Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 436 Housing Management Bureau

Zhang Huzi licked his lips, watching Chen Hui walk away. He opened his mouth as if to say something but didn't. These days, it was all about welfare housing; houses weren't worth much, especially old houses in shantytowns like this. Forty thousand yuan was far more important to these workers and citizens than the house itself. In fact, if Xiao Wei had really been really desperate, he would have sold it for thirty thousand yuan too.

Thankfully, the real estate era hadn't yet arrived; real estate in Fengtian was just beginning to sprout, still quite far removed from the lives of ordinary people. In an era when being a "ten-thousand-yuan household" was just becoming a term admired by Mao Zedong, the power of money far exceeded that of later generations.

A few minutes later, Chen Hui came in with four stacks of money, handed them to Zhang Huzi, and said, "Count them."

Zhang Huzi's breathing became heavy, his hands trembled, and he dropped his cigarette. Don't laugh at him; this is how ordinary people are these days. A few thousand yuan is a huge sum of money. Apart from a few pioneers who went into business early, how many people have ever seen tens of thousands of yuan?

Zhang Huzi, panting heavily, counted the 40,000 yuan for a full fifteen minutes, making several mistakes and recounting it several times. Xiao Wei and the others just stood there quietly waiting for him to count. Chen Hui ran out again to get paper and pen and handed them to Xiao Wei, who then wrote down a sales agreement.

After Zhang Huzi finished counting the money and his emotions calmed down a bit, he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Xiao Wei handed him the notebook and said, "Take a look at the agreement and receipt. If there are no problems, just sign it and put your fingerprint on it. Then we'll go to the real estate bureau to complete the formalities. It'll be easier for you to just give you the money directly, so I don't have to take it back."

Zhang Huzi licked his lips, clutched the money to his chest, took the notebook and glanced at it. He then took the pen Xiaowei handed him and signed the agreement and receipt. Chen Hui opened the inkpad and had him put his fingerprint on it. Xiaowei said, "You have your ID card, right? Find your ID card and property certificate. We need to go to the real estate bureau. We need to hurry, as it will be inconvenient to use the car this afternoon. Oh, and you should also have the land deed for this house, right? You need to bring that too."

Zhang Huzi grabbed a rag and wiped his hands, saying, "Yes, yes, I'll get it for you right away." Holding the money, he walked into the inner room. Xiao Wei said, "You have a passbook, right? Take the money and go directly to the bank to deposit it. Don't keep so much money at home."

Zhang Huzi walked into the house without turning his head, saying, "Right, right, deposit it, I'm looking for the passbook."

Chen Hui's expression changed instantly, and he immediately lowered his head, revealing a lewd smile. Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Wei glared at him, and he became quiet, coughing as he lit a cigarette and looked out at the rain. Xiao Wei said, "Call the relevant people. Make the arrangements at the housing bureau. We'll be there right away."

Chen Hui paused for a moment before realizing what was happening, then hurriedly ran out to his car to make a phone call.

About ten minutes later, Chen Hui returned after making the call. Zhang Huzi came out carrying money in one hand and a red cloth bag in the other, handing the bag to Xiao Wei and saying, "Look, the property certificate and land deed are all here, and my ID card is in there too."

Xiao Wei opened it, looked at it, and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to the bank to deposit the money first, then we'll go to the real estate bureau to finalize the paperwork. Once it's done, everyone will feel at ease. Is it alright since no one's home here?"

Zhang Huzi said, "It's nothing. I just come over during the day when I have nothing to do to keep an eye on things, cook a meal, and that's it. Nobody lives here anymore." These old bungalows, which are uninhabited for long periods, need someone to look after them and keep the kang (heated brick bed) warm, otherwise they'll collapse in no time. They're different from the later pure red brick and tile houses.

Xiao Wei locked the door and put away the key, Zhang Huzi held the money, and Xia Maosheng held the land deed. The group got into the car and headed to the real estate bureau.

In those days, welfare housing did not have property ownership certificates. All property rights were held by public units and the government. Only these old houses, because they were originally privately owned, had certificates and deeds.

Leaving Wanliu, head north along Wanquan Road into Chaoyang Street. After passing the Marshal's Mansion, you'll reach the Governor-General's Mansion of the Three Eastern Provinces, two stops from the Forbidden City. All the district government departments were located here. In this era, the Housing Bureau was also called the Housing Management Bureau, a department that rarely interacted with ordinary people.

First, I went to the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) and had Zhang Huzi deposit the money. The sight of this guy holding the money, covered in sweat, was so touching.

Old Chen at the Housing Management Bureau had already made arrangements with acquaintances. Chen Hui led Xiao Wei, Zhang Huzi, and Xia Maosheng directly to the deputy director, explained the matter, and Xiao Wei and Zhang Huzi filled out a bunch of forms. Then the deputy director called a bunch of his subordinates to his office to sign and stamp the forms. What would take ordinary people a month or half a year to do was completed in less than an hour.

With the land title changed and a new property certificate obtained, the land and house now belong to Xiaowei.

After leaving the housing management bureau, the group returned to the old house. Zhang Huzi packed up some of his personal belongings and put them into two boxes.

Chen Hui asked Zhang Huzi, "Brother Zhang, where are you going? I'll give you a ride."

Zhang Xuzi waved his hand and said, "No need, no need, you guys are busy. I'll just take the bus straight back to work; it's not far from here."

Xiao Wei said, "Okay then. Well, Brother Zhang, goodbye for now. Keep the bankbook safe and don't lose it. Head straight home." Zhang Huzi subconsciously touched his chest; the bankbook was in his inner pocket. Full of excitement, he picked up his two large suitcases and left to share the good news with his family.

After Zhang Huzi had walked a distance, Chen Hui asked Xiao Wei, "Didn't we say he should point out the places and mark them? Aren't you going to put up the fence?"

Xiao Wei took out a cigarette, lit it, and said, "We don't need him. I've looked at the map on the land deed. That whole area around the neighborhood committee belongs to us. If we let him point out the location, he'll definitely dig out the neighborhood committee area, and then we'll lose money, right?"

Xia Maosheng asked, "Really? How can you be sure?"

Xiao Wei said, "This whole area used to be private residences. There are still the original foundation piles by the roadside. Before I came back, I took a look. Strictly speaking, only the land of these few buildings on the side was carved out from this plot. The row of houses near the school also belongs to us. The area from the neighborhood committee all the way to the park wall is on the map. Chen Hui, drive over there and call Engineer Wang over. Bring some people over to measure it and you'll know."

Chen Hui said, "Okay, I'll go and call." He drove to Xiao Wei's yard. It wasn't far, about a kilometer. It was just a turn along the park wall. However, there were many temporary illegal houses and sheds built behind the school in this area, so the road was a bit narrow.

At that time, the school was a row of single-story buildings, like a large courtyard house. There was a school-run factory on the side, along the road. Xiao Wei judged that the land of this school-run factory should belong to him, and it was across the road from this side. The neighborhood committee was a two-story red brick building, and there were only a few buildings like that in this area.

A short while later, Engineer Wang arrived with two workers in the truck. Xiao Wei greeted him with a smile, offering him a cigarette and saying, "Thank you for your help again, Engineer Wang. Aren't you taking a break in this rain? I thought you wouldn't be here."

(End of this chapter)