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

"I won't let go until you agree."

She spoke fiercely, but the last syllable of her voice trailed off softly and tremblingly, and her fingertips gently brushed against his lower back.

"Let go! What if someone passes by and sees this..." Li Guozhui's throat tightened, his arm stiffened and he dared not lift it, he could only lower his voice and say urgently.

"I won't let go, I won't let go—I'll only let go if you agree."

She tightened her grip on her arms, her body swaying slightly, like vines binding a tree, tightening their hold more and more firmly.

Li Guozhui was so tightly gripped that he couldn't breathe, so he could only nod repeatedly: "Okay, okay, I promise you! Let go, let go now!"

Ah!

What a coward!

I'm willing to risk everything and lose all face, yet you're afraid of what people say?

Ye Xiuli smiled, her heart already bursting with joy, but she didn't loosen her grip at all. She waited until beads of sweat appeared on his forehead before slowly letting go, her fingertips even smoothing out his wrinkled collar.

In the days that followed, the educated youth settlement spent their days hoeing the fields and carrying manure, and their nights studying under the oil lamps. They spread old textbooks and handwritten notes sent from home all over the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), wore down their pencils and replaced them, and stacked draft paper high, all in an effort to secure a place in university.

The autumn frost has fallen, the winter snow has just stopped, and it's already November 7th.

Early in the morning, all the educated youth in the county rushed to the examination hall in the county town. On the dirt road, bicycle bells jingled all around, and the white breath they exhaled was quickly dissipated in the cold wind, even though they were wrapped up tightly in cotton-padded coats.

"Guozhui, keep up the good work! Let's take the exam together and get back to Beijing!"

Just before entering the examination hall, Shen Shanshan tiptoed and patted his shoulder, her scarf as red as a flame. She truly hoped he would pass the exam—if her fiancé was successful and could work in a ministry or become a technician, she would be proud, and both her family's and her country's future would be secure.

"Okay, Shanshan, stay calm, we'll definitely make it!"

Li Guozhui nodded with a smile, his voice clear and bright.

But something felt gently pressing down on his heart: he couldn't go back on his promise to Xiuli; she was working alone in the production team, earning work points, carrying pig manure, sewing and washing clothes, and without his help, she would really break down...

He made up his mind: answer only half of the test paper, glance at the questions, keep his pen hovering, hand in the paper in the last ten minutes, and get a score that barely meets the minimum requirement—neither cheating nor arousing suspicion.

After three days of exams, everyone dispersed, waiting for the mail envelopes to arrive.

"Guozhui, how did the exam go?"

Shen Shanshan, clutching her thermos, her cheeks slightly red from the cold, asked with a smile. Her knuckles were still stained with ink, and the cuffs of her sleeves were frayed, clearly showing she had put in a lot of effort.

"Well... it's so-so. My stomach wasn't feeling well in the middle, so I didn't finish a few of the big questions."

Li Guozhui scratched the back of his neck, avoiding her eyes, and stared only at a mud stain on the tip of his shoe.

"You used to be the top student in the class, you should be able to secure this result."

Her tone was resolute. The Li family children have always been incredibly dedicated to their studies, never faltering.

"I hope so," he mumbled, gripping the enamel mug even tighter.

The notice arrived late, in March 1979. The postman finally pedaled his old-fashioned bicycle, braving the wind and sand, all the way from the county town to the village. A stack of kraft paper envelopes was tied to the back of the vehicle, rustling loudly.

Those who received the letter jumped for joy, while those who didn't squatted silently against the wall smoking.

Shen Shanshan was one of them. Clutching a thin piece of paper, she spun around twice, her laughter ringing out, "Finally, I can walk!"

But when she turned around, she saw Li Guozhui standing in the shadow of the elm tree, his hands empty. Her smile faded: "Guozhui, you... didn't receive the notification?"

She was stunned.

He got better grades than her, studied harder than her, and even outperformed her in mock exams every time—how come he ended up alone?

"I had an upset stomach during the exam, and my hands were shaking so much I couldn't write steadily..." He smiled wryly, "Let's try again next year, we'll do it together."

Shen Shanshan didn't ask any more questions, just patted his shoulder gently, and turned to pack her luggage.

The youth settlement was suddenly half empty, and the remaining people spoke more openly.

A few days later, two comrades in uniforms arrived at the entrance of the commune.

"Sun Qiang! Someone has filed a formal complaint against you for illegal reselling and speculation. Come with us."

The two men's faces were ashen, like iron plates. They didn't say much, but every word they uttered was like a thunderclap.

Sun Qiang was squatting in the yard chopping wood when the axe fell into the pile with a clatter. His face instantly drained of color, his legs trembled, and his throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, unable to utter a single word.

——It’s over.

For over a year, he made money running errands for Li Guojiang, and the money flowed into his home like spring water irrigating the fields. With 20,000 yuan in his savings account, he built a new tiled house, bought a Phoenix brand bicycle, and even his father walked with his back straight.

But now, the moment the police badge lights up, all the wealth and glory vanish, and the salty taste of prison food seems to choke him.

When he was taken to the police station, he caught a glimpse of Lü Wei sitting on a long bench with his head drooping, his eyes glazed over, and his fingers nervously picking at the seams of his pants.

Ugh……

I should have kept my hand outstretched!

Sun Qiang closed his eyes, overwhelmed by a surge of regret.

At the door of the interrogation room, Director Gu Aimin stopped the two men, waved away the other officers, and asked in a low voice, "Who supplied the goods?"

"this……"

Sun Qiang and Lü Wei exchanged a quick glance, their lips pressed into a thin white line.

Li Guojiang led them to their first fortune, claiming they were "brothers," and he patted his chest at the dinner table as a promise. Should they betray him? Their conscience wouldn't allow it.

But as soon as the thought crossed their minds, they all shuddered – not confess? The detention record was there; they could withstand the scrutiny of bills, bank statements, and witnesses. Sooner or later, they'd have to spill the beans!

The two spoke almost simultaneously, their voices dry: "It's Li Guojiang."

Gu Aimin nodded, said nothing, but took half a step closer and spoke in a tone only they could hear:

"Once inside, they stubbornly refused to admit it."

What?

Sun Qiang and Lü Wei looked up abruptly, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets—

My mind went completely blank.

"If you don't want to go to jail, do as I say."

Gu Aimin's voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like a cold iron slamming into the ground. After speaking, he turned and walked away, his leather shoes clicking crisply on the concrete. Sun Qiang and Lü Wei, supporting each other, pale-faced and unsteady on their feet, followed him into the interrogation room.

The two barely managed to catch their breath when they heard there was still room for maneuver. Before entering the house, Gu Aimin only glanced at them without saying much, but the meaning in his eyes was clear: keep your mouth shut and grit your teeth.

They did so.

As a result, the whistleblower was found to have fabricated the facts and was detained for sixty days for false accusation; Sun Qiang and Lü Wei signed the statements neatly and walked out of the police station that afternoon without even receiving a warning.

Gu Aimin was undoubtedly involved in all the twists and turns in this whole affair.

"hiss--"

As soon as he stepped out of the police station's iron gate, Sun Qiang wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his throat still tight: "Lü Wei, do you think... the reason you were able to escape unscathed this time is because Guo Jiang's influence runs deep?"

Lü Wei didn't answer immediately. He bent down and kicked away a small pebble at his feet, his cigarette pack digging into his thigh in his pocket. He lit a cigarette, the flame flashing, before slowly saying, "Who in the factory doesn't know? Guojiang is Director Li's younger brother. The director is giving him face, most likely because of Li Guoyu..."

He paused abruptly, cigarette ash falling onto his shoes. The more he thought about it, the more something seemed amiss—if it were simply a matter of showing leniency, he would at most try to suppress or delay the matter, why would he turn around and send the whistleblower to jail?

"Sun Qiang, think about this," he exhaled a puff of white smoke, squinting, "Could this Gu Aimin... actually be under the protection of Guo Jiang's gang?"

Sun Qiang was taken aback, almost dropping the enamel mug he was holding. He slowly placed the mug back in the bicycle basket, his brows furrowed: "...It really does look convincing."

"So, are we still going to do it or not?" Sun Qiang asked.

"This..." Lu Wei held a cigarette in his mouth, but didn't smoke it. He just held it in his mouth, his lips moved, but he didn't say anything more.

When he was taken in last time, he couldn't sleep for nights on end; all he could see were the gleaming handcuffs and the clanging sound of the iron gate locking itself. Once sentenced, he was stuck in a quagmire for life, never to climb out again.

But now that things have calmed down, I've come to understand this implication—Gu Aimin didn't get things done through connections; he was already there waiting to provide support. This business seems like it can really go on for a long time.

"How about we find Guojiang and get to the bottom of this first?" Sun Qiang rubbed his ears, which were red from the cold. "If we really have someone backing us up, then we'll keep going."

Lu Wei stubbed out his cigarette in the crack in the wall and nodded: "Okay, go find him."

As soon as the bell rang to signal the end of the workday, the two men squatted outside the iron gate of the textile factory. The cold wind whipped up snowflakes that felt like cotton wool, seeping into their necks. They hunched their shoulders, their eyes fixed on the factory gate. A short while later, Li Guojiang emerged, wrapped in an old military overcoat, his scarf pulled down to his nose. Upon seeing them, he paused.

Without exchanging many words, the three of them turned straight into the state-run restaurant on the street corner and ordered a small private room facing north. Once the wooden door was closed, the smell of oil, alcohol, and rising heat all filled the room.

Sun Qiang recounted the whole story, even mentioning that his legs were weak and his hands were trembling; Lü Wei added a few details, talking about how Gu Aimin set the tone with just a few words and silenced the whistleblower on the spot.

Li Guojiang's chopsticks froze in mid-air, the color draining from his face: "You...you were really taken away?"

He put down his chopsticks, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly: "This is no small matter. Speculation and profiteering, enough to warrant a sentence."

Upon hearing that it was Gu Aimin who had handled the case, his tense shoulders relaxed a little, and he even smiled slightly: "Oh, it was him."

"Guojiang, are you familiar with this Director Gu?" Sun Qiang asked, leaning closer.

"Very familiar." Li Guojiang picked up a piece of braised pork knuckle and chewed it slowly. "His father was the guard in my family's old house."

"A bodyguard?"

Sun Qiang and Lü Wei both looked up at the same time, their eyes blank.

Seeing this, Li Guojiang quickly waved his hand: "Hey, that's ancient history! It's from the Republic of China era. Even now, his father still calls me 'Young Master Guojiang' with great respect." He smiled and said, "Gu Aimin and I grew up together. I call him brother, and he calls me younger brother."

The two suddenly realized and nodded vigorously: "No wonder, no wonder..."

Lu Wei paused, his hand still holding the food, and lowered his voice: "Guojiang, if we do it again, and someone reports us again... will Director Gu still protect us?"

"I guarantee it!" Li Guojiang answered decisively, slamming his chopsticks on the table. "Does he dare not guarantee it?"

Sun Qiang and Lü Wei exchanged a glance and grinned.

There are people in the police station to cover for them, and they're not cowardly, so why should they stop?

Li Guojiang felt relieved. If a police station chief was like this, he also had old acquaintances in the branch office and people in the city bureau who had given him their approval—this network was much denser than they had imagined.

After finishing their meal, Sun Qiang rushed to the counter to pay the bill, his aluminum lunchbox jingling. The three of them pushed open the door and were greeted by a blast of cold wind.

Right there in the restaurant lobby, Li Guojiang caught a glimpse of a figure in a navy blue wool coat, turning to talk to a girl. He paused, then blurted out, "Guoxuan!"

That's right, it was Li Guoxuan.

The woman next to her is Su Leilei.