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

As I walked out of the office building, I looked up and saw that it was just past four o'clock.

The trading company is less than a quarter of an hour away, but if I go there, I won't be able to get any real work done; going home? The stove isn't even warm yet, and it's still a long way from mealtime.

"Mr. Li, it's been almost a month since you last visited Miss Wen."

Ding Xiaoqi, sitting in the driver's seat, saw Li Wenguo leaning back in the back seat without saying a word, and knew that he was thinking about where to go, so he immediately started the conversation.

He knew exactly what was going on in his head better than the man himself.

"Oh dear, what a terrible memory I have! Let's go, right now!"

Xu Meijing is probably showing her pregnancy, Xianglan is still recovering from childbirth, and Dong Haitang, He Shuting, and Hongyu are all heavily pregnant and can't be touched. Right now, the only one who can give him a break is Wen Keren.

Wen Keren is a perfect name – Wen means gentle and soft like spring water, but she is easy to win over and easy to win over.

The car came to a stop, and she was already leaning against the door to greet him. She took his hat, unfolded his suit jacket and hung it on the hanger; slippers were already prepared, and the kettle was bubbling with hot water. Once inside, she served him with utmost care and attentiveness, making sure every inch of him was comfortable. Afterwards, she placed a cigarette in his mouth, brought the flame close, and gently lit the tobacco.

Unfortunately, she wasn't a newly blossoming flower bud; she was already fully ripe, her fruit abundant but lacking the perfect, unripe perfection. If she were truly flawless, Li Wenguo would have genuinely considered marrying her.

"My dear, now that you're with me, just tell me what you want. If I have it, I'll give it to you without hesitation."

He was fond of pleasure, but not heartless. He always pampered the women around him, granting their every request and never being perfunctory.

"Master, Keren lacks nothing. She has no worries about food or clothing, and there are people to take care of her. She can live a peaceful and stable life, which is a blessing." Her voice was as sweet as melting honey, making people's hearts soften and wanting to protect her in their arms.

"Alright! I'll guarantee you a lifetime of peace and prosperity!"

That night.

At the end of a narrow alley in the western corner of Beijing, where other places are already deserted and dimly lit, this place is brightly lit and bustling with people—rickshaw wheels rumble over the bluestone slabs, car horns blare short bursts, and people come and go in an endless stream, making it a veritable city that never sleeps.

The signboard bears three large gilded characters: Never Sleeps.

Neon lights flickered wildly in the hall, and the smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of perfume filled the air. Men and women, their eyes glazed with intoxication, mingled the clinking of glasses, laughter, and the strains of a gramophone, creating a scene of decadent clamor.

In a corner booth, Xu Jiancheng's cheeks were flushed from drinking. He had a voluptuous and charming woman on each side, taking sips from one glass and drinking from the other, his throat burning from the strong liquor.

"Young Master Xu, please try my cup first~"

"Young Master Xu, this was imported from France, please have a taste!"

The two spoke softly and playfully pushed each other. The one in the back was even more daring, taking a sip of wine and lightly touching his lips with the tip of her tongue.

"Young Master Xu, we also have imported ones~"

"Hahaha, come on, let's do it together!"

The two glasses were emptied, and the liquor burned down the throat.

Before he could finish speaking, a feeling of fullness surged in his stomach.

"I'm going to take a dump. You wait here patiently!"

After saying that, he pinched a handful of his waist with each hand, staggered to his feet, and swayed unsteadily toward the bathroom.

At the bar, a man wearing a top hat and with a thick beard glanced around, put down his glass, and followed without making a sound.

In the restroom.

Xu Jiancheng leaned against the tiled wall, his eyelids drooping, his belt loose, facing the urinal.

A mocking laugh suddenly rang in my ears: "Oh, so useless? You're practically peeing all over your shoes, aren't you?"

Xu Jiancheng instinctively glanced down—there wasn't a trace of moisture.

"You fucking tricked me!"

Before he could finish speaking, a large hand suddenly covered his mouth and nose, and a sweet and pungent fragrance assaulted his senses.

Oh no! It's sleeping potion!

Consciousness, like a candle flame being pulled out, went out with a "poof".

Swah——

The figure vanished suddenly.

That's right.

That man was just an avatar.

With a flick of his finger, his top hat, thick beard, and suit all shrunk back into his personal space; with another flick of his hand, Xu Jiancheng's coat, shirt, and belt were put on one by one.

He then pulled out a glass bottle with a blurry label, the words "Joyful Delight" crookedly printed on it. He tilted his head back and gulped it down, the powder mixed with saliva sliding down his throat—this dosage would make even a strong ox kick up its heels in excitement.

He swayed as he walked out of the bathroom, his steps unsteady and his cheeks flushed—his clone had already drunk the glass of wine he had just had.

Back at the booth, Xu Jiancheng's Adam's apple bobbed, and his eyes swept over the two women with a sullen look: "Stop drinking, let's go upstairs to the room and get some service."

"Ah Quan, hurry up and get a room!"

The attendants waiting outside the booth responded immediately and rushed upstairs.

"Oh dear, Young Master Xu, what's the rush? I've only taken two sips!"

"Yeah, it's only a little past eleven o'clock, why are you so restless today, like a monkey?"

The two girls feigned annoyance, but their hearts were pounding—the last time, it was so quick they barely had time to catch their breath, not even a minute had passed. Going inside now? That would be asking for trouble.

"I've given you a real treat today, I guarantee you'll be as soft as spring water and as docile as kittens."

Xu Jiancheng grinned, a layer of oily grime rising in his eyes.

"Ugh, Young Master Xu is such a cheat!"

"Oh dear, you're so cruel! She has such delicate skin, and you just go straight for the 'hard stuff' and torture her!"

The two of them swayed their waists, lowered their eyes, half-heartedly resisting, their voices soft and trembling, making one's bones itch.

An expert is an expert; they handle things perfectly.

In the blink of an eye, the three of them entered the room.

The attendants stood guard outside the door, hands behind their backs, like silent wooden stakes.

But only five minutes later—before the lights could even be turned off properly—two heart-wrenching screams suddenly erupted from inside the room:

"Someone's dead!!!"

That night, "Young Master Xu" overdosed on aphrodisiacs, causing his heart to burst.

The most frustrating thing was that the medicine made him feel burning hot all over, but he was lying on the empty bedside, and he couldn't even warm the woman's hand.

The Xu family kept silent and covered up the news overnight—it was too shameful. The two women were quietly wiped out the next day, leaving not even their remains behind.

Only Xu Jianwei sensed something was amiss, a chill ran down his spine, and his awe of someone deepened even further.

"Sir, why did you bring me here?"

As soon as the car door opened, Xu Meijing looked around at the dark alley, the mottled walls, and the few dim lights in the distance, and her heart tightened for no reason.

"Hey, didn't we agree? I'll give you a huge surprise tonight."

Li Wenguo took her hand and slowly led her through the overgrown courtyard, pushed open a rusty iron gate, and walked downstairs.

The basement was cold and damp, with a musty smell mixed with the rusty odor wafting through the air.

In the very center, on an old wooden chair, a man was bound, his hands and feet were bound with hemp ropes that cut into his flesh, his mouth was stuffed with a rag, and only his eyes were visible, darting around in terror, and he was making muffled, trembling "ooh" sounds.

"Xu Jiancheng!!!"

Xu Meijing's pupils contracted sharply, and blood vessels instantly appeared at the corners of her eyes. Her entire face was as cold as if covered with a thin layer of frost, and even her breathing seemed frozen.

That chill seeped from the very marrow of my bones; it was truly terrifying.

Standing behind Xu Jiancheng, Ding Xiaoqi felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she subconsciously shrank back.

It turns out that when the fifth concubine gets angry, she's more terrifying than a ghost!

"Tear the cloth off."

Li Wenguo's voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like a block of ice hitting the ground.

"It's...it's you?!"

The moment the cloth was pulled out, Xu Jiancheng roared, spitting everywhere, "Xu Meijing! And you, Li... Li something-qiang! You dare to kidnap me? You're tired of living, aren't you?!"

"Release them now! Do you want me to wipe out your entire family? The men will be thrown into the mines as hard laborers, and the women will be forced into prostitution—I'll make sure you have no descendants!"

He roared so loudly that his veins bulged, completely oblivious to the marks on his wrists, the bruises on his ankles, and the dripping sound of the water pipe above his head, like a countdown.

"It's so noisy."

Li Wenguo picked at his ear and said lazily.

"Snapped!"

"you--"

"Snapped!"

"How dare you—"

"Snapped!"

"You dare hit me?!"

"Bang!"

"ah!!!"

"Bang!"

"Stop hitting me!! Please!!"

Ding Xiaoqi's punches landed squarely, the slaps were crisp, the knees thudded, and the kicks were powerful. Xu Jiancheng went from cursing to howling in pain, and finally could only gasp for breath. His face was swollen like a steamed bun, his gums were bleeding, and he stammered, "Spare...spare my life...I'll give you...all the money..."

"Meijing, the guy who'll make you feel better, I've got him ready for you."

Li Wenguo handed over a dagger; the scabbard was gleaming, and the blade shimmered with a faint blue light.

Xu Meijing reached out and took it, her knuckles turning white, and walked step by step toward the once arrogant man sitting in the chair.

"Spare me! Spare me—I really know I was wrong!"

"Please, have mercy and don't kill me!"

"I was utterly heartless! I shouldn't have kidnapped you, and I definitely shouldn't have seized your family's ancestral property!"

Xu Jiancheng saw the bloodlust burning in her eyes, her teeth clenched so tightly that they seemed to be about to tear him to pieces. His knees buckled and he collapsed to his knees, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"You beast! You executioner! You despicable wretch, may you be struck by lightning!"

Xu Meijing gritted her teeth and growled, her eyes bloodshot. With a sudden movement, the dagger plunged into his left chest, the hilt still trembling slightly.

"Wait, Meijing—didn't you say you were going to cripple him?"

Li Wenguo rushed forward and grabbed her wrist, but the tip of the knife had already penetrated half an inch, and blood was gushing out from the blade.

"Yeah! Just one stab and he's done? That's too easy on that bastard!"

She was still screaming fiercely, but her fingertips were cold and numb, and her body was shaking uncontrollably—it was the first time she had seen blood and hurt someone with her own hands. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly by iron clamps, and even her breathing was tight.

"Meijing, I will never go back on my promise. The scene behind us is too shocking, so turn your back and don't look."

Li Wenguo gently turned her shoulder and gave Ding Xiaoqi a wink.

"What...what are you going to do?!"

"No—no!!!"

Mother, can you see this from heaven?

Your daughter has gotten justice for you!

Close your eyes, you won't have to suffer anymore!

Back in the car, Xu Meijing quietly gazed at the flowing night outside the window, a heavy sense of relief weighing on her brow.

Li Wenguo reached out and gently stroked her back, his palm warm and soft.

She suddenly turned her face, her smile as soft as spring water: "Master, for the rest of my life, I will serve you with my life." Before she finished speaking, her slender, fair hand had already quietly covered her lower abdomen and gently caressed it.

Yes, it's been tested, and it's true.

That evening was the very dinner Henry had mentioned.

Li Wenguo arrived with a letter. As soon as his car came to a stop, he caught a glimpse of several furtive figures at the street corner—their hats were pulled low, but their eyes were fixed on him.

But those people don't seem to follow the style of the Second Division.

"Master Li is from the same place."

Ding Xiaoqi lowered her voice and said.

Li Wenguo frowned slightly as he glanced at the brightly lit main building of the embassy.

Could it be that members of the local party have infiltrated?

"Fine, let them be. Today, even ten bold men wouldn't dare step through this door."

Foreign territory is now an impregnable den of dragons and tigers—who dares to overturn the table?

Stepping into the banquet hall, there was none of the ostentatious noise of a nightclub, nor the suffocating atmosphere of a club; only a dignified and composed ambiance.

The gentlemen had neatly tied bow ties and shiny cufflinks; their every move exuded good manners.

The ladies wore flowing skirts, adorned with lustrous pearls around their necks, spoke softly, and exuded an air of elegance.

"Hmm, a good place!"

Li Wenguo raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over several bright and beautiful faces—each with a slender waist, long legs, and graceful bearing.

In such respectable establishments, the girls are mostly from prestigious families. If you choose one, you can marry her properly without having to worry about any shady practices.

Of course, he also needs to be someone people respect.

He first sought out Henry and exchanged a few pleasantries—after all, he was his superior, and proper etiquette was essential.

"Li, come here, let me introduce you: This is Mr. Williams, the chief diplomat of the U.S. Embassy, ​​and this is his wife, Ms. Catherine."

Henry spoke with a smile.

These two are the highest-ranking U.S. officials in China.

Approaching fifty, he possessed a calm demeanor and an air of authority between his brows.

"Mr. Williams, I've heard so much about you. You are truly a gentleman."

"Ms. Catherine, tonight all the starlight is on you."

Li Wenguo, wearing gloves, shook hands with men and leaned down to gently kiss the back of women's hands.

To be honest, he was annoyed by these foreign rules, but he had no choice but to submit to them.

Fortunately, Catherine was also wearing velvet gloves, her fingertips were slightly cool, and the touch was crisp and clean.

After exchanging pleasantries, the two turned and left—given their status, they couldn't afford to waste a single second on idle chatter.