Siheyuan: Buyers get rich from hunting

Just as everyone was discussing enthusiastically, expressing their opinions, the old door of the courtyard suddenly made a creaking sound, and then was pushed open. Along with the sudden movement, a breeze mixed with the coolness of autumn blew by, bringing a hint of unusual breath. After hearing the sound, everyone stopped talking and turned their heads to look in the direction of the sound, with confusion and curiosity written on their faces.

Yan Bugui's face was full of astonishment, his mouth opened so wide that it seemed as if an egg could fit in it. He pointed at the person who came in disbelief and shouted at the top of his voice: "He Daqing? Why... why are you here?" There was a slight tremor in his voice, and it was obvious that he was surprised and at a loss at He Daqing's sudden appearance.

Yan Bugui's voice was like a thunderclap, instantly breaking the originally noisy atmosphere, making the entire courtyard suddenly silent and strangely quiet. Even the chickens that were originally strolling leisurely in the yard were frightened by the sudden sound and fluttered their wings and fled in all directions. Everyone's eyes were attracted by a magnet, and they all gathered on the man behind Yan Bugui, their eyes full of inquiry and curiosity.

The man standing there was as thin as a bamboo pole, as if a gust of wind could blow him down. The washed-out clothes on his body hung loosely on his shoulders, swaying gently in the breeze, making him look even thinner. Although the facial features were still clearly visible, the traces of time had quietly climbed up the corners of his eyes and eyebrows, and a trace of fatigue and vicissitudes was revealed under his dark skin. He stood there, holding his hands tightly together, looking a little uneasy. This person was none other than He Daqing, who had left home for many years and had no news!

He Daqing's unexpected appearance was like throwing a huge rock into a calm lake, which immediately caused ripples and made the originally harmonious atmosphere of the courtyard house become subtle and complicated. Especially for He Yuzhu and He Yushui, this suddenly returning father had an indelible sense of familiarity in their memories, as if yesterday's events were still vivid in their minds; but he seemed so strange because of the long separation, as if the emotional bond between them had become fragile with the passage of time.

He Yuzhu's brows were tightly knitted together, and his eyes were flashing with complex emotions. He clenched his fists, and his fingers turned slightly white due to the force, as if he was trying to suppress his inner anger and dissatisfaction. He Yushui's eyes were wide open, her mouth slightly open, and her face was full of disbelief and shock. She twisted the corners of her clothes unconsciously with her hands, and her eyes showed both longing and expectation for her father, and anger and disappointment for his leaving without saying goodbye.

Other neighbors in the courtyard also cast different looks, some sympathetic, some doubtful, some curious, some indifferent. They all knew that He Daqing's return would bring a big turmoil to this originally peaceful courtyard.

Once, in those long and silent nights, He Yuzhu and He Yushui wandered on the edge of sleep countless times, sketching out warm pictures of reuniting with their father. Sometimes, it was the warm embrace of their father under the setting sun, they snuggled up to their father, listening to him tell the wonderful world outside in a low and powerful voice; sometimes, it was a happy scene of a family sitting around a table in the dim light, sharing the joy of family, their laughter echoing in the night sky, like the most beautiful music. However, when these visions in dreams turned into reality, and the one who really stood in front of them was the long-lost and unfamiliar father, the brother and sister's mood became extremely complicated, as if thousands of emotions were intertwined and difficult to describe.

He Daqing stood quietly at the gate of the courtyard, like a sculpture that had experienced many hardships. His eyes were deep and vicissitudes, and he slowly swept across the courtyard, as if looking for those familiar figures and memories. Finally, his eyes were fixed on Yi Zhonghai, and there was an indescribable complex emotion intertwined, with both guilt for the past and expectations for the future. He took a deep breath, as if to absorb all the ups and downs of these years into his chest, and then took heavy steps, step by step, walking towards Yi Zhonghai. Every step seemed to tell the heaviness of the years, and every step seemed to say goodbye to his past self.

When He Daqing finally walked in front of Yi Zhonghai, the distance between them was so close that they could almost hear each other's heartbeats. He Daqing's voice was low and hoarse, with a barely perceptible tremor: "Zhonghai, I... I'm back." Although this sentence was simple, it seemed to carry a heavy burden. Every word seemed to be squeezed out from the bottom of his heart, full of endless emotion and apology.

Yi Zhonghai stared at He Daqing, who was once familiar but now became a stranger, with mixed feelings in his heart. His eyes showed both anger and confusion about the past, as well as sympathy for the hardships and tribulations that the man in front of him had experienced.

He remembered that when He Daqing left, the courtyard was filled with endless sadness and disappointment. The quarrels and tears of those days were like a deep scar engraved in everyone's heart. However, looking at this man with a haggard face and tired and exhausted eyes, Yi Zhonghai suddenly found that the burning resentment in his heart had quietly extinguished, and was replaced by a hint of tolerance and understanding.

He understood that everyone has their own choices and helplessness in life, and true courage is the courage to face one's past and to take responsibility for one's own life.

After a moment of silence, Yi Zhonghai sighed softly, as if he wanted to turn all the words in his heart into this long sigh. He tried to keep his tone calm, but his eyes flashed with complex emotions, and he responded lightly: "I'm glad you're back." Although there were only a few words, from his slightly trembling voice and frowning brows, one can clearly feel the ups and downs in his heart. This sentence is both an acceptance of He Daqing's return and a helplessness and relief for his past behavior.

When He Daqing heard Yi Zhonghai's answer, his eyes instantly became moist, and tears welled up in his eyes. He quickly lowered his head and gently rubbed the corners of his eyes with both hands, fearing that others would see his vulnerable side. At the same time, he lowered his voice, with a tremor in his voice, and continued: "I know that what I did back then was really too much, and deeply hurt too many people, especially you. For so many years, I have been wandering around outside, tasting the ups and downs of life, and seeing the warmth and coldness of the world. Whenever it is late at night, I will think of this home, think of you, and my heart is filled with endless regret and longing. Now, I really want to come back here and try my best to make up for the mistakes I have made. Even if it is just a small effort, I hope to restore the warmth and harmony of the past to this family." At this point, He Daqing could no longer suppress his inner excitement, his voice began to choke, and tears finally burst out and slowly slid down his cheeks.

Hearing He Daqing's affectionate and sincere words, the originally noisy atmosphere in the courtyard suddenly became silent. Everyone looked at each other, and their eyes were at a loss. Everyone's face was full of doubts and confusion, as if they had never expected He Daqing to suddenly say such affectionate words. Looking at He Daqing's thin and haggard figure, they couldn't help but feel an indescribable complex emotion in their hearts.

Standing in the crowd, He Yuzhu and He Yushui, brother and sister, were in a particularly complicated mood at the moment. In their eyes, there was a hint of surprise and anticipation for their father's return, but at the same time, it was difficult to erase the shadow left by the memories of the hurt they had once experienced. Their hearts seemed to be torn by two completely different emotions, and they were caught in a contradictory struggle. They wanted to forgive their father, but were afraid of being hurt again; they longed for a complete family, but could not forget the pain of the past.

At this awkward moment of silence, Yan Bugui, who had been standing silently by the side, finally couldn't help but speak. He frowned slightly, his eyes revealed a serious and slightly reproachful look, and he said in a steady and powerful tone: "He Daqing, it is a good thing that you can come back now, and we all hope that you can sincerely repent and start over. However, you must clearly realize that this family is no longer what it used to be. So many years have passed, and everyone in the family has experienced countless storms and changes. We are all trying to adapt to the new life and forget the pain of the past. Your return now can certainly bring us some comfort and warmth, but you must also understand that the mistakes you have made have brought irreparable trauma to this family. So, I hope you can prove your sincerity and determination with practical actions, rather than just relying on a few empty words and tears to win our sympathy and forgiveness."

Yan Bugui's words were like a sharp sword, piercing He Daqing's heart. Although the words were a bit sharp and harsh, it was undeniable that this was indeed a common question in the minds of everyone present. For a moment, the entire courtyard fell into silence again, as if even the air was filled with a tense atmosphere.

Facing Yan Bugui's questioning and the doubtful eyes of the people around him, He Daqing first lowered his head silently and remained silent for a long time. Then, he slowly raised his head, staring at the front with his eyes, his eyes firm and persistent. He took a deep breath and answered in a sonorous voice: "I know that I have missed too many precious things in the past years. But please believe me, from now on, I am willing to devote the rest of my life and do my best to make up for the mistakes I have made. No matter how much effort it takes, I will try my best to provide help to this family and everyone in the courtyard!"

He Daqing's words were like a bombshell, causing a huge uproar in the small courtyard, and everyone present couldn't help but fall into deep contemplation. Everyone turned their eyes to the man who had cruelly abandoned his wife and children in the past, with complex emotions intertwined in their eyes - suspicion, curiosity, and a hint of expectation.

After all, who among the people living in this courtyard doesn't want to have a complete and harmonious family? Who doesn't hope that their separated relatives can return and reunite soon? So, under the persuasion and persuasion of the people around him, He Daqing finally mustered up the courage to sincerely express his deep regret to the children, and vowed to do his best to make up for the mistakes he had made in the past.

However, in the face of their father's belated confession, He Yuzhu and He Yushui's reaction was unusually cold and resolute. He Yuzhu's eyes, which were originally as calm as water, were now flashing with a cold light that made people dare not look directly at him. He stared at He Daqing in front of him, and the words he uttered were as cold and ruthless as ice: "Humph, you are not worthy of stepping into this house again, let alone getting my and my sister's forgiveness! At this point, there is no point in saying more, please get out immediately, and never set foot here again from now on!"

He Yushui, who was standing by, also clenched her fists, her delicate body trembling slightly with anger. She shouted in a voice full of anger and determination, "That's right, brother is right! Leave now, we don't need your so-called compensation at all, and we don't want to hear any apology from you. At this moment, if you are tactful and leave obediently, it will be the greatest respect for us!"

Yi Zhonghai stood there quietly, staring at everything that happened before his eyes, his heart felt as heavy as if it was pressed by a huge rock, filled with deep helplessness. He knew very well that the scars left behind were like marks engraved deep in the soul, which could not be easily erased even after the passage of time.

He frowned slightly, sighed softly, then turned his gaze to He Daqing beside him, and said in a calm but somewhat helpless tone: "Daqing, judging from the current situation, I'm afraid you can't stay here for the time being. Why don't you leave first? When the children's emotions are a little more stable, we can discuss countermeasures together."

After hearing these words, He Daqing's face, which was originally slightly pale, instantly became bloodless, as if he had lost all his vitality in an instant. He slowly lowered his head, not daring to look anyone in the eye, and a hint of loss and pain that was difficult to conceal flashed across his eyes. However, in just a moment, he raised his head again, looking at He Yuzhu and He Yushui not far away with a firm but slightly bitter look, his lips trembling slightly, and he said softly: "Okay, in that case, I'll leave first. But please remember that no matter what, I will never give up easily, and I will do everything I can to make up for the mistakes I have made." After saying this, he turned around slowly as if he had used up all his strength, and walked away from everyone's sight step by step with heavy steps.

After saying that, He Daqing turned around, took heavy steps, and slowly walked out of the gate of the courtyard. Yi Zhonghai and other neighbors looked at his back with mixed feelings. They knew that this family and this courtyard would need time to slowly heal the scars of the past.