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

I clearly went to bed at 11 p.m. last night, so why am I feeling sleepy like a tidal wave right now?

Niu Dali stared at her trembling eyelids and her head nodding, his heart pounding with joy.

So what if you're shrewd?

What good is it to be on guard again?

They still fell victim to this most inconspicuous, subtle tactic!

what!

"Wait... why am I suddenly so tired?"

"You...you..."

Before she could finish speaking, her neck went limp, and her body slumped towards the edge of the table. Niu Dali reacted quickly, catching her by the back to prevent her from bumping into something and alerting the secret agents guarding outside the door.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mitsui? What happened to you?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Mitsui? Please don't fall asleep!"

"Lieutenant Mitsui! Wake up!"

He shook her a few times, but seeing that she didn't react, he simply took out a handkerchief soaked in a sleeping drug from his personal space and covered her mouth and nose tightly, only letting her inhale a little bit.

Once her breathing had become completely deep and her limbs were relaxed, he neatly put her and the remaining scent of incense under the table into his spatial storage.

"All done!"

This move was so close it could make a person's spine tremble—if it had gone wrong even slightly, Niu Dali's skin would have been peeled off on the spot.

Then he pushed open the window and casually threw an empty syringe on the ground. The syringe was still covered with half-dried anesthetic residue, creating the perfect illusion of being intruded upon and coerced.

Finally, he straightened his collar, opened the door and gently closed it again, bowed slightly to the two secret agents standing guard at the door, and then walked away.

Ok?

Why do I feel lightheaded and my feet are slipping?

Like stepping on a swaying sampan?

After an unknown amount of time, Mitsui Miri slowly regained consciousness, and her first feeling was dizziness.

It's exactly the same as when Nanako woke up after being poisoned.

Dating drugs are never merciful; their effects are very strong.

Once she regained consciousness and her limbs began to obey her commands, she suddenly opened her eyes—and what came into view was a shirtless, muscular man leaning over and looking at her.

The moment she saw that face clearly, the corner of her mouth twitched violently.

She had imagined countless times the scene of her reunion with Li Wenguo:

In the cold, dark cell, he stood behind the iron bars, handcuffed.

At the street corner, she pressed her hand on his shoulder and shouted "Arrest!"

Or perhaps you are bound hand and foot and dragged to him, forced to look up at him;

There are even more detailed deductions...

The only thing I never expected was this—I was lying naked on a bed, and he was right above me, his breath hot.

A burning sense of shame rushed to my head, then turned into a cold helplessness, and finally settled into a deep sense of defeat.

It's only been ten days since we arrived in the capital...

They set up a net in the open and kept watch in the dark, but in the end, he still managed to seize their vital point.

I am truly inferior to him.

Ugh……

"Awake? How do you feel?"

"Are you shocked and bewildered? Angry and frustrated? Resentful but unable to exert any force?"

Li Wenguo raised one eyebrow, his smile undisguised.

"You continue, we'll talk after we finish our business."

Mitsui Miri suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling, her voice as soft as melting honey.

"you?"

Li Wenguo was stunned.

He had imagined her cursing and swearing, her clenched teeth, her venomous eyes that seemed to want to stab him.

But to my utter surprise, she lowered her eyes and smiled gently, as docile as a newly tamed cat.

But since they've already said it, can he really just shrink back?

Let's do it!

Half an hour later, the two lay side by side, still panting.

"This time, I've lost cleanly and without excuses. Do with me however you like."

Mitsui Miri turned her head to look at him.

His face was full of smugness and had a touch of swagger, but the more you looked at him, the less you could hate him—instead, you felt a surge of warmth in your heart and just wanted to pull him back to his homeland to see the little guy who had never met his father.

Let him experience what it's like to have a father.

"Is everything written in the letter... true?"

Li Wenguo avoided answering, glancing sideways out the window.

"It's absolutely true! Wen Guo, although we had some unpleasantness in the past, and I once planned to take a break and come back to settle accounts with you after my anger subsided—but since the birth of this child, I have been taking care of him at home for five whole years. After the United States officially entered the war last year, the family used all its connections to repeatedly deduce the outcome and finally concluded that the Empire was doomed to defeat."

"Oh, my family is the Mitsui family, with generations of connections between government and business. We hold positions in the central government of the empire while maintaining close ties with American financial groups. We know their situation inside and out—they have overwhelming industrial capacity, a vast military-industrial complex, and a constant stream of logistical supplies. Their scale is more than five times ours. We can't win this kind of war, and we can't afford to drag it out."

The hidden meaning in the words couldn't be clearer: they could wear down the empire to death.

"So I gave up my military post and all my jobs a long time ago, wanting only to take care of this family. The reason I came this time is because my son keeps asking, 'Everyone else's dad is here, but where is mine?' So I had to bite the bullet and come to find you, hoping to take you back to Tokyo so he can see his father with his own eyes."

"But I also know that you will never obediently come with me, so I resorted to this tactic to force you to give in."

Mitsui Miri spoke calmly, yet every word resonated deeply.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mitsui, whether what you're saying is true or false, I will never set foot in the Japanese peninsula in my entire life—you'd better give up on that idea."

Li Wenguo waved his hand, looking indifferent.

"That's your own flesh and blood, how can you bear to even see him?"

"Everything you said just now is true! I brought you back to Tokyo with absolutely no intention of harming you; I only hope that the child can recognize his father."

Mitsui Miri interrupted hastily, her eyes filled with the anxiety of being a mother.

"Okay, here's a photo. Take it back and show it to him."

Li Wenguo lifted the corner of the blanket, actually pulling out a brand new photo from his personal storage space and handing it over.

"What children want is the warmth of their father's hand, the comfort of his embrace, and the daily presence of his shadow—not a cold, lifeless photograph!"

Mitsui Miri sat up abruptly, her voice rising sharply.

"That's easy—bring him here in five or six years, and you'll see him then, won't you?"

"Or, why don't you just send him to live with me for a few years? Then he'll have fatherly love, won't he?"

Li Wenguo shrugged, seemingly unconcerned.

"No way! I carried this child for ten months and gave birth to it. Why should I hand it over to you?"

The mere mention of sending the child away startled Mitsui Miri, who sat bolt upright like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her eyes wide with rage.

Her clothes were slightly open, and Li Wenguo's eyes flashed, a spark of anger suddenly igniting within him.

Mitsui Miri noticed his burning gaze and quickly shrank back under the covers, pulling them tighter.

Unfortunately, it was too late—Li Wenguo reached out and lifted the blanket, and he was already on top of her.

Another hour passed.

Mitsui Miri's cheeks were flushed, and she was still panting: "What exactly do you plan to do with me? Let me remind you, my son is still in Tokyo! If you take me to the Nationalist government, you'll truly sever our father-son bond!"

"Don't worry, it will never be sent to the Party-state."

Li Wenguo got up, grabbed his toothbrush, and began rinsing his mouth.

"Then...when will you let me go?"

Mitsui Miri bit her lower lip, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.

With a knife to her neck, she didn't even dare to struggle.

"It will take at least half a month, or at most a month, before you are released."

Li Wenguo grinned.

Why?

Mitsui Miri was completely bewildered.

"Once you're carrying my child, I'll let you go immediately."

He lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed on her lower abdomen.

"you--!"

Mitsui Miri felt a lump in her throat, her face turning bright red.

While she was under house arrest, the capital was already in chaos.

She was a member of the Mitsui family. If she were to die under their noses, the Mitsui family would be furious, and none of the officials in the city would be able to escape unscathed.

As a result, the entire city was placed under heightened security, and a thorough search was conducted, with even rat holes being dug up three times.

After three weeks of fruitless efforts, the military police captain, Mikuraki Tokuma, directly petitioned General Matsushita to conduct a thorough investigation of the embassy district.

Anyway, they're currently locked in a life-or-death struggle with the US, Britain and Germany are mired in a quagmire, and France has already fallen. Who has time to care about their little spies?

But Matsushita, being shrewd and calculating, knew perfectly well that while the great powers were currently preoccupied, they would surely repay this humiliation tenfold in the future—and he himself would be the first to shift the blame. Therefore, he refused to approve it under any circumstances.

Two days later, the news reached the Northeast Army Headquarters, and a phone call came down on Matsushita, who was berated severely. He immediately made the decision: Search! The embassy district will be searched without exception!

Fortunately, Mitsui Miri appeared in time, thus averting a massive manhunt. Otherwise, Li Wenguo would likely have had to flee the city with his entire family overnight.

There are too many foreign wives in the family. Given Xiaoben's character, he would never let go of one of them once he caught her.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mitsui, what exactly is going on?"

General Matsushita's face was ashen, and his brows were furrowed.

It was all because of her that he was severely reprimanded by Mitsui headquarters, who scolded him until his ears burned and his back was sweating.

No wonder he's not in a good mood right now!

"General Matsushita, this is what happened—I was kidnapped by anti-Japanese elements who planned to take me to Keishoku. Fortunately, the person keeping watch on me dozed off halfway there, and I managed to break free."

Mitsui Miri insisted firmly, her tone earnest.

She deliberately messed up her hair, smeared her cheeks with grime, tore several rips in her clothes, and wore her cuffs until they were white and frayed, making her look exactly like someone who had just returned from fleeing a disaster.

"Is...it really true?"

General Matsushita narrowed his eyes, his face full of suspicion.

Kidnapped? (Issued)

Could a woman really escape from that gang of thugs all by herself? He simply didn't believe it.

"That's absolutely true. However, this failure was indeed due to my dereliction of duty—therefore, I am applying to resign from my position as head of the intelligence agency."

Miri Mitsui took the initiative to take responsibility.

In reality, she was pregnant with Li Wenguo's child, and she was afraid that if she waited any longer, she would be exposed. She just wanted to go back to the main island as soon as possible to have a safe pregnancy and recover after childbirth.

"Lieutenant Colonel Mitsui, you're not kidding, are you?"

"You're resigning?!"

General Matsushita's pupils contracted, and his voice changed tone.

It's just being kidnapped, is it really that big of a deal?

Are they terrified? They don't even have time to question them.

"Yes, General Matsushita. Falling into enemy hands means I am no longer fit for this post. I intend to return to my country for further studies and gain more experience before returning to serve."

So, Mitsui Miri set off to return to Japan once again.

When she set foot on this land again, the little notebook had already surrendered.

"Xiao'e, this is your husband, Li Guozhi. Do you recognize him?"

Li Wenguo picked up five-year-old Xiao Lou Xiao'e, whose chubby little face was like a pink dumpling, and pointed at the chubby-faced boy in front of him.

That child was He Shuting's third son, who had just turned nine.