Manager Wu felt quite embarrassed.
The homeowner had initially presented everything so well, claiming clear property rights with the entire courtyard under his name. Such properties were rare. Most siheyuan courtyards were divided up, with multiple families living in one compound, making ownership a complicated mess.
Who would have thought they’d encounter such a situation at the very first property he showed Xia Xiaolan?
Raising money to go abroad was one reason, but getting rid of these “tenants” was probably another.
“Miss Xia, you see how this situation has turned out…”
“It’s fine. Since we’re already here, let’s observe patiently.”
Buying a house, though cheap as cabbage, wasn’t as simple as buying cabbage. Only a few wealthy eccentrics would decide to buy after just one glance. Xia Xiaolan was willing to spend more time understanding the property’s situation.
The man in his early thirties was the owner.
Backed against the wall, he was a refined person.
But in these times, refined people often got the short end of the stick. The emotional tenants were pointing fingers and cursing at the owner – would they dare to imagine doing this 30 years later? Which landlord in the capital would allow themselves to be treated this way then? They’d raise rent at will, and those who didn’t accept would have to pack up and leave.
But in 1984, property owners with inherited estates couldn’t stand against a group of true proletarians.
As the proletarians overwhelmed the owner, Xia Xiaolan remained patient, standing with Manager Wu at a distance watching. They weren’t the only spectators – many onlookers filled the alley, making them inconspicuous.
The owner, having no escape, waited until the tenants tired of cursing before emphasizing:
“I’m going to sell the house. Whether others want to rent to you is not my concern! And you can’t control my decision to sell!”
Though his words were refined, his resentment was clear.
How could he not be resentful?
His family’s ancestral property had been clearly returned to him, yet these people refused to leave. They paid a token monthly rent of just a few yuan, yet acted more aggressively than him, the actual owner. Though he couldn’t occupy such a large courtyard alone, he wanted the right to choose his tenants.
Whether to rent and to whom – these should be his decisions.
Not forced upon him by people exploiting historical circumstances.
He’d tried resolving it through the street office, but they just mediated half-heartedly. The owner felt helpless – what use was a courtyard he couldn’t even live in?
“What do you mean we can’t control it?”
“You’re speaking like a capitalist, not considering common people’s lives!”
“Your family were capitalists anyway…”
The owner’s expression changed repeatedly, but he held back his anger. He’d tried reasoning with these people before, achieving nothing and suffering losses. Now he’d learned to endure. It was just verbal abuse after all, and he still needed to sell the house, though he hadn’t expected this potential buyer Xia Xiaolan to witness this scene.
Such tenants were truly troublesome.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t leave immediately, mainly because houses were hard to find now, so she needed to inspect the property. With such difficult tenants, the owner would struggle to sell – most buyers would abandon the deal upon seeing this situation.
Xia Xiaolan wasn’t afraid of trouble, and since Manager Wu had brought her, he would need to find a solution.
Manager Wu was indeed more anxious than Xia Xiaolan. He was hoping his premium client would increase her government bond purchases – from 6,000 yuan now to potentially 60,000 yuan later. He had high hopes for the future.
Were these people troubling the owner?
They were troubling his premium client!
“Comrade Xiao Xu, what’s going on here?”
Manager Wu stepped forward, immediately standing out from the crowd. Owner Xu, sweating profusely, hadn’t met Manager Wu before – they’d connected through mutual acquaintances.
“Are you Manager Wu? I’m sorry for this discourtesy!”
Manager Wu nodded, his serious expression carrying authority.
Weren’t banks arrogant in these times?
If not for being driven crazy by government bonds, Manager Wu could be arrogant anywhere.
His posture, hands behind his back, was intimidating enough to temporarily silence the cursing crowd. Manager Wu’s cadre bearing had saved Xiao Xu. If this cadre wanted to buy the house, they couldn’t cause trouble.
The tenants exchanged glances.
When Manager Wu said he wanted to see the house, Xia Xiaolan followed. Xiao Xu only then realized Manager Wu was just a middleman – could the buyer be the young woman following him?
Xiao Xu guessed he probably wouldn’t sell the house today. Never mind whether the young woman could afford his price – what young woman wouldn’t fear trouble? Being young and beautiful, she’d be even less likely to handle such disruption.
Dispirited, Xiao Xu still had to properly introduce the courtyard out of respect for Manager Wu.
“This house has been passed down since my great-grandfather’s generation. When the property was returned, they measured it – the house and courtyard total 580 square meters. The overall condition is quite good…”
“Though there are quite a few unauthorized additions.”
A 580-square-meter siheyuan inside the Second Ring Road, in Nanluogu Alley.
Xia Xiaolan was initially quite satisfied.
This siheyuan, located in the former princes’ mansion district, clearly belonged to no ordinary family, even if not to officials or nobles. Despite the messy additional structures, one could roughly see its originally proper and grand layout.
The illegal structures weren’t a problem – they could be demolished if she bought them.
However, Xiao Xu didn’t know Xia Xiaolan’s thoughts. Hearing her fair assessment, he blushed slightly. The courtyard had been badly spoiled, cramped with several households, each trying to occupy more space, leaving only a tiny courtyard in the center.
Xia Xiaolan toured the property, followed by many tenants, without asking specific questions.
The tenants didn’t realize this young woman was the potential buyer, or they would have harassed her for her youth. With Manager Wu’s presence, they just glared at owner Xiao Xu.
Seeing that Xia Xiaolan hadn’t immediately left, Xiao Xu felt hopeful.
What if she wanted to buy?
He spoke to Manager Wu, but his words were meant for Xia Xiaolan.
After viewing the house, the three walked far enough to lose the group of tenants before Xia Xiaolan asked directly: “Comrade Xu, your house seems to have some issues. How much are you asking?”
Xiao Xu had wanted to sell for 80,000.
But since Xia Xiaolan had seen the property’s problems, he gritted his teeth and reduced it by 5,000:
“Seventy-five thousand. If you want to buy, bring cash, and I’ll process the paperwork as quickly as possible!”
Seventy-five thousand?
Xia Xiaolan thought it was too expensive. “Manager Wu, let’s go look at the next property.”