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

The key was inserted into the lock, and with a click, the door opened.

The living room was bright and spacious, with a crystal chandelier casting its light, but there was no one in sight.

Hearing the noise, Xiao Cui quickly came out of the kitchen, clutching a damp rag in her hand, her forehead beaded with sweat, clearly having just wiped an entire floor-to-ceiling window.

"Mr. Li! You've arrived!!"

"Aunt Hongyu is feeding Fubao upstairs."

"I'll go and call her down!"

"No need, I'll go up myself."

As Li Wenguo spoke, he glanced at Xiao Cui without making a sound.

She's taken such good care of herself—her skin has a radiant glow, her cheeks are full, and her figure is becoming increasingly graceful.

Her waist and shoulders, though not as plump as the ladies in his household, were still much taller than those of ordinary girls.

In a few more days, it will probably grow even taller and taller, like shoots sprouting and ears of grain.

Unfortunately, she was only sixteen years old, so all I could do was watch her suffer and couldn't do anything to her.

"Xiao Cui, come here—let me see if you've been well taken care of these past few days?"

A slight smile played at the corners of his lips, a smile that seemed to deepen.

Xiao Cui's ears immediately turned bright red, and she lowered her eyes, not daring to look up. She already knew in her heart that this gentleman was about to take out the measuring tape and measure her chest, waist, and hips one by one.

Once he was satisfied, he slowly strolled up to the master bedroom on the second floor.

Before we even turned the corner of the stairs, the baby's shrill cries began to pierce down.

As soon as she stood in front of the bedroom door, Hongyu's angry shout, barely contained, came crashing down on her—

"What are you howling about?!"

Fu Bao isn't full yet, how dare you steal her milk?

If you cry again, no one will get a single bite today!

"Still crying? If you cry again, you're all sleeping in the attic tonight!"

"Pah! Two wild brats, without fathers to teach them or mothers to raise them..."

The two little ones were starving, and the smell of milk made them kick their legs and cry even harder; even Fu Bao was drawn into it and started howling at the top of his lungs, his little mouth detached from the nipple, just wailing loudly.

"Don't cry, Fu Bao, be good—oh my little darling!"

Hongyu hurriedly tried to comfort her, but before she could finish speaking, she was overwhelmed by two even louder cries.

"Shut up! You two debt collectors made my Fu Bao cry!"

She slammed down the small silver spoon in her hand, her curses growing louder and louder, each word piercing the ear.

Outside the door, Li Wenguo's face was already as dark as a heavy cloud, all his previous thoughts had been completely extinguished.

"Cry! Cry! This is so annoying! I'm going to find another room and wait until you've finished crying!"

The door slammed open—Hongyu stood there, panting, and when she looked up, her face turned deathly pale: "Master...Master, why...why are you here?!"

In the old days, Li Wenguo often heard people say: Children are most afraid of their parents being separated, and even more afraid of having a stepmother—who would either cut back on their food or make them do heavy work, and who would either speak coldly to them or beat them up.

He just smiled and didn't take it seriously.

He knew that such things did exist in the world, but they were extremely rare, mostly isolated cases from remote mountain villages; he had never encountered one in his own life, and the portrayals on television were too unrealistic. The young women he usually encountered were mostly gentle, kind, and polite, and they didn't seem like the type to mistreat children.

But today, I've become that man who's "not home."

My chest felt like it was stuffed with a wad of waterlogged cotton, both suffocating and heavy.

There was a sense of powerlessness in the face of reality, anger and heartbreak at Hongyu's words and actions, and an unspeakable apology to the two little ones who were clenching their fists and crying with tears streaming down their faces.

Ugh……

Family matters are like a tangled mess, impossible to untangle or unravel.

He originally wanted to lash out at Hongyu, but when he looked up, he saw that her face was sallow, her eyes were dark and swollen, and she looked listless and tired.

When she first arrived at the villa, Hongyu's cheeks glowed, her back was ramrod straight, she spoke with a spring in her step, and she walked with a brisk pace, just like a spirited sparrow; but only a few days have passed?

The flame in Li Wenguo's heart suddenly shrank – no doubt, it was because the three little babies had drained his energy.

"Hmm, let me see you and the child."

His tone was flat, revealing no emotion.

Although his anger had subsided considerably, his face remained tense, showing no sign of softening.

"Why are they all crying? Are they hungry?"

Before Hongyu could even open her mouth, he had already blurted out his words.

"Yes, yes, yes! They're starving, I'll feed them right away, right now!"

Hongyu nodded repeatedly, her hands trembling as she tried to rush to the cradle, but with the baby in her arms, she couldn't free her hands. In her haste, she spun around in place, her elbow knocking over a small stool, but she didn't even bother to catch it.

What she was truly terrified of was her husband turning against her—the more afraid she was, the less she could control her hands and feet.

"Give me Guofu!"

Seeing how anxious she was, Li Wenguo smiled slightly and took his second son from her arms.

The room fell silent instantly, with only the soft, gentle smacking sounds of the baby sucking on the pacifier.

"Hongyu, these two little brats are also my flesh and blood. Their mother is gone, but in my eyes, neither of them is superior to the other." Li Wenguo's voice was deep, each word landing steadily in the air.

"Sir, I'm so sorry, so sorry... I didn't mean what I said earlier, I'm just completely exhausted by them! Three little mouths, I have to feed them seven or eight times a day, and all I hear when I open and close my eyes at night is 'waaaaa,' I... I really can't take it anymore!"

Hongyu's eyes were red-rimmed, her voice trembled, and her face was filled with grievances.

"Sir, I'm not staying in this villa anymore. Let me move back! Xianglan should also get a room. I really can't carry these three kids by myself!"

"this……"

"Fine, whatever!"

Seeing her sunken eyes and trembling fingers, Li Wenguo finally softened his heart.

Besides, all the wives in the family were pregnant and couldn't be touched; Hongyu's departure actually satisfied his craving.

As for those two blond, blue-eyed little ones, they can be hidden in their wives' bedrooms, the door closed, and no one will be able to see them. It's not too late to make other arrangements when they learn to walk.

Since it's decided, we might as well do it sooner rather than later—the night is dark, which will be perfect for keeping our distance.

Upon hearing that Hongyu had agreed, she immediately changed her clothes right under her husband's nose. Her movements were so swift that they almost created a gust of wind, nearly causing him to get up from his seat.

She was already exhausted by her three babies and was too lazy to pack her luggage. She just wanted to move as soon as possible: she had enough clothes at home, and if she needed more, she would go out and buy more. She would leave a few clothes here so she could make do when she came back.

An hour later, the group stepped into the old house.

In the living room, He Shuting, Dong Haitang, Hongyu, and Xianglan sat around a table, the steam from the coffee table just dissipating.

"Sir, tell me, whose are these two foreign dolls?"

He Shuting spoke first, but before she finished speaking, her gaze swept sideways towards Hongyu; Dong Haitang and Xianglan also stared at her, their eyes full of speculation.

Everyone had a hunch: it was probably related to Hongyu—after all, the master had left her alone outside for seven days a while ago, most likely to be to take care of the children.

No one, except Hongyu, had ever heard a word about Li Wenguo secretly fathering a child outside.

"These days, foreigners are too powerful. It's safer to send children with unclear identities back home. Otherwise, if they cause trouble, no one can cover it up."

Dong Haitang frowned, her tone as cold and hard as iron.

The two dolls looked exquisitely beautiful, but they were sitting on a hot potato – if word got out and they were reported, it would be no laughing matter.

Li Wenguo glanced at his three daughters-in-law and said in a deep voice, "Stop guessing. These two dolls are my own children."

"ah???"

He Shuting and Dong Haitang were stunned on the spot, their mouths agape, wide enough to fit an egg.

Only Hongyu, who already knew the inside story, lowered her eyes, and Xianglan, who was usually quiet, simply lowered her head and fiddled with the tea lid, her expression unchanged.

"You...your?"

He Shuting's pupils contracted sharply, and her voice became weak.

"Absolutely true."

Li Wenguo nodded, his expression resolute.

Swah——

Dong Haitang abruptly stood up. "You decide for yourself!"

Before she finished speaking, she had already turned and left, her skirt fluttering as she went, quick and decisive.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: she doesn't get involved, doesn't ask, and doesn't acknowledge it.

"Wow, you're really something! You managed to get a foreign woman pregnant while you were just playing around outside. I'm totally impressed!"

He Shuting gave a cold laugh, her words dripping with barbs.

She had known all along that her husband was a womanizer, but she never expected him to be so bold as to flirt with foreigners, and even cause the deaths of two people.

"Oh, you bet! With my skills, even a big foreign woman would have to obediently kneel down and pant beneath me!"

Li Wenguo laughed with his head tilted back, his smugness undisguised, as if he were praising not his romantic affairs, but his illustrious military achievements.

These days, being able to win over a foreign woman and have that word spread is definitely something to be applauded for.

"Oh dear, I was just praising you for being fat, and now you're really out of breath!"

He Shuting rolled her eyes, saying nothing, but inwardly she was furious—this guy's skin was as thick as a city wall!

"Where is the child's biological mother?"

"The person has already returned to China and has no intention of ever stepping through this door again."

"So, what should we do about these two blond, blue-eyed little ones?"

"What idea?"

"As the legal wife, you make all the decisions, inside and out, about everything in this house. You decide how things are arranged."

Li Wenguo spoke casually, as if he were simply asking for an extra pair of chopsticks.

"So, I'm just here to cover for you and clean up your mess?"

He Shuting immediately frowned, her eyebrows revealing impatience.

But the business still had to be done. She turned and glanced at Hongyu and Xianglan, then decisively ordered, "You two, each take one back and raise it."

Hongyu didn't say much; with one less child to look after, her shoulders felt a bit lighter.

Xianglan's face fell immediately—she was already carrying one in her belly, and her arms and legs were heavy; how could she possibly have the free hands to hold two more?

She looked at Li Wenguo with a pitiful expression, her eyes reddening.

This is also why Li Wenguo didn't speak up personally.

"Xianglan, Shuting specifically asked for your name, so please bear with her."

His tone was gentle, like he was coaxing a child.

"But sir... I'm carrying your child right now, it's hard for me to even bend over, I really can't take care of you."

She pouted and secretly glared at He Shuting.

"Since it was Shuting who instructed us, then we'll do it this way—I'll have Xiaoju take care of you exclusively. She'll handle all the daily tasks, like holding the baby and changing diapers. You just need to focus on breastfeeding, and you don't need to worry about anything else."

"Fine!!!"

Xianglan gritted her teeth and agreed. With Xiaoju taking care of her, she did have much less to do; she just needed to express a little more milk.

He Shuting rolled her eyes silently: So you play the loving father, but I take the blame?

As soon as the matter of the two children was settled, Li Wenguo strolled into Dong Haitang's room.

He has a very sharp memory; once he sets something up, he'll definitely make sure it's implemented.

The same old trick: close the door, tie their wrists, and wrap the belt around their necks twice.

"Ha, you think I can't handle you?"

He stood by the bed, a smile playing on his lips, but his eyes burned with fury.