Siheyuan: A journey of mountains and rivers

"You know, Yuzhu," Xu Damao said, "I also wanted to be a chef when I was young, but my family didn't support me, so I gave up."

"Then you can try it now. Cooking is a very interesting thing." He Yuzhu encouraged.

"Yeah, I think I'll try to learn more dishes." Xu Damao said with a smile, "This is also a new challenge."

He Yuzhu nodded, full of expectations for the future. He knew that every day in life is full of possibilities, and as long as we are willing to try, we will definitely find our own fun.

After dinner, He Yuzhu and Xu Damao cleaned the table together, while He Peng helped wash the dishes. While Xu Damao was busy in the kitchen, he chatted with He Peng about interesting things in life.

"Peng, are you still in school?" Xu Damao asked.

"Yes, Uncle Xu, I'm studying at university now." He Peng replied, his tone full of longing for the future.

"That's great. Young people should have dreams." Xu Damao nodded with an expression of approval on his face.

He Yuzhu stood aside, listening to their conversation, feeling extremely satisfied. He knew that He Peng was not only his son, but also a new hope and motivation in his life. He hoped to spend more time with He Peng and create more beautiful memories in the days to come.

Gradually, night fell and the courtyard returned to peace. Xu Damao said goodbye to He Yuzhu and He Peng and walked back to his home, with more expectations for the future in his heart.

He Yuzhu watched Xu Damao leave, turned around and looked at He Peng, his heart full of emotion. He understood that there are many challenges in life, but as long as they understand and support each other, they can go further.

"Peng, if you have any problems in the future, feel free to come to me." He Yuzhu said softly, his eyes full of concern.

"Thank you, Dad." He Peng responded in a low voice, his eyes full of gratitude and expectation.

He Yuzhu was slightly stunned, and then he showed a warm smile. This was the first time He Peng called him "Dad", and these two simple words made him feel extremely satisfied and happy.

The relationship between He Yuzhu and He Peng became increasingly close, and the father and son had many more common memories and exchanges. However, sometimes friction can arise in a close relationship, especially for young people like He Peng, the balance between study and life is not always easy to grasp.

One morning, He Yuzhu got up as usual to prepare breakfast. When he walked past He Peng's room, he found that He Peng was still lying in bed, and there was no sign of him getting up. He Yuzhu frowned and knocked on the door: "Peng, get up quickly, it's time to go to school."

He Peng turned over, covered his head with the quilt, and said in a vague voice: "Dad, I don't want to go to school today."

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" He Yuzhu pushed open the door and walked to the bed.

He Peng showed a pair of tired eyes and shook his head: "No, I just don't want to go."

He Yuzhu's heart sank. As a father, he knew this was not a good sign. He sat down beside the bed and tried to communicate with He Peng: "Peng, going to school is very important. How can you skip classes casually?"

He Peng looked at the ceiling gloomily. After a moment of silence, he said, "The classes at school are so boring. I can't use anything I learn."

He Yuzhu felt annoyed. He tried to stay calm, but couldn't help but say, "You have to learn even if you're bored! You can't be so willful. You'll need this knowledge for your future work. If you give up learning now, you'll regret it later."

He Peng sighed, sat up and faced He Yuzhu, with a hint of stubbornness in his eyes: "But I don't want to waste my time now for the future."

This was like a thorn piercing He Yuzhu's heart, and he was speechless for a moment. He understood the confusion and bewilderment of young people about the future, but he also understood the importance of education. This conflict made him feel conflicted and anxious.

He Yuzhu was silent for a while, and then softened his tone: "Peng, I know that sometimes you feel bored when you go to school, but studying is not just for exams and grades, but to exercise your problem-solving ability."

He Peng lowered his head and stopped talking. He knew his father's words made sense, but the feeling of boredom in his heart was hard to erase.

"Let's go to school today," He Yuzhu sighed and patted He Peng on the shoulder. "If you have anything to say, we can talk about it when you come back."

He Peng nodded reluctantly and got up to wash up. He Yuzhu looked at his back with mixed emotions. He didn't want to be too strict, but he also didn't want to see his son's future affected by a moment of rebellion.

After seeing He Peng off, He Yuzhu sat at the dining table, still unable to calm down. He recalled his rebelliousness and confusion when he was young, and the confusion about the future reappeared in He Peng, making him feel at a loss as to where to start.

“Maybe I need to communicate with him from a different angle,” He Yuzhu thought. “Forcing him might only make things worse.”

That evening, He Peng came back from school, looking a little tired. He Yuzhu tried not to mention what happened in the morning, but took the initiative to ask him: "How was school today?"

He Peng simply replied: "It's OK, just a little tired."

"Is there anything I can help you with? In your studies or in your life?" He Yuzhu tried his best to make his voice sound calm and concerned.

He Peng hesitated for a moment, as if he had something to say, but in the end he just shook his head: "Nothing special."

He Yuzhu nodded, knowing that his son was reluctant to talk, but he decided to take it slow and give He Peng some time and space. He knew that rushing for success might make He Peng feel stressed, and what was needed more was patience and understanding.

After dinner, He Yuzhu and He Peng took a walk in the yard together. The night in the courtyard was quiet and peaceful, and the stars were twinkling in the night sky.

"Peng, actually when I was young, I was also often confused about the future." He Yuzhu said, trying to guide He Peng with his own experience.

"Really? Have you ever had this feeling?" He Peng asked in surprise.

"Of course, everyone goes through this stage." He Yuzhu smiled slightly, "But I find that many times our seemingly useless learning and experiences often come in handy at some point in the future."

He Peng nodded, as if touched by his father's words. He thought of those boring courses in school, maybe some of the knowledge in them would be helpful in the future.

"I don't ask you to like school right away, but I hope you can give yourself a chance to explore what you may be interested in." He Yuzhu continued, "If you have any ideas or difficulties, feel free to come to me and we can work together to find a solution."

He Peng pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Okay, I'll try hard to look at learning."