novelonline Chapter 1466 Changing Houses
Chapter 1466 Changing Houses
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, while Beijing was still shrouded in the hazy darkness, the sound of firecrackers in Jiudaowan Hutong was already deafening. The crackling and popping sounds rose and fell, red firecracker paper swirls in the morning breeze, and a faint smell of gunpowder permeated the air.
Yang Shumo was awakened by the sound of firecrackers outside the window. He had vomited last night and then been given a bowl of hangover soup by his third sister. He had been sleeping in a daze until now, feeling a splitting headache and a dry throat. He struggled to get out of bed, put on his clothes, slipped on his cotton shoes, and groggily walked out of the room into the living room.
The scene in the living room instantly sobered him up.
Mr. and Mrs. Yang were sitting upright in the armchairs facing the door, both dressed in brand-new clothes—Mr. Yang was wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit, which, although a bit old, was clean and neatly ironed; Mrs. Yang was wearing a maroon cotton-padded jacket, her hair was neatly combed and pinned up in a bun at the back of her head.
Both of them sat upright with their hands on their knees and serious expressions, as if they were waiting for some important person.
"No, Mom and Dad, what are you doing here?" Yang Shumo rubbed his sleepy eyes and yawned. "Anyone who didn't know better would think we have two Bodhisattvas worshipped in our house."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Yang glared at his son but didn't say anything, only gesturing for him to be quiet. Mrs. Yang frowned slightly but remained silent.
Yang Shumao was even more puzzled. Just as he was about to ask again, his eldest sister, Yang Shuzhi, came out of the kitchen carrying a teapot. Seeing that her brother was awake, she quickly pulled him aside and whispered:
"Shh, keep your voice down. Our parents are waiting for people to wish them a Happy New Year."
"Greetings for the New Year?" Yang Shumo scratched his messy hair. "Doesn't it have to be this formal for New Year's greetings? Isn't it tiring to sit like this? We didn't do this in previous years."
Yang Shuzhi looked helpless:
"I'm just waiting for your childhood friend to come and wish you a Happy New Year."
"You mean Lao Qin?" Yang Shumo blinked, even more confused: "Why would Lao Qin come to wish our parents a Happy New Year?"
"Who says otherwise?" Yang Shuzhi pouted. "But our parents think they should come. Just you wait and see, they'll probably make you go and call them again in a bit. Good luck to you."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Yang's mother spoke up impatiently, her voice not loud, but filled with deep dissatisfaction:
"These young people these days are getting more and more unruly. It's the Lunar New Year, and we old folks have been sitting here for ages, and the younger ones haven't even come to offer their New Year's greetings. It's outrageous!"
Yang's father immediately agreed:
"That's right! That idiot... Da Mao, go to the Qin family and see what's going on."
Yang Shumo then realized that his parents were waiting for Qin Hao to come and pay a New Year's visit. He was both amused and exasperated, scratching his head as he said:
"Dad, Mom, you've got it wrong, haven't you? Old Qin isn't even related to us, why is he coming to our house to wish us a Happy New Year?"
“You’re not relatives, but you’re classmates!” Yang’s mother said matter-of-factly. “Besides, a close neighbor is worse than a distant relative. Is it wrong for a junior to come and pay a New Year’s visit?”
Yang Shumo was completely dumbfounded:
"But they didn't come in previous years either."
“Those were the past years.” Mr. Yang said with a matter-of-fact expression, “Back then, they were so poor that I wouldn’t have cared. But they’ve improved their situation in the last two years, so we have to make up for it.”
Yang Shumo felt like his mind was about to explode. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found he had no idea what to say. This logic... was simply incomprehensible.
"No, are you guys still half asleep?" He finally couldn't hold back: "They don't owe us anything, why should they wish us a Happy New Year?"
"How can you talk like that, child!" Mother Yang said sternly. "How can you say you don't owe him anything? You went to Guangzhou with him to work for him and earn money for him. Shouldn't you come to pay your respects for the New Year?"
"Mom, you've got it backwards!" Yang Shumo was dumbfounded: "I begged him to take me to Guangzhou, not the other way around! He's only willing to take me because of our classmate relationship, how could you..."
"Alright, alright!" Yang's father interrupted him impatiently, "Just go when I tell you to, stop with all the nonsense!"
Yang Shumo stood there, looking at his parents' nonchalant attitude, feeling a tightness in his chest, unable to get up or down. He had only one thought: leave as soon as possible after the New Year, the farther the better.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate, followed by Old Xie's voice:
"Uncle Yang, Aunt Yang, Happy New Year to you both!"
Old Xie pushed open the door and came in, carrying several beautifully packaged gift boxes. He was also wearing new clothes today—a black leather jacket over a floral shirt, his hair was slicked back and he looked very energetic.
As soon as he entered the door, he bowed respectfully to Mr. and Mrs. Yang:
Wishing you both a Happy New Year, good health, and all the best!
Mr. and Mrs. Yang glanced at him, then at the gift box in his hand. Their expressions softened slightly, but they still maintained their haughty demeanor.
Mr. Yang nodded and hummed in agreement through his nose.
"It's alright. Sit down, have some tea and melon seeds."
His tone was indifferent, as if he were dismissing someone insignificant.
Old Xie paused for a moment, then realized—the elderly couple didn't take him seriously at all. He felt a little uncomfortable, but it was the New Year, so he couldn't show it. He turned to Yang Shumao and asked quietly:
"What happened? Did you upset the elders again?"
With a bitter face, Yang Shumao briefly explained the situation to Xie Lao.
After listening to the story, Old Xie was speechless. This morning, his parents had dragged him out of bed, making him carry bags of gifts to pay New Year's respects to Li Yuxiang, afraid that being late would be impolite and cause their son to lose his job. But these two old folks from the Yang family actually wanted Qin Hao to come and pay their respects?
He couldn't help but lower his voice and ask Yang Shumao:
What are your parents thinking?
Yang Shumo rubbed his forehead and shook his head:
“I need to know what they’re thinking; I’m in college now.”
He was now even more determined: after the New Year, he would hurry to Guangzhou with Qin Hao and only come back once a year at most. If he couldn't afford to offend him, couldn't he at least avoid him?
The atmosphere in the living room was somewhat awkward. Mr. and Mrs. Yang remained seated, their eyes occasionally glancing towards the door, as if expecting something. Yang Shumo and Old Xie stood to the side, unsure whether to leave or stay.
After a long while, Yang's mother finally couldn't hold back any longer. She cleared her throat and asked Old Xie to relay the message:
"Ahem, Xiao Xie, have you been to Xiao Qin's house? What's he doing? Why hasn't he come to wish him a Happy New Year yet?"
Old Xie rolled his eyes inwardly, but still managed a smile on his face:
"Well, I just came from Old Qin's house. Their house was packed with people visiting for the New Year, I almost couldn't squeeze in. They're busy greeting guests right now, they don't have time to come out and offer New Year's greetings."
Upon hearing this, Yang's mother's expression softened considerably, but then she looked puzzled again.
"I don't remember them having many relatives in Beijing, so where did they get so many people to visit them for the New Year?"
"Auntie, you don't know this," Old Xie said with a mischievous grin, his eyes darting around. "Those visiting for New Year's greetings aren't relatives, they're all neighbors. Isn't it because they want their kids to go to Guangzhou with Old Qin to make a fortune? It's the New Year, they have to show their appreciation, right?"
Mr. and Mrs. Yang exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised.
Mr. Yang frowned and said:
"What's there to show your appreciation? Do you have to give him gifts just for working for him?"
Yang Shuzhi, the eldest sister who had been standing to the side, couldn't stand it any longer and couldn't help but interject:
“Mom, you have no idea how many people in our alley are begging to do work for them. Do they have enough people to take? Besides, they don’t help just anyone. Niu Tinggui got a cold shoulder when he went to their door, didn’t he? They’re only willing to take Damao to Guangzhou because they have a relationship with Damao. If we don’t do something in return, they might not take Damao with them anymore, and then what will you do?”
Third Sister Yang Shuying had just come out of the kitchen when she heard this and chimed in:
"Absolutely. It's so hard to find a job these days. You have to pull strings and ask for favors everywhere. Who asks for favors empty-handed?"
Mother Yang said indignantly:
"Working in a factory is a secure job, while his is a private one. How can they be the same?"
“That’s right, it’s a private company,” Yang Shuzhi said indignantly. “But they pay so much! A month’s salary is equivalent to a year’s salary for us! If I were like Da Mao, unmarried and childless, I’d want to go too!”
She spoke with a hint of resentment. Years ago, she had a boyfriend, and their relationship was going well; they were about to get married when her parents forced them to marry her current husband instead. She had held a grudge about it all these years.
Mr. and Mrs. Yang felt a little embarrassed after their daughters said that. Mr. Yang cautiously asked:
"Well, how about we have that silly...Da Mao take some gifts to pay New Year's greetings first, and then have Xiao Qin come to pay New Year's greetings to us?"
Yang's mother was still somewhat depressed:
"What kind of situation is this? We are much older than Li Yuxiang. Logically speaking, he should have come to our house first... Never mind, never mind."
She stood up and walked towards her room:
"Da Mao, you go ahead. Don't take what Xiao Xie brought. Mom will go back to her room and get you what we bought ourselves. I've already prepared everything."
A moment later, Yang's mother came out with an oil paper package and stuffed it into Yang Shumao's hand.
Yang Shumo took a look, and his face immediately fell:
"Mom, these pastries... I remember my eldest sister sent them last year, right? Are they still edible?"
The pastries in the oil paper package had hardened a bit, and you could even see some white mold spots on the edges.
"What can't we eat?" Yang's mother said dismissively, "The house isn't damp, and it's not moldy, so it's fine."
She insisted on stuffing the pastries into Yang Shumao's hands, and didn't forget to give him instructions:
"Remember to tell Xiao Qin to come and wish us a Happy New Year as soon as he's done with his work."
Yang Shumao was completely speechless.
Old Xie watched from the side, shaking his head. Seeing Yang Shumao still in a daze, he quickly pulled him aside:
"Let's go, let's go, I'll go with you."
The two went out the door and walked into the alley. Only then did Old Xie turn around and whisper:
"No, you're really planning to take those nearly moldy pastries to Old Qin's house?"
Yang Shumao looked sullen:
"What can I do? I only have a few cents in my pocket, not enough to buy a new one."
"Hey, how did you end up living like this?" Old Xie asked in surprise.
Yang Shumo smiled wryly:
“Every month after I get my salary, before I can even put it in my pocket, my parents take it away. It’s just a few cents, and I’ve been secretly saving it up.”
Old Xie patted Yang Shumao on the shoulder and sighed:
"Your parents are really something. Come on, buddy, I'll take you to buy a new one. You actually dare to show off this piece of junk?"
"Thanks," Yang Shumo said gratefully.
"Hey, why are you telling me this?" Old Xie waved his hand and said, "Work hard with Old Qin next year, and I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury."
The two walked to the trash can at the alley entrance. Yang Shumo hesitated for a moment, then threw the oil-paper package in. The pastry fell into the bin with a muffled thud.
Afterwards, the two went to a nearby department store. Mr. Xie took out his money and bought several kinds of fresh pastries—peach shortbread, glutinous rice strips, and honey-glazed pastries, all of which are common snacks eaten by Beijingers during the Chinese New Year, and they were neatly packaged.
"Isn't that nice?" Old Xie asked with a smile, turning the tray of snacks around.
"That's kind of you." Yang Shumo nodded. "I'll pay you back when I get my salary."
"Alright, don't be so polite with me. Let's go."
The two carried the newly bought pastries and headed straight for Qin Hao's house.
……
Qin Hao's house was bustling with activity. The small courtyard was packed with people; some were watching TV inside, some were chatting in the yard, and some were helping out in the kitchen. Li Yuxiang was surrounded by a crowd of people—aunts, uncles, neighbors—and compliments and praises filled the air.
"Yuxiang, you are so lucky to have raised such an outstanding son!"
"Yes, Xiao Qin is the best in our alley!"
"I've known for a long time that Xiao Qin has been smart since he was little, and he's bound to be successful in the future!"
Surrounded by the crowd, Li Yuxiang couldn't stop smiling. Although she knew most of these people were there for her son, hearing the praise still warmed her heart. Qin Hao sat next to his mother, patiently acting as a mascot, nodding, smiling, and saying a few polite words from time to time.
"Old Qin, Aunt Li, I'm here to wish you a Happy New Year!"
Yang Shumao's voice came from the doorway. He and Xie Lao had a great deal of effort before they managed to squeeze through the crowd.
When Li Yuxiang saw them, her smile became even more kind:
"Oh, Da Mao is here! Come in, come in, it's warm inside."
Yang Shuma handed the pastries to Li Yuxiang:
"Aunt Li, I wish you a Happy New Year, good health, and all the best!"
"Thank you, thank you." Li Yuxiang smiled as she accepted the gift, handed it to Qin Hao, and then took out a red envelope from her pocket and stuffed it into Yang Shumao's hand.
Yang Shumo knew from the size of the red envelope that there was a lot of money inside, and quickly declined.
"Aunt Li, I can't accept this..."
"My mom gave it to you, so just take it," Qin Hao said.
Qin Hao had prepared these red envelopes in advance, each containing two ten-yuan bills. Firstly, as a return gift to each family, and secondly, to save himself the trouble of visiting each household to offer New Year's greetings—there were simply too many people to go through.
"Then I'll take it." Yang Shumo accepted it, saying repeatedly, "Thank you, Auntie. I wish you boundless blessings, a happy and prosperous New Year, and may you always be smiling and blessed..."
His words were as sweet as honey, making Li Yuxiang laugh heartily.
Taking advantage of this moment, Qin Hao gave Xie Lao a wink, then stood up and said to his mother:
"Mom, I'm going out with Da Mao and the others to talk about something."
"Go on, go on, come back for dinner soon." Li Yuxiang was in high spirits and didn't ask any more questions.
The three of them squeezed through the crowd, left the courtyard, and walked into the alley before finally breathing a sigh of relief.
"My goodness, your house is so lively!" Yang Shumo wiped the sweat from his forehead. "It's like a market."
"There's nothing we can do. When you're poor, nobody cares even in the bustling city; when you're rich, distant relatives come calling even in the deep mountains." Qin Hao shook his head helplessly. "Let's go, let's find somewhere to talk."
The three walked slowly along the alley. The winter sun shone on the bluestone pavement, and the air still carried the lingering smell of firecrackers. Children occasionally ran past in the alley, dressed in new clothes, holding firecrackers, laughing and joking.
After walking for a while, Qin Hao suddenly asked:
"By the way, are there any newly developed housing projects in Beijing right now?"
"You mean commercial housing?" Old Xie paused for a moment, then, seeing Qin Hao nod, thought for a moment and said, "I think I heard there are apartments for sale. But they're not cheap; most people really can't afford them."
Yang Shumo nodded in deep agreement:
"That's right. A simple three-bedroom apartment costs over 100,000 yuan. I heard that Old Wang's son on the front street is getting married and wants to buy an apartment. He's been trying to scrape together the money for ages, but he's still short tens of thousands of yuan."
"Let's go take a look," Qin Hao said, intrigued.
Yang Shumo and Xie Lao exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and envy in each other's eyes. A house costing 100,000 yuan a unit, and Qin Hao just casually said he'd go take a look? How much money must he have to have that kind of confidence?
The three of them took a taxi and arrived at a newly built residential complex. The sales office was located at the entrance of the complex, in a two-story building with red lanterns and Spring Festival couplets hanging at the door, giving it a festive look.
The sales office was nearly empty, except for a saleswoman in her early twenties sitting behind the counter, knitting. Seeing someone enter, she quickly put down her work, stood up, and flashed a professional smile.
"Happy New Year, gentlemen! Would you like to come and see the apartment?"
Qin Hao nodded:
"Hmm, let's see what apartment types are available now."
"Okay, this way please." The saleswoman took out a few brochures from behind the counter. These days, there weren't any real-life model displays.
"Our community currently mainly offers two types of apartments: two-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom apartments. The two-bedroom apartments are around 70 square meters, while the three-bedroom apartments are around 110 square meters. They are all slab-style buildings with good north-south ventilation and natural light..."
Qin Hao listened while flipping through the floor plan catalog. The floor plans were drawn simply, but the general layout was clear. After looking at several, his brows gradually furrowed.
The largest one is only three bedrooms and one living room, and both the exterior and interior design are very outdated—there is no concept of a living room, and the so-called "hall" is actually just a passageway; the kitchen is so small that you can't even turn around; the bathroom is also small, and there is not even enough room for a bathtub.
"That's all?" Qin Hao closed the booklet and asked.
The saleswoman paused for a moment:
"Sir, this is already a very good apartment layout. Many apartments allocated by work units are still in tenement buildings, without even a separate kitchen and bathroom..."
Qin Hao waved his hand, indicating that she didn't need to say anything more. He turned to Yang Shumo and Elder Xie and said:
"What do you think?"
Yang Shumao and Xie Laozhuan were very satisfied no matter how they looked at it.
"This house is really nice, so bright and spacious!" Yang Shumo exclaimed. "Look at this balcony, it's so spacious, so convenient for drying clothes and blankets!"
"Yes, and there's a separate kitchen and bathroom, how wonderful!" Old Xie chimed in, "In the bungalows we live in now, going to the toilet in winter is so cold our bottoms freeze. In this apartment building, the toilet is right inside, so convenient!"
Qin Hao shook his head inwardly as he watched their excited expressions. It wasn't surprising; after all, their generation lived in dark, damp bungalows without separate kitchens or bathrooms, sweltering in summer and freezing in winter. The allure of apartment buildings for them was undeniable.
A thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
"You tell me," Qin Hao turned around and looked at the two of them, "If I were to offer this house to someone living in a courtyard house in exchange, would anyone be willing to trade?"
Yang Shumo and Xie Laozhuan were both stunned, staring at Qin Hao as if he were an idiot.
"Old Qin, are you crazy?" Old Xie was the first to react: "A courtyard house has at least four or five families. Four or five houses would cost four or five hundred thousand! If you have that much money, why don't you just buy a courtyard house?"
Yang Shumo nodded repeatedly:
"Exactly. A traditional courtyard house these days costs at most two or three hundred thousand yuan. If you trade four or five houses for it, isn't that a huge loss?"
Qin Hao chuckled inwardly. Four or five hundred thousand yuan was indeed a huge sum in the 1980s. But thirty years later, the value of a courtyard house would be measured in hundreds of millions. This appreciation potential was in no way inferior to Bitcoin.
"Tell me, is there anyone willing to switch?"
Yang Shumo thought for a moment and said seriously:
"Let me put it this way. Once you spread the word, your doorstep will be overrun with people. These days, who doesn't want to live in an apartment building? Upgrading from a bungalow to an apartment is like a windfall!"
"That's fine then." Qin Hao smiled, turned to the saleswoman and said, "Call your manager over. I'll buy ten units first."
"Ten...ten units?" The saleswoman was dumbfounded, her eyes wide open. "Sir, you mean, ten units?"
"Yes, ten sets," Qin Hao said confidently. "Three bedrooms and one living room, on the best floors and in the best locations."
The saleswoman gasped. Ten apartments—even at the lowest price, that'd be a million, right? She'd been working there for almost half a year and had never seen such a big deal.
"Please...please wait a moment, I'll go get the manager right away!" she stammered, then turned and ran upstairs.
Yang Shumo and Xie Lao were also dumbfounded. They stared blankly at Qin Hao, speechless for a long time.
They knew Qin Hao was rich, but they didn't expect him to be this rich—buying ten houses was like buying groceries, without even blinking an eye.
The sales manager came down quickly; he was a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a sharp suit. He was so excited when he heard that someone wanted to buy ten houses that his hands were trembling.
"Mr. Qin, is that right? Hello, hello!" The manager shook Qin Hao's hand tightly. "You have excellent taste! This apartment is definitely the best development in Beijing right now..."
Qin Hao waved his hand, interrupting his flattery:
"Manager, let's get down to business. Ten three-bedroom apartments in the best floors and locations—how much would that cost, and what kind of discounts can you offer?"
The manager rubbed his hands together excitedly and said:
"Our current price for a three-bedroom apartment is 1,200 yuan per square meter. A single unit, at 110 square meters, would cost 132,000 yuan, and ten units would cost 1,320,000 yuan. If you buy them all, I can give you a 20% discount and round it down to one million yuan!"
The manager was terrified when he blurted out "one million."
Qin Hao remained unfazed:
"Sure. But I have a request."
"Please tell me, please tell me!" the manager nodded repeatedly.
"I need to get the property certificate as soon as possible, the sooner the better," Qin Hao said.
The manager quickly agreed:
"No problem, no problem! I'll personally handle the property certificate issue and guarantee it will be processed for you within a month!"
"That's settled then." Qin Hao nodded. "I'll come over tomorrow to sign the contract. I'll pay a deposit of 10,000 yuan today."
"Okay, okay!" The manager was so excited that his face turned red.
Emerging from the sales office, Yang Shumao and Xie Laozhuan were still in shock. Following behind Qin Hao, they looked at each other, unsure what to say.
A deal worth one million was settled in just a few words?
Qin Hao, on the other hand, looked completely relaxed, as if he had only just bought a few pounds of pork. He glanced at the time and said:
"Let's go home for dinner."
……
During the Spring Festival, news spread like wildfire. The news that Qin Hao wanted to exchange his apartment for a courtyard house spread throughout the entire Jiudaowan Hutong in just two days.
Everyone in the household was talking about it.
"Have you heard? The Qin family's young master wants to trade his apartment for a courtyard house!"
"Really? Upgrading from an apartment building to a bungalow? Isn't that stupid?"
"Who knows? They're rich, they can spend their money however they want."
"But then again, if we could really make that trade, we'd be making a killing! Who wouldn't want to trade a bungalow for an apartment?"
An emergency family meeting was also held at Yang Shumao's home.
In the living room, Mr. and Mrs. Yang sat solemnly in the main seats. Their six children—eldest sister Yang Shuzhi, second sister Yang Shuye, third sister Yang Shuying, and three sons Yang Shusen, Yang Shulin, and Yang Shumao—sat around them.
Yang's father glanced at everyone, cleared his throat, and said:
"You've all heard about Xiao Qin's plan to trade his apartment for a courtyard house, right? What are your opinions?"
The fourth brother, Yang Shusen, immediately stepped forward and said excitedly:
"Go for it! This is such a great opportunity, a bungalow for an apartment building! Only a fool wouldn't accept it!"
“Yes!” Old Yang Shulin quickly chimed in, “These bungalows are dark and damp, and they leak when it rains heavily. In winter, you have to walk so far to use the toilet, and your butt gets so cold it’s frozen. Apartment buildings are so much better; they have heating, and separate kitchens and bathrooms…”
The eldest sister, Yang Shuzhi, pursed her lips and muttered under her breath:
"What are you two so happy about? Even if you move to a new apartment, it won't be for you. Your parents will still live there."
She spoke with a hint of resentment. Over the years, after getting married, she had suffered a lot of mistreatment in her husband's family, but her parents never spoke up for her. Now that there was a good opportunity to move to a new apartment, she knew she definitely wouldn't get a chance.
Yang's parents ignored their daughter's mutterings and turned their gaze to Yang Shumao:
"Silly...Da Mao, tell me your opinion."
Yang Shumo was sitting in the corner lost in thought when he heard his father call him, which brought him back to his senses.
"Me? What opinion can I have? Anyway, it's your house, so if you want to move it, go ahead."
He wasn't really interested in that. All he could think about right now was going to Guangzhou after the New Year. As for the house, whoever wanted to live there could live there; he didn't want to live with his parents anyway.
Yang's mother frowned and said:
"Why would someone as shrewd as Xiao Qin do such a losing business?"
This is a question that many people can't understand. Qin Hao must be quite capable to have built such a large business in just two years; he's not stupid. So why would he do something that clearly puts him at a disadvantage?
Yang Shumo thought for a moment and said:
"Old Qin said he likes living in a courtyard house. Aunt Li is also nostalgic and doesn't want to move. But there are too many people in the courtyard and too much gossip, so he just wants some peace and quiet and plans to buy the courtyard house and renovate it again."
Yang's mother listened and nodded thoughtfully. After a while, she suddenly slapped her thigh:
"What are we waiting for? Hurry up and discuss it with the other families in the yard! If we're too late, someone else will beat us to it!"
She stood up and said to Yang Shumo:
"Da Mao, go ask the other families in the courtyard if they're willing to switch. If they are, let's finalize it quickly before others get there first!" (End of Chapter)