Chapter 0007: Demolition of the Old House

After pondering for a while, Zhuang Mu made a decision. Over the years, Zhuang Rui had been studying and working away from home, and it was this son-in-law who had been managing various matters at home. Seeing her son so considerate, she naturally would not oppose it

The next day, Zhuang Rui took his niece to the park for a day of fun, riding everything from the seaplane to the carousel, instantly elevating himself to the position of the most beloved person in his niece's heart, without exception

The train, pulling a long whistle, slowly approached the Pengcheng platform with a deafening roar. As soon as Zhuang Rui stepped out of the carriage, a flurry of icy snowflakes fell onto his neck, and the biting north wind made him tighten his clothing as he exited the station with his luggage and his mother

Zhuang Rui suddenly recalled a topic he had discussed with his mother a few days ago. He knows that in Zhonghai, the housing prices have surged dramatically over the past two years. Last year, the price was still over 3,000 per square meter, but this year it has approached the 6,000 mark. It is said that prices will continue to rise after the New Year. Although Pengcheng is located in northern Jiangsu, from a broader perspective, purchasing a few properties now is definitely a way to preserve value.

Zhuang Rui wants to purchase this house for his sister. His brother-in-law's family is quite large, making their living situation very cramped. His sister treats Zhuang Rui very well, and he intends to buy the house so that his sister's family can move in. Additionally, Zhuang Rui's mother is getting older, and it would be much more convenient for his sister to live nearby and take care of her

"Mom, Uncle is crying, but the child and the picture book are no longer crying, Uncle is so shameless..." The tender voice of a child rang out, causing everyone in the room to burst into laughter

Zhuang Rui's family owns two properties in this ancient city. One is the old family residence, located at the foot of the picturesque Yunlong Mountain. This is the ancestral home of the family, which was once requisitioned during a decade of turmoil but was later returned. However, Zhuang Rui only spent his childhood there, moving to another location around the age of ten.

Zhuang Rui's brother-in-law, Zhao Guodong, is a straightforward person who works in a subsidiary of the railway system. Although he possesses excellent car repair skills, in a state-owned enterprise, his inability to engage in flattery means he can only scrape by on a meager salary. In this day and age, those with skills, capital, or connections have all ventured into business. The growing pains following the restructuring of enterprises were particularly pronounced in the early years of the century

"Uncle, what is a dowry?" The little one, biting his finger, asked in confusion while lying in Zhuang Rui's arms

Is the old house going to be demolished

Pengcheng Railway Station is one of the larger transfer stations in the country, serving routes south to Zhonghai, north to the capital, and west to Xi'an, with nearly all travelers needing to change trains here. Even though it is already past 11 PM, there are still many people waiting in the temporary waiting hall set up in the spacious station square for their trains to arrive. In just over ten days, it will be the New Year, and despite the biting cold wind, the anticipation of returning home to see loved ones brings radiant smiles to people's faces.

"That's enough, no need to say more. By the way, Guodong, you and Xiaorui should go to the old house tomorrow. It's about to be demolished, and then we will have another property. There are some things that need to be brought back; I have already packed them up. You just need to rent a car and bring them back directly."

Zhuang Rui hailed a taxi, and just the starting fare brought him home. Upon reaching the second floor, he noticed that the lights in the house were on, indicating that his sister, Zhuang Min, was staying there today. He pushed open the door, and the warm air rushed out to greet him. A little girl, about two or three years old, was hiding behind his sister, peeking at Zhuang Rui, who was covered in snowflakes.

I believe it is time to purchase it. Guodong is not much different from my own son. Providing you with an apartment is not a big deal. Moreover, Xiaomin, you did not bring much dowry when you got married, so consider this as an addition to your dowry.

This girl has been calling all day to see her uncle, and now that it's so late, she still won't go to sleep. Now that her uncle is here, she acts shy. Nuan Nuan, quickly call your uncle...

"You are talking nonsense again, aren't you afraid of being laughed at by your younger brother?" Zhuang Min interrupted her husband's words. Zhao Guodong chuckled and fell silent. From this demeanor, it is evident that Zhuang Min has a way of managing her husband

You don't want that house, but you should still buy it as an investment. Sister, you don't need to worry about it; I will discuss it with Mom...

After dinner, the family sat on the sofa watching television and chatting. The little girl crawled around among everyone, and after being glared at by Zhuang Min, she hid in Zhuang Rui's arms

This was the first time Zhuang Rui had heard his mother mention this matter, and for a moment, his heart felt as if it had been turned upside down, with a mix of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy emotions flooding over him

I have 100,000 here, Mom. Why don't you ask about it tomorrow? If it's suitable, we can buy it. After all, this money came easily. Once we purchase the house, it will be given to my older sister as a dowry for Nannan, haha..." Zhuang Rui encouraged from the side.

Brother-in-law, how is the performance of your factory now

The other residence was allocated by the school where my mother used to work. A few years ago, the country implemented a housing reform, requiring that previously allocated houses be converted into cash based on years of service. This house is located next to my mother's former school, with a modest area of only 72 square meters, consisting of two bedrooms and one living room. However, the location and floor are excellent, and the home is equipped with heating, making shopping and commuting very convenient. Zhuang Rui lived here until he graduated from high school. Last year, he spent over 30,000 yuan to purchase it outright. A few days ago, when Zhuang Rui heard his mother mention it, he learned that they had received the property certificate last month. The area is not large, only 72 square meters with two bedrooms and one living room, but the location and floor are very good, and the home is equipped with heating, making shopping and commuting very convenient. Zhuang Rui lived here until he graduated from high school. Last year, he spent over 30,000 yuan to purchase it outright. A few days ago, when Zhuang Rui heard his mother mention it, he learned that they had received the property certificate last month.

After dinner, it was already past midnight in the book, and Zhuang Rui washed up and returned to his room. Just like a year ago, there was no change at all. Lying on the bed and looking at the familiar room, it took a long time before Zhuang Rui fell into a deep sleep

This house cost over 30,000 to buy outright, exhausting all my savings. How can I afford to buy another house? Let's talk about it after you get married! At that time, we can sell this house and add some money to buy a larger one

When Zhuang Rui was at Zhonghai, he had already made up his mind to leave that 100,000 yuan for his family. He had saved over 20,000 yuan from his salary last year. Even if he returned to Zhonghai after the New Year and rented a better apartment, it would be sufficient. After all, his salary and benefits would be much higher once he was promoted to the manager of the pawnshop.

Zhuang Rui lifted the little girl high up, startling her into crying out loudly. As soon as he set her down, she hid in her grandmother's arms, no longer daring to approach her uncle. It was not until after dinner, when Zhuang Rui took out the famous Da Bai Tu milk candies from Zhonghai, that the little girl began to warm up to her uncle again

By the way, Mom, I heard you mention last time that Aunt Xie's apartment next door is for sale, right? Let's buy it! It would be nice to keep it for my sister to live in or to rent it out...

Looking at the two steaming bowls of noodles on the table, each topped with a poached egg, a warm current surged in Zhuang Rui's heart; this is home! After working at Zhonghai Shenghe Publishing for over a year, he had often found himself alone in a rented room when ill, and during hot days, he could only repeatedly take cold showers to cool down. Reflecting on these memories, tears streamed down Zhuang Rui's face uncontrollably. At that moment, he felt an overwhelming urge to resign from his job at Zhonghai and return here.

Today is Friday. In the evening, my brother-in-law came home after work, bringing a lot of New Year goods. It was then that Zhuang Rui remembered he needed to prepare for the New Year. However, nowadays, shopping for the New Year is generally done at supermarkets, which is quite convenient

Although Zhuang's mother is older, she is not conservative. After retiring, she often dances with a group of elderly ladies at the square next to her home, and she is quite well-informed. Last time when this topic came up, Zhuang Rui suggested buying that house, and she was somewhat tempted. The house next door was also allocated by the unit previously. Since her colleague has properties elsewhere, they want to sell this one. The layout is the same as her own home, and the price is just an additional 10,000 on top of what she originally paid for it, making it a suitable purchase.

"At your age, you still don't speak properly. That money cannot be touched; it is what you earned with your life, meant for you to use when you marry..." Zhuang Min took her daughter and firmly refused.

As usual, even after the restructuring, there hasn't been any improvement. With a monthly salary of around 1,000 yuan, it's not enough to starve or thrive, and it only makes your sister suffer alongside me

Seeing that the son-in-law seemed to want to decline, the matriarch changed the subject.