Turning into the alley, Jiang Pengtao said, “This area used to be a good place, and it’s still good now, but it’s right next to the South Sea Road, so it’s blocked off, and many old Beijingers think this place is not airy.”

Location is the most important factor in determining the value of a house.

Sheng Weixia thought this was not a problem at all.

Suddenly, she remembered Yu Shulan’s aggrieved complaint about her not telling her the address. She glanced a few times at the small white iron plate embedded in the corner of the big gate: Xi Jiu Hutong, she silently repeated it twice to memorize it.

The two knocked on the door, and the seller opened it. The real estate agent was already there.

After they sat down and discussed the conditions, Jiang Pengtao took out the prepared contract and showed it to the seller: “Uncle, take another look, if there’s no problem, sign it. Then we’ll pay the money.”

The real estate agent began to praise in a timely manner: “To tell you the truth, Lao Wu, you’re really burning incense to be able to sell this house so smoothly! The main house is worth this price, and recently several houses have been sold quietly in this area, yours is the most expensive!”

“My house is good, it’s warm in winter and cool in summer, and it’s not noisy, it’s a detached house.” Lao Wu pushed up his glasses and carefully examined the clauses.

Sheng Weixia quickly finished reading it and got up to take another look at the rooms, imagining what they would look like after they were cleaned up.

The old furniture from last time was still there, just covered with floral cloth by the old man.

As if they were preparing to sell it.

Her heart moved.

She had thought the old furniture was beautiful last time, although she didn’t know the style, she felt it was very pleasing to the eye.

Just as she was looking, a few people came in from outside, making a lot of noise.

The real estate agent exclaimed: “Lao Lu, why are you here?”

“I’m collecting wood.” Another voice said meekly, “Are you open for business here?”

“Good furniture, why call it wood?” The real estate agent laughed, “You wouldn’t be breaking it up again to find your invisible golden nanmu, would you?”

“Just playing around, just playing around…”

Lao Wu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly raised his voice: “You only said you were collecting furniture, you didn’t say you were going to dismantle it! These are all passed down from my ancestors, only a few small pieces were cut during those years.”

Sheng Weixia lifted the bed curtain of the bunk bed, there were some worn marks, but the wood was obviously very strong and hard.

When she was a child in Tianzao Village, Xiao Cui’s dowry included a elmwood canopy bed, which was much simpler than this one, without any carvings, and no elaborate backboard.

But it was one of the few places she liked as a child.

The mosquito net was up all year round, and sleeping inside felt especially safe, even the couple’s quarrels and shoving, as well as the abuse directed at her, seemed to be blocked out by the curtain.

She stroked the bed frame, her heart moved.

Sheng Weixia walked outside and pulled Jiang Pengtao aside, whispering: “Brother, I want to buy these old furniture.”

“What do you want these for? They’re so old, you don’t know how many years they’ve been around, and you don’t know who’s used them. Didn’t your uncle and aunt give you money to buy good furniture?”

Jiang Tongtong had been watching foreign TV series and insisted on getting rid of the old furniture at home and replacing it with a simple and stylish style.

Jiang Pengtao rarely criticized his uncle and aunt, but now he began to doubt whether they had been too harsh on Sheng Weixia.

“I think they’re beautiful, I want them.” Sheng Weixia insisted.

“…Fine.” Jiang Pengtao sighed, “Then wait.”

He sat down and said to Lao Wu: “It’s a pity to dismantle them, Uncle, you see, we didn’t haggle over the price of the house, it’s better to keep these furniture in the house than to sell them as old wood, it’s a good memory, would you sell them to us for a little more money?”

The man who came to collect wood immediately became anxious: “How can that be… I’ve already called people!”

Lao Wu waved his hand, glared at him, then turned to look at Sheng Weixia.

He had noticed the two of them earlier and guessed that it was the seemingly gentle and delicate girl in front of him who wanted them.

He asked: “Really not dismantling?”

“No dismantling. I used all the money my family gave me to buy your house, where would I have money to buy furniture?” Sheng Weixia’s expression was serious.

Lao Wu waved his hand: “No need to pay, the young man is right, it’s better to keep these things as a memory than to dismantle them.”

Then he turned to the anxious group and said, “I called you to collect furniture, you didn’t say you were going to dismantle it, just consider it even.”

The man saw that there were many people here, he stomped his foot, dared not speak, and turned to leave.

“Alright, I’ve finished reading the contract, I can sign it. Money, are you ready?” Lao Wu pushed up his glasses and unscrewed the pen cap.

Jiang Pengtao nodded: “We brought the money.”

Immediately, the two parties, witnessed by the middleman, added a clause to the contract stating that the furniture was a gift, then signed and pressed their fingerprints, the money was received and the matter was settled.

Sheng Weixia looked at her name and the bright red fingerprint on the “Party B” column, the feeling of living a good life became more real.

Walking out of the alley, Jiang Pengtao sighed in relief and said, “Next is the transfer at the Housing Management Office. I’ll take care of the process for you, you don’t have to worry about it afterwards, just show up when the time comes, prepare for school with peace of mind, by the way, come to my house for dinner before school starts, it’s a task my parents gave me.”

Sheng Weixia naturally agreed.

Seeing Jiang Pengtao reach out to hail a taxi, she quickly stopped him: “Brother Pengtao, I still have things to do, I won’t go back to school yet.”

“How can that be?” Jiang Pengtao remembered what his colleagues had joked about, he couldn’t let his beautiful cousin go back alone, his expression was serious, “Do whatever you have to do tomorrow, I’ll send you back to school now.”

Sheng Weixia: “…”

What else could she do?

She should have known, once you tell a lie, you have to cover it up with countless lies.

She could only be sent back to Beijing University, then take the bus back to Niu’er Hutong by herself.

As soon as she stepped into the courtyard gate, the door of the east wing room was pushed open with a bang, Yu Shulan was leaning against the door frame, her chin raised high, her waist crossed, she questioned: “Well, where did you go, you came back so late? Did you eat? Hmph, I’ll tell you, I ate something really delicious tonight!”

She must have been in a hurry to come out, her collar was askew, and she was still holding a pen in her hand.

“I went to sign the house contract.” Sheng Weixia had a faint smile on her face, “Now I know, my house is in Xi Jiu Hutong. Do you want some braised beef?”

She lifted the bag with the lunch box in it.

“You’re being considerate! Then let’s have some, come to my room.” Yu Shulan turned around and left the door open for her, whispering, “Don’t act like I’m waiting for you to come back, I’m not dying to know where you’re going to live…”

Yu Shulan ate the braised beef while staring at Sheng Weixia, who was checking her homework, trying to deduce how well she had done from her expression.

Sheng Weixia’s expression was calm throughout, just as Yu Shulan was secretly rejoicing, she looked up and said something that made her break out in a cold sweat: “You got 40% wrong, and they’re all over the place, it makes me wonder if the ones you got right were just lucky.”

Yu Shulan threw the dice she had cut from the eraser on the ground, arguing: “I didn’t!”

“Start reviewing from the beginning of senior year.” Sheng Weixia stood up, “You should be able to finish the textbooks if you study day and night for three months.”

“Three months?” Yu Shulan remembered her previous tutor at Jinzhong, who said she learned like a sieve and couldn’t be tutored, she became angry and stopped her. “Where are you going?”

Sheng Weixia pushed her away: “I have to call Jinzhong and tell them that the house contract is signed.”

“Oh.” Yu Shulan retracted her leg that was blocking the way.

Watching her leave and the swaying door, she muttered, “She acts like she’s reporting to her boss, isn’t she her own parents? Why is she so distant?”

Sheng Weixia really did call the Gu family as if she were reporting to a creditor.

Gu Desheng, who answered the phone on the other end, seemed to be in a very good mood, even the “hello” was full of laughter.

“Dad, the house contract is just signed, and the money is paid.”

“Good, good, good! Dad is very happy today.”

Out of social courtesy, Sheng Weixia didn’t end the call immediately, she only heard the other side talking to himself:

“Your sister called back just now, said she’s doing well there, made new friends and classmates, and is adapting to English classes.” Gu Desheng said with a hint of pride, “She also cares about the family business, asking me how much the cost is and how to calculate it!”

She’s starting to care so early?

Sheng Weixia remembered that in her previous life, Gu Qingwei didn’t start getting involved in Gu Desheng’s business until she returned to China, and later she introduced him to some overseas classmates’ businesses, which made Gu Desheng very proud.

“That’s good.” Sheng Weixia couldn’t say why, she had a bad feeling about it.

But she didn’t care about Gu Desheng’s business, she made a few polite remarks and ended the call.

After hanging up the phone, Jiang Xiuhou said with a troubled expression: “My elder brother just called and scolded me.”

“Why did your elder brother scold you?” Gu Desheng was still in a good mood because both his daughters had called back, and for once he didn’t say anything sarcastic.

Jiang Xiuhou sighed: “He said we were too stingy to Xia Xia, she bought all the old furniture in the house after signing the contract today, saying she had no money to buy new furniture.”

Jiang Mingzhi’s original words were, I think she’s too embarrassed to ask you, afraid of spending your money! Can’t you think ahead for the child?

“This…” Gu Desheng’s eyebrows furrowed, but he didn’t say the words “How dare you!” in the end.