Hutong is a treasure of natural resources and outstanding people. In the Ming Dynasty, it was the Wenchang Palace, where Wenquxing was enshrined. There were also the former residences of many famous people: Empress Wanrong of the Qing Dynasty, Feng Guozhang and Zhu Jiayu both lived here.
Fang Minghua looked at the gate while listening.
The gate faces south, and the courtyard faces the north. The crimson door leaves and pillars are due to their age. , faded and mottled, with a drum stone on each side of the lower sill.
Seeing Fang Minghua observing the gate, Su Mu smiled and said: "The gates in the courtyard are also hierarchical, like ours. The gate is called Jinzhu Gate. The first level is the palace gate, the second level is the Guangliang gate, and the next level is our Jinzhu gate, which was usually an official residence in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
"So, your ancestors once served as officials in the imperial court?" Song Tangtang asked. "Yes, my great-grandfather was an official of Dali Temple in the Qing Dynasty. He was a fourth-rank official. My grandfather was also an official in the Republic of China. My parents were both university professors. In my generation, they were just lecturers. It is true that each generation is inferior to the last." Su Mu said with a self-deprecating tone.
"That's also a high-level intellectual." Fang Minghao replied casually.
Su Mu shook his head.
Although there are many courtyards in Yanjing, they can be divided into three types: large courtyard, medium courtyard and small courtyard in terms of scale. And this courtyard turned out to be a middle courtyard, separated by walls into a front, outer, and inner courtyard.
There is a screen wall upon entering the door, with a circular stone carving in the middle with the word "福" engraved on it.
Next is the second gate, which Sumu calls: the Hanging Flower Gate.
After entering Weeping Flowers, you arrive at the inner courtyard. The yard is quite large and there is an osmanthus tree in it. Su Mu told Fang Minghua that there are a total of 17 large and small rooms inside and outside, and the total area of the courtyard is about 430 square meters.
To be honest, from the perspective of future generations, this courtyard looks very rundown like other courtyards in Yanjing City. The neatly arranged Chinese cabbage on the eaves has dried and gives off a smell. Musty smell.
There is also the smell of coal smoke. The briquette stove and honeycomb briquette stove are like smokers sticking their chimneys out of the doors and windows, puffing out clouds and mist. Coal tar and water vapor fell from the chimney mouth to the ground, forming black ice.
"Tap water has been connected to the house, but the toilet is a public toilet, even at the entrance of the alley. I guess you saw it when you came here." Su Mu said.
"Ah, there is only one public toilet in the whole alley?" Song Tangtang said in surprise.
"Yes, going to the toilet is a troublesome thing, but that's the case in all courtyard houses in Yanjing." Su Mu explained.
“Do you think the sanitary conditions here are not good, so you want to buy a commercial building?” Song Tangtang asked again.
Su Mu shook his head: "No, I am going to the United States and will not come back."
"Huh?"
"This yard was returned to my family after my parents' policies were implemented a few years ago." Su Mu explained: "But my parents have passed away, so it is in my hands. My wife has gone abroad two years ago, and I plan to take her with her The children are also going out and need money to go abroad, so they plan to sell this old house."
At this point, Su Mu put his hands in his pockets and looked around, and said: "This place has already been sold. There is no nostalgia.”
The three of them suddenly fell silent.
After a while, Fang Minghua changed the topic: "Are the real estate certificates complete?"
"All the procedures are complete. The transfer can be done immediately. I will get it for you." Su Mu said After entering the main room, he took out a leather envelope within a few minutes.
"This is the real estate certificate that was issued to us last year. Take a look."
Fang Minghua took out a certificate from the cowhide envelope and saw the words "Private House Property Certificate" written on it, along with the date of issuance. It was November 19, 1985, and it was signed by Dongcheng QU People's Government.
"Okay, Teacher Su, tell me a price."
"180,000."
"180,000 is too expensive!" Fang Minghua rejected it flatly.
Su Mu smiled after hearing this, and suddenly asked: "Editor Fang, your household registration is not in Yanjing, right?"
"No." Fang Minghua answered simply: "My household registration is in Xijing, but My wife’s household registration is in Yanjing, so you don’t have to worry about it. It doesn’t violate the policy.”
Fang Minghua did not lie.
Song Tangtang's father served in the army in Yanjing. Later, he was transferred to Xijing after his position was promoted, and his hukou was also passed along with him. He was unlucky for a long time.
In order to protect his two grandsons, Song Tangtang’s grandfather found someone to move the household registrations of Song Yuemin and Song Tangtang back to Yanjing and put them on his own household registrations. It has been there until now. Otherwise, it would still be a problem for Fang Minghua to buy a house in Yanjing. .
After listening to Fang Minghua's words, Su Mu explained: "That's not what I meant. I meant that if you settled in Xijing and went to Yanjing to buy a house, and you bought such a dilapidated courtyard house, you must not be living in it yourself, but for The value will increase in the future, right?”
The other party saw through it!
(End of this chapter)