Siheyuan: The rise and fall of the He family is our responsibility

He Yuzhu is an ordinary young man born in a courtyard house in Beijing. His family has lived in this old alley full of historical charm for generations. The high walls and green tiles, vermilion gates and stone lions of the courtyard house all tell of the former prosperity and prosperity of this land. However, with the rapid development of the city, the courtyard house has gradually been surrounded by modern high-rise buildings, becoming an ancient island in the city.

He Yuzhu runs a small noodle shop in the alley. Although the noodle shop is inconspicuous, it is a place frequented by alley residents on a daily basis. Every morning, He Yuzhu gets up very early to fetch water, mix noodles, and make soup. All this is to greet those familiar faces - the neighbors in the alley. Among them are retired old workers, single young men and women, and elderly people living in courtyards. He Yuzhu is very familiar with them and even knows everyone's taste and preference.

All this seemingly peaceful and harmonious life was broken by a sudden news. That day, He Yuzhu was placing tables and chairs in front of the door, and a stranger walked into his noodle shop. This was a well-dressed middle-aged man, holding a document in his hand, with a serious expression. He showed He Yuzhu the document and told him that the government planned to demolish this courtyard and develop it into a modern commercial area.

He Yuzhu was stunned, and then a surge of anger surged from the bottom of his heart. He looked up at the man, trying to suppress his anger, and asked: "Why? There are so many people living here, how can you just demolish it?"

The man was not affected by He Yuzhu's emotions and explained calmly: "This is the need for urban development. For the overall planning of the city, we need to vacate this area for transformation. Of course, the government will give you corresponding compensation."

Compensation? He Yuzhu sneered. He had seen too many examples of compensation for demolition in recent years. Many people were forced to move out of their homes, but in return they only got a small apartment far away from the city center, which greatly reduced their quality of life. For He Yuzhu and his neighbors, this courtyard is not just a place to live, but also their roots, their life and memories.

That night, He Yuzhu couldn't fall asleep for a long time. He lay in bed, thinking about a lot of things. He recalled the time when he played with his friends in the courtyard when he was a child, the happy scenes of his family when his parents were alive, and the warm scenes of neighbors helping each other. He didn't want to lose all of this.

The next day, He Yuzhu got up early and decided to discuss the matter with his neighbors. Old Li in the alley was a "highly respected" person here. He had lived here all his life and had a deep affection for the courtyard house. He Yuzhu found Old Li and told him everything. After listening, Old Li frowned and was silent for a long time before he slowly said, "Yuzhu, this matter is not simple. We can't just accept it like this. We have to go to the relevant departments to discuss it and see if there is any room for maneuver."

So He Yuzhu and Lao Li called together other neighbors in the alley and held an emergency meeting in the noodle shop. At the meeting, everyone expressed their opinions, some advocated arguing with reason, while others believed in following the trend and accepting reality. In the end, He Yuzhu decided to take a few representatives to the municipal government to report the situation, hoping to win the opportunity to retain the courtyard house.

However, things did not go as smoothly as expected. The city government officials were kind, but their words revealed helplessness and determination. He Yuzhu's repeated negotiations were in vain. Every time he returned to the alley, he could feel the expectant and anxious eyes of his neighbors. This feeling of powerlessness made him feel more stressed, but he knew that he could not give up.

As time went by, the crisis of the Siheyuan was not resolved, but intensified. One morning, when He Yuzhu was about to open the noodle shop for business, he found a big red notice posted at the door of the noodle shop, which clearly stated the specific time of demolition. He Yuzhu's heart sank suddenly, which meant that they had little time left.

At this time, something unexpected happened in the hutong. One evening, a young man named Li Dapeng suddenly appeared in the hutong. He claimed to be a freelance photographer who had always had a special liking for Beijing's hutong culture. He heard that this place was about to be demolished, so he came here to record the last days of this quadrangle. Li Dapeng's arrival added a glimmer of new hope to the hutong.

After Li Dapeng's photography work was posted online, it quickly attracted widespread attention. Many netizens left messages expressing their love and reluctance to leave this ancient hutong. The media also began to intervene, and reporters rushed to interview He Yuzhu and other residents, trying to uncover the story behind this courtyard. The fate of the courtyard gradually became the focus of attention of the entire city and even the whole country.

As the media exposed the incident, the city government began to feel pressure from all walks of life. In order to ease the public's dissatisfaction, the government decided to re-evaluate the demolition plan and organize an expert group to conduct a demonstration to find a solution that can coexist with protection and development. This news undoubtedly made the residents in the hutong feel relieved.

However, the matter was far from over. While the expert group was conducting an assessment, a fire suddenly broke out in the courtyard. The fire came suddenly and violently, engulfing several houses in an instant. Although the fire brigade arrived in time, the fire still caused considerable damage. After the fire, the alley was filled with a burnt smell, and the residents became increasingly depressed.

Some people began to suspect that the fire was not an accident, but was deliberately set to force the residents to move out as soon as possible. However, there was insufficient evidence and all suspicions were just speculation. He Yuzhu decided not to wait any longer. He and Li Dapeng joined forces to continue to call for the protection of the Siheyuan through the Internet and the media to gain more support.

Amid the chaos and unrest, the Siheyuan welcomed the visit of a key figure - a respected old architect who had participated in the protection of many historical buildings and had a deep research on Siheyuan. The arrival of this old architect gave the residents hope. He inspected the current status of the Siheyuan in detail and proposed a feasible protection plan that can both preserve the historical features of the Siheyuan and meet the needs of modern development.

The municipal government finally accepted the old architect's plan and decided to make a minor renovation on the basis of the courtyard house, which not only protected the historical culture but also incorporated modern elements. This decision excited He Yuzhu and his neighbors, and everyone expressed their willingness to cooperate with the renovation and jointly protect this precious land.