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

The night is getting darker.

Sai Guohao's bedroom, Wen Keyi's bedroom.

"Keyi, did a man come to see you today?"

At the crucial moment, Li Wenguo suddenly stopped moving.

……

"Sir, don't stop! We can talk later!"

Wen Keyi felt her heart burning and her whole body going weak.

"Tell me quickly! If you don't, I'll keep you waiting, hehe!"

"Fei Shibin—my senior at Peking University. I was a little attracted to him back then, but ever since you practically 'snatched' him into my life, he's been completely out of my mind."

Wen Keyi hurriedly blurted out the truth.

"Oh? Is he the one who led the parade back then? Tall, fair-skinned, and very polite?"

Li Wenguo squinted and asked. That year, when he had just transmigrated, he witnessed that scene: under the old brick wall, she had two braids and was standing shoulder to shoulder with the boy, shouting slogans, her eyes shining like they were filled with stars—the image is still as clear as yesterday.

"Yes, yes, that's him!"

"Huh? How do you even know that, sir?"

……

Wen Keyi was suddenly taken aback: More than ten years have passed, how could her husband remember it so clearly?

"Let me tell you another one—that day when the patrol officers caught up with you, weren't you chased into a narrow alley by a shifty-looking guy, and almost dragged away?"

He deliberately lowered his voice.

"That's right! That was a close call. I even lost a shoe while running, and then the patrolman suddenly collapsed for no reason, which gave me the chance to jump over the wall and escape..."

She took a breath, looked up suspiciously, and said, "But how come you know so much about this than I do?"

Wen Keyi looked up at the man on top of her, her eyes filled with astonishment.

"Because—the foot that tripped him was the one that Grandpa put out."

Li Wenguo grinned. "Otherwise, you would have been groped by that lecherous patrolman long ago. There wouldn't be a chance for me to pamper you, hehe!"

"I hate you, sir!"

Wen Keyi's cheeks flushed red. She first said coquettishly, then her eyes suddenly shifted: "So you were the one who saved me back then... No, you were probably eyeing me back then, weren't you?"

After sharing a bed for so many years, she had long since figured out this man's temperament—he only liked to pick the ripest fruit. That greedy look he had back then was probably aimed at her.

"Of course! I've been searching for you for six whole years, going through three different matchmakers, but I still couldn't find out where you are."

"But didn't you still lock him in your house ten years ago?"

Wen Keyi covered her lips and chuckled softly, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

"Hehe, what I set my sights on never fails to come true."

"You're really good at bragging! Hurry up, the fire's about to cool down—"

Her eyes sparkled, her fingertips hooked around the back of his neck, and her voice was as soft as melting honey.

Li Wenguo moved with the momentum, his waist and hips sinking, reigniting the blazing flames.

Early the next morning.

East Gate of Peking University.

A shiny black sedan came to a smooth stop.

After her husband gentlemanly opened the car door, Wen Keyi stepped out gracefully.

Her skirt swayed slightly, her figure was exquisite, and her eyebrows and eyes were so delicate that they looked like they were painted with fine brushstrokes, yet she also exuded a gentle and calm mature charm—students thought she was a new senior student, and teachers exclaimed, "Peking University's number one beauty."

Li Wenguo had long since figured it out: her baby face was deceptive; in reality, she already possessed a charm that exuded three parts elegance, five parts composure, and ten parts allure.

So every few days he would personally drive her to work, not to save trouble, but to let the whole Peking University campus know that this stunning female teacher was already firmly in his grasp.

"I'll go in with you."

He reached out to put his arm around her shoulder and wanted to escort her all the way to the teaching and research building.

"No need! Everyone in the school knows you're a 'wife-protecting maniac' these days. Besides, you're neither a student nor do you have an employee ID. If you force your way in, Old Zhang from the security office will have to scratch his head and write a report again."

Wen Keyi rolled her eyes playfully, her tone a mix of helplessness and sweetness.

"Pfft—"

A soft, suppressed laugh came from the side.

Li Jingya stood there, eighteen years old, with willow-leaf eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, her light blue dress making her look delicate and ethereal. She was He Shuting's second daughter, whom she had brought from Sai Guohao's house this morning on her way. Li Wenguo himself had lost count of how many daughters she had.

What are you laughing at?

Li Wenguo frowned and immediately adopted a parental tone, "Jingya, listen up—if you dare to hold hands with a boy at Peking University, I'll break your legs!"

"Huh? No, no, no! Jingya definitely hasn't been in a relationship!"

She immediately shrank her shoulders and hugged her arms, her voice trembling.

Because his daughter was so outstanding, Li Wenguo was always afraid that some young man, unaware of her true nature, would rashly seduce her. He often gave the boys who surrounded his daughter a warning.

"Alright, what kind of father talks to his child like that?"

"Jingya, let's go into the school gate."

Wen Keyi took the hand of the slightly hesitant Li Jingya and quickly walked through the west gate of Peking University.

"Dad, you've brought Aunt Wen to school again!"

Before he finished speaking, Haozi brought his gleaming Volga sedan to a smooth stop, and then gave all four of the Li family's children a ride to the school gate.

"dad!"

"dad!"

His two sons and two daughters stood in a row, bowing to Li Wenguo in greeting.

This attracted the attention of teachers and students entering and leaving the school, who stopped and looked around.

Wow, this family is amazing!

How come kids get into Peking University every year?

"Yes, everyone go inside and study hard, you hear me?"

Li Wenguo stood with his hands behind his back and his chest out, his brows revealing an air of authority that commanded respect without anger.

His children are so successful, he, as their father, has to keep up appearances and not let others look down on him.

He had already planned ahead for these top students from Peking University: he would arrange for them all to work in government agencies and secure stable jobs.

After all, private trade will be entirely state-owned in the future, and the identity of a businessman will eventually fade out of the scene—are we really going to let them go home and count the plaster on the walls and bask in the sun?

Now that he has some free time, Li Wenguo plans to go back to the courtyard house to see Qin Huairu and spend some time with his youngest son, Li Guoxuan.

As for the matter of the machinery factory, garment factory, No. 1 steel rolling mill and other units vying to allocate land to build apartment buildings yesterday, it was handed over to his brother-in-law Lou Zhenhua and his second son Li Guofu to handle.

When Li Guofu graduated from Peking University, Li Wenguo was just setting up a business group in Beijing. His father summoned him back to his side to manage accounts and affairs, so he didn't take the government route at all.

This is also why Hongyu hasn't been blowing on her pillow lately.

A month later, it was Li Wenguo's eldest daughter's turn to get married.

He had declared long ago that he would give his daughter a lavish dowry when she got married.

As a result, the Hu family was almost stunned—

The dowry list prominently displayed: two million yuan worth of brand-new "Great Unity" brand cars, a Hongqi brand sedan, a prime commercial property in Dongcheng District, a 150-square-meter fully furnished apartment, and 88 jin of various gold ornaments.

Just looking at the first headline is enough to make your eyes dizzy.

Two million, which is equivalent to two hundred million now!

At that time, the average worker's monthly income was only a few dozen or a hundred yuan. What was the concept of that amount of money?

It's like the whole family suddenly jumped into the circle of the super-rich, and the top of the elite!

The Hu family comes from a prestigious government compound; how could they dare to take on this hot potato?

"No, no! Besides that apartment, pick out a few gold items as a token, but return everything else!"

Mr. Hu's face tightened, and he made the decision on the spot.

If they accept this money, will the organization still tolerate their family?

The clerks have always been clean and honest, with nothing to their name. Anyone who takes the lead in breaking the rules will sooner or later be expelled from the circle and become a wandering ghost.

"Wow, the Li family... they really have mountains of gold and silver!"

Mrs. Hu gasped.

"Two million? My God! That's enough for me to live on for a lifetime, no, five lifetimes, no, ten lifetimes!"

Hu Jianhua exclaimed in amazement, but his eyes gleamed, and a hint of craving crept into his heart.

They gave it away so easily; their confidence is truly enviable!

"We must withdraw! I've dedicated my life to revolutionary work, and I know better than anyone how much trouble this money can cause—in short, we cannot keep it!"

My great-uncle rushed back from the army overnight, his face as stern as an iron plate.

"Then...then...let's cancel!"

Hu's mother stammered in response, her voice weak.

As the saying goes, wealth stirs the heart. With a mountain of gold piled up before you, no one's heart can help but flutter.

"Dad, Mom, Grandpa, we should at least keep some of this money as a token gesture, how about 100,000?"

Seeing his father's eyes harden, Hu Jianhua immediately softened his tone, "Uh... fifty thousand?"

"How about... ten thousand?"

"Fine, fine, a thousand should be alright, right?"

He spoke lower and lower, his head drooping deeper and deeper, his shoulders slumping.

"Not a single cent is allowed."

Hu's father's voice was deep and muffled like thunder.

Hu Jianhua sighed deeply, and just as he lowered his head, he suddenly looked up again: "We don't want the money, but that Hongqi car... can we at least keep it? It's not considered cash anyway."

Young people, who doesn't dream of stepping on the gas and hearing the roar?

"no."

Mr. Hu was resolute.

"well……"

Hu Jianhua immediately wilted like a frostbitten eggplant, and even his shoulders slumped.

"Ke'er, what are you rummaging through there for?"

Mr. Hu caught a glimpse of his daughter leaning over the heavy gold box, her fingers flying as she picked through it.

"Dad, with so much jewelry, I'll pick a few pieces to wear when I marry Guotai. It'll look so elegant!"

Hu Ke'er didn't even look up. She picked up a red-gold phoenix hairpin with her fingertips and shook it in the sunlight.

She was the daughter of the Li family, but after marriage she became a member of a different family. The dowry sent by the Li family had nothing to do with her. She only had her eyes on that box of goldware.

"Nonsense! I thought you were picking it out for your sister-in-law, but it turns out you just had your eye on it? Put it back right now!"

"Father Hu said in a deep voice."

"Dad, with so much gold jewelry, who's bothered if I take a few pieces?"

Hu Ke'er pouted, her voice full of resentment.

"Cathay is also a member of the Li family. When the inheritance is divided, will you be left out?"

Hu's mother gently advised, her tone soft yet weighty.

Hu Ke'er lowered her head and thought for a moment, then nodded and let go.

Ultimately, Mr. Hu personally negotiated with Li Wenguo: the wedding house would only require an apartment building, and the bride price would be only ten yuan in cash, two jin and eight liang of gold—a pair of gold bracelets, a gold chain, two pairs of gold earrings, and two gold rings.

It's less than one ten-thousandth of the original bride price.

Li Wenguo entrusted the rest of the money to Xianglan for safekeeping. Ostensibly, it was a favor, but in reality, it had already quietly fallen into her hands.

The promise made back then, "Having one more child means getting a larger share of the family business," has been steadily fulfilled.

A year has passed in the blink of an eye.

It was the end of 1955.

A nationwide wave of public-private partnerships swept across the country, with all sectors being brought under state control.

All the shops, factories, and warehouses under Li Wenguo and Lou Zhenhua's names were transferred to public management overnight, with the two retaining only the right to receive dividends.

Li Wenguo had anticipated this, which made him feel relaxed and happy to be a carefree rich man. He had top chefs at home who could serve him delicacies whenever he wanted. He was surrounded by beautiful women in his house. Besides, he rarely got involved in domestic business and knew very well that if he really wanted to make a big move, he would have to wait until the 1980s to truly open the floodgates.

But Lou Zhenhua, the brother-in-law, couldn't sit still.