Chapter 67

  Chapter 24: The Cost

  One must learn to control oneself, and at all times have a calm heart. Liangzi thought that success, if making money is considered success, has his heart ever been inflated? It seems not without precedent. However, looking at the model in front of him, it seems possible to calm his restless heart.

  The scale of the quadrangle courtyard is different, and the size varies greatly. However, regardless of size, they are all composed of basic units. Four houses form a courtyard, which is the basic unit of the quadrangle courtyard, called one-advance quadrangle courtyard. Two courtyards are two-advance quadrangle courtyard, three courtyards are three-advance quadrangle courtyard, and so on.

  The building is a two-story quadrangle courtyard, bright and spacious, with plenty of sunlight and a wide view. It covers an area of about 500 square meters. The gate is a large black-lacquered gate, with a pair of couplets on either side in red lacquer: "Old horse chasing the wind to express its ambition, eagle spreading its wings into the blue sky", truly magnificent and majestic.

  Passing through the screen wall into the courtyard, there are 5 rooms in the north house, with 3 main rooms and 2 wing rooms. The east and west wings each have 3 rooms, and there is a corridor in front of the house to avoid wind and rain. The courtyard is also divided into a front yard (outer yard) and a back yard (inner yard) by a wall, which are connected by a moon gate. The front yard has a shallow depth, with one or two rooms serving as a gatehouse, while the back yard serves as a residential house. The building is well-constructed, with brick floors inside and bluestone steps. It looks like the Liang family moved in and renovated it a bit, without making any major changes, basically restoring it to its original state, but the interior is very modernized.

  The ground is extremely flat and paved with generally sized bluestone. The sunlight at noon passes through the leaves, casting dappled and fine shadows, standing in the courtyard, doesn't feel hot either.

  "It's not here." Fang Mo Nan nodded and said.

  Mom said I look old."

  "Mom, you don't understand this. This is the atmosphere I want, this is the flavor." Fang Mo Nan looked at it, and the flowers and trees were sparse and elegant. There were lilacs, hawthorns, jujube trees, and pagoda trees. Under the corridor, there were potted flowers and trees, the most common being pomegranate trees and jasmine. Pomegranates were planted to symbolize "many children". As for the grassy patch in front of the stone steps, with its jasmine, hibiscus, and morning glories, it was a common beautiful sight in the courtyard. "It's completely different inside."

  "Big Yan Jie, Nan Nan you guys are here." Autumn Leaf heard their voices and came out of the house. Her seven-month-old belly didn't affect her movements at all, she was still walking briskly. "Still bringing so much?"

  "They are all some fruits." Fang Mo Nan said that eating them is good for the baby's skin and enhances brain development.

  "Is it? Then thank you." said Hong Ye gratefully.

  Her mother stared at her straightly, "Hongye, you're so beautiful that I don't dare to recognize you. It seems that it's still the big city that nurtures people."

  "Is Mother talking nonsense? She was beautiful from the start." Fang Mo Nan looked at her, full of charm and with a hint of laziness, radiating maternal glory, making him even more enchanted.

  "But she was originally..." Mom said in confusion.

  "Sometimes mom is too beautiful, it's a sin." Fang Mo Nan whispered softly in her ear.

  "I understand." Even her eyes widened in shock, those men were so stunned that their mouths hung open.

  "Come in quickly, it's scorching outside." said Autumn Leaf.

  After Fang Mo Nan and the others went in, "It's really as Nannan said, this house inside and out feels like two different worlds. Inside is modernized, but outside it feels like we've walked into history." Mother sighed emotionally.

  "Red Leaf took Big Swallow Sister on a tour." said Liang Zi.

  "This isn't good, you're pregnant! What if you get hurt?" Mom immediately refused.

  "It doesn't matter, there are stone tables and stools in the courtyard, it's fine to sit down." Autumn Red Leaf said again, "Tell me about the preparations for giving birth, with no adults in this house I feel empty and worried."

  "Alright, I'll tell you, giving birth to a child is not that scary." The old mother supported her as they walked towards the courtyard, still muttering and talking about her experiences.

  Fang Mo Nan sat steadily in the official chair, "This house looks like it was arranged by an official residence before."

  "Hmm, it used to be a small official residence, well-preserved. The owner moved south with his whole family, so he sold it." said Liangzi.

  "Nan Nan, I know you have a soft spot for siheyuan. When we were house hunting, I once saw a big one that was over 1,500 square meters. It's too big for me, but are you interested?" Liangzi poured a cup of tea and placed it on the tea table.

  "Ah," Fang Mo'er sipped the tea, furrowed her brow, and indeed couldn't get used to the current tea leaves, her taste had been spoiled.

  Liang Zi saw her coming with enthusiasm and continued to say that it's not far from here, walking for about ten or so minutes, let's go take a look.

  "Alright." Fang Mo Nan thought for a moment, didn't say whether he would buy or not, but it was good to take a closer look anyway. The two of them walked out, and as they were leaving, Liang Zi said to Hong Ye: "We'll be back in a bit, Hong Ye, get lunch ready."

  "Which one can let pregnant women do? Where is the kitchen? I'll get ready." The old mother said straightforwardly.

  "Big sister Yan, it's still early, let's chat for a while." Hong Ye said to Liang Zi, "You guys go ahead, we can't let our guest cook, we can eat out instead."

  "It's okay, you stay with Da Yan sister." Liangzi's voice disappeared behind the screen. "At noon, we'll go to Donglai Shun to eat, wait at home, and we'll come pick you up."

  "The house is mainly abroad, so I plan to sell it, but it's too big, I don't know if it can be used for other purposes." Liangzi said as he walked.

  The homeowner was a man in his sixties with slightly graying hair. He opened the door, saw it was Liangzi, and led them to the outer courtyard.

  In the courtyard, there were stone tables and stools, all complete. Nearby, a patch of flowers was planted, all of which were roses. The owner seemed to love this flower very much. The roses were in full bloom. Each rose had seven or eight layers of petals tightly wrapped around the stamens, with stamens of orange, pink, white and other colors. When they were still in bud, the petals hugged each other tightly; when they bloomed, the petals slowly unfolded, revealing their faces among the lush green leaves, standing tall and proud among the flowers. In the morning, dew drops rolled on the leaves, shining brightly in the sunlight, making the roses look like beautiful girls wearing pearl necklaces, dancing gently in the breeze. The fragrance of the roses wafted through the air, refreshing the heart and lungs, attracting bees and butterflies to come and collect nectar and pollen. The blooming period of the rose was very long, almost every month except winter, so it was called "the fairy of a hundred flowers". No wonder people gave it the lovely name "monthly red".

  The ground is extremely flat and paved with generally sized bluestone. The sunlight at noon passes through the leaves, casting dappled and fine light shadows. Standing in the courtyard, it doesn't feel hot, but it's like standing at the intersection of light and shadow, feeling great, with a unique flavor in my heart.

  "Just looking at this place is great," Fang Mo Nan said, "The sky in all directions, the faint scent of flowers."

  Fang Mo Nan looked up and saw a bamboo birdcage hanging from a high horizontal beam above, with two beautiful painted eyebrows jumping around inside, their small heads moving quickly to glance around, occasionally poking into the food container in the cage to peck at some rice, drinking water, seemingly extremely leisurely, occasionally using their beaks to preen their feathers, chirping out a few pleasant sounds, as if they were very satisfied with the current situation and eager to share it with people.

  The eaves of the wind and fire are majestic, with a thick and solid appearance. The grayish-brown brick wall below is simple yet elegant, exuding an air of antiquity. The carved wooden door and window frames are of the same color, while the glass appears very transparent. The color of the wood has a hint of historical vicissitudes, but without any sense of desolation or decay. This color can only be achieved by the skilled hands of an old craftsman, no matter how skilled one is in craftsmanship, it's impossible to replicate this color and its unique flavor.

  "This is just the outer courtyard, let's take a look inside." The homeowner said.

  All the way, Fang Mo nodded in satisfaction as he looked around. This quadrangle courtyard was spacious and bright, with four separate houses on each side, connected by a corridor, making it very convenient to live in.

  The covered corridor is an open annex building, which can be used for walking and resting. It's great to invite three or five good friends to sit here, enjoy the natural breeze, and talk about everything under the sun.

  The entire building of the quadrangle courtyard adopts the color of the materials themselves, with green bricks and gray tiles, jade steps and vermilion pillars. The wall body is polished with bricks and seams, and the craftsmanship is exquisite. Although it is a work of mud and water, it is like a fine handicraft.

  The homeowner's face was bitter, reluctantly stroking every flower and tree, every brick and tile. "The music has ended, the people have dispersed, the old folks have left, the children too, scattered all over the world. This ancestral property, alas, is also going to change hands now, my old bones will also be buried in a foreign land. I'm reluctant to leave this place, but I must. Every time, I seem to see the past, seeing my childhood friends laughing and playing here, my heart can't take these sad feelings anymore. The children grew up outside, used to living in foreign buildings, have no feelings for the old house, so they simply got rid of it cleanly."

  Fang Mo Nan was moved by his words, "Don't worry, old master, I'll make sure to keep it in its original state. You're welcome to come and see it anytime."

  "The old man said, handing over the house to them, he took out a bottle and squatted down in the flower bed, filling it with soil bit by bit. Occasionally, some earthworms slipped into the soil and were also scooped into the bottle."

  "It is better to be content with a handful of earth from one's hometown than to covet a fortune in gold in a foreign land." Fang Mennai recalled a scene from Journey to the West, but now it seemed especially poignant because of Tang Seng, and the old man was destined not to return home.

  "Liang Ziyou and he have handled the household registration procedures," said Fang Mo'nan.

  It's just past ten, and the sun is scorching hot. There are noticeably fewer people in the alleys. Fang Mò Nán bought a siheyuan, but she didn't plan on living there. Not to mention that after summer vacation, she still had to go to Philadelphia. "The capital city is always congested, every day it's congested. If one day it's not congested, it's not called the capital," this was a popular saying circulating online at the time. The severe sandstorms that occurred every spring, and the high cost of living in Beijing, had never given her the idea of living there long-term.

  Standing at the gate of the quadrangle courtyard, Liangzi looked at the tightly locked gate and thought that he should hurry up with the transfer procedures. However, the living space was too large, and currently, no one lived there, which was a problem. The house couldn't be left vacant, and maintenance would require additional expenses. "Nan Nan, I'm still reckless, thinking of using this house as a..."

  "I'm going to open a private restaurant, and I won't do too much every day, just ten or eight tables will be fine. If people come late, there's nothing to eat, if you want to eat, you have to make an appointment in advance, otherwise, no matter who comes, there's nothing to eat. Every day, we'll introduce a few signature dishes, and when you come, you can only eat these, if you want to order something that's not on the menu, we won't do it. The number of seats should be small, the space should be large, and the privacy should be strong, you need to make a reservation before coming, this is what makes it valuable. This is the characteristic, what do you think?" Fang Mennai said excitedly. "This place will try its best to maintain its original style, decorate it like a rich man's house in the late Qing dynasty, and strive to make people feel like they're going back in time when they enter, so that people won't feel like they've entered a restaurant."

  Liang Zi said: "When I run a hotel, all the staff and chefs are already in place."

  "Now I don't expect it to make money, at least accumulate popularity, not let the house be empty, and then also earn some maintenance fees." Fang Mennai stroked his chin and calculated. The private house restaurant was very popular in later generations, but now it's unknown how it is, but there's no plan to make money from it either, at least it has to be 'self-sufficient', the maintenance cost of the house is not small either

  "What is Nannan doing here?" A sudden voice interrupted Fang Mo Nan's conversation.

  "Director Liang." Ye Zhenhua extended his hand first, "Ye..." This made Liangzi somewhat surprised, and he hurriedly also extended his hand, the two shook hands.

  "Leaf......" Fang Mo Nan hadn't finished speaking when he said "Just call me Fourth Brother"

  "This..." Fang Mo Nan looked at him persistently without calling out, "Good, Ye Si Ge."

  "Ah, that's right, well done." Ye Laosi stretched out his hand and patted her head, with a look of approval. "What are you doing here?"

  Liang Zi standing beside him couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth.

  "Ye Si Ge is busy with something, let's just take a random walk." Fang Mo Nan said, the implication of which was clearly to shoo them away.

  "How can you just wander around, let the fourth brother take you to have a good time in this capital city, delicious food, fun things... play enough." He had just walked away, and Mingming vaguely heard their conversation about private dishes. Wanting to drive him away was impossible, he still shamelessly stayed behind, not to mention that he was specifically looking for them, coincidentally running into them, how could they let them slip away? Humph, Ye Laosi is also a figure in his own right, and in their eyes, he has become someone to be feared.

  Fang Mo Nan saw his stubborn expression and knew this kind of person couldn't be offended. "Let's find a place to talk."

  Ye Lao Si nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, let's go." He put on his sunglasses and the car sped off like an arrow shot from a bowstring.

  About half an hour later, the car stopped in front of a coffee shop called "Grinding Time".

  Seven or eight years after the reform and opening up, in a big city like Beijing, cafes sprouted up like mushrooms after rain. They were no longer rare playthings. However, their prices were not affordable for ordinary citizens, so those who went in and out of cafes were mostly well-dressed successful people. Of course, it was rare to see a combination like them - two big men leading a little kid.

  The three of them found a secluded spot, where the green foliage formed a private space. The three sat down, and Ye Lao Si leaned back against the rear seat like a soft bone, and asked lazily, "Drink some?"

  "A cup of coffee, a cup of juice, and a piece of butter cake," Liangzi said to the waiter.

  "I'll have a cup of coffee too," said Ye Laosi.

  Ye Lao Si smiled lightly, took off his sunglasses and looked at them with interest.

  The waiters quickly served their coffee and left afterwards.

  "I'm surprised, why would the famous Liang and Han bosses be so respectful to Nan Gong, even personally picking him up from the airport." Ye Laosan said with a sly smile, "Looking at your surnames, you shouldn't have any familial relationship, right?"

  Fang Mo Nan was secretly shocked in her heart, what a surprising insight, this topic is really too sensitive, she didn't know how to answer, it's only the second time they met, on the plane, everything was made by her mother, nothing out of the ordinary, just a bit more expression in language. It can't be that the problem still lies with Liang Zihao and Han Zhijian, they don't use their own actions to make him guess and wonder.

  But what she was most satisfied with was that Liang Zi didn't panic after hearing it, but instead elegantly picked up his coffee cup and took a sip.

  "What Ye Si Ge said doesn't sound quite right. It's better to speak directly." Fang Mo Nan said calmly.

  "Don't worry, I don't have any ill intentions towards you." Ye Laosi said with a smile, fearing that he might have scared them.

  Since he said there was no malice, Liang Zi leisurely sipped his coffee, while Fang Mo Nan elegantly ate cake and drank juice.

  Ye Lao Si's mouth twitched, "You guys are really carefree." They really can hold their breath.

  "Ye Si Ge, just say it," Fang Mo Nan said calmly, putting down the empty tray in his hand.

  Ye Lao Si smiled and said, "Don't worry, I coincidentally ran into you today, not to threaten you. I just want to sincerely ask for advice, how can a person, starting from scratch, own hundreds of millions in assets at the age of Mr. Liang?"

  Fang Mo Nan smiled, it seemed he really didn't know the reason. "Ye Si Ge, so you want to invest in the hotel."

  "It's not that you're making money from the hotel, and I suppose you don't need anyone to share it with now. I'm not so tactless, I just want you to show me a way to get rich." Ye Laosi said with a frown.

  "By the way, I'll pay for it," said Fang Mo Nan.

  Ye Lao Si's face suddenly flashed with anger, but it was gone in an instant. "No... I'm not extorting you, I really just want to earn some money honestly." He then spoke seriously. "If that were the case, I would have had money long ago. Moreover, I wouldn't stoop to doing something like that. We also have principles, competing with our parents' status and power, such things are beneath us, it would bring shame to our family."

  You dare to speak clearly, it seems that you are also a proud person. People like them can do anything, such as reselling goods and making quick money. "Fourth brother, I understand that you are not that kind of person. But with your conditions, you still need us to show the way. With your father's great influence and the military's vast resources, don't tell me you can't make money." Fang Mosou stared at him, speaking bluntly.

  Ye Lao Si's eyebrows furrowed into a "川" shape, "Firstly, my dad doesn't support me in doing business, he is a very traditional person. Secondly, because of my dad's lack of support, the army's vast resources are now something I can only look at, but not benefit from."

  Liang Zi had been thinking about it since Fang Mo Nan suggested finding a place to talk, so he just brought his ears and left everything to her.

  It's still Nan Nan again now, Ye Lao Si can also see that he is stupid, who is in charge here.

  Fang Mo Nan stroked his chin thoughtfully and calmed down. "Ye Si Ge, there is a way to make money, but it's a bit risky."

  "This wealth and honor are sought in danger, I understand." Ye Laosi said, straightening his body.

  "I haven't even said anything yet, and you already trust me like that." Fang Mo Nan said with a smile.

  "The facts are there." He's no fool, he can't figure out your true nature. Although there is no clear evidence, now she dares to talk to him, just confirming the speculation.

  "I also guarantee your father will strongly support you." Fang Mo Nan said confidently.

  "There's also this matter." Ye Laosi raised an eyebrow curiously. "If it's really like that, if you have any difficulties in the capital, come find me and I'll definitely take care of it." He solemnly promised.

  "Alright. Two months later, I will give you detailed information." Fang Mo Nan said.

  "After talking for half a day, I still have to wait two months?" Ye Lao Si suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon.

  "I'd rather be prepared and have everything in order, whether it's organizing materials or writing plans. It's always better to be thorough than to rush into things. And as the saying goes, 'you can run away from the monk, but you can't run away from the temple.' Let's just wait a bit longer." Fang Mengnan said with a smile.

  "Alright, since we've finished talking, let's go first," said Liang Zi.

  "Alright, you guys go ahead. I'll wait and pay for the coffee." Ye Laosi said, "Don't look down on me, I can still afford it."

  "Let's go, Ye Si Ge is treating us to dinner, we've already thanked him." Fang Mo Nan said.

  Sitting in the taxi, they arrived at the entrance of the alley. The sun was right above their heads, scorching hot. Inside the alley, it was quiet and still. "Nan Nan, do you really have a way to make money for him?" Liangzi asked.

  "There is, leaving him to others can't be done." Fang Mo Nan said, "Don't worry, I guarantee he'll make money, and with him taking care of things a bit, you all will have an easier time in the capital."

  "In the capital, there are many officials, and officials are the main body of the city. The official position is the mainstream consciousness of the city. It wasn't until I arrived in the capital that I felt like an insignificant official." Liangzi sighed after being in the capital for some time.

  "Yes, being noble doesn't necessarily mean being rich, and being rich doesn't necessarily mean being noble; being poor doesn't necessarily mean being lowly, and being lowly doesn't necessarily mean being poor," Fang Mornan said. "In ancient times, merchants may have been wealthy, but without an official title, they couldn't be considered noble. Even if it was a renowned brand like Tongrentang, which received the honor of supplying the imperial palace, in people's minds, it was still just a pharmacy. No one would mistake Tongrentang for a government office, despite its exclusive supply to the palace. A merchant, no matter how wealthy, had to rely on the favor of the officials. Even if a low-ranking official or a rogue came to extort money, they had to endure the pain and cut their losses, because they were rich but not noble."

  "That's the way it is." Liang Zifu nodded in agreement. "Nowadays, the world has changed, those with money and power are the masters, without money, no matter what you do, don't even think about living a dignified life, just swallow your tail and be a human being." He had seen a lot and experienced some things, "But I feel that our country is still an official-oriented country, where power trumps everything. The poor can't compete with the rich, the rich can't compete with officials, and history books are full of examples."

  "Alright, no more sentimentality," Fang Mo Nan said, "Let's go eat, it's already midday and Old Mama and Hong Ye must be starving."

  They went to Dong Lai Shun with their mother and Hong Ye to have hot pot, which was very authentic and not expensive. The roasted cake at Dong Lai Shun was delicious, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Dong Lai Shun's boiled mutton had eight major characteristics: fine ingredients, beautiful knife work, fragrant seasonings, strong fire, fresh broth, delicate accompaniments, and complete auxiliary materials. In summer, there were fewer people eating, so it was easy to get a seat.

  It is by