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

"Of course you can control me, but the more you make trouble for me, the more frustrated you feel."

Dong Haitang lazily shifted her body, as if to find a more comfortable lying position.

But this very movement stirred up the flame in Li Wenguo's heart, making it crackle and pop.

Oops!

This is blatant provocation!

Knowing full well that she is pregnant, he cannot actually harm her in the slightest!

When did this woman develop this skill?

Oh right, I almost forgot, she's a former intelligence agent, she knows exactly how to manipulate people and exploit their weaknesses!

But then he suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

She overlooked something—Hongyu has already returned!

hey-hey……

"What, you think this will make me uncomfortable?"

He leaned closer, his fingertips brushing lightly against her collar, his eyes full of mockery.

"Isn't your heart burning with rage right now, sir?"

Having clashed for years, she knew his rhythm all too well. Normally they should have joined forces to break the deadlock, but this time she had turned the tables on him.

"It's burning—but Hongyu is back. I'll go keep her company now, and we'll continue 'playing' when I get back."

He smiled with narrowed eyes, his voice carrying the leisurely air of a cat teasing a mouse.

Dong Haitang frowned.

I was so focused on how strong I was because of my belly that I completely forgot about Hongyu.

She was naturally aloof, but deep down she was competitive and worked hard, just to stand taller and walk more steadily than anyone else.

"Wait a minute... could you please let go of me first?"

Her voice was slightly hoarse. She knew Li Wenguo's stamina; he wouldn't stop until at least an hour.

If you're suspended like this without moving, your wrists alone will be ruined—and your hands still have to grip the gun, pull the trigger, and keep the sights steady.

"If you bow your head and admit your mistake, I'll get it resolved for you immediately."

He then offered him the steps.

Dong Haitang stared at him, silent as a stone.

Admitting fault? Absolutely not.

"Wait for me to come back!"

He gently tucked the blanket around her, his movements incredibly tender.

After all, if you're pregnant, even a slight breeze could cause serious problems.

An hour later, Li Wenguo walked in, looking refreshed.

I wanted to let Hongyu rest for a couple more days, but—who told her to stubbornly refuse to give in?

"how?"

He raised an eyebrow and smiled, full of smugness.

"Release your fingers! They're so numb I can't control them!"

Dong Haitang's face turned pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, clearly indicating that the soreness and swelling had been piercing her to the bone.

"Admit your mistake, and I'll release them."

He leaned against the door frame, as steady as a rock, certain that she would eventually give in.

Where did I go wrong?

Her chin was raised, as stubborn as an unsharpened piece of iron.

"If you let what I say go in one ear and out the other, then you're wrong."

"But the team is short-handed, what can I do?"

"Why don't you come back and discuss it with me? You just agree on the surface, then turn around and start something else entirely."

After hearing this, Dong Haitang finally lowered her eyes and fell silent.

She was indeed wrong, but her inherent stubbornness prevented her from admitting her mistake and kept the words "I admit my mistake" firmly stuck in her throat.

"Haitang, you were lawfully married into the Li family, your fate was sealed long ago before the ancestral tablets!"

"Living is a member of your Li family!"

"Bury it, and it'll be your Li family's grave too!"

"A hundred years from now, your tombstone will stand beside me, and the character 'Li' will be engraved above your name!"

"You are under my control while you are alive, and I will protect you after you die—your body, your life, your words, and your deeds all belong to me!"

"In everyone's eyes, men are the sky above women!"

Why are you arguing with me? What's the point?

"Will apologizing cost you a piece of flesh?"

"How can bowing down to your own heaven shorten your lifespan?"

"..."

This time, Li Wenguo got really angry and started cursing at him for almost an hour.

Only when he caught a glimpse of Dong Haitang's clenched teeth, her ashen face, and her stiff, purplish fingers did he suddenly stop talking and reach out to unbuckle the belt around her waist.

Although he was annoyed by her stubbornness, he was afraid that if he hurt his hand over a fight, he would be unable to hold the gun steadily or aim at the bullseye. How could he fight the Japanese on the battlefield if he couldn't do that?

But just as his fingertips touched the belt buckle, a whisper as faint as a wisp of smoke drifted into his ear:

"I'm sorry... sir, I was wrong."

He suddenly turned his head and saw Dong Haitang's lips pressed into a pale line, her eyelashes drooping, and she was motionless.

Li Wenguo was stunned for half a second, his throat relaxed, and he almost laughed out loud. Then he felt a warmth in his heart—it turned out that his mouth really did have some weight!

"Hmph, if you dare to bare your teeth at me again, I'll teach you a lesson!"

He deftly loosened his belt, then grabbed her icy wrist, rubbing it to warm it, massaging it, and pressing her joints with steady and precise force.

Once Dong Haitang regained feeling in his fingertips, he said in a deep voice, "I've gathered a few trustworthy old brothers here. Do you think they can be added to your team?"

Dong Haitang felt a warmth in her heart, knowing that her husband was secretly backing her up, and immediately agreed: "Yes! But we have to follow the rules, and we have to pay..."

"How much?" Li Wenguo put on an air of wealth and power—thinking to himself: ten thousand per person, and he'll be throwing out tens of thousands of dollars later. It'll be hard not to show off!

"One hundred silver dollars, one."

Holy crap!

Li Wenguo's eyes widened in surprise.

Holy crap!!!

Last time it was 10,000 per person, this time it's been cut by 99%? So last time they were all taken advantage of by that section chief!

No wonder he was secretly laughing back then; he was probably counting money until his hands cramped!

Fortunately, that person had no idea that I was the one behind it all...

Li Wenguo's temples throbbed with anger, and he couldn't help but press, "How did you manage to get this done?"

"First, find connections to get a military academy diploma or formal military registration, then take the documents to the personnel department to go through the formalities, and you'll be in."

Before Dong Haitang could finish speaking, noticing her husband's strange expression, she immediately asked, "How much did you pay for Wen San and Wu Xiaogou to join the team last time?"

"Ten thousand per person!" Li Wenguo replied in a muffled voice.

Dong Haitang's pupils shrank instantly, and she cursed inwardly: What kind of idiot would deliver money to my door?

"Was I really scammed that badly?"

"Sigh, back then I only cared about your safety, so what if I messed things up!"

She gave a soft "hmm," her voice as light as a feather, but her eyes were slightly warm.

"Go and handle it. Get as many in as you can."

One hundred yuan each? I wouldn't mind stuffing a hundred in!

Of course, Lixingshe is not a vegetable market—if too many people are stuffed into it, it might be suspected of having ulterior motives, or even be sidelined.

Before long, Dong Haitang rested her head on his arm, her breathing gradually becoming deeper, and she fell into a sound sleep.

Li Wenguo turned over and took out the confidential document that he had just washed that morning from his personal space.

Just one glance sent a chill down my spine.

Document Code: **Operation!**

Key message: At 9:00 AM ten days from now, completely eradicate the Rikkyosha.

The operation was carried out by an elite special operations squad of the Kwantung Army, which infiltrated Beiping; its weaponry included light mortars, the smallest caliber howitzers, and several heavy machine guns.

Once this barrage of firepower is deployed, the Lixingshe Society won't last even half an hour.

The Japanese had this idea because they were desperate—the Lixingshe had expanded too quickly recently and had become a major threat; they had to be crushed with swift and decisive measures.

"Begonia, if it weren't for me today, you and the child in your belly would probably be nothing but bones."

Li Wenguo gazed at the person sleeping soundly beside him, his voice as soft as a sigh.

"Begonia, open your eyes and take a look at this."

The next morning, just as Dong Haitang finished washing up and changing into her military uniform, Li Wenguo slapped the paper into her hand.

"What is this?" she asked casually, flipping it open at random.

The further down I looked, the colder my fingertips became, and fine beads of cold sweat appeared on my forehead.

The October wind should have been gentle, but she felt as if she were soaking in ice water, and even her breathing became stiff.

"Ha, the thing that'll kill you—aren't you scared?"

Li Wenguo lowered his voice, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Where did you get this thing?"

"Why didn't you do this sooner? Why wait until it's absolutely necessary to bring it out?"

Is it reliable? How likely is it to be true?

Dong Haitang ignored her husband's theatrical tone, her brows furrowed and her eyes sharp as knives.

"We pried it out of the Japanese spy last night. As for whether it's true or not—ha, who would play such a deadly game with our Lixingshe?"

Li Wenguo shrugged, spread his hands, and didn't seem to care.

Dong Haitang's expression shifted between light and dark, her gaze fixed firmly on his face, unmoving.

"Hey, what are you staring at with that fierce look?"

"You don't think I'm just using this to tease your department, do you?"

"Snapped!"

He strode forward, raised his hand, and slapped her hard on the buttocks.

"Ouch!" Dong Haitang gasped, rubbing the burning spot, her voice tinged with a mixture of grievance and anxiety.

"It's not that I doubt you! It's just that this intelligence is too explosive—my mind is racing: if they really attack according to these blueprints, the entire building will be reduced to ashes, and our Lixing Society will probably evaporate on the spot! I'll be buried with them!"

"Oh—so that's what you were planning?" Li Wenguo grinned, leaned closer, and reached out to rub his chest. "I misunderstood you. Here, let me soothe you."

While letting him knead her, Dong Haitang clenched the document tightly and scanned it word by word again.

Watching it a second time, my heart still felt tight, as if it were being clamped by iron clamps.

If we were to be hit by this round of firepower, even reinforced concrete would be reduced to dust, and the entire Lixing Society would probably be reduced to ashes... I wouldn't be able to survive!

That's terrifying!

Huh?

She was suddenly startled and glanced down to see that Li Wenguo's two hands had somehow firmly occupied two vital positions.

"My God! You're still acting like a scoundrel at a time like this?"

"What's the rush? I'll be back tonight, and you can do whatever you want with me." She glared at him, both angry and soft-hearted.

"You're mine. I can touch you whenever I want," he replied lazily.

"Fine, fine, whatever!" She rolled her eyes, then abruptly changed the subject, "Seriously—how did you get your hands on this document?"

"He was pulled out from a Japanese spy, didn't I just say that?" he replied casually, his fingers still circling around her waist.

"Where is he?"

"I'll tell you after you remove that nail from Yagyu's head."

"Are you out of your mind? The moment you try to arrest someone, they'll immediately sense something's up and run away!"

Dong Haitang raised the document and slapped it into his palm, the meaning clear: if the information leaks out even a little, the rat will scurry away!

"But... what if he thinks it's another line that broke and has nothing to do with him? He might not run away?" Li Wenguo stubbornly insisted.

What do you think?

She glanced at him sideways, her gaze as if she were looking at a country bumpkin who had just arrived in the city and had never even touched a telegraph machine.

"Sigh... Dongli Street, Xinri Photo Studio. Behind the old cabinet against the wall in the film developing room, there's a hidden compartment—the radio and codebook are all inside." He finally gave up and blurted it all out.

"And a radio and a codebook?" Dong Haitang's eyes lit up instantly, her joy reaching her eyebrows. She stood on tiptoe and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

She was definitely different after last night.

"Hmph, you're usually as cold as ice, but today you're sickeningly sweet." Li Wenguo pouted, his words full of disdain, but his ears were secretly turning red.

"I'm leaving!"

Before she finished speaking, she had already picked up the documents, turned around and left, her high heels clattering on the floor.