Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

On the Xu family's side, ever since the marriage proposal made progress, Xu Damao was like a man possessed, brimming with energy. He was exceptionally enthusiastic about showing movies in the countryside, and unusually polite to his superiors and colleagues. Even towards the people in the courtyard, he became less sharp-tongued and more "hypocritically" amiable. He remembered his father's teachings and never mentioned the Lou family's affairs, but a little bit of pride still occasionally slipped out from the corners of his eyes and brows.

Sha Zhu had recently sensed that Xu Damao was acting strangely. Why wasn't this guy arguing with him anymore? Instead, sometimes he'd even offer him a cigarette with a grin? Something was definitely up!

"Xu Damao, did you find a gold ingot? You're all over the place, aren't you?" One day after get off work, Sha Zhu blocked Xu Damao at the gate of the courtyard and asked suspiciously.

Xu Damao's heart tightened, but his face broke into an even brighter smile: "Silly Zhu, what are you saying! We working class, when we're in a good mood, shouldn't we contribute to building our country? Do we have to be like you, always with a long face, like someone owes you two hundred strings of cash?"

"Pah! Don't give me that crap!" Silly Zhu spat. "You're definitely up to no good! Let me tell you, if you dare do anything wicked, I'll be the first to make you pay!"

"Oh my, Chef He! Don't worry! Right now, I'm wholeheartedly devoted to revolutionary work, striving to show more and better movies as soon as possible to enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the masses!" Xu Damao said in an official tone, bypassing Sha Zhu and slipping back home.

Sha Zhu watched his retreating figure, scratching his head. "That bastard, something's definitely up!"

Xu Damao was not only "polite" to Sha Zhu, but he was even more obsequious to Wang Huanbo in the west courtyard. He knew that Wang Huanbo was now a pillar of the factory and a big shot in the eyes of his superiors. If he were to marry Lou Xiao'e in the future, he might have to ask Wang Huanbo for help in many ways. So, he would find excuses to go to the west courtyard every few days.

"Director Wang, are you busy? I just got some good tea here, would you like to try some?"

"Engineer Wang, when we went to the countryside to show a movie, a villager gave us a pheasant. It was quite plump, so I gave it to Shazhu. He can make you some soup to nourish your body!"

"General Manager Wang, any new instructions recently? Our publicity department will definitely implement them resolutely!"

Wang Huanbo, being extremely shrewd, had long seen through Xu Damao's ulterior motives. However, he was too lazy to expose him; with such a petty person, keeping a distance and using him appropriately was sufficient. Every time Xu Damao came, he was polite but never engaged in deep conversation. He accepted inexpensive gifts but resolutely returned anything valuable. This left Xu Damao feeling both intrigued and uncertain about Wang Huanbo's true intentions, as if a cat was scratching at his heart.

Lou Xiao'e, at the center of the storm, was feeling rather troubled lately. She vaguely sensed that her parents were worried about her marriage; her mother had subtly inquired about her thoughts on the future and what type of gay man she preferred. As a recent high school graduate, a young woman just beginning to experience romantic feelings, she felt both hopeful and confused about marriage. Her ideal partner was someone like those described in novels—a young man with ideals, talent, integrity, and courage. But the reality was that her family background severely limited her choices.

That day, Xu's mother came to help at the Lou family's house. When no one was around, she took Lou Xiao'e's hand and started praising her son, Xu Damao, incessantly.

"Xiao'e, you have no idea, our Da Mao has been getting a lot of praise at the factory lately! He's very responsible and dedicated to showing movies, and the feedback from the staff has been great! The leaders also value him... This kid is just too honest and doesn't know how to get things done. If he were a little more clever, he would have been a section chief by now..."

Lou Xiao'e forced a smile, but inwardly she was unconvinced. Xu Damao? In her memory, he was that boy from when she was little—snotty-nosed, with shifty eyes, and a somewhat sly look. Although he was now a projectionist, she couldn't bring herself to like his mercenary and cunning nature. She admired more people like…like the heroes and role models for building the motherland described in the newspapers, or like…like that promising young engineer Wang that her father occasionally mentioned. But she also knew that her thoughts might be too unrealistic.

Seeing her daughter's reaction, Lou Tanshi became more inclined to believe her husband's "grand plan." She began to intentionally or unintentionally mention Wang Huanbo in front of Lou Xiao'e.

"Xiao'e, have you seen today's newspaper? Hongxing Factory has done another meritorious service! That engineer Wang Huanbo is truly remarkable! So young, yet he has made such a great contribution to the country!"

"I've heard that Engineer Wang is not only highly skilled, but also of excellent character, selfless, and quite handsome..."

Listening to her mother's words, Lou Xiao'e couldn't help but conjure up a vague yet towering image in her mind. Young and promising, talented, dedicated to the country... this seemed closer to her inner aspirations. But she also knew that such a person was too far removed from her own life. A faint sense of melancholy lingered in the young girl's heart.

Meanwhile, Lou Zhenhua also began to take action. He found an opportunity, under the guise of visiting an old friend and exchanging experiences on industrial and commercial transformation, to send a letter to Wang Huanbo's father, Wang Jinshan, who was far away in the United States. During the conversation, he naturally mentioned how sensible and educated his daughter, Xiao'e (a high school graduate), was (she was at home), and his words were full of praise for Wang Huanbo, implying that if they could become husband and wife, the Lou family would definitely give their full support to Wang Huanbo's career.

Wang Jinshan, a man of considerable experience in the overseas business world, saw through Lou Zhenhua's intentions at a glance. He chuckled, neither responding nor refusing, simply stating that marriage was a matter of fate and, more importantly, respecting the children's own wishes, especially Huanbo, who was currently focused entirely on his work and not considering personal matters for the time being. After this diplomatic maneuver, Lou Zhenhua, though somewhat disappointed upon receiving the reply, hadn't completely blocked his path and could only leave dejectedly.

When the news reached Xu Fugui's ears, he was first startled, then sneered, "Lou Bancheng, Lou Bancheng, you have quite the appetite! You actually dare to set your sights on Engineer Wang! Don't you even know your own limitations!" He was even more convinced that the Lou family would eventually come back to Xu Damao. He instructed Xu Damao and his mother to remain calm and wait for the right moment to act.

Thus, a covert battle surrounding Lou Xiao'e's marriage quietly unfolded beneath a seemingly calm surface. The Xu family remained unperturbed, the Lou family harbored lofty ambitions, while the protagonist, Lou Xiao'e, awaited her fate's verdict amidst anxieties and hazy expectations. No one knew how this seemingly ordinary game of marriage would ultimately lead.