Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

"Banggeng..." Li Xiangqian sighed silently, his lips trembling slightly. That childish face lingered in his mind. Although he was a little disappointed with Banggeng, he felt more of an indescribable sadness. He understood that children like Banggeng were not really bad, but were forced to do so.

He suddenly stopped and stared at the shovel, feeling an inexplicable sadness in his heart. Once upon a time, such a simple tool should have been used for farming and supporting the family, but now it has become an accomplice for children to commit sneaky acts. The unpredictable reality of human hearts made him feel tired and powerless.

"Is there really no way to change this?" He murmured to himself, his voice so low that it was almost blown away by the wind. He lowered his head slightly, and the shadow of the shovel was reflected on the ground, like a long scar, glaring but impossible to ignore.

Walking back to the yard, he pushed open the door of his house, leaned the shovel against the corner, and sat in a chair for a while. The room was silent, with only his breathing echoing softly. His eyes inadvertently swept across the wall clock. It was still early, but he felt like he was forced into some invisible corner.

"Li Xiangqian, how long can you hold on?" He asked himself with a bitter smile. These days, he has been trying to maintain a calm appearance, but in reality, every day is like walking on a knife's edge. If he is not careful, his plans, his hopes, and even himself, may be completely destroyed.

"Xiang Qian, are you in the house?" Suddenly, a low greeting came from outside the yard. It was the old man's voice.

Li Xiangqian suddenly came to his senses, stood up quickly, and walked to the door to greet him. He was a little surprised by the old man's arrival, but at the same time he felt a little comforted. The old man was always the most stable and reliable person in this courtyard. Whenever he felt that he couldn't hold on, hearing the old man's voice always made him feel a little more at ease.

"Uncle, why are you looking for me so early? Is there something wrong?" He tried to make his tone sound calm.

The old man stood at the door, holding a worn bamboo basket with a few potatoes and two handfuls of green vegetables in his hand. He sighed softly and said, "Xiang Qian, I see you've been very busy lately, and there's probably nothing to eat in the house. I picked some food from the vegetable garden this morning and brought it to you."

"I feel so embarrassed, uncle..." Li Xiangqian waved his hands quickly, but the uncle had already stepped into the house and put the basket on the table.

"Don't be polite with me, this is nothing." The old man patted the basket, then pulled a chair and sat down, his expression showing some concern, "I heard that there was a movement near your house last night, did something happen?"

Li Xiangqian's expression changed slightly, but he quickly concealed it. He didn't want the old man to get involved in his affairs, so he smiled and said, "Nothing, I just heard a little noise, maybe a cat ran by."

The old man stared at him, was silent for a moment, then nodded: "There's been a lot of trouble in the yard recently, you should pay more attention. Especially that Banggeng, don't look at him as small, this kid is very smart, if he makes trouble, it will be difficult to deal with it."

Li Xiangqian was shocked. He didn't expect the old man to mention Banggeng. He hesitated for a moment, but still asked, "Uncle, do you think Banggeng... can still be saved?"

The old man pondered for a moment after hearing this, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen. He sighed and said, "Banggeng is not a bad kid by nature, but it's a pity that his environment is too complicated and no one can really guide him on the right path. I feel bad for him, but..." He shook his head and didn't continue.

Li Xiangqian felt even more upset after hearing this. He knew that the old man was right and that Banggeng's problem could not be solved overnight, but he was unwilling to give up. His eyes gradually became moist. Thinking of Banggeng's age and his nonchalant look, he felt like a stone was pressing down on his heart.

"Uncle," Li Xiangqian whispered, "If there is a chance, I want to try to help him. Whether he is willing to listen to me or not, at least I have to let him know that there is still a way out."

The old man looked at him, with a complex expression on his face, like relief, but also like worry. He nodded gently and said, "You are too soft-hearted. Okay, I won't stop you. As long as you think you can do it, just do it."

Li Xiangqian sat at the table, staring at the potatoes and vegetables in the basket, looking a little dazed. His fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, making a slight sound. The room was quiet, with only the occasional bird calls from outside the window. The sun shone through the window onto his face, but his eyes seemed to be covered by a thick layer of clouds.

He took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, his mind in a mess. Last night's events, the shovel, the old man's advice, all flashed through his mind like old film. He felt an invisible pressure gradually oppressing him, making him feel heavy even when breathing.

"In the current situation, it's useless to just rush." ​​Li Xiangqian warned himself secretly. He knew that things had reached a critical point and that if he was not careful, he might fail. He couldn't let these complicated emotions take over his mind. He had to calm down and think carefully about every step to take.

He closed his eyes and forced himself to concentrate. Did the footsteps last night and the dirt on the shovel imply some kind of connection? If Banggeng really just dug the wasteland twice, why was the dirt on the shovel so fresh? Could it be that Banggeng didn't tell the truth, or that he didn't even know that the shovel was used somewhere else?

Thinking of this, Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly tightened. He opened his eyes suddenly, with a hint of vigilance in his eyes. He had to consider the worse possibility. Banggeng was still young after all, and he might not understand what the tool in his hand meant. If someone really used Banggeng in secret, or even used it to do something shameful, then the danger might be far greater than he imagined.

"We can't just sit there and wait for death." Li Xiangqian stood up and paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. His eyes swept across the basket on the table and the shovel leaning against the corner, thinking about the next plan in his mind.

At this moment, he suddenly remembered the figure he saw last night - an old man. Although the scene ended quickly, thinking about it carefully, things seemed more and more wrong. Normally, the old man rarely came out so late at night, let alone with such obvious vigilance. What was he guarding against? Or, what was he trying to protect?