Break out of the courtyard

The next day, Zhang Heping took his wife, children and mother-in-law to Wangfujing for a stroll before going to No. 7 Courtyard on the north bank of Houhai for lunch.

After learning that Aunt Chen of the Zhou family agreed to demolish the courtyard and build a building, Zhang Heping went to the Houhai Sub-district Office with his mother Ma Xiuzhen in the afternoon.

"Uncle Qi!" Zhang Heping placed the two cans of Tieguanyin tea he bought in the morning on the desk of Qi Jun, director of the street office.

"Zhang Heping?" Director Qi stood up with a hint of surprise, pointed at the sofa beside him and said, "Sit here!"

Seeing Director Qi take out two ceramic cups to fill with tea, Zhang Heping smiled and went over to help pour water.

Director Qi glanced at the tea leaves on the table and asked casually, "When did you come back? Is Lao Wang back?"

"I just got back yesterday afternoon, and Director Wang will have to wait two days before he can come back." Zhang Heping said as he brought two cups of tea to the sofa and placed them on the coffee table in front of him and his mother Ma Xiuzhen.

"Uncle Qi, has the capital's housing policy been relaxed?" Zhang Heping looked at Director Qi and said with a smile, "I heard from my mother that she bought a few main rooms and side rooms, but she has never been able to move to a whole courtyard house."

Qi Jun looked at Ma Xiuzhen and said with some embarrassment: "Officer Ma came to our subdistrict office quite a few times last year for this matter. You know how difficult it is."

"Since those educated youth came back, there are not enough houses on the street. Many people built walls in the yard to enclose houses, and we turned a blind eye to it." Qi Jun said, looking at Zhang Heping and said:

"If you want a bigger yard, it's not impossible, but you need to take out more houses to accommodate the people who have no place to live in that yard."

"I have discussed this idea with Clerk Ma before, but she did not agree."

Zhang Heping glanced at his mother Ma Xiuzhen and guessed that she was reluctant to exchange for another one.

"Uncle Qi!" Zhang Heping took out a dozen property deeds obtained by his mother Ma Xiuzhen, placed them in front of Director Qi, and said with a smile: "We want to demolish the yards 6, 7, and 8 and rebuild them. Do you think the yards 4 and 5 next door can be exchanged for us?"

"There is a public toilet in the middle. Why are you changing to yards 4 and 5?" Qi Jun picked up the title deeds and took a look. He found that they were all the ones Ma Xiuzhen had shown him before, so he put them on the coffee table.

Zhang Heping smiled and said, "If you are willing to give us yards 9 and 10, as well as the open space in front of the gate, that would be great."

Qi Jun stood up, went to the desk, got a folded map, spread it out on the table, pointed to the north of Yinding Bridge, and said, "When you first came to our street to pick a house, you asked if the shabby house No. 1 on the corner could be given to you."

"At that time, Lao Wang was afraid that you would attract attention, so he picked Courtyard No. 7 for you." Qi Jun let go of the map and let Zhang Heping take it to check. "I know you are rich!"

"If you are willing to invest in our street's factory and generate foreign exchange for the factory for two years." Qi Jun leaned forward, pointed his finger at Yinding Bridge, and moved northwest to the location of the street office. "From No. 1 Tailor Building to No. 12 Courtyard next to our street office, you can change as you like!"

Zhang Heping only thought about it for a moment before he realized the other party's intention. "Uncle Qi, do you still want to move up?"

Qi Jun's intentions were exposed to his face, but he did not look angry. He smiled and said, "My son is about the same age as you. He is only a section chief now. I want to work harder for him."

Zhang Heping stretched out his right index finger and drew a semicircle west of Yinding Bridge. "Uncle Qi, roadside stalls are a nuisance to the city and will be banned sooner or later. However, these houses facing the street can be converted into shops facing the street."

"What kind of people do we need for reform and opening up?" Zhang Heping said without waiting for the other party to answer, "We need people who can revitalize the economy!"

"I can help the factories on the street earn foreign exchange, but you may not be promoted in two years." Zhang Heping's finger passed near Yinding Bridge again. "However, if you can turn this place into a commercial street for self-employed businesses within two years, wouldn't that cater to the reform and opening-up policy?"

Qi Jun listened to Zhang Heping's big promise and looked at the houses on both sides of Houhai Lake to the west of Yinding Bridge. He pursed his lips and thought for a long time before he said helplessly, "There are too many houses behind the house. If we give them all to you to build shops, it will be a big trouble!"

"What kind of trouble can be as troublesome as my identity as a big capitalist in Hong Kong Island?" Zhang Heping leaned back in his chair and said with a half-smile: "Uncle Qi, if you don't use your power, it will expire!"

"Besides, changing rooms is in line with the policy. As long as you didn't take a penny in the process, who can say you are wrong?"

"I..." Qi Jun placed the map in front of him, staring at the lake north of Yinding Bridge, his mind in a turmoil.

Zhang Heping actually has little interest in the street-facing houses in Houhai.

However, the main house and wing rooms his family bought were used to exchange for the back house, and they were always replaced with the same one.

Because most of those back houses have no windows or earthen kangs, they are damp in summer and cold in winter. Who would be willing to live there?

It just so happened that his mother Ma Xiuzhen bought more main houses and side rooms in order to exchange for a bigger courtyard. If she could exchange for a few back houses facing the street, he wouldn't mind converting them into a few street-facing shops for the family to collect rent.

"Uncle Qi, I heard that some people on the street have made a lot of money by doing business. You might as well ask those rich people if they are willing to participate in the conversion of the reverse house into a shop." Zhang Heping smiled and said, "My family will do as you said and change the two small courtyards of No. 9 and No. 10 first."

"Also, we are rebuilding a house and want to build a street-side shop, so we need to occupy some open space in front of the door. Do you think this is a problem?"

When Qi Jun heard what Zhang Heping said, he looked up at Zhang Heping in shock, suspecting that this guy talked about the shops along the street with the ultimate goal of occupying the open space in front of the door!

However, the self-employed commercial street that Zhang Heping just mentioned is indeed in line with the current reform and opening-up policy.

If he can make achievements in this area and get his name in the newspapers, coupled with a street factory that can earn foreign exchange, he will be able to move up before retiring!

"I'll take you to see the street factory first!" Qi Jun hadn't figured out how to run the street shop yet, so he asked Zhang Heping to confirm the factory's foreign exchange earnings first.

Zhang Heping stood up and helped his silent mother Ma Xiuzhen up. She probably hadn't figured it out yet.

今天下午过来，明明是为了说6号、7号、8号院子推倒重建的事，怎么就扩大到了隔壁的9号、10号院了！

Zhang Heping asked his mother Ma Xiuzhen to go home first, and he went out for a walk with Director Qi.

Zhang Heping had not noticed it before, but he discovered today that there are quite a few small factories in Houhai Street, such as folding paper boxes, poking burrs in plastic barrels, knitting sweaters, making clothes, and even processing jade, as well as processing parts with 5-machine machine tools eliminated by large factories.

"Uncle Qi, the foreign exchange earned by the street factory is a small matter for me. It is essentially just to solve the employment problem. When I go back after the New Year, I will send people from the company to contact you about export products." Zhang Heping and Qi Jun stood on the Yinding Bridge, looking at the people setting up stalls in the snow on both sides of the river, and said:

"Ask those vendors if they are willing to open a street-side shop to do business. I'm going to go back first. I'll leave the matters of yards 9 and 10 to you!"

...

Because the capital was still using food coupons, Zhang Heping and his group couldn't eat much at home. Plus, father-in-law Tang Ming would not provide dinner after a meeting that day, so the Zhang family had to go to the Capital Hotel for dinner.

"Xiaochun, ask your grandma to come with you for dinner." When Zhang Heping went out, he casually said to his cousin who was waiting outside the door.

Because it was the same situation yesterday, my cousin's family of four all came out, except Chen Liqin.

Zhou Xiaochun replied: "My grandmother went to live with my second aunt. She said she didn't want to stay at the Capital Hotel with us."

Ma Xiuzhen, the mother who followed him out, said, "San, I've discussed with your father and your sister. Why don't we move into the villa in Haidian? Director Wang said that the house over there will always be reserved for you."

"Brother, our office director also mentioned this to me once, asking if you have a house in Haidian. I think her question has a deep meaning." Zhang Pandi, the second sister, walked up to Zhang Heping and said:

"If you don't want to live there, we can move in for a while. Xiaowen, Xiaoyi, and Xiaochun are about to take the college entrance examination, and it's close to Yuying Middle School, so it's convenient for us to take care of them while they study."

Villa No. 5, Building No. 11, Courtyard No. 1, Wanshou Road, Haidian District, was the house allocated to Zhang Heping earlier. Zhang Heping also wanted his first wife Tang Xin to live there with the children so that they could study nearby. For this purpose, he bought three Hongqi cars and also bought home appliances, bedding, etc. for the villa.

However, after Zhang Bei, Zhang Nan and others were beaten during their trial period at the No. 5 School, the guards at Yard No. did not say anything, which chilled Zhang Heping's heart.

Although Director Wang later told Zhang Heping that the guards in Courtyard No. 5 had been replaced, Zhang Heping always stayed at the Capital Hotel every time he returned to the capital.

The eldest sister Zhang Zhaodi also interrupted at this time: "The main reason is that the Capital Hotel cannot cook. It is too expensive to eat in the restaurant for a long time!"

"Okay!" Zhang Heping didn't continue to dwell on this matter.

He had actually gotten his revenge ever since he brought his children into the naval compound.

Later, he didn't go to No. 5 Courtyard just to show his attitude of not letting his children come back to study in high school.

But when it came to using the cars, they tacitly allowed the new guards in No. 5 Yard to drive the three Hongqi sedans to pick up their family.

As Zhang Heping walked towards the square, he said, "The villa has two floors, with a total of 11 bedrooms. There are radiators in the rooms. If you feel crowded, you can add a bed in the study."

"Uncle, we know!" Niece Zhang Ting said with a smile: "Grandma Wang took us to see it several times, hehe!"

The Zhang family members were talking and laughing as they walked along the lake towards the big square, but they did not notice that behind some stalls, some people they knew were deliberately turning their backs to them, pretending not to know them.

Huaihua, who was squeezed behind the noodle stall, turned around and looked at the Zhang family members going away, and couldn't help but sighed: "There are so many people in the Zhang family!"

Zhang Heping has two wives and seven children. His eldest sister Zhang Zhaodi's family has six people, his second sister Zhang Pandyi's family has four people, and including his parents, there are 2 people in total; add in the four people in his eldest cousin Ma Lili's family and his mother-in-law Xu Jiefeng, and the Zhang family has indeed a lot of people.

At least, for the lonely old man Yi Zhonghai and the old bachelor He Yuzhu who lived next to the locust flowers, it was a lot!

"Stop looking!" He Yuzhu said unhappily, "Banggeng, you can set up a stall here to sell noodles with soybean paste. Come early every day to reserve a spot. Sell for a month. Once you have regular customers, you will have a successful business."

"Silly dad, are you going to Qianmen?" Huaihua asked innocently, "Please help my brother and ask Aunt Xiao'e to hire him as a clerk!"

Xiao Dang at the side chimed in: "Yes, silly dad, look, my brother can cook noodles with soybean paste now!"

Yi Zhonghai was glanced at by Qin Huairu, and he put his hands in his sleeves and said, "If Lou Xiaoe doesn't want Banggeng as a clerk, you can ask her if you can let Banggeng sell noodles in their store to get through the winter."

Qin Huairu blew a breath of white air into her hands, rubbed them together, stamped her feet and said, "Banggeng, stand by the stove and warm yourself by the fire. Try to hold on through the winter and don't make things difficult for your Uncle Zhuzi."

Sha Zhu was so confused by this group of people that he didn't know how to respond. He put his hands in his trouser pockets, tucked his clothes tightly and said, "I'm leaving first! If I don't go over, that bitch will deduct my salary again."

Seeing Sha Zhu trotting towards the square, Huai Hua asked in confusion, "Mom, will Lou Xiao'e deduct Sha Zhu's salary?"

"I don't think so!" Xiao Dang said seriously, "With Sha Zhu's temper, if Lou Xiao'e dares to deduct his salary, Sha Zhu will turn hostile and leave on the spot!"

Yi Zhonghai stood aside with a frown on his face, not knowing what he thought of these two sisters who were two-faced.

"Is this your first day setting up a stall here?" The male stall owner next to me suddenly asked, "How much is this noodle?"

Qin Huairu, Xiaodang, and Huaihua immediately perked up, and Xiaodang said anxiously, "3 cents! Boss, can I have a bowl?"

"5 cents?" The male stall owner came over and took a look at the food on the cart. "Only cabbage? No meat?"

...

Qianmen, Loujia Restaurant.

Sha Zhu put his hands in his trouser pockets and staggered into Lou Xiao'e's restaurant.

"Hey! The chef is here to inspect our work!" Lou Xiao'e stood behind the counter and made a joke to Sha Zhu.

Because the kitchen was run by a master chef hired by Lou Tan, Lou Xiao'e didn't care about Sha Zhu's working hours.

She only needs Sha Zhu to come over twice a day, occasionally act as a thug, and help her drive away some street thugs.

However, since public security improved last year, Lou Xiao'e's need for Sha Zhu is not as strong.

Sha Zhu glanced at the diners in the restaurant and walked towards Lou Xiaoe, "Where are your two brothers?"

Snapped!

Lou Xiao'e slapped away Sha Zhu's hand that was reaching towards her butt. Although she was wearing thick clothes in winter, Lou Xiao'e was still unwilling to let Sha Zhu take advantage of her because this guy was too close to Qin Huairu, and Lou Xiao'e was worried that Sha Zhu had a dirty disease.

"Zhang Heping is back!" Sha Zhu said, and while Lou Xiaoe was distracted, he crouched down and attacked from the bottom up.

"Take your hands out!" Lou Xiao'e glared at Sha Zhu with a red face because there were so many guests in the hall, "Otherwise, I'll sue you for being a hooligan!"

Sha Zhu took his hand back and put it to his nose to smell it, then said with a sly smile: "It still smells so good!"

"Go to the kitchen and cook!" Lou Xiao'e pushed Sha Zhu and tucked her autumn clothes into her pants.

Sha Zhu got the upper hand and just took two steps towards the kitchen when Lou Xiao'e called him, "Are you sure Zhang Heping is back?"

"Hey, hey! Come with me to the private room upstairs, and I'll tell you where he went!" Sha Zhu looked at Lou Xiao'e's outfit with a smirk on his face. She was wearing a black jacket and black trousers. She was wearing so little...

After getting what she wanted to know, Lou Xiao'e snorted coldly, "He has booked a floor in the Capital Hotel. Do you need to tell me where he is going?"

After she finished speaking, Lou Xiao'e picked up the landline phone next to her and called her two brothers who were still catching up on sleep upstairs.

"Brother, Zhang Heping is back, get your things ready, I'll take you to find him!"

……