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

"Ziying? What's up?"

Li Guoxiong's eyes never left her.

Zhao Ziying was his classmate, and she was undeniably beautiful. Back in school, he dared to confess to her face: "Let's date after graduation!"

She nodded at the time—he was handsome, and she genuinely liked him.

But when her parents heard that Li Wenguo was a retired worker, they didn't even look up and immediately rejected him.

She disliked that his family had no background, no yard, and no job, and that he was not good enough for her daughter.

The two then lost contact.

She took the initiative to visit him this time because the job assignment order had been issued—those who were unemployed, not only children, and not married had to pack their bags and go to the capital to work in the countryside.

She didn't want to suffer that hardship, so she came back to Li Guoxiong: marrying him was the most secure way to make a living right now.

"Married to you."

Zhao Ziying smiled and waved the few pieces of paper in her hand—the household registration book and letter of introduction that she had stolen from her home overnight.

"Your parents...have they given in?"

Li Guoxiong's eyes lit up.

He was depressed for three whole days after being rejected last time.

He really can't let go of Zhao Ziying's face.

"Sigh, they don't know yet. The matchmaker comes every day, like it's a matter of life and death. The due date is fast approaching—rather than entrusting my life to someone else, I'd rather hold it in my own hands. I've made up my mind, I'm going to marry you."

……

This move wasn't foolish: it's better to marry early than late. If you wait until the list is distributed, you might have to build your own earthen bed.

The two went to the neighborhood office that same day, and with the official seal, the marriage was finalized.

The absurdity of this whole affair lies in the fact that both sets of parents were kept completely in the dark. There was no discussion, no banquet, no marriage proposal; the marriage was forced into a fait accompli.

then--

Sai Guohao Wan, Wen Keyi's room.

"You think you're all grown up now, huh?"

"You've grown so big that you dared to hide it from everyone? Getting married is such a big deal, and you went to the Civil Affairs Bureau and got it stamped without a word—do you even respect me as your father?"

There's still no definite answer about Li Guojiang being scammed, and now Li Guoxiong has stirred up such a huge mess. Li Wenguo's anger, which had just subsided, has been kicked hard again, making it burn even brighter.

……

What hurt him most was that when other children got married, they would first offer tea and water, and respectfully inquire about their status. But Li Guoxiong didn't even say hello; he only announced, "Dad, I'm married," after they had already obtained their marriage certificate. What was this? Did he think he, the head of the family, was just a figurehead?

Li Guoxiong kept his head down and remained silent.

Actually, I'm not scared at all—what's done is done, am I really going to force him to divorce me? Should I yell at him? Let him yell! Once I've vented my anger, life will go on as usual, won't it?

He grew up in the Wen family's old house, surrounded by He Shuting, his aunt Wen Keren, his mother Wen Keyi, and the composed Lou Meie. Growing up in this environment, he developed a quiet strength in his actions and speech, completely unlike his brothers Li Guofang, Li Guotao, and Li Guobiao, who were always shrugging their shoulders. He had less reverence for his father, but possessed a stubborn, unyielding spirit deep down.

"Dad, it's all settled, so please give your approval."

He raised his face.

"Determine? I haven't even finished speaking, and you dare to talk back?"

Li Wenguo felt his face burning, his dignity shattered in front of him. He raised his hand to slap him. Wen Keyi reacted quickly, grabbing his wrist and pressing her body against him, holding him tightly like two mountains pressing down on his arm.

Seeing that his father was truly angry, Li Guoxiong straightened his back and his Adam's apple bobbed.

He's still my own son after all. No matter how tough he is, I'm afraid he'll slap me.

"Fine, you've got guts! Okay, I agree—but starting tomorrow, you're moving out! Not a penny, not a grain of rice. Let's see how you survive naked!"

This means he has to go out naked, leaving no room for maneuver.

"Dad, can you really be this heartless?"

"Guoxiong just graduated, and he can't report to the factory until next month. He can't even afford the rent right now. Where do you expect him to go? Sleep on the street?"

As soon as the door closed, Wen Keyi felt a sharp pain in her chest; her instinct to protect her child overwhelmed all her concerns.

"Who told him to be so audacious as to step on my head? So what if he sleeps on the street? I'll make him taste what happens when he's not his father; he can't even get a bowl of hot soup!"

Li Wenguo's chest heaved, and his voice trembled.

"But he's never experienced hardship growing up, and he's never managed money himself... You won't even let him go to his brothers' place? Are you really going to let him squat under a bridge?"

"If you're smart, go under the overpass; at least you'll get shelter from the rain."

"But they're already married and have a family. Aren't you going to arrange a place for them to stay? Are you really going to make them sleep under a bridge?"

"I want him to remember this: without me, he's just a piece of scrap metal."

He pointed his finger hard at the ground, his eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes were as cold as ice.

Of course, he couldn't bring himself to cut off his entire livelihood—at least he didn't take back the job, leaving himself a way to survive.

"Tsk, you're getting hot-tempered. Aren't you going to come and serve me?"

He glanced sideways at Wen Keyi: she wore a dark green cheongsam that hugged her waist, with a high slit revealing a section of her long, shapely legs, and her chest heaving clearly, making one's temples throb.

"No! Find someone else!"

Wen Keyi turned her face away, her eyes slightly red.

With her son about to be kicked out of the house, all she could think about was whether he would go hungry or have cold feet. She had no time to think about socializing.

"Alright, I'll give Guoxiong's spot to that Zhang kid tomorrow morning—let him starve!"

"You...you're using this to pressure me again?"

She turned around abruptly, gritted her teeth, and slowly unbuttoned the first button.

The next morning, Li Guoxiong dragged an old leather suitcase, chin slightly raised, and stepped out of his house.

Before leaving, Li Wenguo personally searched his entire body, turning his pockets inside out, and only allowed him to take a change of clothes.

In the truest sense—empty-handed.

He soon ran into Zhao Ziying at the street corner.

"Guoxiong? Why are you carrying a suitcase?"

She stood there, stunned, her voice trembling.

He recounted what happened last night in just a few words.

"I'm sorry, I've dragged you down..."

Zhao Ziying's eyes immediately reddened.

"What nonsense are you talking about? I've thought about marrying you for a long time."

He shrugged, his tone light, then paused and asked:

"By the way, have you mentioned us to your parents?"

"Sigh, it's pointless to say anything; the result won't be any better. I won't be kicked out, but I can't escape a good scolding."

Zhao Ziying sighed softly and finished speaking.

She looked up at him, her brow furrowing slightly. "So you really can't go back now? Where will you live from now on?"

"Um... could you lend me some money first?"

Li Guoxiong scratched the back of his neck, his voice lowered, and a blush of embarrassment spread across his face.

He really didn't have a single penny left in his pocket.

Having just scraped together some money, he rented a tiny single room in the mixed-use compound and then went with Zhao Ziying to meet his parents.

Even the gift for meeting her was paid for by Zhao Ziying—but she didn't have a job and spent all her allowance from her family, so the things she bought were naturally shabby and embarrassing to show off.

He had considered borrowing from his older brother, but his father Li Wenguo's words still echoed in his ears: "You think you're so tough? You even dare to talk back to your father. If you're so capable, then don't ask your brother for money!"

Li Guoxiong is stubborn; once he's said his piece, he grits his teeth and doesn't turn back.

Before long, the two arrived at the large, mixed-use courtyard.

Back then in Beijing, courtyard houses were the standard for ordinary families, and the streets and alleys were full of old courtyards with blue bricks and gray tiles.

Zhao Ziying's parents' expressions remained tense from the moment the door opened.

They don't acknowledge this marriage at all.

Upon closer inspection of the few droopy gifts, his eyes revealed undisguised contempt.

In their eyes, Li Guoxiong was handsome, but apart from his face, everything else about him was empty.

Marrying a daughter? How long can you rely on your looks alone to maintain appearances?

Do you have a job now?

Zhao's father asked the question directly.

Now that they've already gotten their marriage certificate, it's unrealistic to have a falling out—we can't really force the young couple to divorce, can we?

If we get divorced, my daughter's reputation will be ruined. Who would be willing to propose marriage to her in the future?

Which decent family would be willing to marry a divorced girl?

"Yes! Yes! I've been offered a position at the instrument factory and will be reporting for duty next month."

Li Guoxiong quickly chimed in, this being the only solid piece of evidence he could currently offer.

Back then, factories were already packed with people. Want to get in? You either had to wait for older employees to retire and make room for them, or you had to force your way in under the guise of expansion...

Unfortunately, the Li family had very strong connections: Deputy Director Zhang of the instrument factory was Li Wenguo's son-in-law, Director Pang was his in-law, and even the office director was Li Guoxiong's older sister.

Getting a permanent position is as easy as adding a handful of tea leaves to a teacup.

Upon hearing this, Zhao's parents simply nodded and didn't say anything more.

But then Zhao's father had a thought—he and his eldest son both worked at the instrument factory.

He was a technician, and his eldest son was a clerk.

"Are you an apprentice?" he pressed.

"No, I'm a clerk, and my salary is a little over thirty yuan."

Li Guoxiong answered very quickly.

"So where are you staying now?"

Father Zhao asked again.

"this……"

Li Guoxiong's Adam's apple bobbed, and the words he was about to say caught in his throat.

You can't exactly say you just rented a tiny room of less than ten square meters, can you?

The room was so cramped that it was difficult to even turn around, and it felt suffocating for one person to squat down, let alone for two people to live there in the future...

He opened his mouth several times, but finally forced himself to speak.

"What? Less than ten square meters? And it's rented?"

Mr. and Mrs. Zhao's expressions changed drastically, and they almost slammed their fists on the table.

This isn't living a normal life; it's like living in a pigeon coop!

Shabby! Absolutely fucking shabby!

As tensions rose, Zhao Ziying suddenly spoke up: "I'll live with him."

The two of them gritted their teeth and swallowed their words, their faces turning pale and then red.

"How much dowry are you planning to pay?"

Mr. Zhao held up his palm: "Fifty dollars. Not a penny less, it doesn't count."

The compound where they lived had an old custom: the bride price was divided into three levels—ten yuan for a small bride price, thirty yuan for a medium bride price, and fifty yuan for a large bride price.

Giving a grand gift is a sign of respectability, pomp, and family tradition.

Zhao's father wasn't after the fifty yuan.

He earns a little over sixty a month, is he really that short of money? What he wants is dignity, both inside and out.

"How about... you can pay me back on credit? I'll make it up to you as soon as I get to work."

Saying this is tantamount to saying "there isn't any right now."

whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—

Anger surged upwards, like steam rising from a boiling kettle.

This time, Zhao Ziying couldn't stop her.

"Who gave you the audacity? With your looks and qualifications, you think you're worthy of marrying my daughter?"

The veins on Zhao's father's forehead bulged, and his roar made the window paper vibrate.

If Li Wenguo were present, he would surely smile leisurely and say, "It was given to me by Liang Jinru."

Soon, Li Guoxiong was pushed and shoved out of the Zhao family's gate.

Those meager gifts were also taken out and placed outside the threshold.