Chronicle of the 70s
Chapter 137 - 134 bought a watch at around 1-3 a.m.

Chapter 137: 134 bought a watch at around 1-3 a.m.

Mr. Wang is a junior cadre in the nearby community. In February, he received a request from Mr. Xun, who wanted to buy a house. In fact, Mr. Wang was quite willing to help, as he was well aware of the prestigious background of Mr. Xun. A single word spoken amiss could get him transferred away.

He was very diligent in seeking housing, although it was a bit far from Mr. Xun’s home. Today’s jeep was available for the whole day, and after driving for about fifteen minutes, they arrived. There were even more courtyard houses here, all large and imposing. The decorations at the entrance looked like something from an ancient noble neighborhood. Li Xianglu thought to herself that many courtyards had been demolished in later generations, with only a few preserved. If she bought hastily now and it too was later torn down, she would be none the wiser about which areas would not be demolished.

The location of the house was very good too, the second one from the entrance of the alley, with a pair of stone lions from the Ming Dynasty. They were very exquisite, and the black paint on the door had flaked off, exposing the dark wood underneath. Li Xianglu paused for a moment - this was no ordinary wood. It looked like ironwood.

Even before entering the house, they could hear a conversation between two people.

An elderly man said, "It’s not that I don’t want to sell it to you, it’s just that those people have already agreed not to sell it to anyone else unless they’re unsatisfied. If that happens, I guarantee I’ll sell it to you, all right?"

However, the young man said, "Grandpa, look, I really like this house, and my offer is definitely higher than theirs. What do you think? Isn’t the purpose of selling a house to ensure that it will be well preserved by the next owner, and to get a more generous sum of money in return?"

Mr. Wang frowned - who was this blatantly trying to interfere? He was about to get angry when Li Xianglu rushed in first and yelled, "Qin Xi!"

Qin Xi was pleading with someone; his friend had agreed to watch over the house, which suddenly got word that an official wanted to buy it. He ran out without having a bite to eat or a sip to drink when he got home. This area of courtyard houses was from a later period, the most well-preserved without any demolition, and the architectural style was excellent. The materials used were exquisite, and a small renovation would make them livable. To think they had only arrived in the capital, and someone was already inquiring about this house.

Hearing a familiar voice, Qin Xi turned and saw a girl in a thick cotton-padded coat and a red woolen hat, her face beaming with surprise, rushing over.

Li Xianglu ran over and grabbed Qin Xi’s arm, "What are you doing here?"

Qin Xi thought he’d like to ask the same of them.

Mr. Li had already figured it out; it seemed Qin Xi was also interested in this house. No wonder on the train ride back, he said he’d take them house hunting as soon as they arrived. Now, they had unexpectedly encountered each other.

Mr. Wang also realized these two families knew each other. But whom should the house go to?

Mr. Li explained with a smile, "This young man is also looking for a house for us."

Mr. Wang was now reassured that his efforts would not be overlooked. After all, he clearly heard the conversation just now; the homeowner didn’t dare sell rashly, even though the young man offered a higher price.

Since they were all one family, everyone sat down together.

Grandpa Xun had another courtyard house that was smaller. Now that the rest of his family had passed away, leaving him alone, the state had vindicated him and returned his house. But what need did he have for so many houses? These courtyard dwellings were not like other types of housing; just their yearly maintenance cost a pretty penny. Thus, he decided to sell one of them.

Li Xianglu looked around; it was a three-section courtyard, very well preserved with a water well and a small garden, just lacking any heating facilities. They would need to install floor heating or buy stoves, but the beams and other parts of the rooms were still in good shape, and there was even a complete set of furniture in another room.

Grandpa Xun spoke up, "Including the furniture, I won’t take a penny less than eighteen thousand yuan; otherwise, I’m not selling."

Li Xianglu looked around and murmured with Grandpa Li. Qin Xi also came over and said, "The people living around this house are of a higher class, and the house itself is well-preserved. If it’s not demolished, living here for twenty years wouldn’t be a problem."

Li Xianglu, however, took what Qin Xi had said and analyzed it differently, living in a high-rise meant there was no need to worry about house prices, as they would only go up, not down. Being able to live there for one or two decades meant no demolition, so it was indeed a very cost-effective investment.

In actuality, ever since the high school exam started, Li Xianglu had felt that something was off about Qin Xi. He had predicted the questions with uncanny accuracy. She didn’t share Qin Zhen’s naive belief that their brother was just brilliant. There definitely was something fishy about this Qin Xi, so listening to him now seemed like the right choice!

Li Xianglu and her grandfather were both very satisfied. Qin Xi nodded his head and went over to speak in whispers with Mr. Li, sometimes in a high-pitched voice, sometimes in a lowered one.

In the end, they managed to purchase the place for merely sixteen thousand yuan, furniture included.

Li Xianglu and her grandfather were both overjoyed.

After paying a thousand yuan as a deposit and writing up an agreement, they left only after Mr. Wang had also signed and they had made arrangements to finalize the transfer the next day.

Qin Xi had matters to attend to at home and hurried off, while Grandpa Li, with a generous wave of his hand, called Mr. Xun to join them for some Beijing Roast Duck.

No ticket was needed for roast duck, but one was needed for the accompanying pancakes. Altogether, the meal cost twelve yuan per duck, with a limit of two ducks per table. The three of them finished one, but mid-way through the meal, Li Xianglu ordered another. After all, staying at Mr. Pang’s place without bringing something back wouldn’t be polite.

After a satisfying meal, they first dropped Grandpa Xun home before making a detour to the Overseas Chinese Store.

Li Xianglu insisted on picking out a watch for her grandfather. Mr. Li had initially not agreed but the prospect of possibly going to Hong Kong made him realize he needed a few new outfits.

The door greeter looked down on them until Li Xianglu showed the Foreign Exchange Vouchers, which instantly changed their attitude to one of respect.

Nowadays, those who could flaunt Foreign Exchange Vouchers were the middle and high-ranking officials of the capital. A young girl and an old man pulling out such a wad of vouchers had the greeter treating them with utmost respect, suspecting they might be the granddaughter of some big shot out for shopping.

The first floor was filled with food products, including cream cakes and bread, with a wide variety. Li Xianglu happily picked a bit of everything.

In the fabric section, she chose grey and dark blue woolen materials for her grandfather to have tailored into suits; Mr. Li, having served in the military, even past sixty, walked with an erect posture and would look great in a suit.

The white shirt fabric was imported, much finer than regular cotton and less prone to wrinkling. She purchased five meters, enough for five shirts. At this moment, Li Xianglu, holding a pack of Foreign Exchange Vouchers, emanated the vibe of opulence.

Upon reaching the watch counter, Li Xianglu found that there were more varieties and the prices were cheaper than what one would find at Shanghai First Department Store.

Mr. Li explained with a smile, "This place mainly serves foreigners, so the prices are set lower."

Li Xianglu frowned, annoyed. Why should it be cheaper for foreigners and more expensive for locals? Is the money of our people not real money?

Her dissatisfaction vanished when she saw the multitude of watches. After much deliberation, Li Xianglu felt that an Omega Seamaster series would suit her grandfather perfectly from the second-grade products.

The stainless steel strap wasn’t too wide. Her grandfather’s wrists, unlike those of many men, were smaller and slightly longer, so a wider strap wouldn’t look right. Choosing one with a black dial, she purchased it for 980 yuan.

ps: I’m starving, don’t have the energy to type anymore. I’m going out to grab a bite and will continue after.

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