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

"Human speech? I heard you perfectly well—you said 'later,' not 'now.' You're so controlling, why are you even controlling how many sips I drink?"

She flipped her wrist, snatched back the bottle, and took another big gulp.

never mind!

One last time!

Li Wenguo lowered his hand and did not reach out again.

Let's go, come with me for a hot bath.

With the bottle empty, Li Wenguo lazily dropped the bomb.

Sai Honglian had been through the ups and downs of the martial world for several years. She was tough, but her integrity was impeccable. Since she had agreed to be his concubine, she had no intention of being perfunctory in fulfilling the duties that came with this status.

She glanced at Li Wenguo sideways, her throat bobbing slightly as if she had swallowed something bitter. Then, with a stiff face, she flicked her sleeves before swaying to her feet, reeking of alcohol.

Li Wenguo grinned, reached out and pulled her into his arms, then dragged her towards the washroom by pressing down on her shoulders. Just before entering, he leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on her dazzlingly white cheek.

An hour later, the two came out side by side.

Sai Honglian's cheeks were burning hot, her eyes were red, and her steps were unsteady as if she were walking on cotton—all because of his antics.

"Sai Honglian, I know perfectly well what you're after by joining the Lixing Society. But don't get any funny ideas. I have wide connections and powerful connections; I can turn the world upside down with a flick of my wrist. You think you can pull any tricks under my nose? Hmph, you won't even make a splash."

He pinched her chin, his fingertips roughly rubbing against her jawline. "Listen carefully: behave yourself and be my person; I'll handle things with the organization; if the winds change, I'll cover for you. Just focus your attention on me, understand?!"

As soon as he lay down on the bed, he grabbed her chin with his hand.

Sai Honglian abruptly turned her head to break free, her gaze sharp as a knife, piercing him from the side, her voice tight: "I've said it before—we have different paths, so we can't work together. If you give me any leverage, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"Hehe... I love seeing your stubbornness." He flicked his finger, turned her face towards him, and stared intently into her eyes, his smile both wicked and deep. "The harder you are to tame, the more exciting it is."

Isn't that right? Aren't all the women in the house as docile as cats? Even Dong Haitang, with her frosty temperament, can be molded and manipulated at will by him.

She stared at the face before her—if it weren't for her husband, she would have spat in his face. He was handsome, but his nonchalant, clingy, and frivolous manner was truly nauseating.

She truly had nothing to say. Her body had already given itself to him, and no matter how hard she gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, she couldn't change this undeniable fact.

"Are you mute?"

"Weren't you quite talkative just now?"

"The way you're forced to bow your head but refuse to close your eyes... tsk, it's really tickling my heart."

"You think you're challenging me? Actually, you're satisfying my craving—I only feel good when you're unwilling to give up; I only feel good when you're holding your breath. Understand?"

Those words are so hurtful.

The only form of resistance she could offer was silence, a stiff spine, and a glare that seemed to pierce his heart—all to annoy him and make him uncomfortable.

But now, this last bit of stubbornness has become "nourishment" in his eyes, feeding him with smug satisfaction and unbridled joy. The contrast is too drastic; she feels a tightness in her chest, and her blood rushes to her ears.

Her face flushed crimson instantly, and her lips trembled as she stammered, "You...you...!"

"Stop calling me 'you'." He chuckled and pressed down on her, his palm against the back of her neck. The pressure wasn't strong, but it rendered her immobile. "You can't beat me. The more uncomfortable you are, the more excited I get; the more tense you are, the more I want to tear down this shell of yours—hehe!"

You little rascal!

I can't even handle you?

I'll wear down that arrogance of yours, and see if you still dare to look down on me!

After that night, Sai Honglian was indeed somewhat listless. She wasn't sure if Li Wenguo's words were true or false; but if it was true, and her silent resistance these past few days had become his aphrodisiac—that would truly be disheartening.

A few days later, it happened to be Sai Honglian's birthday. Seeing that she looked gloomy, Li Wenguo knew that the time was right, so he took her out for Western food and a movie to cheer her up.

He also harbored a bit of a tentative thought: could he try this trendy, Western-style dating method to pry open her tightly closed door? Anyway, there was no harm in trying, so why not give it a shot?

Sai Honglian gripped the knife and fork for the first time, her hands trembling and her knife slipping. Li Wenguo, without urging or smiling, patiently taught her how to cut steak and how to twirl pasta with a fork. In the end, he even exchanged his neatly cut filet mignon for hers, behaving with the grace of an old-fashioned gentleman.

As the meal was nearing its end, a waiter brought out a cake with tiny flames crackling on top and the words "Happy Birthday Sai Honglian" written in icing.

Her fingertips paused, and her heart skipped a beat.

Then he took her to see a romantic movie. She was so engrossed in the movie that she remained seated, lost in thought, for a long time after the film ended.

To be honest, Sai Honglian, who had never touched anything Western before, felt for the first time that this Westernized life actually had a sense of groundedness—fresh, bright, and with a little bit of quietly emerging joy.

Although Sai Honglian had to admit that Li Wenguo exuded a captivating aura tonight—steady, precise, and ruthless yet with a touch of gentleness, cold yet warm—he perfectly embodied the image a woman's heart had secretly sketched a thousand times. Even she herself had unconsciously lowered her guard a bit. But to let down her guard and accept him as her friend? Absolutely not.

Instead, a chill ran through him, and a sharp thought popped into his head: This isn't tender affection at all; it's clearly a hook wrapped in honey! It's waiting for her to open her mouth and bite down, so it can break her spine in the process.

Thinking further ahead... it was a deception.

hiss--!

Several scenes flashed through Sai Honglian's mind like lightning: the night she entered the door, he deliberately exhausted her mind and forced her to endure; then he spoke words as sharp as knives, cutting off her confidence; now, however, he speaks gently and considerately, coaxing her as if she were a rare piece of porcelain.

That man is so vicious!

Without making a sound, he ensnared her in his net, leaving her no strength to even struggle before he had already laid strings in her very bones. If she hadn't remained constantly on her guard, she would have been led by the nose long ago, becoming an obedient puppet!

Just as she was pondering, Ding Xiaoqi, sitting in the driver's seat, suddenly spoke, interrupting her turbulent thoughts:

"Master Li, it's Old Pan and his gang again."

Sai Honglian followed Li Wenguo's gaze and saw three men outside the car, half-supporting and half-carrying two wounded men, who staggered to a stop in front of the car.

"Hey! They're like a persistent ghost!"

I've run into Lao Pan and his gang in this area at least five or six times; it's like we've stepped in the same footprint every time.

Pooh!

What kind of fate is this? It's all just a bunch of troubles piling up!

But since we've run into each other, we can't pretend we don't know—after all, he calls us "Master Li" more familiarly than anyone else.

"Master Li! Master Li!"

"I'm kowtowing to you!"

"Kneeling here is fine too!"

"I'm so sorry!"

"Emergency help needed!"

"Please lend me a hand!"

Old Pan wiped his sweat and bowed. Li Wenguo didn't waste any words, directly dispatched a car, assigned an experienced driver, and sent everyone to Dr. Ke's place.

Fortunately, there were no tails wagging behind him this time—if a few more spies had appeared to keep watch, Li Wenguo would probably have had to wipe them out and cover for them.

"who are they?"

Sai Honglian, who had been watching silently the whole time, finally spoke.

"Oh, them..." Li Wenguo paused, then changed the subject, "They're just a mess that can't be shaken off!"

"Come on, sit on my lap."

He wanted to say that it was someone from the underground transportation station, but he swallowed the words back—this matter couldn't involve Sai Honglian, lest she get carried away and cause trouble.

Sai Honglian didn't ask any further questions. She simply lowered her eyes, composed herself, and obediently sat down, letting him do as he pleased.

She could see clearly: of the five people, two had blood seeping from their cuffs and their shoulders were taut, clearly gunshot wounds; those with gunshot wounds were either Japanese spies or their own people.

Upon closer inspection—the gray cloth jacket was washed until it was almost white, black dirt was stuck in the crevices of his fingernails, and he had high cheekbones, thick palms, and thick knuckles. He looked like a laborer who had been dealing with wind and waves for many years.

The answer came almost immediately: He's a comrade!

As for why they could address Li Wenguo as "Master Li," Sai Honglian had already figured it out: it must be because he deliberately approached and infiltrated layer by layer in order to seize control of the entire local party in the capital.

She quietly memorized Lao Pan and Zhou Zheng's faces, waiting for the right opportunity to sneak over to Dr. Ke to ask them to relay the message back to the organization.

"Still thinking about them?"

Li Wenguo suddenly released her, his gaze sharp as a blade, piercing straight into her eyes.

"No," she immediately smiled, her tone light, "I'm thinking about tomorrow's operation—how can we most reliably capture those Japanese spies alive?"

Before she finished speaking, she leaned in and kissed him, her lips and tongue burning, her eyes glazed over, as if she had truly focused all her attention on the mission.

Li Wenguo was quite certain: even if Sai Honglian really got together with Lao Pan, she wouldn't be able to cause any trouble.

Firstly, Lao Pan and his men trusted him completely; secondly, he had already woven an impenetrable network of intelligence throughout the capital—every time He Shuting sent a telegram, if there was even the slightest hint of something amiss, the message would be on his desk before the radio waves even landed. Intercepting, deleting, and modifying were all within his control.

That's the source of his confidence to tell Sai Honglian, "You're in my hands, you can't cause any trouble."

After returning home, another protracted tug-of-war ensued.

This time, however, Sai Honglian was clearly a little weak, and her movements became more proactive and energetic.

She even deliberately changed her appearance—her eyes softened, her tone became gentler, and even the pressure of her fingertips on his wrist was just right.

A few days later, she managed to get the truth out of Dr. Ke: Lao Pan and Zhou Zheng were boatmen at the dock.

She immediately made up an excuse, said goodbye to Xiao Jie and Yu Tou, and went straight to the riverbank, where she stopped Lao Pan, who was punting the barge.

"Oh my! Aren't you the lady who came with Mr. Li that night!"

A gentle breeze caressed his face. Old Pan tapped his bamboo pole, causing the boat to sway slightly. He grinned, revealing a set of teeth that had turned slightly yellow from being soaked in the river water.

As soon as Sai Honglian stepped onto the boat, he recognized her at a glance. But he pretended not to know her, until she introduced herself, then he slapped his thigh and shouted as if he had just realized it.

"May I ask, what is your relationship with Master Li?"

When this woman came all the way to his door, Old Pan's heart tightened, his brows furrowed slightly, and his tone revealed a hint of wariness.

"He...he..."

Sai Honglian paused, her fingertips unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, before finally saying frankly, "He is my man."

really!

Having met Yang Yuerong and He Shuting before, Lao Pan had already figured out most of Li Wenguo's background—who else could stand shoulder to shoulder with those two? The woman in front of him was dazzlingly beautiful and addressed him as "Master Li" in a steady and confident manner. Who else could she be but one of his family members?