Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

On a late spring afternoon, sunlight filtered through the branches of the old locust tree in the courtyard, scattering into dappled spots that fell on the bluestone slabs of the He family's main hall.

He Yuzhu bent slightly, holding the old lady's elbow firmly with one hand, and gently smoothing her slightly loose clothes with the other. He walked very slowly, afraid of disturbing the elderly woman.

Inside the main room, He Daqing was sitting at the octagonal table wiping his pipe, while Chen Lanxiang was mending clothes. The couple heard a series of chaotic footsteps coming from the courtyard, along with the voices of strange men and women, and they immediately became suspicious.

He Daqing put down his pipe and flicked the ash off his clothes. Chen Lanxiang also put down her needlework. The two looked at each other and saw curiosity in each other's eyes.

This courtyard is usually quiet, but today so many people have suddenly come. Who are they?

"Father, Mother, there are people outside. They look like they're looking for us. Let's go out and see." He Yuzhu helped the old lady up and called back into the house. His voice was clear and steady.

Upon hearing this, He Daqing stood up first and walked towards the door. Chen Lanxiang quickly followed behind him. The two of them walked out of the main room with He Yuzhu and the old lady.

The old lady had just stepped out of the main room when she glanced into the courtyard and immediately froze, muttering to herself, "Good heavens, how many people have come?"

The courtyard was packed with more than a dozen people, men and women, young and old, with their families. Some were carrying cloth bags, some were leading children, and some were holding infants in their arms. The once spacious courtyard was so crowded that it was difficult to even turn around.

Although the main room of the He family was considered spacious in the courtyard, it was still cramped with so many people. Not to mention entering the room, even standing at the door was cramped. The old lady frowned slightly as she looked at the scene, thinking to herself that if everyone came in, there would probably not even be room to step.

He Daqing and Chen Lanxiang stood behind the old lady, their gazes slowly sweeping over the group of people in the courtyard. They carefully examined them. Most of the people in the crowd looked like ordinary folks, dressed in coarse cloth, with expressions of restraint and anticipation. Only two men wearing glasses stood out.

One was slightly chubby with a round face and glasses that gave off a gentle glow; the other was slender with a long face and a refined appearance. The two stood at the front of the crowd, their manners and speech quite different from the others.

He Daqing quietly nudged Chen Lanxiang's arm and whispered, "Look at those two guys with glasses, they look like scholars. Could it be that everyone here today is a scholar?"

Chen Lanxiang nodded slightly, a hint of surprise in her eyes, and replied softly, "He looks like it. He has a refined air about him, unlike the ordinary neighbors in our courtyard. I guess he's here for the house."

When everyone in the courtyard saw the He family come out, all eyes were focused on He Daqing. He was the oldest, and his clothes and demeanor exuded the air of the head of the household. Everyone was convinced that he must be the head of the household. They all held their breath, waiting for the head of the household to speak, and no one dared to step forward rashly.

Just as everyone was about to ask a question, the old lady took half a step forward, leaned on her ebony cane, and gently tapped it on the ground. The cane tapped on the bluestone slab with a soft "thud," instantly silencing the noisy courtyard.

The old woman looked up at the crowd, her voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable authority, and slowly asked, "Are you all here to look at the house? How many families are there with so many people here?"

A few seconds of silence fell over the crowd. Then, the chubby man with glasses stepped forward, a polite smile on his face, bowed slightly, and replied respectfully:

"Grandma, you must be the owner of this house? We've come all here because we've heard so much about it. We apologize for bothering you."

"That's right, this yard belongs to my wife, and I'm the one who calls the shots in the house."

The old lady raised her chin, her tone calm yet exuding confidence. Having lived in this courtyard for most of her life, she still had this much to rely on.

Upon hearing this, the fat man's smile widened, and he quickly introduced himself: "Grandma, there are four families in total. We've all come here specifically to look at houses and plan to settle down. My name is Liu Haizhong, and I work as a foreman in the factory. These are my neighbors, and we've all come together to find houses through connections."

"Oh, four families." The old lady nodded, her gaze sweeping over everyone before asking.

"I'm asking you, were you all introduced by the Military Control Commission?"

Liu Haizhong nodded repeatedly, his face full of sincerity, and replied, "Yes, yes, it was the comrades from the Military Control Commission who pointed us in the right direction. They said you had houses here for rent or sale, so we rushed over."

"The comrades from the Military Control Commission should have made it clear to you, right? I only rent or sell the front yard houses in this compound. The middle and back yards are for my own family to live in and are not open to outsiders."

The old lady spoke with certainty, laying out the rules clearly to avoid unnecessary trouble later.

"We've made ourselves clear, we've made ourselves clear, we all remember, we came here for the house in the front yard." Liu Haizhong quickly chimed in, afraid that the old lady would misunderstand. The other three families nearby also nodded in agreement, indicating that they all knew the rule.

The old lady looked at everyone again and asked, "Have you all taken a look at the house in the front yard?"

Liu Haizhong looked troubled, scratched his head, and replied with a wry smile, "Grandma, to be honest, all the doors to the front yard are locked. We can't get in. We just peeked through the crack in the door from outside the yard, but we couldn't see clearly. We're quite worried."

Upon hearing this, the old lady turned to look at He Yuzhu beside her, her tone softening slightly, and instructed, "Alright, since they're here, let's show them the house properly first. Zhuzi, go to Madam's room and get the key to the front yard. You know where it is, right?"

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu immediately straightened his back, a confident expression on his face, and replied loudly, "I know, Madam, don't worry, I'll go right away."

As he spoke, he slowly released his grip on the old lady's hand and carefully gave her some instructions.

"Madam, please wait here for a moment. I'll make a quick trip and be right back."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took off running towards the backyard with light steps. His agile figure showed that he was usually a quick and efficient worker.

Just as He Yuzhu was heading to the backyard, the door to the west wing creaked open.

Wang Cuiping carefully walked out, holding her newborn daughter in her arms.

She was breastfeeding her baby inside when she suddenly heard so many people talking in the yard. It was quite a commotion, so she was worried and quickly took her baby out to check on the situation after finishing feeding.

Since taking this new job, Wang Cuiping has become much more cautious, interacting with all sorts of people every day. She looks at all strangers with a subtle wariness, afraid of encountering someone with ill intentions.

Now that so many strangers have suddenly come to the courtyard, and they're all after the house, she feels even more compelled to come out and check it out herself to make sure there's nothing amiss before she can feel at ease.

Chen Lanxiang, with her sharp ears, heard the sound of the west wing door opening and immediately turned around. She saw Wang Cuiping standing at the door holding a child and quickly asked, "Cuiping, why are you carrying the child out? The child is still small, and it's windy, don't let him catch a cold."

Wang Cuiping held the child, gently patted the child's back, and replied softly with a hint of apology on her face, "Sister-in-law, I heard a commotion in the yard and was worried, so I came out to see what was going on."

Chen Lanxiang waved her hand with a smile, comforting her, "It's alright, it's alright. They're all here to see the front house. With so many people, it's easy for them to talk. The child is young, so don't be scared by so many people. You should go back inside and rest. We're here."

Upon hearing this, Wang Cuiping, holding her child, quickly scanned the crowd in the courtyard. Seeing that everyone was behaving properly and without any inappropriate behavior, she finally felt relieved.

She nodded to Chen Lanxiang and replied softly, "Okay, I'll go back to my room now. If anything happens, please call me anytime, sister-in-law." After saying that, she picked up the child, gently closed the door of the west wing, and went back into the room.

The courtyard remained noisy, but the He family's children did not join in the fun.

At this moment, the two older children were lying on the octagonal table in the main room, heads down, diligently doing their homework, each stroke precise and focused, completely undisturbed by the noise in the yard.

The other two younger children played in the open space in the backyard, chasing butterflies, running and laughing, their voices clear and bright, but they didn't dare to go into the middle courtyard.

These are all rules that He Yuzhu set for his school children early on: after school, they are absolutely not allowed to run around or play until they finish their homework. They must finish their homework in peace before they can relax for a moment.

He Yushui, on the other hand, was always clinging to Xu Xiaohui. The two little girls would often play house and collect pebbles together in the backyard, a habit they had developed when Yi Zhonghai was still living in the yard.

The reason was that Xu Damao lived in the middle courtyard. That guy was always carefree and spoke in a strange and eerie way. He looked sinister, and the children were afraid of him from the bottom of their hearts. They didn't want to stay in the middle courtyard for long and preferred to play quietly in the backyard.

He Yuzhu walked towards the backyard, and just as he turned the corner of the moon gate, he was spotted by He Yushui.

The little girl immediately let go of Xu Xiaohui's hand, toddled over with her short legs, hugged He Yuzhu's leg, looked up with her round little face and bright eyes, and said coquettishly, "Brother, brother, play with me and Xiaohui for a while, I'm almost done with my homework."

Xu Xiaohui followed behind, running over with small steps, tugging at He Yuzhu's clothes, and calling out softly, "Brother Zhu, play with us for a while~"

Looking at the two adorable little girls, He Yuzhu felt a warmth in his heart. Just as he was about to agree, he noticed Xu Damao peeking out of the house, sneaking around and clearly wanting to join in the fun.

He Yuzhu's face immediately darkened, his eyes turning stern, and he shouted at Xu Damao, "Xu Damao, have you finished your homework? You're just thinking of running around like this? Are you getting too cocky? Want me to teach you a lesson?"

Xu Damao, who had been grinning, trembled instantly upon hearing He Yuzhu's words. His smile froze, and he instinctively shrank back, muttering:

"I'll just come out and take a look, I'll go back and write right away..." Before she could finish speaking, she darted back into the house like a gust of wind, quickly closing the door and not daring to even peek out.

He Yushui and Xu Xiaohui stood aside, watching Xu Damao's disheveled escape. They couldn't hold back any longer, clutching their stomachs and laughing incessantly, their little bodies trembling. Their clear and melodious laughter echoed throughout the backyard.

Hearing the two girls laughing inside, Xu Damao felt both angry and annoyed, feeling humiliated. He immediately shouted angrily through the door:

"You two little brats, don't laugh at me! Just wait until you go to school and can't finish your homework, then let's see if you're still laughing!"

He Yushui wasn't afraid of him at all. She tilted her head back and shouted back loudly into the house:

"We're still a long way from starting school. By then you'll have graduated long ago, and it's none of our business!"

Xu Xiaohui chimed in, pouting her little mouth and saying in a childish voice, "Yeah, yeah, I'm not even three years old yet, I'm far from going to school, hee hee hee~" As she spoke, she stuck her tongue out at the door, deliberately trying to annoy Xu Damao.

He Yuzhu stood to the side, watching the children bicker, a helpless yet indulgent smile on his face. Taking advantage of the lull, he quietly went to the back house, stealthily took the key to the front house, and when he turned back, he deliberately squatted down, patted He Yushui's head, and solemnly instructed her:

"Rain, listen to your brother. There are a lot of strangers in the central courtyard, a real mixed bag. You're not allowed to take Xiaohui to the front courtyard, and you're definitely not allowed to wander around the central courtyard, understand?"

Upon hearing that outsiders had arrived, He Yushui's curiosity was instantly piqued. Her eyes widened, and she grabbed He Yuzhu's hand, pleading:

"Someone's here? Who is it? Bro, I just want to take a look, just one look, okay?"

Seeing the little girl's curious expression, He Yuzhu remained unmoved, his face darkening slightly as he spoke in a deliberately stern tone:

"No, I'm not allowing you to go. If you dare to secretly take Xiaohui to the front yard, you'll sleep in the side room by yourself every night from now on, and I'll never tell you bedtime stories again."

Upon hearing this, He Yushui's curiosity vanished instantly, her lips pouted slightly, and she looked unwilling, yet she couldn't bear to part with the bedtime story every night.

The little girl hesitated for a few seconds between watching the excitement and listening to the story, but finally nodded obediently, drooping her little head and replying sullenly, "Okay, I won't go. I'll just play with Xiaohui in the backyard. Don't forget to tell me a story tonight."

Seeing that she had agreed, He Yuzhu felt relieved. He ruffled her hair, turned around, took the keys, and walked quickly towards the Central Court.

As soon as he reached the middle courtyard, He Yuzhu raised his voice and called out to the old lady at the entrance of the main room, "Madam, I've brought the keys!"

Upon hearing this, the old lady nodded, waved her hand at He Yuzhu, and said:

"Zhu Zi, take the keys and show these guests the houses in the front yard. I'm getting old and my legs aren't as strong as they used to be, so I won't go with them. After they've finished looking at the houses, have them come over one by one, and we can discuss the price then."

"Okay, madam, don't worry, leave this to me, I guarantee I'll handle it perfectly."

He Yuzhu readily agreed, clutching the keys in his hand. He turned to look at the four families in the courtyard, a polite smile on his face. He gestured towards the front yard and said loudly.

"Everyone, since you're here to look at the houses, please follow me. I'll take you to the front yard and we can look at each house one by one."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with joy, and they quickly replied, "Okay, okay, thank you for your trouble, young man."

A group of people responded in a disorderly manner, following behind He Yuzhu, and walked hurriedly towards the front yard. They all wanted to quickly check the condition of the house so they could make a decision.

He Yuzhu led the group to the west hall in the front yard.

He took out his key, unlocked the door, and gently pushed it open. A faint musty smell mixed with the scent of dust wafted out, clearly indicating that no one had lived there for a long time.

The group followed them into the house and glanced around. They saw that the room was small, poorly lit, with some peeling paint on the walls and empty furniture. It was clearly not a suitable place to live.

The families walked around the house for less than half a minute before shaking their heads and coming out, their faces clearly showing disappointment. They obviously had no interest in the main room and didn't ask any further questions.

He Yuzhu saw this but didn't say anything. He simply locked the door silently, his expression calm, having already anticipated this outcome.

Without delay, he turned around and led the group straight to the doors of the west wing and the west side room, took out his keys, and opened the two doors one by one.

This time, everyone's eyes lit up instantly, their previous disappointment vanished, and they all became interested.

Although the house had been uninhabited for a long time, with a thick layer of dust on the floor and tables, and some cobwebs in the corners, the house's foundation was still evident, and it was clear at a glance that it was a good house.

The wooden beams are tall and thick, with exquisite workmanship. The windows are large, and the window frames are all in the old-fashioned carved style. Even through the dust, sunlight can still shine through the window frames and pour into the room, making it very bright.

Although this was the west wing, it was already past mid-morning, and the sunlight was slanting in, so the lighting was not bad at all, much better than the passageway room we had just been in.

The group went inside, touching and looking around. Some tapped on the walls, feeling their solidity, while others looked up at the beams, exclaiming in admiration. They all thought the house was really nice and that if it were cleaned and tidied up, it would be very comfortable to live in.

As for introducing the house, He Yuzhu wasn't in the business of selling or renting houses, so he had neither the interest nor the ability to come up with any fancy introductions. He simply stood at the door with his hands behind his back, waiting quietly and letting everyone look at the house on their own, without urging them or saying much.

While everyone carefully examined the house inside, He Yuzhu leaned against the door frame, casually glancing around the courtyard.

A short while later, the thin man with glasses quietly slipped away from the crowd, tiptoed out of the house, looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, and then quickly approached He Yuzhu with a deliberately ingratiating smile on his face.

He subconsciously pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, intending to offer one to He Yuzhu. But halfway through his hand, he suddenly remembered the embarrassing scene at the Intermediate People's Court where a fat man had offered He Yuzhu a cigarette, only to be coldly refused. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly stuffed the cigarette back into his pocket, a somewhat embarrassed look on his face. Only then did he realize that the young man in front of him didn't smoke.

The skinny man cleared his throat, lowered his voice, and asked respectfully, "Excuse me, sir, may I ask if this side room is sold together with the main room, or can it be sold separately?"

As he spoke, he pointed to the west wing next to him, his eyes filled with a hint of probing.

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu turned his head, smiling as he looked at the thin man in front of him. His eyes were clear, but he secretly wondered to himself: This man looks so refined, could it be that he wants to buy the side room as well? But he remembered that this man was Yan Bugui, who was notoriously stingy and would split every penny in half. How could he be willing to spend money to buy two rooms? There must be something fishy going on here.

Thinking this to himself, He Yuzhu remained expressionless and replied calmly, "Sell it. Sell the side room separately or buy it together with the wing room, it's all fine."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's eyes lit up instantly, but he immediately frowned, calculating in his mind. After hesitating for a moment, he finally asked, "Young man, I'd like to ask, if I buy this west wing, could you give me this side room for free? It would be a buy-one-get-one-free deal, what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu's smile deepened, a hint of mockery in his eyes. He sized Yan Bugui up and down, then slowly said, "Judging by your attire and glasses, you seem quite refined. You must be a well-educated and sensible person, right?"

Yan Bugui didn't catch the teasing and sarcasm in He Yuzhu's words at all. He took it as a compliment and immediately straightened his back, adjusted his glasses, and introduced himself seriously: "I am Yan Bugui, a teacher at Jiaodaokou Elementary School. I am a scholar."

No sooner had he finished speaking than He Yuzhu's next words instantly wiped the smugness off his face and broke his composure.

He Yuzhu's lips curled into a playful smile, his tone laced with mockery as he bluntly said, "But what you're saying isn't at all like something a scholar should say. Buy a side room and get a smaller one attached? Why don't you just say you're buying a smaller room and we'll give you the whole courtyard for free? There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world!"

Yan Bugui's face flushed red and then turned pale with embarrassment. He was so awkward that he didn't know what to do with his hands and feet. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he stubbornly retorted, "What's wrong with being a scholar? Can't scholars bargain and save money? Nobody's money comes from thin air. Saving a little bit is a good thing. Is that wrong?"

"What do you think?" He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow at him, his tone growing increasingly cold.

"Are you sure you're haggling? This isn't like buying radishes and cabbages at the market, where you can pick and choose and haggle at will. This is buying a house, a legitimate business transaction. How can you expect such an exorbitant price?"

Yan Bugui was speechless, feeling both angry and annoyed that He Yuzhu was disrespecting him. His face darkened, and he flicked his sleeves, saying irritably, "You're not the head of this household, just someone who runs errands. How can you make decisions? I don't need to talk to you. I'll talk to the old lady of the household directly later!"

After saying that, she turned around angrily and squeezed back into the crowd of people looking at houses, refusing to look at He Yuzhu again.

He Yuzhu watched his disheveled figure leave and couldn't help but chuckle. He slowly said to his back, "Hehe, then you just wait and see if the master will agree to your request."

The laughter reached Yan Bugui's ears, making him feel even more aggrieved. He stumbled, almost tripping over himself, and inwardly regretted his actions.

I was too hasty. I shouldn't have acted so impulsively. If I had offended this guy, it would have made negotiating the price of the house much more difficult. It would have been a real loss.

After looking at the houses on the west side, He Yuzhu locked the doors of the west wing and side rooms, then turned around and led everyone to the doors of the east wing and side rooms.

The moment the door opened, everyone's interest was even greater than when they had looked at the west wing.

The east wing has better natural light than the west wing. The windows on the sunny side are large, allowing sunlight to stream into the room without any obstruction. The room is bright and airy, with a square layout and spacious layout, making it perfect for either living in or settling down with family.

As soon as the families entered the house, they couldn't help but whisper among themselves. They split into two or three groups, gathered together, and discussed the price and whether they could afford it. Their faces all showed a determined look.

A short while later, Liu Haizhong stepped out of the crowd first. He looked around and, seeing that no one was paying attention, quickly walked up to He Yuzhu, lowered his voice, and asked anxiously, "Young man, are there any other houses in the front yard? If not, I won't look anymore. I'll go with you to the middle yard first to discuss the price with the old lady of the house. I'm quite satisfied with this east wing room and want to settle on it as soon as possible."

He had his own plans, hoping to secure the house before the other three families, lest someone else snatch it up. After all, there were only a few good houses available, and if he was a step too late, they might be gone.

But He Yuzhu did not do as he wished. Instead of responding quietly, he raised his voice so that everyone around could hear him clearly and said loudly, "There are two more rooms in the back row, which are in a more remote location and are cheaper. If you are interested, I will take you to see them; if you are not interested, then you don't need to see them. You can go directly to the Intermediate Court to negotiate the price."

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong froze on the spot, his anxious expression instantly turning to rage. He cursed He Yuzhu inwardly for being so inconsiderate. He had tried to seize the initiative, but now He Yuzhu had ruined everything. The other three families would definitely follow suit. He was both angry and anxious, but dared not lash out, and could only suppress his anger.

Yan Bugui had been keeping an eye on things, and when he saw Liu Haizhong secretly looking for He Yuzhu, he was so anxious he was stamping his feet, afraid that Liu would beat him to it. Just as he was wondering whether he should go over too, he heard He Yuzhu's words, and his eyes immediately lit up. He immediately shouted, "No need to look anymore, no need to look at the back room, let's go find the owner to negotiate the price!"

The other two families echoed this sentiment, nodding repeatedly: "Yes, let's not look anymore. These east and west wing rooms are quite nice. Let's hurry up and find the owner to finalize them, lest something goes wrong."

Seeing this, He Yuzhu nodded and said, "Alright, you all come out of the house first and wait in the courtyard. I'll lock the door and then take you to the middle courtyard."

Upon hearing this, everyone left the east wing and waited in the courtyard.

He Yuzhu locked the door and turned around to see Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui staring intently at the key in his hand, their eyes filled with urgency, as if they were afraid he would run away.

He Yuzhu waved the key in his hand without making a sound and said loudly:

"Everyone, come with me. Let's go to the central courtyard to negotiate a price with the old lady." After saying that, he strode towards the central courtyard, his steps steady and without the slightest panic.

Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui quickly followed, closely behind He Yuzhu, walking at the front, afraid of falling behind. The other two families also followed closely behind, and the group returned to the Central Court in a grand procession.

As He Yuzhu reached the entrance of the main room of the He family, he suddenly stopped. Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui, who were behind him, were not paying attention and almost bumped into him. They quickly steadied themselves and showed some surprise on their faces.

He Yuzhu turned around, looked at the four families behind him, and said calmly:

"Negotiations aren't like a market; we don't need so many people squeezing in together. It's chaotic and inconvenient. How about this: each family sends one person who can make the decision to go in and negotiate, while the rest of us wait in the courtyard."

Everyone agreed with his suggestion and nodded in agreement. Liu Haizhong was the first to say, "Alright, let's do it the way the young man says. Let's each send one person and go in."

"Don't rush," He Yuzhu waved his hand and said slowly, "I think even if each family sends one person, it's better not to go in together. It's better to talk to each family one by one, so that you don't end up arguing on the spot if you like the same house and it hurts your relationship. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui reacted the fastest, immediately raising his hand and saying eagerly, "Me first! I want to talk first! I've found a house I like and I'm just waiting to finalize the deal!"

"Why should you go first? We've also found a house, so we should take turns negotiating!" The other three families immediately objected, and the courtyard instantly became noisy again as everyone tried to be the first to go in and negotiate the price.

Liu Haizhong frowned and said to He Yuzhu, "Brother, what you're saying doesn't make sense. What if several of us want the same house? There has to be a reason for that."

He Yuzhu smiled faintly and said confidently, "That's easy. The highest bidder wins. There are only a few houses. Whoever offers the right price gets the house. We have to wait until all four parties have finished negotiating before we can finalize the deal. It's fair and reasonable."

"Highest bidder wins? That's not fair!" Yan Bugui immediately became anxious upon hearing this, his face changing color. He quickly waved his hands and said, "Young man, aren't you just making us bid against each other? What if someone deliberately raises the price? How much more money will we waste? I don't have that much silver. Besides, you're just a junior; can your word be counted? Will the matriarch of the family listen to you?"

He was already stingy, and what he feared most was price gouging. For him, the highest bidder winning was the worst possible outcome, and he was extremely unwilling to accept it.

Seeing his anxious expression, He Yuzhu wasn't angry. He still smiled and said:

"How about this, you all wait in the courtyard for a moment, I'll go inside and ask the old lady what she thinks, whether she wants to talk together or separately, is that alright?"

"Okay, okay, then you go and ask quickly. We'll wait here. No rush." ​​Everyone nodded in agreement, eager to hear the hostess's answer.

"Alright, those of you please wait in the courtyard for a while, I'll be right back."

He Yuzhu didn't waste any more words with them. He turned around, pushed open the door to the main room, and walked straight into the room.

Once inside, He Yuzhu recounted in detail to the old lady, He Daqing, and Chen Lanxiang what had happened when he took everyone to see the house, including the argument between the families at the door, Yan Bugui's attempt to take advantage, and Liu Haizhong's attempt to negotiate the price first. He didn't miss a single detail.

The old lady sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), clutching her cane. After listening to He Yuzhu's words, she nodded slightly, then looked at He Yuzhu and asked, "Zhuzi, in your opinion, what's the best way to sell and negotiate this house? So that we don't lose out, and we don't make things too difficult for the other party."

After a moment's thought, He Yuzhu said decisively, "Madam, isn't doing business all about asking for the highest price and then settling for the lowest? Let's start by asking for a high price, and they'll definitely try to bargain. In the end, we can negotiate a middle price so we don't lose out. Before, you asked the neighbors for 150 yuan for the east and west wing rooms in the middle and back courtyards, which was because you were kind and valued neighborly relations. But these are outsiders, not our old neighbors, so you should naturally ask for more. You can't charge the same price as the neighbors."

The old lady nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, you're right. I had your father inquire about the houses and courtyards nearby. Other people's side rooms, which aren't even as nice as ours, start at 200 yuan. Our house is in a good location, so it's only fair that we charge a little more."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu immediately responded and gave specific prices: "Madam, let's settle on this: 260 yuan for a side room, 70 yuan for a side room, 110 yuan for a connecting room, and the cheapest for a front room, 50 yuan. If they think it's too expensive, let them bargain. If you find negotiating too tiring, leave it to my father; he's very experienced."

He Daqing, who was sitting to the side, had just picked up his teacup and taken a sip of water when he heard this. He immediately glared at He Yuzhu and said irritably, "You brat, why are you dragging me into things you can do yourself? Negotiating prices and talking a lot is the most exhausting kind of work. If you're so capable, why don't you do it yourself?"

Upon hearing He Daqing's words, the old lady's face immediately darkened. She lightly tapped her cane on the ground and said with a hint of authority, "What? You're not even willing to help this old woman? Don't I have the final say about the house in this yard?"

When He Daqing saw that the old lady was angry, he immediately backed down. He quickly put down his teacup, smiled awkwardly, and waved his hand, saying, "Mother, that's not what I meant. I'm not good with words, how can I compare to Zhuzi's cleverness? He's more suitable than me for negotiating prices. I'm afraid I'll mess it up."

The old lady snorted coldly, ignoring him completely. She turned to He Yuzhu and asked, "Yuzhu, what do you think? Should we negotiate with them one by one, or should we put out the price and let them bid amongst themselves, with the highest bidder winning?"

He Yuzhu thought for a moment and said, "In my opinion, it's best to let them make their own offers, so we don't have to negotiate with each one individually, which is troublesome. I'll go get some paper and pens, and let them write down the price of whichever house they want to buy, and submit it to each other. This way it's fair and we can also avoid them arguing in front of each other, so as not to cause a ruckus in the yard."

"Okay, that's a good idea. We'll do it your way." The old lady immediately nodded in agreement and said with a smile, "Go get some paper and pen. Write down clearly which house you want to buy, so you don't end up fighting over a house and become a laughing stock."

"Alright, it's your decision. I'll go prepare right away," He Yuzhu replied. Just as he was about to turn around, he remembered something and said with a smile.

"Madam, come with me and tell them that I'm too young to manage the household and that I don't keep my word. If you go out and tell them, they'll all believe you."

The old lady was amused by him. She pointed at him and said with a smile, "You, you, have you been bullying people outside again? You can even argue with a schoolteacher."

He Yuzhu scratched his head, chuckled, and said, "How could that be? Someone was trying to take advantage of me, asking if I could get a side room for free when I bought a side room. I was just reasoning with him. There's no such thing as a free lunch."

"Oh? Which family are you from? You don't know the rules at all?" He Daqing asked curiously upon hearing this, and Chen Lanxiang also came over, her face full of surprise.

"It's that skinny guy with glasses, who looks very scholarly. He says he's an elementary school teacher," He Yuzhu replied.

Chen Lanxiang couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "He looks so refined and gentle, like a sensible scholar. How could he say such things? You really can't judge a book by its cover. I've learned something new today."

Upon hearing this, the old lady smiled knowingly and said, "Hehe, if this person moves in, our courtyard will get quite interesting."

Chen Lanxiang was taken aback for a moment and asked, "Mother, are you still planning to sell the house to him? He's so greedy, I'm afraid he won't be easy to get along with."

The old lady waved her hand and said, "These are minor flaws. He doesn't steal or rob, he just likes to scheme for small gains. He's just a schoolteacher, what kind of trouble can he cause? He's a hundred times better than Yi Zhonghai before. Yi Zhonghai was truly malicious. This family looks big, but they can't cause any big trouble."

"As long as they don't do anything underhanded like Yi Zhonghai, it'll be fine." He Daqing sighed, still feeling disgusted when he mentioned Yi Zhonghai.

"No, he's not like Yi Zhonghai. Don't worry." The old lady hinted at something but stopped there, saying no more.

Seeing this, Chen Lanxiang said no more, "Fine, the house is yours anyway, you decide, we'll all listen to you."

The old lady then looked at He Yuzhu and asked with a smile, "Yuzhu, what do you think? Is it feasible to sell the house to this Teacher Yan?"

He Yuzhu knew the plot of the original story well. Although Yan Bugui was stingy and calculating, and loved to take advantage of others, he wasn't a bad person. He was just annoying in daily life. Putting him in the front yard would make things lively. In the future, the front yard would be home to the calculating Yan family, the Liu family who often beat and scolded their children, and an ordinary family struggling to make ends meet. With several families living together, there would definitely be a lot of trivial matters. As long as they didn't bother their own families, it wouldn't be a problem. He was even looking forward to the excitement that would follow.

Thinking of this, He Yuzhu smiled and said, "I don't think there's any problem. You can decide, Madam. Let me help you out so I can announce it to the people outside. I'll go back inside to prepare paper and pen."

"Alright, let's go." The old lady smiled, reached out and took He Yuzhu's arm, and the grandmother and grandson slowly walked out of the He family's main room.

Upon entering the courtyard, the old lady stood on the steps, her gaze sweeping over the four waiting families. In a loud voice, she recounted the agreed-upon price and bidding rules.

As soon as the words were spoken, the courtyard erupted into chaos. Everyone was discussing the matter, feeling that the price was much higher than they had expected. They all looked troubled, yet they were reluctant to give up such a good house.

This scene was witnessed and heard by the Jia Zhang family, who were hiding behind the moon gate in the middle courtyard.

When Jia Zhangshi heard the price quoted by the old lady, her eyes widened instantly. She was overjoyed and secretly rejoiced: her family only spent 35 yuan to buy a house. Compared with these people, she had gotten a great deal!

She secretly planned that once all these families bought their houses, especially after someone bought the cheapest rear-facing house, she would hold her grandson and stand in the yard to show off, letting everyone know how much of a bargain her family had gotten, and finally vent her frustration.

The courtyard was noisy, so He Yuzhu went back into the house and quickly prepared four clean sheets of paper and four pencils, which he then took to the courtyard.

He thought to himself that even if the adults in these families couldn't write, the children they brought should be able to. The children brought by these families ranged in age from ten to seven or eight, so writing down a price shouldn't be a problem.

He distributed paper and pencils to the four families one by one, saying, "Each family has a piece of paper and a pen. Write down the name of the house you want to buy and the price you are willing to pay on the paper. Once you're done, just hand it to me. Find a quiet place to write it down so that no one else can see your bids and avoid affecting each other."

The four families took the paper and pen, dispersed, and each found a corner in the courtyard. They squatted down, gathered together, and discussed in hushed tones, carefully considering their bids. They were all afraid of losing money if they bid too high, or failing to secure a house if they bid too low. The atmosphere was tense and solemn.

He Yuzhu helped the old lady back to the main room and sat down. Not long after, the first person to negotiate the price arrived, and it was Liu Haizhong.

Liu Haizhong walked into the house, looking somewhat reserved. He handed the slip of paper in his hand to He Yuzhu and said, "Brother, I've got my eye on an east wing room. I'm offering 230 yuan. Take a look."

He Yuzhu took the note and looked down. Besides the note saying "East Wing Room 230 yuan," there were several crossed-out marks on the paper, and the words "Ear Room" could be vaguely seen. It was clear that he originally wanted to buy the Ear Room as well, but later gave up.

He Yuzhu put away the note and said to Liu Haizhong, "Master Liu, I accept your offer. You can go outside and wait in the yard. We'll finalize the price together after all four companies have paid."

Liu Haizhong nodded and obediently left the main room to wait in the courtyard.

Immediately afterward, Yan Bugui walked in, clutching a slip of paper in his hand, his palms sweating. He carefully handed it to He Yuzhu and said, "Brother, I've got my eye on the east wing and the east side room. I'll buy both together for a total of 280 yuan, 225 for the wing and 55 for the side room. What do you think?"

He Yuzhu took the note and was secretly surprised: "Wow, this Yan Laokou looks shabby, but I didn't expect him to have so much money that he could buy two rooms in one go. It seems he's not from a poor family. Once this guy moves in, there will be plenty of scenes of him scheming and haggling at the door. I'm sure there will be some fun to watch."

He put away the note and told Yan Bugui to go out and wait. But after waiting for a long time, the other two families did not come in. Feeling strange, he got up, walked out of the main room, and glanced into the courtyard.

Just then, Liu Haizhong happened to be nearby. Seeing him come out, he quickly stepped forward and said, "Young man, the other two families have gone to the front yard to look at the back rooms and the main hall rooms. They said the side rooms are too expensive and they can't afford them. They want to go and see the cheaper ones."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu immediately understood. The two families felt that the prices of the east and west wing rooms were too high and exceeded their budgets, but they had their eyes on this courtyard and did not want to rent a place to live. They only wanted to buy it and settle down, so they could only look at the cheapest rear house and the through house.

Sure enough, a short while later, the other two families returned from the front yard with a hint of helplessness on their faces. They had obviously accepted the price difference and were planning to buy the cheaper unit.

He Yuzhu led them into the main room, where both families wrote down their bids: the family with more members chose two rooms facing backwards and bid 80 yuan.

The other family didn't like the back room, so they chose the through room and offered 90 yuan.

In this way, all four families have made their offers, except for the west wing and the west side room, which have not received any bids. The remaining four families do not have conflicting interests in the houses they are interested in, so there is no need to compete for them, which saves a lot of trouble.

Looking at the other two families who chose the back-facing room and the through-hall room, He Yuzhu said, "If you two families are sure you want to buy, you should pay a deposit of ten yuan first. I will write you a receipt. Tomorrow, as soon as the Military Control Commission opens, you can bring the remaining money and come with us to complete the formalities. Once you have the property deed, the house will officially belong to you."

Upon hearing that a deposit was required, both families hesitated, exchanging glances and reluctant to pay.

He Yuzhu saw their concerns and said calmly, "You can choose not to pay the deposit and just bring the money tomorrow. But let me make this clear: even if you go tomorrow, we can't guarantee whether you can buy this house. Since the Military Control Commission can introduce you, they can also introduce other people. This house isn't just waiting for you to buy it. If you're a step too late, someone else might snatch it up."

Upon hearing this, the two families panicked completely. They quickly huddled together, whispered a few words, and finally gritted their teeth, took out ten yuan, and handed it to He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu took the money, took out paper and pen, and carefully wrote two receipts, clearly stating the location of the house, the amount of the deposit, the remaining payment, and the time for completing the formalities. He had the heads of both families sign and affix their fingerprints, and then handed the receipts to them, saying, "Take these receipts and meet here first thing tomorrow morning to go to the Military Control Commission. Don't be late."

The two families took the agreement, carefully tucked it into their pockets, nodded and thanked each other repeatedly, then turned and left the He family's courtyard to prepare for the move. They were both nervous and happy, finally having their own house in the city.

After the two families left, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui immediately came over and asked which house they had bought. When they learned that the two families had chosen the back room and the through room, which did not conflict with the side room they had chosen, they both breathed a sigh of relief and their hearts finally settled down, and a relaxed expression appeared on their faces.

Then, the two followed He Yuzhu into the main room of the He family home.

"Now we can talk about our business, right? Who will get the house?"

Liu Haizhong, being impatient, was the first to lose his composure and asked the question, his eyes filled with urgency.

He Yuzhu waved his hand and said, "Now I have a question. I'll ask Teacher Yan first, and then I'll give you an answer."

Seeing this, Liu Haizhong had no choice but to suppress his eagerness and nodded: "Okay, you ask first, I'll wait."

He Yuzhu turned to Yan Bugui and said calmly, "Teacher Yan, you and Master Liu both like the east wing, but the price you offered is five silver dollars less than Master Liu's. We're asking you this specifically because we're considering you want to buy the side room as well. If you still insist on this price, then the east wing will belong to Master Liu."

Before He Yuzhu could finish speaking, Liu Haizhong immediately chimed in, smiling, "My name is Liu Haizhong. I work as a foreman at the steel mill. You can call me Lao Liu or Master Liu, it's fine."

He Yuzhu nodded and then said, "Then this east wing room will belong to Master Liu."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's face instantly showed a resentful expression. He stared intently at Liu Haizhong, his eyes filled with unwillingness.

Liu Haizhong felt uncomfortable under his gaze, so he glared at him and said irritably, "Why are you looking at me? The highest bidder wins. You offered the lowest price, so who can you blame? Hurry up and don't delay my paperwork. I'm in a hurry to move."

Yan Bugui gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Everyone thought he was going to raise the price and fight for the east wing room, but his next sentence almost made everyone in the room burst out laughing and collapse on the spot.

He frowned, hesitated for a long time, then cautiously looked at the old lady and tentatively asked, "Then...then I won't buy the east wing. I'll buy the west wing and the adjacent west side room. Could you give me a discount? The east wing faces the sun, while the west wing is shady. There's a difference. Could you give me a lower price?"

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu couldn't help but look at the old lady, his eyes full of laughter. He felt that Yan Bugui was stingy to the core, which made him both angry and amused.

The old lady glared at He Yuzhu, signaling him to stop causing trouble. Then she looked at Yan Bugui and said decisively, "Fine, since you're a schoolteacher and you're buying two rooms, I'll give you a five-yuan discount. The west wing and the side room will be five yuan less than the price you offered. If you don't want to buy, that's fine too. I won't force you."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's eyes lit up instantly, his resentment vanished, and he immediately beamed with joy. He nodded hurriedly, patted his chest, and said, "Buy! You must buy! I'd be a bastard if I didn't!"

He looked as if he had gotten a huge advantage, and was overjoyed.

Watching from the side, Liu Haizhong also had his eye on the idea and quickly said, "Grandma, if I buy the side room along with it, can I get a five-yuan discount?"

The old lady waved her hand and said, "If you buy the side room alone, you won't get a discount of a single penny. But if you buy the side room as well, I'll give you a five-yuan discount. The side room will be charged at the 55 yuan that Teacher Yan offered. You can decide for yourself."

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong became conflicted. He clenched his hands together, his face turning red, like an inflated toad. After struggling for a long time, he finally gave up, waved his hand, and said, "Forget it, I'll just buy one side room. I don't need the side room for now, so I won't waste money."

Now that the ownership of the house has been determined, the next step is to pay the deposit and write the agreement.

The deposit remains the same: ten yuan per household. It's not a large sum, but it puts both parties at ease and avoids future disputes.

When Yan Bugui took out his money, his fingers were trembling. He counted the bills one by one, his eyes full of reluctance. He hesitated for a long time before handing over ten yuan. Looking at the money in his hand that was less, he felt as if his heart was being cut off, but there was nothing he could do but endure it.

He Yuzhu wrote out the purchase agreement, clearly stating the location of the house, the price, the deposit, and the time for completing the formalities. He then had Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui sign and affix their fingerprints, agreeing to go to the Military Control Commission together the next morning to complete the property deed formalities.

The two carefully put away the agreement, their faces beaming with joy. They thanked the family repeatedly before leaving the He family's courtyard to pack their belongings and prepare to move.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, He Yuzhu pushed his family's bicycle, helped the old lady onto it, and carefully secured it, afraid of the bumps on the road. Then, he rode the bicycle with the old lady on his back, heading towards the military control committee.

The process of handling the formalities went exceptionally smoothly. The staff of the Military Control Commission verified the information and money and quickly issued the property deed.

The four families who bought the houses were overjoyed to receive their property deeds. They thanked He Yuzhu and the old lady repeatedly before excitedly returning home to prepare for their move. The courtyard was finally about to welcome new residents.

The old woman was holding a cloth bag in her arms, which contained several hundred silver dollars she had just received. It was heavy, and she was both happy and nervous. She gripped the bag tightly with both hands, afraid of losing it. She was restless the whole way and kept urging He Yuzhu: "Zhuzi, ride faster and get home quickly. I feel uneasy carrying this money with me."

Seeing the old lady's nervous appearance and thinking about the huge sum of money in his arms, He Yuzhu was afraid that something might happen on the way. He pedaled the bicycle faster and faster, the wheels spun rapidly, the wind whistled in his ears, and the bicycle almost flew away.

The old lady sat in the back seat, feeling extremely uncomfortable from the jolting. She clung tightly to He Yuzhu's waist, her eyes tightly shut in fear. She screamed the whole way, tears streaming down her face. She was both scared and anxious, but could only hold on tightly.

After finally getting home, the old lady got off her bicycle, her legs were a little weak, and she leaned against the wall for a long time before she recovered.

Remembering how fast He Yuzhu was riding his bicycle on the road, the old lady was both angry and amused. She picked up her cane and tapped He Yuzhu's arm and back several times, scolding him playfully:

"You brat! I just told you to go home quickly, not to ride your bike like it's flying! Did you scare this old woman to death? Ouch, my butt's been bounced around like it's about to split in eight! Lanxiang, come here and help me discipline this disobedient little rascal!"

Chen Lanxiang came out of the house and couldn't help but laugh when she saw the old woman and the child bickering. She quickly advised, "Zhuzi, why don't you apologize to the old lady? I told you to ride slower, but you insisted on riding so fast."

He Yuzhu scratched his head, chuckled, and said with a wronged expression:

"Madam, didn't you tell me to hurry up? You have several hundred silver dollars in that bag. I was worried about the danger on the road and wanted to get you home safely as soon as possible, so I rode fast. I did it all for your sake and for the money."

The old lady snorted coldly and said, feigning anger, "Hmph, you still think you're right? I was going to give you a few dollars so you could treat yourself to something nice after running around all day, but now, it's all gone, not a single penny!"

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu immediately put on a pitiful look, approached the old lady, and said in a coquettish tone, "Please, madam, I'm counting on your money to treat myself. If you don't give me any, I won't have anything good to eat."

"Go away, don't try that on me," the old lady said, laughing as she pushed him away.

"Madam, I know you too well. Everyone else in the yard can go hungry, but you, He Yuzhu, can't. You have plenty of ways to make yourself good food, why would you need me to feed you?"

Chen Lanxiang stood aside, watching the old woman and the young boy bickering and witty banter, her face full of gentle smiles. Since Yi Zhonghai left, the old lady's mood has been getting better and better, and her temperament has become like that of an old child, often arguing with her eldest grandson, He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu would deliberately try to make the old lady happy and never give in to her. But in the end, it was always the old lady who compromised, and He Yuzhu received all the benefits he was entitled to. The relationship between the grandmother and grandson grew stronger and stronger through their playful bickering.

A few days later, the four families who had bought new houses in the front yard moved in one after another.

The courtyard suddenly became lively. People were moving furniture, tidying up the house, children were crying, and adults were talking. It was a chaotic mess for several days. Trivial matters kept happening one after another. Your family took up a little space from mine, my things bumped into your things, and the sounds of arguing and persuading could be heard from time to time.

However, these minor incidents all occurred in the front yard and did not escalate to the middle yard, so He Yuzhu was too lazy to care. As long as they did not disturb his family's life, he let them do whatever they wanted.

Xu Damao came home from school and excitedly ran up to He Yuzhu, saying, "Yuzhu, a few kids who just moved in from the front yard go to the same school as me. Their names are Liu Guangqi, Liu Guangtian, and Yan Jiecheng. They're all about our age."