Go back to the past to plant trees

I chatted with the middle-aged man until after 8 p.m., when a guesthouse employee came to stop us, saying that the two of us were disturbing other people's rest. Only then did the middle-aged man pack up and go home.

Feng Cheng was also getting a little tired of dealing with this. He felt he needed to go back soon. If he talked to this person for a few more days, he might accidentally let something slip again.

The next morning, Feng Cheng took a bus back to his alley and then went straight to Master Qin's house.

"Mr. Qin, how's it going with the arrangements for my house?"

As soon as he entered, Feng Cheng got straight to the point, not having time for formalities.

Old Qin seemed oblivious to Feng Cheng's anxiety and calmly said, "Teacher Feng, I've contacted a few people who want to buy houses for you these past two days, but you're too pressed for time. Their families can't come up with that much money right away. You know the situation these past two years; a lot of their money has gone to fill their stomachs, and they don't have that much money on hand right now."

Feng Cheng asked directly, "Just tell me how much they're willing to pay!"

Old Qin held up one finger, "One thousand."

Feng Cheng shook his head. "If that's the price, then don't even mention it. I won't sell it. I'd rather leave the house empty."

"Besides, at this price, I don't need to come to you. Many employees in my previous school and department also want to buy houses. I can easily advertise this price and there will be no shortage of buyers."

"Please give me a reasonable price!"

Old Qin looked troubled. "You know the situation now, everyone..."

"Thirteen thousand is acceptable. Let's continue our discussion. Otherwise, I won't bother you any longer, Mr. Qin."

Feng Cheng was too lazy to argue with him. The value of the house was what it was, and there was no point in talking about difficult times or not. Buying a house in Beijing, no matter the era, had nothing to do with being poor, whether it was in the past, now, or in the future.

Although things are difficult now, it is precisely because of these difficulties that Beijing's importance is highlighted. While things are tough all over the country, people in Beijing can still find food, there is a black market, and the quota for people with Beijing residency is still quite high. Therefore, the more difficult things are, the more important Beijing becomes.

Old Qin's traditional brokerage business is all about profiting from both ends—the seller and the buyer. Some unscrupulous brokers can even pocket half the price of a house. So Feng Cheng didn't want to waste time arguing with him. If they could talk, they would; if not, he would simply walk away. Feng Cheng wasn't afraid that Old Qin would set his sights on his house. He couldn't speak for others, but he wasn't afraid of these rats in the ditch.

University lecturer, a cadre sent to the countryside in response to the national call, and child of a martyr—with just these few identities, Feng Cheng dares to make trouble at the National People's Congress.

Old Qin looked closely into Feng Cheng's eyes. Seeing his determination, he hesitated for a moment, but finally decided not to cut any further. This man was pressed for time, and if he continued to haggle, the man might just turn around and leave.

"Okay, I'll go and say it again. You wait here for a while."

Old Qin finished speaking and left. Feng Cheng didn't follow. All he wanted was to sell the house. He didn't care who he sold it to.

More than half an hour later, Old Qin returned with a man.

"Teacher Feng, it's settled, 1300 yuan. I've also brought the buyer. You know our rules, right? The seller gets a 2% commission."

Feng Cheng nodded, "I know that."

As Feng Cheng spoke, he took out the property certificate and handed it to Old Qin and the other person to look at. "Take a look. If there are no problems, we'll go to the housing management office to transfer the property."

"to make."

In the 60s, it was possible to buy and sell houses, as long as you had a property certificate to prove that the house belonged to you. However, generally speaking, only wealthy people would buy houses, because the government would allocate them. After you registered at the street office, if there were any extra houses available, they would be allocated to you when it was your turn.

The houses allocated by the state cannot be bought or sold, but those like Feng Cheng's, which have clear property certificates, can be transferred.

The housing management office was deserted. When Feng Cheng and his group came to transfer the property, the people inside were also surprised, but they didn't ask any questions and quickly completed the property transfer.

After leaving the housing management office, Old Qin took out 1274 yuan from his pocket and gave it to Feng Cheng. Feng Cheng counted it and put it in his pocket.

"Master Qin, see you later."

"Teacher Feng, next time you go back to Beijing and need to find a place to live, you can come and find me, Lao Qin. I'll definitely help you find a suitable place."

"Will do."

If given the chance, Feng Cheng will definitely come back to buy a house in Beijing, but whether you, Old Qin, will live to see that day is another matter.

When Feng Cheng went over just now, he saw the buyer's name. It was also surnamed Qin, so he guessed it was a member of Old Qin's family. But that didn't matter. What Feng Cheng wanted was money. As long as the house wasn't sold to spies, it had nothing to do with Feng Cheng.

After receiving the money, Feng Cheng took a bus to his mother's grave. He had another purpose for coming: to take his mother's ashes back and bury them with his father. He wouldn't be returning to Beijing for the next ten years or so. His mother was all alone here, with no one to pay her respects. He would take her to Bashang so that he could go and burn incense there during festivals.

After speaking with the cemetery manager and registering the information, Feng Cheng went with him to retrieve his mother's urn and wrapped it in a black cloth.

Although he had no feelings for the original owner's parents, he still had to do the things he had to do since he had used their bodies.

When Feng Cheng returned to the guesthouse, it was already evening. He asked the staff, but they didn't look for him. Instead, the middle-aged man left him a message saying that he had already left and that he should go back to Saihanba to see if the trees he planted had survived.

With him gone, Feng Cheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Over the next few days, Feng Cheng went out every day to buy some things and assemble components for a semiconductor radio. However, this thing was a bit difficult to make, as it required a soldering iron, and there was no electricity in Bashang, not only in Bashang but also in Shaquan Brigade.

However, Feng Cheng didn't mind. He would buy it first, thoroughly understand the principles, and then go to Xiaba Lane after he had figured it out completely.

This radio can be used for decades and will not be outdated even in the 1990s, so Feng Cheng doesn't need to rush. As long as it is made, it is fine to wait a little longer.

After waiting for several days, with his food coupons almost gone and still not being summoned by the ministry leaders, Feng Cheng had no choice but to take his things and go home.

That's true. Leaders from all over the country often have to come to Beijing to report on their work. As a nobody, how could I expect a leader to take the time to meet with me? I'm not a big shot, and I haven't achieved anything significant.

The journey back was rather boring. No one chatted with Feng Cheng on the bus. Feng Cheng spent eight hours admiring the scenery before finally returning to Chengde.

After returning to Chengde, Feng Cheng rested for one night. The next morning, he went to the department store, bought the things he had previously picked out, and then took the bus back to the county.

Last time it was delivered by truck, but this time it just so happens that I have to take the bus back by myself.