Siheyuan: Yan Jiekuang's carefree life

Yan Jiekuang said, "Brother Lei, I have an urgent job. Would you like to take it?!"

Lei Dajun was stunned for a moment, glanced at Lou Xiaoe who was standing next to Yan Jiekuang, and asked, "What kind of work?!"

Yan Jiekuang said: "Do you know the small western-style building in Loubancheng, Sijiucheng?!"

Lei Dajun replied: "I know! This small western-style building was built with the help of my ancestors."

Yan Jiekuang said, "The one next to me is Lou Bancheng's daughter. The Lou family's small western-style building has been returned to the Lou family. The New Year is coming soon. Lou Bancheng and his wife are going back to Sijiucheng to celebrate the New Year. After the small western-style building was taken away, it became an office space for a unit. Now the unit has moved away. The house is also vacant. I would like to ask you to bring people to do some repairs."

Lei Dajun thought for a few minutes and said, "Okay! For your sake, I agree to this. I'll push my bicycle and go with you." Lei Dajun entered the courtyard. Not long after, Lei Dajun came out pushing a bicycle and followed Yan Jiekuang and Lou Xiaoe.

Soon, the three of them arrived at the Lou family's small western-style building. After entering the small western-style building, Lei Dajun carefully looked through every room from top to bottom and said, "There is generally no major problem with the house. Except for the things in the bathroom, the floor of the upstairs room needs to be replaced, and the fireplace needs to be unblocked. If we work overtime, it can be done in two days. But the things in the bathroom may not be easy to deal with at this time."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Give me a list of the things in the bathroom and I'll find a way. As for the rest, you can calculate how much it will cost for two days, including labor and materials?!"

Lei Dajun looked at Lou Xiaoe unconsciously. Lou Xiaoe smiled and said, "Master Lei, Yan Jiekuang's meaning is what I mean. As long as it can be done within two days, money is not a problem."

Lei Dajun thought about it, calculated it in his mind, and said, "One thousand yuan."

"No problem!" Lou Xiao'e agreed readily, and took out 500 yuan from her handbag and handed it to Lei Dajun, saying, "This is the deposit. The rest will be settled when the work is finished."

"Okay! I'll call someone over when I get back." After saying that, Lei Dajun took out a pen and paper from his pocket, and quickly wrote a list of the things in the bathroom and handed it to Yan Jiekuang.

Yan Jiekuang took the list, looked at it, then checked the time on his watch and said, "I'll deliver the stuff before dark this afternoon."

"Okay!" Lei Dajun responded, and followed Yan Jiekuang and Lou Xiaoe out of the door of the small western-style building. Lou Xiaoe then gave the key to Lei Dajun.

Lei Dajun immediately rode his bicycle back home, had a simple meal, and then gathered the people he usually worked with, and went straight to the Lou family's small Western-style building with tools and materials.

Yan Jiekuang brought Lou Xiaoe back home. Su Zihui asked, "Did things go smoothly?!"

Lou Xiao'e replied: "It went smoothly. Thanks to your Jie Kuang for his help."

Su Zihui reminded: "Sister Xiao'e, don't forget to call home. Tell your uncle and aunt about what's going on here. Otherwise, they will be worried."

Yan Jiekuang said, "The telephone office in Nanluoguxiang can make international calls. But each call is only three minutes long."

"I'll go over and make the call after lunch." After saying that, Lou Xiao'e teased Yan Xueyi and asked, "Son, do you miss your godmother?!"

Seeing Lou Xiaoe's childish look, Yan Jiekuang smiled and said, "You guys chat first. I'll just have a bite and find someone to clean up the things in the bathroom later."

Lou Xiao'e came to her senses and said, "I'll give you the money."

"Let's not talk about money now. Let's talk about it later!" After saying that, Yan Jiekuang walked out of the house, went to the kitchen, had a quick bite, and then pushed his bicycle out.

A little after three o'clock in the afternoon, Yan Jiekuang brought the bathtub, flush toilet, and basin he had brought to the door of the Lou family's small western-style building. Yan Jiekuang walked to the front door and knocked on it. Lei Dajun, who was busy dismantling things with his men, heard the noise and said to his apprentice not far away, "Erdan, go to the door and take a look. Who's here?!"

"Oh!" Erdan responded, put the tools in his hand aside, and ran out happily. When he ran to the gate, Erdan opened the door, saw Yan Jiekuang, and asked: "Comrade, who are you looking for?!"

Yan Jiekuang said, "Please call Master Lei for me and tell him that Yan Jiekuang is here to deliver the materials."

"Oh!" Erdan didn't dare to delay any longer and ran in immediately. Not long after, Lei Dajun came out of the small western-style building with Erdan. Seeing the things on the cart in the yard, Lei Dajun's eyes lit up instantly and said, "Jie Kuang, you are really good! These things are not easy to get now!"

Yan Jiekuang said, "These are all the leftovers from the renovation of the big hotel. Take a look, are they enough?!"

Lei Dajun took a look at the things on the cart, calculated silently in his mind, and said, "That's enough!"

"Okay, I won't disturb you from working." After saying that, Yan Jiekuang took out two dollars from his pocket and gave them to Wobo, then left.

After Yan Jiekuang left, Lei Dajun immediately asked people to help unload the truck with Wobo.

Lou Xiao'e spent the whole afternoon on the phone, and finally got through. The person who answered the phone was not Butler Fu or her parents, but her eldest brother Lou Shichang. Lou Xiao'e learned from her eldest brother that her parents and Butler Fu had left early this morning on a chartered flight from Hong Kong to Guangzhou.

Yan Jiekuang just turned into Nanluoguxiang on his bicycle and saw Lou Xiaoe coming out of the telephone office. Yan Jiekuang immediately rode his bicycle to Lou Xiaoe and asked, "Sister Xiaoe, did you get through?!"

Lou Xiao'e replied, "The call went through. My eldest brother answered it. My parents took Butler Fu on a chartered flight from Gangcheng to Yangcheng early this morning. I guess they have already arrived in Yangcheng."

Yan Jiekuang said, "We will arrive in Yangcheng today on the evening train. We will arrive the day after tomorrow morning. I will go to the small western-style building tomorrow to check on it and urge them on their progress. We will try to finish the house before your father and his family arrive in Sijiucheng."

Lou Xiao'e said: "Even if the house is finished, it won't work without furniture! Where can we get the furniture?!"

Yan Jiekuang said, “Let’s go to Beixinqiao and have a look. I heard that there are many old-style mahogany furniture in the commissioned shops in Beixinqiao. Let’s go and look around, maybe we can find some good ones.”

Lou Xiao'e thought about it, sighed, and said, "This is the only way now."

Yan Jiekuang urged, "Get in the car! I'll take you back."

"Okay!" Lou Xiao'e responded and sat on the back seat of the bicycle.

"Old lady, why does the girl on the back seat of the third son of the Yan family's bicycle look so familiar?!" Yan Jiekuang left with Lou Xiao'e, and Xu Wude and his wife appeared across the street. Xu Wude turned his head and saw Lou Xiao'e's silhouette.

Gu Jinlian looked in the direction Xu Wude pointed, but didn't see anyone, so she asked casually, "Where is it?!"

Xu Wood pointed ahead and said, "There it is!"

Gu Jinlian said, "Looking at the back, it really seems to be Lou Xiao'e. I heard from Arong a while ago that the Lou family will be returning from Hong Kong soon."

Xu Wood was surprised and asked, "Can they come back now?!"

Gu Jinlian nodded and said, "Not only can they come back, but their confiscated houses have also been returned to them."

Xu Wood rolled his eyes and said, "It seems that the Lou family is doing well in Hong Kong City."