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

Half a month later, at exactly 10 p.m., Li Guoxin pushed open the door and entered the house. Zeng Minzhi was already waiting in the living room, wearing a dark blue velvet dress with the neckline slightly open, and her hair still carrying the warm fragrance of freshly dried hair—anyone who saw her would know what she was there for.

Li Guoxin only nodded slightly, loosening his tie as he said, "I've been running around with some people from the city all day, my feet are burning. There's a coordination meeting at eight tomorrow morning, and I have to go down to Qingshi Town the day after tomorrow." He paused, his tone softening considerably, "Once this busy period is over, I'll spend more time with you."

Zeng Minzhi smiled and softly responded with an "Mmm," handing him a glass of warm water. But the smile didn't reach her eyes; her heart felt like it had been doused with cold water: not touching her meant she had just touched someone else—she was afraid she would smell it, touch the marks, and see through her disguise!

But she didn't flip the table or smash the cup.

She wiped the glass ashtray on the coffee table three times, her fingers moving very steadily.

The marriage between the Li and Zeng families involves two factories, three transportation lines, and resettlement quotas for two villages; she is pregnant with her third child and already has two children; if things really fall apart, it will not only cause serious damage, but it will also benefit the woman with long hair who is always pinned to the top of Li Guoxin's WeChat.

So she left her husband some leeway—as long as he was willing to back off, she would pretend that the hair was just from the wind, that her excuses that night were because she was really tired, and that everything that seemed off was just her overthinking.

Another half month passed. While Li Guoxin was taking a shower, Zeng Minzhi took his light gray shirt and secretly slipped a lock of her own long hair into the pocket. After he came out drying his wet hair, she laid the shirt flat on the sofa armrest and pointed to his left breast pocket: "Guoxin, why do you have a woman's hair stuck in this shirt? Not just this time, but last time too."

She was certain he understood.

Li Guoxin glanced down, his eyelids twitched suddenly, his Adam's apple bobbed, and then he laughed: "How could that be? Maybe it was you who dropped it and it got in there." His voice sounded relaxed, but the end of his tone was slightly shaky.

Zeng Minzhi kept staring at him. That moment of panic was shorter than a cicada's chirp, yet deeper than a knife cut.

"Oh?" She tilted her head, a slight smile playing on her lips, as if listening to an interesting story.

Li Guoxin's neck was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

Tian Tian, ​​you're really daring—stuffing your own hair into my pocket, are you forcing me to cut off your own head?

"That's roughly it." He picked up his water glass and took a sip. The water swirled around the rim of the glass without spilling, but his hand remained tense.

"I hope so." She gently smoothed out a wrinkle on her shirt cuff. "I don't want to see it again."

She paused for two seconds, then looked up at him directly: "Also, when you come back tonight, don't say 'I'm too tired' again."

The words weren't explicitly stated, but their meaning was like nails, wedged into his eardrums: control those outside, and also control your own mouth and body.

"Okay. Go to sleep." He breathed a sigh of relief, and his shoulder line finally relaxed as he turned around.

He knew this was the last card his wife was playing. If he lost again, it wouldn't just be a game over, it would be a complete collapse.

So he suppressed his restlessness and didn't step into Tian Tian's house for a full fifteen days.

Tian Tian had planned the day perfectly. After putting the child to sleep, she changed into a lotus-colored silk slip dress, walked barefoot on the wooden floor, and even chose the cedar scent that Li Guoxin loved. She sat on the edge of the sofa, her back straight like a lotus about to bloom.

The moment the door lock clicked, she even stood up and took two steps to meet it.

But as soon as Li Guoxin entered, he didn't even glance at her or smell the fragrance. He strode forward and slapped her across the face.

"Snapped!"

With a crisp sound, the leaves of the pothos on the windowsill trembled.

"Ah—!" She staggered backward, covering her right cheek tightly with one hand, red marks seeping through her fingers.

"You slut!" His voice was extremely low, yet each word felt like sandpaper grinding against bone. "What did you promise me last time?"

"Live a peaceful and contented life, and do not entertain any delusional thoughts."

"Have I been too lenient with you lately, spoiling you? Or do you really think I treat you like a human being?"

"You tried to stuff those few strands of your hair into my pocket, hoping Zeng Minzhi would dump me so you could become my wife? Hmm?"

"Snapped!"

The second blow was even harder. Her knees buckled, and she knelt on the carpet, tears welling up instantly.

"I was wrong! Guoxin, I was so wrong! Please forgive me this time..." She lunged at him, grabbing his right hand, her nails digging into his wrist. "I did it for the children! They call me 'Mom,' but they don't even have my name on the household registration... I cried holding them at night, my heart was breaking... that's when I lost my mind!"

She cried so hard her shoulders were shaking, and her face was covered in snot and tears.

Li Guoxin stood motionless, like a piece of wood soaked through by the rain.

He was heartbroken.

He knew Tian Tian was sweet-talking but cold-hearted, outwardly more docile than a Bodhisattva, yet capable of turning black into white behind his back. But she acted so convincingly that he forgot—even the softest silk can conceal steel needles.

This time, we almost caused a major disaster.

If Zeng Minzhi really complains to the old man, not only will she get a beating, but her factory shares, town projects, and even her son's political background check for schooling will all be ruined.

His voice was as cold as iron: "Stop talking. I'm giving you and your mother a year's worth of living expenses all at once. From today onwards, I won't be coming again. You'd better take care of yourself."

Fortunately, he didn't know that Tian Tian had secretly filled in a fake name on Zeng Minzhi's prenatal checkup form during her early pregnancy and had someone in the community register her as an "unmarried mother".

After saying that, he turned and left.

"Don't go! Guoxin—!" Tian Tian rushed forward and grabbed his arm, her sobs piercing the air. "I can't live without you! Please...please turn around and look at me...sob sob..."

He shook off her hand as she reached out for him for the third time, without turning around, and simply said, "You did it, so you have to bear the consequences. You're an adult; no one should tolerate your mistakes."

The door closed, and the hallway lights automatically turned off.

Tian Tian slumped to the ground, her face still wet with tears, but suddenly stopped crying.

She slowly wiped her face clean, got up, poured herself a glass of cold water, and drank it all in one gulp.

The fact that they weren't driven away means the relationship isn't completely severed yet.

Li Guohang's side.

When Zhong Linlin heard that he had been released from prison, she would bring him fruit to visit every few days.

After two years of working in the workplace, she had seen through the harsh realities of life and was awakened by her brother's words, "He is in trouble now, which is the perfect time for you to take advantage of him," so she clung to him again.

Li Guohang had been holding back for four months, and as his wife's belly grew bigger day by day, he tossed and turned at night. Finally, he broke down at Zhong Linlin's gaze and the scent of her hair, and the two of them rolled around haphazardly on their own sofa.

But the moment it was over, he felt a jolt and broke out in a cold sweat.

—What if her parents report it to the police again?

—Old man Li Wenguo could break his legs with a broom. If things really get out of hand, he might be removed from the family register.

He sat up abruptly, his face deathly pale, and grabbed Zhong Linlin's wrist, saying, "This can't go on. Not even once."

The voice was strained, like a string stretched to its limit.

"Officer Guo, you really don't need to worry so much. This is my own choice, and besides, I'm well over eighteen. I know what I want to do and how I want to live. Don't worry about my family causing you trouble—they're not unreasonable people."

Zhong Linlin spoke in a calm tone, like a bowl of lukewarm water, neither too hot nor too cold, yet delivering her words with a steady and resonant manner.

"But... I'm a member of the Li family." Li Guohang lowered his eyes, his fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of the blanket. "Besides, you'll eventually get married. This isn't dignified for anyone. From now on... let's just forget about it."

Before he finished speaking, he had already sat up, pulled up his shirt in a few quick movements, and buttoned it up hastily, with the top button crooked to one side, as if there were really footsteps outside the door heading towards the stairwell.

"Air China teacher, what's the rush?" She tilted her head and smiled, lightly brushing her toe against his calf. "Maybe I'll never get married in this lifetime—and even if I do, I'll have to learn a few more 'lessons' from you first!"

"you--?"

"Oh dear, why is your face so pale?" She covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes crinkling at the corners, showing no fear whatsoever.

Li Guohang's Adam's apple bobbed, but he couldn't reply. Those few words felt like a small pebble, making his heart tighten. He paused for a moment before snapping out of his daze and quickly gestured for her to put on her clothes.

Zhong Linlin is the kind of person who is both shrewd and resilient. When she was a student, she dared to openly focus her attention on her teachers. Before graduation, she was not thinking about finding a job, but rather wondering: if she could avoid working in a factory and not have a secure job, would she be able to have more control over her career?

Later, when she saw Li Guohang's building, her judgment began to waver. The entire four-story red brick building was inhabited by Li Guohang's brothers, all of whom worked in government offices: the highest was a department head, and the lowest was a section chief. For a girl like her, from an ordinary factory family, this was not just "having connections," but "having a secure backing."

When she got home and mentioned it, her parents just nodded and said, "You decide for yourself." But her older brother's eyes lit up immediately when he heard the name "Li Guofang."

He'd worked at the machine factory for over six years and was still just a clerk, not even a deputy team leader. Those who'd joined five years later and had lower qualifications had already been promoted to section chiefs. He was itching for a promotion; all he needed was a stepping stone.

That evening, after the dinner table was cleared, the eldest brother called Zhong Linlin into the room and asked in a low voice, "Is it done?"

She nodded.

"Great!" The eldest brother slapped his thigh, his smile barely concealed. "Keep it going! The hotter the better! If this works out, our whole family will benefit!"

He had already inquired about it—Li Guofang, the office director of the machinery factory, had risen to the division-level position in his early thirties, while veteran clerks in the factory had been stuck in the same place for two or three decades. Such rapid promotion—no connections? Impossible. Even more coincidentally, Li Guofang had the power to recommend personnel transfers. Once he established connections, job transfers, promotions, entry into core departments… weren't those all tangible benefits?

"Brother, next time I'll have Air China pass on a message and have his brother mention it to you?" Zhong Linlin asked.

"No rush." ​​The older brother waved his hand, tapping his fingertips lightly on the edge of the table twice. "We have to wait until the time is right—until he's taken a liking to you and doesn't want to let go, then it will be a natural progression to make things work out."