An extraordinary life journey through old Beijing courtyard houses

As expected, "Willis" is still there, just moved a little bit.

Jiang Baobin was immediately delighted.

After hiding his car, he ran back home.

He simply pulled the door handle into the space and got into the car without any fuss.

Pull out the ignition wire from the keyhole and short-circuit it.

The car roared to life, and with a throttle input, it shot off...

Zhao Zhibang's family.

Jiang Baobin waited patiently for an hour.

Until the tricycles arrived one after another.

Only then did I see Zhao Zhibang, who had changed into casual clothes, personally carrying out a suitcase.

There was also a chain on the box, fastened to his wrist.

Meanwhile, the Zhao family members filed out, including six children.

Zhao Zhibang's plump wife directed the car owner to move other boxes.

Several weeping women accompanied them; they were clearly Zhao Zhibang's concubines.

It was obvious that they all wanted him to take them along.

This bastard kicked the most vocal woman twice, knocking her to the ground.

The woman then held a child and wailed loudly.

Zhao Zhibang snatched the child away, handed him to his wife, and jumped onto the first tricycle.

A group of five cars then headed south.

Jiang Baobin started the Jeep, feeling a little apprehensive.

It's not that I'm afraid of what's coming next.

It was because he went to see Yanzi Li San the day before yesterday afternoon, but did not see him.

He simply wrote down the action plan and handed it to Xiao Jinfeng.

Just to be on the safe side, he even drew a sketch.

Jiang Baobin offered a prayer, hoping that Yanzi Li San would not break his promise and waste his painstaking plan.

The "Willis" is painted in a serpentine pattern, driving on the road like a drunkard.

Zhao Zhibang was still quite vigilant when he saw a car swaying towards him from the opposite direction.

There was a shadowy figure of Guo Jun sitting in the driver's seat, and I had a bad feeling.

Quickly move the tricycle to the side of the road and stop it.

He deliberately moved aside, even though the road was already wide enough.

Even if a jeep is parked sideways, it can still get through.

But then a drunkard appeared, and Zhao Zhibang saw with his own eyes that the guy's head was slumped over the steering wheel.

The jeep accelerated and drove straight towards him...

"Hey hey hey!" Zhao Zhibang pointed at the car and shouted, trying to remind the driver.

However, can he change the person who is pretending to be asleep?

With a loud "bang," they crashed into each other.

A three-wheeled vehicle is no match for a jeep.

The driver and Zhao Zhibang both screamed in surprise.

The car and its occupants were pushed against the curb.

With his head buzzing and his body in excruciating pain, Zhao Zhibang watched helplessly as the car that caused the accident reversed and drove away.

At this moment, only one thought popped into Old Zhao's mind: This bastard ruined me, I can't leave now!

And then I knew nothing more.

His overweight wife and children were equally stunned.

Their mouths were agape, and they couldn't react for a long time...

Dong'an Market in the morning.

Jiang Daya, Yang Lao Er's wife, Yang Xifeng, and Yang Lailong all came.

They were busy setting up their stalls, creating a lively atmosphere.

Today, Jiang Baobin specially changed into the same outfit he wore when he was in the mountains.

Although Jiang Daya had carefully mended it, it still looked like an old man's hat.

Instead of joining in the work, he went out for a stroll with his hands behind his back, just to inquire about the market prices.

The price of Chinese cabbage has gone up again, from 3.5 yuan per jin as Jiang Daya said, to 4 yuan.

Spinach has reached 8 yuan per jin!

Salted fish and dried goods are especially expensive.

The reason why fresh vegetables are still available for sale is because the two sides in the conflict have a tacit understanding.

Every morning at sunrise, the eastern gate of Beiping—Chaoyangmen—is opened.

Open a vegetable market in the barbican.

Therefore, vegetables were also available for purchase in the city.

Nowadays, it takes 70 gold yuan notes to exchange for 1 silver dollar.

In other words, the value of the paper money depreciated by 35 times in just three months.

The price of a 40-jin bag of flour even rose to 650 yuan, which is 130 times higher than when the gold yuan was first issued!

If this continues, the gold yuan will soon be unwanted.

Everyone who goes out to buy things complains that they can't make ends meet, but what's the use?

Does anyone care about the lives of ordinary people?

And then there's Jiang Baobin, that unscrupulous businessman, sharpening his knife, ready to take advantage of the situation.

As soon as the stall was set up, many people came to ask about the prices.

Judging from their clothes, they all come from well-off families.

Because dried vegetables are in high demand these days, poor people don't even dare to buy them.

As soon as Jiang Baobin quoted the price, the well-to-do woman shouted until her voice cracked:

"How much did you say?"

"One silver dollar for two jin (2 catties)." The guy chuckled and held up two fingers, answering again.

The woman glared at him, muttered something, and walked away.

Jiang Baobin said he didn't care.

He didn't boast about how dry and good his vegetables were.

Instead, a banner was unfurled with three words written on white paper and pasted on it:

"Lifesaver!"

Then, this guy started rambling on and on:

For example, consider how dire the situation was for the cities that were previously besieged—

What do you mean by selling children? What do you mean by picking up dead bodies?

Don't forget that Jiang Baobin also has the skill of "performance and public speaking".

That was a truly vivid and expressive rendition!

It made people's hearts pound.

Those who were initially hesitant were all persuaded and generously donated.

Not to mention them, even Jiang Daya was wavering.

He quietly nudged Jiang Baobin and said he wouldn't sell it, but would keep it to weather the storm.

Jiang Baobin rolled his eyes at her – I'm just fooling others, why are you the one who's crippled first?

When he had sold almost everything, he set up the tripod and took a group photo with everyone.

Keeping a memento is one thing, but it's also a powerful way of proving that I'm one of the working people.

Look, I'm even selling vegetables at a stall, so am I not considered a working-class person?

Back home, Jiang Daya didn't care about anything else and just did one thing—count the money!

"Hey, is it really necessary for you, you little money-grubber?"

Jiang Daya completely ignored Jiang Baobin's sarcasm!

Jiang Baobin wanted to leave, but the little guy wouldn't let him, insisting on keeping him watching from the side.

It's understandable; it's the first time in his life he's made money through business, and he made so much.

After finally finishing counting, Jiang Daya's eyes gleamed with a mischievous light as she asked, "Third Brother, guess how much money we made?"

Jiang Baobin looked at her like she was an idiot—"You've counted eight times already. Unless I'm blind, how could I not know?"

But kids have to cooperate: "15 yuan, no, no, 18 yuan."

"Quack quack quack..." The guy laughed like a duck.

「22块8毛7！整整22块8毛7啊！三哥，我们发财啦！」

Jiang Baobin looked at her and chuckled—even a little adult reveals their true nature when it comes to money.

Jiang Daya picked out the five brightest silver dollars:

"Brother, give me this one, the rest are yours."

Jiang Baobin's lips curled into a smile: "Didn't we agree to split it 50/50? Why did you change your mind?"