Wang Cuilan put on an expression as though she were thinking of others.
“Oh, I’m not looking to buy a house. I’m just a kindhearted person helping someone else ask. There’s a family in our compound with seven or eight people crammed into one house. They’re having a terribly difficult time. I thought, since your house is sitting empty anyway, and don’t we all talk about revolutionary solidarity these days? Why not let their whole family move in? As for money, there’s no need to be so particular about it. Just charge them a token amount.”
There really were all kinds of people in this world. She had worked so hard to acquire this house, yet with just a few words, Wang Cuilan had turned it into a charity organization!
Gu Wan knew that on the surface, Wang Cuilan appeared to be a warmhearted neighbor who loved helping others, but behind their backs, she was always generous with other people’s money to build a good reputation for herself. She also loved taking advantage of others.
Gu Wan thought that leaving the house empty really wouldn’t be of much use. Since she had decided to join her husband in the military, she might as well sell it for some money. That way, she could stock up on more supplies in her space and have an easier life once she reached the military base.
“This house won’t be sitting empty for long. I’m planning to sell it.”
The moment Wang Cuilan heard that, her face lit up.
“Well, that’s great! I’ll give you 500 yuan. You can just sell it directly to me.”
Gu Wan looked at Wang Cuilan and calmly said, “This house was bought by my family as my marital home. It took a lot of effort and money to acquire it, and I’ve only lived here for a few months. Surely I can’t sell it at a loss.”
“Oh, Auntie Wang understands that. That’s why I’m offering you the high price of 500 yuan. Go ask around. You won’t find a house selling for more than that on the market.”
Gu Wan was almost laughing from anger.
“There really isn’t a price like that on the market. Given the location, layout, size, and orientation of this house, you call 500 yuan a high price? Your house is exactly the same as mine. How about this? I’ll give you 500 yuan, and you sell your house to me. How does that sound?”
Seeing that she couldn’t intimidate this young woman, Wang Cuilan immediately turned hostile.
“Let me tell you, offering 500 yuan is already me doing you a favor! A capitalist’s daughter actually wants to sell her house for a high price? Dream on! Your house should be confiscated in the first place!”
Wang Cuilan’s booming voice echoed throughout the entire building. The neighbors who were still at home all came out of their rooms to see what was happening.
“Director Wang, what’s going on? Why are you shouting so loudly?”
“Everyone, come and take a look! This capitalist’s daughter would rather leave her house empty than help comrades who are struggling with housing! Shouldn’t we criticize this kind of behavior from a capitalist’s daughter?”
Wang Cuilan raised her voice and began twisting the truth.
The dozen or so neighbors who had gathered to watch immediately started pointing and whispering about Gu Wan.
“Director Wang is right. She should be criticized!”
“She doesn’t have the slightest bit of proletarian revolutionary spirit. She should have big-character posters put up against her!”
“Capitalists really are cold-hearted. Their daughters are no exception!”
The crowd began to grow agitated, and several young men even started glaring at Gu Wan menacingly.
“Buying and selling should be free!”
Gu Wan suddenly raised her voice and shouted, “Chairman Mao once said that transactions should be fair!”
She deliberately emphasized the last four words.
The noisy crowd immediately fell silent.
Wang Cuilan’s expression changed. She hadn’t expected this seemingly meek capitalist’s daughter to actually dare talk back.
Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Gu Wan immediately gave a proper greeting and spoke slowly.
“Hello, uncles and aunties. I’m the neighbor who moved here a few months ago. I came back today to pack up my things. I’m about to join my husband at his military post, so I want to sell this house. Auntie Wang said I should sell it to her. She offered 500 yuan, and when I refused, she accused me of being a capitalist’s daughter who had no right to sell it at a higher price. But my grandfather spent a lot of money buying this house for me. Surely I can’t sell it at a loss.”
Upon hearing this, the neighbors began discussing among themselves again.
“What she says makes sense. After all, she bought the house herself. There’s no reason she should turn it into a charity and let someone else live here for free. She wouldn’t be able to justify that no matter where she went.”
“Director Wang is really something. She only offered the girl 500 yuan. That’s far too little. No one would sell at that price.”
“Exactly. This area has a good location, and the house is practically new. I’ve heard it should be worth at least 4,000 yuan. And that’s assuming someone is even willing to sell.”
“That’s right. Most ordinary families don’t even have enough space for themselves these days. Who would have an extra house to sell? She wants to buy someone else’s house for that little money. Director Wang really… tsk, tsk, tsk.”
Seeing the neighbors begin pointing fingers at her, Wang Cuilan immediately became furious.
“What do you people know? Don’t let this capitalist’s daughter fool you! She says she’s going to the military, so you believe her? That day, I personally heard the two of them arguing. She said she wanted to pursue free love and divorce her husband!”
“She’s morally corrupt, chasing after that bourgeois nonsense. She wants to sell the house at a high price because she’s planning to take the money and flee overseas! I’m only trying to stop her from making a mistake.”
The crowd’s emotions were stirred up once again.
“Oh my! She looks like such a refined, proper young woman, but behind everyone’s backs she’s doing this kind of thing. How morally corrupt and shameless!”
“She looks like such a nice girl. How could she chase after bourgeois ideals and even try to break up a military marriage? That’s absolutely unforgivable!”
“She even wants to flee overseas with the money? If you ask me, we should report her and have her arrested!”
Gu Wan calmly took various documents from her space and held them high in the air.
“Uncles and aunties, I don’t know why Auntie Wang would say such things to slander me. This is my household registration booklet. My husband is listed as the head of the household. This is our marriage certificate, and everything is clearly written on it. This is my certificate for joining my husband at his military post. My husband’s unit number is clearly stated, and it even bears the official military seal. Who could possibly forge something like this?”
“As for Auntie Wang’s accusation that I’m selling the house at a high price, this house was originally bought by my grandfather as my marital home. I have the receipt right here. It clearly states that my grandfather paid 5,000 yuan for this house.”
“Now that my grandfather has passed away and my husband is stationed far away, I’m all alone here. I’m also pregnant, and I want to join my husband at his military post, but I don’t have enough money for the journey. That’s why I thought of selling this house for some money. After all, I need money for both the travel expenses and living expenses once I get there. I never intended to make a profit. I only thought that since my grandfather paid this much for it back then, I would simply sell it for the same price now.”
Seeing this delicate, seemingly fragile young woman holding up all those documents to prove her innocence, with tears threatening to fall from her eyes, the neighbors’ hearts immediately softened.
“How can Director Wang make up so much nonsense? This innocent young woman is pregnant and only wants to sell her house to get some money so she can go to the military base to find her husband. And she even made up something about her fleeing overseas with the money. That’s ridiculous.”
“Exactly! Look how pitiful this girl is. And she still wants to smear her reputation. What kind of person does that?”
“That’s right! She’s only selling the house at cost. How is that selling it at a high price? Director Wang is just making things up. That’s really dishonest!”
Seeing that public opinion was turning against her, Wang Cuilan immediately pulled out her trump card.
“I want to report her! There are problems with the ownership of this house. Its property rights need to be reassessed and verified. Until the appraisal results come out, don’t even think about selling the house!”