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

"Sister Mei'e, your father-in-law is urging you to go back to your room for dinner." She looked up at Li Wenguo, her smile gentle. "And this gentleman is?"

"The new owner of the Kuang family house next door is Li Wenguo. This is my sister-in-law, Lou Tanshi."

"Hello." Li Wenguo nodded in greeting.

"Hello, Mr. Li." Lou Tan smiled slightly.

Before the words were finished, the baby in her arms suddenly burst into tears—

"Wow!!!"

She quickly bent down and gently shook her, "Little Ang, be good, Little Ang, don't cry..."

Upon hearing this, Li Wenguo's brows furrowed instantly:

Xiao'e?

Lou Xiao'e?!

What the hell!

We really did run into each other!

How could he not recognize the most important person in the courtyard? Yet, they happened to meet by chance at this alley entrance. Fate is truly unpredictable.

Even more coincidentally, he had just developed feelings for that person's aunt.

Although it's only a single character different, Lou Meie's composure is three parts more refined and seven parts more resilient than the character "小" (small). Besides, the fruit on the branch often ripens at the most inconspicuous bend.

Upon further reflection: If Lou Tanshi is the sister-in-law of the younger brother, then the younger brother must be Lou Zhenhua, known as "Lou the Half-City," who controls the lifeline of the steel rolling mill.

This thought flashed through Li Wenguo's mind, but he did not have any intention of currying favor with them.

In terms of wealth, he might not be inferior to anyone; in terms of presence, he fears no one. At this moment, his heart is solely focused on Lou Meie.

"Mr. Li, why don't you come in for a while? We're neighbors, so we should keep in touch and have some tea together."

Lou Meie smiled warmly and took the initiative to invite him.

The person who was able to acquire the Kwong family mansion did not rely solely on money—without substantial connections, they wouldn't even be able to get through the door.

Lou Meie was born into a wealthy and influential family, so she naturally has a broad vision and a generous heart. Why not make a good connection with her? Perhaps she can really make connections and build bridges in the future, thus providing her family with a backup plan.

"Since Miss Mei'e has so kindly extended this invitation, then I would be impolite to refuse!"

Li Wenguo raised his hand to adjust his bow tie, his smile gentle, his demeanor perfectly measured.

If you want to pursue her, you have to get to know her first and build some rapport, right?

Otherwise, where would they get a reason to get close?

He nodded slightly to the big-eyed man, who understood immediately and turned to slip back to report that he wouldn't be waiting for him for dinner tonight.

The two stepped into the vermilion gate of Lou Mansion, one after the other.

Before long, the entire Lou family arrived.

I also met Lou Zhenhua, who was in his early twenties, with clear features and a tall, straight figure—a handsome young man.

When Li Wenguo transmigrated, he was already twenty-five years old. After enduring more than eight years in the Republic of China, he is now a solid thirty-three years old. However, thanks to his iron-like kidney energy and immune system, his appearance and physique remain at twenty-five or twenty-four. His muscles and bones are like a bow, and his blood and qi are like fire. It is truly not a problem for him to live into the new century.

After introductions were made, everyone took their seats.

"What a dashing and talented young man!"

Lou Shiqin chuckled and praised him, then subtly began to probe into Li Wenguo's background.

This was perfectly normal—it was an old custom for elders to inquire about the family background of their juniors; moreover, he had already noticed that the young man's gaze towards his daughter was clearly warm.

Li Wenguo frankly stated that he went abroad to study in his early years, and later partnered with several classmates to run a trading company specializing in import and export business.

They also have several businesses overseas, and if the domestic situation becomes tense, they can easily withdraw and move abroad to settle down.

Lou Shiqin nodded repeatedly, knowing that this man not only had courage but also real talent. His desire to befriend him grew even stronger.

Although he was wealthy, the Japanese were closing in, making his business increasingly difficult; he had long wanted to invest in the United States, but lacked connections and resources.

Now that Li Wenguo has access to overseas resources, he secretly pondered: if he could take advantage of this opportunity, wouldn't it be a godsend?

The host and guests chatted and laughed, their glasses clinking lightly, and a warm atmosphere gradually arose between them.

Li Wenguo also figured out what had been bothering him most—it turned out that Lou Meie was a widow.

Her ex-husband came from a family with a long history in the Kuomintang's military and political circles. Several years ago, he suddenly fell seriously ill and passed away without leaving any children. Only then did she regain her freedom.

Lou Shiqin subtly hinted several times in his words, making his meaning very clear: his family would not object to his daughter's remarriage.

Li Wenguo felt a surge of warmth in his heart, secretly clenched his fist, and smiled slightly: Okay, then I won't be polite!

After dinner, we moved to the living room, where wisps of tea smoke curled from the golden nanmu wood table.

Lou Shiqin picked up the celadon covered bowl and asked casually, "Wen Guo, what kind of businesses did you run in the United States?"

"Hey, the United States is growing like crazy right now, and its momentum is about to overtake the old powers like Britain, France, and Germany."

Li Wenguo took a sip of tea and said calmly, "That's why I didn't put all my eggs in one basket. Real estate, cars, movies, pharmaceuticals, department stores, radio... I went wherever the action was, and I had a stake in everything."

"Wow—Brother Wenguo has really expanded this business quite extensively!"

Lou Zhenhua, who was brewing tea nearby, couldn't help but interject, his eyes shining with envy.

He always took his father as a role model and devoted himself to business, hoping that one day he could take the Lou family business to new heights.

Hearing that Li Wenguo's overseas expansion was so lavish, I couldn't wait to book a ship ticket and go see for myself.

"Zhenhua is right. Wenguo studied abroad, and his vision and skills are unmatched by ordinary people."

Lou Shiqin smiled and replied, then paused before slowly adding, "But... how exactly do Americans treat us Chinese?"

"The United States talks about freedom, and rich people go there and they welcome them with open arms; but white people are very shrewd and arrogant—you have to be on your guard when dealing with them."

"Xenophobia? It's ingrained in their bones. If you pay to buy land and build a factory, they'll welcome you with smiles; but if you really settle down and try to take over their jobs, they'll immediately turn their backs on you."

"Unless—you're doing something completely new, carving out a whole new world out of nothing, then they'll be scrambling to grab a share of the profits, and won't have time to try and trip you up."

When a new industry emerges, opportunities abound in its entirety: equipment, raw materials, talent, distribution channels... Just the supporting infrastructure alone is enough for businessmen to make a fortune for ten years.

Conversely, they still need you to set the pace.

This is what makes starting a business so exciting!

After listening, Lou Shiqin gently tapped the rosewood armrest with his fingertips, his gaze calm, as if he were pondering something.

Lou Zhenhua, on the other hand, was like a dry sponge, bombarding Li Wenguo with questions one after another, as if he wanted to extract all the information Li Wenguo had to say.

To secure his position as her future brother-in-law, Li Wenguo was extremely patient and answered every question.

Before we knew it, the person holding the kettle and pouring water had changed to Lou Meie.

Just after ten o'clock, Li Wenguo glanced down at the gleaming gold watch on his wrist, then got up to say goodbye.

Lou Meie and Lou Zhenhua walked side by side to the porch, the night breeze caressing their faces, and the copper bells on the eaves ringing softly.

After Lou Shiqin returned to the living room, he turned to Lou Meie and asked, "Xiao'e, what do you think of Wenguo?"

"Well, how should I put it—to put it nicely, he's young, handsome, well-off, has a broad perspective, and is quick-witted."

She picked up her teacup and gently blew on it.

"Oh? What about the ones that sound awful?"

Lou Shiqin raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise in his expression.

He had just chatted with Li Wenguo for a while and had a pretty good impression of him.

"Unpleasant to hear? I don't think Brother Wenguo has any faults at all! He's knowledgeable, articulate, and a real talent."

Lou Zhenhua eagerly chimed in, his tone warm and friendly.

Li Wenguo's business acumen struck a chord with him.

"Tell me, what exactly is this 'unpleasant' thing you're thinking?"

Lou Shiqin's gaze remained calm and composed.

"What else could it be? A rich, womanizing playboy!"

She sneered, recalling the scene she had witnessed at the villa's entrance that day—as soon as Nanako pushed open the door, Li Wenguo glanced at her and immediately went up to her, his smile obsequious, which was nothing like ordinary small talk. He was clearly eyeing her.

"Heh, what man doesn't crave something bright and stylish?"

Lou Shiqin didn't take it to heart and even laughed.

He paused for a moment, then asked seriously, "Xiao'e, tell me the truth, what are your feelings for him?"

"Dad, stop beating around the bush—aren't you just trying to force me into his hands, hoping to get some protection from his connections?"

She placed the cup back on the table with a crisp sound.

"But we've only met once, how can we believe everything he says?"

He curled his lip, clearly showing his impatience.

"Of course I won't believe him so easily." Lou Shiqin's voice softened. "But he even took over the Kuang family next door. He must have some real skills to pull this off. Even if he exaggerated a bit, his foundation can't be too bad, right?"

"Give it a try. For a widow like you, it's already rare for someone to come and propose marriage so earnestly."

The "someone" he referred to was never the street vendor selling pancakes, but rather a respectable person who wielded real power and was extremely wealthy.

Since Lou Meie became his target, Li Wenguo has put away his frivolous ways and proceeded cautiously step by step.

The Lou family is not short of money, and the path of forcibly paying a dowry to marry her into the family is simply not feasible.

Besides obediently currying favor, the only other option is to use overseas investment as a bargaining chip—to entice the Lou family father and son, and then have Lou Meie say a few sweet words on his behalf in bed.

Lou Meie was twenty-nine years old, with a full figure and a composed demeanor, like a blooming rose, possessing a maturity and sharpness that surpassed He Shuting's. Li Wenguo had already made his plans.

After a candlelight dinner, he invited her to a nightclub for drinks and dancing. She had an excellent alcohol tolerance and wasn't easily drunk; and he wasn't harboring any ulterior motives at the moment—after all, they had only known each other for seven days, and acting rashly would only ruin everything. If he really wanted to drug her, it would have to wait until they were intimately close, whispering sweet nothings and embracing.

"The music's playing, wanna dance?"

He stood up, bowed slightly, and extended his right hand, his posture humble yet measured.

"OK!"

She smiled and agreed without the slightest hesitation.

After a week together, she had figured him out: on the surface, he was gentle and considerate, but deep down he couldn't hide his burning desire.

Sure enough, on the dance floor, the hand that held her waist always seemed to slide down unintentionally, probing and teasing, but never crossing the line.

The only thing that temporarily put her at ease was that he knew his limits, knew when to advance and retreat, and always stayed within the lines she had drawn.

What's even more cunning is that he moved the line little by little, without making a sound, yet closing in step by step.

Sigh, this man is too good at manipulating people!

She sighed softly to herself.

He's like peeling an onion, layer by layer, silently wrapping you up completely, yet leaving you completely clean.

Lou Meie knew very well that she would eventually end up in his arms.

So before things get too complicated, we need to secure some tangible benefits for our family—otherwise, we'll lose both our money and our family, and we won't even have a chance to explain ourselves.

After discussing it behind closed doors, the family decided to try their hand at an overseas investment to test its worth: clarifying the ownership of shares, asset ownership, and the actual condition of the factory.

On Li Wenguo's recommendation, Lou Zhenhua personally went to the United States to invest in the General Motors plant.

This factory needs no introduction; it went on to dominate the automotive industry and was guaranteed to make a fortune.

Alternatively, they could invest in Universal Pictures—a pillar of Hollywood—which would also be a rock-solid investment.

In addition, he also selected several emerging fields that he had specifically mentioned for further investigation.

Considering Lou Zhenhua's long journey, Li Wenguo asked Selena to assign a dedicated person to accompany and protect him, and to provide him with lawyers and senior investment advisors.

Lou Meie had originally planned to send only Lou Zhenhua, but she stopped him, saying, "It's a long way, it's too risky for him to go alone. You should come along and take care of him on the way."

He added at the end, "When you come back, we... can take another step forward."

Li Wenguo hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

It's just a trip to accompany my future brother-in-law; I'll return immediately afterward, and it'll take at most twenty days. Of course, I'll spend a lot of time with Selena and the children while I'm there.

Especially the twins Selena gave birth to; I've only ever seen black and white photos sent from home, and I've never even met them in person.

Thinking of this, Li Wenguo's heart burned with excitement.