50s: Starting with a storage ring

Chapter 66: Renovation of the House
"Comrade Sun Zhiwei, you just moved in. I'll have someone register you first. If you have any requests, please feel free to let me know. Our neighborhood committee has the responsibility to take good care of the families of martyrs."

"I really have a troublesome matter and need the director's help."

"If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. This is our job as a street."

"Look, the yard at number 9 hasn't been occupied for four years and it's in urgent need of tidying up, but I only have one day off a week, so I can't handle it all by myself."

"So, I'd like to ask the street office to recommend a technician to check the yard to see if there are any cracks or leaks that need repairing."

"That's easy. Our neighborhood has a special repair team. I can arrange this for you right now."

Director Liang looked at his watch and said, "There's nothing else to do this morning, so I'll take you to find someone. I'll leave your information with the staff for registration and bring it back to you once it's done."

"Director Liang, there's really no need to trouble you. Just introduce me to a master."

"Stop talking nonsense. Just tell me about your situation on the way. You may live here for the rest of your life, so there's no need to be too polite."

Director Liang was so enthusiastic that Sun Zhiwei had no choice but to let her pull him out of the street compound. Along the way, acquaintances kept greeting him, and Director Liang responded to each one.

On the way, Sun Zhiwei talked about how he and his sister hid outside after his parents died, how their home was looted, how he found the troops, and how the troops later caught the murderer and avenged their father's death.

When Director Liang heard that his house had been robbed, he cursed his neighbors for being shameless; but when he heard that the army was helping to avenge the robbery, he applauded.

When she heard that he had sent half the neighbors on the street to jail, sweat began to break out on her forehead again. At this moment, she no longer dared to underestimate this young comrade.

The two walked and talked, following the long north-south street all the way north to Dashizu Hutong. This was once a gathering place for craftsmen, and Director Liang led him to a small courtyard.

"Is Master Lu at home?" Director Liang shouted as soon as he entered the door.

Soon, a middle-aged man came out of the house, "Hey, the director is here, please come in."

"No, I need you to go for something."

"Hey, Director, your instructions."

"There's an old yard here that needs to be renovated. Bring your tools and come with us to take a look."

"Okay, good." Master Lu hurried back to get a ruler, a hammer and other tools, and followed them across the newly expanded Beihai Bridge to the gate of No. 9, Wenjin Street.

The yard looked fine from the outside, but when Sun Zhiwei opened the door, the dirtiness and mess inside were beyond their expectations.

Director Liang frowned and said, "Xiao Sun, this place needs to be cleaned up, otherwise it will be uninhabitable."

"It's okay, just clean it up. Let's wait for Master Lu to take a look at the situation inside."

Master Lu is also a veteran with decades of experience and has encountered all kinds of situations. When he arrived at the scene, he immediately got into the state and was no longer as cautious as before.

He began to knock here and there with the wooden hammer in his hand, and checked for signs of accumulated water and the distribution of dust in the room, not caring at all about getting his clothes dirty.

Sun Zhiwei and Director Liang were unable to help and just waited on the steps at the door.

Half an hour later, Master Lu checked the entire house and then returned to the yard with a relaxed look.

"Director, we've checked everything. The materials are strong, and the main structure of the house is intact. There are no cracks or leaks."

"Some of the windows are a little warped and need to be resealed to prevent air leaks. Also, the drain hasn't been used for years and may need to be cleared." He glanced at Sun Zhiwei furtively and said nothing more. Director Liang didn't notice, but Sun Zhiwei did.

But he didn't care. He got the yard legally and legally. There was nothing out of standard and there was nothing that needed to be kept secret.

"That's fine. Can you get all of these? How much does it cost?"

"Hey, Director, it's just a small thing. I took some time to do it. How dare I ask for money?"

"You still have to pay, Master Lu. This yard belongs to Comrade Sun. His family is a martyr's family. You must make sure it's ready. Come to the street office to get the money."

"Director Liang, this won't do. I have the money, but I can't take advantage of the country."

"That won't do. Your family should be taken care of. It's our responsibility."

The two men were vying for money, and Master Lu was listening awkwardly beside them.

After they had spoken a few more words, he interrupted, "Director, and Comrade Sun, this really doesn't cost anything. It's just a quick cleanup, wiping the windows, and dusting. It won't take more than two days. I really can't charge you."

"Lao Lu, don't worry about this, just focus on getting the job done."

Director Liang held Master Lu down and turned to Sun Zhiwei and said, "Comrade Sun, have you ever heard the story of Zilu receiving the ox?"

Sun Zhiwei understood it as soon as he heard it, but he was humble and refused to accept it, which made other families feel embarrassed.

"Director, I understand. I'll leave this matter to you."

"Hey, that's right. There are regulations for your situation. The street has made the arrangements. Just accept them."

After the two men finished their discussion, they asked Master Lu to be responsible for renovating the yard within three days.

Before leaving, Sun Zhiwei suddenly mentioned something: "Director Liang, I wonder if this corridor at the entrance to the courtyard is owned by the street?"

"I actually know what you're talking about. The property rights of this narrow passage are indeed on the street."

"In the early years, this road wasn't this narrow. It was the expansion of the courtyards on both sides that blocked the road. Now, times have changed. There are no houses on either side that connect to the street. Widening the corridor involves too many departments, so it's no longer easy."

"Director, I didn't plan to expand the corridor. The main reason is that this corridor is narrow and there's only my family in it. This terrain is very suitable for a surprise attack."

"You may not know this, but this compound was originally used to capture a spy, so I have to consider security as well."

"Can I buy this passageway and then build a door at the entrance to the passageway, flush with the adjacent courtyard wall? This will eliminate a potential safety hazard."

Director Liang thought for a moment before saying, "Theoretically, this is fine, but whether it will actually work depends on what the higher-ups say."

"Don't worry, let Master Lu clean up the yard first. I'll apply for you and see how they respond."

"Then I'd like to ask Director Liang to help me find out. If it's possible, that would be great. If it's not, that's fine too. We, the descendants of martyrs, are not afraid of those rats in the gutter."

As Sun Zhiwei spoke, a hint of murderous intent appeared in his eyes.

Director Liang quickly reassured him, "Not really, not really. I'll do my best to make this happen. Xiao Sun, just focus on your studies. The neighborhood committee will take care of you."

(End of this chapter)