Silly Zhu's Moving: The Old Neighbor's Nightmare

By the time Sha Zhu dropped the kids off at school and got home, it was already 8:30, and He Daqing still hadn't shown up.

Why did Dad call me back? Staying at home is so boring. Maybe I should go out for a walk, Sha Zhu thought.

Just as Sha Zhu was about to take action and head out, He Daqing happened to rush back.

"Silly Zhu, did Yushui go to school? Did you have breakfast this morning?" By the time you come back for breakfast, the daylily will be cold.

"I've eaten. I took her to school. Dad, you haven't come back all night!" Sha Zhu said.

"Alright, I'm back now. Wait, let me find our property certificate. Let's go to the military control commission to ask about the situation first."

If the property is transferred directly to you, we can simply go to the housing management office and land administration bureau to handle the transfer and pay the taxes.

"If you want to move out, you'll probably have to go to the police station. You're just giving me more trouble." He Daqing took out his household registration book and property certificate from the wardrobe.

"Let's go, I still need to take you to the factory to take over your shift. Let's go to the military control commission first to ask about the situation."

He Daqing hurriedly led Shazhu to the military control office on the street. There were armed soldiers guarding the gate on both sides. After asking He Daqing what he wanted, they let the father and son in.

He Daqing led Sha Zhu to the door of an office with ease. There was a wooden sign on the wall that read "Director's Office".

He Daqing knocked on the door and heard someone call him in from inside. He gently pushed the door open and led Sha Zhu inside.

The office director's surname is Wang, and he is also the director of the military control commission.

Seeing He Daqing enter with a young man, he asked, "Master He, what brings you here?"

“Yes, Director Wang, this is my son, Shazhu, whose full name is He Yuzhu,” He Daqing introduced to Director Wang.

He then said, "Director Wang, you know about my situation. The neighbors are pointing fingers and gossiping. I'm planning to go out and find some peace and quiet."

I wanted to transfer the house to my son, but who knew that the brat didn't want to live in the No. 95 compound anymore and wanted to move out.

Upon hearing this, Director Wang asked in confusion, "If you want to move out, why not just sell the house in the courtyard, add some money, and try to find another property? Why transfer the ownership to your son?"

In the early days of the People's Republic of China, real estate could still be bought and sold. However, in 1953, when private land was transferred to collective land, real estate transactions were restricted.

By 1956, China began implementing socialist transformation, and urban real estate policies were further adjusted.

In 1958, the Chinese government began implementing the "People's Commune" movement, further centralizing urban real estate management.

Individual ownership and use rights of real estate were strictly restricted. During this period, urban real estate transactions almost completely ceased.

“Director Wang, I’m planning to have my son take over my shift at the steel rolling mill. I’m going out and I don’t know when I’ll be back, so I’m transferring the house to my son directly.”

Sha Zhu then interjected, "Director Wang, my dad went to work in another city, and I don't want to live in compound number 95 anymore."

I'd like to move near our military control commission. I saw there are a few collapsed houses around there, do you think it's possible?

Replace the house in courtyard number 95 with a dilapidated, uninhabitable one. I'll find a construction team to rebuild it myself.

"That's possible. The ownership of those collapsed and uninhabitable properties belongs to the Military Control Commission. If you want to move here, you'll need to get a new household registration."

"Your dad's gone out to work, why don't you want to live in compound number 95 anymore?" Director Wang looked at He Daqing. "Don't you have a young daughter?"

Sha Zhu chimed in, "My dad can't stand people pointing and whispering, and I, with my sister in tow, don't want to be looked down upon by the neighbors in the yard."

My sister and I are young, and we live near the military control commission. If we get bullied, I can just shout for help from home.

"Our military control commission can hear me. No one would dare cause trouble here at our government level."

"Hey kid, you're afraid of trouble, so you've moved to the vicinity of our Military Control Commission. Fine, I'll take care of it for you."

However, it will take one or two months to build a house if you hire a construction team, and it also depends on whether they have time.

You want to process the property certificate now? The nearest collapsed house to our military control commission is only forty or fifty meters away, just a few steps away. I'll take you to see it.

"I'll need to find someone to take a look at your house at number 95. I'll make up the price difference for you." Director Wang said, leading Sha Zhu and his son out.

Sha Zhu quickly followed Director Wang, saying as they walked, "Director Wang, our house in courtyard number 95 can be handed over to the military control committee at any time."

After the property certificate was issued, my dad ran away from home. I took my sister and stayed at my mentor's house for two months until this house was finished. Then I'll come back to live here.

"Oh? What does your master do, and where does he live?" Director Wang asked.

"Director Wang, my two mentors are my dad and I are chefs. I also learned to cook from my dad."

One of the chefs was Wang Yijun, the head chef of Shandong cuisine at Fengzeyuan Restaurant, who was my father's senior apprentice.

"Another master is a martial arts instructor at the Beijing Martial Arts School. He's my neighbor, and we both live near Qianmen Street," Sha Zhu said.

"Wow, Chef Wang from Fengzeyuan Restaurant? I've heard of him. He's an expert in Shandong cuisine. When the leaders receive foreign guests, they specifically request that Chef Wang be in charge."

But you're taking over your dad's job at the steel mill, right? It's quite far from there. If that doesn't work out...

"I'll let you stay in your house at No. 95 courtyard for two more months, and I won't charge you rent. How about it, young man?" Director Wang said.

"Hehe, thank you, Director Wang. I'll ask my dad to buy me a bicycle; it's not far. If everything goes smoothly here, I'll move to my master's place in the next day or two."

“Sure, your dad is willing to buy you a bicycle. Our military control commission only has two. Sometimes when I go out to a meeting, I don’t even have a bicycle to use.”

Director Wang led He Daqing and his son through an alley, then to the entrance of a second alley, turned in, and arrived at the second house.

He said, "Look, this house has collapsed badly enough. There's no need to worry about repairing it; let's just rebuild it."

This place is quite close to our military control commission, only two intersections away, less than 50 meters. This house was originally a single-courtyard house.

The land originally cost 300 yuan. If you rebuild, you'll have to clean up all the collapsed walls and broken bricks. There's not much left; a lot of bricks.

The neighbors have already taken the door and used it. The remaining bricks can still be used with some careful cleaning, it just takes a bit of work. I'll charge you 250 yuan.

"Director Wang, how about you calculate it as 240 or 260 yuan? 250 doesn't sound good," Sha Zhu said from the side.

"What's wrong with that? I just like 250. It doesn't matter. Whether I overcharge you or undercharge you for your house, it's all the same."

"Since you have no objections, I will arrange for someone from the housing management department to come to your house with you to see it."

"Master He, I remember your house is the three main rooms in the courtyard of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, right?" Director Wang looked at He Daqing.

"Yes, yes, there's also a small room in the east wing where my daughter, Yushui, lives, and a cellar near the main house. Here's the property certificate; I brought it with me."

As he spoke, He Daqing handed the property ownership certificate in his hand to Director Wang.

“Okay, let’s go back. I’ll find someone to go and check if there are any problems with your house. If there are no problems, you can go directly to process the property certificate. Housing is in short supply right now, and government departments are also facing a lot of pressure.”

Seeing that they were about to turn back, He Daqing realized that processing the remaining procedures would take a considerable amount of time and might not be completed before noon. He quickly said to Director Wang...

"Director Wang, just let my son bring some people to my house to see the house. I'll put my son's name on the property certificate. I need to go back to the factory to arrange lunch for the workers. I'll be right back."

"Alright, Mr. He, go ahead and get busy. Don't let the work get delayed. It doesn't matter whether you're there or not for the rest of the procedures. Just come back and sign the papers, then go to the public security department to reissue the household registration book." After saying that, Director Wang led Sha Zhu back.