The door pushed open, and the aroma of an old-fashioned courtyard wafted toward her.
Inside was indeed a courtyard, and it was not small.
The house was arranged in a single line, half of it a small building.
Flowers were planted under the surrounding wall, but they were all common plants, such as fish mint, chinese lantern, and night-blooming jasmine. There were even a few rose bushes and a pomegranate tree.
However, due to lack of maintenance, they all grew a bit wild and scattered. Moreover, the courtyard’s floor tiles were damaged in many places, creating uneven surfaces covered with moss and weeds, lending it a sense of an abandoned garden.
Sister-in-law Zhang saw her gaze fall on the weeds and moss, thinking she was quite averse to them, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Actually, I should have come in to tidy up the house, but..."
Chiang Xiao sensed something amiss and immediately asked, "But what? Is there a problem with the house?"
"How about this, you have a look first, just have a look, and if you’re a bit interested, I’ll explain everything to you clearly, okay?"
Seeing that Sister-in-law Zhang seemed to be an honest person, Chiang Xiao nodded in agreement.
In the yard, only the Magnolia Tree stood tall. Although it grew well, the tiles beneath it were the most severely damaged, and there was quite a large pit.
If it were someone else looking, they would probably start to be disappointed.
However, Chiang Xiao knew the future land and property prices of this area, and although it didn’t meet her expectations, she didn’t feel too disappointed.
These were all minor issues. If she bought the house, she would definitely be willing to invest in its renovation, as long as there wasn’t any major problem with the main structure of the house.
She surveyed the house, feeling that the walls seemed to have no issues. Their grey appearance gave off a very simple and rustic feel.
First was a set of stairs leading to the left. They were surrounded by a stone balustrade with steps made of stone slabs. After ascending six steps, there was a small entrance platform, rectangular, with a set of stone tables and chairs placed on the side, where one could sit and enjoy the view of the courtyard below while sipping tea.
This was a design Chiang Xiao really liked.
From outside, you couldn’t see this kind of design within.
Just a few steps through this platform was the main gate.
It was an old wooden door.
Sister-in-law Zhang took out another key to unlock the door.
With a creak, the wooden door swung open, and indeed, a faint musty smell was immediately noticeable.
"Wait here for a moment, I’ll go inside and open the windows to air it out." Sister-in-law Zhang hurriedly went inside, and soon the sound of her opening the windows could be heard.
Standing here, a draft immediately made the place feel cooler.
Chiang Xiao walked in and noticed the lighting was actually quite good.
In the hall, there was a large patch on the wall clearly mismatched with the surrounding colors.
"There used to hang a painting here, a Pine Crane Painting. My uncle was very fond of it, but during the tumultuous times, it got torn down and burned. Such a pity."
It was indeed a pity.
That era must have destroyed many fine things, and now they’re irretrievable.
There set a piece of furniture below that wall, very old and with a repressive color, a style favored by the elderly, and it looked quite worn out.
Sister-in-law Zhang added, "These pieces of furniture come free with the house. My uncle and the rest don’t want them anymore, that’s quite the saving."
Chiang Xiao neither agreed nor disagreed.
If she really bought this house, she was certain she wouldn’t want the furniture.