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

An hour later, her breathing gradually subsided, the sheets were slightly wrinkled, and the room was finally quiet enough to hear the chirping of insects outside the window.

"Meijing, it's been so long! Did you miss me?"

He pulled her into his arms, his hand expertly sliding down to her waist.

"To be honest, I didn't think about it much. My whole heart was focused on the child."

She turned her head to the side, her voice calm.

She gave birth to two children in the capital, and then another girl eight months later in Qingzhong's life. Now she has three children—a five-year-old boy who runs wild in the yard, a four-year-old girl who has just learned to practice calligraphy, and a seven-month-old baby in swaddling clothes, whose milky scent mingled with the smell of urine day and night. She can only drink a sip of hot soup when the children are sound asleep, so how can she have the energy to think about men?

"Hmm... With so many children, your body is easily worn out. You need to take a break whenever you can."

He gave a dry laugh, his voice tinged with embarrassment.

It's like holding a scorching hot coal close to an ice surface, only to be met with a cold rebuff.

But Xu Meijing was different—a few years ago, after that tragic accident, he had forced himself on her, and her mother had died a violent death. He felt as if his very bones had been removed, and his heart was sealed shut. He couldn't blame her. The guilt he felt hadn't dissipated to this day.

As if noticing his embarrassment, she suddenly turned her hand over and grasped his wrist, her eyes sparkling, her voice so soft it could drip honey: "Master, you've been cooped up on the ship for too long, how about we 'plow' again?"

"Oh... okay, let's plow again."

In the stillness of the night, she was fast asleep, exhausted, her breathing even and deep. Li Wenguo threw off the covers, got up, and, barefoot, carefully pushed open Hongyu's door, avoiding even the creaking of the door hinges.

The light is still on.

She wasn't asleep. She was wearing only a thin, low-cut nightgown, leaning against the table with one hand supporting her chin, her knuckles white. Her eyes were fixed blankly on a certain spot on the table, completely unaware that the door opened, someone entered, or the lamplight flickered.

Li Wenguo's heart sank—this woman must have gotten herself into a really big mess!

Otherwise, how could it have become a lifeless wooden puppet?

Damn it! Please don't let it be that kind of thing... otherwise...

Hongyu was actually gritting her teeth, calculating: should she still go to the Dexian Guild Hall after her husband returned? She had originally planned to go despite her reluctance, but now that plan was completely ruined. What she feared most was that the creditors would suddenly come knocking on the door demanding money—the gambling debt of 50,000 silver dollars, if exposed, her husband's face would probably be colder than frost in the dead of winter.

The door clicked shut. Li Wenguo had already moved behind her, and his hands suddenly pressed against her thin shoulders.

"ah--!"

She jumped up in fright, her scream tearing through the silence.

"Sir...you...why are you here?!"

When she turned around and saw it was him, her voice suddenly trembled, the last syllable of her words swaying.

He looked so guilty that his bones were trembling.

"Hongyu, you're hiding something from me."

He leaned close to her ear, his voice low and husky, each word sharp and barbed.

Her nightgown was loose at the neckline, and the lamplight cast a soft glow, making the shadow beneath her collarbone particularly pronounced. His hand, which was resting on her shoulder, unconsciously sank lower.

"Ah? No, no! I really didn't hide it from you, sir!"

She hurriedly shook her head, her voice instantly becoming soft and cloying, and deliberately snuggled closer to him, trying to lead him to the bedside. "Master, you haven't been back for so long, I've missed you so much... I haven't had enough time to serve you..."

"Still pretending?"

"I'm not pretending! Sir, I've been looking forward to your return every day, just so I can serve you properly!"

"Stop beating around the bush! Do you think I'm blind? Dexian Guild Hall—four words, is that enough?"

His voice suddenly turned deep.

He pressed on, his Adam's apple bobbing, "I've pretty much figured out what you've done. Now I'm giving you a chance: talk to me, kneel down and admit your mistakes. Otherwise..."

He paused, his palm slowly tightening. "You'll have to weigh the consequences yourself."

Upon hearing the words "Dexian Guild Hall," Hongyu's heart clenched, and her blood ran cold. When she heard the second half of the sentence, a chill ran down her spine and straight to the top of her head.

Her teeth chattered, and her voice trembled uncontrollably: "Grandpa...Grandpa, you...you know everything?"

"explain!!!"

Li Wenguo suddenly shouted, his voice like thunder striking the eardrums.

"Ah—! Sir, I'm so sorry! I was so short-sighted and arrogant, I insisted on going to the Dexian Club to play mahjong, not only losing all 50,000 silver dollars, but also being used against me and forced to... to take on jobs!"

Her husband's roar snapped her nerves, which had been stretched to the limit, and she burst out talking like a floodgate opening. She bit her tongue and stopped herself abruptly as soon as she uttered the words "take a job".

More than losing money, he hated the betrayal.

"Come with me."

Li Wenguo's face was so dark it could be wrung out of ink, but he suppressed his anger, his voice as cold as ice shards scraping against an iron plate.

He didn't say it explicitly, but he knew it perfectly well.

"Master...Master, where are we going?"

Hongyu's legs went weak, and she clung tightly to the door frame, afraid to move—afraid that he would really make a move here, afraid that those hands would rise again...

"If you dawdle any longer, I'll cripple you right here."

After saying that, he pushed open the door and strode out.

Hongyu's usually proud, fair and slender legs were now trembling like reeds in the wind, her knees shaking so badly that she could barely take a step.

She had never seen her husband like this before, but she knew perfectly well that he was standing on the edge of a volcano, just one breath away from erupting.

Overwhelmed by years of accumulated awe, she bit her lip, moved her feet inch by inch, and staggered after him.

The small room on the corner of the first floor hides a secret passage leading underground.

It was carved out by Li Wenguo using his spatial powers, and he also had craftsmen build a secret chamber specifically to hide from the air raids by the Japanese.

Although Qingzhong had not fallen, it had been bombed over a hundred times. Without building a hiding place, its life would be hanging by a thread.

Hongyu moved with trepidation, clinging to the cold brick wall as she descended.

As her husband's figure disappeared into the shadows, her throat tightened. After hesitating for half a second, she still stepped down—just before descending the steps, she deliberately loosened the strap of her nightgown on her left shoulder, letting half of her snow-white shoulder and ample bosom slip down, trying to use her body to catch his gaze.

The basement was bright and spacious, with clean water, dry food, and electric lights. Apart from the main exit under the garden rockery, there was a hidden side passage, which was in case the entire building collapsed into a pile of rubble and blocked the escape route.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he stood firm, Li Wenguo didn't even lift his eyelids at Hongyu's carefully crafted seductive posture.

Before he could finish speaking, he slapped her hard across the face, striking her delicate cheek.

"Smack!!!"

"Smack!!!"

The crisp sound bounced back and forth against the four walls, making my eardrums buzz.

Hongyu was sent flying and crashed heavily to the ground, blood instantly seeping from the corner of her mouth.

pain--

It hurts so much!

I've never been so cruel in my life. Tears streamed down my face, and my heart shattered into pieces.

"Pah! You worthless wretch! Did a donkey kick your brains? Don't you know what Dexian Club does? It's a brothel that pretends to be something it's not, setting traps for idiots like you to walk in, tricking you into taking customers and making money! And you're willing to offer yourself up as a scapegoat?"

"Tell me, don't you deserve a beating? Don't you deserve a beating? Huh? You lowlife!"

"You utterly stupid, despicable thing!"

Li Wenguo's eyes were bloodshot, and spittle splattered onto Hongyu's face.

"I'm so angry!"

"If I had come two days later, you would have been ruined to a pulp, wouldn't you? You lowly thing!"

He heard it clearly—if you owe money, you have to "take on jobs".

He could imagine those people's methods with his eyes closed: whether you like it or not, they can straighten your bones.

"Sir! I was wrong! I was really wrong! Please forgive me this time, please forgive me this time!"

Hongyu cried with tears streaming down her face. She crawled over on all fours and clung tightly to Li Wenguo's leg, her ample breasts rubbing against his trouser leg.

"I was blinded by greed, I coveted fame, I acted rashly and had a crooked heart... But I truly know I was wrong! Please give me another chance to live. I swear, I will never again touch any crooked path, please..."

"ah--!"

Before he could finish speaking, Li Wenguo grabbed a lock of her hair and pulled it up sharply. Hongyu screamed in agony, as if her scalp was about to be torn apart.

"Smack!!!"

Another slap landed, this time with even greater force, sending her rolling on the spot, her mouth filled with a metallic taste.

"ah--!!!"

Li Wenguo looked down at him, his anger scorching the air: "You lowly wretch, tell me, what is the one thing I can't tolerate the most? Betrayal! You dare to even entertain such a thought? Do you have a death wish?"

After he finished cursing, he squatted down, his five fingers like iron clamps gripping her hair roots again, and then he started dragging her, making her red jade nails scrape against the cement floor with a harsh sound.

Her hair, as fine as spider silk, was stretched taut, forcefully dragging her eighty or ninety-pound body forward. Hongyu felt as if her bones were being crushed, and her screams tore at her throat—

"ah--!!!"

"Sir! Spare me, sir! Please have mercy..."

Aside from crying and begging for mercy, her mind was completely blank.

All she had to offer was a seductive appearance; but now, her body was struggling to even breathe, let alone please anyone. She was truly panicked, her vision blurred with pain, and she could only hope that the torture would end soon.

Li Wenguo was a modern man, not inherently sadistic. But after enduring so many years in the Republican era, his heart had been hardened by the harsh realities of life—he had killed, he had witnessed broken bones, and these methods were merely a warning to him. He had to firmly straighten Hongyu's crooked branch to prevent future troubles.

Having been married to her for many years and having five children with her, Li Wenguo still harbored a heavy longing in his heart.

If we make her suffer a little today, our future will be a little more secure.

After dragging her for a while, he suddenly pulled back, squatted down, and stared coldly at her face—which had once been as beautiful as a peach blossom, but was now covered in snot and tears, with a red nose and cracked eyes, looking like a crushed worm.

"Pah! You slut, do you really think I'm soft-hearted and easy to fool? I've pampered you and spoiled you for so many years, and you've turned into a philandering wildcat?"

"No! Really no! I was confused! I deserve to die! Please... please stop!"

Hongyu's voice was hoarse; before she could finish speaking, slaps rained down on her face.

"Snapped!"

"Look at your face, it makes me want to vomit! Aren't you shameless? Aren't you ashamed?"

"Snapped!"

"Sir! Stop hitting me! I'll accept the punishment! I'll accept the punishment!"

Another hard slap landed on the other side of his face, instantly causing both cheeks to swell and gleam, burning and throbbing with pain, even making his teeth chatter.

"You despicable thing!"

"If it weren't for the fact that you've been so capable, raising five kids for me, I'd chop you up right now and feed you to that black dog in the backyard!"

After cursing, he suddenly grabbed her neck, his five fingers like iron clamps, instantly crushing her throat. Hongyu's eyes bulged, her tongue lolled out, and she kicked wildly, her fingernails scraping the wooden floor with a piercing sound.

She really thought she was going to die.

Li Wenguo only let go when the color of the face turned from bluish-purple to dark purple.

"Ho—!"

"Hehe—!"

Hongyu collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath like a fish out of water, her chest heaving violently, her throat filled with the taste of blood.

"You worthless wretch, how does it taste?"

Once she had caught her breath, Li Wenguo slowly spoke. He didn't raise his hand again—the heat was just right; any longer and it would burn.

"Sir! I was wrong! I was really wrong! I'll never do it again! Please believe me this once!"

"Thump, thump, thump."

Terrified, Hongyu began to kowtow stiffly. The basement was covered with thick wooden planks, with dry soil underneath to prevent dampness, making each kowtow sound like a drumbeat.