Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

The phone rang in the silent living room, and every ring seemed to tear at Li Xiangqian's nerves. Finally, the call was connected. A familiar voice came from the other end, Lou Xiao'e's voice was a little tired, but gentle.

"Hey, Brother Li, what's wrong?" There was some concern in Lou Xiao'e's voice.

Li Xiangqian's heartbeat accelerated unconsciously, and he even choked up. Although his relationship with Lou Xiao'e was not close, they had always maintained a subtle connection. She always gave him an unspoken comfort when he needed it most. Even though they had never penetrated each other's hearts, sometimes, emotional connection did not require too many words.

"Lou Xiao'e," Li Xiangqian's voice was a little low, "Can you do me a favor?"

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Lou Xiao'e seemed a little surprised, then replied, "Of course, Brother Li, what's the matter?"

Li Xiangqian paused, took a deep breath, and finally couldn't help but said: "Have you seen my wife Lin Yulan recently? She left suddenly and went to a friend's house. I...I am a little worried."

Lou Xiao'e was stunned for a moment, obviously not expecting him to ask such a direct question. Her voice was a little hesitant: "Hmm? Haven't you always been in harmony? Hasn't she said anything strange these days?"

Li Xiangqian caught the question, and his anxious mood seemed to have found an outlet. He immediately answered: "No, she has always been very calm, and there is nothing special about her. It's just that when I got home today, I found that she was not at home, and she didn't tell me where she was going. Her friends didn't contact me either. Do you know if she has changed recently?"

Lou Xiao'e was silent for a while, and there seemed to be a heavy atmosphere on the other end of the phone, as if this was not an easy matter. Li Xiangqian felt uneasy, and his eyes involuntarily swept towards the note. Thinking about Lin Yulan's performance in the past few days, a strange premonition flashed through his mind.

"Brother Li," Lou Xiao'e finally broke the silence, "I... I kind of remember that she was in a bad mood recently." She paused, as if she felt that she hadn't explained it clearly enough, and continued, "She once mentioned something to me, saying that she was not feeling well recently. She seemed a little irritable and a little depressed. I didn't ask much, after all, she didn't say much. I thought she was just tired and might need some time to calm down."

Li Xiangqian was shocked and froze in his place. Lin Yulan had always given people the impression of being calm, rational, and rarely emotional. Even when she encountered difficulties in life, she was always able to face them steadily, unlike many women who showed dissatisfaction on their faces. But now, Lou Xiao'e's words made him feel a strangeness he had never felt before, as if the distance between him and Lin Yulan was quietly widening.

"Didn't she tell you the specific reason?" Li Xiangqian's voice was a little low, almost with a tone of disbelief.

Lou Xiao'e's tone was filled with helplessness: "She didn't say much, just said she was a little upset recently and wanted to be alone. She seemed to be fed up and said she was very tired these days. We friends also have our own lives and can't accompany her every day. I thought she was just in a bad mood and would be fine after a while."

Li Xiangqian's mind was in a turmoil. Is Lin Yulan upset? Tired? These words, though seemingly ordinary, gave him a huge shock. He closed his eyes and tried to sort out his thoughts, but found that he still couldn't grasp the real feeling. Was she so upset because of him, or because of her own life, or because of some other factor?

He gently put down his phone, his mind was blank. He began to get anxious, his fingers unconsciously rubbing back and forth on the sofa, as if touching some unknown boundary. Lin Yulan's sudden loss of contact made him begin to doubt all his decisions - was he too busy pursuing his own plans and neglecting her emotional needs? He increasingly felt that there was an invisible film between him and Lin Yulan, and the two people who were once close to each other now seemed to be gradually alienating.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Lou Xiao'e was right. Lin Yulan was indeed a little irritable. Perhaps it was just a sign that she needed to be alone for a while. However, he could not get rid of the uneasiness in his heart. It was as if the uneasiness had quietly invaded every cell of his body like a bug, reminding him all the time: This matter might not be that simple.

"Brother Li, do you need me to help you find her?" Lou Xiao'e's voice rang out again, breaking Li Xiangqian's contemplation.

He came back to his senses and quickly shook his head: "No, not for now. I just... I'm just a little worried about her."

On the other end of the phone, Lou Xiao'e sighed softly: "If you feel you need help, please tell me at any time. Lin Yulan is a strong person. If she really needs to be alone, it may just be her own way. Don't be too anxious."

"Thank you, Lou Xiao'e." Li Xiangqian's voice became softer, full of gratitude, but still with a hint of powerlessness. "I will observe her for a while and see how she reacts after she returns home."

Li Xiangqian stood in front of the window, his eyes fixed on the street, and Lou Xiao'e's words still echoed in his mind. She was right, Lin Yulan might just need some time to calm down, but the uneasiness in his heart could not be calmed down. The empty feeling came back again, like an invisible knife, quietly cutting shallow marks on his heart. The house was silent, with only the ticking of the clock echoing in the empty room, as if urging him to make a decision.

He knew that he couldn't wait like this any longer. His heart seemed to be squeezed and he couldn't breathe. All the things in the past seemed to have no way out in an instant. So he suddenly made a decision: to meet Xu Damao.

Xu Damao has been his friend for many years. Although they are not close friends, Li Xiangqian always likes to go to him whenever he encounters troubles. Xu Damao is completely different from him - carefree, open-minded by nature, and always seems to be able to easily cope with all the pressures in life. Li Xiangqian sometimes thinks that perhaps it is precisely because of Xu Damao's ease that he has become the only person in his heart who can understand him without much explanation.

He picked up his phone and dialed Xu Damao's number.

"Hello, Li Xiangqian?" Xu Damao's voice on the other end of the line seemed to be a little bit amused, "Are you looking for me to drink again?"