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

"It's alright, about the same as before."

Li Guoxuan gave a vague reply.

He hadn't told his father at all about being transferred to the archives room half a month ago.

It's all work, no matter where you do it. My father always emphasized the word "steadfast".

"And you, are you in the same office?"

Li Wenguo turned to Cao Ying and asked.

"what?"

She glanced at Li Guoxuan subconsciously before nodding.

They were indeed in the same place before, but after he was transferred, they were no longer there.

Li Wenguo was a seasoned veteran; he immediately noticed something was wrong.

He stared at his son: "Guoxuan, tell me the truth—are you still in the General Office?"

"Um... I was transferred to the archives last month."

Li Guoxuan had no choice but to tell the truth.

"The archives?"

Li Wenguo's face darkened.

Sending him in is to help him improve, not to put him on the sidelines!

She was clearly being ostracized.

He clenched his teeth, his gaze sweeping fiercely over Cao Ying, forcing back the words "that brat is a menace."

Around 5 o'clock, Cao Ying got up to say goodbye.

Not long after, her younger siblings, who were still in school, came in first; a little while later, Qin Huairu returned with her two youngest children.

My youngest daughter is only three years old, a little doll that looks like a pink dumpling.

Including the previous five, she gave birth to six children in total: three sons and three daughters.

As soon as he finished clearing the table after dinner, Li Wenguo headed straight for Sai Guohao's residence.

Inside Wen Keren's room.

"Smack!!!"

"ah--!!!"

He raised his hand and delivered a resounding slap to his daughter Li Jingye's right cheek, then roared.

"You were at least a decent person before you got married, but now look at you, all spineless and siding with outsiders to get back at your own brother? Do you no longer recognize me as your father, or this family?"

"If you really don't admit it, then get out! I, Li Wenguo, have never had a daughter like you!"

"No, Father... I really didn't know... Guoxuan is my brother! If I had known earlier, how could I have let him suffer like this? I would have protected him and protected him long ago. How could others have trampled on him and harmed him? Believe me, my heart is with the family and with Guoxuan!"

Li Jingye covered her burning cheek with one hand, her voice trembling, speaking so fast she almost bit her tongue.

"On behalf of the younger brother?"

"Is this what you call being biased?"

"The news has spread throughout the entire organization—he's been labeled a 'hooligan,' and his reputation is ruined before the case is even closed! How is Guoxuan supposed to walk with his head held high after this?"

"Where am I supposed to put my old face now? Huh?"

People gossip about me behind my back: "See? That Li Wenguo, he raised a rapist son!"

"Damn! I'm so angry my liver hurts!"

Li Wenguo's eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged bull, and he slapped her again with his backhand.

"Smack!!!"

"ah--!!!"

Li Jingye slumped to the side, tears welling up in her eyes, her teeth chattering, and even her breathing becoming weak.

"Waaaaah..."

When Wen Keren saw her eldest daughter kneeling on the ground crying, she quickly stepped forward and grabbed Li Wenguo's arm: "Grandpa, Jingye really didn't know Guoxuan was her brother! This isn't her fault, it's understandable!"

"Excusable my ass! Open your eyes and see—she's indulging that Lin Guosheng, using criminal means to frame her own brother. Her heart is as cold as ice, her hands as black as ink, where is there even a trace of humanity in her eyes? If she continues down this path, she probably won't even blink an eye when she commits murder and arson!"

Li Wenguo's voice was explosive; anyone who touched him would be scolded, like a fuse that would explode at the slightest touch.

"No...it can't be that bad, can it?" Wen Keren's voice weakened, and her fingers secretly tightened around the edge of her apron.

"How did I teach her from a young age? Stay away from those with crooked hearts and dirty minds! And what happened? Not only did she get close to them, but she also covered up their dirty deeds! I feel nauseous just looking at someone like that! I, Li Wenguo, don't want a daughter like that!"

These words were too harsh. Li Jingye abruptly stopped crying, knelt down with a thud, and clutched her father's trouser legs tightly, her nails turning white: "Dad! I was wrong! I was really wrong! Please don't abandon me... I'm your own daughter! You carried me for ten months and raised me with so much love and care... Waaah..."

Wen Keren quickly bent down to support her shoulders, then turned to her husband and said, "Sir, considering how filial she is to you, how often she serves you tea and speaks so gently, please give her a chance to make amends... This is truly the first time."

"Fine! I'll give you face—that Lin Guosheng must go to jail! You personally send him there!"

"From this day forward, I'm cutting all ties with his family completely, a clean break!"

"I know, Dad! I'll take care of it right away! I'll definitely send him to jail and make sure he never has anything to do with them again!" Li Jingye agreed eagerly, her forehead pressed against the floor.

"Aren't you going to get out of here?!" Li Wenguo pointed his finger directly at the door, showing no mercy.

Wen Keren hurriedly patted his back, saying, "Sir, calm down, calm down... You're not young anymore, getting angry is bad for your health. You should try to cultivate your temper."

"My temper? Isn't it all because you spoiled me?!" He glared at him sideways.

"No way..." she muttered softly.

"Li Guoyu, Li Jingye, Li Guoxin—which of the three hasn't messed things up? You dare say you haven't?!"

Wen Keren immediately fell silent, then quickly changed the subject: "You were in such a rush, you didn't even take a bath, did you? I'll boil some water, scrub your back, and apply face wash..."

Li Jingye ran home frantically, her face still wet with tears and fingerprints, with only one thought in her mind: tear Lin Guosheng apart alive!

"Huh?! Jingye—what happened to your face?!"

Lin Guoze was curled up on the sofa reading the news when he suddenly jumped up, his face turning pale. His first thought was that his wife had been bullied, and his hand was already reaching for the emergency call button on his phone.

Her heart pounded in her chest: Please don't let it be that... Jingye is too conspicuous; if she really encounters a beast, there's no way to guard against him.

He gritted his teeth inwardly: From now on, he would follow her every step of the way when she went out at night.

"What's wrong?"

"Lin Guosheng did a good job."

Li Jingye squeezed out these words through gritted teeth, each syllable sounding like it was coated with poison.

"What?!"

"He...he actually dared to attack you?!"

"This...how is this possible?!"

Lin Guoze stood frozen in place, his lips dry and his mind buzzing.

Seeing his wife disheveled and with red eyes, his first thought was that his cousin had hit her.

I want to kill him right now.

Li Jingye said through gritted teeth.

I was almost kicked out, and the anger in my heart was burning through my throat.

"Guosheng...did he really do something to you?"

Li Jingye knew her husband had misunderstood, but she didn't point it out. As she walked towards the kitchen, she replied, "Almost there. I'll go get them back, are you coming or not?" She picked up two rolling pins, heavy with wood and smelling of flour.

"Holy crap! I'll chop that bastard to pieces!"

Lin Guoze roared.

He thought "almost" meant he had almost succeeded but ultimately failed—and felt a sense of relief, but the next second he exploded.

He cherished his beautiful wife so much that he was afraid of dropping her or melting her in his mouth. He wouldn't even dare to say a harsh word to her, let alone lay a hand on her.

But right now, his face was swollen from being beaten, and tears were still hanging from the corners of his eyes. His heart felt like it was being squeezed and torn apart. How could he possibly hold back?

The two men kicked open Lin Guosheng's door and, without uttering a word, began swinging their sticks with a whooshing sound.

Coincidentally, Lin Guosheng had just finished a couple of bites of rice when he went out to ask Huang Xirou if Li Guoxuan's matter had been settled.

When his parents heard that he had "bullied his sister-in-law," they were so angry that their hands trembled. They didn't even try to stop him and just watched as his brother and sister-in-law chased their son all over the yard and beat him.

Lin Guosheng was running around in a panic, clutching his head, while crying out in confusion that he was innocent—who would believe him?

The bright red finger marks on Li Jingye's face, and the tear tracks running down her chin, were more compelling than any testimony.

Before leaving, she made her words clear: "From now on, we're completely cut off from each other. I won't even send you paper money after I die."

The first thing that his father, Li Wenguo, asked him to do has been accomplished.

Next thing—send Lin Guosheng to prison.

Wait until tomorrow.

As soon as Huang Xirou stepped into the office, she was called into the director's office.

She straightened her back and asked respectfully, "Director Li, did you need to see me for something?"

Li Jingye was also supposed to come, but the handprint on her face was too conspicuous, so she had to stay in her office.

However, she had already informed Li Guofu.

Li Guofu didn't respond, but tapped the mahogany tabletop with his knuckles.

Click, click, click.

The sound was not loud, but it made one's legs feel weak.

"Someone has filed a formal complaint against you, accusing you of having an improper relationship with Lin Guosheng."

Swah——

Huang Xirou was completely drained of color.

If this gets reported to the bureau, the consequences range from a demerit and suspension to being fired. There is zero tolerance for misconduct.

"Director Li... what are the bureau's plans to do?"

Seeing that he remained silent, she couldn't hold back any longer.

"The reports have already been submitted to my desk, what do you think?"

He asked rhetorically.

Huang Xirou's mind was buzzing, and cold sweat covered the back of her neck.

"The bureau... is going to fire me?"

She took a breath, her voice trembling.

"I heard you were harassed in public at the station yesterday?"

"Um!"

She nodded.

"I also heard that you forced him to marry you?"

She looked up abruptly, her pupils contracting – even her own mother didn't know about this!

In a flash, she realized: Li Guoxuan's family had connections, and most likely, as soon as she mentioned going home, they would ask someone to find Li Guofu overnight.

I should have dragged him to get the marriage certificate a long time ago!

She was so angry that she dug her nails into her palms.

A smart person would understand in the blink of an eye: Li Guofu was first brandishing a knife, then a rope—using the report to pressure her, and then using Li Guoxuan's case to force her to bow down.

It’s over.

Her heart skipped a beat.

With this bureau chief in charge, she didn't even have the right to be defiant.

In just a few seconds, the thought crossed my mind seven or eight times.

She quickly interjected, "Yes, being publicly humiliated has ruined my reputation. Marrying him would be a clean break."

His words were so flawless that no mistakes could be found.

But Li Guofu shook his head.

"No. You're not afraid of a bad reputation at all—you're framing him. And the mastermind is Lin Guosheng."

Huang Xirou's expression changed drastically.

It cannot be recognized.

Once admitted, it's even more devastating than a matter of conduct.

No! Really, no!

She immediately denied it, her voice shrill.

Unless she produces irrefutable evidence, she will never admit it, even if it kills her.

"You'd better think things through before you speak."

Li Guofu raised his eyes, his gaze as deep as a well. "Otherwise, the bureau can only dismiss him directly for serious misconduct."

Huang Xirou's heart tightened, and she immediately understood the hidden meaning in those words—as long as she admitted it, she could keep her job.

But she still felt uneasy.

This bureaucratic tone is really awful! Every word is like it's wrapped in cotton cloth; it sounds clear at first, but upon closer inspection, it's leaky.

"You mean... if I admit that I framed Li Guoxuan, the bureau won't fire me?"

She kept her voice very low, her fingertips quietly digging into her palm.

"Almost there."

Li Guofu said.

What's missing?

Only revealing half the truth is more frustrating than singing in a traditional opera with a strained voice!