It was rare for them to gather like this, and everyone was in high spirits.
By the time they finished dinner, it was already quite late, so Ninth Father suggested they head over to the courtyard house.
"A few days ago, I settled everything with the landlord, Old Wang, and the housing bureau. After we sign the contract and make the payment this afternoon, we’ll go straight to finalize the ownership transfer."
Since Jiang Si’s eldest brother and sister-in-law couldn’t return for now, the property had to be temporarily registered under Jiang Si’s name.
The rest could be sorted out once they came back.
As they chatted, the driver suddenly tapped the brakes lightly.
"What’s wrong?" Ninth Master nearly hit his head against the windshield in surprise.
The driver pointed ahead. "Ninth Master, it looks like someone’s moving—two cargo trucks are blocking the road."
Most of the alleys in this old district were narrow.
In the summer, many families set up makeshift canopies outside to cook.
Even if they weren’t cooking, the doorways were cluttered with all sorts of odds and ends.
Some even fenced off small patches of land by their doors to grow scallions or cabbage, saving a fair bit over the year.
The driver, likely unfamiliar with the area, had barely driven in before getting stuck.
Now, there was no way forward or back.
Left with no choice, the workers began unloading the cargo right there.
Every now and then, someone would call out, "Be careful—don’t damage anything!"
Hearing the commotion, Jiang Si glanced over.
No wonder the driver was sweating anxiously—he was terrified of scratching anything.
Judging by the style and craftsmanship of the furniture, it was clear these pieces came from Tongxinghe, a prestigious old-brand store in the capital. A single item here could cost several months' wages for an average person.
Just one truckload of this furniture could be worth an entire courtyard house.
Seeing that the trucks wouldn’t be moving anytime soon, Jiang Si said to the driver, "Turn around at the intersection ahead. Let’s try entering from the other side."
Without delay, the driver followed her directions.
But when they finally circled to the other end, the situation was exactly the same!
Only this time, the workers were unloading bricks, tiles, and lumber.
Jiang Si’s brow furrowed instantly.
Furniture on one side, construction materials on the other.
With so many coincidences piling up, she couldn’t help but suspect something.
Beside her, Ninth Master seemed to catch on as well. His expression darkened slightly, his tone uneasy. "It… it can’t be, right?"
As if trying to convince himself, he added after a pause, "We already paid the deposit—I even threw in an extra few hundred!"
Besides the deposit, they had also signed a simple contract—something Jiang Si had insisted on.
Though the landlord had assured them it wasn’t necessary, she had wanted to avoid any mishaps.
The contract clearly stated in black and white:
This Wednesday, payment would be exchanged for the property transfer.
If either party breached the agreement, they would have to refund double the deposit.
"A thousand yuan in penalties is no small sum! And Wang Dafa seemed like an honest man—not the type to go back on his word!"
But even as he said this, Ninth Master wasn’t entirely confident.
So he had the driver pull over, deciding to go in and see what was really happening.
Ninth Master had ties to the underworld, after all.
Worried he might act rashly, Jiang Si followed him out of the car.
They weaved through the alley, and with every step deeper, Ninth Master’s unease grew.
They had scouted this area thoroughly before.
This alley, in particular, was lined with either public rental units or company-assigned homes.
Only two properties were privately owned.
One was a multi-generational family home—they’d lived there for decades and wouldn’t be moving out.
The other belonged to Wang Dafa.
And the first household was right at the alley’s entrance—no need to move anything inside.
Before long, they reached the one-courtyard house.
The gate was wide open.
At the sight of people bustling in and out, Ninth Master’s face turned livid.
No need to guess anymore—this was the place.
Just then, the landlord, Wang Dafa, stepped out.
The moment he spotted Ninth Master’s group, his face drained of color.
"Comrade Wang Dafa, what’s the meaning of this?"
Ninth Master strode forward. Though he resisted grabbing the man by the collar out of courtesy, his tone was sharp.
"We agreed on payment and transfer today. You took the deposit, signed the contract—and now you’re selling it to someone else? Are you making fools of us?"
Ninth Master wasn’t someone to be trifled with. Even his usual demeanor was intimidating, let alone when he was furious.
Wang Dafa stammered, barely able to speak.
"I—I’m sorry, I… I…"
Truth was, he hadn’t wanted it to come to this.
The higher offer was only part of the reason.
What really made him break the contract was the other party’s promises.
They could help his entire family settle quickly down south.
They’d even assist with residency permits.
Even the person to take over had already been arranged for him.
Wang Dafa simply couldn’t resist such tempting conditions.
Thinking this, he could only steel himself and pull out a thick envelope from his pocket. "I’ve wronged you all in this matter, but I’m truly in a difficult position. My whole family is moving south, and without proper arrangements, we’ll struggle to get by."
"This is the compensation for the breach of contract. Please… count it…"
Jiang Si said nothing as she looked at the envelope Wang Dafa handed over.
Ninth Master was so angry his lips twitched. "You’ve got me laughing out of sheer frustration!"
Was this just about money?
This was about integrity, about dignity!
After all his years in the capital, this was the first time someone had dared to play him for a fool.
No wonder Ninth Master was furious.
Seeing his fingers clench with audible cracks, Jiang Si shook her head at him.
The other party had already moved in—there was no point in arguing now.
Besides, from the landlord’s tone, the terms offered must have far exceeded the property’s actual value.
From the landlord’s perspective, though his actions were underhanded, they weren’t entirely unreasonable.
Jiang Si didn’t say anything more. She took the compensation from Wang Dafa, counted it to confirm the amount, then helped Third Granduncle turn to leave.
Ninth Master had originally planned to settle the formalities and share a drink with Third Granduncle afterward. Now, too ashamed to face him, he escorted the old man back to the courtyard house and thumped his chest in assurance.
"Don’t worry, I’ll keep looking tomorrow. I’ll find you a better place, guaranteed."
Jiang Si smiled and nodded.
"Ninth Uncle, don’t take it to heart. We can take our time finding another house."
Still, the incident served as a reminder—next time she found a suitable place, she’d secure it immediately, no hesitation!
Losing the courtyard house they’d almost had did dampen Jiang Si’s mood somewhat.
But what she didn’t expect was that there was more to the story.
As evening approached, someone suddenly knocked on the courtyard gate.
Uncle Zhong was busy cooking in the kitchen, so Jiang Si answered the door.
When she opened it, she froze.
Standing outside was a tall man, well over six feet, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses that gave him a refined, scholarly air.
At first glance, he felt strangely familiar.
Yet, no matter how hard she searched her memories, she couldn’t recall ever meeting him.
"Who are you looking for?" Jiang Si asked, puzzled.
The man’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before he averted his eyes, as if realizing it was impolite to stare.
"Hello," he said, his voice clear and gentle, the kind that spoke of good upbringing—he even used the formal "you"!
While Jiang Si silently noted this, the man met her eyes again. "I apologize for the intrusion. My name is Chi Heng."
Chi Heng?
Jiang Si repeated the name in her mind.
Still, nothing came to mind.
Then he extended something toward her. "I’m sorry. I was the one who bought the courtyard house on the street ahead. Before the purchase, I wasn’t aware the landlord had taken your deposit or that you’d signed a letter of intent."
In just a few words, he laid out the whole situation.
Then, he bowed deeply to her.
"I sincerely apologize. I shouldn’t have taken the house from you."
"This is a small token of my regret. Please accept it."
Jiang Si, however, frowned.
"Comrade Chi, I think you’ve misunderstood."
Facing this man whose politeness bordered on excessive, she replied with courteous detachment, "The landlord’s breach of contract is between him and me."
"Since he sold the house to you, it’s rightfully yours. There’s no question of you ‘taking’ it from us."
After a pause, she added, "If anyone should apologize, it’s the landlord."
Her words drew a clear line.
When Chi Heng seemed momentarily at a loss, Jiang Si asked, "Was there anything else?"
If not, she was ready to close the door.
Just then, Third Granduncle emerged from the main house. "Sisi, who’s there?"
Before Jiang Si could answer, the man at the door suddenly turned his head.
The next second, he blurted out—
"Th-Third Granduncle?"
