The car giant started by marrying the daughter of the king

Chapter 165: Under the Imperial City, Looking Up, You Can See the Palace Wall

People are happy when they are happy.

After finishing the day's work efficiently, Jiang Hui packed up and left immediately after hearing the bell for the end of get off work.

He was a little impatient to go home.

Along the way, his two long legs pedaled very fast and he arrived home seven or eight minutes earlier than usual.

"Mom, why are you here?"

As soon as he went upstairs, Jiang Hui saw his mother-in-law busy in front of the honeycomb coal stove.

Hearing Jiang Hui's voice, Zhu Lin also walked out of the room.

"Can I come over and see?"

"You two have no experience. What can you eat and what can't you eat? What are the things you need to pay attention to? Don't I have to tell you specifically?"

My mother-in-law's words were not very polite, but her face was full of smiles.

My little daughter is finally pregnant. This is definitely the biggest happy event this year.

Throughout 1979, everything seemed to be moving in the right direction.

My husband became the head of the Department of Vehicle Engineering and had a bright future.

My son-in-law has been promoted and has achieved remarkable results at a young age.

The book written by my daughter was also published in People's Literature, and now she is pregnant again.

She feels her life is perfect and no longer wants to go to work.

When the baby is born, I will come over to help take care of the child.

"I just called her and she came straight over in the morning."

"It's only been over a month, and nothing has changed."

Zhu Lin also gave a brief explanation, his face full of helplessness.

"Your dad is too busy lately, otherwise I'd ask him to come along."

"The food will be ready soon, wash your hands and get ready to eat."

My mother-in-law is a pretty good cook. The smell of the dishes makes me hungry.

Jiang Hui glanced at the dishes on the table: meatballs, braised spare ribs, and braised fish.

Add to that the stir-fried Chinese water spinach, and three people are eating three meat dishes and one vegetable dish. This standard is definitely very high.

"Mom, since you came here, the quality of our food has improved by several levels."

Jiang Hui grabbed a piece of pork ribs and put it in his mouth.

I have to say, it tastes much better than Zhu Lin’s.

Of course, this cannot be said out loud.

"My neighbor just told me that you two often eat out."

"Although I don't mind spending a few bucks, the food I eat out won't be as clean and hygienic as what I cook at home."

Jiang Hui would definitely not refute what his mother-in-law said.

Anyway, whatever you say is good, but whether you actually do it in the end is another matter.

"Linlin, you should be a little careful when buying vegetables next time. You can't eat any ingredients that can activate blood circulation."

"You should also eat less cold fruits like watermelon in the next few months."

Fang Zhen comes from a medical family and is quite particular about food ingredients.

Zhu Lin also has basic medical knowledge in this area, and she will understand as long as Fang Zhen mentions it briefly.

"Well, I'll pay a little attention during this time."

Zhu Lin agreed to his mother's words while serving food to everyone.

"Mom, we're going to look at houses on Sunday. If you're free, you can come with us."

For a big thing like buying a house, even if you don’t use your parents’ money, you must definitely tell them about it.

Otherwise, the old man will definitely feel upset by then.

"Okay, I'll ask your dad to go watch it with me then."

Fang Zhen, as expected, wanted to go along to look at houses. "This dormitory is indeed a little small. It will be very inconvenient when you have children in the future. It would be better for both of you to have your own study room."

The three of them were talking and eating.

No one wants to follow the habit of not talking while eating or sleeping today.

After finishing the meal, Fang Zhen cleaned up the dishes and repeatedly reminded Zhu Lin of many things to pay attention to before going downstairs and riding his bike back.

"Mom is so nagging today."

Seeing his mother's back slowly disappearing in the distance, Zhu Lin complained proudly.

Jiang Hui would definitely not continue with this.

"There are several courtyard houses we will visit the day after tomorrow, and the situations in each one are certainly different."

"When the time comes, I plan to buy a quieter, larger, and better maintained one."

Jiang Hui smoothly turned the topic back to buying a house.

There is no way Zhu Lin would not pay attention to this topic.

"Well, when the time comes we can build a rack in the yard, plant some grapes or something, and put a lounge chair underneath. It should feel very different."

Zhu Lin happily began to plan the layout of the courtyard.

As an old resident of the capital, she was very familiar with what the courtyard house was like.

So even without going to see the house, she still had a lot of ideas.

"Let's get a barbecue grill, buy some beef and mutton and make skewers. Paired with beer, it will be absolutely delicious."

Following Zhu Lin's ideas, Jiang Hui made some additions.

The two of them took a walk in the yard before going home to wash up and continue with their busy work.

Those who are writing continue to write, and those who are recording foreign language materials continue to record.

……

Early on Sunday morning, Chen Chenxing came with breakfast.

He accompanied Jiang Hui to look at the courtyard house today and was more enthusiastic than buying a house himself.

After Jiang Hui and his wife finished their breakfast, his mother-in-law and her husband also arrived.

The group of five set off directly and headed towards the three courtyards that had been agreed upon previously.

The first courtyard is located in Xinkailu Hutong, northeast of the health center’s dormitory building. The location is quite prosperous, but because it is too prosperous, the surrounding area is very noisy.

So a few people knocked on the door, went in and took a look around, and basically gave up this option.

Neither Jiang Hui nor Zhu Lin are the kind of people who like to join in the fun.

Both of them looked down upon this courtyard house which was not quiet in the bustling city.

Then we looked at a courtyard in Chunyu Hutong.

Compared to the first place, it was a little quieter. Just as they arrived at the gate of the yard, they saw a man coming out cursing and muttering, "You have no right to sell this yard. I don't agree."

Well, let’s not talk about other things.

Just seeing that there were property rights or other disputes in this yard, Jiang Hui didn't want to join in the fun.

At that time, the capital was full of courtyard houses. Although there were not many suitable ones for sale, he was absolutely unwilling to buy a courtyard that was involved in disputes.

When you move in, you'll be sick of their disgust.

There is absolutely no need to spend money to suffer.

These two courtyards were recommended by my mother-in-law's friends. Seeing that Jiang Hui and Zhu Lin didn't like either of them, my mother-in-law felt a little uncomfortable.

"These people really don't have good taste. What kind of courtyards do they recommend?"

After saying this, Fang Zhen crumpled up the piece of paper with the address in his hand and threw it into the corner.

"Mom, there aren't many people selling houses at this time, so it's normal that we can't find a suitable one for a while."

"Besides, there is still a yard that we haven't seen yet."

Jiang Hui had also bought a second-hand house in his previous life. After looking around, he realized that sometimes it really depends on fate.

Some people look at dozens or even hundreds of houses but still can't find a suitable one. But some people buy the first one they see.

What is happening here is just like Schrödinger's cat, full of uncertainty.

"We can rule them out after just one look, which saves us a lot of trouble. In the future, we won't have to look at other similar yards anymore."

Zhu Lin also said something from the side.

Seeing that no one blamed him, Fang Zhen didn't say anything more.

"Morning Star, let's go take a look at the house you mentioned."

Chen Chenxing didn't say much today and just followed everyone silently.

But now it is finally his time to perform, and he immediately becomes much more active.

"That courtyard is in Nanwanzi Hutong, just one block west of the dormitory building where you, Master, live. I went there for a look after get off work yesterday."

"The courtyard is only two miles away from the Forbidden City. When you look up from the courtyard, you can see the walls of the Forbidden City. There are similar courtyards everywhere, with no obstructions."

"The key point is that although this place is very close to the Forbidden City, it is quite quiet and there are not many good and bad people."

"Since there are some important departments not far away, the public security situation is also very good."

"The property rights of this yard are very clear. It has been occupied by one family from the beginning to the end. The yard has never changed owners since before the founding of the People's Republic of China. This is very rare."

Along the way, Chen Chenxing quickly introduced the situation of this courtyard.

Obviously, he was listening carefully when Jiang Hui and the others were discussing the two courtyards just now.

The weather in the capital had started to get hot, and Jiang Hui soon began to sweat a lot while driving Zhu Lin.

My mother-in-law and the others are similar.

However, everyone was very enthusiastic about viewing the house.

Ten minutes later, they turned into an alley and walked two or three hundred meters. Chen Chenxing stopped his bike and said, "This is it. I'll go knock on the door."

Since it was an arrangement made in advance, someone opened the door soon after Chen Chenxing knocked.

"Uncle Fu, we are here to look at the house. We have made an appointment with you before."

Chen Chenxing took the initiative to chat with others.

Jiang Hui and others, who had parked their bicycles, naturally walked up and exchanged greetings.

"Everyone, take a look. If you like something, we'll talk about other things."

Uncle Fu was neither enthusiastic nor cold. It seemed that Jiang Hui and his family were not the only ones who came to see the house recently.

But it is estimated that no transaction was made.

Since people have said so, we will naturally not be polite.

Buying a house is a big deal. The two previous yards have been eliminated. If I find one I like today, this one will be the only one left.

From the current perspective, the geographical location is good and the property rights should be relatively clear.

If there are no major issues, there is nothing to hesitate about.

This is a quadrangle courtyard with two entrances.

The first courtyard is spacious and bright. The sunlight shines through the sparse clouds and onto the bluestone path, creating an interweaving of light and shadow.

There are also several pots of blooming jasmine placed in the center of the courtyard. They are not afraid of the baptism of time and still bloom the brightest smile, adding a bit of vitality and vigor to this small courtyard.

The main house is tall and solemn, with blue bricks, grey tiles, carved beams and painted rafters. Although it has gone through wind and rain, it still reveals an indescribable majesty and elegance.

The wood carvings on the doors and windows are delicate and exquisite. Every stroke contains the hard work and wisdom of the craftsmen, as if telling stories about the rise and fall of families and the changes in the world.

The east and west wing rooms appear more intimate and warm; they are low and compact.

After passing through an exquisite hanging flower gate, you enter the second courtyard.

It is more private and quiet here, like a paradise away from the hustle and bustle.

There is actually a small pond in the yard. The water is so clear that you can see the bottom. A few goldfish are swimming leisurely in it, which is very rare.

By the pool, several green bamboos stand tall and straight, contrasting with the rockery and forming a moving landscape painting.

The back room is built next to the courtyard wall. Although it is not as grand as the main room, it is more practical and warm.

It can be said that this courtyard house with two entrances and two windows is much larger than ordinary courtyards, and the overall design is quite charming. One can tell at a glance that the family here were not simple in their past.

After going through decades of ups and downs, this yard has been preserved. It is obvious that Uncle Fu’s family is a family with a story.

"Jiang Hui, I think this place is nice."

Zhu Lin turned around and felt quite satisfied.

She had seen quite a few siheyuans, not to mention those that looked like shantytowns. Even among the proper siheyuans, she had not seen many that were better than this one.

Although some people think that the real Siheyuan is the large one with three courtyards, it is very rare for such a courtyard to be owned by a family and sold.

Most of them have been transformed into slums, or are not circulated in the market at all.

Basically, the courtyard house with two entrances in front of you is the ceiling of what you can buy.

"It's indeed OK. I'll go talk to Master Fu."

Jiang Hui was straightforward and there was nothing special to worry about.

In this era, you will not lose money no matter what price you buy a courtyard house.

Besides, money can’t buy what I like.

You two aren't short of that little bit of money, so naturally you'll buy it since you've been lied to.

"Twenty-eight thousand dollars, not a penny less. If you like it, we will go through the formalities tomorrow and hand the yard over to you right away."

Seeing Jiang Hui chatting with him for a few minutes and then starting to ask about the price, Uncle Fu simply waved his hand and gave a price that was definitely very high in that era.

Some inferior courtyard houses can cost more than ten thousand yuan, or even a few thousand yuan.

A yard that costs over 20,000 yuan is definitely rare.

Of course, Jiang Hui could understand why the other party offered this price.

The courtyard is located at the foot of the imperial city, and you can see the palace wall by looking up.

In ancient times, only noble families were qualified to live here, and having money was of no use.

In addition, the maintenance is also good, so it is normal that the price is a bit higher.

"I heard that you bought the house in preparation for going abroad?"

Jiang Hui was not completely ignorant of the information beforehand. Chen Chenxing had worked so hard to find out, so he must have known something.

"Yes, if you can trade in US dollars, I will sell it to you for $10,000."

Mr. Fu was quite straightforward and directly offered a new price.

According to the official exchange rate, US$10,000 is equivalent to more than RMB 15,000, which seems to be a lot of concessions.

However, Jiang Hui also understood the market and said, "Uncle Wang, one US dollar can be exchanged for six or seven RMB on the black market now, and the price is still rising. Maybe one US dollar can be exchanged for eight or nine RMB in a while."

After hearing what Jiang Hui said, Uncle Fu did not refute, but asked: "Do you have US dollars? If you do, we can talk about it. If not, there is no need to worry so much."

Seeing that this matter was all about money, Jiang Hui didn't want to put it off until later.

"I won't hesitate. I'll give you $2500 and 1 RMB. If you're okay with it, you can find someone to write a document now and go through the formalities tomorrow."

"If that doesn't work, then let's reconsider it!"

At this price, my mother-in-law and her husband definitely could not support it. They also knew that Jiang Hui was a very opinionated person, so they rarely said anything.

Uncle Fu frowned, stared at Jiang Hui for a long time, and said, "If you add another thousand yuan, I will leave all the furniture in the house to you, and only take away some daily necessities and clothes."

After hearing what he said, Jiang Hui thought about the furniture he had just seen.

Although he didn't know much about antiques, some of the furniture in the room were obviously old.

There might be something special.

Even if there is nothing, just consider the furniture in various places in the house, count it as 1000 yuan, and they really didn't get any bargain.

"Okay, then do as you say!"

"I will pay a deposit of 1000 yuan today, and I will go through the formalities tomorrow, and I will give you the rest of the money at the same time."

Seeing Jiang Hui agree so readily, Uncle Fu also breathed a sigh of relief.

In the capital city in 1979, there were not many people who could offer a better price than Jiang Hui.

(End of this chapter)