Chapter 477: Liu Brothers Competing for a House

The price of 550 yuan, whether it was the neighbors who spoke up in support or the onlookers who just wanted to see a spectacle without minding the trouble, everyone thought Shazhu would be satisfied and stop.

But no one expected Shazhu to counter with a high price of six hundred.

That amounted to earning two hundred yuan in ten days.

Such a speed of making money.

It genuinely frightened the surrounding crowd.

Some neighbors thought Liu Guangtian could not possibly agree to Shazhu's unreasonable demand; it's not like he had donkey urine in his brain, so why would he insist on buying your house at a high price?

They even had thoughts they shouldn't have, wondering if their own house could be sold to Liu Guangtian for the high price of 550 yuan, then buy the Jia Family's house for 450 yuan, thus making a profit of 100 yuan by flipping it.

"Guangtian, how does our house look? You're buying the old house of the Old Liu Family just as a fond memory; it's a house in the main courtyard. Even though it's the front yard, when you were beaten by your father back then, we heard it clearly at home, and you also have happy childhood memories here. You don't need six hundred; 550 yuan will do."

"Lao Ma Tou, that's the front courtyard; Guangtian wants to buy a house to reminisce about this childhood, but with a middle courtyard in between, how can he reminisce? Unlike our back courtyard, which is close, you can hear clearly and even smell the scent. Guangtian, a flat price of 550 yuan—if you buy our house, coming and going, wouldn't you be able to catch a glimpse of your old house?"

"None of your houses are suitable; in the whole main courtyard, only our Lao Li Family's house fits Guangtian. Our two families are separated by just a wall. Guangtian, consider Lao Li Uncle's house—same price, also 550 yuan."

However, Liu Guangtian had no interest whatsoever in the neighbors' houses; he wanted to buy a house for the hidden gold and silver treasures in his family, so the neighbors' schemes came to nothing.

The atmosphere on site.

For a moment, it felt somewhat eerie.

Those who wanted to sell their houses couldn't sell them.

Those who didn't want to sell were nevertheless being urged to sell, and they didn't hesitate to name a high price.

Liu Guangtian unexpectedly agreed to that quote, and he said to Shazhu: "Master He, you're straightforward; I, Liu Guangtian, must also be open and aboveboard. For our family's old house, whatever price you say, that's what we'll go with. You say six hundred, we'll go six hundred."

"Hiss!"

The startled neighbors.

They all gasped in astonishment.

Six hundred yuan!

Liu Guangtian agreed without even blinking an eye; looking at his eager manner of pulling out money, he seemed truly ready to pay six hundred yuan to buy their old house from Shazhu.

Damn it.

The world is too crazy.

Nobody treats money as money anymore.

At this very moment.

Not only the surrounding onlookers gobbling up the spectacle were shocked, but also the party who quoted six hundred yuan, Shazhu himself.

Shazhu's shouting out the six-hundred price was actually more of a probe.

Liu Guangtian came running out of the blue, saying he wanted to buy back the Liu Family's old house; the more one pondered it, the more it felt off, surely there was some inside story Shazhu didn't know.

He narrowed his eyes slightly.

His gaze fell straight onto Liu Guangtian.

Seeing Shazhu sizing him up like that,

Liu Guangtian's heart gave a sudden jolt; to him, whether Shazhu quoted six hundred or even one thousand, buying back this house would be a profitable deal with no loss.

Worried that Shazhu would keep demanding a higher price, he entertained the idea of turning raw rice into cooked rice.

He thought that as long as he gave the money to Shazhu's hands, even without completing the procedures, with dozens of neighbors watching, Shazhu couldn't possibly go back on his word.

Shazhu is someone who cares about face.

Moreover, Liu Guangtian's thoughts were on the gold and silver treasures; as long as he had a legitimate reason to enter the Liu Family's old house, he could, under the cover of night, secretly dig out the gold and silver hidden beneath the floor tiles, transport them away overnight, and later sell the Liu Family's old house at its original price, once and for all cutting off the retreat of Liu Guangqi and Liu Guangfu.

That is the crux.

"I will now hand over the six hundred yuan to Master He's hands; when you have time, we'll go together to the Jiēdào to handle the paperwork. Master He, I still trust your character."

He reached out and lifted the green satchel into his hand.

He undid the buckle on top.

He slipped his hand inside.

It took only a dozen seconds or so.

He took an envelope from the satchel, opened it, pulled out a stack of brand-new bills, counted out sixty from it, and handed them to Shazhu.

Without waiting for Shazhu to take the money from his hand, he waved the remaining ten-odd ten-yuan bills and began to recount his various difficulties.

"If it weren't for the memories I have in this house, I really wouldn't want to buy it back; whether the money is more or less is one thing, at the very least this is a sentimental attachment. When I'm older and bring my kids here, I'll tell them how my grandfather was beaten by their great-grandfather—that's also a family joy. For this house, I've taken out all our family's savings; if something else comes up, I'll be at a loss."

The nagging Liu Guangtian.

Seeing that Shazhu didn't take the money from his hand,

He felt a bit urgent for a moment.

"Just one step away from closing the deal, you're playing tricks on me."

"That won't do."

He called out to urge him on.

"Master He, you hold onto it, as we agreed—I'll pay six hundred to buy back our Old Liu Family's old house; we don't need to go through the paperwork now, I trust you, and if you feel it's not appropriate, you can give me a receipt."

He said.

Seeing Shazhu's expression unchanged,

He hastily gathered the remaining ten-odd bills in his hand.

"Master He, you wouldn't still want to raise the price, would you? I'm not pretending to be poor; I really have no money left. What remains, I need to support my wife and children. This house—I truly regard it as a sentimental attachment. As the saying goes, 'Where the house is, there is the home.' Please fulfill this wish of mine, Master He."

Liu Guangyue lacked confidence.

His voice even carried a faint hint of pleading.

"How about I add ten more yuan, making it six hundred ten? I really can't add any more; otherwise I couldn't face my wife and kids. Master He, you surely wouldn't let my wife and children go hungry."

Liu Guangtian's original intention was to use his wife and kids as a ploy on Shazhu, to stop him from being so greedy—a house bought for 360 yuan sold ten days later for 610 yuan.

They're even keeping up with the money-printing press.

But unexpectedly, Liu Guangfu appeared halfway.

Liu Guangfu, who harbored the exact same thought as Liu Guangtian of wanting to monopolize the treasure, had just entered the Siheyuan when he heard Liu Guangtian's "de, de, de" bargaining with Shazhu over buying the house.

He panicked inside.

He could no longer hold back his words.

He uttered several sarcastic remarks.

「Second brother, if you feel you can't go back and explain to your second sister-in-law, then just forget about the old Liu family's old house; let me, your younger brother, buy it back. I'm the youngest, so it's only right that I handle this. Moreover, unlike you, second brother, I don't have all those complicated excuses, and I don't need to go back and explain to my wife and children. You also said, buying the house is just for a sentimental reason; I, standing before the neighbors, guarantee you that once I buy this house, you can come anytime to reminisce about childhood。」

Liu Guangtian stood there stunned.

He turned his head toward the direction the sound came from.

He saw someone he absolutely did not want to see, smiling narrowly, looking at him, meeting his gaze, and walking step by step into the crowd.

The gazes of the two brothers.

They met in midair.

Liu Guangtian's eyes showed surprise at how he had come; Liu Guangfu's eyes held resentment that he had abandoned him alone to buy the house.

What's inside the old Liu family house?

Outsiders don't know.

As members of the Liu family, how could Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu not know the secret inside?

Just from Liu Guangtian's act of rushing over early to buy the house from Shazhu, one could tell he had the thought of monopolizing the gold and silver treasure; Liu Guangfu's anger flared up instantly.

Well done, Liu Guangtian!

He's simply not human.

Back when Er Da Ma fainted, you were the first to leave.

When Liu Haizhong was arrested, Liu Guangtian was again the first to stab him in the back.

Upon learning that the Liu family's house hid gold and silver treasure, you also sent me to investigate; after I told you the truth, you bastard used false words to fool me, saying this matter is very important, so as not to let Liu Guangqi seize these things, we need to plan long-term.

All this is your Liu Guangtian's long-term plan: you alone ran to the Siheyuan, bought the house alone from Shazhu, before I arrived, got the house, and dug up the gold and silver treasure.

Liu Guangfu's resentment had been suppressed to the extreme.

This matter was still Liu Guangfu telling Liu Guangtian, and also Liu Guangfu traveling far to the countryside to verify the truth, then informing Liu Guangtian.

The cost paid and the benefit gained are nowhere near proportional, especially since Liu Guangtian clearly intends to monopolize.

You take the first.

I take the fifteenth.

You've been secretly plotting behind my back; why can't I turn the tables on you once?

Liu Guangfu completely ignored Liu Guangtian's knife-like gaze, leapt over him, came before Shazhu, and said to him: "Master He, to be frank, I also have a sentimental attachment to this old house; even if my father beat me when I was young, to me this is also a memory; hearing that my mother sold the house to you, I truly am willing but lack the means; everyone in our courtyard knows I, Liu Guangfu, am a son-in-law living in the wife's home."

Like Liu Guangtian, Liu Guangfu also began to vent his grievances.

His situation.

His situation is somewhat different from Liu Guangtian's.

At the very least, his status as a son-in-law living in the wife's home earns him considerable sympathy from the neighbors.

If possible.

Who would willingly be a son-in-law living in the wife's home?

The children born cannot take the father's surname, and must honestly fulfill filial duties to the wife's family; the reasons behind this, outsiders simply don't know.

Liu Guangfu is precisely because of such an experience.

His words are therefore more convincing than Liu Guangtian's.

「The neighbors in our courtyard all say I'm unfilial; there's an old saying: a married daughter is like water spilled out; I am just a son-in-law living in the wife's home— isn't that just a married daughter? At the time I thought of going home to get money for my mother's medical treatment, but when I returned home I got not a single cent, and still got a scolding from my wife, saying I have two older brothers, so even if we rank one-two-three, it's not my turn, alas I'm useless。」

A sigh flew from Liu Guangfu's mouth.

The image of a good-for-nothing.

Fully revealed by him.

Not waiting for anyone's reaction.

He immediately raised his head, eagerly looking at Shazhu.

「Master He, I heard that it was your wife who sent my mother to the hospital; I have no other intention, I just want to express my gratitude for your life-saving kindness。」

His knees went weak.

He knelt before Shazhu.

In front of the neighbors.

Bang, bang, bang— three kowtows.

Liu Guangtian standing aside, his mind was dazed; if it weren't that the treasure matter couldn't be discussed with the neighbors, he would surely have asked aloud, "Liu Guangfu, you're really playing big!"

He wanted to imitate Liu Guangfu and kowtow three times to Shazhu, but because he lacked the standing and also due to other considerations, he could only give up.

He stared at Liu Guangfu with a vicious gaze.

If looks could kill, Liu Guangfu would have died countless times by now.

The identities of Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu determine that their attitudes toward this matter differ; Liu Guangfu can let go completely, in order to shake off the status of a son-in-law living in the wife's home and to enjoy a sense of being the master of his own household, he is somewhat reckless; conversely, Liu Guangtian is somewhat reluctant to let go, which is why he is somewhat constrained by Liu Guangfu— though not truly constrained, it's merely that events have taken a slight turn outside the plan.

When the clam and the snipe fight, the fisherman benefits.

Liu Guangtian worried that Liu Guangfu would compete with her for the house, driving up the price.

In the end, only Shazhu would profit.

「Guangfu, your words make it seem like I don't care about our mother; Master He, this is 650 yuan, the Liu family's house is mine, and I'm adding another 40 yuan。」

Liu Guangtian eagerly wanted to hand over the cash in his hand.

Stuffed into Shazhu's hand.

In his view, as long as this money ends up in Shazhu's hand, the Liu Family's house will become Liu Guangtian's property.

On one hand, Shazhu is farther away; on the other hand, Liu Guangfu, who knows the inside story, is nearby, so Liu Guangtian's trick didn't succeed.

Liu Guangfu, who had long been on guard against Liu Guangtian's behavior, deliberately stuck out a foot to trip him.

"Second brother, what are you doing? You just said that this money is your family's living expenses; you bought a house, how will you explain it to your second sister-in-law when you go back? I'm different—I'm a son-in-law living in the wife's home; this time I came, I brought enough money, let me, Liu Guangfu, buy back the Old Liu Family's house. I still say the same thing: buying the house won't stop you from coming back to reminisce, after all, we are brothers."

Liu Guangfu, you're a son-in-law living in the wife's home; this matter isn't up to you. You just said your wife's opinion, and you still have two older brothers ahead of you—you're not even third in line. You haven't said a word; wait until I buy the house back, live there for a few days, then let you stay. How does that sound?

His words sound better than singing.

You stay first.

Then all this gold and silver treasure is gone, right?

Then give me an empty house—will I be at a loss?

Liu Guangfu turned Liu Guangtian's own argument against him, not changing a single word.

"My dear second brother, I'll buy back the house and stay a few days; then you can stay whenever you want."