Xu Jingming（Chinese:徐景明）, finally, moved from his house in Lincui Road(Chinese:林翠路) soon after the construction company informed him that the compensation money had been remitted into his bank account on Dec 17, and his house was tore down in that night.

That means the “Nail Household” that has blocked the construction of a important arterial road in Beijing over four years is gone.

Five years ago, Beijing’s authorities decided to build a road that can link the Fifth-Ring Road(Chinese:五环路) and Huilongguan communities in order to alleviate traffic congestion in Badaling Expressway(Chinese:八达岭高速), the only arterial road in the northern part of the city.

But when the road was almost completed, one house continued to stand in the way as its owner refused to move. The result was the way has to narrow into one lane to round the house causing clogged traffic daily during rush hours.

The local government can offer 1.8 million RMB, but Xu asked for 5.8 million RMB in compensation in 2009. Now the deadlock has been broken. Neither Xu nor the government would mention exact amount.

“How much did the government pay?”, the question naturally floated around in everyone’s mind.