Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

After returning from the Lou family, Xu's mother relayed Lou Tanshi's reply that "it needs to be discussed with the master" to Xu Fugui and Xu Damao word for word. Xu Fugui squinted, puffed on his pipe, and paced around the room, a confident smile on his face.

"It's done! This matter is almost certainly going to work out!" Xu Fugui exhaled a smoke ring and said confidently, "The Lou family's biggest worry right now is Xiao'e's marriage. They're stuck in a rut. Finding a capitalist's son is against policy and too risky; finding an ordinary worker, they're afraid their daughter will be mistreated, and they don't know his background. Our Da Mao is just right for this situation! He's from the working class, has impeccable credentials, and is a projectionist—respectable! Most importantly, our family knows the Lou family inside and out! Your mother has worked for them for so many years; there's still a connection!" Lou Tanshi didn't immediately reject the idea, which means she was interested, or at least considered it a viable option. Now it's up to Lou Bancheng to decide.

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao was overjoyed, as if he could already see Lou Xiao'e's fair and delicate face and the Lou family's vast fortune beckoning to him. He rubbed his hands together, grinning foolishly, "Dad, Mom, just you wait and see! As long as the Lou family agrees, I guarantee I'll have Lou Xiao'e completely under my thumb! Then, our family will be..."

"Shut up!" Xu Fugui's face darkened, and he nearly hit Xu Damao on the head with his pipe. "Getting too cocky! Did you ignore everything I just told you? Until this works out, you better keep your tail between your legs! In the yard, especially in front of Shazhu and Wang Huanbo, don't utter a single word! If I find out you're bragging outside and ruining my big plan, I'll break your legs!"

Xu Damao shrank back in fright and quickly assured him, "Dad, I understand, I understand! I definitely won't say anything nonsense! I'm just secretly happy!"

"You can't even feel happy inside! Keep it to yourself!" Xu Fugui glared at him. "When you go to the countryside to show movies lately, you better tone it down! Refuse the local specialties the villagers give you if you can, and if you can't refuse, don't be too ostentatious! Especially keep your distance from those young women and wives! If any rumors get out and reach the Lou family's ears, see if Lou Bancheng won't skin you alive!"

"Oh, Dad, don't worry! Your son is very shrewd!" Xu Damao patted his chest.

Meanwhile, inside the Lou Mansion, in Lou Zhenhua's study, the atmosphere was somewhat subtle.

Lou Tanshi subtly conveyed the Xu family's marriage proposal to Lou Zhenhua. Lou Zhenhua sat behind his large mahogany desk, toying with a pair of walnuts with a thick patina in his hands. After listening to his wife's words, he remained silent for a long time, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Xu Damao?" Lou Zhenhua spoke slowly, his tone unreadable. "That kid from Xu Fugui's family? The one who shows movies?"

"Yes, sir." Lou Tanshi carefully observed her husband's expression. "Xu Ma mentioned it to me today. I was thinking, we've watched Da Mao grow up. Although he used to be a servant in our family, this is a new society now, we don't care about that anymore. He's from the working class, has a good family background, and a respectable job. Most importantly, we know him well. If Xiao'e marries him, with Xu Ma mediating, she shouldn't be able to stand being wronged. If our family secretly gives her some extra money, we'll definitely be able to live a good life."

Lou Zhenhua snorted, placing the walnuts on the table with a crisp sound. "Know them inside and out? Xu Fugui's a cunning old fox, and Xu Damao, that kid, slippery as a beehive! A projectionist? To put it nicely, he's an arts worker; to put it bluntly, he's just a gofer! What future can he possibly have?"

Lou Tanshi's heart tightened, and she quickly said, "Master, you can't say that. In the current situation, class background is more important than anything else. With Xiao'e's background... it's already not easy for her to find someone like Da Mao who is of similar standing. So many capitalists' daughters are now married to ordinary workers or even farmers..."

"Those are them! My daughter, Lou Zhenhua's daughter, how can she be the same?" Lou Zhenhua interrupted his wife, stood up, walked to the window, looked at the bleak winter scene in the garden outside, and said with a hint of resentment and calculation, "Xiao'e is the apple of my eye, her marriage cannot be so hasty! Xu Damao? He is not good enough for Xiao'e!"

"Then... what does Master mean?" Lou Tan asked, puzzled.

Lou Zhenhua turned around, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Have you forgotten the Wang family? That brat from Wang Jinshan's family, Wang Huanbo!"

"Wang Huanbo?" Lou Tanshi was taken aback. "The chief engineer of the Red Star Factory? He... he's not..."

"Yes! It's him!" Lou Zhenhua's voice was somewhat excited. "What's the Wang family's background? They're overseas tycoons with connections everywhere! What's Wang Huanbo's status now? He's the chief engineer of the Red Star Factory, a big shot on the government, with ministerial-level benefits! I heard that even the Russians are impressed by the cars he's made! If Xiao'e can marry Wang Huanbo, that would be a real leap forward! Our Lou family can also rise to a higher level through this marriage! At least, if things really come to a head, we can use the Wang family's connections to go abroad and ensure a lifetime of wealth and peace!"

Lou Tan was stunned by her husband's words. She knew Wang Huanbo, of course; that young man was indeed exceptionally talented, achieving such remarkable success at such a young age. But… “Master, this… will this work? Would the Wang family… even consider our Xiao’e? Besides, I’ve heard that Engineer Wang is completely focused on his career and doesn’t seem to care much about matters of the heart…”

"Where there's a will, there's a way!" Lou Zhenhua said decisively. "No matter how capable Wang Huanbo is, he's still a man, and he needs to settle down and start a family! Our Xiao'e is beautiful and well-mannered. Although her background is a bit flawed, our family is well-off! As long as we handle things properly, we might have a chance! Compared to Xu Damao, Wang Huanbo is the real golden catch! If this marriage goes through, the benefits will far exceed your imagination!"

Lou Tan's heart was stirred by the grand blueprint her husband had painted. On one side was Xu Damao, relatively secure and within reach; on the other was Wang Huanbo, lofty and unattainable like the moon, fraught with immense risk, but with equally tempting potential rewards. As a mother, she instinctively hoped her daughter could marry better. But as a shrewd capitalist's wife, she also knew that high returns often came with high risks.

"Then... how about we get back to the Xu family?" Lou Tan asked hesitantly.

Lou Zhenhua pondered for a moment, then waved his hand: "Let's stall for time. Just say we'll consider it, and also ask Xiao'e what she wants. Don't explicitly refuse, but don't agree either. We need to have a backup plan. In case... the Wang family doesn't work out, Xu Damao is also an option."

Lou Tan nodded, having made her decision. This power struggle over Lou Xiao'e's marriage had suddenly become much more unpredictable and intriguing because Lou Zhenhua had set his sights on Wang Huanbo. The meticulously planned schemes of the Xu family had encountered an unexpected and even more powerful competitor.

Chapter Ninety-Three: Da Mao's Flattery and Xiao E's Worries