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

"Guotai, when can I receive the postpartum allowance from the factory?"

Inside the room, Qin Huairu looked up at Li Guotai, her tone slightly probing.

"Huh? This?"

"I need to go back and investigate this matter immediately!"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Li Guotai's face.

The steel mill did offer a subsidy for pregnant women, but he didn't take it seriously at all—his father was well-off; why would he need to rely on such a small allowance? He didn't even bother to go through the formalities for Aunt Qin. Who would have thought she would take it so seriously?

To be honest, that little bit of money wasn't even enough for his dad to order two fancy dishes at a restaurant.

"Okay, then you keep an eye on things for me."

Qin Huairu didn't suspect anything and readily agreed.

But Li Jingtong, who was holding her child and gently patting and soothing him, smiled to herself, her heart filled with joy.

Li Guotai got up to leave after sitting for less than ten minutes.

After all, he's a man and he doesn't breastfeed, so staying by the delivery room would only be a hindrance.

Time flies by.

It was already four o'clock in the afternoon.

Li Guotai, carrying several presentable gift boxes, drove towards the government compound where Hu Ke'er's family lived.

This trip is a formal visit to meet the elders. Once this hurdle is overcome, the marriage is considered largely settled.

People back then were pure of heart and didn't play games. When looking for a partner, they just wanted someone reliable and compatible. If two people found each other pleasing to the eye and liked each other, the wedding would naturally follow.

"Brother Guotai, you can park the car here!"

As soon as we entered the compound, Hu Jianhua came up to us, his eyes sparkling and his voice full of joy.

He was overjoyed to be able to establish a relationship with Li Guotai as his brother-in-law and brother-in-law.

Both were in the steel rolling mill, and Li Guotai was a prominent middle-level manager. A little help from him would be better than anything else; not to mention he also had a car—borrowing it for a drive or running errands would be a piece of cake.

The two had barely stepped into the courtyard when Hu Jiandong arrived with Li Jinghan.

"Hello Uncle Hu, hello Aunt Hu, hello Grandpa Hu, hello Grandma Hu!"

At Hu Ke'er's introduction, Li Guotai bowed and greeted her, his voice clear and his demeanor steady.

Truly a dragon among men!

When they first met him, Hu's father and grandfather exchanged a glance and nodded to each other.

Li Guotai was tall and straight, with prominent brow bones, a high nose bridge, and a strikingly handsome face. Among the young people in the entire government compound, and even in the neighboring railway bureau, there was no one else as outstanding as him.

If you're still not satisfied, it would seem like you're being picky.

Mother Hu was overjoyed: her eldest son had married a beautiful wife, and her youngest daughter had married such a handsome son-in-law. It seemed that the appearance of her grandchildren would only continue to improve.

"Guotai, who are the members of your family?"

Mr. Hu picked up the enamel mug and slowly began to speak.

They already knew his work history; now all they needed to do was find out about his family background.

Li Guotai had prepared his words in advance: "Both parents are still alive. There are seven siblings in total: one eldest sister, three younger brothers, and two younger sisters."

He specifically emphasized "his own room," making it very clear.

If the other party doesn't pursue the matter further, he will never mention it again.

After all, this family structure was too unusual—Li Wenguo had repeatedly warned them not to scare them away.

The old man knew perfectly well: with such wealth, ordinary people might back down at first hearing, delaying their children's marriage prospects; it was better to keep a portion hidden for now.

Seven more brothers and sisters!

Exactly the same as Jinghan's house!

Mr. Hu, Mrs. Hu, and Grandpa Hu were all taken aback.

"Where does your father work?"

Mr. Hu put down his teacup, his tone slightly somber.

My father was a businessman.

merchant?

Several elders frowned slightly.

Although policies have loosened restrictions on private businesses, the paths taken are ultimately different—their family closely follows the organization's lead, and if disagreements arise in the future, it's hard to guarantee that estrangement won't occur.

It may not really come to that, but the instinctive hesitation in my heart is hard to suppress.

Afterwards, Mr. Hu asked a few more questions, which Li Guotai answered one by one, with a respectful yet assertive attitude and clear reasoning. Overall, the impression was satisfactory.

When they heard that he was a top student who graduated from Peking University, the elders' eyes lit up.

Such talents should have gone to ministries or research institutes, but they chose a state-owned steel rolling mill instead—it's a pity, but it also shows their pragmatism and sense of responsibility.

As for the scene at the Western restaurant that day, where Hu Ke'er witnessed Li Wenguo and He Shuting, she was afraid of causing any complications and simply didn't mention it at all. Therefore, the Hu family is still kept in the dark.

After the basic terms were agreed upon, although he had some reservations about the businessman's identity, he figured his daughter would eventually marry into the family, so he nodded in agreement.

In other words, as long as Li Guotai brings Hu Ke'er back to the Li family to formally acknowledge their relationship, the two families can choose an auspicious day to hold the wedding.

"Jiandong's back? Guotai, come, let's take a seat and eat!"

Having agreed, the Hu family immediately became very warm towards Li Guotai, treating him with exceptional hospitality.

Hu Ke'er lowered her eyes, her cheeks flushed, but the corners of her mouth subtly turned up, impossible to hide.

Li Guotai immediately decided: Next Sunday, he would take Hu Ke'er back to the Li family home to meet his parents.

"Jiandong, Jinghan, dinner's ready! Come on, let's sit down!"

At first, when Li Guotai heard the name "Jiandong," he thought it sounded familiar but didn't pay much attention to it—the name was too ordinary. But as soon as "Jinghan" came out, he stopped abruptly in his tracks as he was about to step into the kitchen, his back stiffened, and his mind instantly cleared: Wasn't this his older sister and future brother-in-law?

The turn was so fast it felt like being pulled by a string.

really!

The two stood by the entrance, their smiles still lingering.

"Guotai, what's wrong?"

"You turned back halfway?"

Hu Ke'er was beside him when she saw him suddenly stop and turn around, and she frowned in puzzlement.

"Hey? Guotai? What are you doing here?"

Over there, Hu Jiandong and Li Jinghan also recognized him. Li Jinghan blurted out, a hint of surprise appearing in her eyes.

"Guotai? Aren't you Jinghan's younger brother? What are you doing... at our house?"

Hu Jiandong was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized—wasn't his sister bringing her boyfriend to meet their parents today? He slapped his forehead and laughed out loud.

"Huh? You...know each other?"

Hu Ke'er opened her mouth subconsciously, and her voice trembled.

"Still...still the younger brother?"

She raised her hand, pressed her fingertips to her lips, and stared wide-eyed.

This is outrageous!

The person he was dating turned out to be his future sister-in-law's younger brother?

Her heart tightened, and her mind went blank.

Hu Jianhua glanced back and forth: his brother and Li Jinghan, his sister and Li Guotai. His eyes darted back and forth across the four faces, his mouth slightly agape, before he froze completely.

Did they really collide?

The siblings, one married and the other married, both ended up in the Hu family.

What kind of bad luck is this?

"So Ke'er is Jian Dong's sister!"

Li Guotai looked at Hu Ke'er, his tone light and cheerful, as if a layer of fog had been lifted.

The air at the dinner table felt heavy.

Everyone lowered their heads and ate their rice, and no one said much.

Hu Ke'er, Hu Jiandong, and Hu's mother kept glancing at Li Jinghan and Li Guotai, their eyes full of undisguised scrutiny and probing.

Mr. Hu, Mr. Hu, and Mrs. Hu remained as steady as a rock, slowly picking at their food and drinking their soup, their expressions calm, as if the marriage between the siblings was nothing more than an extra grain of rice in their bowls, not worth mentioning.

After dinner, Li Guotai drove his sister home, and the Hu family then gathered in the living room to chat in hushed tones.

"Wow, this is such an astonishing coincidence!"

"Guotai is actually Jinghan's younger brother?"

Mrs. Hu was the first to lose her composure, her voice filled with a mixture of surprise and bewilderment.

"Indeed! Out of millions of households in the capital, this couple just happened to be one of them—a brother and sister, one entering the family, the other getting married, they've got it all!"

Hu Jianhua clicked his tongue and shook his head, rubbing his fingers as he spoke, still feeling like he was listening to a story.

"I'm convinced that this is a destiny ordained by heaven. The red thread between the Hu and Li families was tied long ago."

Hu Ke'er's eyes lit up, her love-struck mind burning brightly—she had finally met someone who suited her perfectly, and he was the one for her in this life.

"Sigh... I'm not trying to nitpick, but the Li family is in business after all. It's a bit awkward for us to become even closer through marriage."

Mother Hu frowned again, muttering to herself, though she was already mostly relieved; she just habitually tried to say something.

"Mom, don't say anymore! I've got my heart set on Guotai, and no one can persuade me otherwise. I won't marry anyone else!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Ke'er became anxious, raised her voice, and became resolute, fearing any unforeseen complications.

"Stop arguing! The wedding date is already set, can it be canceled? Besides, children and grandchildren have their own lives to live!"

Grandpa Hu put down his chopsticks, his voice not loud, but enough to silence the entire room.

He was a man of his word at home, so Hu's mother immediately shut up, only letting out a soft sigh—she hadn't intended to stop him anyway, she just wanted peace of mind.

"Alright, that's settled. Don't bring up old grievances or gossip in the future."

Mr. Hu also gave his approval. He knew perfectly well that the Li family had He Shuting backing them up; they were no ordinary merchant family.

Hu Jiandong and Hu Ke'er exchanged a smile, their hearts finally settling back into place.

the other side.

As soon as Li Jinghan and Li Guotai stepped into the house, they told their father, Li Wenguo, about it.

Li Wenguo was holding Xiu Xiu's baby girl, who had been born three months ago. The little one was sleeping soundly with her fists clenched. After listening, he simply nodded and said, "Oh, what a coincidence."

"But it's alright. I've met your father-in-law; he's reliable and doesn't talk much. Once he's agreed, he won't go back on his word."

Moreover, the other party already knew that He Shuting was his wife, so this marriage was more secure than gold.

Li Jinghan and Li Guotai looked at each other, smiled, nodded, and went back to their rooms.

at night.

Inside Xu Wanqing's room.

The high-pitched note had just faded away, and only the sound of even breathing remained in the room.

"Sir, can I discuss something with you?"

She leaned against his chest, her fingertips slowly tracing circles on his chest, her breath warm and gentle.

"speak."

He exhaled a puff of cigar smoke, and bluish-white vapor slowly rose.

"I want Guowen to study in the United States and Guoan to gain experience in Hong Kong."

Chinese Literature is seventeen, the eldest; National Security is sixteen, the second eldest.

Upon hearing this, Li Wenguo's brows furrowed slightly.

Ever since Xianglan urged Li Guowu to go to Hong Kong, Li Wenguo had a bad feeling – this woman wasn't sending her son to gain prestige, but clearly wanted to place people there as soon as possible to keep an eye on the family business.

This time, Xu Wanqing was even more straightforward: one to the United States, and the other to Hong Kong, her intentions even more blatant than before.

"I'm telling you, you bunch of jealous fools! I'm as lively and energetic as ever, with barely a few gray hairs, and you're already in such a hurry to divide the inheritance? You're all too greedy!"

Li Wenguo leaned against the headboard. Before he finished speaking, his hand had already slipped under the covers, grabbed Xu Wanqing's waist, and twisted it half a circle with his fingertips.

"Ouch—you're so heavy-handed!"

Her eyes sparkled, and the corners of her lips curled up slightly, her reproachful expression both soft and alluring.

She remained calm even after being exposed. As the legal wife, it was a foregone conclusion who would inherit the lion's share. It was only natural to send two young men to scout the place out in advance.

"Heavy? I think you're just asking for trouble!"