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

In the blink of an eye—

DouDing went up and knocked on the door himself.

This time I'm working for Master Li, so there's no room for carelessness; everything must be done cleanly and efficiently.

"Who is it???"

"If you knock again, I'm not opening the door! Whether I move or not is up to me!"

A lazy, drawn-out voice from inside the door drifted out, revealing utter nonchalance.

It was obvious from her voice that she had no idea that any comrades had come to her door.

"Mom, what's wrong?"

"What's all the fuss about so early in the morning?"

Jia Dongxu, who had just gotten up while rubbing his eyes, frowned and pouted at his mother.

"Dongxu, listen to your mother—a rich man has come here, claiming these five rooms belong to his family and is in a hurry to take them back, demanding I vacate. I immediately refused! Don't go anywhere today, stay inside obediently. If the sky falls, Mom will hold it up!"

Jia Zhangshi had a stern face and a tone as hard as a brick.

"what?"

"The real culprit has actually come knocking?"

"Are you trying to kick us out?"

"this……"

Jia Dongxu's face turned pale instantly.

This house is so comfortable and peaceful. I've come to regard this place as my lifeline. How could I possibly bear to move back to that old house that leaks wind and rain?

Besides, he's not young anymore. With five rooms in his house, matchmakers have been flocking to him. Marrying a beautiful wife and having a bunch of kids is no problem at all.

"Mom, you have to hold on tight and don't let go!"

"I'm counting on this house to find a wife, have grandchildren, and let you enjoy a comfortable retirement!"

He was so anxious that his throat tightened.

"Don't worry, son, you think we'll move? Not a chance!"

Back then, she clung to those five rooms so tightly, all for this purpose—to give her son a chance to start a family and have children.

Five rooms are more than enough to support ten grandchildren!

"Knock knock knock!!!"

"Open the door! I am the director of the xxxxx Police Station. Someone has filed a formal complaint accusing you of forcibly occupying someone else's property. We are now conducting an investigation according to the law. Open the door immediately!"

Dou Ding knocked hard and steadily, and when he announced his identity, every word was clear and unambiguous.

What?!

Police station chief?

Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu felt a sudden chill run down their spines.

That rich guy actually dared to go all the way to the police station? And even alarmed the station chief?

Jia Zhangshi's heart pounded—the plaque for the "Advanced Courtyard House" was probably going to be lost!

What's even more alarming is that they've actually put on police uniforms; this is no longer something that can be achieved with mere words.

A thought flashed through her mind: Anyway, I didn't steal the room; I was just "borrowing" it. I can get away with this!

But then I thought—even the police have come knocking, so this house probably can't be held onto.

She's used to being arrogant, but when she actually encounters someone in uniform, her legs still tremble uncontrollably—resisting the law? That's a sure way to get to jail!

"Mom, what should we do?"

"Why did even the police get involved?"

"Can we... still stay here?"

Jia Dongxu's voice was weak, but what he was most concerned about were still these five rooms.

"My son, this time... I'm afraid it's hopeless."

Madam Jia's face turned ashen. She grabbed her son's arm and said, "You stay inside and don't show your face. I'll go out and check the situation first!"

Then he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Coming! Coming!"

The door opened—

Jia Zhangshi froze at the door.

My goodness!

Why is it all police uniforms?

More than twenty police officers stood in the courtyard, their epaulets gleaming, their eyes sharp as knives. Just their presence alone was enough to make people feel suffocated, even more intimidating than Li Wenguo standing there!

"Hello...comrade! May I ask...what can I do for you?"

She unconsciously bent her waist slightly, and her voice softened.

"Hello, ma'am. We have received a formal complaint alleging that you have been occupying someone else's legal property for an extended period—specifically, these five rooms where you are currently living. This behavior constitutes a violation of laws and regulations. Please come with us to the station to cooperate with the investigation."

"By the way, your son Jia Dongxu was involved in the whole process and failed to report it. He is a co-responsible party and should also go along."

DouDing spoke expressionlessly and steadily, like reading a verdict, leaving no room for negotiation.

The onlookers were shocked: breaking the law and violating regulations? That could land them in jail! Even his own son was labeled an "accomplice," so Jia Dongxu would likely be implicated this time!

An elderly man named Yi Zhonghai silently stubbed out his cigarette, a chill running down his spine: the Jia family was completely doomed.

Should we look for other ways to make a living in our old age? But after so many years of hard work, it's really hard to just give it all up.

Uncle Liu Haizhong sighed inwardly: "Advanced courtyard house? It's a lost cause."

Uncle Yan Bugui kept a straight face, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes, and remained silent.

Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, however, were beaming with joy, their hearts overflowing with happiness—this cancer in the yard had finally been eradicated!

Upon hearing Dou Ding's words, Jia Zhangshi's throat tightened, and she immediately began to wail, "Injustice! Comrade! A huge injustice! How dare we occupy these five rooms? We're just staying temporarily for a few days, yes, just temporarily! It's all a misunderstanding, a huge misunderstanding! We'll move out right now, immediately, tonight!"

She wanted to get away with it by lying.

"Temporary stay?" Dou Ding raised an eyelid, her gaze sharp as a knife. "You say temporary stay? Then I'd like to ask—did you speak with the landlord in person before moving in? Did they agree?"

"ah???"

"This...this..."

"Does the master have to agree?"

Jia Zhangshi froze on the spot, like a wooden figure nailed to the ground.

I thought I could get away with just sticking to the word "temporary residence," but who would have thought that not even knocking on the door would be considered a violation of the law.

"That's right. Without the owner's consent, the mere fact that it's a 'temporary stay' already confirms the illegal occupation of public housing; and to add to that—illegal trespassing. We'll have to ask the owner to inventory the house later; if even a single item is missing, it will be considered burglary!"

Jia Zhangshi's legs went weak, she saw stars, her ears were ringing, and she swayed twice, almost falling to the ground.

Forcible occupation, trespassing, and looting—with these three accusations, he might really be facing a gunshot wound.

She suddenly looked up, her gaze fixed on Li Wenguo—at this moment, only he could agree to save her and her child's lives.

hiss--

Forcible occupation, trespassing, and looting!

Good heavens, they might actually eat peanuts!

Now is the era of military control, and when things get serious, it's ten times harsher than it will be decades later.

The onlookers were all stunned. No one expected that eating a melon would turn into finding a bombshell, and it looked like blood was about to be drawn.

When they looked at Jia Zhangshi again, some people sneered, some curled their lips, and some rubbed their hands in secret, but most people had a blank look in their eyes and a heavy heart.

After all, they lived in the same compound and saw each other all the time. Even if they usually found her noisy and annoying, they didn't want to actually see her being taken away and executed.

But now that the "comrades" are in charge, who dares to speak up for her?

If you're not careful, you could be labeled as "covering up" or "accomplice," and the consequences wouldn't be enough to cover up your own crimes.

"Thump!"

Jia Zhangshi's knees buckled, and she crashed heavily to the ground. She scrambled and crawled a few steps toward Li Wenguo, her forehead almost touching the blue bricks.

She knew in her heart that only if Li Wenguo withdrew the lawsuit could she be pulled back from the brink of death.

He was filled with regret at that moment—if he had known this would happen, why had he stubbornly resisted? Li Wenguo was clearly a respectable man with countless connections behind him, but he had been greedy for those five rooms, acting recklessly and throwing a tantrum, and in the end, he and his son had all been implicated. What a terrible mistake!

"Comrade Li! Comrade Li! I was confused, I was blinded by greed! I admit my mistake, I kowtow, I apologize to you! Please be magnanimous and spare me this time!"

"I'm a widow. My husband passed away early, leaving just my child and me to depend on each other. Life is very hard..."

The play begins—the actors cry their hearts out and act with heartbreaking intensity, trying to use the phrase "orphan and widow" to bind Li Wenguo to a moral pillar.

I'm in such a miserable state, and you, a respectable person who wears a Zhongshan suit, watches, and speaks with a scholarly air, really have the heart to watch my mother and me be destroyed and our family ruined?

I only lived in five of your rooms, right? I'm returning them to you now, not a single brick or tile will be touched! If you still won't budge, what kind of person are you? Heartless? A cold-blooded beast?

Seeing her crying with snot running down her face and trembling all over, many people in the courtyard felt a pang of sadness and quietly turned their faces away, unable to bear to look any longer.

Since they were neighbors in the same hospital, no one really wanted her to be dragged away and executed.

But Li Wenguo remained expressionless, and no one could fathom his thoughts, so no one dared to speak rashly.

Even Sha Zhu and Xu Damao, who usually wished for Jia Zhangshi to be imprisoned, swallowed hard and silently looked away.

Young people are still soft-hearted.

After Jia Zhangshi knelt and begged for a full ten minutes, her voice became hoarse, her tears dried, and her shoulders slumped, she finally stopped.

Li Wenguo slowly began to speak: "Comrade, I gave you a way out before, but you kicked it away and insisted on making a scene like this—it wasn't until you heard the words 'bullet' that you were terrified, knelt down and kowtowed, and cried like a baby."

"If I soften my heart today and let you go, will others follow your example in the future? Say a few words of 'I was wrong,' kneel down and kowtow a few times, and wipe away all the crimes of trespassing, robbery, and plunder? What about murder? Can you just kneel down and howl 'I regret it' three times and avoid being executed? Killing one is fine, killing ten is still fine—after all, tears are cheaper than bullets."

"That's what makes this world so chaotic."

"If someone makes a mistake and doesn't even receive a proper punishment, what's the point of having us comrades? Are we just here to fool people like door gods?"

That's right! If you can get away with anything by just wiping away a few tears and kowtowing a couple of times, then who will take the rules seriously anymore? The more pitiful you cry, the bolder you become—stealing grain today, robbing shops tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow you might even risk your life!

Hearing this, the neighbors in the courtyard were shocked. The tenderness they had felt at her wailing vanished like a thin mist swept away by the wind. Looking at Jia Zhangshi again, where was the trace of pitifulness? Clearly, she brought it upon herself; she deserved it!

"Absolutely right, Mr. Li's words hit the nail on the head! What use are we police officers if we don't resolutely curb this unhealthy trend?"

"With us here, no one dares to lay a hand on us, and no evil winds dare to blow!"

DouDing spoke with a straight face, each word spoken with unwavering certainty.

He turned to Li Wenguo and nodded solemnly: "Mr. Li, rest assured, we will never turn a blind eye to this kind of thing."

Finished!

It's completely over!

As Jia Zhangshi knelt on the ground, her body went limp, and she slumped down, her eyes vacant, as if her bones had been removed, leaving only a swaying shell.

Ugh……

Looks like I'll have to find another place to retire!

An elderly man named Yi Zhonghai sighed silently, feeling a chill run down his spine.

snort!

That old scoundrel has finally met his match!

Weren't you just jumping up and down, cursing me quite enthusiastically?

Your tongue must be tied in knots now!

Xu Damao's lips curled up, his heart filled with sweetness. The slight reluctance he felt earlier was completely washed away by this sweet taste.