Courtyard House: A Start with Black Gold Swallowing 100,000 Silver Dollars

"I'll unload it for you on the way back."

"I saved your life. You promised Dr. Ke that you would repay me, right?"

"That's right. As long as you don't cross the bottom line or step on the red line, I'll keep my promise and help you get this done."

Sai Xishi answered decisively, her tone completely devoid of any emotion.

As soon as he said that, Li Wenguo subconsciously looked up and glanced over – her eyebrows and eyes were like a painting, her waist was slender and her hips were pert, her figure was perfectly full, and her legs were so long they reached her head. She was exactly the type of girl he had the most desire in his school team back then.

My adrenaline surged, and my blood felt faintly hot.

Sai Xishi immediately frowned, her eyes as cold as ice water splashed on her face, full of undisguised contempt.

That look in his eyes was exactly the same as when Zhang Xiong'an stared at him—deep-seated hatred mixed with a hint of contempt.

Li Wenguo's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly tried to salvage the situation: "Don't misunderstand! I'm just an ordinary man. Seeing such a striking girl like you, it's purely an instinctive reaction to take a second look. If it were anyone else standing here, nine out of ten would be unable to resist glancing at them—this isn't just my problem, it's a common physiological ailment among men! Don't single me out as a target!"

"Stop with the nonsense. What are you after? Just tell me."

Sai Xishi didn't believe this explanation at all...

Even if I believed him, I would never think more highly of him because of it.

When others glance at her, they at most give her a quick sidelong look or lower their eyes to avoid it; but he, on the other hand, stares at her blatantly, his eyes sticky and saccharine, like he's peeling off her skin—what else is this but lewd behavior?

"Alright, I'll just say it—I want that map."

Li Wenguo spoke clearly and without beating around the bush.

Sai Xishi's pupils contracted sharply, her eyes instantly reddened, and her voice suddenly rose: "So you're a dog raised by the little devil! Traitor! You'll die a horrible death!"

The blood of Xiao Zhuang and his brothers still burns her heart. The map was the root of the problem, the mastermind was the notebook—he asked for this the moment he asked for it; who else could he be but a lackey?

"Hey, stop, stop! It's really not! Take a breath and calm down!"

"I swear, I'm sworn enemies with the Japanese. If you were really one of them, you'd be locked up in a dark cellar by now, not sitting here drinking my tea!"

He quickly calmed her down, speaking rapidly and steadily.

"You're not one of those people who write little notebooks, what do you need a map for? If you're going to make one up, at least make it believable!"

She sneered.

Over the years, some descendants of the Boxers have secretly joined forces with the Communist Party, hoping to use their influence to unearth treasures and divide the spoils—the Nationalist government remains completely unaware of this.

Now Li Wenguo not only knows the map, but also actively asks for it... It's not from the little notebook, could it be that it was sent by her own ancestor in a dream?

"Miss Sai, you've really wronged me. I hate that little notebook more than I hate an enemy; we have absolutely no connection whatsoever."

"This map has absolutely nothing to do with them."

He spoke sincerely, but Sai Xishi just stared at him quietly, as if looking at a stone that could never be warmed.

Ugh……

My head feels a little swollen.

If he revealed his identity as a spy, she would probably immediately assume he was playing a double agent—and wouldn't believe him at all.

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Left with no other option, he could only ask, "Then just tell me, what will it take for you to believe me?"

"Believe you? Dream on!"

"Wait, sit down first, think carefully—how can I get you to believe me?"

"Unless you let me go now."

"I'm sorry, I really can't do that."

"Traitor! Lackey!"

The air froze instantly.

She said she wouldn't waver, and she truly wouldn't budge. No matter how much he pleaded, she wouldn't even lift an eyelid.

After a brief stalemate, Li Wenguo suddenly changed tactics and spoke in a deep voice:

"You're a member of the local party, and you're here today to gather intelligence."

"Ha, finally they've torn off their mask?"

Sai Xishi raised the corners of her lips, a cold smile appearing on her face.

I thought he was about to lose his composure and reveal his hand, setting a trap.

Li Wenguo's expression remained unchanged, and he continued:

"Your codename is Red Owl."

Sai Xishi's face suddenly turned pale.

Her background is a top-secret secret within the organization; even her file is locked in a top-secret safe, and no outsider could possibly access it.

But this person in front of me was able to see right through it all.

Li Wenguo, without even glancing at her shocked expression, went straight to the point: "You were responsible for relaying intelligence to the capital for Hongxiao, and then sending the secret reports back from the capital along the same route—you ran this line all by yourself, didn't you?"

"Oh……"

A short laugh was barely out of his mouth when it got stuck in his throat.

Her fingertips were cold, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead—Li Wenguo's words were like knives, striking her vital points.

"How...how did you know?"

Her pupils constricted, her gaze piercing his face like nails.

"Yes, how would I know about something so confidential?"

Seeing her holding her breath, Li Wenguo slowly revealed his trump card: "Because I personally recommended Red Owl into the organization, and I also chose her codename. I know everything about every telegram she handled, every rendezvous, and every spy she worked for."

Sai Xishi froze, her lips parted slightly, and after a long while, she finally managed to speak: "You...you're also part of the organization?"

"That's right, I'm an underground member of the Communist Party, and I'm even more deeply hidden than Red Owl and Red Crow—I wouldn't have revealed my identity if you hadn't been about to be exposed."

This was exactly the new approach Li Wenguo had planned: no head-on confrontation, no detours, just standing directly in her trenches.

After all, Sai Xishi was incredibly suspicious; once she made up her mind, nothing could sway her. Only when we shared the same stance would she listen, believe, or confide in us.

Moreover, he had just received an urgent message from his clone, Niu Dali, in the car—those people at the city hall were actually Japanese spies searching for her! The photos had already been distributed; her capture was only a matter of time. Li Wenguo had to hide her securely before they could surround her. But hiding someone required trust; to gain trust, he first had to win her over.

So he simply made up a "double identity".

Of course, Sai Xishi wasn't so easily fooled.

Her voice tightened: "Where's the evidence?"

"Here it is!"

Li Wenguo reached into his pocket—in reality, he pulled out a dark red-covered ID card from his personal storage space, slapped it in his palm, and handed it to her.

"You...you're a spy?!"

Sai Xishi froze, her mind going blank—she thought he would pull out his party membership card or a secret contact token, but instead it was a Lixingshe spy license!

"Yes, I am an underground member of the Communist Party who has infiltrated the ranks of spies."

"His identity is top secret; even the Central Bureau only knows his code name, not his real name."

"Only those with high enough rank have the right to nominate; only those with enough authority can suppress the Red Owl line—in the entire capital, no one knows my face except her."

His tone was calm and his eyes were resolute, as if he were reading a newly issued appointment letter.

Of course, he was also certain that Sai Xishi had only recently joined the Party, had never seen anything like this before, let alone a "shadow Party member."

"So...I see..."

She lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment, her breathing gradually calming down.

Yes, if it weren't an insider, how could they know so much about her and Hong Xiao just taking over the mission and not even showing their faces yet? No matter how fast an agent is, they can't find out this much.

"Then... what do you need the map for?"

His tone softened, his guard lowered, and even the way he addressed her subtly changed.

"You must have heard that the little notebooks have their eyes on the Boxer Rebellion's treasure, right? Even Zhang Xiong'an, the second-in-command in your village, is a pawn they planted—the whole looting was a trap from beginning to end."

"If the Lixingshe wants to cut off this line, they have to get their hands on the map first. As long as the map is in our hands, the little notebook won't be able to dig out even half a copper coin."

"These Japanese pirates burned, killed, and looted, occupying our land and slaughtering our people. Driving them away was a death order from the organization! So I came to get the map not for personal gain, but for the sake of the millions of ordinary people who need to save their lives!"

His brow furrowed, and his voice was as firm as metal.

Finally, he added, "Don't worry, I remember the kindness you showed me that night—hand over the picture, and we'll call it even."

"this……"

Sai Xishi believed it to some extent, but her hand still unconsciously pressed on the inside pocket of her clothes.

That picture, soaked in blood, buried with corpses, the entire village collapsed into ruins, brothers lying dead everywhere... to hand it over like that, it felt like a dull knife was cutting into my heart.

"Comrade Sai, why are you still keeping it? Are you really planning to go find the treasure yourself?"

Li Wenguo's voice suddenly deepened, carrying an undeniable weight.

The oppressive aura of her superiors washed over her, causing her to straighten her back and her throat to tighten.

"No... I won't look for it."

These words, uttered without thinking, made Li Wenguo chuckle to himself—his previous life's statement, "I have no interest in money," had somehow come alive on her face.

"If you're not going to look for it, why are you still holding on to it?"

His tone deepened even further, and the air seemed to freeze.

The situation has completely turned in his favor.

"I'll pay! I'll pay right now!"

She gritted her teeth and nodded, finally loosening her fingers from her pocket.

hey-hey!!!

Get it!

Li Wenguo felt a surge of warmth in his heart and secretly raised his eyebrows.

"Now, shouldn't you take off my handcuffs?"

Sai Xishi spoke calmly, yet with an undeniable probing tone.

"Of course, of course!"

Since she believed him to some extent, the handcuffs naturally had to be removed—and removed cleanly and decisively.

A soft click.

The shackles came off with a click.

But just as the iron ring left his wrist, Sai Xishi flipped her wrist, twisted his forearm, and slammed him hard onto the bed. Her knees pressed down on his wrists like iron gates, tightening inch by inch.

What the hell!

They capsized in the gutter!

The female police officer thought that the bandit was like a night owl, still keeping a degree of caution even at this point.

Li Wenguo's back stiffened, his heart skipped a beat, but he remained completely calm—if he really wanted to turn against her, he could swallow her into his spatial dimension with a single thought, without even a splash.

"If you hadn't let that tiny flaw slip, I would have almost believed your whole story."

Sai Xishi leaned closer, her lips almost brushing against his earlobe, her tone light and cheerful, as if teasing a trapped beast.

That was obviously a feint.

She believed it to be 80%, but insisted on leaving 20% ​​room for doubt—the inertia of a seasoned veteran, the caution ingrained in her bones.

flaw?

Where did the flaw come from?

I didn't even blink twice, and my acting was more solid than that of an award-winning actor!

Li Wenguo raised an eyebrow, his mind filled with unease.

Before she could even speak, Sai Xishi had already blocked her escape route: "Guess when you gave yourself away?"

He didn't respond, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly—he suddenly realized: she was setting a trap for him, forcing him to either confess in a panic or admit it without being asked.

"The moment I agreed to your terms—the way you looked at me, so sticky, so hot, so undisguised, it wasn't an act at all."

"How could a true comrade, especially one you call 'top secret,' possibly have that kind of look in their eyes?"

"This is the most glaring crack on your body."

What the hell!!

Lust is truly a sword hanging over one's head!

Today I got completely ripped off!

Li Wenguo was inwardly furious, but on the surface he paused for a moment: "Wait, you've misunderstood."

He still wanted to take a gamble—if his words could really change fate, he might become the second Su Qin who debated with a group of scholars!

"Let me finish speaking first."

"Fine, I'd like to hear how many more stories you can come up with with that mouth of yours."

Having gained the upper hand, Sai Xishi relaxed her grip a bit and leisurely waited to watch the show.

"Even you know the principles of our comrades, how could I not? But I insist on putting on that act because my position forces me to, because of the pressure of my mission!"

"In my early years, I was as incorruptible as a living bodhisattva. I didn't touch a penny of money I shouldn't have, and I didn't even glance at girls I shouldn't have—and what happened? I was almost arrested as a member of the local rioters!"

"Think about it, what does someone who is neither greedy for money nor lustful desire want? Ideals? Faith? Isn't that precisely the backbone of our comrades? One glance from them, and they can immediately tell: this person is definitely a nail!"

He felt the pressure on his knees ease slightly, and seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire:

"That's why I deliberately practice—my eyes light up at the sight of money, and my throat tightens at the sight of a beautiful woman. Today, seeing you and hearing you offer to grant me a wish, wouldn't I immediately put on a greedy expression?"

"The reason I was able to remain hidden for so long without giving myself away is because I've made 'Mask' an instinct, and even my breathing rhythm follows the character."

"How much of this bitterness can you truly grasp?"

"this……"

Sai Xishi's fingertips trembled slightly.

She believed it—if someone from the Kuomintang really appeared to be honest, selfless, and dedicated to public service, they would be like a clay figure enshrined in a temple, obviously fake!

"You...are you really gay?"

"Genuine products at fair prices, honest and trustworthy!"

Sensing the slight wavering in her voice, Li Wenguo spoke with unwavering resolve, each word ringing with conviction.

"Then... I'm letting go."

"Um!!!"

Hey, it seems I really do have Zhang Yi's tongue and Zhuge Liang's mouth!

He was secretly overjoyed, but on the surface he only rubbed his wrist, slowly sat up straight, and shook his numb fingers.

But secretly, I made a mental note: Next time, I'll make sure you can't breathe!