Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

In the alley of the courtyard, the wind was mixed with a light dust, blowing people's cheeks cold. Li Xiangqian walked to the door of He Yuzhu's house and raised his hand to knock on the door. There was a slight noise from inside the door, and then He Yuzhu's voice sounded: "Who is it?"

"It's me, Xiang Qian." Li Xiang Qian tried to speak in a calm tone.

The door opened, and He Yuzhu poked his head out, a look of confusion on his face: "What are you doing here so late at night? Is there something wrong?"

Li Xiangqian smiled and walked into the house: "It's nothing serious, I just want to ask if you can do me a favor."

He Yuzhu closed the door and turned to look at him: "Tell me, what can I do for you? But I have to be frank with you. I've been quite nervous lately. I hope it's nothing troublesome."

"It's not a big deal." Li Xiangqian waved his hand with a flattering smile on his face. "It's just that my family is short of something recently, and I want you to help buy some shrimps."

"Shrimp?" He Yuzhu raised his eyebrows, obviously a little surprised. "You want to eat shrimp now? This thing is not cheap. Aren't you always calculating carefully?"

Li Xiangqian's smile froze for a moment, but soon returned to normal: "It's not that I want to eat it, but a relative of mine has been in poor health recently, and I want to give him some supplements. You know, I don't usually go out to buy these things, and I'm afraid I can't buy them well, so I thought of asking you for help."

He Yuzhu squinted at him for a while, as if he was wondering whether what he said was true or not. After a moment, he nodded: "Okay, this is not difficult. But you have to tell me, how many shrimps do you want? Big ones or small ones?"

"Just buy some, not too much, and not too expensive." Li Xiangqian said quickly, but secretly relieved. He knew that although He Yuzhu liked to grumble, he would not go back on his word.

"Okay, I'll go to the market tomorrow morning." He Yuzhu waved his hand, his tone somewhat casual, "But let me be clear, you have to come early to get it, don't make me wait for you."

"Don't worry, I'll come over tomorrow morning." Li Xiangqian nodded with a grateful smile on his face, "I'm really sorry to bother you this time."

"Alright, alright, stop doing these empty things." He Yuzhu waved his hand, "Go back and rest early. You look like you haven't slept well for a few days."

Li Xiangqian said nothing more and turned to leave He Yuzhu's house. On the way back, he felt a little relieved, but at the same time he was also a little uneasy. He knew that although shrimp could solve the urgent problem temporarily, it could not fundamentally solve the problem. Moreover, if He Yuzhu asked a few more questions, how should he explain?

After returning to the yard, Yi Zhonghai was still sitting at the table, holding a yellowed old book in his hand, as if trying to calm himself down. Seeing Li Xiangqian coming back, he raised his head and asked, "How is it, is it done?"

"Yuzhu agreed to buy it tomorrow morning." Li Xiangqian nodded, with a hint of fatigue in his tone, "But this is only a temporary solution. We still have to think of a long-term solution next."

Yi Zhonghai was silent for a while, then slowly said: "Xiang Qian, you have done a good job. As for the current situation, any solution is good. Don't blame yourself too much."

Li Xiangqian smiled bitterly and sat down on the chair, feeling as if all his strength had been drained out. The possible dangers and consequences kept flashing through his mind, and his heart felt like it was weighed down by a huge rock. He knew that this road was not easy to take, but he had no choice.

As night fell, a quiet atmosphere filled the courtyard. Li Xiangqian sat at the table, holding a cup of hot water in his hand, his eyes fixed on the kitchen door not far away. There, Yi Zhonghai was busy with his work, and the simple clash of pots and pans was particularly clear in the quiet courtyard.

Li Xiangqian's stomach was already empty, and the feeling of hunger was like an invisible hand gripping his stomach, making every minute and every second seem particularly long. He swallowed involuntarily, and the image of dinner began to emerge in his mind. He knew that Yi Zhonghai had done his best, but he still couldn't help looking forward to it, hoping that this meal could improve their situation a little.

"Zhonghai, what's going on? Do you still need my help?" Li Xiangqian couldn't help but ask, with a little urgency in his tone.

Yi Zhonghai poked his head out of the kitchen with a helpless smile on his face: "It's almost done, just wait a little longer. Why are you in such a hurry? We'll have something to eat soon."

Li Xiangqian nodded, but he was still anxious. He knew that Yi Zhonghai's words were meant to comfort him, but the torment of waiting made it difficult for him to calm down. His eyes swept across the teacup on the table. A few tea leaves floated on the water, swaying gently with his breathing. He suddenly remembered that when he was a child, his mother would always smell a strong fragrance in the kitchen when she cooked. That was the warmest memory of home.

"It would be great if I could have a bowl of hot soup with some shrimps." Li Xiangqian thought silently in his heart, and a bitter smile appeared unconsciously at the corner of his mouth. He knew that such a luxury seemed a little far-fetched under the current circumstances, but people always have to have some thoughts, even if it is just to cheer themselves up.

Yi Zhonghai quickly came out with a plate of food and placed it on the table. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "That's all for today. Eat simply."

Li Xiangqian looked down and saw a plate of stir-fried vegetables on the table, and a bowl of steaming rice next to it. Although it was simple, it was like a feast to him. He picked up the chopsticks, picked up a mouthful of vegetables and put it in his mouth. The fragrance of the vegetables instantly spread, and the taste between his lips and teeth made him feel satisfied and emotional.

"Very good, Zhong Hai, this dish is cooked very well." Li Xiangqian praised sincerely with a hint of gratitude in his tone.

"Stop joking." Yi Zhonghai waved his hand with a helpless smile on his face, "How can this little bit of food fill my stomach? It's just a makeshift meal."

"It's okay to make do with it, it's better than being hungry." Li Xiangqian picked up a piece of vegetable leaf and chewed it carefully, with a complicated look in his eyes. The man on the street corner and the unresolved grudge between them reappeared in his mind. He knew that after this meal, he had to find a way to further solve the problem and couldn't just wait passively.

Halfway through the meal, Li Xiangqian suddenly put down his chopsticks and looked up at Yi Zhonghai: "Zhonghai, do you think they will come to cause trouble again? I always feel that today's matter is not that simple."

Yi Zhonghai put down his bowl and chopsticks, frowned slightly, and said after thinking for a moment: "It is very likely. They are obviously coming for us. If they fail today, they may become more aggressive tomorrow. We must prepare early and cannot be passive anymore."

Li Xiangqian nodded, but a complex emotion welled up in his heart. His eyes fell on the rice on the table, and he thought silently: "Prepare? What can we prepare? Now even eating is a problem, how can we deal with them?"