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

Such a thing really happened—the daughter had secretly started dating the Li family's son, but both families were kept in the dark, each plotting their own marriage; even more absurdly, the marriage was arranged without any prior agreement, and the person chosen was an "outsider." After all that fuss, it was all a series of misunderstandings and unforeseen events.

Anyone would exclaim: This is bizarre!

"So, Mr. Li, what you mean is...?"

Father Kong already knew perfectly well what was going on—it was simply a matter of changing the engagement partner to Li Guoyu. His nod was perfectly logical. Either way, they were both from the Li family; it was a good match, respectable, and it would strengthen family ties—why not?

"Brother Kong, I'm thinking, why don't we officially register Guoyu and your daughter's relationship? The two children are already in love, and we, as their elders, can't just forcibly separate them, don't you think?"

Li Wenguo smiled warmly, but his tone was firm.

"Oh dear, look at the mess we've made! We almost got completely lost!" Father Kong sighed, spreading his hands with a wry smile, as if fate had played a cruel joke on him. "Alright, we'll do it your way!"

She turned and waved to her youngest son, "Liuhui, go and call your sister down!"

"Alright!"

Kong Liuhui raised his voice, turned around and ran, his steps as light as if he were riding on wheels of fire.

Sister, your luck is absolutely amazing!

The mountains and rivers seem to block the way, but then a village appears amidst the willows and flowers!

He rushed to his sister's door, taking three steps at a time. As soon as his ear touched the door, he heard suppressed sobs coming from inside, "Ugh...ugh...", intermittent and muffled, stuck in her throat.

Kong Liuhui's heart tightened, and he raised his hand to bang on the door: "Sister! Open the door quickly! This is a wonderful occasion! If you don't come out now, the show will be over!"

The door creaked open.

Kong Liuting's eyes were red-rimmed, her eyelashes were wet and stuck together, she held onto the door frame with one hand, staring at her younger brother with a mixture of anxiety and eagerness, her lips slightly parted, clearly waiting for a lifeline.

"Um... Sis, why don't you go take a look in the living room yourself?"

At the crucial moment, the kid suddenly became mysterious, a smirk playing on his lips, and then turned and slipped away.

"Stop right there! What's going on? Explain yourself!" she said, stamping her foot in frustration.

"You'll see when you get out." He didn't turn around, leaving only a swaying silhouette.

Kong Liuting bit her lip in anger, then lifted her skirt and chased after him.

The thought that lingered in her mind was simple yet urgent: Uncle Li was here, probably to annul the engagement—then she could finally breathe a sigh of relief and regain her freedom.

My heart pounded all the way, filled with both fear and anticipation, like I was holding a live sparrow in my arms.

She had just stepped into the living room when she suddenly stopped.

Li Guoyu sat there next to Li Wenguo, wearing a clean and neat shirt, smiling at her with eyes that were dazzlingly bright.

Her mind went completely blank.

Could it be...?

A thunderous thought struck her mind, making her fingertips go numb.

As expected! Li Guoyu is actually Li Wenguo's biological son. This time, he didn't come to annul the engagement, but to make up for it—to make up for her marriage with him!

Happiness came too suddenly, like a handful of scalding hot syrup, instantly extinguishing all her grievances and bitterness. Her cheeks burned, her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes, and her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of her chest.

Not long after, Li Wenguo and Li Guoyu got up to say goodbye.

"Oh, Tingting, this is a blessing from God."

Mr. Kong patted his daughter's shoulder gently, then turned and went back into the house, his back view revealing a sense of relief.

Outside the courtyard gate, the evening breeze rustled through the sycamore leaves.

"Dad, thank you!"

Li Guoyu stood up straight, his voice clear and bright, his face showing undisguised ease and respect.

"snort!"

His response was a short, cold, and harsh nasal sound.

Li Wenguo glanced sideways, his brows furrowed with lingering anger—the old grudge of "eloping with someone" was still fresh in his mind.

But once they were in the car, he still said in a deep voice, "After you start a family, you'll have to shoulder responsibilities. Don't always think about running away and making a fool of yourself!"

These words, though harsh, left room for maneuver. After all, he was his own son; he couldn't possibly be as terrible as the words suggested. It was just that this time he had acted too rashly and without thinking, which made him so angry that his liver ached.

"Dad, don't worry! I swear, I'll never do it again!"

Li Guoyu patted his chest, his eyes shining with joy.

Li Wenguo stared at that young and determined face, but felt inexplicably choked up.

Oh shit!

If I don't teach those two girls a lesson when I get back, how can I swallow this insult?

He had made up his mind: first, he would call Keyi over and have her kneel on the study floor with Keren to "review" the family rules!

After Qin Huairu gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Li Wenguo took Lou Meie on a ship south to Hong Kong.

"Grandpa, how come you're so clever!"

The night was thick and dark. In a quiet and secluded corner of the stern cabin of the passenger ship, Lou Meie leaned against the rusty railing, her cheeks flushed, her voice soft as honey, her reproach tinged with a hint of drunkenness and a touch of coquettish charm.

"Hehe, if we don't try something new, how can we keep our hearts together? How can we keep our lives warm?" Li Wenguo grinned, a few sly wrinkles appearing at the corners of his eyes.

"Tch! You're clearly the one being pretentious, but you insist on wrapping yourself in a sugar wrapper and saying pretty things."

Lou Meie raised an eyebrow, her tone full of disdain.

"So—do you like it or not?"

He suddenly moved closer from behind, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe.

"I like!"

She spoke in a very low voice, but the tips of her ears were quietly turning red.

She's almost forty, but that shyness hasn't faded at all; instead, it's like aged wine, getting better with time.

With every gesture, her charm only increased, her waist remained supple, and her eyes still held a spring-like quality—she was the epitome of a mature and alluring young woman.

A few days later, the passenger ship slowly docked at Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is changing rapidly, truly transforming its appearance every year.

Stepping back into the same old place, I found that even the signs had changed three times, and the streetscape had been completely transformed.

Lou Meie had not set foot here for several years. As soon as she stepped off the boat, she was stunned by the brand-new atmosphere that greeted her – skyscrapers pierced the clouds, neon lights stayed up all night, traffic flowed like a river, and crowds surged, everywhere exuding an irrepressible vigor.

On the mountainside of Victoria Peak, a gray and white European-style mansion lies quietly nestled among the trees.

In the conference room, at the end of the long table sat a foreigner with distinct features, a high nose, and a steady gaze.

On both sides stood a row of men in sharp suits: their ties were perfectly tied, their hair was slicked back, their watches were shiny, and their shoes were dazzling; each of them exuded the air of seasoned veterans.

"It is a great honor to have you, industry leaders, take time out of your busy schedules to attend."

Mai Lihao stood up, his smile humble, his tone unhurried.

He was a key official in the Governor's Office in charge of economic affairs, and would later wield power in Hong Kong for ten years.

"You flatter me too much!"

Everyone nodded in unison, responding crisply and decisively.

If a local Hong Kong resident were to accidentally wander in, he would probably be trembling on the spot—the room was packed with people: real estate tycoons, shipping giants, bank leaders, and industrial behemoths.

On the left, seated prominently, was Li Guoping, Li Wenguo's eldest son.

At twenty-eight, he wore a pair of gold-rimmed glasses with non-reflective lenses, purely to complement his capable appearance; his eyes were clear and bright, his posture was relaxed and upright, and his whole being exuded a calm and composed demeanor befitting someone who had long held a high position.

Sitting below him were his half-brothers, Li Guowu and Li Guosheng—one twenty-seven, the other twenty-six, with broad brows, composed demeanor, and an air of nobility that came from a distinguished family.

Next up are the sons of Haozi, Dayan Binzi, Dafei, and others, all around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. They all have determined expressions and sharp eyes, looking like they are about to take over.

The man leading on the right was a middle-aged man in his early fifties with a chiseled face and an imposing presence—Lou Zhenhua.

In just a few years, with his substantial capital and the strong support of his brother-in-law Li family, he carved out a niche for himself in Hong Kong and became a rising star who rivaled the established powers.

The men behind him were the founders of the four major families that would later dominate Hong Kong for decades. They were only in their early thirties at the time, but their brows already revealed their sharpness and ambition.

"The Governor's Office will bet its main focus on this area for the next ten years."

Mai Lihao left his seat and walked to the projection screen. He tapped his baton lightly, circling a clear area – the Yau Tsim Mong District.

Tsim Sha Tsui, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok, and surrounding scattered areas are all included.

The meaning is clear: the government provides the stage, and you perform the show.

Major infrastructure projects—subways, new ports, gas stations, main roads… we’ll give you priority in all of them.

Making a fortune is a given.

But the rules are also clearly defined: whoever wants a share of the profits has to put in real money and effort to build roads and bridges, construct buildings and lay nets, and truly revitalize this land.

This is the old capitalist routine—the government bakes the cake first, then cuts it up according to ability.

The strong swallowed the fattest main ingredient, the middle class got a fair share, and the scraps and scattered pieces were auctioned off by the governor's office, left for the small business owners on the street to pick up the scraps.

Give them a chance to catch their breath, and leave them a slim chance of turning things around—though it may be slim, it's not entirely impossible.

The meeting lasted from the first light of dawn until the city lights came on, and the pie on the plate was finally completely divided when the clock struck eight.

If Yau Tsim Mong can truly be developed into a prosperous hinterland within ten years, the estimated return in the early 1970s will exceed 10 billion.

With its resources and strategic planning, the Li family easily acquired one-third of the assets—over 3 billion yuan, a substantial sum of real money.

Don't underestimate these 3 billion yuan. Looking back decades from now, the person who ranked first in assets in the early 1970s only had a net worth of just over 100 million yuan.

Therefore, this return far surpasses that of the richest man.

When Li Guoping, Li Guowu, and Li Guosheng stepped into the house, they found their father, Li Wenguo, already sitting in the living room drinking tea. The three of them then recounted the meeting that had taken place during the day in detail.

After listening, Li Wenguo simply nodded slightly without saying a word.

Being able to establish connections with the Governor's Office was a mutually beneficial deal.

From now on, any matter involving the ** department will be handled with great ease, and there will be absolutely no obstruction.

Right now, all of the Li family's businesses are thriving, and each of their assets is solid and has a stable cash flow. Li Wenguo doesn't need to worry at all; he can simply let his sons follow the trend and proceed steadily.

His real purpose in returning to Hong Kong this time was to spend time with his three wives, Dong Haitang, Xu Meijing, and Song Caidie, as well as the little notebook girl who had come from afar—Mitsui Miri.

Ten years have passed, and she has become even more voluptuous and alluring, yet her face remains as smooth and radiant as ever, with firm and supple skin showing no signs of aging.

"Lord Wen, I thought that when we met again, you would have become a frail old man... But you have not aged at all, but are more energetic and robust than before."

"This really surprised me."

Mitsui Miri leaned against the headboard, her voice slightly hoarse, and her eyes filled with weariness.

"Hmph! Listen up—my skills are ingrained in my bones. Ten years from now, at seventy, I'll still make you weak in the knees and unable to get out of bed!"

Li Wenguo grinned, his face full of arrogance.

"As for you, your skin is still as white and tender as snow, but unfortunately, that bullet-like resilience has long since slipped away, and now you're just soft and fluffy."

He reached out and pinched her thigh, then shook his head.

"I'm almost fifty, and to be able to steadily maintain the appearance of someone in their early thirties is already one in a million. You expect me to turn back the clock?"

Mitsui Miri rolled her eyes, her tone full of helplessness.