Chapter Seven, The Abode of the Four Demons
Xiao Hui covered her mouth and chuckled: "After merging the two rooms of 89 square meters, it will be larger than 180 square meters." Her math skills are truly impressive
Apo said: "This side is taken care of, so what about our side?"
The usually silent Wushuang suddenly said with a hint of relief: "Fortunately, we live on the same floor. If one of us were on the third floor and the other on the fourth, wouldn't you have smashed the floorboards to create a split-level villa?"
Xiao Hui lamented, "It is a pity that our space is too small; otherwise, I would really like to move the library home so that I could freely read any book I need."
The house we live in is shaped like two inverted "L"s, separated by a wall in the middle. The layout of the house is the same, with bedrooms on both sides of the wall. It is a three-bedroom apartment with a living room, but there are only two people on each side, so the middle bedroom is left unused. Moreover, in a mere 89 square meters, the third bedroom makes the other two bedrooms feel cramped, which is why we refer to our living space as a "level" rather than a suite. The house is a three-bedroom apartment with a living room, but there are only two people on each side, so the middle bedroom is left unused. Moreover, in a mere 89 square meters, the third bedroom makes the other two bedrooms feel cramped, which is why we refer to our living space as a "level" rather than a suite.
Every day after class, a group of young women driving various stylish cars waits in the parking lot to take Wushuang home. As a result, they often compete with each other out of jealousy. If one is a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo and the other a fourth-degree, it is straightforward, as the higher rank holds the authority. However, if one is a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo while the other is a black belt in Judo or a practitioner of Aikido, a contest is inevitable. Therefore, those qualified to take Wushuang home are essentially all strong individuals
We all look at him, without speaking
Wushuang rarely agreed, saying: "Then I will go buy chestnuts, and you go buy chicken." Then both of them looked at me, saying, "Boss, what will you order?"
Four people have eight eyes that shine brightly at the same time
Apo hurriedly said, "Then I want a chestnut chicken as well, so that Xiaohui won't have to worry, right?"
Wangfu Street is quite far from Wushuang's gym, and one cannot expect a man as striking as Wushuang to carry a personal leather bag every day while riding a Forever bicycle to work. No one would want him to squeeze into a crowd of dull and dejected people waiting for the bus, so it is quite normal for someone to give him a ride. Being overly modest would only make things more awkward. Thus, the unfortunate Wushuang has to deal with various types of girls on his way home every day. Some are gentle and affectionate, while others are bold and straightforward. There are even those wild and unruly ones who drive him out to the wilderness. In the end, Wushuang has to use his professional skills to subdue and comfort them. Fortunately, no matter how wild the women are, no one would dare to kick him in the groin, so Wushuang remains pure and unscathed to this day.
In this regard, as Xiaohui mentioned, two 89-square-meter three-bedroom apartments have been transformed into a villa exceeding 180 square meters with four bedrooms—its two wings are identical: each featuring two bedrooms, one bathroom, one kitchen, and a small living room. This is referred to in architecture as symmetrical aesthetics, colloquially known as "huo huo," and according to the elders, it is simply—"creating misfortune"
Xiao Hui said: "You eat vegetables; the same dish has different recipes in different books. In the future, if there is an opportunity, I will buy those few books back to try and see which one has the better taste"
Apo exclaimed, "Why is this person so difficult to deal with?"
Teacher Liu walked in cautiously, nodding in greeting to everyone. Then, he glanced at the television and scratched his head, saying: "Director Xiao He, our family's set-top box for the television has been installed, but now there isn't a single channel available. Could you please help take a look?"
"What the hell are you buying?" Abo kicked it with one foot, and immediately dust flew up in front of us. Abo continued to press on, and after a dozen kicks, the middle of that wall had already caved in. Abo stepped back a few paces, then ran forward with great force and leaped into the air, crashing his entire body against it
Xiao Hui expressed her dissatisfaction, saying, "So what? Isn't it the same as building a fireplace as a decoration in a wealthy family's home?"
Apo waved his hand and said, "I know what to do!"
Xiao Hui, undeterred by the swirling dust, exclaimed: "From now on, this will be our activity center, our grand living room and game room!"
The person who rented the house to Wushuang and Xiaohui is named Zhou Yi. He is not a local and is said to have been an active gambling king in the Macau area in earlier years, with a fortune exceeding one hundred million. Despite being such a person, it is unclear how he became so shortsighted. A few years ago, when everyone was speculating on real estate, he followed the trend and bought a property on Wangfu Street, but he quickly forgot about it. We rent his house through an intermediary, and it is said that he has been developing in Guangdong over the years. However, we have never met this person, and the money is always transferred to a fixed card.
Wushuang casually ordered a chestnut chicken, while Xiaohui, reading a book, said: "Later, whoever orders a dish should go down to buy the ingredients themselves"
Wushuang excitedly said, "Why don't we combine the two rooms into one?"
I chuckled and said: "I'll order Kung Pao Chicken—just buy some Kung Pao on your way."
Wushuang wants a car, primarily to avoid the embarrassment of being driven by female students every day. It goes without saying that his students are not only young and beautiful, but also quite wealthy; the working class cannot afford high-end fitness clubs.
I laughed and said, "Enough with the banter, come on, let us celebrate that we have our own house"
I looked around and suddenly said, "So will we count this as one household or two when it comes to collecting the sanitation fee in the future?"
Xiao Hui said casually: "The book only mentioned how to do it, but didn't explain how to cut it, so it looks a bit unappealing. Let's just make do with it."
Half an hour later, A Po returned, looking somewhat bewildered and out of sorts. We all asked, "Did it not go well?"
Apo said: "I am not flattering you; if you learn a bit more about carving and such, you could definitely become a great chef."
Zhou paused for a moment, feeling helpless, and said: "Forget it, forget it, you can just add another 10,000 or 20,000 as a bonus. I will just consider it as having one less morning tea."
I took a look and said: "Not everything can be demolished; this is a load-bearing wall. Leave some space on both sides, and just create an opening in the middle the size of a sliding door." Then I roughly drew a frame above and said, "Just demolish it like this."
Now we are too busy to even eat, standing before our imagined enemy, A Po eagerly suggested: "Shall we dismantle it?"
Zhou dragged on, saying: "Oh, how would I know the market situation over there? Just be straightforward, add 50,000 casually, and I'll take care of the intermediary procedures right away."
I thought to myself: "Then it collapsed, you bunch of monsters!"
Apo is a creature devoid of pain and possesses immense strength. Moreover, any part of his body that is lost can be reshaped like clay, or he can simply grow a new one. According to the current world system, it seems that Apo will never die. Apo finds this rather dull, lacking any suspense. He is very curious about what pain feels like and even more so about the taste of death. Therefore, he is only interested in things that have an ending—when he opens a book or watches a movie, he always goes straight to the ending first. If the protagonist dies at the end, he will be elated for a long time, believing that is what constitutes a good ending. Apo seems to never die, and he finds this quite boring, devoid of any suspense. He is very eager to understand what pain feels like and even more so what death tastes like. Thus, he is only interested in things with conclusions—when he opens a book or watches a movie, he always looks at the ending first. If the protagonist dies at the end, he will be thrilled for a long time, thinking that is what a good ending is.
Xiao Hui is beautiful and mature, often resembling the elder sister of Wu Shuang and A Po. With her exceptional intelligence, she approaches tasks with an unstoppable momentum. A Po frequently sits opposite Xiao Hui, admiring her while exclaiming, "Such a wonderful girl, how could she just be discarded?" Xiao Hui does not get angry with him; the four of us have no jokes that we cannot share.
Apo could no longer contain himself and laughed heartily, saying: "I didn't touch you for nothing; I even gave you half a beef tongue."
With an expressionless face, he wiped his hands. Just now, when he bought beef, the female vendor touched him a couple of times. He said, "I would rather die!"
When Wushuang went upstairs, he was on the phone with someone. He entered the room, covered the phone with his hand, and quietly said to us: "It's the landlord, asking for the rent."
Moreover, the girls who go to learn these things are generally a group with advanced concepts and a strong sense of aggression. They regard societal prejudices as mere nonsense—just as men can chase after beautiful women for three streets, they can also fight fiercely for handsome men, without any shame and with complete justification.
Xiao Hui suddenly said: "Since we have purchased both houses, why should we still distinguish between this side and that side"
Xiao Hui frowned and said: "The landlord on your side is Teacher Liu, right? He is originally from this street. This matter cannot be rushed; it requires careful planning to win him over."
Apo, feeling uneasy under our scrutiny, said: "What have I said wrong this time?"
Then he said it was fine to buy, 360,000, not a single cent less. Abo scratched his head hard and asked, "What is the problem?"
Apo Yu said: "The negotiation has indeed been concluded at hetushu.com, but it is still 10,000 more expensive than the normal market price—he insists on selling it for 360,000."
Teacher Liu expressed her heartfelt gratitude and meticulously bid farewell to each person before being the first to head downstairs. A Po shot us a triumphant glance and said, "Don't worry, watch how I win him over."
We : `` ... ... ''
We chatted while eating, and before long, a bottle of white wine was empty. A Po stood up and said, "I'll go get some over there." The wine was all on my side and A Po's side.
The money can be transferred to the previous card, I will notify the agent right away
Xiao Hui exclaimed: "All of you get out and go buy groceries!"
Wushuang sighed: "Apo is not always foolish; this is what is meant by the wise having a thousand thoughts, yet there must be one oversight."
I felt a chill in my heart; this old fellow surely knows the market conditions. Based on the price he offered, and considering the current trend of housing prices, the discrepancy does not exceed 3,000 yuan
Apo patted the dust off his body and said, "Should we still not tell Teacher Liu about this? How should we handle these bricks?"
Apo Bianlei said by the dog kennel: "What you said must be one on the east side of the third floor and one on the west side of the fourth floor. If they are both on the same side, what would happen if the floorboards were removed?"
Xiao Hui smiled and said, "So it's settled at 310,000?"
What comes next
The other party readily said: "Sure, how much is he offering?"
Thus, the three of us, all men with an average height exceeding 1.8 meters, casually made our way to the vegetable market, purchasing items only from the stalls of young female vendors, as this would allow us to place Wushuang at the forefront.
... ...
Zhou asked me: "How much are you planning to spend?"
Apo: "So what else can you do—I've never seen someone like you, hey. Just because you're good-looking, you dare to call yourself a demon? That's really not enough... enough to disgrace the demons!"
Apo: "That's not acceptable; after all, all the vegetable sellers are women, aren't they?"
After hanging up the phone, Xiaohui noticed me looking at her with an expression of incredulous admiration and smiled faintly: "This is called a psychological tactic; will it kill you to compliment him a few times?"
Wangfu Street is a place where ordinary people generally cannot stay for long, which is why there are few inquiries about Zhou Yi's property. Those who do rent it often leave in a hurry after paying three months' rent, preferring to stay only half a month. Zhou Yi, being away from home and not particularly concerned about this amount of money, had no substantial understanding of Wangfu Street until Wushuang and the others rented his place, which provided a temporary sense of stability. The reason he called was likely because he received a reminder from the agency—every time it was time for us to pay rent, the agency would notify him first.
Xiao Hui smiled gently and said: "You need to understand that these things were originally made by those master chefs—whatever they have written in their books, I have achieved it one hundred percent."
Xiao Hui crossed her arms in front of her chest, displaying the innocent demeanor of a young girl as she said, "Being a decoration is fine too"
I let him speak directly to you. Wushuang handed the phone to me
... ...
I argued with him and the book for half a day, but that old fellow stubbornly refused to budge. It left me feeling both resentful and angry, just when I was about to compromise. Suddenly, Xiao Hui snatched the phone and gently said: "Boss Zhou, you are wealthy and should not be concerned about this small amount of money. However, for us common folks, 50,000 yuan takes over a year to earn. Moreover, do you really want to waste your time on such a trivial amount for a remote area? Why not simply sell it and develop in a bigger place?"
Xiao Hui sighed: "The problem lies in the fact that when you want to do business with someone from Shanghai, you must first belittle their goods. Only then can you negotiate a lower price. If you spend all your time praising them, what reason do they have not to raise the price on you?"
I suddenly exclaimed: "Don't drag me into this, haven't you seen how those vegetable sellers look at me with scowls? It's as if they should hang a sign saying 'No entry for He Anyi and dogs.' I used to always help Aunt Meng and the others in their arguments."
Wushuang frowned and said, "Could you say something auspicious?"
Wushuang calmly said: "This matter should actually be handled by the boss, after all, he has plenty of time."
Apo said: "I helped him check thoroughly, and in the end, I found that his set-top box was not turned on." Upon saying this, Apo indignantly added, "However, I never told him in the end, who asked him to raise my price!"
We all picked up our chopsticks, then looked at each other and nodded slightly. To our surprise, Xiao Hui's first dish was surprisingly standard, though the knife skills for some of the dishes were not quite up to par
I looked at the three siblings before me, and a sense of tranquility filled my heart
Using a doghouse as a mere decoration
Let's go buy a hammer tomorrow and continue then
As the director of the neighborhood committee, I do not forget to state the regulations: "We are not allowed to keep dogs here"
Xiao Hui pointed to a corner of our "large living room" and said, "You build a dog house for me here."
Xiao Hui advised: "When dealing with men from Shanghai, you must ... ... "
Xiao Hui took out a cookbook and said, "In any case, today is a joyful occasion, so I will personally cook to celebrate." As she spoke, she tossed the book in front of us and said, "Just tell me what you want to eat, and I will learn and make it on the spot."
Apo initially thought she was joking, but Xiaohui continued: "It should be the pointed kind—just like Blotto from 'Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse.'"
I cheerfully said, "Hello, Boss Zhou."
Then I won't go either
Xiao Hui asked in surprise: "How did you tell him?"
Xiao Hui truly prepared dinner all by herself, and it was indeed after she started learning to use the gas stove. When we returned, she had just finished looking at the recipe.
The three of us raised our glasses of white liquor, and Xiao Hui also took a glass of red wine, downing it in one go
I laughed and said, "Books only become truly useful when they are in Xiao Hui's hands"
Apo suddenly said, "Why not just go to the library and get a library card?"
Wushuang hurriedly said: "Just don't make me buy groceries"
Wushuang is indeed very handsome, but he does not possess any other special powers. Liu Laoliu mentioned that he is one of the Four Main Demons, which often leaves A Po feeling quite dissatisfied. Wushuang himself also feels quite innocent; he never intended to become a demon. This aligns with the saying: so handsome that one cannot extricate oneself!
Wushuang casually flipped through a few pages and said: "These are all recipes from five-star hotels. Can someone who doesn't even know how to use a gas stove manage to make them?"
I hurriedly stood up to greet him: "Oh, Teacher Liu, you have arrived. Please come in and take a seat." At the same time, I was puzzled, as this elementary school teacher, Liu Siming, usually only came to collect the rent and rarely visited us.
Xiao Hui also whispered: "Tell him about buying the property rights."
Apo expressed his surprise, saying: "Are you serious?"
Xiao Hui said: "The last sentence he mentioned was about me"
We are exhausted, carrying items that cost 2.5 times what others pay, trudging along the way home. A Po said, "In the future, Xiao Hui will cook, and Wu Shuang will be responsible for buying groceries"
... ...
Apo said: "Then I will go back and belittle him!"
Apo: "What have I lost?"
As the saying goes, when Cao Cao is mentioned, he arrives. A refined middle-aged man stood at our open door, politely knocking and saying, "Oh, is Director Xiao He here?"
With a loud crash, A Po fell into the dust from the shattered pile of bricks, and by the time he got back up, he had already reached our side
I just did as you suggested. I went there and said nothing at first, but praised his house profusely, and then complimented him and his wife extensively before finally bringing up the matter of buying a house
Wushuang sneered, "It's too late. Shanghai men are petty; if you anger him, he won't sell it to you for 370,000."
Boss Zhou, someone is interested in buying your house. Do you have any interest in this?
What do you mean by that
"Do you want to buy my house?" Boss Zhou said straightforwardly
Xiaohui took out another book and said, "You all look at the dishes first, I will study this right away." When we saw the title of the book, we were all taken aback: "Tips for Home Appliance Applications." She is truly learning on the spot
Thus, Wushuang was very pleased to have this car, even though it was completely mismatched with his aura. Despite having a mathematical problem engraved on its rear, Wushuang still cherished it and meticulously cleaned it, making the newly engraved "2" shine brilliantly under the glow of the evening sunset
I said: "Based on the market conditions of these past few years, I will offer you 300,000 for your 89 square meter house"
I was just about to move when A Po held me down and said to Teacher Liu: "I will go with you."
Then she swiftly and methodically began, proceeding with meticulous care about what to do first and what to do next, like a skilled surgeon performing an operation. Before long, the table was filled with various large dishes. Xiao Hui finished the last dish, tossed aside her apron, wiped her hands with a napkin, and took a seat, saying: "Let’s start eating and taste the skills from this book"
Apo, trembling with fear, said: "You all think that Xiaohui won't become addicted and make us buy groceries every day, right?"
I laughed and said: "Forget it, Old Liu has been influenced on Wangfu Street for so many years, and in the end, to blacken you by 10,000 is already quite reasonable. What’s wrong with his television?"