Siheyuan: 55 years, starting from a buyer

"Haha, I'm also trying to lend a hand to you, Director Wang!" Mr. Chen said with a smile, without mentioning his true personal thoughts.

In fact, this idea came from the knowledge accumulated in his heart. Mr. Chen still yearned to have his own residence.

"Very good, Mr. Chen.

When you have time, remember to go to the street office to handle the formalities. We will issue you the relevant property rights certificate.

"Uncle Wang will not delve into it any further. It is a good thing that some people are willing to cooperate with the policy.

"By the way, Director Wang, what steps are needed to renovate a house?" While walking and chatting, Mr. Chen asked about the next step.

“Well, after a public house is converted into a private house, general renovation does not require any special procedures.

If you want to do major repairs or expansion, you need approval, but as long as you don't demolish and rebuild, there is no problem.

"After thinking for a while, Uncle Wang told Mr. Chen.

Nodding with satisfaction, Mr. Chen left quickly with a sense of satisfaction.

"That boy is really active, huh."

Uncle Wang looked at his back and chuckled. He didn't think there was anything wrong with Mr. Chen's busy but friendly attitude.

After mastering the decoration procedures, Mr. Chen prepared 300 yuan in advance, which was the necessary handling fee mentioned by Director Wang.

He took advantage of his lunch break to successfully complete the procedures.

The staff assisted him diligently. They not only went to the house in person to verify the location of the house, but also checked the files and quickly prepared the house deed and land deed documents for Chen.

After completing the formalities, Mr. Chen asked the staff about the decoration company and got the address of a street-level decoration team.

So he decided to go back and ask his parents if they knew which team had better skills.

When he returned home in the evening, he also intended to raise the matter of decoration when visiting his master Wang Shun. After all, in that world, the friendship between master and apprentice is like that between father and daughter, and they are close and trusting of each other.

On a weekday evening, Mr. Chen came to Wang Shun's home as scheduled to return the medical cases he had borrowed previously and looked forward to new knowledge.

Pleased with Chen's progress, Wang Shun replaced him with a new case file after a brief evaluation.

"Master, actually, I have some ideas about home decoration."

After completing his daily affairs, Mr. Chen put forward his new demands.

"Tell me what you're thinking.

“Wang Shun listened patiently and wanted to help.

“I want to redecorate my house recently.

But as the time for my apprenticeship is getting tighter and tighter, I may not have the time to deal with these issues.

Do you know any decoration teams with good reputation that you can recommend? "Mr. Chen stated his intention frankly.

Wang Shun was silent for a while and then suggested: "When you are free, you can look for your senior brother. His relative is a decorator with a good reputation.

When the time comes, just say that I introduced you."

“That’s great, thank you Master!” Mr. Chen expressed his gratitude and admired Master’s reliability in his heart.

"You are welcome.

You can take a look at these medical records in the next few days to understand our medical style."

After that, Wang Shun handed Chen Sheng another book and said, "I won't keep you here today, go home and have a good rest.

Starting from the first of next month, you will officially study with me, so remember to come on time."

Mr. Chen bowed deeply to Wang Shun and left Wang's house, with a plan for home renovation already in his mind.

The two-bedroom and living room he lived in was originally a spacious residence, but was later changed to its current layout due to needs.

Mr. Chen plans to implement a large-scale renovation: compress the kitchen space and install upper and lower cabinets to save space; the original one-room area will be transformed into a layered design, with a study, medicine cabinet, toilet, bathroom, and a small living and dining room on the first floor; the second floor will be prepared as a double bedroom.

Considering the architectural characteristics of courtyard houses, such a change is entirely feasible.

Although Mr. Chen still uses the private area to handle daily affairs, he understands that changes may come at any time.

The toilet and bathing facilities in the hospital were quite simple, causing him a lot of inconvenience.

For the second floor, Mr. Chen wanted to maintain a sense of openness, but he still needed to set up a staircase leading to the upper and lower floors, which was placed near the door of the study on the first floor.

At the same time, he will temporarily divide it into two bedrooms. According to calculations, the height and size of the space are ideal.

As the renovation plan progressed, Mr. Chen decided to dismantle the old kang and asked the renovation workers whether it was possible to connect to the heating system.

Beijing now has heating facilities, but if it is difficult to install radiators, he may have to use fireplaces as an alternative.

To him, the two perform equally well, but the fireplace consumes more wood.

On the weekend, Mr. Chen found his senior brother.

The decoration company mentioned earlier is the enterprise led by my senior brother and sister-in-law.

The senior brother took Mr. Chen directly to his sister-in-law's house. After a brief introduction, he kept them aside for an in-depth discussion.

"Master Jin, we are all family, so just be frank." Mr. Chen stated his request frankly.

"Please go ahead." Master Jin responded.

Mr. Chen took out a pen and paper and drew a sketch while explaining his idea.

He also specifically asked whether it was possible to install a concealed heater to avoid the heating equipment being too glaring.

A stove can be placed in the kitchen, but generally people don't notice its existence.

"Junior Brother Chen, all the changes you mentioned can be implemented.

However, if the renovation is carried out according to this plan, the construction period may be slightly delayed and it can be completed in about fifteen days.

You are a good brother of the eldest brother, and we will never treat you unfairly. We will select the best materials and the most meticulous craftsmanship to complete this task."

Master Jin promised.

"How about this, you will be responsible for the labor and materials.

I don't have any other special requirements in this regard, but I hope you will take care of your own meals. I can give each of them an extra fifty cents a day. Can you help me estimate the total price? " Mr. Chen negotiated with the master in detail.

After listening to Mr. Chen's request, Master Jin quickly grabbed a pen and paper and began to calculate: "It will cost about 260 yuan for labor and materials.

The price is mainly affected by the increase in the unit price of cement and heating, especially the latter, which may be troublesome for me to find it specifically. "

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"Master Jin, if I can pay you 300 yuan, can you improve the sound insulation of the first and second floors? I am a little afraid of the noise.

"Mr. Chen suggested.

"No, no, 260 yuan is enough.

Just wait and see our expertise.

"Master Jin patted his chest vigorously and promised Mr. Chen.

“Thank you very much.

"Mr. Chen said with gratitude.

"By the way, Master Jin, I need you to introduce me to a carpenter.

I'm getting ready to replace some furniture and have a custom medicine cabinet built.

"Mr. Chen has put forward his new demands.

“It’s a small matter. We have cooperated with several well-known and time-honored carpenters, and they have a good reputation in the industry.

After the work is completed, we will ask the master to come directly to your door to measure the size and customize it.

"Master Jin explained his arrangements in detail.

After thinking for a moment, Mr. Chen thought it would be more accurate to let the carpenter measure at home.

He was very satisfied with the current progress. He thought the difficult problem was solved so smoothly.

The next step is to wait together for the start of work.

After setting the construction period, Mr. Chen returned home to prepare.

When he got home, he started packing his belongings, planning to temporarily stay at his parents' or master's house. After all, once the renovation started, this house would definitely be uninhabitable.

He arranged all renovation related matters smoothly.

After returning home, Mr. Chen began to pack his personal belongings and prepare for the relocation.

In fact, he didn't have many belongings, mainly books, quilts, clothes and daily necessities.

I plan to discard some of the old furniture and ask the carpenter to rebuild it according to my own ideas.

For this reason, although Mr. Chen has the ability to store information instantly, he wisely decides not to rely on it too much in order to avoid causing confusion or misunderstanding among his neighbors.

For this purpose, he even hired a rickshaw to transport the items back home.

After discussing with my parents, I learned that there was a vacant small room in the house that could be used as a place to live.

His house is a neat little courtyard with a side room that is currently vacant and can be moved in at any time.

As for food, he would provide the aunt with meal expenses without any intention of taking advantage of her.

After everything was ready, Mr. Chen first paid a visit to Officer Wu, who was now the actual manager of the compound. Some things needed to be communicated to her in advance.

Inform cadre Wu that the house has been transferred to private ownership and that the relevant renovation application has been completed at the street office.

Because a toilet will be added indoors and connected to the outdoor sewage pipe, a report and filing is required.

Officer Wu expressed his understanding of this, saying that such filing was necessary considering that there were people flowing into the compound in the morning and evening, and that there were many full-time housewives coming in and out.

And since Mr. Chen has completed all the formalities, there is no need for further explanation.

The next morning, when the tricycle arrived, Mr. Chen loaded the luggage into the tricycle.

When he went out, he met Yan Fugui.

"Mr. Chen, are you going to move away?" Yan Fugui asked curiously.

"Exactly. I plan to stay at my house for a while. We have renovation plans for this place.

I will come back to stay here after the renovation is completed in about half a month.

Mr. Chen responded, adding an explanation of his arrangements to prevent misunderstandings among neighbors.

Although most of his belongings have been moved out, Mr. Chen still wants to stay in the old house for one last night in order to ensure smooth work tomorrow.

After all, these were not a problem for him, since he could spend the night in his 'space'.

Tomorrow morning, Master Jin will visit with his construction team, and a pre-booked carpenter will also come to measure the dimensions on site.

At dawn the next day, Yan Fugui just opened the door and saw Master Jin arriving with a dozen workers and carpenters.

"Xiao Chen! Xiao Chen! The decoration team is here!" He led everyone into the backyard, calling out as he walked.

Mr. Chen took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, handed one to Yan Fugui to express his gratitude, and then gave one to each of Master Jin and his team.

"Master Jin, from now on, all the work here will be left to you.

"Mr. Chen smiled at Master Jin.

"Don't worry, just leave it to us.

Let me introduce you, this is Master Zhang, he will help you customize furniture.

His elders once served in the palace.

“Master Jin introduced them one by one.

Looking at this slightly wealthy middle-aged man, Mr. Chen bowed politely and said, "Hello, Master Zhang.

"

Master Zhang looked calm and responded briefly.

Mr. Chen led Master Zhang into the house and marked the placement area of ​​each piece of furniture on the ground with chalk.

“I envision making a Chinese medicine cabinet here.

"Mr. Chen gestured and pointed to the other side," This is a bookshelf. There should be a writing desk underneath, and a chair with a backrest next to it.

"

Master Zhang worked silently as he measured dimensions and made records.

“I want to build a large dining table here with four chairs for dining and entertaining guests.

It would be even better if it could be folded.

“Mr. Chen specified the general framework at another location.

After discussing with Master Jin, he mentioned that the second floor would be converted into two bedrooms, “which would be equipped with a double bed and a single bed, each with a bedside table.

“This is routine for carpenters who are familiar with these techniques.

They then headed towards the kitchen area.

Mr. Chen said: "I want to compress the space in the kitchen and make a few more cabinets, put small storage cabinets on the upper layer, and large storage racks on the lower layer.

"

“By the way, I have told Master Jin that we may need to install a heating system, which may require some wooden partition structures. You can discuss the specific matters with him.

“Chen’s life is not over yet.

Although his words were brief, Master Zhang showed full confidence: "Don't worry, boss, we are skilled in our craftsmanship and will definitely satisfy you.

"

Mr. Chen put forward his requirements for materials: "I hope to use high-quality wood, if possible, preferably mahogany, rosewood is also OK.

"

“Red wood is not easy to come by, and rosewood is more suitable for making small and delicate items.

It is not easy to find good wood for large furniture.

"Master Zhang secretly felt that the cost of this project would be high.

However, Mr. Chen answered easily: "It doesn't matter. A one-time investment will bring long-term benefits. After all, this is the family's investment. Just treat it as a need for dividing the family.

“This is to explain the budget issue and avoid misunderstanding.

Master Zhang nodded and began to calculate: "The total price is 350 yuan, including all materials and labor costs.

"

After a pause, he handed over the list: "Boss, half of the down payment, the rest will be paid when the work is completed."

Mr. Chen took out cash, took out 175 yuan and handed it to Master Zhang, urging him to check the amount.

After verifying that everything was correct, Master Zhang put away his wallet.

Master Jin coordinated the division of labor in a timely manner and left the yard.

"Have you discussed everything?" asked Master Jin.

“Well, it’s all done. I’ll leave it to you two from now on.

"Mr. Chen responded politely.

The neighbors in the yard also got up one after another, and seeing the bustling backyard, they came to inquire about what was going on.

Standing in the midst of the bustle, Chen Sheng announced emotionally: “Fellow villagers, my house is being decorated.

Although it may cause some inconvenience, we hope you will understand.

"

When everyone heard that it was just a simple decoration, they all left, but some people stayed, including Yan Fugui and his eldest son Yan Jiecheng, as well as Jia Zhang and her son Jia Dongxu.

Yan Fugui stepped forward and asked, "Xiao Chen, are you not going to keep your old table and chairs?"

Mr. Chen had never thought about what to do with the old furniture, as he felt that they would not make much money if sold, but he was afraid of causing gossip if he threw them away.

While the two were talking, Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu had already picked up their chairs and were ready to go home, muttering, "We don't need them anyway, just give them all to us."

Chen Shengxian was stunned for a moment. He never thought that someone could take possession of other people's property so openly.

Mr. Chen was a little angry: "Put it down! How could I say I don't want it?"

Jia Zhang paused for a moment and said confidently, "You moved out, and I thought you didn't want it. Since you don't need it, why not lend it to us?

Don’t be so stingy.”

Mr. Chen was even more indignant. He didn't expect to meet such a shameless person: "I said, put the things down!"

At this time, Yi Zhonghai came over and rebuked Chen Sheng with a dissatisfied look: "Xiao Chen, how can you talk to your elders like this? What are two broken chairs? Why are you so stingy?"

Chen Sheng angrily retorted: "I don't think I am.

I didn't say I would give them everything. If you are generous, why don't you give the pots and pans in your home to the Jia family?"

Yi Zhonghai was so angry that his face turned pale and blue: "How can you say such hurtful things? How can you be so rude to the elders in the courtyard?"

Before he could respond, Director Wu hurried over to explain: "Everyone, Xiao Chen's house is privately owned, and the renovation is his personal decision, and he does not need anyone's permission.

He has informed the street and me.”

After hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's face turned even worse, and he felt humiliated in public.

He said to Jia Dongxu in a stern voice: "Dongxu, go back and take your mother away from here!"

Seeing that the excitement was over, the crowd dispersed one after another, leaving only Yan Fugui and his son still standing there.

Yan Fugui thought about the old items and said, "Grandpa, if you want, you can take these tables and chairs. I was planning to use them as firewood.

Consider it a favor to me, and bring me back ten bundles of firewood."