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

"No, it's not..."

"Still being stubborn? The evidence is right here, it's an indisputable fact, what's the use of arguing!"

Li Guoxuan had barely opened his mouth when Lin Guosheng cut him off.

Indeed—Huang Xirou, her clothes askew and her hair disheveled, burst out of the archives; her startled and disoriented appearance would make anyone who saw her think: she had just been bullied.

Who would have thought that she would be willing to gamble with her own reputation to frame Li Guoxuan?

Once a woman is rumored to have been harassed, even if she is completely unharmed, she will be tainted in the minds of others—she will be seen as unclean.

"That's him! Li Guoxuan is a scoundrel!"

"I never expected that someone who always pretends to be so upright would be so dirty at heart!"

"Call the police immediately! It would be an injustice if this scum wasn't brought to justice!"

"Yes! Locking them up in jail is the best course of action!"

……

snort!

Even if you jump into the Yellow River, you can't clear your name this time!

Lin Guosheng lowered his eyes, and the corners of his lips lifted almost imperceptibly.

"I...I really didn't do it...I really didn't..."

Li Guoxuan's voice grew weaker and weaker, as if his strength had been drained away.

His complexion changed from red to gray, and then from gray to green.

He suddenly realized—no one would listen if he shouted anymore.

Finally, the police officers from the local police station took him away. Huang Xirou also got into the police car.

The person who called the police was Lin Guosheng.

Once you've made your move, you must cut off their escape route.

Cao Ying didn't stand idly by. Having been classmates for years, she knew Li Guoxuan's character better than anyone. She had tried to stop him when Lin Guosheng dialed 110, but to no avail.

She turned and went straight to the director's office, hoping to ask Li Guofu to intervene—if it could be resolved within the system, the worst that could happen was expulsion from the Party and being stripped of her position.

But Li Guofu is not here. He went to the municipal meeting early this morning and has not returned yet.

Cao Ying felt a tightness in her chest, hurriedly asked for leave, and turned around to go out to ask around and find someone to smooth things over.

Inside the director's office—

"Lin Guosheng, what exactly happened?"

"Did you push me from behind?"

"And who gave you permission to call the police without authorization?"

Li Jingye asked a series of questions, her tone heavy and imposing.

She had known all along that her brother-in-law had his eye on Li Guoxuan, so how could she not be suspicious now that the matter had come to light?

"Sister-in-law, it really wasn't me! You specifically told me last time that some things can't be discussed openly, how could I dare to cross that line?" Lin Guosheng waved his hands repeatedly, denying it outright.

Only he and Huang Xirou know about this. As long as she remains tight-lipped, no one can uncover the truth.

Li Jingye had expected him not to admit it. She stared at him, her voice even colder: "Then why did you call the police?"

"Do you know that this one phone call could completely ruin a young person?"

Li Guoxuan was only eighteen years old, and in the eyes of Li Jingye, who was in her early thirties, he was just a half-grown child who hadn't even grown up yet.

It's outrageous that someone would resort to such ruthless measures just to marry Cao Ying.

After all, he's surnamed Li, and his family upbringing is impeccable; he wouldn't do anything to harm others.

"Who told him to do such a beastly thing? He ruined Xirou's reputation! If we don't report it to the police, who knows if he won't do something even more despicable next time?" Lin Guosheng raised his voice, but his reasoning was ridiculously distorted.

Xi Rou?

Li Jingye perked up her ears and immediately noticed the flaw in those words.

Calling someone by their first name—is that the proper etiquette for ordinary colleagues?

The more he thought about it, the more certain he became—this was most likely something he had orchestrated himself.

"I'll immediately remove Li Guoxuan from the Party and his factory position. As for you, stop making a fuss about it."

"Forgive and forget, do you understand?"

She stared at Lin Guosheng, her gaze heavy as if two blue stones were pressing down on him.

Expelling him from the Party and removing him from his post is already the maximum penalty.

Being unemployed right now is like stepping into a quagmire, with even food supplies hanging in the balance.

But the rumors had already spread throughout the entire factory. If she didn't do this, she couldn't suppress the gossip, nor could she silence the public.

"Okay, okay, I'll do as you say."

Lin Guosheng readily agreed, but inwardly he sneered.

He had no intention of letting Li Guoxuan go—simply because the guy was Cao Ying's boyfriend.

They must solidify the charges, send him to jail for a few days, and nail the words "had served time" to Li Guoxuan's forehead.

Only then did Cao Ying finally give up and turn around to look at him.

"Comrade, may I make a phone call?"

When Li Guoxuan was taken to the police station, he spoke to the police officer who was registering his information.

He wanted to contact his third brother, Li Guotai, who worked at the steel rolling mill, and quickly inform their father, Li Wenguo.

Unfortunately, he ran into Fan Bin, who couldn't tolerate even the slightest imperfection.

Acting like a hooligan? In his view, it's either being foolish or deliberately doing evil.

It damages other people's reputations and ruins his own future; it's utterly foolish.

Fan Bin's face tightened like an iron plate: "No way."

He was determined to resolve the matter quickly and directly classify the crime as hooliganism.

When he began questioning her formally, he leaned forward, his voice cold and hard: "Why did you touch that woman inappropriately?"

"Does it mean that just because someone is handsome, you become weak-willed and can't even hold your own?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the hat was firmly pinned on him.

At that time, hooliganism was punished leniently, and there were many cases.

Many men who have been single for a long time lose their temper and become reckless.

Of the cases they handled, six or seven out of ten involved those two words.

So when Fan Bin heard the name Li Guoxuan, he automatically crossed it out in his mind.

However, the other police officer taking the statement was not in a hurry to deliver a verdict.

He secretly sized up Li Guoxuan: upright posture, clear eyes, and a technical position in the steel rolling mill—would someone like that really go after a woman five or six years older than him?

Sure enough, Li Guoxuan was sweating profusely: "It's really not! Comrade Huang Xirou went into the archives room by herself, put down the documents, started tearing at her clothes, and then shouted for help as she rushed out... I was tricked by her!"

"Comrades, everything I'm saying is true! Believe me, I would never do such a thing!"

Fan Bin ignored it completely.

Having done this for years, which newly arrested person doesn't cry foul?

It's strange that he doesn't try to argue.

He paused, then pressed, "Were there other people present?"

"No...no."

Li Guoxuan's voice suddenly lowered.

Without witnesses, words are just floating in mid-air, never landing on the ground.

People tend to believe the victim to some extent, even if that belief is 70% false.

At the same moment, Cao Ying had already stepped into the gate of the First Machinery Factory.

Clutching the hem of her clothes, she rushed to her father Cao Baoguo's office—begging him to lend a hand and get Li Guoxuan out.

"Wulitun Police Station? Oh, the station chief is your Uncle Youming."

It was Duan Youming, who had fought with Li Guoxuan back then and later became the Ironclad Brothers.

"I'll call him right now."

The interrogation room door clicked open.

Thirty-two-year-old Duan Youming stepped in.

"Chief!"

"Chief!"

Fan Bin and another police officer immediately stood up straight.

"Okay, you guys can go out now."

Duan Youming's tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight.

"this……"

Fan Bin's Adam's apple bobbed, vaguely sensing that Li Guoxuan had someone behind him, and that he probably couldn't touch him.

But with the order before him, he could only grit his teeth and retreat outside.

The shoulders of a nobody cannot bear the burdens passed down from above.

"My name is Duan Youming. Director Cao asked me to come and inquire about the situation."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Li Guoxuan. "By the way, isn't Cao Ying, Factory Director Cao's daughter, your classmate?"

"Explain the whole story clearly, without omitting a single word."

The meaning couldn't be clearer—Cao Ying asked me to help you, so don't keep it a secret.

Li Guoxuan understood immediately.

He immediately began from the beginning, without giving any evasive answers.

"I understand. You stay here for now, I'll go talk to the girl who reported you."

Duan Youming said this and walked away.

"Wait! Could you please inform my family?"

Li Guoxuan hurriedly spoke up.

"Wait a moment, I'll talk to you when I get back."

He needs to talk to Huang Xirou first and see if he can get some real compensation in exchange for her dropping the lawsuit, the sooner the better.

They were also afraid that if Li Guoxuan's family came, it would cause unforeseen complications and ruin things.

Not long after,

He pushed open the door to another brightly lit office.

Unlike the oppressive atmosphere of an interrogation room, there were no handcuffs locking the table, no iron chairs nailed to the floor, and the lighting wasn't bluish or cold; just a few table lamps warmed the corner.

After all, they are both plaintiffs and victims, so their treatment is naturally different.

After the two police officers left, Duan Youming glanced at Huang Xirou without making a sound.

She had a delicate face and watery eyes, yet they seemed to be shrouded in an indescribable mist; her demeanor exuded an undeniable air of arrogance.

Girls like this are mostly not the type to stay in their place.

After considering it for a moment, he spoke up: "Guoxuan just graduated. He was always honest and diligent in school, with outstanding grades. He's a promising student. I know his family well; they have strict upbringing and a solid foundation. His future is very bright. Do you think we could discuss this privately? Let's not ruin the child's future!"

Her words were a mix of soft and hard: on the one hand, she pointed out that the Li family had a strong background, making her weigh the pros and cons; on the other hand, she conveyed the idea of ​​compensation, ensuring that she wouldn't suffer a loss.

Huang Xirou's brow twitched, but she immediately relaxed it, glancing at him sideways before lowering her head to ponder.

Lin Guosheng had told her long ago that Li Guoxuan must be firmly condemned for "playing the rogue".

But now that the director has personally intervened and mentioned the Li family's background—if we really bite the bullet and pursue this to the end, and anger them, the consequences could be unpredictable.

She weighed the options repeatedly: being scolded meant at most Lin Guosheng would smash a few cups and kick her a couple of times; but if she actually got the money, she would be financially secure, live a stable life, and be able to avoid the threat of Li Guoxuan.

More importantly, once Li Guoxuan is dismissed, he will never set foot in the bureau again, thus removing one obstacle from Lin Guosheng's path to pursuing Cao Ying.

She nodded slightly without saying a word, but the meaning was clear.

"Squeak—"

Fan Bin strode into the interrogation room with a dark expression, deftly unlocked the handcuffs on Li Guoxuan's wrists, and then squatted down to remove the shackles from his feet.

As he straightened up, he stared at Li Guoxuan for a full three seconds before uttering in a deep voice, "You can leave now."

"The misunderstanding... has it been cleared up?"

Li Guoxuan's voice softened slightly, and a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes.

"There's no misunderstanding. They're just not going to hold it against you."

Fan Bin suddenly leaned closer, lowered his voice, and said, "Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you have some connections. I'll remember you—if you come in again, I'll personally handcuff you."

The joy on Li Guoxuan's face vanished in an instant.

A surge of anger rushed to my head.

He asked himself if he had ever laid a finger on Huang Xirou; he was simply the one who had been smeared with dirty water. Yet, this woman treated him like a thief at every turn, her eyes filled with contempt.

I felt frustrated and disgusted.

As he walked out of the police station, he immediately saw Huang Xirou standing across the street, arms crossed, waiting silently.

He could only walk over.