Restarting life in Siheyuan

After a while, Boss Zhu had bought a lot of steaming hot buns and was squeezing out of the crowd with a look of satisfaction on his face.

"It smells good, a bit like my hometown. You two should try it too." Zhu Xuefeng handed over the buns. Yang Lei was a little distracted looking at the happy Boss Zhu. This guy was too different. He seemed to enjoy this kind of urban atmosphere. He didn't look like a big boss at all.

Jiang Fangzhuo reached out to take it. It was a little hot. He took a careful bite and his mouth was full of oil. Looking at the small bun dripping with oil, he suddenly had an idea and swallowed it in one gulp. It seemed like it was scalded again. He kept stroking his chest to relieve his breath. He looked very embarrassed. Zhu Xuefeng also laughed.

"You are too impatient. It's hot. Be careful. Try it too, Miss Yang. Be careful, it's hot."

Yang Lei also smelled the tempting fragrance. She carefully reached out and picked one up, blew on it a few times, and then took a small bite. It was indeed very fragrant.

“Yes, great taste.”

"Haven't you tried it?" Zhu Xuefeng finished three in a row, took the tissue handed over by Jiang Fangzhuo, and wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth.

Yang Lei shook her head. "My sister and I just moved here during the holidays. We leave early and come back late. We haven't had breakfast here yet."

"This residential area is in a good location, with beautiful scenery, and it seems there are a lot of vegetable fields."

On the way here, Zhu Xuefeng discovered that this residential area was already on the edge of the city, but there were many vegetable fields nearby. No matter where the Chinese go, they will never lose this kind of land skills. The road not far away is connected to the sea, and from a distance you can see a small pier and many fishing boats.

"Uncle Jin said that most of these people's ancestors came here to build the railway. Later, they found this place good, so many people settled down. Gradually, more and more people came, and it became what it is now."

As he spoke, he pointed to a three-story wooden building facing the street not far away.

"Boss, that's the house we rented, let's go over there."

"Sister, are these two the bosses you mentioned?"

A woman who looked 99% similar to Yang Lei was observing Zhu Xuefeng and Jiang Fangzhuo with suspicion. She received a call from her sister in the hotel yesterday and learned some information. She also knew that her sister would be back this morning, so she took a leave and waited at home. Now she was looking at the two men in front of her with suspicion.

"Ah Zhen, don't be rude, these two are my sister's benefactors. If it weren't for Boss Zhu and Brother Jiang, my sister would have been in a terrible situation yesterday.

The girl named Yang Zhen then stepped forward and greeted the two of them. Yang Lei looked at her sister who was still suspicious and said unhappily.

"Where's Uncle Jin? Why isn't he here?"

There are several wooden signs hanging outside the small wooden building, including a law firm, a chamber of commerce and even a church sign. It seems that Mr. Jin really has many positions. Zhu Xuefeng is a little curious about what kind of person he is. According to Yang Lei, he should be a very shrewd middle-aged man.

"Uncle Jin has been invited over by Chen Xiaoqing from the back street for quite some time."

"Did you say something?"

Yang Zhen looked at Zhu Xuefeng and Jiang Fangzhou beside him and said in a low voice.

"It's about his sister and the white guy. If the Chen family wants to sue, they should ask Uncle Jin about it."

"Didn't they say that the Chen family was willing to accept the compensation? Why did they want to sue again?" Yang Lei asked puzzledly.

"Chen Xiaohu has retired and is back. I heard that he quit."

Yang Lei frowned. She studied law and understood what happened. She was not optimistic. "This is not something that can be done in a short time. Let's go and call Uncle Jin back first. We agreed last night that Boss Zhu is very busy. We still have to go and look at a house, which is dozens of kilometers away."

Yang Lei coaxed her sister away, then made tea for the two of them with an apologetic look on her face.

"Don't mind me, boss. My sister is like that. She is always suspicious of strangers, especially young men."

Zhu Xuefeng smiled and said, "Don't worry, we won't mind. It's a good thing to maintain appropriate vigilance. It's better to be careful in a foreign country."

After a while, a middle-aged man followed Yang Zhen back to the small wooden building, and Yang Lei hurried forward.

"Uncle Jin, this is the boss Zhu I talked about yesterday. He wants to rent a villa by the sea, so I brought him to you."

The man nodded. "I know the basic situation. Go pack up and go upstairs to get my car keys. We'll be leaving soon."

Yang Lei briefly introduced herself to Zhu Xuefeng and hurried upstairs with her sister.

This is a man in his early forties, who seems to bear too many traces of time. His eyes are deep and sharp, which should be the shrewdness and wisdom honed by many years of experience and multiple careers.

He was wearing a neat short-sleeved shirt and loose soap pants. His outfit had nothing to do with a lawyer, but every movement he made seemed so calm and unhurried.

The man stretched out his hand. "My last name is Jin. Xiaolei told me that you two are from Hong Kong. We are both compatriots."

Zhu Xuefeng also extended his hand, and the two shook hands. "Zhu Wentao, I'm from Hong Kong. From your accent, I think you're from Beijing."

Mr. Jin nodded and said, "I have been here for more than 20 years, and my accent cannot be changed. Your accent is also Beijing-style, isn't it..."

"Exactly!"

Upon hearing this, Mr. Jin laughed even more heartily, his hands still clenched tightly, and his other hand slapped Zhu Xuefeng's arm heavily.

"What a coincidence, haha, little brother, we are really destined to be together! Please wait a moment, I will change my clothes so that I can serve you."

Mr. Jin came out again in a suit and tie, especially his little hair, which was combed as shiny as his leather shoes.

It turns out that Mr. Jin was in Qi and came here in 1942. He exchanged the furniture he brought with him for this small building. Now he works as a lawyer and priest in this Chinese residential area, as well as the president of the Chamber of Commerce. He also does financial transactions, speculates in stocks and futures, and occasionally deals in antiques. He is involved in a variety of industries. As he says, he tries his hand at anything that can make money.

It can be seen that despite having multiple positions, this person seems to be able to shuttle between the various roles with ease, which requires extraordinary ability and energy, especially for a part-time lawyer. It seems that this person's shrewdness is not only reflected in his business acumen, but also in his deep understanding of human nature and keen insight into society. He knows how to deal with people and how to win the trust and respect of others. "Are you here alone?" Zhu Xuefeng was surprised that he didn't find other people in the small building.

"I guess so. I came here by myself when my family and I had a quarrel. Strictly speaking, I was brought here by my cousin. He studied abroad and had a lot of experience. I followed him around for several years before we separated. Now we are in this situation. My wife went to another city to study with the children. She insisted that she had to take care of the children and didn't want to follow me, so I just let them go."

Speaking of his wife and children, Mr. Jin couldn't help but sigh, "I haven't seen them for more than half a year. Now they don't even come home during holidays. My wife and children don't even call home unless they ask for money. Just let them be."

Jiang Fangzhuo listened silently on the side, and Zhu Xuefeng couldn't respond, which was a bit awkward. Fortunately, the two sisters quickly came down with the car keys, and they left the residential area together.

"Boss, my sister and I are following in Uncle Jin's car."

Knowing that Yang Lei was probably going to have a detailed talk with her sister, Zhu Xuefeng didn't care. Mr. Jin's car was a double-row pickup truck with some scratches, and it seemed that he often transported goods. The two cars left the archway and headed north along the coastal highway.

It was already past ten in the morning when they returned to the street where the hotel was located. The group accompanied Yang Lei to the restaurant to complete the resignation procedures, and then they continued heading north.

"Boss, I think Miss Yang Zhen is much more friendly towards you."

"I guess Yang Lei made things clear."

Zhu Xuefeng didn't care. He just kept staring at the sea in the distance across the road. Now he had left the naval base far behind and was not far from his destination.

After leaving the noisy city, the scenery along the way seemed to be getting better and better. The beautiful bay could be seen from afar, and the ocean to the east of the Bald Eagle was really beautiful.

Hidden on the tranquil coastline is a picturesque bay, which seems to be a shining pearl carefully carved by nature. The sunlight shines through the light clouds, casting mottled shadows, covering this sea area with a dreamy golden glow.

The sea water presents distinct layers of blue, gradually transitioning from the turquoise on the shore to the depth in the distance, just like a beautiful watercolor painting.

On the sparkling sea, a few dolphins jump out of the water happily from time to time. They tumble and spin gracefully, as if performing a silent dance, showing the agility and freedom bestowed by nature. Every leap is accompanied by a burst of crystal waves, adding a bit of vitality and vigor to this quiet bay.

The bay is surrounded by lush forests and green trees, which provide a natural barrier for the sea and make the air fresh and fragrant. Occasionally, one or two distant bird calls penetrate the tranquility and interweave with the sounds of dolphins playing, forming a harmonious song of nature.

"It's so beautiful." Several people have already gotten out of the car. Looking at the villas in the distance immersed in the dreamy sunshine, Yang Zhen finally sighed like a little girl.

"This place is far from the city and sparsely populated. Boss, we came all the way here. There is only a densely populated area about ten kilometers away. It seems that living here will not be very convenient."

As a typical science and engineering man, Jiang Fangzhuo is not interested in this at all. His boss is going on a short vacation, so it is not very convenient for him to buy things.

"These people really know how to pick a place. This place is beautiful, isn't it?"

After seeing the dolphin he had planned, Zhu Xuefeng had made up his mind: this was the place, no matter how much it cost, to get it.

"Boss, are you sure it's here? The transportation and life here don't seem to be very convenient."

Jiang Fangzhuo is very pragmatic. If the boss is on vacation here, it seems that she must solve the servant problem and leave a car for transportation.

Instead of going directly to see the villa, the few of them followed Zhu Xuefeng along the beach, admiring the scenery of the bay. In this bay undisturbed by the hustle and bustle of the world, time seemed to slow down, making people forget their worries and just want to immerse themselves in the tranquility and beauty, enjoying this rare peace and freedom with the dolphins.

"That's it. Isn't it great? Let's go and take a look at those villas."

Since the boss had made up his mind, the others naturally had no objection. In the long bay, within a range of nearly ten kilometers, there were less than ten villas in total. Checking the terrain and villas along the way, they found that most of the villas were only guarded by servants, and the owners were basically not there. They probably just came to stay for a while on vacation. It seemed that renting it was still possible. Jiang Fangzhuo felt relieved, but Zhu Xuefeng had already chosen a villa on the inner side of the bay.

This villa is very close to the sea. It is built on a high ground near the inner bay. There is a path leading directly to the bay. There is a dedicated pier with a triangular sailboat docked. It can be seen that the owner of this house also loves the sea.

When we arrived at the villa, coincidentally, there was a transfer notice on the notice board in front of the door. The owner of the villa was not there, only a sturdy black cook with two mighty dogs guarding it.

The carefully trimmed lawn and neat outdoor barbecue shed show that the owner is a person with a strong sense of life.

The landlords were a middle-aged couple. After the servant who stayed behind made the phone call, they arrived at the bay in less than two hours. It was obvious that they had strong intentions, but that was not the case when communicating.

The owner of the house said that he would rather sell it and had no intention of renting it out short-term. The two men looked like they were not likely to cause any trouble, but there seemed to be something hidden in their eyes. Mr. Jin also noticed something was wrong and reminded them in a low voice.

"Brother Zhu, something is wrong. The price is obviously too low. They seem to be eager to sell it. There must be something we don't know. Mr. Ferriverse must be hiding something. How about we go and have a look at a few other companies?"

"Sir, it's a good idea to choose this place. Believe me, you will be satisfied. This is the best location in the entire bay. It's close to the mountain ridge and faces the sea. What's even better is that the prime area of ​​the entire bay is not far from the door."

It can be seen that Zhu Xuefeng seemed to be a little interested, and the landlord continued to introduce enthusiastically.

"There are gentle beaches and the only natural harbor here. You may not know that the water quality of this harbor is very good, which is very suitable for swimming and water sports. In addition, because of the good water quality, many fish like to gather here, which makes it a place that dolphins like to visit very much."

Ms. Heim also added, "These dolphins are very friendly to humans, so we like to call this small bay Dolphin Bay."

"I also like water sports. I see there is a sailboat docked at your pier. Can this sailboat sail long distances?"

"The wind and waves here are relatively small. As long as we don't leave this area, there will be no problem. It is definitely not possible to sail far away. Besides, the sea security guards outside will not allow such a small sailboat to go out to sea. This is what my son used to practice in the bay. As long as we don't leave this bay, there will be no danger. Sir, do you also like sailing?"

"Unfortunately, although I like it, I don't know how to do it and I haven't learned it."

"It's okay. If you're interested, we can help introduce you to a sailing coach in the town ahead. As long as you pass the test and get the certificate, you can switch to a formal sailboat and go out to sea."

Zhu Xuefeng was a little overwhelmed by the landlord's enthusiasm. He glanced at Mr. Jin, who was still waiting for Zhu Xuefeng's decision.

"Thank you for your suggestion, Mr. Ferrifus. Sailing out to sea is indeed a very tempting idea. I think I will consider it when I have time." (End of this chapter)