My courtyard shelter

After Gao Yuemei and his grandson were temporarily placed in the North Gate guard room, Xu Dong returned to the office and prepared to ask Section Chief Li for a leave.

Given Sister Gao's current condition, it is better not to let her see her old colleagues again, as she is easily irritated.

"Dong dong dong..."

"Please come in."

"Uncle Li, it's me." Xudong pushed the door open and entered.

Section Chief Li didn't even raise his head and said directly: "If you have anything to say, please tell me immediately."

"Uncle Li, Sister Gao is back."

Section Chief Li immediately stopped the pen in his hand: "Lao Gao, when did she come back?"

Section Chief Li has paid special attention to the riots that occurred on the west coast of the beautiful country for a while. After all, he is an old colleague for decades, and it is only natural to be concerned.

"I just got off the plane this morning, but Sister Gao and her family have encountered a disaster. Sister Gao, her husband, son and daughter-in-law are all gone. Now only Sister Gao and her grandson are left." Xu Dong introduced.

"Alas!" Section Chief Li sighed, "I had a hunch a long time ago that Lao Gao and his family are also unlucky. If they go to the east coast, they won't have such troubles."

"Yeah, who would have thought!"

Speaking of which, Xu Dong didn't pay attention to the news in this area in his previous life. He only heard that the beautiful country was in chaos, but he knew very little about what happened specifically.

"Lao Gao, where is she now?"

"It's at the North Gate. I want to take a leave and help Sister Gao rent a house. They don't even have a place to live now." Xu Dong replied.

"Okay, I'll go see them after Lao Gao settles down." Section Chief Li nodded.

"Uncle Li, I'll go over first. Sister Gao is still waiting. I'll make up for the leave note later."

Section Chief Li waved his hand: "Go ahead. You can't pay the rent alone, so count me in it too."

"You are the old one." Xu Dong gestured with his thumb.

…

Half an hour later, Xu Dong took Gao Yuemei to a nearby agency company.

In recent months, real estate agents in Yanjing have been having a miserable life. Whether it is new or second-hand housing, they are unable to sell any properties. They can only rely on the rental market to earn some hard money.

After talking about the rental requirements, the agent quickly took Xu Dong and others to the nearby Songshu Hutong.

The requirements for renting a house are very simple, there are only two in total:

First, try to be as close to the power company as possible, the closer the better, after all, it is convenient to commute to get off work;

The second is that she must share the house with the landlord. The excuse is that Sister Gao is old and is worried about being alone.

The real reason is that the housing reform is about to begin. Renting an independent apartment is too troublesome. You may have to go back and forth, so it is better to get it right in one step.

When we arrived at our destination, the agent stood outside the door and shouted, "Mr. Xing, I've brought you a new tenant."

"come in!"

The person who opened the door was an aunt in her fifties, wearing black-rimmed glasses, giving people a very stern impression.

This is a small courtyard house.

The room is in the West House. Teacher Xing took a few people into the room to have a look. It has an area of ​​about 20 square meters and has a separate bathroom. The decoration is okay. The key is that the things are complete and you can move in with just a bag.

"Sister Gao, what do you think?"

"Very good." Gao Yuemei nodded.

"Landlord, how can I rent this room?" Xu Dong asked directly.

"You pay for water and electricity by yourself, and the rent is 7,000 yuan a month, with a deposit of one and three payments." Teacher Xing replied.

Xu Dong frowned and said: "It's expensive. Your area is too small, and there is no separate kitchen. I think four thousand yuan should be about the same."

"Four thousand yuan is impossible. There are so many people returning to China recently, and the rents nearby are rising. If you don't believe me, go and ask." Teacher Xing shook his head.

The agent on the side quickly echoed: "Mr. Xu, Teacher Xing is right. Our company now receives hundreds of renters every day, and the rent has indeed increased a lot."

"I remember it wasn't so popular before?" Xu Dong asked doubtfully.

Since May, due to the impact of the epidemic, states have been restricting population movement, which has naturally affected the rental market, causing housing prices to drop slightly.

"It suddenly became popular in the past half month. Most of these renters are overseas Chinese who have returned to China. They are in urgent need of a place to stay, and they have always been generous." The agent explained.

"They all came back from the beautiful country?"

"Not all, there are also many from other countries."

"Have riots occurred in other countries?" Xu Dong asked strangely, but he didn't see any relevant news!

The agent shook his head:

"No, I have asked similar questions, and their answers can be summed up in three words: they are scared! Or they are simply worried that the anti-immigration wave will spread further and eventually affect their country."

Xu Dong looked at the landlord again: "Teacher Xing, seven thousand yuan is too much. How about five thousand yuan? Let's rent it for three years at a time."

Teacher Xing was a little hesitant. This wave of returning to China may disappear after a while, and the rent will definitely come down after that. Five thousand yuan is not a lot. Besides, renting for three years at a time can save a lot of trouble.

“We can pay rent for a year at a time.”

Gao Yuemei tugged at the hem of Xu Dong's clothes. Today is different from the past. The rent is too high and she really can't afford it.

As for selling grain, she would never agree to it!

Xu Dong gave the other party a reassuring look. Since Section Chief Li was willing to pay half, he could accept a little more.

Finally, Teacher Xing agreed.

After the two parties signed the contract, Xu Dong immediately paid the rent of 70,000 yuan, the extra 20,000 yuan as a deposit, and also paid an agency fee of 800 yuan.

After seeing off the agent and the landlord, Gao Yue Meili pulled Xu Dong back: "Xiao Xu, this money is lent to you by the eldest sister. I will definitely pay it back to you later."

"Sister Gao, don't refuse the first year's rent. You can pay it back. When little Zhang Tao grows up, let him pay it back. Besides, I didn't pay for the rent alone, Uncle Li also paid half of it. "

Xu Dong held little Zhang Tao in his arms and looked around the room, thinking about what else to add.

Of course he is not the one to buy these things. He has already paid the rent, and the rest is left to his colleagues in the security department!

"Xiao Xu, eldest sister, I really don't know how to thank you." Gao Yuemei said sincerely.

"Everyone has difficulties. Sister Gao, don't worry about it. Don't make the child miserable." After Xu Dong finished speaking, he teased little Zhang Tao: "Taotao, isn't it?"

"Yes, papa..." Xiao Zhangtao said in a milky voice.

"Oh, poor baby, he lost his parents at such a young age." Xu Dong sighed secretly in his heart.

I helped Sister Gao clean up.

Next, Xu Dong drove back to the courtyard and brought twenty kilograms of rice, two kilograms of sugar and a basket of fresh vegetables.

As for meat, forget about it. There are several families living in the yard, which is too conspicuous. And these days, as long as they can eat enough, they are already ahead of more than 90% of the families in the country.

There are probably no more than a hundred families in Yanjing who eat and drink like Xu Dong's family. At this time, there is a real shortage of supplies, and it cannot be solved simply by relying on privileges or money.

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