Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

He was always immersed in his own world, fighting against everything alone. Sometimes he even began to doubt whether he had taken the wrong path from the beginning and walked into a dead end with no exit.

"But I can't stop." Li Xiangqian's voice was low. "If I stop, there will be problems at home." He murmured, his eyes becoming a little blurry. "I can't let my family worry. I can't let everything get out of control."

Lin Xiaoyu sighed softly, reached out and stroked his hair, her tone soft but firm: "You have done a good job, don't push yourself too hard."

Li Xiangqian's heart moved, and he looked up at Lin Xiaoyu's face. Suddenly, an indescribable emotion rose in his heart. Her understanding, care and patience were like warm sunshine shining into his gloomy heart. His mood gradually calmed down, and the pain was no longer so severe, replaced by a deep sense of guilt and helplessness.

Perhaps, he was really tired, not just physically, but deep down in his heart. He understood that his stress did not come only from the trivialities of life, but more from the inner emptiness and unspeakable confusion. Every fall, every injury, seemed to remind him that no matter how hard he tried, he could not escape the burden that could not be removed.

Li Xiangqian sat quietly on the sofa, the wound on his hand was almost bandaged, and Lin Xiaoyu's movements were still so careful, as if she could always see his inner fluctuations from his most vulnerable moments. However, Li Xiangqian did not feel calm at all, but felt an inexplicable tension and uneasiness.

He looked down at his hand. The slightly swollen wound had been bandaged into a small bandage. The original pain seemed to have cooled down, but the depression in his heart became stronger. He realized that not only did he not relieve his inner anxiety, but he became more addicted to this dilemma with nowhere to release. A mess of emotions rolled in his head. He was obviously injured and should need comfort, but at this moment he found that he was unable to comfort anyone.

Lin Xiaoyu sat down in front of him, sighed softly, and her eyes were full of concern. She looked at Li Xiangqian and still didn't speak, but the tenderness and silent concern revealed in the silence seemed to instantly dissolve some of the guilt in his heart. However, Li Xiangqian still couldn't speak without hesitation like before to comfort her and give her hope.

There was an unspeakable pain in his heart, mixed with reluctance, guilt, and even helplessness, as if these emotions were tightly tying his neck and suffocating him. He looked into Lin Xiaoyu's eyes and suddenly remembered so much of her selfless dedication to the family, and remembered that he had never really listened to her voice. She was obviously also bearing a heavy burden, so why didn't he give her more support and care?

"Have you ever thought that you are tired?" Lin Xiaoyu finally spoke, her voice low, as if it was a gentle whisper in her heart.

Li Xiangqian was startled, a complicated expression flashed in his eyes. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but stopped. The silence in his heart was like a wall blocking all his words. He lowered his head helplessly, looking at his hands, his heart full of struggle.

"I'm not tired." Although his tone was calm, he knew that it was only superficial calmness. In fact, he felt more tired than ever before, and this kind of fatigue could not even be relieved by rest.

Lin Xiaoyu did not ask him any more questions. Instead, she gently placed her hand on Li Xiangqian's shoulder, her eyes still filled with tenderness. "You know what?" Her voice was gentle, but it carried a warm power. "I have always been watching you. You have worked hard for this family and paid a lot. But sometimes, shouldn't you also think about yourself?"

This sentence is undoubtedly like a needle that pierces Li Xiangqian's heart. All his efforts have been centered around his family and the trivial matters in front of him, but he has ignored his inner desires and needs. He has always thought that if he works hard enough and is strong enough, he can protect all of this, but the reality now reminds him again and again that his heart has begun to collapse, and he himself cannot find a way out.

"I..." Li Xiangqian's voice was a little choked, "I never feel tired, I'm just used to it." He paused and looked up at Lin Xiaoyu's eyes. There was no blame or pity, only calmness and tolerance, as if she had understood his silence, "I'm used to carrying everything on my shoulders, and I'm used to not saying anything."

Lin Xiaoyu did not rush to respond, but just sat quietly, allowing Li Xiangqian to release these suppressed emotions. She knew that Li Xiangqian did not want to speak, but he had never found a suitable way to express it. In his heart, there were too many words and too many emotions, but often when he was most vulnerable, he would be more silent, because he did not want others to see that vulnerability.

Li Xiangqian's breathing gradually became heavy. He lowered his head and his voice became weak: "I always want to do my best, but sometimes, I really don't know how to do it. Sometimes I feel like I haven't brought much real help to you."

"Don't think like that." Lin Xiaoyu sighed softly, reaching out and patting Li Xiangqian on the back, "You've done a good job."

Her palm, with its warmth and strength, brought Li Xiangqian some temporary comfort, but the inexplicable sense of burden did not completely disappear. Li Xiangqian still felt that he did not have enough ability to bear everything in this family, especially on the emotional level, he always felt powerless.

"I understand what you want, Li Xiangqian." Lin Xiaoyu said slowly, "It's not that you don't need help, but you are afraid of bothering others. You always feel that you have to bear everything alone, and you are afraid of letting others see your unbearable situation."

This sentence made Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly tremble, as if he was hit by some kind of force, and his heart beat a little faster. "You... you know?" He asked in a low voice, with a flash of surprise and confusion in his eyes.

Lin Xiaoyu nodded, her tone gentle but firm: "I know. I know you always trap yourself in that seemingly strong shell, trying to make all the problems disappear, but you ignore that everyone has moments of weakness. You don't have to be so strong all the time, especially to me."

Li Xiangqian felt a warm current in his heart, and his eyes were a little blurry, as if the haze in his heart was gradually dispelled. But he still felt that he could not completely resolve the confusion in his heart, and could not show his truest side in front of Lin Xiaoyu. It was as if there was an invisible thread that bound him, making it impossible for him to easily let go of those burdens.