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

The next day, Li Guoxin instructed Xiao Fo to purchase a house in Qingyan County. After tidying it up a bit, he forced the reluctant Tian Tian into the house.

Because she was pregnant and needed someone to take care of her, Li Guoxin simply let Xiao Fo's wife stay and accompany her until the child was born.

Xiao Fo's wife is in her early thirties and has given birth to four children. She is very experienced in everything from childbirth and postpartum care to childbirth assistance.

In the car, Li Guoxin spoke calmly: "Things haven't been peaceful in Beijing lately. The higher-ups have issued an official document that there will be a month-long crackdown starting next month. You all need to behave yourselves, don't go out, and especially don't cause trouble. Otherwise, you'll be packing your bags and going to the countryside to see the mountains and hear the water."

"Hehe, I understand, Young Master Guoxin."

Little Buddha sat in the passenger seat, turned his head and grinned at him.

With the Li family protecting him, he always had a smooth career in the underworld and never ended up in jail...

Even when his men were occasionally taken away, he could always get them out quickly through connections.

It wasn't that they had done anything particularly heinous; they were mostly standing up for their masters—Li Wenguo's son was too handsome, and his daughters were all stunningly beautiful. The girls, in particular, were constantly bothered by lecherous men. Xiao Fo and his gang would always kick them hard in the face, beat them mercilessly, and then yell, "If you dare to lay a hand on me again, I'll break your arm!" This scared off many thugs. But some people would still call the police after being beaten, which led to several instances of being "invited in for tea."

In the blink of an eye, a month has passed.

Li Guoxin and Zeng Minzhi got married.

Zeng Minzhi was only twenty years old, nine years younger than Li Guoxin. She had bright eyes and a clean temperament, like the first snow in a mountain stream.

Those who saw it all nodded in approval.

This is not surprising at all—Li Wenguo had been eyeing this person for three whole years before finally choosing him.

Wen Keren also put in a lot of effort:

I've helped in the car, in the living room late at night, on the rooftop, in the garden, and even in the depths of the mountains, I've quietly built bridges and passed ladders to people.

Thanks to her tireless and subtle matchmaking efforts, her husband finally found such an impeccable wife for their son.

"Father, have some tea!"

"Mother, have some tea!"

The following morning, Li Guoxin led Zeng Minzhi to Sai Guohao's residence to offer tea to his father, Li Wenguo, and mother, Wen Keren.

When Zeng Minzhi saw Wen Keren, the shock she felt when she first met Li Wenguo the night before had not yet subsided, and she was shocked again—this old woman was over sixty years old, but she looked exactly like a voluptuous woman in her thirties. Her beauty was even more serene and elegant than her own proud appearance.

Especially that mature and perfectly controlled aura, which she could never learn no matter how much she painted her eyebrows and eyes. She felt a weight on her shoulders and a sudden pressure on her shoulders.

On the other side, the archives.

Huang Xirou pushed open the door and came in carrying a stack of documents.

"Guoxuan, I need these urgently this afternoon, could you make copies for me now?"

Her voice was as soft as spring water flowing over bluestone.

Anyone else would have been crumbling to pieces by now.

Li Guoxuan didn't even lift his eyelids, and simply said in a calm voice, "Okay, come and pick it up after your lunch break."

But just as he was looking down at the copier, Huang Xirou suddenly pressed herself against him from behind and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Li Guoxuan froze, cold sweat instantly covering the back of his neck.

"What...what are you doing?"

"Let go!"

He instinctively tried to break free, but then suddenly stopped—this was the archives room, separated from the outside world only by a thin wooden board.

If the movement is too large and makes a loud noise that is heard by others, the consequences could be disastrous.

Just for violating work discipline, he's already fired.

If someone mistakes you for being a pervert, they might just take you to the police station.

These days, the crime of "hooliganism" is almost exclusively applied to men, and women are rarely involved.

"Guoxuan, I like you. Let's be a couple."

Huang Xirou grabbed Li Guoxuan's waist tightly, pressing her body close to his, and deliberately let her fingers wander over his back, trying to ignite his passion and make him lose his composure and reason.

Her plan was clear—with Li Guoxuan's face and physique, winning him over would be a piece of cake.

He was strikingly handsome, with skin so clean it looked like it had never been touched by dust. His tall frame supported a lean and muscular physique, and standing there he was a reliable and dependable support.

Huang Xirou wasn't actually opposed to it: this young man, who hadn't even grown up yet, was clean and pleasing to the eye.

"Sister Huang, please don't do this! This is the office, we're still working! Let go—if someone sees us, it'll sound terrible, and it won't be good for you!"

"Let me go!"

Li Guoxuan's voice was strained, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He never expected Huang Xirou to be so bold as to make advances right under the noses of the police station—this wasn't a gesture of goodwill; she was clearly starving!

"Guoxuan, if you agree to be with me, I'll let go."

Huang Xirou smiled confidently, showing no sign of panic.

She had long understood: women are always the ones who are easily pitied. Even if someone catches her red-handed, as long as she sheds tears and makes a fuss, Li Guoxuan will immediately become the "instigator," and he will never be able to clear his name.

"Please don't... I just want to do my job well right now, I really don't care about dating. Sister Huang, please let go!"

Li Guoxuan frantically tried to pry her fingers off his waist, his knuckles turning white from the force.

But just as he grabbed her wrist—

"Snap!!!"

The door was suddenly pushed open.

They both turned their heads at the same time.

Li Guoxuan's face turned pale instantly, and his heart sank: It's over.

Huang Xirou didn't even lift her eyelids. Anyway, Lin Guosheng had instructed her that all she had to do was let Cao Ying "see with her own eyes" their ambiguous relationship.

"Cao Ying?"

"Quick! Close the door!"

But it was Cao Ying who came.

Li Guoxuan had just caught his breath when he quietly let it slip away.

Huang Xirou secretly breathed a sigh of relief—it was safest if only she witnessed it. If others saw it, rumors would spread throughout the entire building overnight. This matter could never be brought to the forefront.

Cao Ying was stunned when she pushed the door open and came in.

But since her relationship with Li Guoxuan was just a "fake" affair, she wasn't jealous at all. Instead, she reacted very quickly: she slammed the door shut with a "snap" and then clicked the lock on.

"Let me go!"

Li Guoxuan finally broke free and retreated to Cao Ying's side in three quick steps, his chest still heaving.

"Sister Huang, you've gone too far!"

He paused, gave Cao Ying a quick glance, and then said seriously, "I already have a girlfriend, Cao Ying."

Before he could finish speaking, he immediately turned to Huang Xirou, his tone cold and hard: "I advise you to stop. If this continues, I won't hesitate to report everything that happened today to the director."

Cao Ying was completely confused, but she understood the meaning behind his look—acting.

She immediately replied, "Yes, Guoxuan and I are dating. Sister Huang, please have some self-respect."

As he spoke, he took half a step forward, sideways, and stood in front of Li Guoxuan, his shoulders taut and straight.

Huang Xirou was neither angry nor saddened; she just stared at the two of them as if they were two illogical objects.

Her mind was buzzing: Cao Ying caught her hugging Li Guoxuan, but instead of getting angry, she protected him and locked the door?

This is not the reaction one should have when catching someone cheating.

This is simply...absurd!

"You...you guys are really...uh, united."

She had intended to blurt out "husband and wife of one heart," but swallowed it back before she could say it—it was too explicit and inappropriate.

After saying that, he turned around, opened the door, and left, even the sound of his heels hitting the ground seemed more urgent than usual.

She couldn't stand being in that place for even a second longer.

I thought I was here to watch Cao Ying tear people apart, but instead of seeing the spectacle, I ended up being the one being attacked – I've lost face to the core.

"Guoxuan, what's going on? Why are you two hugging?"

Cao Ying frowned and asked.

Li Guoxuan recounted the whole story in detail.

He sighed at the end, "Sigh... Sister Huang is so much older than me, I really can't bring myself to think that way. Why is she so concerned? And she even chose to get physical with me in the office, it's really outrageous."

"Hopefully, this time things have been clarified, and she'll give up on that idea."

After listening, Cao Ying nodded, her mind clearing completely, and she believed him.

If Li Guoxuan really wanted to find a girlfriend, a bunch of female classmates would have confessed their love to him after graduation, saying they were willing to marry him—there were actually two or three of them who were much prettier than Huang Xirou.

But he wasn't interested in any of them. Could it be that he'd taken a fancy to Huang Xirou, who's over thirty and still unmarried?

It's absolutely impossible.

"By the way, how's the progress at the archives?"

Cao Ying asked as she scanned the rows of files on the cabinets.

"Only one-tenth of it has been cleaned."

"After all, it's been old data for almost twenty years, how can it be cleared out in just a few days?"

Li Guoxuan's answer was very honest.

"How about... I stay after get off work and lend a hand?"

Lin Guosheng would wait for her at the door every day at the appointed time, but Cao Ying always refused, her excuses were worn out; she felt embarrassed to make up another one. Later, she simply said she "didn't want to develop a relationship," but he was as thick-skinned as a city wall and insisted that it was "a friend helping her with dinner," leaving her completely helpless.

For now, dragging Li Guoxuan to work overtime together has become the most natural way to get out of trouble.

"Sure!"

Li Guoxuan was also annoyed by Huang Xirou's constant visits, so he readily agreed.

The clock had just struck midnight.

Lin Guosheng stood at a distance, his eyes cold and sinister, staring at Cao Ying's retreating figure as she walked into the archives.

Huang Xirou glanced at him as she passed by, and the two turned and went to the state-run restaurant.

"What?!"

"How is this possible!"

Upon hearing the news, Lin Guosheng's anger flared up.

In his eyes, Li Guoxuan and Cao Ying were no longer ordinary colleagues—they had a relationship where they could entrust each other with trust and even spend their private time together, closer than that of a typical married couple. This situation was terrible.

"You forced me to do this!"

His face was ashen, and his gaze was sharp as a knife, piercing Huang Xirou.

She trembled under his gaze and had no choice but to lean closer to listen.

"ah???"

"This...this matter...does it really have to go this far?"

Huang Xirou's voice was weak; she was clearly frightened.

Two days later, it happened to be the end-of-month holiday.

The Li family members held their usual gathering.

Li Guoxuan finally caught up and was overjoyed.

How many years have I waited? Just to see those older brothers and sisters.

The gathering place was still that small villa in the embassy district from back then.

The living room is about 100 square meters and is very bright.

"Guoxuan, it's only October now. If half of them can come, that's already pretty good."

Seeing the joy on his face, Li Guoxian casually offered a reminder.

This is true.

The second generation of the Li family, all over thirty years old, hold important positions. Holidays? Not necessarily. For them, time is more precious than gold; appearing in public once or twice a year is already a rare treat.

Only at the end of the year and the beginning of the month, without fail.

Li Guoxian hadn't originally planned to come, but he accompanied Li Guoxuan on this trip because it was his turn to attend and he lived next door to him.

"It's alright, half of them coming is enough to make it lively."

Li Guoxuan didn't care about the number of people; he just wanted to recognize more brothers and sisters.

This is something his mother, Qin Huairu, always said to him when he was little: "Your father's children must not be estranged from any of them."

"Hmm, half is quite a lot."

Li Guoxian nodded, without refuting.