Back to 80: My Literary Life

Naturally, three days was not enough for this trip to Yanjing to visit relatives. Fang Minghua took another three days off so that he could have more fun in Yanjing.

The train is speeding across the Great Plains of North China.

Fang Minghua and Song Tangtang were sitting very intimately on the lower bunk. At first glance, they looked like a newly married couple.

Song Tangtang is still wearing the military uniform - this is the last time she wears the military uniform for a long trip, and she will change her job and return to her hometown when she comes back.

However, compared with before, she is less heroic and more charming like a little woman.

"Minghua, when you see grandpa this time, you must not drink with him. The doctor said he has a heart problem and cannot drink anymore."

"Also, this time I go to Yanjing to see the courtyard house. The one last time seems to have not been sold yet. I must go and see it this time."

Song Tangtang said.

Fang Minghua could only nod.

Do girls have to talk more after they get married?

That seems to be it.

We arrived in Yanjing at noon the next day and took a bus to the Huangsi General Administration Courtyard. Grandpa and grandma were waiting for them at home with a smile.

Grandpa has just recovered from a serious illness. He looks a little weak, but he is in good spirits.

The two came in and shouted affectionately. The two old men took out red envelopes from their pockets and handed them to Fang Minghua.

"The first time my grandson-in-law comes to visit, according to the rules, he has to give a red envelope."

Fang Minghua quickly declined, and Song Tangtang next to him also said: "Grandpa, we don't want it. Doesn't Minghua come here often?"

"That doesn't count! Now he is a serious grandson-in-law!"

I # ￥%%……

Fang Minghua had no choice but to accept the two red envelopes obediently.

Fang Minghua had nothing serious to do when he came to Yanjing this time. He wanted to visit his grandpa and grandma, meet old friends, and the most important thing was to see the courtyard house for sale as Song Tangtang said.

My grandfather accidentally heard about that courtyard house when he was chatting with his friends. He said that there was a courtyard house for sale in a good location.

Fang Minghua contacted the owner of the courtyard and arranged a time to go and take a look.

After lunch the next afternoon, Fang Minghua and Song Tangtang left the General Political Courtyard and took the bus straight to Shichahai.

The courtyard house said to be for sale is near Maoer Hutong, located in the northwest of Dongcheng, not far from Qianhai of Shichahai, and is called Liuya Hutong.

When Fang Minghua and Song Tangtang found the courtyard numbered 039 in the alley, they saw a man in his thirties standing at the door. He was wearing a gray windbreaker and glasses and looked quite elegant.

The man's surname was Su, and his name was Sumu. This was the message given to him by his grandfather.

Fang Minghua first introduced himself and had to show his work permit. Unexpectedly, the other party smiled and said: "No, I know you, Fang Minghua, deputy editor-in-chief of "Yanhe" magazine, winner of the second Mao Dun Award."

Looking at Fang Minghua's slightly surprised look, Su Mu smiled again: "I teach literature at Yan'an Normal University."

I see!

"Near here is Mao'er Hutong. Editor Fang, as a literati, you must also know that Mao'er Hutong is a treasure of natural resources and outstanding people. In the Ming Dynasty, it was the Wenchang Palace, where Wenquxing was enshrined. There were also the former residences of many famous people: Empress Wanrong of the Qing Dynasty, Feng Guozhang and Zhu Jiaxin both lived here.

Fang Minghua listened and looked at the door.

The gate faces south and the courtyard faces north. The crimson door leaves and pillars have faded and become mottled due to age. There is a drum-holding stone on each side of the lower sill.

Seeing Fang Minghua observing the gate, Su Mu said with a smile: "The gates in the courtyard also have different levels. The gate in our house is called the Jinzhu Gate. The first level is the Wangfu Gate, and the second level is the Guangliang Gate. Come down. Our house is called Jinzhu Gate, which was usually an official residence during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

"So, your ancestors once served as officials in the imperial court?" Song Tangtang asked.

"Yes, my great-grandfather was an official of Dali Temple in the Qing Dynasty. He was a fourth-rank official. My grandfather was also an official in the Republic of China. My parents were both university professors. In my generation, they were just lecturers. It is true that each generation is inferior to the last." Su Mu said with a self-deprecating tone.

"That's also a high-level intellectual." Fang Minghao replied casually.

Su Mu shook his head.

Although there are many courtyards in Yanjing, they can be divided into three types: large courtyard, medium courtyard and small courtyard in terms of scale. And this courtyard turned out to be a middle courtyard, separated by walls into a front, outer, and inner courtyard.

There is a screen wall upon entering the door, with a circular stone carving in the middle with the word "福" engraved on it.

Next is the second gate, which Sumu calls: the Hanging Flower Gate.

After entering Chuihua, you arrive at the inner courtyard. The courtyard is quite large and there is an osmanthus tree in it. Su Mu told Fang Minghua that there are a total of 17 large and small rooms inside and outside, and the total area of ​​the courtyard is about 430 square meters.

To be honest, from the perspective of future generations, this courtyard looks very dilapidated like other courtyard houses in Yanjing City. The cabbage neatly placed on the eaves has dried and gives off a musty smell.

There is also the smell of coal smoke. The briquette stove and honeycomb briquette stove are like smokers sticking their chimneys out of doors and windows, puffing out clouds of smoke. Coal tar and water vapor fell from the chimney mouth to the ground, forming black ice.

"Tap water has been connected to the house, but the toilet is a public toilet, even at the entrance of the alley. I guess you saw it when you came here," Su Mu said.

"Ah, there is only one public toilet in the whole alley?" Song Tangtang said in surprise.

"Yes, going to the toilet is a troublesome thing, but that's the case in all courtyard houses in Yanjing." Su Mu explained.

"Do you think the sanitary conditions here are not good, so you want to buy a commercial building?" Song Tangtang asked again.

Su Mu shook his head: "No, I am going to the United States and will not come back."

"ah?"

"This yard was returned to my family after my parents' policies were implemented a few years ago." Su Mu explained: "But my parents have passed away, so it is in my hands. My wife has gone abroad two years ago, and I plan to take her with her My children are also leaving and I need money to go abroad, so I plan to sell this old house.”

Having said this, Su Mu put his hands in his pockets, looked around, and said, "There is nothing left to miss about this place."

There was sudden silence among the three of them.

After a while, Fang Minghua changed the topic: "Are the real estate certificates complete?"

"All the procedures are complete. The transfer can be done immediately. I'll pick it up for you." Su Mu said as he entered the main room and took out a leather envelope within a few minutes.

"This is the real estate certificate issued to us last year. Take a look."

Fang Minghua took out a certificate from the cowhide envelope and saw the words "Private House Property Rights Certificate" written on it. The date of issuance was November 19, 1985, and the signature was Dongcheng QU People's Government.

"Okay, Teacher Su, tell me a price."

"180,000."

"180,000 is too expensive!" Fang Minghua objected.

Su Mu smiled after hearing this, and suddenly asked: "Editor Fang, your registered residence is not in Yanjing, right?"

"No." Fang Minghua answered simply: "My household registration is in Xijing, but my wife's household registration is in Yanjing. You don't have to worry about this. It doesn't violate the policy."

Fang Minghua did not lie.

Song Tangtang's father served in the army in Yanjing. Later, he was transferred to Xijing when his position was promoted, and his hukou was also passed along with him. He was unlucky for a long time.

In order to protect his two grandsons, Song Tangtang's grandfather found someone to move the household registrations of Song Yuemin and Song Tangtang back to Yanjing and put them on his own household registrations. Until now, otherwise it would still be a problem for Fang Minghua to buy a house in Yanjing.

After listening to Fang Minghua's words, Su Mu explained: "That's not what I meant. I meant that if you settled in Xijing and went to Yanjing to buy a house, and you bought such a shabby courtyard house, you must not live in it yourself, but for It will appreciate in value in the future, right?”

The other party saw through it!