Chapter 11 What a coincidence
Isn't this for the purpose of getting married?
But Wang Deming swallowed the words that came to his lips. His sister had always wanted him to marry a girl from a wealthy family in the city.
He was a neighbor next door, and Wang Deming had seen him before.

Really! A lady from a noble family, not only is she beautiful, but she is also good at playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, knitting and embroidery, and she can even speak foreign languages.

But the ingredients! The ingredients!

Wang Deming rolled his eyes slightly, smiled at his sister Yan Baozhen, and made up an excuse: "Sister, this is your husband's house after all. Although my brother-in-law's family welcomes me, I still have to have my own place, right? I'm not going to study anymore, so it will sound good when I tell others about it later."

"Besides, I'm not saying I'll move out and not come here anymore. I'm just looking for a place to sleep. I'm not married yet, and it's troublesome for me to cook for myself."

"Besides, I'm ready to work. When colleagues socialize, they have to have their own place to entertain, right?"

Yan Baozhen frowned slightly, full of confusion: "Why don't you study anymore? Your school principal Zhang and your homeroom teacher have come to your home several times. When they couldn't find you, they kept trying to persuade me to wait for you to come back and persuade you to continue to take the college entrance examination."

Then she persuaded him earnestly: "Deming, you are gifted in studying. You are a real seed of learning. In just two years, you have graduated from Beijing No. 5 Middle School. But if you can get into college in the future, you will be a real cultured person after you graduate. Then you will be respected wherever you go."

"Besides, besides taking jobs with me, you also help the Yin family in Ganyu Hutong repair sewing machines. You make at least 30 or 40 yuan a month. It's enough money for you to live. Why do you have to focus on work?"

"I think you can get into university with your ability. It would be a shame if you don't continue your studies."

Wang Deming knew that his sister Yan Baozhen had good intentions, but he couldn't tell her true thoughts.
It's good to get into university, because after graduation you will get a cadre position.

But universities are allocated nationwide! People like me who have no background and whose relatives come from feudal families will definitely be assigned to some corner.

There is another thing worth mentioning: Wang Deming did not know this before, the information he had always received was that this era was nothing but hardship and poverty, fighting against heaven and earth, and never stopping to struggle.
It was not until I went to the city to study and stayed at my sister's house that I realized, wow, the life of rich people in this era is so rich!

Although it is not as convenient as ordering takeout at your door with a mobile phone in later generations, it is definitely more enjoyable than before!
When I go out and take the bus, I go to various restaurants, take a bath, go to the theater, watch movies, and visit temple fairs. Even the snacks on the street are different in different seasons. Hey, when I hear the shouting at home, I go out and eat freshly cooked food. The taste is so good. It is really unimaginable.
After a few years, when the public and private sectors were merged, the restaurants were no longer the same, and the snacks were centralized. When Soviet experts came to provide comprehensive guidance, Beijing was truly Ping.
I worked like a slave in my previous life, can't I enjoy myself in this life?
Enjoy poetry and wine while you are young.

Wang Deming smiled slightly and used the same excuse: "Sister, didn't I explain it to you before?"

"My ambition is to become a Chinese medicine doctor like my godfather, so didn't I ask my father-in-law to help me get into the Chinese Medicine Association?"

"From now on, I can consult these senior TCM practitioners at any time in the TCM Association. At the same time, I will also learn more by following them when they see patients. This is the best of both worlds."

"There are so many good doctors in the Chinese Medicine Association. If I learn one skill from each of them, it will be enough for me to benefit endlessly. For example, the doctor Xia Xiwu who my father-in-law helped to ask for help is a royal bone-setting doctor from the Shangsiyuan of the Qing Palace. It's only now, otherwise I won't have the opportunity to learn from him in person!"

When mentioning Doctor Xia, Yan Baozhen covered her mouth and laughed: "This Doctor Xia is a real Mongolian doctor. You, be careful not to learn the wrong way."

"I heard from my father that we had to use the connections of the Fourth Master Rong in the Ministry of Internal Affairs to find him. Fortunately, when they heard that our family was also an old bannerman, they gave us this face."

"What are you talking about me?" Speak of the devil, and here appears a skinny old man about 1 meters tall, wearing a small melon-shaped hat inlaid with white jade, a royal blue silk buttoned top, solid silk trousers, and cloth shoes with thousand-layer soles. He is also holding two lion-head walnuts in his hands, turning them back and forth.

"Oh, Father, you're back. Your wife greets you." Yan Baozhen blushed when she heard Father's voice. She turned around and knelt down to greet him. It was really rude and embarrassing to talk about an elder behind his back and be heard.

"Hello, Uncle Chang!" Wang Deming followed his sister and bowed slightly to the old man, helping his sister explain: "My sister just told me that it was not easy for you to ask for help from others to get Doctor Xia, and asked me to study hard when I enter the Chinese Medicine Academy in the future."

Fortunately, Old Man Chang is also a free and easy person. He doesn't care and laughs heartily: "Well, we used to eat old rice (the imperial grain distributed to the bannermen is old rice, the iron-clad crops), and we have dealt with each other occasionally. When he was in the palace, his name was Chang Fu, and he changed it to Xia Xiwu after he came out, which means I am not as familiar with him as Yaxuan (Mr. Rong Siye); besides, Yaxuan and I are sworn brothers, so it's not a matter of asking for favors. You, don't take it too seriously."

"You've been helping our family a lot in the past two years. We're family, so don't be polite."

"Hey, Master Chang, I just have something to ask you again." Wang Deming cupped his hands, "I want to buy two houses nearby. Please help me find out and buy them directly if there is a suitable one."

Old Man Chang paused for a moment as he was holding the walnuts in his hand. "Hey, Deming boy, why do you have to buy a small single room? It would be so cramped to live there.
"Why don't you just continue living here? It's not like there's no place for you to live. Wouldn't it be nice to save some money and buy a house with a courtyard?"

Wang Deming admired the old man's spirit. He had no money in his pocket, but he was still very stylish. He could sell his belongings if he had no money. In short, his living standard would not drop.
But Wang Deming just thought it was a joke. Besides, why buy a place to enter the hospital at this time?
Not to mention a one-courtyard house, even a three-courtyard house or a four-courtyard house with a cross-courtyard is something that Wang Deming can afford now, after all, there are so many goods and dollars hidden under the cabinet.

Do you dare to buy it? How do you explain the source of the money?

I am a poor peasant. I can buy a house in the city after two years. Am I taking money that I shouldn't take? Am I serving the evil imperialism?
How lucky you are to be classified as a poor peasant. Don't bring disaster upon yourself.

Wang Deming smiled modestly: "Uncle Chang, I have saved some money in the past two years. I will buy a house first so that I can have a place to stay in the city. When winter comes, it will be convenient for me to bring my mother to live in the city for a while."

"Hey, good boy, that's what I like about you, you're hardworking and filial!" Old Man Chang laughed heartily again: "Unlike your brother-in-law, who can't do anything."

Wang Deming praised him at the right time: "Well, my brother-in-law hasn't found a suitable job yet. He knows Japanese and can drive a car. Besides, isn't it because of your rich family background?"

"Haha." Old Man Chang laughed heartily twice, took out his pocket watch and checked the time: "What a coincidence, Yaxuan (Mr. Rong Si) came here two days ago, and we were chatting. He said there is a room in Nanluoguxiang. Let's go there and take a look at the room. It's just time for dinner when we come back."

"Father, Deming ordered ducks from Wellcome today." Yan Baozhen immediately took the opportunity to add a word, letting Father know that his brother had been buying food all the time.

"Well, the weather is getting colder, so it's time to nourish yourself. Baozhen, find some side dishes at home and heat up a pot of good wine. I'll call Yaxuan to come over for dinner."

"Got it, Ama."

"Let's go, man."

Wang Deming followed Old Man Chang out of the house, first went to the shop at the door to call Fourth Master Rong, and then the two of them strolled into Nanluoguxiang.

Nanluoguxiang in popular language is a general term for an area, with Gulou East Street to the north, Donghuangchenggen (later widened to Zhang Zizhong Road) to the south, Jiaodaokou South Street to the east, and Di'anmenwai Street to the west; there are more than a dozen east-west alleys from north to south.

In a narrow sense, Nanluoguxiang is just an alley, and there is another Beiluoguxiang to the north.

I left home and walked along Gulou East Street before I entered Nanluoguxiang. The roads were all dirt roads at that time, fortunately it hadn't rained recently.

We strolled along the way and listened to Uncle Chang pointing at the alleys we passed by and explaining, such as Ronglu, the Grand Councilor, in Juer Hutong, and the four Zengchong brothers, the Ministers of the Imperial Household Department, in Qinlao Hutong. Soon we arrived at the place, not far from Beibingmasi Hutong, but still some distance from Mianhua Hutong.

Wang Deming looked up and was stunned when he saw the house number. No. 95 Nanluoguxiang? Why does it look so familiar?
I felt a sense of underestimation in my heart. Is it the one in the TV series?

I am here to intercept Qin Huairu. How come the correction power is so strong? Does Qin Huairu have to live in this courtyard?

I had never thought about interacting with the people in this hospital before.
How could it be such a coincidence?

Soon, Fourth Master Rong also arrived. He was an old man in his 50s, not very tall, wearing a blue silk jacket. He got off the rickshaw and bowed to Old Man Chang: "Second Brother Chang, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."

Old Man Chang returned the gesture with a fist-clasp and sighed, "Yaxuan, we are now in the new China. Can we just stop following these old etiquettes from now on?"

"It would be a joke for people to see us. Besides, all of us who are registered are Han Chinese."

"Hey, Second Brother Chang, you're right! Come on, let's go in and take a look first. In my opinion, Brother Baozhen is still young and alone, so it would be a good idea for him to buy two rooms first. Then, he has a house and land, so even if he lives in his sister's house, no one will say anything if people find out, right?" Fourth Master Rong and Wang Deming nodded to each other, and walked into the courtyard head first, while persuading Old Man Chang.

If Fourth Master Rong facilitated this business, he would also take a cut, similar to the intermediary in later generations, but the capital at that time was called Fangxian. There was no other way, a phoenix that had fallen to the ground was no better than a chicken, it had to find something to eat.

"Well, so we've come to see it, haven't we? Okay, let's just make a reservation and then make an appointment to go to the Land Registry Bureau to transfer the ownership."

"Besides, this place is not bad. It's close to home, just a few steps away. It will be convenient for Deming to travel back and forth in the future."

(End of this chapter)