When Li Long returned to the guesthouse, Li Jianguo and the others were already back.
Li Juan and Li Qiang's little faces were flushed, whether from the cold or excitement, Li Long couldn't tell. He guessed it was most likely the latter. The adults were talking, and the two children were whispering to each other too.
Everyone was in Gu Xiaoxia's room. Hearing them, Li Long went in, and Li Jianguo told him:
"We passed the Post and Telecommunications Office Xiaoyu mentioned on our way back. We've already called the team and the Purchasing Station to let them know we're safe."
"Good." Li Long said, "I've finished my business too." He took the Property Certificate for Shao Licheng's courtyard house out of the document envelope and handed it to his eldest brother. "Have a look. This is the Property Certificate. The courtyard house we looked at is now in your name. When Juan and Qiangqiang come to Yanjing for school, they can live there."
"We'll still have to renovate it and buy some furniture." Li Jianguo took the Property Certificate, his eyes lighting up. "An empty courtyard house won't do."
"That's easy. Tomorrow we'll go to the Consignment Shop. They have furniture and things other people are selling. We can buy some and bring a cartload back to furnish it."
"Aren't we buying new furniture?" Gu Xiaoxia sounded surprised. "The furniture factory should have new pieces, shouldn't it?"
"No." Li Long shook his head. "We won't be living here regularly. We might not even come twice a year. If we buy new furniture and someone climbs over the wall, forces the locks, and damages it, it won't be worth it. We'll furnish the rooms with secondhand things first. Once Juan and Qiangqiang really get into universities here and need to