Siheyuan: Happy life of veteran drivers

"Have you finished the exam? How was your score? Did you pass?"

"Yes, I passed. I also took the truck driver's license test." Wang Hongtao said calmly:

"Master Zhao asked me to send the one-inch photo over, and he will take care of the rest."

"There's no rush for the photos. It doesn't matter if you send them later. I'll help you solve the accommodation problem now while I have time."

"How about it? Do you have a favorite place? Do you want a factory dormitory or a tube building?"

"It's a little difficult, but it's not a big problem for me. I can do it with a little effort."

"Director Li, I don't want either the factory dormitory or the tube building!"

"Where do you want to live? A small detached house? No, no... I can't help you with that. I myself was only assigned such a small house after I became the deputy director of the factory..."

"Director Li, you misunderstood. I meant to just arrange a courtyard house for me to live in. There's no need to go through so much trouble!"

Wang Hongtao interrupted Li Huaide as he saw that his words were getting more and more outrageous. If he continued, they would have to live in ZhongXhai!

"Siheyuan? Are you saying you want to live in a Siheyuan?" Li Huaide looked incredulous. Are there still people who don't want to live in a tube-shaped building and prefer to live in a Siheyuan these days?

So fresh!

You should know that the tube-shaped buildings have heating in winter and electric fans in summer. There are toilets every few steps. The better ones even have one or two bathrooms. It is so comfortable!

What about the Siheyuan?

There is no heating, so if you feel cold you have to light the stove yourself.

Want to use an electric fan? You had to ask your neighbors first, because at that time the electricity bill was shared by the number of light bulbs. How would you calculate the electricity bill if you bought an electric fan?

Moreover, you have to go to the public toilet outside to use the toilet. Even the dirty water has to be poured into the waste bucket first, and then poured outside when there is too much. It can be said that it is inconvenient in every way!

Li Huaide had never heard of such an outrageous request in his life, instead of living in a tube-shaped building, he wanted to live in a courtyard house!

"Yes, Director Li. Not only do I want to live in a courtyard house, but I also want to live in the courtyard house at No. 95 Nanluoguo Lane. As for the specific reason, please don't ask. Just consider it as satisfying my personal wish."

Wang Hongtao: I have to go. It would be more uncomfortable to leave so many rewards there without taking them than to put a eunuch in the palace.

"Okay, if you want to live in a courtyard house, it would save me a lot of trouble!"

"No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, right? Let me see if anyone is available first."

"Xiao Zhang, find out the information about the residents of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang so I can have a look."

Xiao Zhang is the secretary of Deputy Factory Director Li, a young man of about 27 or 28 years old. He is obviously a capable person and found the file in no time.

"Deputy Director Li, this is the information about No. 95 Nanluoguxiang." Secretary Zhang added this after handing over the file.

Well, his ability to handle affairs is good, but his interpersonal relationships need to be improved. If he can't change, this is the end of his life.

Li Huaide was already used to it. He took the file and looked through it carefully: "There are two empty rooms in the front yard, but they are not connected. The area is a bit small, which is not good."

"The one in the middle courtyard is a bit bigger, about 20 square meters, but it's not good to have only one room."

"The one in the backyard is pretty good. There are three rooms connected to the west. This is the one!"

"Hongtao, what do you think of these three rooms? They are connected, and the total area is fifty square meters. If you like them, I will give them all to you."

"I remember this house. It's in the northwest corner. If you like it, I can help you contact the street office and ask them to approve the change of drainage. This way, sewage can go directly outside the wall and be discharged directly outside!"

Li Huaide pointed at the file and explained to Wang Hongtao.

"Who owns this house?"

"Don't even think about who owns the house. Unless it's a deed passed down from your ancestors before the founding of the country, otherwise it's all public property."

"Xu Damao and Liu Haizhong from the backyard, Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu from the middle yard all rent their houses. However, because they work in the steel mill, the rent is a symbolic penny, and they can live in the house as long as they work."

"If you like, I can sign you for a few more years. Let's sign for 20 years. Any more will be inconsequential. If you feel comfortable living here, I'll renew it for you in a few years."

Since he had decided to use Wang Hongtao, Li Huaide would naturally not be stingy and would directly give him the maximum benefits.

"Thank you, Director Li."

For Li Huaide, this was just a matter of nodding, but for Wang Hongtao it was different, this was a real benefit!

I heard that the factory has no say over the houses in the yard? Is it allocated by the masters?

Wang Hongtao wanted to see how arrogant the three uncles were.

"Director Li, when do you plan to use the car? How about I take some photos first?"

"Okay, go ahead and do your thing. I'll go home by myself after get off work. You can just come to my house and pick me up on Monday."

"How can that be? I have to take you home after get off work!"

"Really? I'm going to ride my bike home today. You should also try to solve the house problem in the next two days. Buy what you need and replace what you need."

"By the way, do you have enough money? If not, I'll take it first."

"Enough, enough! I am a grown man and I don't need to buy too many things."

"Then go and do your own thing. You can leave anytime before you start working. You can drive my car first, so it will be more convenient for you to buy things."

……

Wang Hongtao first went to a photo studio to take a one-inch photo, and then went to the street office to handle the house rental and renovation procedures. In this way, the three rooms would belong to him for at least the next twenty years, and he could have the final say on how to decorate them.

As for what would happen in the future, Wang Hongtao had never thought about it. If he couldn't even figure out a small courtyard house in twenty years, then he would be a waste and might as well just find a rope and hang himself to death!

Xu Yue is a clerk at the Jiaodaokou Sub-district Office in Dongcheng District. She is in charge of the Nanluoguxiang area, so it was she who took Wang Hongtao to see the house.

The city's alleys are intricately arranged and it's hard to find your way without a guide.

"Nanluoguxiang is located in Dongcheng District, running from north to south. It starts from Di'anmen East Street in the south and ends at Gulou East Street in the north. It is nearly 700 to 800 meters long."

Secretary Xu is a middle-aged woman in her forties. She is very enthusiastic. She introduced the place to Wang Hongtao as they walked:

"The Central Academy of Drama is not far from here. If you can't find the place someday, just ask people about it and you will definitely find it!"

"Thank you, Secretary Xu. Secretary Xu, please take a drink..."

"Ah, Mr. Xu, give me some candy."

Wang Hongtao quickly took back the cigarette halfway through and replaced it with two White Rabbit cigarettes that he had just picked up in Director Li's office.

"Then I won't be polite with you. My grandson is four years old this year and he likes this."

"Why should you be so polite? It's just a snack, please don't be disgusted."

……

As they were talking, they arrived at the famous No. 95 Nanluoguxiang. It was rumored that there were the largest number of time travelers and reborn people here in the world. If they held hands, they could circle the city two and a half times, which was exactly one Kun circle!

Wang Hongtao stood at the gate of the courtyard and looked inside. In his eyes, the quiet courtyard looked like a green chive field!

Ah, what is this?

The whole yard is full of tender green chives!

that's nice!

The leeks in Yard 95, are you ready?

Wang Hongtao took a deep breath and prepared to step into this famous pilgrimage site for time travelers!

……