Chapter 188 Dengshikou West Street Alley

The next day.

After the whole family had breakfast, Liu Zhiye drove the car and took several young people out. The purpose of their trip was to go to Beihai Park for a group tour.

"Brother! This is not right! Why are you driving east? Aren't we going to Beihai?" Liu Zhitai asked in confusion after driving onto Zhang Zizhong Road.

"Haha, just sit there and relax. I'll take you to a good place first." Liu Zhiye said with a mysterious smile.

Liu Zhiruo and her two sisters-in-law were sitting in the back row. They were surprised when they heard this and asked, "Brother, where are you taking us to go?"

"Let me keep you in suspense for now, I'll tell you when we get there." Liu Zhiye didn't tell them and continued to keep the mystery.

Liu Zhiruo, Gan Ning, and He Hongmei looked at each other with doubt. They didn't know what Liu Zhiye was up to, but they were also filled with curiosity and expectation.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at Dengshikou Street, a place Liu Zhitai was very familiar with, as he passed by it almost every day on his way to and from work.

"Hey! We're at Dengshikou!" Liu Zhitai said after getting off the bus.

Liu Zhiye parked the car and wiped the sweat from his forehead. The weather was really hot, and driving early in the morning made people sweat profusely.

He was wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, blue police pants and black leather sandals. His back was already soaked with sweat.

Gan Ning and the other two wore colorful floral dresses, and their thin leather sandals made them look more exquisite. Their clothing styles were similar, but each had its own characteristics, like three blooming flowers, exuding different fragrances.

Whether it is their figure, temperament or makeup, they all show their unique charm, which is eye-catching.

In the hot summer, even the prettiest girls are afraid of the heat. The three girls kept flapping their hands, trying to bring a little coolness to their faces. Their movements were gentle and quick, as if they were performing a silent dance.

"Wow! It's so hot today! What's Zhiye doing here? Let's hurry up. I want to go to Beihai Park to cool down." Gan Ning was pregnant with a big belly and she really couldn't stand the heat.

Liu Zhiye smiled and pointed to a courtyard in the alley: "We're here, follow me." He led the way into the alley and came to the gate of the courtyard.

Gan Ning and the other three were surprised to see Liu Zhiye take out a key and open the vermilion lacquered gate of the courtyard that was guarded by an iron general.

After Liu Zhiye pushed the door open, he said to the dumbfounded four people, "Don't just stand there, come on, let's go in and take a look together."

"Whose house is this? How do you have the key?" Gan Ning asked him in great surprise.

Liu Zhiye took the lead and walked in. "It's a long story. You guys come in first!"

This courtyard faces south and has the main entrance facing southeast. As soon as you enter the door, you will see the intricately carved screen wall with the inscription "Flowers Bloom and Wealth Comes".

As you enter the courtyard, the first thing that catches your eye is the five rooms located in the north. They are arranged neatly, showing a solemn style. The north side consists of three main rooms and two side rooms.

On the left and right sides of the courtyard are the east and west wing rooms, each with two rooms. The whole courtyard is simple and elegant, revealing a profound historical and cultural heritage.

The total construction area of ​​this courtyard is about 300 square meters, including four back rooms facing south and a spacious doorway.

Each house here has been carefully designed, with a reasonable layout and complete functions, ensuring sufficient light and ventilation while taking into account privacy and comfort.

The courtyard is very elegant, surrounded by greenery, birdsong and fragrance of flowers. Walking in the courtyard, it feels like being in a quiet retreat.

This courtyard is an ideal place to live. Whether it is for receiving guests or for family reunion, you can feel the warmth and joy.

There are two pomegranate trees in the yard, covered with light green fruits. There are also a few cicadas calling desperately.

Old Beijingers like to plant one or two pomegranate trees in front of their houses, because when the pomegranates are ripe, the fruits are bright red and the seeds are plump, which looks very beautiful.

In the early years, people valued having many children and good fortune. Since pomegranates have many seeds, they have always been loved by the old Beijing people. The pomegranate symbolizes a large family and a prosperous life.

"Brother, what do you think of this yard?" Liu Zhiye asked Liu Zhitai with a smile, his face full of appreciation and satisfaction.

Liu Zhitai's eyes revealed envy, and he exclaimed: "Brother, this yard is really great! It is much bigger than our entire East Cross Yard. Whose house is this?"

Liu Zhiye patted Liu Zhitai's shoulder gently, smiled and asked, "Do you like it?" "Of course I do! If I don't like it, I'd be a fool. Hehehe!" Liu Zhitai responded heartily.

"Okay! Since you like it, I'll give it to you!" Liu Zhiye said firmly.

"Gah!"

"Brother...what did you say? I didn't hear it clearly..." Liu Zhitai stuttered, with a look of confusion and astonishment on his face.

Hearing this, Gan Ning and the others looked at Liu Zhiye in amazement, not understanding why he was talking nonsense out of nowhere. However, looking at his smiling face, they couldn't help but feel that Liu Zhiye didn't seem to be joking.

However, Liu Zhiye's action made the whole scene very funny and interesting. He laughed loudly and said, "You don't have to be so surprised. I was right. I really want to give this yard to Zhitai."

"This, how is this possible, brother, where did you get the house? If it's a public house, it would be illegal!" The first thing Liu Zhitai thought of was not happiness, but fear that Liu Zhiye would make a mistake.

In this era, most people’s houses are public property and cannot be legally bought and sold. Only a small number of people’s houses are private property.

Liu Zhiye put his hands on Liu Zhitai's shoulders, looked him in the eyes seriously, and said, "Don't worry, brother. As a public security officer, how could I break the law knowingly? This house was transferred privately, with legal procedures."

Liu Zhitai responded hesitantly, "You and your sister-in-law are still living in a courtyard house of dozens of square meters! If you want to live there, you two should live there. I won't live there. Besides, Hongmei and I will be allocated housing by the company after the internship period, so we will have a place to live."

Liu Zhiye said to Liu Zhitai in a firm tone: "Just accept this house. This is my gift to you for your wedding. You must accept it." Then, he turned to the shocked Liu Zhiruo and added: "Not only you, but when Zhiruo gets married in the future, I will also give her a house, no less."

He Hongmei was very shocked. Her future uncle was really generous. This yard was worth at least several thousand yuan. The key point was that you had no money to buy it, so he gave it to you.

So, she also declined, "Brother, we appreciate your kindness, but Zhitai and I will have separate rooms in the future. This yard should be left for you and my sister-in-law to live in!"

"Haha! Don't worry! Your sister-in-law and I also have a place to live. It's bigger than this yard. After it's cleaned up in a while, I'll take you to see it." Liu Zhiye persuaded with a smile.

Although Gan Ning didn't know the details, she was not a calculative person and was generous by nature, so she advised, "You are so stupid! You don't want it even if I give it to you. Listen to me, this will be your wedding room."

"I see this yard is well maintained. Tomorrow when we have time, my mom and I will come and tidy up the place for you, and then you two can move in. This place is only a few hundred meters away from your workplace, so it's very convenient for you to go to and from get off work!"

Liu Zhitai was a very honest person and felt that this was not a good idea. He said hesitantly, "Well, let's talk to our parents when we get home. If they agree, I'll accept it." The implication was that if their parents objected, he would probably have to let down his eldest brother's kindness.

"Well! Don't worry! I'll talk to our parents. Come on, let's take a look at the layout of this yard and see if any adjustments need to be made." Liu Zhiye called to them.

……

After a tour, everyone was generally very satisfied. Although the original owner of this yard had left it idle for a few years, many things were well maintained.

The furniture, tables, chairs and benches are all well-made and have hardly been moved. There is also a large bookcase with many books neatly arranged on it. It can be seen that the original owner was a person with high cultural accomplishment.

In short, this courtyard has been preserved and its original flavor is preserved, making people feel very comfortable and intimate.

Liu Zhitai is a scholar and he likes this living environment very much.

"Hey! This house is much better than ours. You can move in right away!"

Liu Zhiye also nodded in agreement and said, "It's really good. Apart from some dusty and damp and moldy places, the furniture and stoves are all complete. We can move in after cleaning it up."

"However, I suggest moving the kitchen to the back room, along with the toilet, and adding a bathroom. This way it will be convenient to take a shower at home."

"The east and west wing rooms should be converted into one bedroom and one living room, and no longer used as kitchens and warehouses. This way, the living area will be much larger. It will be no problem for more than a dozen people to live in it."

"I think your brother is right. The kitchen should indeed be moved to the back house. Although the back house is not suitable for living, at least the oil fume problem can be improved." Gan Ning agreed.

Liu Zhitai hesitated: "Will this be too much trouble?"

Liu Zhiye patted his shoulder and said nonchalantly: "This is not a big deal. I'll find someone to do the renovation and it will be done in a few days."

(End of this chapter)