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

Zhang Ruoxuan winked at someone diagonally behind her. Li Yingxia, who was wearing a navy blue coat beside her, immediately chimed in, "Shanshan, Ruoxuan is right. Even if your guy... really works at the factory for thirty years, he probably won't even make it to the position of section chief. If you're transferred to a ministry in the future, will he be able to go with you? He can't even get into the family compound."

Shen Shanshan didn't respond, but simply pulled her backpack strap up a little, her fingers unconsciously tying a knot around the canvas strap.

The slower her steps, the heavier the weight in her heart became. It wasn't that she hadn't thought of Li Guozhui—in high school, he had copied an entire book of "Guanzi" for her; when she was sent to the countryside, he carried her, who had a fever, ten miles of mountain road in the rain to the barefoot doctor; on the eve of returning to the city, he even stuffed all the grain coupons he had saved into the lining of her cotton-padded coat... But all of this gradually became light and airy under the ever-burning lamps of the Peking University library, in the classroom where teachers talked about "the rejuvenation of cadres" and "knowledge is productivity," and at the dinner table where classmates discussed studying abroad and applying for social science grants. It was like ink stains on old letter paper, which would bleed when exposed to water.

As they approached the school gate, she suddenly stopped. Her voice was soft but clear: "Alright, that's enough. I'll ask him one question—if he gets into Peking University this year, the engagement will remain the same; but if he doesn't even register and just wants to make a living running the popsicle factory… then I'm breaking off the engagement."

She wasn't determined to break up; she wanted to give them both another chance. It was also a way to give herself closure: if he was truly willing to make a move for her, she would trust him this once; if he didn't even try, she couldn't live the next few decades just by reminiscing.

Zhang Ruoxuan and Li Yingxia exchanged a glance and didn't try to persuade her further. They silently hoped in their hearts: Please don't take the exam, please don't apply.

The three of them walked to the stone steps at the school gate. A gust of wind blew, and ginkgo leaves swirled down.

Just then, Li Guozhui emerged from the shadows of the paulownia tree.

Zhang Ruoxuan and Li Yingxia both stopped in their tracks.

It wasn't because he was unfamiliar, but because he was so striking—he wore a faded blue cotton shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, with a tall and straight figure, clear and sharp features, a high and straight nose, and a shallow dimple on his left cheek when he smiled. He didn't look like a worker, but rather like a young teacher straight out of an old magazine, still clutching a half-smoked cigarette in his hand, the ash about to fall.

Their hearts skipped a beat: No wonder Shen Shanshan hadn't given up...

But the thought was quickly suppressed. No matter how good-looking she was, could it translate into a raise? Could it help Director Chen submit materials? Could it guarantee her a smooth entry into the Municipal Party Committee's Propaganda Department next year? No. No matter how beautiful she was, she was nothing more than a pretty but useless jade carving.

"Shanshan!"

"National pursuit!"

Having not seen each other for a year, the two merely nodded slightly. There was no warmth of a long-awaited reunion; rather, it was like two slow trains that had missed each other, each sounding its horn once before continuing on their way.

Zhang Ruoxuan's eyes lit up: Distancing ourselves, that's the right thing to do.

Before Shen Shanshan could speak, she interrupted with a smile, "Hello, comrade! I'm Shanshan's classmate. She's very busy with her studies right now, with a paper due at the end of the semester and preparation for the CET-4 (College English Test Band 4). She really can't take care of anything else. As for marriage... how about we discuss it in detail after she graduates and starts working?"

Shen Shanshan frowned slightly but remained silent. She could hear the urgency in Zhang Ruoxuan's words and sense the barely concealed warmth in Zhang Ruoxuan's eyes—not for her, but for someone else. But she didn't want to get married right now, so she let it go.

"Oh, it's not about getting married." Li Guozhui shook his head, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I came today to talk about something else."

Three pairs of eyes stared at him simultaneously.

Shen Shanshan, clutching her schoolbag, calmly said, "Just say what you have to say. Guozhui, when did you learn to stammer like that?"

Li Guozhui took a breath, his chest heaving slightly.

A breeze swept through the ginkgo branches, and a few leaves rustled down.

He looked into Shen Shanshan's eyes, his voice low but steady: "I want to break off our engagement."

The air suddenly became still.

Even the distant sound of bicycle bells could no longer be heard.

Zhang Ruoxuan's mouth was agape, and the notebook in Li Yingxia's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

Shen Shanshan didn't blink or move, but slowly hugged the stack of "A History of Modern Chinese Literature" in her arms even tighter.

Shen Shanshan was beautiful and bright, and a top student who graduated from Peking University. Just hearing her name, people knew that her future would be bright and promising. But Li Guozhui suddenly wanted to break off the engagement—anyone would be stunned by this: had he lost his mind?

"Is it because of Ye Xiuli?"

Shen Shanshan looked up, her voice turned cold, and her face darkened.

Earlier, some female educated youths who had been sent to the countryside had privately whispered about the ambiguous relationship between the two, but she had dismissed it as mere gossip and hadn't taken it to heart. Now, thinking about it more carefully, it seemed there was some truth to those words. Especially since she had been away for a year, Ye Xiuli had the advantage of being close by, so why would she need to put in any effort?

Li Guozhui lowered his head, his Adam's apple bobbing, and nodded slightly. He felt guilty and in the wrong—after all, he had started it and gotten the woman pregnant.

"Ye Xiuli!" Shen Shanshan gritted her teeth, her voice suddenly rising, "You really know how to take advantage of loopholes, daring to seduce even my fiancé!"

The curse was crisp and fierce, and all the students who were passing by the school gate in twos and threes stopped in their tracks and looked around.

Under an old locust tree at the back of the crowd, Yao Yuanxu stood with his shoulders hunched, clutching a copy of "The Barefoot Doctor's Manual," though he hadn't actually read a single word. He had come specifically to try his luck, and seeing Shen Shanshan standing by the school gate, he had quietly moved to a shadowy spot to keep watch. Seeing her anger now, he immediately pushed his way through the crowd, his sleeve still brushing against the corner of the book, showing his urgency.

He was determined to pursue Shen Shanshan. Zhang Ruoxuan and Li Yingxia were merely companions on this journey—to put it bluntly, they were just there to act as intermediaries and relay messages. But Shen Shanshan was already engaged, so he could only watch helplessly, not daring to overstep his bounds in the slightest.

"Shanshan!" He rushed forward, his tone warm and concerned. "What's wrong? Who upset you?"

Before he finished speaking, he had already subconsciously stood in front of Shen Shanshan, as if there really was a villain standing in front of him.

Zhang Ruoxuan and Li Yingxia kept exchanging glances behind him, their lips pressed into a thin line. One waved to him, and the other shook her head at him.

Yao Yuanxu caught a glimpse of this out of the corner of his eye, and his heart skipped a beat. He realized he had been reckless. But he was already standing there, and the words had already been spoken. Retreating would seem petty, so he had no choice but to grit his teeth and hold on.

"Who is he?" Li Guozhui stared at Yao Yuanxu, his brows furrowed, his tone revealing a sense of displeasure at being offended.

Even though the engagement was about to be dissolved, he still instinctively resisted the kindness of others—especially a young man.

"Just a classmate," Shen Shanshan answered crisply, then turned to Yao Yuanxu, her voice calm and sharp, "Yao Yuanxu, my affairs with my fiancé are none of your business."

The air seemed to freeze. Yao Yuanxu's face drained of color, his lips trembled, unsure whether to smile or not.

Zhang Ruoxuan and Li Yingxia exchanged a silent glance and sighed in unison.

—The engagement should have been called off in the first place, and the fault lies with the man; yet you jump out at this moment, making it seem as if the woman had planned this all along.

The two quickly waved to him, signaling him to step back and not cause trouble.

"Guozhui," Shen Shanshan stared at Li Guozhui, her eyes slightly red, "you want to break off the engagement just to marry Ye Xiuli?"

"Shanshan..." Li Guozhui's throat was dry. "Don't talk about her like that. I'm the one who's wronged you."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "She's pregnant, two months along. I... I have to take responsibility."

"She's pregnant?" Shen Shanshan was taken aback, then sneered, "Well, well, Ye Xiuli! She pretends to be weak and pitiful in front of others, but behind their backs she's scheming like crazy."

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, but she felt no pain.

Nobody's happy when someone pries open the corner of the wall. This applies to both men and women.

She suddenly remembered something, looked up and asked, "Before the exam, you already...?"

Li Guozhui didn't speak, but nodded quickly, his eyes darting away.

"So you deliberately failed that college entrance exam?"

He nodded again.

Shen Shanshan's nose tingled, but she didn't let the tears fall: "I knew it! You're usually more reliable than me when it comes to solving problems, and your test papers are cleaner than mine. Why did I get into Peking University while you didn't even meet the cutoff score? It turns out that she was the one who tripped me up from the beginning!"

"His grades are really good?"

Zhang Ruoxuan and Li Yingxia exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.

He was initially thought to be a good-for-nothing who could only climb the social ladder by marrying Shen Shanshan; who would have thought that he would push away his future for a woman.

The two felt a chill run down their spines—the words they had advised Shen Shanshan to "let go as soon as possible" a couple of days ago now sounded like scalding hot words.

"Shanshan, about... the engagement..." Li Guozhui rubbed his hands together, his voice weak.

"You want to break off the engagement so you can elope with that woman?" Shen Shanshan raised her chin and sneered, "I won't allow it."

She stared at him, saying each word clearly, "If she dares to touch my people, I'll make sure she never has a peaceful day. The marriage contract is in my hands, it's in black and white, with my fingerprints on it. If you dare to go with her to get the marriage certificate—" She paused, her gaze sweeping over the several students who had stopped to watch, "I'll take the marriage certificate and go straight to the police station to report you for bigamy!"

After saying that, she turned and left, her ponytail swinging behind her head like a taut string.

She's always been decisive, making the final decision on most family matters, big and small. She's also stubborn and unyielding. This time, having her man snatched away, she initially considered a dignified separation, but the anger was stuck in her chest, impossible to swallow—so she decided to go all out and not let her win.

"Shanshan! Shanshan!"

Li Guozhui called out twice, but she didn't turn her head; instead, she quickened her pace.

Helpless, he had no choice but to turn to Zhang Ruoxuan and Li Yingxia.

The two of them stood there in a daze, even Yao Yuanxu forgot to close his mouth, his expression as complicated as an overturned jar of soy sauce—he wanted to be happy, but couldn't; he wanted to be angry, but had no reason to.

This engagement... it seems it can't be called off!

"You two are Shanshan's classmates, right?" Li Guozhui gave a wry smile, his tone extremely soft. "Could you please talk to her for me, help her calm down, and... dissolve the engagement?"

In those days, marriage contracts were official documents stamped with a red seal and signed by both parties. If the matter really escalated to the police station, he could be labeled as "breach of contract and bigamy," and his job and future would be ruined.

"Okay, okay!" the two readily agreed.

They came to mediate, but this has saved them a lot of trouble.

Yao Yuanxu stood still, watching Li Guozhui's retreating figure with an inscrutable expression.