Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Although this dinner was simple, it was a rare comfort to Li Xiangqian. He finished eating quickly, put down his bowl and chopsticks, leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply. His stomach was finally somewhat satisfied, but the stone in his heart was still heavy.

"Zhonghai, I'll go check on Yuzhu tomorrow. He should have bought the shrimp he mentioned." Li Xiangqian whispered, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes, "Although there aren't many of them, they can last for a few days."

"Yeah." Yi Zhonghai nodded, with a little worry on his face, "But you have to be careful not to let them find out anything. Those people will not let go of any loopholes easily."

Li Xiangqian nodded and said nothing more. He began to outline the next plan in his mind, and each step seemed particularly important. He knew that only by taking steady steps could he gain a firm foothold in this game. At this moment, the only thing he could do was to keep himself awake and calm.

Li Xiangqian's recent mood was like a taut string that would break at the slightest touch. He himself was aware of this, but he had no way to ease it. The morning sun shone through the window into the room. He sat at the table, staring at the cooling teacup, frowning, feeling overwhelmed.

"What the hell, why is everything going wrong lately?" He muttered in a low voice, his tone full of annoyance. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, the sound was rapid and messy, as if reflecting his inner annoyance.

There was a burst of laughter in the yard. It was the children from the neighbor's house playing. Li Xiangqian looked out the window involuntarily and saw several children chasing and playing with carefree smiles on their faces. However, he felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart. When he was a child, he was also so carefree, but now, the burden of life made him breathless.

"Xiang Qian, what are you daydreaming about?" Yi Zhonghai came in from outside, holding a bag of green onions. He put down his things, glanced at Li Xiang Qian at the table, and said with concern, "Why are you always absent-minded recently? If you have something to say, just say it, don't hold it in."

Li Xiangqian came back to his senses and forced a wry smile on his face: "It's okay, I'm just feeling really confused lately, nothing is going well for me."

"Alas, who hasn't had unhappy days?" Yi Zhonghai sighed and sat opposite him, "But you can't always be sulky. If you get angry and ruin your health, who will take the blame for you?"

Li Xiangqian raised his head and looked at Yi Zhonghai with complicated eyes: "Zhonghai, I'm not angry on purpose. But tell me, how can I not be annoyed when my life is like this? Take what happened yesterday for example, those people were clearly coming for us, but we could only swallow our anger and didn't even have a chance to fight back!"

Yi Zhonghai was silent for a while, then nodded gently: "I know you feel bad, but some things can't be rushed. We are in a situation now, and if we are not careful, we may be doomed. Be patient for a while, and when the opportunity is ripe, it will not be too late to take action."

"Endure? How long can I endure?" Li Xiangqian raised his voice a few notches, his tone filled with uncontrollable anger, "I've endured enough! Every day I don't have enough to eat or sleep well, and I have to live in fear, afraid that they will do something weird again. When will this end?"

Yi Zhonghai did not answer immediately. He looked at Li Xiangqian with mixed emotions in his eyes. He knew that Li Xiangqian's pressure had reached the limit and no amount of persuasion could really ease his emotions.

"Xiang Qian, I understand how you feel." Yi Zhonghai's tone slowed down, with a bit of sincerity, "But think about it, if we lose our composure now, won't they succeed? Aren't you always a person with your own ideas? Why can't you keep your cool this time?"

Li Xiangqian lowered his head and remained silent after hearing this. He clenched the teacup tightly, and his knuckles turned slightly white due to the force. He knew that Yi Zhonghai's words made sense, but the anger and unwillingness in his heart were like a fire that he could not suppress.

"Maybe you're right, but it's really hard for me to control myself." Li Xiangqian whispered, with a hint of helplessness in his tone, "I always feel like I'm trapped in an invisible net, and no matter how hard I struggle, I can't escape."

"Then don't struggle yet." Yi Zhonghai patted his shoulder gently. "Sometimes, it is more important to stop and think about the next step than to act blindly. What we need most now is calmness. Only in this way can we find a breakthrough."

Li Xiangqian nodded. Although he was still upset, he knew that Yi Zhonghai was right. He sighed deeply, put the teacup back on the table, and looked out the window again. The children in the yard had dispersed, and the only sound left was the rustling of leaves in the breeze.

"Zhong Hai, you are right. I will try to calm down." He whispered, with a hint of fatigue in his tone, "But you have to promise me that if there is a chance, we must not give in again."

"Of course." Yi Zhonghai nodded in agreement, his eyes firm, "But before the opportunity comes, we have to stay steady. Go forward, don't let your emotions control you."

Li Xiangqian has been walking on thin ice recently, but even so, he decided to put an important matter on the agenda: finding a suitable wife. This is not only to fill the gap in life, but also to give himself a stable home, so that he can have a place to rest his mind in these chaotic days.

This decision was not made on a whim, but after careful consideration. Li Xiangqian knew that this matter could not be rushed. He needed to find someone who could understand and support him, rather than just look at the superficial appearance.

That day, he made an appointment to meet a blind date. The woman was introduced by a friend. Her surname was Zhang, and she was about the same age as Li Xiangqian. She was said to have a gentle personality and came from an ordinary family. The meeting was held in an inconspicuous teahouse, which was neither too formal nor too casual.

Li Xiangqian wore a clean shirt and combed his hair. Although he was nervous, he tried to look calm. He stood at the door of the teahouse, took a deep breath, and encouraged himself in his heart: "Xiangqian, you must act more stable this time, don't let people think you are unreliable."

When he walked into the teahouse, Ms. Zhang was already sitting by the window. She was wearing a light blue dress and had a gentle smile on her face. She looked more easygoing than Li Xiangqian had imagined. Li Xiangqian felt a little more relaxed, walked up to her, smiled and said hello: "Hello, I'm Li Xiangqian."

Ms. Zhang raised her head and nodded politely: "Hello, please come forward. Please sit down."