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

Six months later.

With Li Guowei's covert intervention, He Yushui was transferred to the workshop where the soon-to-retire old team leader worked a month ahead of schedule.

As soon as the team leader stepped down, she naturally took over and became the new team leader.

After her promotion, her salary increased by ten yuan, and she was now in charge of making all the decisions, big and small, in the workshop.

Now she earns over forty yuan a month, which is even higher than her older brother, Sha Zhu.

Sha Zhu's current monthly salary is nearly forty yuan, which is more than enough to support himself; if Lin Meili hadn't been exploited at every turn, he could have saved some money.

He Yushui has more than enough of her monthly salary, plus her husband Li Guotao's income of more than 30 yuan, and the two thousand yuan that they have saved up at home - the one thousand yuan that Li Guotao took out last time was given by Xiaoju, and the other thousand yuan was secretly slipped to her by Li Wenguo.

These days, they're definitely a well-off family.

Since marrying into the Li family, He Yushui has truly felt relaxed for the first time. Gone is the stifling feeling of always being on guard and scheming against others that she had at home before; life is now bright and comfortable.

If things continue to go smoothly and successfully, she feels that she is the most content person in the world.

After becoming the team leader, the atmosphere in the workshop changed drastically: people called her "Team Leader He" sweetly and frequently, several female workers even brought her chicken cakes to congratulate her, and some people invited her to a state-run restaurant for a meal time and time again. She truly tasted what it was like to be in power.

But on this very day—

Lu Gang arrived at the door and immediately said, "I've found your father, He Daqing."

Then, he handed her the detailed address.

"Rain, it might not be wise to rush to see your father right now—you're almost due, and if you wait another two months, the bumpy ride could easily upset the baby. What would happen then?"

"Besides, I haven't seen my father for over ten years, so let's not rush things. Once the child is safely delivered, I'll personally accompany you on your journey, and we'll go in style."

Li Guotao's words were both soft and firm. After thinking for a moment, He Yushui finally gave up the idea of ​​leaving immediately.

At the entrance of the courtyard house.

"Guoxian, are you heading out to work?"

Li Guobiao stood by the door, pushing his bicycle, and called out to those inside. A projector, film box, and an aluminum horn were strapped across the rear rack, their weight causing the rear of the bicycle to sag slightly.

"Guobiao? You're waiting for Damao here."

Li Guobiao is Xiaoxue's eldest son, twenty-two years old. He was just put into a steel rolling mill by his older brother Li Guotai, and like Xu Damao, he became a projectionist who showed movies in the countryside.

Li Wenguo had too many sons to remember their exact order, but he simply said: "The first ten older brothers should each take care of one younger brother, assigning him easy jobs with good benefits." Li Guotai then casually placed this younger brother in the projection team, and specifically instructed Xu Damao: "Take good care of him, make sure he doesn't fall down."

So Li Guobiao, who was still unmarried, would squat at the entrance of the courtyard every day to wait for Xu Damao—he was going to Zhao Family Village today and would be passing by here.

Besides, he only joined the factory this year, and Xu Damao was the real mentor who introduced him to the business.

Not long after, Xu Damao arrived at the door in a hurry, riding an old bicycle loaded with equipment.

"Didn't keep you waiting long, did I, Guo Biao?"

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled warmly and solicitously.

Xu Damao doted on Li Guobiao, the factory director's younger brother—he taught him technology meticulously, demonstrating key points step by step, hoping to one day get in touch with Li Guotai.

"I just arrived, and I've only just parked the car."

Li Guobiao's voice was not loud, his demeanor was neat, and he spoke cleanly, without a trace of the spoiled young master's temper.

As expected of someone from a wealthy family, even his posture exudes a sense of composure.

Xu Damao clicked his tongue inwardly, then slapped the handlebars with a smile: "Alright, let's go!"

Zhao Village is more than 70 kilometers away, and it would take the two of them at least five hours to ride their bicycles carrying goods.

Four hours later, they entered a small county town.

"Guobiao, let's rest at this little restaurant, fill our stomachs, and continue our journey."

I rode for nearly 60 kilometers in one go, and my stomach was already rumbling.

As soon as the food was served, Li Guobiao seized the opportunity when Xu Damao got up to go to the outhouse, quietly slipped two yuan and grain coupons under the bowl, and paid the bill.

For him, the cost of this meal was not even a fraction of his pocket money.

"Guobiao! You're being too polite—we agreed to take turns, you treated last time, this time it's my turn!"

When Xu Damao returned and saw that the bill was settled, he immediately put on a stern face and tried to stuff the money and tickets back into his hands, his tone a mixture of feigned anger and fear.

He dares to cheat others, but he would never dare to take advantage of the Li family in the slightest.

Li Guobiao waved his hand with a smile: "Really, you don't need it. You can keep it to buy cigarettes."

Xu Damao couldn't refuse, so he had to accept it, adding solemnly at the end, "Next time, I must do it!"

More than ten miles from Zhao Family Village, the road had become much smoother. The two pedaled slowly, chatting idly.

"Guobiao, you're a member of the Li family. What are your plans for the future?"

"Plans?" Li Guobiao shook his head. "I haven't really thought that far ahead."

"Just get through each day as it comes."

He grew up in luxury, and his mother, Xiaoxue, was a woman of simple tastes who never competed or fought for anything. As a result, her son was naturally calm, easygoing, and content with his lot.

To put it bluntly, he's just like his brother Li Guotao—they both have a lazy, down-to-earth quality in their bones.

"Are you really content to spend your whole life carrying machines and running around in the countryside? Don't you want to sit in an office and manage people someday?"

Xu Damao frowned, his tone tinged with anxiety.

Having spent these days together, he had long since figured out Li Guobiao's temperament: he didn't cause trouble, didn't stand out, didn't slack off, and didn't work hard; he was like lukewarm water, neither too hot nor too thirsty.

He sighed inwardly: Li Wenguo was too high a threshold for him to reach, and Li Guotai was too difficult to reach. Finally, a member of the Li family appeared right in front of him and was learning a trade right under his nose—wasn't this a ready-made ladder?

But instead of climbing up, the young master hunched over and squatted down.

Xu Damao was not one to give up easily. He was determined to impress everyone in the factory and earn the respect of the neighbors.

Now the ladder is right at your feet, but you're lying on the ground, not moving an inch—isn't that just wasting a good hand?

"What's so good about being an official? You're always scheming against people, guarding against them, and plotting against them. It's exhausting. I just want some peace and quiet."

"You've met my eldest brother, second brother, third brother, and fourth and fifth brothers, right? Even after they get off work, before they even step into the house, they immediately put their briefcases down in the study and start working on their desks until midnight—they live like clocks that are wound up tightly, it's too exhausting. I don't want to live like that."

Li Guobiao shook his head, his tone revealing a hint of disdain.

Fuck!

This kid is really begging for food while holding a golden bowl!

No!

It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to run into someone with the Li family bloodline. My future depends entirely on you—I need to quickly ignite a fire in his heart and inspire him to have some ambition!

Xu Damao gritted his teeth inwardly.

It's like the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuchs are jumping up and down!

Here at the textile factory.

In the security office, several rattan chairs were arranged in a small circle, and everyone was chatting and eating sunflower seeds.

"I know someone's daughter who's looking for a husband. She's very pretty. Do you know anyone suitable? Or do you have someone you like?"

The speaker was a security guard in his late forties with graying temples, surnamed Zhang.

"Oh? What kind of business does your family run?"

A young man in his early twenties who was not yet married next to him lit up and leaned forward.

Li Guoxian was holding an enamel mug and blowing on the floating tea when he heard this. His hand paused and his ears immediately perked up.

He has many younger brothers. If he could really make connections with one of them and pick out a clever girl for him, he would have fulfilled his duty as an older brother.

When he was young, he was a troublemaker, reckless and defiant of everyone; now he is twenty-five, married to Qin Jingru, and had a chubby son last year. He has long had responsibilities on his shoulders and his heart has settled down.

My thoughts involuntarily drifted back to home—which brick needed patching, which door needed repairing, which younger brother needed to get married… I started to plan all of these things.

Upon hearing that there were eligible girls, his first thought wasn't for himself, but for his younger brothers.

"My family used to run a business. Look, they even own shares in our factory."

Uncle Zhang said slowly.

Doing business?

Isn't that just a capitalist?

The moment the words left his mouth, the air in the room froze.

The eyes of the group dimmed instantly, and even their actions of cracking sunflower seeds slowed down.

After the public-private partnership, the word "merchant" became like a faded old cheongsam, and no one dared to wear it anymore—nowadays, the streets are filled with the slogan "The working class is the most glorious," and anyone who doesn't sweat or wield a wrench is called a "parasite."

The daughters of merchants have long been quietly labeled as having "questionable backgrounds" in the eyes of others.

Besides, those young ladies are raised in seclusion, never lifting a finger, complaining about the dust when sweeping and the oil when cooking, their tempers are saltier than soy sauce.

Marry her? That's like worshipping a living Buddha! These days, food coupons are scarce and cloth coupons are in short supply. Raising a wife is not as practical as raising a sow—at least a sow can give birth, gain weight, and be butchered for the New Year.

"Uncle Zhang, are you talking about... the Xu family?"

Li Guoxian suddenly put down the jar and asked.

The Xu family was prominently listed among the factory's shareholders.

"Yes, it's the Xu family from the north of the city before liberation."

Uncle Zhang nodded.

If Li Wenguo were here, he would definitely be startled – this is Xu Meijing's family home! During the Republic of China era, they specialized in spinning and weaving. Back then, Li Wenguo even climbed over the wall and stole cotton yarn and raw cloth from their warehouse.

Unfortunately, Li Guoxian knew nothing about it.

He smiled and said, "I have a younger brother, twenty-three, who's not engaged yet. Uncle Zhang, what do you think, is he suitable?"

"Don't worry, he's tall and well-proportioned, has regular features, is reliable, and keeps his mouth shut."

"The vice-captain's younger brother?"

Uncle Zhang's eyelids twitched, and after a slight hesitation, he lowered his voice again: "The Xu family has set a rule—the man must be a formal worker, and his ancestors for three generations must have been farmers or industrial workers."

Li Guoxian was handsome, with a neatly pressed collar and long, clean fingers; he looked like someone who had never suffered hardship or handled rusty metal. How bad could his brother be? He was probably just another piece of cooked rice from the same pot.

This situation is exactly the same as that of the Lou family in the original story: seeing that the wind was blowing in the wrong direction and their social class was becoming increasingly problematic, they could only desperately try to find a safe way out for their children.

"Is that so..."

Do we have to trace back three generations? Farmers won't do, but workers will. But Li Guoxian's father was in business after Liberation—that's a major hurdle.

He paused, then added, "My younger brother works at the machinery factory now, with a permanent position, salary, and social security benefits—everything's in place."

"If the Xu family is interested, they can contact me anytime."

Uncle Zhang nodded but didn't reply.

He already knew in his heart: Li Guoxian wouldn't say it outright, but it meant that none of his ancestors for three generations were qualified. No chance.