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

"Director Li, this is my mother."

"Mother, this is Li Guotai, the director of the personnel department of the steel rolling mill."

Hu Jianhua made a smooth introduction.

"Auntie, I'm so sorry I accidentally bumped into your daughter yesterday. I came all this way to visit you today as a small token of my appreciation. Please don't mind."

Li Guotai spoke in a warm voice, bowed respectfully, and gently placed the items on the octagonal table.

"Oh, it's good that everyone is safe and sound. There's no need to go to so much trouble! You've really gone to so much trouble..."

He had originally planned to give the man a cold scolding, but the man in front of him was handsome and humble, and he couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh.

Now she finally understood why her daughter had been so insistent on speaking up for him—if it were her, she probably wouldn't have been able to get angry either.

Hu Ke'er peeked at him from the doorway, her heart pounding faster and faster as she looked, her fingers secretly clenching the hem of her clothes: If only he were really my boyfriend...

"Of course, of course."

Li Guotai made a polite remark, then turned his gaze to Hu Ke'er, his tone softening further, "Comrade Hu, does your knee still hurt?"

"It's much better now! Walk slowly, it won't be a problem."

Hu Ke'er quickly agreed, her voice softer than usual.

"That's good. If the back is still swollen or painful, just let Jianhua tell me and I'll drive over to pick you up for a dressing change."

"Thank you so much, but that's too much trouble!"

"No trouble at all!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Guotai got up to take his leave, and Hu Jianhua hurriedly chased after him to see him off.

"Mother! Why don't you invite them to stay for a meal?"

Hu Ke'er stamped her feet, her tone full of frustration, clearly hoping he would stay a little longer.

"It's the first time we've met, and we're not even familiar with each other. What kind of talk is it to insist that someone stay for dinner?"

"He's not your colleague, classmate, or friend."

Mrs. Hu waved her hand dismissively.

"But he's Jianhua's direct superior!"

Hu Ke'er got anxious and blurted it out.

"That's not a reason to offer food."

Mrs. Hu narrowed her eyes, then suddenly leaned closer. "Tell me the truth—have you taken a liking to him?"

"Yes! I want to date him, Mom, what do you think?"

"this……"

Mrs. Hu instinctively wanted to find fault, but the words caught in her throat—

His appearance, speech, sincerity, and manners were all impeccable.

Finally, he could only sigh and say, "You don't even know how many people are in their family, where they live, or what they do for a living, and you're already in such a hurry to get into a relationship? Don't you have any self-awareness?"

"Let's ask Jianhua when he gets back! He worked at the steel rolling mill for three years, so he might know about Director Li's finances."

Hu Ke'er blinked, her tone resolute.

A short while later, Hu Jianhua pushed open the door and entered the room.

"Well, I can't say for sure about this, but Director Li's background is definitely not ordinary—he secured his position as the director of the personnel department right when the steel rolling mill was first established."

"Ordinary people want to get into a steel rolling mill? No way! Take me for example, if it weren't for my father's old connections, how could I have gotten this secure job?"

"Besides, Director Li's position is a level higher than mine, and his backing is probably much stronger!"

Hu Jianhua pondered for a moment before slowly uttering these words.

Li Wenguo never revealed his father-son relationship with Li Guotai in the factory. Throughout the entire steel rolling mill, apart from his brother-in-law Lou Zhenhua, no one else knew anything about it.

"Mom, did you hear that? He has impeccable family background and is a perfect match for me!"

Hu Ke'er's eyebrows and eyes were curved, and the corners of her mouth were almost upturned to her ears.

"Sigh! My daughter's grown up, and her heart has wandered off!"

Seeing that her daughter was determined to date Li Guotai, Hu's mother shook her head and sighed softly.

But she had already planned in her heart: the next time she saw Li Guotai, she would have to subtly probe him to find out more about his family background.

In truth, she also felt that this young man was a respectable, reliable, and substantial son-in-law.

Hu Ke'er took the initiative and actually got it done.

As the saying goes, it's easy for a woman to pursue a man—especially since Li Guotai is twenty-three this year, well past the age for marriage. Although his father, Li Wenguo, asked the matchmaker, Aunt Zhang, to look around, how could Aunt Zhang easily reach a powerful family like the Hu family, which is deeply rooted in the government compound?

Most of the families she introduced to Li Wenguo declined; the few that did come from prominent families were simply not attractive enough for the girls. As a result, his sons grew older, but their marriages remained unresolved, and no suitable match was found.

As for Hu Ke'er, Li Guotai was quite fond of her as well—although she couldn't compare to his older sisters, she was still a top-notch girl, and in terms of demeanor and conversation, she was no less than his older brother's fiancée. After thinking it over, he nodded in agreement.

It was evening.

Outside the railway bureau gate.

Li Wenguo stood in the shadow of the sycamore tree and looked up at his watch.

I came here today specifically to pick up He Shuting for dinner and to chat about my eldest son Li Guohua's wedding date.

It's already October, the autumn air is crisp and clear, and there are many auspicious days. According to old custom, most happy events are held at the end of the year.

"Mr. Li, you've arrived!"

Binzi, He Shuting's personal driver, who was waiting at the door, immediately jogged up to greet her.

"Shu Ting hasn't come out yet?"

Li Wenguo asked casually.

"Not yet, they're probably still having a meeting to discuss the final tasks."

As the mayor of the capital, He Shuting's schedule is packed. She is busy from the moment she opens her eyes until the lights go out, and she even has to time her drinking water carefully.

She was truly exhausted, but she did it willingly. The older generation carried faith and responsibility deep in their hearts, hoping only to build a stronger and more prosperous nation.

"I'll pick her up for dinner later, then we'll head back to Sai Kwok Estate. Bin, you can leave now."

Li Wenguo waved his hand.

"Alright, Mr. Li!!!"

Binzi nimbly jumped into the car and sped away.

Li Wenguo took out a Cuban cigar, slowly cut off the cap, lit it, and wisps of smoke rose into the air.

This cigar was handed to him by his eldest son, Alex, when he flew back from the United States to visit last year.

The siblings take turns caring for their parents, in two-year shifts—this year Alex brings his younger siblings, and next year it will be Alice's turn to lead the team.

Now Alex and Alice are both twenty-four years old, Cambridge graduates, and have taken over several core businesses of the Li Sai Group, helping their mother Selena share the burden and no longer leaving her to work herself to the bone.

Not long after.

He Shuting linked arms with Hu Chongde, the director of the railway bureau, and several bureau leaders followed behind them as they walked out of the gate together.

Hu Chongde lagged slightly behind, his attitude respectful: "Thank you, Mayor He, for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and provide guidance!"

Today, He Shuting is here at the railway bureau for on-site research.

"Director Hu has taken the lead in doing solid work, and the team has a strong work style. We hope they will continue to maintain this."

He Shuting spoke calmly, yet every word was powerful.

In the blink of an eye, the two had approached Li Wenguo.

"Director Hu, this is my wife, Li Wenguo."

"Wen Guo, this is Hu Chongde, the director of the railway bureau."

He Shuting naturally took her husband's arm and introduced him with a smile.

Hu Chongde!

Railway Bureau Chief!

Isn't this Hu Jiandong's dad? Hanhan's future father-in-law?

Li Wenguo was startled and almost blurted it out.

He had already thoroughly investigated Hu Jiandong's family background, and it was exactly as he had predicted.

Hu Chongde was also secretly surprised—Li Wenguo, who looked to be only in his early thirties, stood next to He Shuting, who was forty-four years old, and there was no sense of incongruity between them.

He was slightly taken aback, but then he remembered that He Shuting was always radiant and had an outstanding temperament, just like an elegant lady in her thirties, and he understood: no wonder her husband was so young and handsome.

"Hello, Mr. Li!"

"Hello, Director Hu!"

The two reached out and shook hands, their smiles warm and their manners impeccable.

"Director Hu, do you have a son named Hu Jiandong?"

A perfectly measured hesitation appeared on Li Wenguo's face, his tone carrying a tentative warmth.

Since they had already run into each other, and the children had secretly arranged a meeting between their parents, Hu Chongde knew perfectly well that Li Wenguo already knew his father-in-law was the head of the railway bureau. Pretending not to know him or not taking the initiative to strike up a conversation would seem distant and impolite.

"Oh? Mr. Li actually recognizes my son?"

When Hu Chongde met Li Wenguo for the first time, he was unaware that Li was both the deputy director of the steel rolling mill and a shareholder. Hearing this, he was slightly taken aback, raised his eyebrows slightly, and wondered: How did Mayor He's husband get involved with his own son?

"Haha, to tell you the truth—we're practically in-laws!"

Li Wenguo laughed heartily, his eyes relaxing.

relatives by marriage?

Oh! Could it be that Li Jinghan is his daughter?

Something's not right... If she's Mayor He's biological daughter, why would she keep this from me?

He hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked, "Jinghan... is she your daughter?"

"Exactly!"

Li Wenguo nodded decisively.

"Oh my—Jinghan is dating Director Hu's son!"

……

He Shuting was also taken aback, and subconsciously pinched her palm, feeling that this coincidence was a bit unexpected.

Could it be that Jinghan is really Mayor He's biological daughter?

Hu Chongde glanced at her expression, which was both familiar and astonished—she clearly recognized Li Jinghan, but had no idea that she and his son were holding hands. His mind immediately went blank.

Seeing his unfocused gaze, He Shuting smiled and continued the conversation:

"Hehe, please don't be offended by what I'm saying—my husband took a concubine before the liberation. Jinghan is my daughter in name only. Although she's not my biological daughter, I've raised her since she was little and treated her like my own."

These words carried a different weight: they preserved Jinghan's dignity and paved the way for her to enter the family in the future.

"I see!"

Hu Chongde suddenly understood, and a smile spread across his face.

This is actually not unusual—the People's Republic of China had only been established for a few years. During the Republic of China era, it was common for wealthy families to have three wives and four concubines.

"Oh my, it's my father-in-law! I've heard so much about you! I never expected to run into you here today!"

He immediately put on a warm smile and reached out to shake hands.

They were both top students, and he clearly heard He Shuting say "my daughter," and understood the nuances behind it.

"Indeed, what a coincidence! I didn't expect Shuting to come to the railway bureau today. Come to think of it, our two families really have a deep connection."

Li Wenguo smiled and agreed, his tone gentle yet weighty.

After a few polite words, they bowed to each other and said goodbye.

"I never expected that Jinghan would actually get together with Director Hu's son."

On the way back, He Shuting sighed softly, casually slapped away her husband's hand that was gently rubbing against her thigh, and quickly glanced at the front and rear windows of the car—it was rush hour, and the streets were full of employees in work clothes. If someone saw her, where would she put her face as mayor?

"Want to touch? You can touch as much as you want when we get home."

Seeing her husband reach out again, she had to lower her voice to remind him, and the man reluctantly withdrew his hand.