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

The next morning, Li Wenguo sent his clone to Hong Kong to secretly stockpile a large quantity of durable goods in a secluded warehouse near the Li family's seaside location—white rice, wheat flour, corn flour, soybeans, black beans… all hard-to-eat and filling items.

Next, he asked Li Guoming to contact the mainland company located in Hong Kong and have them send a ship to pick up the goods.

On the inland side, He Shuting was put in charge, and all the credit was given to her.

Two weeks later, more than a dozen cargo ships returned fully loaded and sailed into the Beijing docks.

The urgent crisis in the capital was immediately alleviated.

He Shuting and the Li family of Hong Kong were both commended by the Guo family.

Having tasted the tangible benefits, she would whisper sweet nothings in his ear every few days, relentlessly urging Li Guofang to "help her out." Thus, her lover frequently traveled to and from Hong Kong, without anyone noticing.

Fortunately, communication was poor at that time, and the warehouse location was changed repeatedly, so no flaws were ever exposed.

As this happened more and more often, the Li family gradually came to be known in private as "red-hat merchants" (merchants with official connections to the government).

What Li Wenguo didn't expect was that he paid Hong Kong dollars to buy goods from the system's online store, but sold them to Guo Jia in RMB—ostensibly not seeking profit, but actually making a net profit of 20%.

Time flies, and another year has passed in the blink of an eye, until 1966.

That day, Xu Yaling returned to her parents' home.

As soon as I entered, I heard a weighty statement:

"It's time to settle scores with the capitalists."

Xu Jianwei lowered his voice: "Yaling, Dad plans to move the whole family to Hong Kong, to seek refuge in territory under British rule. Are you going with us?"

"Of course we'll go with them! National defense must go with them too."

"But I... I'm over seven months pregnant, and it's hard for me to walk." Xu Yaling held her lower back and abdomen, her brows furrowed.

"Wait until after you give birth before leaving?"

"No way! The tickets are already booked, we're leaving in five days, not a single day can be delayed." Xu Jianwei said firmly.

"Then... what should I do?" Her voice trembled.

"Go back this afternoon and have a good talk with the defense department. It would be best to persuade him to come along."

His voice was filled with an almost unbearable anxiety.

Xu Yaling returned home feeling uneasy.

I forgot to add salt when stir-frying the vegetables, and I poured too much soy sauce on them. The side dishes that were served were either too salty or too bland.

Li Guofang took a bite, his brows furrowing in worry.

"Yaling, what's wrong?" He put down his chopsticks. "The food doesn't taste right today. What happened?"

[At this point, I hope readers will remember our domain name 1110 ...

"You think it tastes bad?" She glared at him.

"How could I dare! I just felt you were distracted." He chuckled awkwardly, his shoulders hunching slightly—clearly used to being manipulated.

She finally sighed and recounted her father's words verbatim.

Upon hearing this, Li Guofang immediately reassured him: "The situation is indeed tense, I've heard about it too. But don't worry, my father said long ago that the Li family can stay put. Life will continue as usual, your father-in-law and the others can leave if they want, you don't have to go through all that trouble."

Although Xu Yaling was strong-willed, she was extremely good at managing a household. Li Guofang both respected and couldn't live without her. For the sake of the child in her womb, he had already been compliant with her in everything.

"R-really alright?" Her fingertips were cold. "National Defense, can you really keep me safe?"

She knew perfectly well that as the daughter of a capitalist, if someone submitted a letter of denunciation, she would likely be taken away on the spot. And what other capitalist wouldn't be kicked around when they're down on their luck?

"Trust my father, there will be no mistakes." He said firmly.

"But wasn't your father a businessman before? He was a capitalist too—what makes him so sure the Guo family will protect you alone?"

"He has made real contributions, and the Guo family will not let down their meritorious officials."

Xu Yaling grabbed his wrist: "Then... could you ask your father to say a word for my family? Could you beg the Guo family to be lenient and not keep pressing this issue?"

"This..." He paused, unsure whether his father truly carried that weight.

"Just ask him, it won't hurt you." Her voice was soft but tense. "Besides, he's your father-in-law. How can you just stand by and watch him die?"

The husband couldn't refuse and had to agree: He would go to the courtyard house first thing tomorrow morning to ask his father, Li Wenguo.

If Li Wenguo hadn't been so authoritative, she would have dragged people to her door that very day.

The next morning, in the courtyard.

A large group of VIPs with impressive presences appeared here just as dawn was breaking.

"hiss--!"

"Aren't these all high-ranking leaders?!"

"Of course! I usually only see it on the front page of the People's Daily!"

The courtyard was instantly in an uproar. The eldest uncle, the second eldest uncle, the third eldest uncle, Sha Zhu, Xu Damao, Lin Meili, the deaf old lady, and every household in the courtyard were all alarmed and rushed out into the street to look around.

When they saw who it was, they all gasped in shock, their tongues practically tied in knots—the legendary ministerial-level official was actually standing right at their doorstep!

"Uncle, they went straight to the small courtyard on the east side... Could they be here to arrest Mr. Li?"

Sha Zhu frowned and lowered his voice.

At that time, words like "Down with," "Purge," and "Struggle" were flying everywhere, and capitalists were universally condemned. The first reaction of the people in the compound was to ransack homes and arrest people.

"But Mr. Li already donated the factory, shops, and land deeds to the state, so why is he still coming to our door?"

Xu Damao also had a tense expression, and his palms were slightly sweaty.

He had just gotten on Li Guobiao's good side and couldn't be happier for the Li family to remain as stable as possible.

"Businessmen and nations are inherently separated by a certain barrier."

"Exactly! It's so honorable to be a worker, but he insisted on being the boss. Doesn't he deserve to be punished?"

"Exploiters should have been unable to rise again long ago!"

"..."

Most people had gloating written all over their faces, especially Jia Zhangshi, whose mouth was practically stretched to her ears.

The three old men kept their mouths shut and didn't say a word.

Who dares to speak out recklessly? If they guess the wrong direction, they'll be held accountable and suffer the consequences.

At this moment, only Sha Zhu and Xu Damao felt heavy-hearted.

One acted out of genuine conscience, while the other was driven by self-interest.

The outcome was completely unexpected—

The group of leaders came out of the east gate with smiles on their faces, with Li Wenguo in the middle, chatting and laughing.

Huh?

This doesn't look like they're here to arrest someone; it looks more like they're here to offer New Year's greetings!

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

Sha Zhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief; Xu Damao wiped the sweat from his forehead; the three old men turned their hands behind their backs and secretly thought, "Thank goodness."

"Comrade Li Wenguo, thank you for your outstanding contributions to the country! This is a banner awarded to you by the nation. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, please be sure to report them promptly—the nation will certainly provide full support and resolve them properly!"

A leader solemnly handed a red silk banner to Li Wenguo with both hands.

"Thank you for the nation's trust! As an ordinary builder, I will certainly..."

Li Wenguo's words were earnest and his sentences were all reasonable.

Finally, everyone stood together and took a group photo.

People in the courtyard didn't even dare to cough loudly, feeling only a tightness in their throats and a chill in the back of their necks.

When she looked up at Li Wenguo again, her eyes had completely changed: there was awe, suspicion, and a desire to look away.

At this critical juncture, the state personally came to present the flag and publicly offered its support; the meaning couldn't be clearer—

Li Wenguo is not only safe, but also has powerful backers; if anyone tries to harm him, the state will intervene.

Everyone silently gritted their teeth: We must not provoke him, we cannot afford to make a single mistake.

Li Wenguo glanced at each face, saw the humility and fear in their eyes, and nodded slightly.

This is exactly the result he wanted.

This banner is a formal award from the state for his meritorious service in alleviating the famine by allocating a large quantity of scarce supplies at low prices through the system's online store. It carries significant weight.

……

He Shuting was also transferred to a ministry as a result.

In the afternoon, Li Guofang went to the courtyard house after get off work.

"National Defense, here you are?"

"Hey, Silly Zhu! I'm here to see my dad."

The two met at the entrance of the central courtyard. Sha Zhu was squatting down, sharpening a knife; the blade gleamed in the setting sun.

He would visit He Yushui every month, and over time, he naturally became acquainted with Li Guotao's younger brother, Li Guofang.

Both of them were honest and kind, and since they were related, they chatted especially warmly.

"Hey, call him Uncle Li!"

The child had just come home from school and was sitting on the doorstep gnawing on a chicken leg—which Sha Zhu had casually brought back from the steel mill.

……

Ever since marrying Lin Meili, Banggeng, Xiaodang, and Huaihua have become increasingly unscrupulous, openly taking advantage of Shazhu, living with Shazhu, and spending money on Shazhu.

Sha Zhu accepted it.

Her anger had long since dissipated thanks to Lin Meili's gentle words that night; her temper had softened like steamed rice cake, and she was almost indulgent towards these three "burdens"—

Even now, Bang Geng still calls him "Dad" and keeps calling him "Silly Zhu," and he lets him be.

"snort!"

Banggeng turned his face away, puffed out his cheeks, and refused to utter a sound.

"Hey! Greet someone! Don't you know the rules?"

Sha Zhu lifted his eyelids and glared at him.

The slight displeasure in his heart was clearly written on his face.

Upon seeing this, Banggeng immediately jumped up, turned around, and scurried into the house, slamming the door shut with a deafening bang.

"Oh dear, this... hehe, National Defense, I'm really sorry!" Sha Zhu scratched the back of his head, a sheepish smile plastered on his face. "That kid Bang Geng, he's been unruly since he was little, spoiled rotten. I'll have to teach him a lesson later, next time he'll definitely call for help!"

Li Guofang waved his hand dismissively, not paying much attention, his mind preoccupied with finding his father.

He turned and left as soon as he finished speaking.

Sha Zhu stood frozen in place, his face turning red and white in turns. He turned and went into the house, determined to deal with Bang Geng.

But just a few minutes later, the room erupted with his and Lin Meili's shouting.

Bang Geng is her own child; how could she let others discipline him?

"Look at him! He doesn't even greet people when he sees them. What kind of upbringing is that?"

Lin Meili lifted her eyelids slightly: "The child is shy around strangers."

"Shy? He calls everyone 'Silly Zhu,' never even 'Dad.' Is it really possible for someone to call their own father that?"

Lin Meili scoffed, "You've gotten used to calling me that, how can you just change it like that?"

Sha Zhu was furious on the spot.

This way—

"Dad, Ya-ling went back to her parents' home today. Her father said the whole family plans to leave the country and go to Hong Kong."

Li Guofang handed the words over to him.

"Fine, let's go! Hong Kong is great!"

"Business is booming over there, which suits their business perfectly."

Li Wenguo nodded, his tone calm and steady.

He had already figured out Xu Yaling's family background.

The result warmed his heart: his in-laws turned out to be Xu Jianwei—his wife Xu Meijing's cousin.

Back then, when Xu Meijing was kidnapped by another cousin, it was Xu Jianwei who secretly sent someone to warn her, which led to her rescue.

Li Wenguo has always held this branch in high regard. He's never stingy with his help; after all, blood is thicker than water.

If they do settle in Hong Kong, it would be perfectly reasonable for Mavis Hee to take care of them.

"Father, my father-in-law means that I should go with Ya-ling."

"Ya-ling was afraid of being reported and that the Guo family would come to arrest me, so she hurriedly pulled me over there."

"I told her on the spot that the Li family had done a good job for the Guo family and that nothing would happen to them. She didn't believe me and insisted that I come back to ask you—could you help her family?" Li Guofang said truthfully.

"Help them gain a foothold in the mainland? No way."

"If I really go to Hong Kong, I can ask Guoping to take care of me."

Given the current situation, even with the Guo family's support, Li Wenguo dares not gamble with his own achievements.

Furthermore, businessmen who take their money overseas can create new opportunities; if they stay in the country, they might miss out on a whole twenty years of growth potential.

He was eager for the Xu family to leave, the more secure the better. With the Li family's help, they might be able to establish themselves and build a strong foundation.