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

"ah--?!"

Lou Meie was startled and hurriedly grabbed the shawl draped over the back of the chair and wrapped it around her chest.

Upon recognizing him, she lowered her voice and said urgently, "Wen Guo, get out of here! I... I'm not dressed yet!"

The dark blue velvet evening gown was only tied to her waist, and her smooth, porcelain-like back was reflected in the slanting evening light streaming in from the window, making it dazzling to the eye.

"It's alright, I'll lend you a hand."

He grinned, closed the door behind him, and walked straight in.

Fifteen minutes later, Li Wenguo walked out of the room with a normal expression, followed by Lou Meie, whose ears were red and whose fingers were twisting the hem of her skirt.

She cursed inwardly:

That lecherous scoundrel!

They didn't miss a single detail!

It turns out that he deliberately took the suit that the other person had just put on as an old garment, forcibly stripped it off, and stuffed another one into the other's hands—this act of "help" was obviously clear and obvious.

"The waistline is perfectly defined. I'll have to give a proper thank you to those skillful hands on my wedding day."

He leaned close to her ear, his voice low and husky, with a hint of ticklishness.

These words were too blatant, and Lou Meie was so angry she wanted to bite them, but on the surface she just lowered her eyes, pursed her lips, and said coquettishly, "You're so annoying~"

She had the frame of a mature woman, the demeanor of a young girl, a pure yet alluring charm, a cool yet passionate allure that sent shivers down Li Wenguo's spine. He longed to lift her veil and drink the nuptial cup tonight.

Before long, the two walked downstairs side by side. Lou Meie naturally took his arm, her fingertips soft and her grip just right.

Lou Shiqin and his son Lou Zhenhua exchanged a smile, their eyes full of approval.

After the meal, as tea was served, Lou Zhenhua couldn't contain himself. Taking advantage of the moment while holding a cup of hot tea, he eagerly inquired about the current market situation and industry trends in the United States, as well as the two factories he had just invested in—a cargo shipping company that sails on oceans and a medium-sized steel mill that rolls steel.

They had foresight. Once war broke out, transportation capacity and steel became highly sought-after commodities.

Li Wenguo spared no expense in praising his future brother-in-law.

These two businesses are indeed guaranteed to bring in profits regardless of drought or flood, and can be done steadily and surely.

But he himself didn't touch them at all—he was eyeing the top giants that would later rank among the world's top 100.

What cargo fleets and steel mills? In his eyes, they were nothing but rough scraps, not worth his time.

After chatting for a full hour, Li Wenguo suddenly stood up, smiling as he made an excuse that he had something important to do, and pulled Lou Meie away.

Lou Shiqin also gave it a push: "Zhenhua, you're really slow-witted—didn't you see that Wenguo is eager to spend time alone with your sister as soon as possible? He's still asking you all sorts of questions."

"Once they're married, there'll be plenty of time to talk about it in detail."

Once the figures disappeared, Lou Shiqin turned and gave his son a slightly reproachful look.

"Oh...oh! Yes, yes, I was too impatient, hehe!"

No wonder he was so blind—it was his first time investing so much money, and he was incredibly nervous, hoping someone knowledgeable could steer the ship and calm him down. Li Wenguo was that calming presence.

"Wen Guo has already made it clear that your two additional investments are perfectly safe. What are you still worried about?"

"Furthermore, with my decades of experience in judging situations, I'm absolutely certain of success—Zhenhua, you did a great job this time!"

Lou Shiqin patted his son on the shoulder, his tone full of relief.

The old man was most proud of his son's success in building a career and carrying on the family name. He felt that his son had a successor and could rest easy when he passed away.

On the other side, Li Wenguo brought Lou Meie into the dance hall.

As soon as they sat down, he pulled her into his arms, kissing and caressing her with urgent and passionate movements. Lou Meie tried to push him away, but her body was too weak to resist.

"Wen Guo, I know in my heart that you're used to being a womanizer. I'm afraid that after we get married, once the novelty wears off, you'll turn around and leave me hanging—ignoring me, not caring about me, not loving me. I'm a woman, what I want is to be cherished and loved, not to be kept in a cold bed and count the days away."

Once he had caught his breath, Lou Meie whispered the words she had kept hidden for so long.

Her clothes were already disheveled, and he had seen and understood her thoroughly; only the final barrier remained. Not to mention, her father and younger brother both favored him and praised him highly. Lou Meie knew in her heart that she had no way out. She couldn't fight city hall; sooner or later she would have to agree to this marriage.

Further delay or avoidance would be a waste of energy. At this moment, all she wanted to see was: what kind of person did Li Wenguo truly regard her as?

"Meie, you can rest assured—I truly love you, which is why I'm so determined to marry you. I admit, I love excitement and pretty girls, but I'm not like those frivolous men who only seek novelty: I may like new things, but I never abandon the old. As long as you're willing to marry me and become my lawfully wedded wife, I promise you a lifetime of peace and stability, until we grow old together, and I will never let you suffer the slightest neglect. What you want, I will give; what you long for, I will fight for; I mean every word I say."

Hearing her words, Li Wenguo immediately understood: this was a woman who lacked light, warmth, and support in her heart.

He could even guess that her deceased ex-husband was probably a fickle man who had hurt her deeply and left her feeling utterly cold.

Despite her capable demeanor and mature charm, Lou Meie is like a curled-up kitten at heart, yearning for a pair of strong hands to gently support her shaky life.

So he stared into her eyes, his gaze calm and resolute, his tone solemn as if making a vow: "I will not neglect you, nor will I mistreat you. For the rest of our lives, I will walk with you to the very end."

This wasn't just empty talk—he truly could do it. Although he had many wives and concubines, he was physically strong and energetic, able to take care of them all perfectly.

Neglected? Ha, that doesn't exist at all.

"Sigh... I really don't know whether I should believe you or not."

At this moment, Lou Meie sat sideways on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck, and sighed softly.

At their age, romantic love has long faded; all they seek is stability and companionship. They are more cautious in choosing a partner than when they were younger, and the choice to choose or not to choose is no longer up to them.

"What can you do if you don't believe me? Now that things have come to this, can you turn back? Whether you believe me or not, the result is the same. But I'm telling you the truth—knowing you have no choice, I still made this promise, which precisely shows that I'm not just making empty promises."

Li Wenguo spoke frankly.

"I hope so."

Lou Meie agreed verbally, but she wasn't at ease at all. Who can't say sweet words? Especially a man as smooth-talking and cunning as him, the more pleasing his words, the less one dares to entrust their heart to him.

"Don't leave tonight, come back to Saiguohaowan with me."

Now that things have been laid bare, it's time to swallow this piece of tender meat that's already been in our mouths.

Lou Meie looked up at him, her lips parted slightly, but she ultimately didn't utter a single word.

What's meant to be will be. I can't escape what's meant to be. I can only hope that everything he says is true.

Seeing the beauty in his arms give her consent, Li Wenguo felt a surge of warmth in his heart, as if a thousand tiny insects were crawling on his chest. He didn't even bother to savor the newly opened bottle of imported red wine on the table, hurriedly paid the bill, and headed home.

After pursuing her for more than two months, he finally won her heart.

The next morning, sunlight streamed in from the balcony, and the two woke up lazily.

"Now, you should be satisfied, right?"

Lou Meie leaned against his chest and looked up at him.

"I'm very satisfied! I'll come to propose marriage today, the sooner the better, so I can marry you in a grand and glorious way."

Li Wenguo smiled and hugged her tightly, grinning from ear to ear.

Lou Meie is in the prime of her life, He Shuting is still quite green, and Xu Wanqing is a little lacking in experience—last night, he felt as if he were floating on clouds, his soul seemingly soaring beyond the heavens.

"By the way, how many concubines have you taken?"

She had asked him about this before, but Li Wenguo always gave vague and evasive answers. Now that she had decided to marry him, she decided to ask him again.

"Oh, why do you care so much? Your man was a big shot in the capital back in the day, rich, powerful, and capable—if I didn't even have a few close friends, wouldn't I be laughed at?"

"Once you're married into the family, everything will become clear."

He just gave it a light, understated answer, glossing over it briefly.

Lou Meie had a slight doubt in her heart, but she did not investigate it deeply—it was perfectly normal for someone like Li Wenguo, who had a wealthy family and a stable foundation, to take two or three concubines.

Urged on by him repeatedly, the two went into the washroom and spent a full hour there before drying themselves off, straightening their clothes, and slowly strolling out.

……

"I'm starving!"

Lou Meie pressed her belly, her eyebrows and eyes drooping.

Last night I was tossed and turned for more than two hours, and then another hour was spent in the bathroom. All my energy was completely drained.

"Don't rush, let's eat at your place."

Li Wenguo waved his hand dismissively.

"It's already 10 PM, and you're still coming over for dinner? Aren't you afraid the neighbors will gossip?"

"Whose fault is it? They even get handsy while I'm washing my face."

Wealthy families have very strict rules. What kind of manners would it be for a young lady to sleep until noon? Especially since she was an unmarried widow.

"Alright, alright, you can sit in the living room and rest for a bit!"

Li Wenguo asked her to sit on the sofa, then turned around and went into the kitchen. He turned on the tap to rinse a blue and white porcelain plate, and then took out several large meat buns made with old dough that had been stored for eight years from his personal space.

……

The steamed buns were just taken out, and white steam was still billowing out.

He grabbed one and bit into it.

"fragrant!"

Eight years and three months later, the dough is still soft and fluffy, and the meat filling is still piping hot and fresh. Time seems to have stood still in this space; it's no exaggeration.

Then he thought for a moment, and casually picked up two cups of warm soy milk, the cups damp with a fine sheen of sweat.

In fact, he had a very large food reserve, with food piled up in one corner of the space—don't underestimate this corner, it was as spacious as a football field and dozens of meters high. If he were to eat it all by himself, it might not be finished even after ten years.

"My men just steamed these; eat them while they're hot!"

Lou Meie swallowed two large steamed buns and a cup of soy milk in one go, and then affectionately took Li Wenguo's arm, laughing all the way back to her own courtyard gate.

When Li Wenguo proposed marriage, Lou Shiqin immediately agreed. However, because Lou Meie was a widow, he suggested keeping everything simple: no banquet, no guests, just a lively celebration at home behind closed doors.

The wedding date was set for forty-five days later—and in another half month, he would have to make a trip to Qingzhong to "produce more offspring" for the ladies there.

He was always kind and considerate to women, trusting their loyalty, but he was always afraid that someone might take advantage of his vulnerability: for example, a smooth-talking pretty boy might appear, being overly attentive and clinging to her relentlessly, and if a woman felt empty inside at that moment, it was hard to guarantee that she wouldn't be tempted.

Looking back now, was waiting until the baby was born to go there really too long?