An extraordinary life journey through old Beijing courtyard houses

"Haha, that's an exaggeration. Even a hero needs three helpers. I need people to assist me too."

"From now on, work hard for me. As long as you are loyal, I will never treat you unfairly."

The guard, moved to tears, said, "Yes, Chief, from now on I'll be your dog! Just you wait and see."

Sun Shidong laughed heartily: "Brother, you flatter me."

"Then it's a deal. Take care of your own business tomorrow morning."

"I'm going to say goodbye to my old friends again. I reckon we'll never see each other again in this lifetime..."

Jiang Baobin stopped listening and ran home.

It's so cold! I worked up a sweat, then squatted in the freezing wind.

That taste was truly sour and refreshing.

However, I'm in a great mood because I'll be able to settle the accounts tomorrow.

Isn't it nine o'clock?

Hmph! Let's see how you run...

As soon as he got home, Jiang Daya asked him if he had finished packing.

Seeing how eager she was to move in, Jiang Baobin scratched his head.

I really don't understand the little guy's thought process. What's there to miss about a broken-down family that wants to sell you into being their concubine?

If it were me, I'd rather never see them again for the rest of my life.

People's thoughts these days are truly incomprehensible to future generations.

If we just leave the little girl alone, let her fend for herself.

They have a really good relationship.

Oh well, she's just a blockhead—she's hopeless!

His eyes darted around, and he had an idea: "Someone just died in that courtyard, and you dare go back?"

"Ah! Who died? Mr. Gao?"

Jiang Baobin rolled his eyes. This old Gao is really unlucky.

When people talk about someone dying in the courtyard, he's the first person they think of.

So I told her about how the guests at the Gao family's house were all killed by assassins.

Jiang Daya was indeed frightened: "Third Brother, really so many people died? They all died violent deaths!"

Jiang Baobin shrugged, indicating that it was up to you whether you believed it or not.

People at that time were particularly superstitious about ghosts and gods, and sure enough, Jiang Daya never mentioned going home again.

Hmph, you little brat, you think I can't handle you?

The next day, before dawn, Jiang Baobin arrived at Dongsi Archway.

He didn't believe Sun Shidong's nonsense at all.

The cat lurked behind the utility pole, peering from afar.

Half an hour later.

The guards and orderly went out.

It's time to say goodbye to this unfortunate old city and embrace the prosperous Jiangnan region.

So they all had a happy expression on their faces.

Jiang Baobin continued to wait patiently.

As expected, Sun Shidong said he would leave at nine o'clock, but he came out before seven-thirty.

Park the Willys at the front gate and open the back door and trunk.

It's obviously meant to hold things, and more than just one or two items.

A moment later, this guy came out carrying a large leather suitcase in both hands.

After loading it into the car, it cautiously glanced left and right several times.

When he loaded the second box, he wasn't as vigilant as before.

Jiang Baobin seized the opportunity to run and hide on the other side of the jeep.

After loading the third box, Sun Shidong closed the back door.

Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Baobin followed into the courtyard.

Jiang Baobin, who was hiding behind the door, now had a hammer in his hand.

That's good, Liu Ling'er's method is too bloody!

With such a calculated attack on an unsuspecting individual, how could Sun Shidong possibly escape unscathed...?

Five or six minutes later, Jiang Baobin, dressed in a military uniform, walked out as if nothing had happened.

Reopen the rear compartment and put the boxes into the space.

Looking back at the lock hanging on the door, I mischievously pressed it back on.

When those two idiots come back and find the door locked and the car gone, I don't know how they'll react.

Serves them right! What good will come of being an accomplice to evil?

As Jiang Baobin drove, he opened the glove box and started rummaging through it.

Wow! There really is some!

Two stacks of white gloves, half a stack of face masks, a pair of sunglasses, and three unopened boxes of "Lao Dao" cigarettes.

Alright, they're all mine now.

Put on sunglasses.

Looking in the mirror, I was already handsome, but now I'd add one more word: cool!

After driving for a while, he wanted to abandon the car.

But as I looked around, I noticed something – why are there so many people on the street today?

Although Chaoyangmen Inner Street is a major thoroughfare, you don't usually see this many people.

Just then, a few people were gathered around a rickshaw puller, chatting and laughing.

Jiang Baobin stopped the car, rolled down the window, and listened intently...

Holy crap! Holy crap!

Before we knew it, Beiping was liberated.

The rickshaw driver said with great enthusiasm that he had just run over from Chaoyangmen.

They said the gates were open and people could come and go freely.

The "victim army" guarding the city gate no longer dared to act fiercely...

The city wasn't hit by artillery fire, so the people were naturally overjoyed.

No wonder Sun Shidong was in such a hurry to run away; from now on, Beiping will no longer be their territory.

Jiang Baobin's eyes darted around, and he quickly checked the boxes that Sun Shidong was going to take away.

The boxes, arranged from smallest to largest, contained gold and silver dollars; gold yuan notes; and opium.

The largest box contained two M3 pistols and a large number of drum magazines.

Jiang Baobin was quite puzzled. How could Sun Shidong, who was in charge of military supplies, be lacking this thing?

Unless he never intended to go back.

Never mind, I'll just keep it and see what happens.

This guy drove like a maniac, and arrived at Liulichang in no time.

If I come across an interesting shop on the street, I'll buy, buy, buy!

Jiang Baobin hasn't been to Liulichang for a while.

Whether it's the shopkeeper or the waiter, who still recognizes him?

Adhering to the principle that anyone who isn't a regular customer is a fool, they insist on charging exorbitant prices.

Jiang Baobin knew he was being ripped off, but he accepted it and negotiated the price a little before making the deal.

Damn it! I'll win as long as I spend the money.

However, sometimes, he has already negotiated the price.

We're just waiting for the cash to be exchanged for the goods.

The result was that the owner or manager rushed over and said they would no longer accept gold yuan notes.

Without saying a word, he put down his things and left.

This isn't something to talk about; we need to find another job quickly.

There are always those who are blind to reason, aren't there?

This guy is really wicked; he knows he's ripping people off, but he still enjoys it.

These people in the industry are ridiculous. One minute they were mocking him as a fool and a sucker, the next they were dumbfounded after ripping him off.

They had a misconception that the two sides hadn't really started fighting yet.

Moreover, with over 200,000 troops under Fu, he might not necessarily lose.

When they suddenly heard that the Kuomintang was finished, they realized that the gold yuan was gone!

But it was too late; Jiang Baobin had already vanished.

Well, actually, both sides were judging others by their own petty standards.

The reality is that even after the CCP took over Beiping, it allowed the gold yuan to circulate for a period of time and did not abolish it immediately.

Jiang Baobin's space was already full, and the car was almost crammed full.

That's how the gold yuan was finally used up.

That Sun Shidong was incredibly greedy! How much blood did he drink from his soldiers? He deserved to die!

Jiang Baobin returned to the cargo yard fully loaded.

This startled Yang Lao Er and Jiang Daya, who thought he had gone out to commit robbery...