I messed up the Siheyuan

The Hongxing Subdistrict Office is actually located in a three-story courtyard.

Of course, after the Hongxing Sub-district Office moved in, some renovations were also made to the courtyard house.

For example: building a gatehouse at the door; dividing a larger room into a small office; building a warehouse in an open space...

After Wang Ping left the two houses, he rode his bicycle straight here.

As a result, he was stopped at the door by the old man in the concierge.

The old man had a head full of white hair, sharp eyes, a loud voice, and a scar on his cheek.

He was very orderly in his movements, showing the toughness of a soldier.

It was obvious that he was an old soldier who had spent his entire life in the military. Somehow he ended up working as a doorman here.

"Who are you looking for, young man?"

"I'm looking for Director Wang!" Wang Ping stopped his bicycle, took out a cigarette from his arms, and handed it in through the window of the gatehouse. "Uncle, have a cigarette!"

The old man took the cigarette, took a look at it, and exclaimed in surprise, "Wow!... Daqianmen!..."

As he spoke, he began to look at Wang Ping with a scrutinizing gaze, "Young man, your cigarettes are pretty good, aren't they?"

Wang Ping's hair stood on end when the old man looked at him so carefully.

He felt a murderous aura bursting out from the old man's eyes and lingering in his heart.

Wang Ping swallowed hard and explained in a hoarse voice, "Uncle, I'm a buyer for the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill.

As buyers, we have to go out often and deal with all kinds of people.

this...

If you hand me a good cigarette, it will save me a lot of trouble!"

This made the old man feel conflicted.

Finally, he muttered "Hmph! ... Evil spirit!" and waved his hand at Wang Ping, "Go in!

Director Wang’s office is the first one on the east side of the Central Courtyard.

There's a sign on the door!

You’ll know once you go in and take a look.”

"Okay! ...Then you get busy!"

Wang Ping responded and walked inside.

According to what the old man said, Wang Ping quickly found Director Wang's office.

He knocked gently at the door a few times. After hearing a voice saying "Come in", Wang Ping pushed the door open and walked in.

"Hello, Director Wang!"

Director Wang, who was writing something at his desk, raised his head in surprise when he heard Wang Ping's greeting.

She first looked at Wang Ping with confusion.

But soon, she smiled and said, "Oh!... Wang Ping from Compound No. 95!...

A few days ago, when the Liu family in your courtyard split up, it was you who brought Liu Haizhong's son to look for me at night."

Wang Ping smiled and said politely: "Director Wang, you have a good memory! You still remember me..."

Director Wang, who was praised, laughed and stood up. He asked Wang Ping to sit on the sofa at the side.

Then, she poured Wang Ping a glass of water and said jokingly, "You have been promoted to a regular employee just over a month after entering the steel mill.

A few days ago, I seemed to have been praised by the entire factory.

It is said that work is still being replaced by work now?

Wow...amazing!

Tell me...

If I can't remember such an outstanding person, then I, as the director of the street office, would be derelict in my duty."

"You're too kind!" Wang Ping's cheeks flushed, and he replied shyly, "I'm just an ordinary buyer. There's no such thing as excellence or not."

This made Director Wang burst into laughter again.

However, seeing that her praise made Wang Ping a little embarrassed, she stopped saying those words and instead took Wang Ping aside to chat about family matters.

What... How is your work? How is your living? Is it hard to go to the countryside?

She even talked with great interest about the old man at the gate of the street office who had just arrived and looked very impressive.

According to Director Wang...

This old man is the kind of veteran revolutionary who has actually climbed snow-capped mountains and walked through grasslands!

Although he was not promoted to a high-ranking leader, he still worked in the army for his entire life.

Later, his superiors saw that he was too old, so they arranged for him to retire and move into a military retirement home so that he could spend his later years in peace.

However, the old man could only stay in the retirement home for one night before he could no longer stay there.

There's no way. After a lifetime of military service, the old man really can't adapt to the leisurely life in the retirement home.

Later, his superiors assigned him to the Hongxing Subdistrict Office, where he worked as a gatekeeper.

The old man is here not for any treatment or salary, he just wants to have something to do.

......

After talking for a long time, she pretended to be indifferent and asked Wang Ping why he came.

After hearing that Wang Ping wanted to exchange houses, she hesitated for a moment, frowned slightly, and said: "I know the house in the compound you mentioned.

That house was one of the best houses not only in that slum, but also in their alley.

Unfortunately, the house is private property!

So, even if no one has lived here for the past two or three years, we can only watch this street go by.”

Having said that, she looked at Wang Ping with some confusion.

"Xiao Wang, how did this house fall into your hands?"

"Director Wang, to be honest..."

"We have good pay at the steel mill and high food rations."

"I always have a lot of food left over every month!"

"I used the food I had saved over the past few months, and borrowed a little from others to gather two hundred kilograms of corn flour, and traded this room with the landlord."

"Originally... I didn't want to change it at first..."

"It was the landlord who said...

"Several members of their family don't even have the food rations for the city."

"There's not enough food at home. If we don't get some food, people at home will starve to death..."

"I just let my heart go and did all this!"

"Otherwise, I can't even live in my two wing rooms now, so why would I need an extra house?"

"But!...After I took down the house, I remembered..."

"Aren't there two empty back houses in our front yard?"

"If I could exchange the room in the compound for the two back houses on the street, my houses would all be next to each other!"

"In this way, I can build two more walls to surround the two wing rooms and the two back houses, and then it will be a small courtyard."

"It would be even better if the street could allow me to open a small door facing the alley... hehe..."

Director Wang raised his finger and pointed at Wang Ping, scolding him with a smile: "You little rascal!

You must have been thinking about those two back houses for a long time. Why don't you find a house and exchange them with the street office?"

These words made Wang Ping's face slightly red.

He was about to say something, but Director Wang interrupted him with a wave of his hand.

"Okay, Xiao Wang, you don't have to explain."

"This is nothing out of the ordinary!"

"That's what you planned. No one can do anything to you!"

At this point, she smiled and shook her head, jokingly saying, “You really are your father’s son!

Your father pondered over those two side rooms for more than ten years, and finally his wish was fulfilled.

Good for you!

I've only been working for a few months!

Then we have to take down the two back houses.”