My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Chapter 199 Brocade Garden

At seven o'clock in the morning, the sky over Zeyang City was still a hazy gray.

The sound of bicycle bells could already be heard scattered throughout the Sunshine Family Compound.

The aroma of fried dough sticks from the breakfast stall downstairs wafted all the way up to the fourth floor, carried by the dry, chilly autumn air.

Chen Jianguo wasn't wearing his usual blue factory uniform today.

He opened the old-fashioned wardrobe and picked out a dark gray zip-up jacket from the very end.

He only wore this outfit when visiting relatives during the Chinese New Year or when the factory held an awards ceremony. He changed into a pair of neatly washed black pants and zipped his jacket all the way up to his collar.

Liu Xiuying sat on the old sofa in the living room.

She had a knitted cloth bag that she usually used for grocery shopping on her lap.

The zipper of the cloth bag was open. She was looking down and carefully stuffing a red Industrial and Commercial Bank of China passbook into a transparent plastic sleeve. She used her hands to smooth out the air at the edges little by little, and then carefully placed it into the innermost pocket of the cloth bag before zipping it up.

This passbook used to contain the old couple's hard-earned savings of a few cents or dollars.

But today, its significance is completely different.

Chen Jianguo walked to the washbasin stand, took a towel and splashed cold water on his face to fully wake himself up.

He walked to the coffee table, picked up the landline on it, and dialed the number for the head of the machining workshop's office.

The phone rang three times, then it connected.

"Hello, Director Wang, it's me, Jianguo."

Chen Jianguo's voice was very steady.

I heard the sound of papers being turned over on the other end of the phone.

"Old Chen, why are you calling so early? What happened?"

"I have some urgent business to attend to at home today, so I need to take a day off. I'll have Xiao Liu keep an eye on the machine tool department for me for now."

"Okay, you old Chen can't take a single day off all year round. Go ahead and do what you need to do. I'll make up the leave slip for you later."

"Thank you, Director."

Chen Jianguo put the microphone back on the landline.

Liu Xiuying wrapped the cloth bag strap around her wrist twice, then looked up at him.

"Jianguo, which area in the city center should we look at? Buying a house is not like buying cabbage at the market. We're completely clueless; we don't even know which way the front door faces. What if we run into those shady real estate agents?"

Chen Jianguo pulled over a small stool and sat down, then pulled out a box of Honghe cigarettes from under the coffee table and lit one.

He took two puffs, watching the flickering embers of his cigarette.

"I don't understand, but someone else does."

Chen Jianguo flicked the cigarette ash into the glass ashtray.

"Old Zhang is out doing business every day, he knows the ins and outs of the market best. Let me see if I can get Old Zhang to help me out."

He picked up the landline receiver again, opened a small notebook that was under the phone, and dialed the mobile phone number listed in it.

The phone rang twice.

"Hey, Brother Chen!"

Zhang Zhicheng's strong voice came through the receiver.

"So early, have you had breakfast yet?"

"Old Zhang, are you busy today?" Chen Jianguo asked.

"I was just about to go to the building materials market, what's up?"

"If you have some free time, I'd like to ask you for a favor."

Chen Jianguo glanced at Liu Xiuying.

"We'd like to buy an apartment in the city center, but we don't know much about this industry and are worried about being ripped off. You have connections and a good eye, so we're thinking of having you show us around and help us make a decision."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhicheng didn't even pause.

"Buying a house? That's great! Okay, Brother Chen, stop wandering around aimlessly. Wait for me at the entrance of the residential compound, I'll drive over and pick you up right away, we'll talk when we meet!"

Less than twenty minutes after hanging up the phone.

Two short car horns sounded outside the gate of the Sunshine Family Compound.

A gleaming black Santana 2000 came to a steady stop on the side of the curb.

Zhang Zhicheng got out of the car and saw Chen Jianguo and Liu Xiuying coming out. He quickly went to greet them.

"Brother Chen, sister-in-law, get in the car."

Zhang Zhicheng opened the back door and blocked the door frame with his hand.

Chen Jianguo and Liu Xiuying got into the car. The heater was on, and there was a faint smell of car air freshener mixed with the scent of leather.

Zhang Zhicheng closed the car door, sat back in the driver's seat, put the car in gear, and the Santana smoothly merged into the morning rush hour traffic.

"Brother Chen, what brings you to suddenly want to move?"

While looking in the rearview mirror, Zhang Zhicheng took out a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes from the armrest box and handed it over.

"Aren't you getting used to living in the Sunshine Family Compound?"

Chen Jianguo waved his hand, indicating that he had just smoked.

He placed his hands on his knees and leaned forward slightly.

"This house is quite old. It's cold in winter and the soundproofing isn't good. Xiao Zhuo is currently at the University of Science and Technology of China... The higher-ups approved some kind of project for him. I don't understand the specifics, but it's like they gave him a strict order and approved a special fund, saying it must be used to improve the living conditions at home."

Chen Jianguo lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of solemnity.

"They said the money had to be spent within three months, and a copy of the property certificate had to be submitted for filing. If it wasn't done properly, it would implicate the leaders in their office and get punished."

Zhang Zhicheng's grip on the steering wheel tightened suddenly.

The car stopped at a red light at the intersection.

Zhang Zhicheng turned his head and looked at Chen Jianguo in the back seat.

"Special funds approved by higher authorities? A direct order to buy houses?"

Zhang Zhicheng's voice unconsciously rose a little.

"yes."

Liu Xiuying chimed in from the side.

"Xiao Zhuo is a stubborn child. He said on the phone last night that if we don't buy it, it will affect his studies. We have no choice but to bite the bullet and complete this task."

Zhang Zhicheng swallowed hard.

He had worked in society for so many years and had come into contact with all kinds of policies and funds, but this was the first time he had ever heard of the authorities using such an almost coercive method to force a college student's parents to buy a big house in their hometown.

What does this tell us?

This shows that in the eyes of those above, Chen's son was already a precious darling that could not be touched or wronged.

This is a disguised way of giving him money to solve his worries.

"So... how much is this special fund approximately?"

Zhang Zhicheng tentatively asked a question.

Chen Jianguo glanced out the window and leaned closer.

"Five hundred thousand."

Old Chen spoke calmly, but those two numbers struck Zhang Zhicheng like a thunderbolt.

Five hundred thousand.

Five hundred thousand in 2004.

Zhang Zhicheng runs his own company, dealing in building materials. He works non-stop all year round. After deducting expenses for entertainment, payments to suppliers, and wages for workers, the amount of readily available cash in his account is only this much.

Meanwhile, the thirteen-year-old boy from the Chen family, without moving an inch in Huizhou, simply did some calculations on paper, and 500,000 yuan was easily transferred back to his bank account.

Zhang Zhicheng turned around and saw that the red light in front of him had turned green.

He stepped on the gas, and the Santana restarted, but his mind was in turmoil.

"Brother Chen, sister-in-law."

Zhang Zhicheng's tone became more serious than ever before.

"Since this is a special fund and a direct order, we absolutely cannot be ambiguous. Ordinary commercial housing is not worthy of this money, nor is it worthy of Xiao Zhuo's current status."

Zhang Zhicheng immediately turned the steering wheel at the intersection ahead.

"Why don't we go straight to the Brocade Garden?"

"Jinxiu Garden?"

Liu Xiuying asked a question.

"Yes, it's the best-equipped and most upscale residential area in Zeyang City right now. My home is in Jinxiu Garden."

Zhang Zhicheng spoke as he drove.

"The community has separate pedestrian and vehicle access, 24-hour security, and most importantly, it has underfloor heating; the municipal underfloor heating system is installed in every household."

Zhang Zhicheng paused for a moment, then openly voiced the thought that had just popped into his mind.

"Brother Chen, there's actually a strange coincidence. In the building I live in, apartment 602 is mine, and the family across the hall, apartment 601, went abroad to do business a while ago. They haven't lived in the apartment for a single day. It's a large four-bedroom apartment that's been listed for sale at the sales office."

He looked at Chen Jianguo in the rearview mirror.

"If you guys think it's okay, let's go take a look at that house and buy it. Then our two families will be neighbors across the street. When Xiaozhu comes back for vacation, he can visit Qiangzi in no time. And if anything happens at home, our two families can help each other out."

Chen Jianguo and Liu Xiuying exchanged a glance.

Indeed, in a completely unfamiliar new neighborhood, having a familiar neighbor who knows you well is a great help in times of trouble.

Moreover, Zhang Qiang and Chen Zhuo have a good relationship, which is a real convenience.

"OK."

Chen Jianguo nodded.

"Old Zhang, let's listen to you and go check out the place across the street."

Twenty minutes later, the Santana stopped in front of an impressive building next to the main road.

The sales office of Jinxiu Garden is very impressive, with granite steps outside, a huge glass curtain wall that is spotless, and European-style Roman columns standing on both sides of the entrance.

When Liu Xiuying got out of the car, she looked at the security guard standing straight at the door and subconsciously clenched the cloth bag in her hand tighter.

Chen Jianguo walked beside her, his expression unchanged, but his steps became more steady.

Zhang Zhicheng walked at the front and pushed open the heavy glass door.

The lobby of the sales office was blasting warmth, and in the center was a huge model of the property.

A saleswoman in a navy blue business suit came up to them, her gaze sweeping over the three of them.

"Hello, would you like to view the apartment?"

Zhang Zhicheng didn't go to the sand table area; instead, he went directly to the adjacent negotiation area, pulled out two chairs, and let Chen Jianguo and his wife sit down.

"I'm not looking at the sand table anymore."

Zhang Zhicheng said to the saleswoman.

"Do you have a ready-built apartment in Phase 2, Building 3, Unit 2, Room 601 listed? Give us the keys and take us to see it in person."

Upon hearing the building number, the saleswoman knew this was a targeted customer. She figured a sweet talk would likely succeed, so she smiled and went to the front desk to get the keys.

Follow the saleswoman into the residential complex.

The greenery here is indeed different from that of the old residential compound.

The road is paved with bricks, and neatly trimmed holly trees are planted on both sides. The buildings are spaced far apart, allowing the sunlight to shine through without any obstruction.

Upon entering the stairwell of Unit 2, Building 3, the walls were covered with tiles.

The elevator is wide and makes very little noise when it's running.

Upon reaching the sixth floor, the elevator doors opened, revealing a layout with two apartments per floor.

Zhang Zhicheng pointed to the security door on the right.

"Brother Chen, this is my home."

Then, he pointed to his left.

The saleswoman used a key to open the door to apartment 601.

This is a large, four-bedroom, single-level apartment with good ventilation from north to south.

Upon entering, the 140-square-meter interior space appears extremely spacious due to the absence of any furniture.

The morning sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the south-facing living room and balcony, generously covering half of the living room floor.

The room had been plastered clean, and the walls were very clean.

As soon as Liu Xiuying stepped inside, her eyes were drawn to the bright light.

She wandered around the rooms. The master bedroom faced south and had a large bay window. The second bedroom was a little smaller, but it was also square.

"Old Zhang, is it really not cold in this house in winter?" Liu Xiuying asked.

"Don't worry, sister-in-law."

Zhang Zhicheng walked to one of the walls in the living room.

"This is one of the few communities around here with underfloor heating. The municipal hot water goes directly underground, and the temperature inside is at least 20 degrees Celsius in winter. Xiao Zhuo sits here reading and feels hot even wearing a sweater."

Chen Jianguo did not discuss lighting and layout with them.

He squatted down next to the underfloor heating manifold.

As a veteran technician who has spent most of his life in machining, he is not interested in European style or Roman columns, but he understands hardware and metal processing technology.

He reached out and touched the row of brass inlet and outlet valves.

The brass material was thick and cool to the touch. He ran his fingers over the threads and joints of the valve and felt no rough burrs. The fit of the screws was very neat.

He stood up again and walked to the French windows on the balcony.

He gripped the handle of the aluminum window and pushed it to the side twice with force.

The sliding rails made a low rolling sound, very smooth. The moment the window was closed and the handle was pressed to lock it, the faint sound of wind from the upper floors that could still be heard was instantly and completely cut off.

Finally, Chen Jianguo walked back to the front door.

He looked at the heavy, dark red security door and carefully examined the four concealed metal hinges connecting the door frame.

He bent his index and middle fingers and tapped the door panel twice with his knuckles, neither too hard nor too soft.

The voice is deep and not hollow.

Chen Jianguo turned around and nodded to Liu Xiuying, who was looking at him.

"The hinges are made of solid materials, the window seals are properly secured, and the brass valves for the heating system are also well-made."

Chen Jianguo dusted off his hands and gave a final assessment of the house in the simplest of terms.

"If the developer didn't cut corners in these small details, then the quality of the house shouldn't be a big problem."

With Chen Jianguo's words, Liu Xiuying felt completely relieved.

"Old Zhang, how much did this house cost in full?" Liu Xiuying asked.

Zhang Zhicheng turned to look at the saleswoman.

The saleswoman took out a black calculator and quickly pressed a few keys.

"Sir, Madam, this apartment is 142 square meters. Including the initial decoration fee, major repair fund, and deed tax, if you pay in full, we can apply to the manager for a 2% discount."

She turned the calculator screen around.

"The total price is 385,000 yuan."

Three hundred and eighty-five thousand.

Upon hearing this number, Liu Xiuying instinctively tightened her grip on the strap of the cloth bag.

In the past, she would spend ages haggling with the vendor over a mere two cents when buying two pounds of pork ribs at the market.

For her, 385,000 was an astronomical figure that seemed unattainable.

But today.

Just thinking about what her son said on the phone last night—that if she didn't buy the right thing, it would implicate the hospital leaders and affect her future—made all her stinginess disappear.

"OK."

Liu Xiuying spoke crisply and decisively, without even asking if she could get a discount of a few hundred yuan.

Zhang Zhicheng listened from the side, glancing down at the double lion watch on his wrist.

The clock is almost pointing to twelve.

"Brother Chen, sister-in-law."

Zhang Zhicheng waved his hand, stopping the saleswoman who was about to lead them downstairs.

"It's almost noon now. Large cross-province remittances go through the People's Bank of China's system, which takes time. Bank staff are also taking turns eating lunch. It's safest to go to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to check the accounts at 2 pm."

Chen Jianguo nodded.

"Okay, I'll do as you say. Let's go downstairs first, find a noodle shop nearby to grab a quick bite, and go back this afternoon."

Why go downstairs?

Zhang Zhicheng chuckled and pointed to the tightly closed security door across the hall.

"We're already home, why go to a restaurant?"

Chen Jianguo was stunned for a moment.

Zhang Zhicheng strode directly to the door of 602 and took out the key from his pocket.

"My wife is cooking. Come on in! We'll have lunch at my place today. It's just a matter of adding two pairs of chopsticks. You can also get acquainted with the place beforehand. From now on, we'll be real neighbors who see each other every day."

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