Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian was stunned when he heard this. It turned out that his wife had already realized the seriousness of the matter, but he was like a slow-witted fool, and only began to truly realize the seriousness of the problem today. He had been wandering in his life, looking for a balance that would make him feel stable, but now, this balance seemed to have collapsed.

"Aren't you afraid?" Li Xiangqian asked in a low voice, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "What is the purpose behind these people? Why should innocent people like us get involved?"

Song Wen was silent. She didn't answer, but lowered her head and looked at the napkin in her hand, as if she was thinking about something. At that moment, Li Xiangqian suddenly realized that all this was probably not something they could easily solve. They were just pawns in this game, far less powerful than those behind the scenes expected, and even did not have enough power to fight against the coming storm.

Li Xiangqian's mood gradually became heavy, and the warmth of the fish soup seemed to no longer comfort him. He subconsciously put the bowl on the table, lowered his head, and fell deeply into thought.

"We can only keep going." Song Wen finally raised her head, a hint of determination flashed in her eyes, "No matter what, we can't stop. Only by keeping going can we know what we should do." Her tone was full of firmness, as if she had already made some decision.

Li Xiangqian raised his head and looked at her, with an inexplicable emotion in his heart. Yes, they couldn't turn back now, and the road ahead was still confusing, but it seemed that only they could walk on this road.

Li Xiangqian turned his eyes away from the empty bowl. The room was quiet. The wind outside blew gently through the window, bringing a little chill, as if even the air was silent, waiting for something. Just then, he noticed that the kitten beside the bed was dozing quietly. The kitten had soft fur, its white belly was slightly heaving, and occasionally one or two slight purrs came out of its little mouth, as if it was enjoying this quiet afternoon.

Li Xiangqian's eyes stayed on it, and a long-lost feeling of warmth rose in his heart. He suddenly realized that this little cat had become the only existence that could bring him some comfort in this world full of unknowns and insecurities. It didn't ask any questions, didn't comment on anything, and its only request was a bowl of warm milk and a peaceful nap. Li Xiangqian's mood suddenly softened.

He walked over gently, squatted down, and gently touched the cat's soft fur with his fingers. The kitten turned around comfortably, stretched, raised its amber-like eyes, and blinked, as if responding to his touch. Li Xiangqian smiled gently and continued to stroke its back. The inner confusion seemed to be relieved a little in this quiet moment.

"What do you think we should do now?" Li Xiangqian muttered to himself, his voice low but with a hint of helplessness. He didn't know whether he was asking the cat or the empty room. Perhaps there would never be an answer, but this silent companionship brought him a little comfort.

The kitten didn't care at all, and continued to lick its paws in its leisurely way, occasionally glancing at him, looking relaxed and contented. Li Xiangqian stood up and suddenly remembered the previous conversation. Song Wen said that they couldn't stop, but he knew in his heart that not being able to stop didn't mean they could go on. He clenched his fists, his heart filled with uneasiness and anxiety about the future.

"If we keep going, what will be ahead?" Li Xiangqian muttered to himself, his eyes becoming confused. He didn't dare to think too much, and didn't dare to think about the unspeakable dangers they were facing. But every time he closed his eyes, the strange faces and the threats that came from nowhere still appeared in his mind. He felt as if he was standing in a boundless darkness, and the road ahead still had no end.

He sighed and looked out the window again. The sky gradually darkened, the wind rustled the leaves, and the lights in the yard began to light up one by one. The soft light was reflected under the eaves of the courtyard, creating a quiet atmosphere. However, this tranquility did not comfort him at all, but made his anxiety more obvious.

He walked back to the dining table, sat down again, rested his hands on the table, and lowered his head to think. The cat was still lying quietly on the bed, occasionally making a few soft purring sounds, as if it was also falling asleep.

"If I could be like it, not caring about anything, not thinking about anything..." Li Xiangqian couldn't help but sigh. He knew that he couldn't escape all the problems in reality like the kitten. The responsibilities he shouldered and the situations he faced were not something a cat could understand. However, he still had a strong desire to put aside all his worries and live a simple and peaceful life.

"Maybe, I should ask Song Wen if we should find a place to escape for a while?" Li Xiangqian whispered to himself, but he had already made some decisions in his heart. He knew that escape was not a long-term solution, but at least, a short-term escape might give them some breathing space. At this moment, he was almost suffocated by the inner entanglement and anxiety, as if the whole world was oppressing him and making him unable to breathe freely.

He stood up and walked to the window. He looked through the window at the night outside, and his thoughts began to drift away again. In the courtyard of the quadrangle, a few dim lights swayed slightly in the wind, as if they were about to be swallowed by the invisible darkness. Li Xiangqian's mood became heavier and heavier. He began to doubt whether he could return to the stable life he once had, and whether he could find the peace and happiness he had before.

"How long can we hold on?" He asked himself in a low voice, his eyes were extremely confused. The outside world seemed unpredictable, and he himself was gradually losing his direction. Every time he tried to grasp a tiny hope, that hope slipped away from his fingers like quicksand.

He took a deep breath, finally made up his mind, walked to the bedroom, and gently closed the door. In the room, only the kitten was still sleeping quietly, seemingly unaffected by any fluctuations in the outside world. Li Xiangqian walked to the bedside, squatted down, stroked its head, and felt its warm body temperature, and the irritability in his heart gradually eased a little.