Chapter 738 Planning a House 4
Slowly stepping out of the slightly old wooden door of Yi Zhonghai's house, the night has already covered the whole world like a huge piece of black silk. In the alley, the street lamps emit a dim and weak halo, which is like diluted honey, sparsely sprinkled on the ground, stretching the figures of Yan Bugui and his wife very long, like two shadow snakes winding in the dark.
The two dragged their exhausted steps, each step felt like they were stepping on cotton, soft yet a bit heavy, and slowly walked towards their home. Along the way, the surroundings were terribly quiet, with only the sound of their light footsteps echoing in the alley. They were silent, each of them seemed to be wrapped in an invisible film, immersed in their own thoughts, as if everything in the outside world had nothing to do with them.
Yan Bugui's brows were tightly locked together, and the furrows between his brows seemed to be able to pinch a fly to death. His eyes revealed a deep thought, and he was still pondering over and over again in his heart what Yi Zhonghai had said. The matter of dividing the house was like a tangled mess, and he kept pondering what Yi Zhonghai had just said. He knew in his heart that the matter of dividing the house was like an unpredictable maze, and he kept pondering what Yi Zhonghai had said. Those words were like small hammers, pondering Yi Zhonghai's words again and again. Those words were like seeds, taking root and sprouting in his mind. Although he knew in his heart that the matter of dividing the house was like walking in the fog, full of variables, and every link might hide unknown challenges, but at least Yi Zhonghai's words gave him some direction to work towards, making him feel as if he saw a faint light in the darkness, which made him feel a little relieved.
However, when he thought about the many steps he had to face, from the cumbersome application process to the various audits that might occur, to competing with other people who were also eager to get a house, his brows involuntarily furrowed, as if two deep grooves were carved on his forehead. He couldn't help but sigh, and the sigh was particularly clear in the quiet alley, like a helpless wail.
The third aunt tightly grasped the corner of her clothes, which was wrinkled by her, as if it was the embodiment of her inner anxiety at the moment. Her eyes were full of worry, and the worry was like a thick fog, filling her eyes. She was worried that even if she did what Yi Zhonghai said, she would not get a house in the end. Then all her efforts in running around, asking for information everywhere, and carefully preparing materials for the house would be in vain, and all her efforts would be in vain.
Finally, they returned to the slightly shabby door of their home. Yan Bugui took out the key with trembling hands and finally opened the door. The room was cold and deserted, without a trace of heat, as if it was a corner forgotten by the world. Yan Bugui sat down on the old chair, as if all the strength in his body had been drained away, and he collapsed on the chair like a puddle of mud.
The third aunt put the things she brought back from Yi Zhonghai's house back in place. She put them in order, as if she was organizing the hope of life. Then, she poured a glass of water for Yan Bugui. The water swayed slightly in the glass, just like her uneasy heart at the moment. She said softly, "Dad, don't worry too much. We have tried our best. We will just leave it to fate."
Yan Bugui took the water, rubbed the wall of the cup with his fingers, took a sip, and shook his head helplessly like a rattle, "That's what I said, but I just can't let it go. I have been asking for information and asking for help from everywhere for this house since the beginning. I have spent so much time and effort. If it doesn't work out in the end, I will feel like a big stone is pressing on my heart. How can I feel at ease?" His voice was full of fatigue and helplessness, like a person groping in the dark but unable to find a way out. The third aunt sat aside, listening quietly, her eyes full of heartache. She reached out and gently patted Yan Bugui's shoulder, as if giving him a little warmth and strength.
At this moment when it was so quiet that they could hear each other's breathing, there was a rapid and chaotic knock on the door without warning. The sound was like a sudden thunder in the night sky, breaking the originally dull atmosphere in the house. Yan Bugui and the third aunt were sitting at a slightly old little table. When they heard the knock on the door, they both raised their heads and looked at each other. Their eyes were full of confusion, and they could see the puzzlement in each other's eyes - it was so late, and it was time to rest, who could it be?
Yan Bugui frowned and began to wonder, but he still stood up slowly and walked towards the door with some hesitation. His footsteps echoed in the silent room, and every step was like a drumbeat hitting his heart. When he came to the door, he reached out and grasped the door handle, turning it gently. The door creaked open slowly. With the dim light in the room, he looked closely and found that it was Xu Damao.
Xu Damao was standing at the door, looking anxious, with beads of sweat on his forehead, which shone faintly under the light. His clothes were a little messy, as if they were blown by the wind when he was in a hurry. Before Yan Bugui could ask, Xu Damao couldn't wait to say, "Old Yan, I finally found you. I have something urgent to discuss with you." There was an irrepressible eagerness in his voice, as if it would jump out of his throat in the next second. As he said that, without waiting for Yan Bugui to make an invitation gesture, he turned sideways and squeezed into the house like a flexible loach.
Seeing this, the third aunt stood up quickly, with a warm smile on her face, and said, "Da Mao, you are here so late, please sit down." As she spoke, she hurriedly picked up the kettle on the table and poured a glass of water for Xu Damao. The water in the cup created ripples, as if the atmosphere in the room was a little turbulent at the moment. Xu Damao took the water, and without being polite, he raised his head and drank the water in a few gulps. He looked so anxious, as if this glass of water was a panacea that could solve his urgent needs. After drinking the water, he casually wiped his mouth with his sleeve and said, "Old Yan, I won't beat around the bush with you. I know you are also thinking about the new house in the new residential area, and so am I. The house where Lou Xiao'e and I live now is too small. It's so small that it's hard to turn around. If we have children in the future, there will be no room for us, and the children won't even have a place to play. I was thinking, can we think of a way together to see if we can increase our chances of getting a house." His eyes were full of expectation, and he stared at Yan Bugui closely, as if Yan Bugui was his life-saving straw at the moment.
When Yan Bugui heard this, his eyes, which had been somewhat dim, suddenly lit up, and the light was like the stars that suddenly lit up in the night sky. He seemed to have seen the dawn of hope, and hurriedly said: "Da Mao, I am worried about this matter. I went to see Lao Liu and Lao Yi today, and also asked them for some information, such as the application process and the review standards, but I always feel uncertain, just like groping in the dark, unable to find the direction. If you have the same idea, let's discuss it together, there is strength in numbers. Three cobblers can be better than Zhuge Liang. Let's think of a solution together, maybe we can really get this done." His tone was full of excitement and expectation, as if he had already seen the beautiful scene of being allocated a house.
When Xu Damao heard that Yan Bugui had the same idea, he immediately became energetic. He slapped his thigh suddenly, and the "slap" sound was particularly loud in the silent room, as if it was a direct release of his inner excitement. His eyes were wide open, flashing with excitement, and his face was full of excitement. He said loudly: "I knew you were also worried about this matter! I have been worried about this house a lot and asked for information everywhere. I heard that some people in the unit have extensive connections like spider webs for this house distribution, and they are all working in secret. They use their connections and find ways, just like a group of foxes looking for prey in the dark, hoping to get more benefits and get more good houses. We can't just wait foolishly for the distribution plan to come out and passively accept it like a headless fly. We have to do something in advance and take the initiative to have a chance to get the house we like!"
As he spoke, he stood up and paced back and forth in the small room, gesturing with his hands as if he was commanding an important battle. "I have an idea. We can unite a few neighbors who are in similar situations as us, like forming a solid small alliance. Think about it, we all have the same housing problem and hope to be allocated a house to improve our lives. Let's write a letter to the leaders of our unit and reflect our housing difficulties in detail. In the letter, we can talk in detail about how small the house we live in now is. Several people in a family are squeezed in such a small space that it is difficult to turn around. The children don't even have a quiet place to do their homework, and the elderly have difficulty in having a comfortable resting environment. Maybe if the leaders pay attention to us and think that our situation is indeed special, they can give us a few more places. Then won't our hope of getting a house be greatly increased?" His voice became louder and louder, as if he had seen a bright future of being allocated a house.
After hearing what Xu Damao said, Yan Bugui's eyes, which had been shining, flashed with a hint of hesitation. He frowned, and the wrinkles on his face were squeezed together, like a blooming chrysanthemum. He folded his hands in front of his chest and said thoughtfully: "Da Mao, isn't it a bit too rash to write a letter to the leader? The leader has to deal with so much work every day and is very busy. If we write a letter rashly, will it disrupt their work rhythm? If we don't handle it well, it will make the leader unhappy and think that we are making trouble for them. That would be counterproductive. By then, let alone getting a house, we might even leave a bad impression on the leader and it will be difficult for us to get along in the unit in the future." His tone was full of worry, as if he had already seen the worst outcome.
Xu Damao didn't think so. He waved his hand carelessly, as if he was shooing away a nasty fly. He sat back in his chair, crossed his legs, and said confidently, "Old Yan, you are just too cautious. You are always afraid of wolves in front and tigers behind. We are just reflecting the situation reasonably, not making trouble for no reason. Let's write down our actual difficulties clearly and sincerely, just like telling our grievances to the leader face to face. The leader is also a human being and has sympathy. Maybe he can understand our difficulties. Moreover, if so many of us write together, the sound will be loud, and the leader cannot ignore our voices. It's like a group of people shouting together. The sound is definitely much louder than one person shouting, and it's hard for the leader not to pay attention. Think about it, if we don't take the initiative to fight for it, won't the opportunity slip away in vain? When the time comes, we can only stare at others getting good houses. How uncomfortable it is." He tried to persuade Yan Bugui with these words, his eyes full of expectation, hoping that Yan Bugui could stand on the same front with him.
Auntie was listening quietly, her ears erect, not missing a single word Xu Damao said. Her brows were slightly furrowed, her eyes full of entanglement and thought. In her heart, Xu Damao's seemingly bold idea was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples. She felt that this idea was indeed a bit risky, like walking on the edge of a cliff, one could fall into the abyss if not careful, leading to unpredictable consequences; but after careful consideration, she felt that this might really be a feasible solution, and it might really bring a glimmer of hope for getting a house.
She hesitated again and again, twisting the corners of her clothes unconsciously with her hands, and the corners of her clothes were almost twisted into a dough knot. She spoke slowly, with a hint of uncertainty and worry in her voice: "Da Mao, how should I write this letter? We have never written such a letter to the leader. If it is not well written, the words are not clear, or the tone is not right, it will ruin the matter. If the leader thinks that we are making trouble for no reason, or thinks that we are too troublesome, then we will lose more than we gain, and all the opportunities that we might have had will be lost." Her eyes were full of uneasiness, as if she had already seen the terrible scene after the failure of writing the letter.
When Xu Damao heard what Third Aunt said, he immediately patted his chest, and the "pa pa" sound was particularly crisp in the quiet room. He puffed out his chest, a confident smile on his face, a determined light in his eyes, and said loudly: "Third Aunt, don't worry, I will take care of this matter. Don't look at me laughing and joking at ordinary times. I have a pretty good writing style. I can write our situation clearly and clearly, like a vivid picture scroll presented to the leader. When the time comes, we will find a few reliable neighbors to sign together. More signatures will add a heavy weight to this letter. When the leader sees so many people reporting the same problem, he will definitely not take it lightly." As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, as if he had already seen the scene of the letter filled with everyone's voice being placed in front of the leader.
Yan Bugui sat aside, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, his eyes revealing a thoughtful gleam. He pondered Xu Damao's words carefully, as if there were two villains fighting in his heart. One villain was worried that doing so would cause trouble, while the other villain thought it was an opportunity to get a house. After thinking about it, he felt that this might be a method worth trying. After all, it is not a good idea to just sit there and wait for death, and you have to take the initiative to attack in order to have hope.
He nodded slowly, his expression became firm, and he said, "Okay, Damao, let's do as you say. However, we have to choose a few reliable neighbors. We can't be careless about this. If those gossipy and unreliable people get to know about it and spread it everywhere, breaking the rules, and then the leader blames us, we will be in big trouble. Moreover, if this gets out, it may cause some unnecessary trouble and make other colleagues have opinions about us." His tone was serious and earnest, as if he was formulating an important strategic plan.
After listening to Yan Bugui's words, Xu Damao patted Yan Bugui's shoulder again. The sound of his palm patting on the shoulder was "pa pa", as if conveying his determination and confidence. He grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth, and said: "Don't worry, Old Yan. I know what I'm doing. Let's find a few neighbors who have a good relationship with us. They know each other well and are tight-lipped. We will do this quietly, like a secret operation, and give everyone a surprise when it's done. By then, our chances of getting a house will be much greater." His eyes were shining with excitement, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.