An extraordinary life journey through old Beijing courtyard houses

Fortunately, that's not what Elizabeth meant, otherwise Jiang Baobin would have been in a very awkward position.

Okay, let's not flatter him.

This guy is extremely afraid of death; he'd rather be a coward than fight someone.

Fortunately, Elizabeth wasn't completely out of her mind, and said, "...Let's make a bet like gentlemen!"

Jiang Baobin rolled his eyes: How come you've learned to breathe so heavily? You scared me so much, I'm sweating bullets.

Thomas clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Lily, that's a brilliant suggestion! Hey, you Chinese, wanna bet?"

Wow! There are actually idiots willing to give me money?

Jiang Baobin, of course, couldn't let this opportunity slip by: "What are we betting on?"

"I'm betting the ten-year war won't end, $100."

Jiang Baobin immediately shook his head – Ten years? Are you kidding me? Where am I supposed to find you then?

Thomas grinned smugly: "See, Lily? I told you, he's a coward."

Elizabeth looked at Jiang Baobin suspiciously, her eyes filled with disappointment.

Jiang Baobin was instantly swayed by the beauty's disdain:

"Ten years is too long. I don't have that kind of patience. If I'm going to gamble, I'll gamble that things will settle down outside the Great Wall this year!"

"How about it? Do you dare?" This time it was General Jiang Baobin's turn.

"OK! I have to admit you're very bold, you Chinese."

Thomas said with a sly smile, as if he had used a provocation to make Jiang Baobin lose his composure and make a foolish move.

"I bet $200! Lily and Rose are witnesses."

Unexpectedly, this guy added more challenges at the last minute.

Haha, Jiang Baobin naturally accepted the freebies offered to him.

As if he had Jiang Baobin completely under his control, Thomas became even more excited and started chattering incessantly to the two beautiful women.

Jiang Baobin then returned to his original position and silently watched the show.

The two foreign women finally finished their business and paid the bill.

Jiang Baobin then went up to protect them as they left.

Elizabeth suddenly leaned close to Jiang Baobin's ear and asked with a smile:

"You're confident of victory, aren't you?"

Seeing Jiang Baobin's surprised expression.

She let out a smug and unrestrained laugh: "Because of the bet you made with him."

"His eyes shone with the light of a wild beast, a light I had seen many times in my father's eyes."

"And each time he achieved a decisive victory."

Jiang Baobin was completely impressed with her. She wasn't drunk at all! This woman was shrewd.

Like father, like son; the influence of a great family on their upbringing is truly remarkable.

When Jiang Baobin tried to explain, he found that Elizabeth was ignoring him.

Linking arms with Rose, they walked towards the car, talking and laughing loudly.

Elizabeth lives in the "Peking Union Medical College Hospital Villa Area," which is quite far away.

The normal procedure should be: Jiang Baobin drives Rose home first, then Elizabeth home, and then drives straight back to Nanluoguxiang.

But what could we do when we ran into two drunkards?

Rose, in high spirits, insisted on giving Elizabeth a drink first, as the two of them pulled out another half-bottle of "whiskey" from the storage box and started drinking it.

Looking in the rearview mirror, Jiang Baobin would occasionally glance at the two crazy women.

"The Drunken Concubine" is beautiful, and the two foreign girls' endearing clumsiness is also quite charming.

Sometimes they whispered among themselves, sometimes they laughed unrestrainedly...

Okay, to be honest, Jiang Baobin wasn't admiring the beauty at all.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, but I no longer have them.

No sane man would be interested in a female alcoholic.

Jiang Baobin tensed up, ready to stop the car at any moment, fearing they might vomit on it; otherwise, he would be the one to suffer later.

After a close call, Elizabeth was finally delivered to her destination.

I had just opened the car door for them when I heard this.

"Jiang, I hate you!" Elizabeth was truly drunk. "Do you know why?"

Jiang Baobin rolled his eyes and replied, "Because I encouraged Rose to sell the company and go back to America, you lost your best friend."

Elizabeth had already complained twice along the way.

"Yes, you're terrible! You have no manners at all."

Jiang Baobin shrugged – “I’m not some foreign idiot, why should I have any manners?”

Then, Elizabeth hugged Rose: "Darling, can you not leave?"

Rose patted her back and said self-deprecatingly, "Darling, don't worry too much."

"Right now, there's no one willing to make an offer. I suspect the company simply won't sell."

Unexpectedly, Elizabeth immediately added insult to injury: "Oh God, this is fantastic news!"

Rose, with a wry smile, got out of the car and tried to help Elizabeth.

But she was refused: "No, no, no, I can do it myself, don't move."

She said this as she staggered out of the car, then shoved Rose back into the car.

However, she did not object to Jiang Baobin following behind her.

It seems that the Western man's need to demonstrate gentlemanly manners by escorting the woman to her doorstep is ingrained in his very being.

Then he ran into a problem: Elizabeth's bag was full of stuff, and he searched for a long time but couldn't find the key.

The standard way for a tomboy is to turn the bag upside down and dump everything on the floor.

The guy grinned smugly—the key was indeed revealed.

After opening the door, Elizabeth went straight inside.

With a bang, the door slammed shut.

Jiang Baobin looked down at the things on the ground, then at the gate, and finally scratched his chin.

I went back, opened the trunk of my car, took out a paper bag, and put the items inside, intending to return them to her tomorrow.

After getting back into the driver's seat and starting the car, Jiang Baobin casually asked:

"Rose, what time does Lily's maid usually start work?"

Receiving no answer, Jiang Baobin glanced at the rearview mirror and saw that Rose was already in tears.

Jiang Baobin was startled and quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road.

"What's wrong, Rose?" he asked, turning around.

Rose buried her face in her hands and shook her head.

Jiang Baobin wondered: Could it be that the company's inability to sell its products has driven her to despair?

But he chose to keep quiet and restarted the car.

The two didn't exchange a single word the entire way until Rose walked into her house.

Back to Nanluoguxiang.

Jiang Baobin parked his car far away in the relatively spacious "Qinlao Hutong".

Then I walked home.

Just as I turned the corner of the alley, I heard the tinkling sound of a piano, followed by a woman's melodious and clear singing voice.

This is not surprising, because Gao Yueyuan would sometimes have a sudden urge to do so during this period.

But Jiang Baobin immediately realized—wait, it's the middle of the night, aren't you afraid the neighbors will curse you?

Moreover, Jiang Baobin has exceptionally keen hearing, and today's difference lies in—

Surprisingly, a man's voice cheered as the song reached its climax.

Gao Junbao rarely speaks up, and Lao Gao would never do such a thing.

So the Gao family has guests? That's even more outrageous! Don't they let other people get any sleep?

After turning past the wall, Jiang Baobin entered the courtyard.

The main house was brightly lit...