Chapter 745 Planning a House 11

Chapter 745 Planning a House 11

In that quaint and slightly weathered courtyard, every brick and tile, every eave seems to be telling the story of time. The mottled walls bear the traces of time; the blue-gray tiles are stacked layer by layer, like the white hair on the temples of an old man in history.

The sturdy old locust tree in the courtyard swayed gently in the breeze, casting patches of mottled light and shadow, adding a bit of tranquility and peace to this slightly old courtyard. However, at this moment, under the eaves full of fireworks, the atmosphere was faintly subtle, as if there was an undercurrent surging.

Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui sat together as usual. Yi Zhonghai sat on the worn wooden bench, leaning forward slightly, his brows tightly locked together, like two twisted hemp ropes. His eyes were filled with eagerness and anxiety, as if he wanted to penetrate everything in front of him to find the unknown answer.

He was the first to speak, his voice filled with unquestionable urgency. His eager words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly breaking the seemingly peaceful atmosphere: "Have you heard? Everyone in the steel mill is gearing up! Those people are staring at the houses in the newly built area, just like hungry wolves staring at delicious prey. We can't fall behind in this matter. We have to unite. No matter what method we use, we have to let the people in our courtyard get the houses first and get the first share of the benefits. This is a major event that concerns the vital interests of everyone in our courtyard, and we can't afford to be careless."

Liu Haizhong was originally sitting with his legs crossed, listening in a distracted manner. When he heard what Yi Zhonghai said, his eyes lit up instantly, like two bright lights suddenly lit up in the darkness. He sat up straight and nodded vigorously, his head nodding like a chicken pecking at rice.

His face was full of a smile of approval, and that smile was like a blooming chrysanthemum, full of joy and excitement. He rubbed his hands together excitedly, as if he was wiping the treasure that was about to be in his hands, and he kept saying, "Old Yi is right! Our Siheyuan has always been harmonious for so many years, and neighbors take care of each other. Naturally, this benefit should be given to our own people first. I support Old Yi's idea, and we have to think carefully about how to make this happen. This is a good opportunity for our Siheyuan to be proud of itself, and we can't miss it so easily."

However, in the atmosphere filled with subtle atmosphere, Yan Bugui sat quietly by himself. He was a little thin, wearing a washed-out Zhongshan suit, with faint traces of wear on the cuffs. He slowly raised his hand and gently pushed his old black-framed glasses with his slightly rough fingers. There seemed to be some tiny scratches left on the lenses of the glasses, flickering in the dim light.

There was a hint of hesitation and dissatisfaction on his face, as if he was weighing a difficult decision repeatedly in his mind. His brows were tightly knitted together, forming a deep "川" character, as if he was bound by an invisible yoke.

He opened his mouth slightly, and said with a slightly worried tone: "I understand your feelings, really, I can especially understand your eagerness to fight for the interests of the courtyard. But this matter is really not that simple. Our courtyard is like a small society, with so many families living in it, and each family has its own little calculations and thoughts.

Some people think that their children have grown up and it is time for them to start a family and start a career, so they need a house urgently; some people think that although the current house is a little small, they are used to it and don’t want to change it easily. If we decide to help some people fight for the house on a whim, will others be satisfied?

They will definitely feel suspicious and think that we are biased and unfair. By then, the whole courtyard will be in chaos, with people arguing and complaining one after another. How can we talk about unity? We originally wanted to do good for the courtyard, but in the end we might ruin the good neighborhood relationship. Isn't this a loss? "

After hearing what Yan Bugui said, Yi Zhonghai's face darkened slightly, just like a dark cloud suddenly floated in the originally clear sky. A trace of displeasure flashed in his eyes, and he looked at Yan Bugui with some dissatisfaction, and that look seemed to carry a hint of blame. He raised his voice, and his voice echoed under the eaves: "Old Yan, you have too many concerns. Let's take care of the people in the courtyard first. This is for the overall benefit of our courtyard. Think about it, if we ourselves are not united, how can we compete with those outside?

Those people outside don't care about the twists and turns in our yard. They only think about how to get all the benefits for themselves. We must first work together and fight for the house first. This is the most important thing. After we fight for the house first, it won't be too late to slowly appease others.

At that time, we can hold a meeting of the whole institute to explain the whole story to everyone, and make it clear that everyone will understand us. "

Liu Haizhong also chimed in, slapping his thigh vigorously, making a "pop" sound. He widened his eyes, with a hint of anxiety and impatience on his face, and said, "That's right, Old Yan, you just think too much.

Let's do it first, and when we have results, everyone will understand our efforts. Think about it, if we can win the house, the people in our yard will live in the new house and live a comfortable life, and they will remember our kindness.

By then, everyone will praise us for our ability and foresight. If we keep hesitating and looking ahead, the house will be taken away by others, and the people in our courtyard will not get any benefits. We can't be so cowardly, we must have some courage. "

Yan Bugui sighed helplessly, and the sigh seemed to come from the bottom of his heart, with endless fatigue and helplessness. He shook his head slowly, the amplitude of the shaking was not large, but it was full of determination and stubbornness.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his eyes revealing a calmness and composure of a person who has experienced the world, and he slowly said: "You are still too impulsive. We have to take a long-term view when doing things, and not just seek the present moment. The allocation of houses is not a trivial matter. The factory must have its own set of standards, which may be very detailed, involving many aspects such as length of service, position, family situation, etc. We have to understand it clearly first, just like we have to find out the details of the enemy before going to war.

We should look at who has advantages in our courtyard, such as those experienced workers who have worked in the factory for many years, or technical backbones who have made special contributions; who needs our help, perhaps families with large populations and particularly tight housing. Instead of blindly thinking that people in the courtyard will benefit first, this will only backfire. When the time comes, others will think that we are distributing unfairly, and our courtyard's reputation will be ruined. How can we get along with other courtyards in the factory in the future? "

When the three were arguing, there was a sudden noise in the yard, like a group of bees suddenly flying into the quiet garden, breaking the tense and delicate atmosphere. It turned out that several young people were gathered together, their faces were filled with excitement, their eyes were shining with longing, and they were enthusiastically discussing the new house in the area.

One of the young men was tall and straight, wearing a washed-out blue work suit, with a simple smile on his face. He said with a face full of longing: "If I can get a new house, I can bring my parents to live with me. Just think about it, this old courtyard is too crowded, and the whole family is squeezed in such a small house, and it is difficult to turn around. My parents are old and in poor health, and I am always worried about them in my hometown. If there is a new house, they can live in a more spacious place and enjoy a peaceful life."

As he spoke, he gestured with his hands to indicate the size of the new house, as if the house was already right in front of him.

Another young man said with some concern, he frowned, a hint of anxiety in his eyes: "But the competition must be fierce. There are so many people in our factory, and everyone is eyeing those new houses. How can it be so easy to get them? Look, those old workers have worked in the factory for so many years and have more experience than us; and there are those skilled masters, who have made great contributions to the factory. We young people have neither experience nor outstanding contributions, how can we compete with them?" As he spoke, he spread his hands helplessly, his face full of disappointment.

When Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui heard these words, they all seemed to have paused and instantly fell into deep thought. Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth tightly, and his cheeks bulged slightly, as if to encourage himself. He was silent for a moment, and then said firmly:

"No matter what, we can't just sit there and wait for death. Old Yan, you said you know the factory's allocation standards, so let's go and find out first. Getting information is a technical job, you have to find the right channels, maybe you have to get close to the leaders in the factory who are in charge of allocation, or get the information from some old employees.

Lao Liu, you are responsible for collecting statistics in the courtyard to see what everyone thinks and needs. You go door to door and ask each household to understand the situation clearly, such as how many people are there in the family, how big the house is, and whether there are any special difficulties that need to be taken care of. Only when we understand the situation thoroughly can we come up with a better way to fight for the house. "

Liu Haizhong nodded and agreed: "Okay, I'll take care of it. I'll go door to door and ask."

Yan Bugui had no choice but to compromise: "Okay, I'll go to the factory and find a few familiar masters to get some information."

So, the three of them took action separately. Yi Zhonghai asked around in the steel mill. He found some old co-workers who had a good relationship with him, handed them cigarettes and said nice things, and finally got some vague information about the house allocation from them. It turned out that the allocation of houses this time was not only based on qualifications, but also on work performance and contribution to the factory. In addition, the factory would send people to conduct field visits to each courtyard to understand the reputation of employees among the neighbors.

After hearing the news, Yi Zhonghai was both excited and nervous. He was excited because he finally had some direction; he was nervous because he was worried that he and some people in the courtyard were not doing well enough in these aspects. He hurried back to the courtyard and told Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui the news.

Liu Haizhong frowned and said, "Qualifications and work performance are fine, but the neighborhood reputation. Some people in our yard like to take advantage of others and have conflicts with neighbors. What can we do?"

Yan Bugui also said worriedly: "Yes, and we had previously thought that the people in the hospital would benefit first. If this matter gets to the factory, it will definitely affect our reputation."

Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth and said, "It's too late to regret now. We can only try our best to make up for it. From now on, we should behave well in the courtyard, do more good things, and improve the relationship with the neighbors. In addition, for those who usually behave badly, we must also remind them to restrain themselves."

So the three of them began to take active actions in the courtyard.

Therefore, the three of them each started to make their own calculations, and a secret contest over the allocation of houses in the newly built area quietly began in the courtyard.

Yi Zhonghai decided to start with the "favor card" that he was best at. He remembered that there was an elderly widow named Grandma Wang in the courtyard. She was not in good health and had many inconveniences in her life. Although he occasionally cared about her in the past, it was mostly superficial. This time, he decided to really take care of Grandma Wang with all his heart.

The next morning, Yi Zhonghai came to Grandma Wang's house with fresh vegetables and fruits. As soon as he entered the door, he said with a smile on his face: "Grandma Wang, I bought some fresh vegetables and fruits for you today. Please take a look and see if they suit your taste." Grandma Wang looked at him in surprise, with a touch of emotion in her eyes. She quickly said: "Zhonghai, you are so thoughtful. You still care about me, an old woman."

Since then, Yi Zhonghai has taken time out every day to take care of Grandma Wang. He helped Grandma Wang clean the room, wash clothes, and accompanied her to the hospital to see a doctor and get medicine. Grandma Wang was moved to tears by his actions, and praised Yi Zhonghai as a good person to everyone she met. Yi Zhonghai listened to these compliments and felt secretly proud that his efforts were not in vain.

Liu Haizhong thought of another way. He felt that he had always been a prestigious person in the courtyard, and if he could organize some group activities and show his leadership ability, he might be able to get extra points when allocating houses.

He first called together some young people in the courtyard and said he wanted to organize a basketball game. He patted his chest and said, "It has been a long time since our courtyard was lively. Organizing a basketball game can not only exercise our bodies, but also enhance the relationship between neighbors. I will be responsible for preparing the game, and everyone will actively participate when the time comes." The young people thought it was a good idea and responded one after another.

Liu Haizhong was busy, contacting the venue and preparing the competition supplies. On the day of the competition, the courtyard was very lively, and everyone gathered around the basketball court to watch the game. Liu Haizhong ran around the court, directing the game, and cheering everyone on from time to time. After the game, he even paid out of his own pocket to buy drinks and snacks for the participating players. Everyone praised his performance, and Liu Haizhong felt that his prestige in the courtyard had increased a lot.

Xu Damao watched Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong take action, and he became anxious. He knew that he did not have a good reputation in the courtyard, so he had to find a way to turn the situation around. He thought of the children in the courtyard and decided to start with them.

Xu Damao set up a small stall in the yard, filled with all kinds of candies and toys. He shouted loudly: "Children, come and have a look, here are delicious candies and fun toys, free for everyone!" When the children heard this, they all swarmed around him. Xu Damao smiled and gave each child some candies and toys, and played with them. The children were very happy and surrounded Xu Damao and called him "Uncle Xu".

Xu Damao was delighted to see the children happy. He thought that by building a good relationship with the children, he could also indirectly improve his image in the courtyard.

However, their actions did not escape the eyes of other neighbors. Yan Bugui was a thoughtful person, and he saw what the three were thinking. One night, he called together some elders in the courtyard and held a small meeting in the yard.

Yan Bugui frowned and said, "Look everyone, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao are all working hard to build houses in the new area. Although they seem to be doing this for the good of the courtyard house, they actually have their own selfish motives. We can't let them do this. We have to find a way to handle this matter fairly and impartially."