Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian's heart skipped a beat. Song Wen's eyes made him feel an inexplicable pressure. At this moment, he suddenly realized that perhaps his wife had known something for a long time, but she just hadn't told him. Why didn't she say it? Did she have her concerns? He clenched his fists nervously, but couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.

"You knew it a long time ago?" Li Xiangqian couldn't help but ask, with a hint of surprise and doubt in his tone.

Song Wen did not answer her directly, but shook her head slowly, "I don't know exactly, but I know that the recent situation is really complicated, and perhaps we have been restrained by someone."

Li Xiangqian was stunned. Her reaction surprised him. He didn't expect his wife to notice it earlier than him. Li Xiangqian's mind was in a mess and his heartbeat became faster. It was as if he was being pulled by the mystery. He could no longer remain calm.

"What do you know?" Li Xiangqian asked, his tone becoming more and more urgent. He suddenly felt that he was trapped in an inescapable vicious circle. All the doubts and unsolved mysteries began to come to him, and the most important answer seemed to have been hidden beside him all along - Song Wen, she had realized all this a long time ago.

Song Wen was silent for a moment, took a deep breath, and seemed to have made up her mind. "Some things cannot be explained now," she whispered, with a hint of helplessness in her voice, "but I know that there are some changes that we cannot stop. Just like you said, the Siheyuan is no longer the place we are familiar with, and you, Li Xiangqian, are no longer the you I know."

"I..." Li Xiangqian was stunned, and the words got stuck in his throat. He had never thought that his wife had such complicated feelings in her heart. He always thought that he was reliable and supported by her, but now, everything seemed to have changed subtly.

"We are all caught up in this silent struggle." Song Wen's voice was low and painful. "Whether you are willing to admit it or not, things are beyond our control."

Li Xiangqian stared at her blankly, with a trace of confusion in his eyes, "Then what should we do?"

Li Xiangqian sat at the dining table, Song Wen's words still echoing in his mind. Every word she said was like a knife, carefully cutting through the inner defenses that he had always thought were solid. The courtyard was no longer the place they were familiar with, and he himself seemed no longer the familiar person. There was a strangeness in Song Wen's eyes that he had never seen before, that kind of hidden worry and fatigue, which was no longer the warm scene in their daily life in the past. And all this happened quietly during this period of time, quietly changing everything.

He felt a splitting headache, as if there were thousands of fragments in his mind that could not piece together a complete picture, and all the speculations were like black holes, constantly devouring his thoughts. Li Xiangqian wanted to calm down the chaos in his heart, although he knew that what he needed now was not to think, but to relax a little and find something to divert his attention.

He suddenly remembered that Song Wen seemed to have cooked fish at noon today, and the fragrant smell seemed to still float in the air. Li Xiangqian stood up, walked to the kitchen, gently opened the door, and saw that the pot of stewed fish soup was still steaming on the stove. There were some tender green coriander floating in the clear soup, exuding a rich and fresh fragrance.

He stood at the door of the kitchen, his mind in a mess, but the smell made him swallow his saliva involuntarily. Fish soup, to him, was not just food, but also a comfort, a familiar feeling. This simple taste had accompanied him through countless ordinary days, and every time he only needed a bowl, he could feel the peace in his heart.

"I'll get you a bowl of soup." Song Wen's voice suddenly rang out, breaking the silence in the kitchen. Li Xiangqian turned around and saw her smiling slightly. Although there was a hint of fatigue in her eyes, she was still as gentle as usual.

He nodded and sat back at the table, but he felt some indescribable emotion in his heart. Her smile was so familiar, but he could see a hint of strangeness in it that he had not noticed. This made him feel a chill, as if there were countless unknown secrets hidden behind that warm smile.

Song Wen served the soup, brought it to him, and gently put the bowl down. "Drink some hot soup, warm yourself up, and relax." Her voice was gentle, as caring as usual.

Li Xiangqian looked down at the bowl of clear soup, with a few green corianders and tender fish floating on the surface. The fragrance hit his nose and made him relax a little. Although his mind was still full of those disturbing thoughts, at this moment, he seemed to be able to temporarily put everything behind him and enjoy the tranquility of this moment.

He scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it into his mouth. The warm liquid spread on the tip of his tongue. The light fish meat and the delicious soup base intertwined together, as if bringing a long-lost warmth and comfort. Li Xiangqian closed his eyes and savored this long-lost familiar feeling for a while, as if it could make him forget the confusion and pressure in front of him.

Song Wen sat opposite him, looking at him quietly, as if waiting for his reaction. There was still a trace of worry and unsolved problems in her eyes, and she herself might have long lost the energy to talk about those unspeakable things. Li Xiangqian suddenly felt a little emotional, thinking that he had always underestimated the complexity of her heart.

"This fish soup is not bad." Li Xiangqian raised his head, looked at Song Wen, and tried to smile. His voice was a little hoarse, but he still hoped to bring her some comfort through these simple words. There shouldn't be so much heavy air between them anymore.

Song Wen smiled and nodded, "I know you like this taste. I don't usually make it, but today I'm free, so I want to make something for you."

Li Xiangqian gently put down the bowl and looked at Song Wen again. He knew that behind her smile, there was more helplessness and confusion than his. The world seemed to be becoming more and more strange, and their lives were gradually becoming less simple.

"I went to see Xu Damao today," Li Xiangqian suddenly spoke, breaking the silence, "He told me that things are becoming more and more complicated. Do you think we can continue to stay here now?" He looked at Song Wen with deep concern in his eyes.

Song Wen shook her head gently, pursed her lips, and her eyes flashed with complex emotions. "We can't stay where we are any longer." Her voice was low and slow, as if she was considering how to speak. "I already knew that things were not as simple as you thought. You thought we could continue to live as peacefully as before, but I already knew that no matter how we tried to avoid it, it would eventually affect us."