Siheyuan: A journey of mountains and rivers

"Huai Ru, are you free tomorrow? I want to take you somewhere." He Yuzhu said after dinner with a mysterious smile on his face.

Qin Huairu was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "Yes, Brother Yuzhu, where are you taking me?"

He Yuzhu smiled mysteriously, "You will know tomorrow."

The next morning, He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu set out together and took a bus to the outskirts of the city. The scenery outside the window gradually became wider, and the green fields and blue sky and white clouds made people feel relaxed and happy. Qin Huairu looked at these beautiful scenery, her heart full of expectation and curiosity.

"Brother Yuzhu, where are we going?" Qin Huairu couldn't help but ask.

He Yuzhu smiled and replied, "I'll take you to a farm where there are lots of fresh fruits for you to pick. Don't you like eating fruits very much? Today we'll go and experience the fun of picking them by ourselves."

Qin Huairu's eyes flashed with surprise after hearing this. "Really? That's great! I've always wanted to go to a place like this. Thank you, Brother Yuzhu."

He Yuzhu smiled slightly and nodded, "As long as you like it."

Arriving at the farm, the two put on the picking equipment provided by the farm, carried small baskets on their backs, and walked into the orchard. The orchard was lined with fruit trees, and the trees were full of various fruits, including apples, pears, grapes, peaches, etc., which were dazzling. Qin Huairu walked in front excitedly, shuttling back and forth between the fruit trees like a child.

"Brother Yuzhu, there are so many fruits here, so beautiful!" Qin Huairu said excitedly, with excitement flashing in her eyes.

He Yuzhu felt extremely satisfied when he saw her happy face. He knew that Qin Huairu usually had a hard life, and it was his greatest comfort to see her so happy.

The two of them picked fruits to their heart's content in the orchard, enjoying this gift from nature. He Yuzhu picked a few big red apples and handed them to Qin Huairu, "Huairu, these apples look sweet, try them."

Qin Huairu took the apple and took a bite. It was indeed juicy and delicious. She couldn't help but exclaimed, "Brother Yuzhu, this apple is so delicious!"

He Yuzhu smiled and nodded, "As long as you like it, pick some more and bring them back for the children to try."

Qin Huairu nodded and continued to pick fruits in the orchard. She felt pure joy and satisfaction, as if she had returned to her childhood, her heart filled with hope and longing for the future.

After picking, He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu returned with a basket full of fruits. Back in the courtyard, they sat in the yard, enjoying the fresh fruits and talking about their experiences today.

"Brother Yuzhu, I'm really happy today. Thank you for taking me to such a wonderful place." Qin Huairu said sincerely, with a gleam of gratitude in her eyes.

Life in the courtyard was as peaceful and beautiful as ever, and the days flowed quietly in every subtle moment. However, just as He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu were immersed in these ordinary and warm days, their peaceful life was suddenly broken by an accident.

One evening, He Yuzhu came back from the market with fresh pork and some green vegetables in his hands, thinking about making a hearty dinner for Qin Huairu and the children in the evening. Just as he was walking through a secluded alley, he heard a noise and a quarrel in the distance. He subconsciously slowed down his pace and looked in the direction of the sound, vaguely seeing a group of teenagers gathered together, seemingly arguing.

He Yuzhu's heart tightened, and he walked over quickly. When he got closer, he found that one of the boys was Banggeng. Although Banggeng was a little naughty in the courtyard, in He Yuzhu's eyes, he was just an immature boy, and he never expected that he would be with these bad boys.

"Banggeng, why are you here?" He Yuzhu frowned, with a hint of blame and worry in his voice.

Bang Geng heard He Yuzhu's voice and turned back suddenly, a trace of panic on his face. He lowered his head, not daring to look He Yuzhu in the eye. Seeing this, the other teenagers immediately looked at He Yuzhu with dissatisfaction. One of the teenagers who looked like a leader stepped forward and said coldly: "Who are you? What does it have to do with you?"

He Yuzhu took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and said as calmly as possible: "I'm his neighbor, and I don't think it's a good thing for him to be with you. If you have anything to say, just talk it out, don't make a move."

The young man who looked like a leader sneered, "This kid owes us money, don't even think about leaving if he doesn't pay it back!"

He Yuzhu frowned, feeling uneasy. He knew that although Banggeng was a bit unreliable, he would not owe these people money. The current situation was obviously that Banggeng was forced to get entangled with these people.

"Banggeng, what's going on?" He Yuzhu turned to Banggeng, his tone stern but concerned.

Banggeng hesitated and refused to answer, his eyes wandering, obviously he had something to hide. He Yuzhu became even more anxious, and was about to ask again, when the leader-like boy suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Banggeng by the collar, and said viciously: "If you don't tell the truth, I will be rude to you!"

Upon seeing this, He Yuzhu immediately stepped forward, stretched out his hand to block the boy's arm, and said coldly: "If you have anything to say, come to me, don't bully a child!"

The young man was shocked by He Yuzhu's momentum and was stunned for a second. Then he stared at him unwillingly, "Who do you think you are? Don't meddle in other people's business!"

He Yuzhu took a deep breath and tried to keep his tone calm. "I am this child's neighbor and I have the responsibility to protect him. If he really owes you money, we can solve it together, but don't do it."

Bang Geng couldn't help it and whispered, "Uncle Yuzhu, I...I accidentally lost some money and wanted to win it back, but I lost more and more..."

He Yuzhu's heart sank. It turned out that Banggeng was addicted to gambling, which caused all these troubles. He knew that this matter could not be delayed and must be resolved as soon as possible, otherwise Banggeng would get deeper and deeper into trouble.

"How much money do you want?" He Yuzhu asked the young man.

The boy sneered, "Fifty bucks!"

He Yuzhu was secretly surprised. This was a huge sum of money for a child. How could Banggeng owe so much money? He knew that these teenagers must have set a trap, but for now he could only solve the problem at hand.

"Okay, I don't have that much money now, but I will get it together as soon as possible. Give me two days, and I will definitely return the money to you." He Yuzhu said with a firm look in his eyes.

Seeing He Yuzhu's firm attitude, the young man thought for a moment and nodded, "We'll wait for you here in two days. If you can't pay, don't blame us for being rude!"