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

"Ah Zhao," he gestured with his chin toward the table next to him, "Where's Wang Tingwei? Is he hiding at home incubating eggs?"

Ah Zhao shrank his neck and quickly stood up: "Young Master Li, Young Master Wang... they really haven't shown their faces since that incident. It's been almost a week since the rest of us got together."

The others at the table kept their eyes down, none daring to speak. Wang Tingxuan ate boxed lunches in the detention center, and Wang Tinghui was a deputy bureau chief in the county, barely able to return to Shanghai three times a year. Now, at this table, anyone who raised their voice had to first consider which level of official document their father's seal was affixed to.

Li Jiayu chuckled, put the cup back in its place, and said in a low voice, but it sounded like an ice bead hitting marble: "Oh, weren't your legs weak when you were blocking people in the corridor? Now you've learned to hide in your shell? Tsk, even a turtle has to dare to stick its head out before it can change its shell."

No one answered. The booth was so quiet that you could hear the faint hum of the air conditioning vents.

At this moment, Lu Huimin crept up from behind, a smile plastered on his face, beads of sweat on his forehead: "Young Master Li, I... I'd like to invite you both to dinner to apologize in person. What do you think—"

It was the same young man who had stopped Li Guoshu outside the restroom that day. Before he could finish speaking, his eyes had already darted behind Li Jiayu—that was the branch he truly wanted to climb.

"Oh?" Li Jiayu turned to the side, slowly unbuttoning his trench coat. "You? Fine, I'll give you a chance." He raised his hand and pointed in Li Guoshu's direction. "Kneel down before this brother of mine, serve him tea, and don't let your hands shake—and this matter will be over."

Lu Huimin's face turned a deep purplish-red, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his right hand clenched into a fist at the seam of his trousers, his nails almost digging into his palm.

kneel?

It's not bending over, it's not bowing, it's knees touching the ground.

His father was a deputy director-general level official, and his name was engraved on the third line of the list of members of the Municipal Youth Federation. Once he lost his knee, no one in the circle would dare to hire him even to carry bags for others.

He despises himself.

"And you guys?" Li Jiayu suddenly turned to the others, his tone as relaxed as if he were asking what they were having for dinner. "Let's raise a glass and apologize—from now on, we're all brothers."

The air froze for three seconds.

Several young people quickly exchanged glances: some looked down at the tips of their shoes, some repeatedly rubbed their phone screens with their thumbs, and one quietly pushed his cigarette pack away half an inch—that action was a silent pledge of allegiance.

They understood. This wasn't a slap on the wrist; it was about choosing sides. Wang Tingwei's boat had sunk, and there wasn't much driftwood left. They had to climb onto the new boat before the tide went out.

Li Jiayu didn't urge him, but leaned against the armrest of the booth, his watch flashing like an unsheathed sword.

Less than half a minute later, someone picked up a wine glass and stood up.

The second person then got up.

The third person even clinked the cups together.

The liquor went down my throat, hot and crisp.

Although Wang Tingwei operated under the guise of foreign investment, he only managed to earn some pocket money with his team; Li Jiayu, on the other hand, was doing very well with several acquaintances from Beijing—acquiring land, building houses, and setting up a refrigerator factory, with large-scale operations, powerful connections, and increasingly impressive projects. Following Li Jiayu clearly offered a brighter future.

"Okay, let's meet at the Holiday Inn tomorrow night."

After reaching an agreement, Li Jiayu strolled over to the booth, glanced around, and not seeing Li Guoshu, immediately asked, "Where's my uncle?"

"Look, over there." A young man in a dark green shirt gestured with his chin towards the opposite side. "He's trying to chat her up."

Li Guoshu was indeed standing by the French windows, his profile slightly tilted, whispering something to a woman with a lithe figure. Only her back was visible; the woman's hair was slightly curled, and her skirt draped perfectly. Li Jiayu raised a hand to rub his temples, then didn't go over.

"Reporter Wang? What a coincidence, you're here to relax too?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Guoshu turned around, his face beaming with a gentle smile, his tone as warm as if he were serving a cup of tea, neither too hot nor too cold.

"I don't want to talk today." Wang Tingxi gently tapped her wine glass on the table, the bottom of the glass making a crisp sound. "Drink with me."

She paused, then added, "If I get drunk, you have to take me home."

Her brother had just been sentenced to five years, and she sneaked into a disco alone, wanting to empty her mind.

The manager of the venue recognized her and had already given her a heads-up: "Don't touch her. Anyone who tries anything funny will be fired tomorrow."

"Okay, sure." Li Guoshu didn't ask any further questions, but simply pushed the amber-colored whiskey in front of him towards her. "I can tell—you're carrying something on your mind. If you're willing to talk about it, I'm listening."

These weren't just polite words. Her eyes were dark and bluish, her fingers were gripping so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and even her smile seemed forced. Anyone who passed by could tell that this glass of wine wasn't poured for her happiness.

"I can't say." She tilted her head back and downed half a glass, her Adam's apple bobbing slightly. "Come on, fill it up again."

How can you let someone in the family get out of jail? Not to mention that her father is a propaganda official in the city—if the news leaks out, not only will her brother's past be brought up again, but her father's position could also be in jeopardy.

An hour and a half later, her steps were a little unsteady, but her eyes were still clear, like a lake surface covered with a thin mist, where the ripples could still be seen underneath.

"Let's go." She stood up, holding onto the edge of the bar stool, her voice low and steady. "Take me home."

"Okay." Li Guoshu immediately waved to pay the bill, turned around and raised his chin towards Li Jiayu, made a "withdraw" gesture with two fingers to his ear, then reached out and put his arm around her waist, half-lifting and half-helping her out.

She kept her head slightly tilted the entire time, her long hair hanging down, obscuring half her face. Li Jiayu and her friends could only see a blurry outline; no one could tell who she was.

As she stepped out of the revolving door, a night breeze blew, causing her shoulders to hunch slightly. Li Guoshu casually draped his suit jacket over her shoulders, his fingertips brushing unintentionally against the side of her neck.

"How about... you come sit at my place for a while? It's close by and quiet."

He spoke very softly, as if afraid of disturbing even a wisp of smoke.

She didn't answer immediately.

The streetlights cast long, thin shadows of the two of them, overlapping and then separating. She stared at the swaying shadow on the ground and suddenly felt a tightness in her chest that made her uneasy—not resentment, nor sadness, but a reckless, urge to tear something apart.

Anyway, it's not the first time.

The first two times, the sky didn't fall down.

"Okay." She nodded, her voice so soft it was almost carried away by the wind. "Let's go."

This time, Wang Tingxi truly experienced the meaning of "trouble".

The first time I was drugged, I was completely unconscious; the second and third times, I was so drunk that I was completely out of it, leaving only fragmented impressions and recollections afterward, so it wasn't a real experience.

Now that he was fully conscious, he understood that the so-called Western Paradise was indeed what it was.

No wonder he's addicted to coming here...it really feels comfortable.

She looked at Li Guoshu pressing down on her and silently prayed.

As dawn broke, birdsong drifted sparsely outside the window.

When Wang Tingxi opened her eyes, her mind was still hazy. She threw back the covers and sat up, glancing at Li Guoshu lying beside her. She raised her hand halfway up, then slowly lowered it again. She had agreed to it last night; she hadn't been dragged in without knowing what had happened. She was reasonable and didn't bring up the past.

She got up and went into the bathroom.

As soon as the door closed, Li Guoshu opened his eyes.

He wasn't sleeping soundly at all; he was awake the whole time, just closing his eyes and waiting for her to make the first move.

Although she didn't refuse last night, she was still under the influence of alcohol and her reactions were slow. He knew in his heart that this matter was somewhat tantamount to taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable state. He pretended to be asleep because he was afraid that she would be embarrassed when she sobered up, and also because he was afraid that she would change her mind and say something harsh.

Fortunately, she didn't mention it or give him a hard time.

While she was brushing her teeth and washing her face, he took out his phone, quickly ordered breakfast, and then sent a message to the driver to bring the car downstairs. He wanted her to feel comfortable and wanted to make sure this was done properly so that things would go smoothly in the future.

When Wang Tingxi came out after drying her hands, the table was already set with white porridge, steamed buns, fried eggs, pickles, soy milk, and a plate of peeled boiled eggs.

"You eat first, and I'll take you home after you're done."

After he finished speaking, he turned and went into the bathroom.

She didn't answer, but simply pulled out a chair, sat down, and ate slowly, bite by bite.

Aside from a few physical encounters, their interactions were entirely business-related—project coordination, contract review, fund disbursement—without even exchanging more than three casual words. They weren't exactly acquainted, much less friends.

What else could she say?

Li Guoshu washed up very quickly, tossing a towel aside before coming out. She was still drinking her second bowl of porridge, gently biting open a small steamed bun with her chopsticks, draining the broth cleanly, her movements unhurried and deliberate, as if she had been raised with strict rules since childhood.

"Take me to the government compound," she said, putting down her spoon.

Her father told her on the phone to go home as soon as possible.

My second brother had just been sentenced, and my mother, Lu Wanchan, didn't sleep a wink all night. She only managed to fall asleep last night with the help of sleeping pills. She went to the disco not to have fun, but to find some peace and quiet.

"Okay," he answered readily.

He wasn't surprised that she came from a government background. That composed and steady demeanor wasn't something an ordinary family could cultivate.

Today is Sunday.

When Wang Tingxi entered the room, Wang Hancheng was pouring warm water for Lu Wanchan. Upon seeing their daughter return, the two exchanged a glance and immediately began discussing marriage.

I'm twenty-three now, it's time to settle down.

When Lu Wanchan was twenty-three, her eldest son was already running around everywhere.

Besides, something bad just happened in her family. If she could start a family, it would bring some life back and help ease the gloom.

Wang Tingxi understood what this meant and was considerate of her parents' feelings. She didn't refute it, but just lowered her head and thought for a moment, when Li Guoshu's face suddenly appeared in her mind's eye.

"A friend of mine is pursuing me. I'll bring him back for a meal in a while."

These words were a delaying tactic, but also the truth... At least for now, she had no one else on her mind.

"Tingxi, where are you from? How old are you? What does your family do?"

Lu Wanchan immediately perked up, her tone becoming lively, and questions came one after another.

"He came from Beijing and started a business in Shanghai, focusing on manufacturing."

"Real industry? Which area?"

"Real estate, and home appliance factories, refrigerators."

Wang Hancheng nodded: "Now that we're focusing on the economy, and Shanghai is a pilot city, the fact that they can take root here shows they have the ability."

He never stops his children from making their own decisions.

Lu Wanchan frowned: "A person from the capital? If we get married, will she have to go there with us?"

"It's hard to get a Shanghai hukou (household registration). If I marry someone from there, I'll only see them a few times a year."

"No, not at all." Wang Hancheng replied quickly. "His factory was established, projects were signed, and land permits were all obtained in Shanghai. He's a very stable person."

"What if the business goes bankrupt?"

Wang Tingxi looked up: "Mom, the 'Wutongyuan' residential complex that was featured in the newspaper a couple of days ago was built by him; the 'Shenjiang' brand refrigerator that was broadcast on TV was also made in his factory. Do you remember?"

Lu Wanchan was taken aback: "...That Li Guoshu?"

Wang Hancheng laughed: "That's right. Comrade Li Guofu mentioned him by name just a couple of days ago, saying that this young man is daring, hardworking, and follows the rules."

"Oh... okay then."