Siheyuan: A journey of mountains and rivers

Although life was hard, she never gave up her longing for a better life. Lou Xiao'e's beauty was well-known in the courtyard, and many men admired her, but she already had someone in her heart, that was He Yuzhu.

The story begins on an autumn afternoon. On that day, the courtyard was sunny, and the golden light sprinkled in every corner, giving people a warm feeling. He Yuzhu was busy in the kitchen, and Lou Xiaoe quietly walked to the kitchen door, holding a basket of freshly picked vegetables in her hand.

"Brother Yuzhu, I just picked these from the vegetable garden. You can use them to cook." Lou Xiao'e said softly, her voice as gentle and warm as the breeze.

He Yuzhu turned around and glanced at Lou Xiao'e, a smile on his face, "Xiao'e, thank you for your hard work. These dishes look very fresh, I will definitely make good use of them."

Lou Xiao'e lowered her head, a blush on her face, "Brother Yuzhu, if you are not busy, can you talk to me?"

He Yuzhu was slightly stunned, then nodded, "Okay, it's not too busy now anyway."

The two sat on a stone bench in the yard, the sunlight shining through the gaps in the leaves onto them, as if covering the lovers with a golden coat. Lou Xiao'e looked at He Yuzhu, with a hint of shyness and expectation in her eyes.

"Brother Yuzhu, have you ever thought about what your future life will be like?" Lou Xiao'e asked tentatively.

He Yuzhu was silent for a moment, then whispered, "In the future... I hope to continue doing what I like, be an excellent chef, and open a restaurant of my own."

"Then... have you ever thought about starting a family?" Lou Xiao'e asked cautiously, her heart beating so fast that it seemed like it was about to jump out of her chest.

He Yuzhu took a deep breath and looked into the distance. "Starting a family? This question... I haven't really thought about it."

Lou Xiao'e's heart sank, but she still forced a smile, "Brother Yuzhu, if you decide to start a family one day, you must tell me, okay?"

He Yuzhu nodded, "Xiao'e, thank you for your concern for me all the time. If there is such a day, I will definitely tell you."

The conversation between the two seemed so natural in the warm autumn sun, but no one realized that this simple conversation would be the beginning of their emotional entanglement in the future.

As the days go by, the relationship between He Yuzhu and Lou Xiaoe seems to be slowly heating up. However, life is always full of variables. The interpersonal relationships in the courtyard are complicated, and everyone has their own plans and thoughts. Especially Xu Damao, a person who always stirs up trouble in the courtyard, his existence always brings endless troubles to everyone.

Xu Damao has always secretly liked Lou Xiao'e, but he also knows that Lou Xiao'e's heart is on He Yuzhu. Therefore, he always tries to sow discord between them, hoping to destroy their relationship. One day, Xu Damao accidentally heard some rumors on the street that He Yuzhu had a close relationship with a woman from another place. This made him brighten his eyes and decided to use this opportunity to make trouble.

Xu Damao deliberately mentioned this rumor in front of Lou Xiao'e, "Xiao'e, I heard that He Yuzhu has been getting close to a woman from another place recently. Did you know that?"

Lou Xiao'e was shocked when she heard this, but she pretended to be calm, "Brother Damao, don't talk nonsense. Brother Yuzhu is not that kind of person."

Xu Damao laughed, "I just heard about it, Xiao'e, don't take it too seriously. But, for some things, it's better for you to ask in person."

Although Lou Xiao'e was full of doubts, she did not question He Yuzhu immediately. She believed in He Yuzhu's character, but the uneasiness in her heart was always with her. A few days later, she finally couldn't help it. On a sunny afternoon, she went to He Yuzhu's kitchen to try to find out the truth of the matter.

"Brother Yuzhu, I have something to ask you." Lou Xiao'e's voice trembled a little, and she tried her best to look calm.

He Yuzhu put down the kitchen knife in his hand, turned around and looked at Lou Xiaoe, "What's wrong, Xiaoe?"

Lou Xiao'e took a deep breath and mustered up her courage to say, "I heard that you've been getting close to a woman from another place recently. Is that true?"

He Yuzhu frowned slightly, "Xiao'e, who told you that?"

"Xu Damao said that he heard some rumors..." Lou Xiao'e's voice became lower and lower, and she didn't know how to continue.

He Yuzhu's face turned serious. "Xiao'e, don't believe those rumors. That lady and I are just friends. She came to Beijing on a business trip. I just introduced some delicious food to her."

Lou Xiao'e nodded, but the uneasiness in her heart was not completely eliminated. She knew that He Yuzhu was telling the truth, but those rumors and the doubts in her heart were like a thorn, which hurt her heart all the time.

As time went by, the rumors in the courtyard became more and more numerous, and the distance between He Yuzhu and Lou Xiao'e gradually widened. Although Lou Xiao'e loved He Yuzhu deeply, she could not get rid of the uneasiness and suspicion in her heart. Whenever she saw He Yuzhu talking to other women, the thorn in her heart would hurt even more.

One night, He Yuzhu returned home and found Lou Xiao'e sitting at the door with tears in her eyes. He Yuzhu's heart tightened and he hurried over, "Xiao'e, what's wrong?"

Lou Xiao'e looked up at He Yuzhu, tears blurring her vision, "Brother Yuzhu, I can't stand it. I know you treat me well, but I really can't stand those rumors. I don't know what your relationship with those women is, and I don't know if you have me in your heart."

He Yuzhu looked at Lou Xiao'e with heartache and gently held her hand. "Xiao'e, you have to believe me. I am sincere to you. Those rumors are simply not credible."

Lou Xiao'e shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Brother Yuzhu, I think we should separate for a while. I need to calm down and think about our future."

He Yuzhu felt a pain in his heart, but he knew that Lou Xiao'e needed time and space now. "Okay, Xiao'e, I respect your decision. But no matter what, I will always wait for you."

Lou Xiao'e nodded and turned away. He Yuzhu stood there, his heart filled with endless pain and helplessness. He didn't know what the future would be like, nor did he know whether the relationship between them could be restored.

He Yuzhu watched Lou Xiao'e's back disappear into the night, and the pain and helplessness in his heart intertwined. Every bit of the past emerged in his mind, every smile, every word, every moment, made his heart ache.