Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian's mind was filled with more thoughts as his mood became heavier. He knew that he could no longer blindly trust anyone like before. Behind every smile, there might be a hidden trap. Every act of kindness might come with some kind of exchange condition.

He stood up and walked to the window. The street outside the window was still quiet, and the moonlight sprinkled on the roof, covering the whole world with a gray veil. Li Xiangqian looked over the courtyard wall and into the distance. At that moment, he suddenly had a strong urge - he wanted to leave here, leave this land of distrust and suspicion, and find a new world.

However, when his eyes returned to the bag of chestnuts on the table, he hesitated again. Should he leave? Could he really take these food with him on an unknown journey? What should he do to break free from these invisible constraints?

"I need to think about it again." He uttered a word softly, but his heart was becoming heavier and heavier.

Li Xiangqian walked out of the house and felt a cool breeze blowing on his face. His thoughts had not yet calmed down, and the anxiety and doubts in his heart were like a pile of dark clouds that could not be dispelled. The chestnuts and rice in the house seemed to have become his only burden, and every detail made him feel uneasy. He had begun to realize that he was forced into a network set up by others, and every person and every item around him could become a bargaining chip for some kind of transaction.

When he reached the gate, he subconsciously glanced at the surroundings, and his eyes fell on the dark alley. At the end of the alley, he vaguely saw several figures busy, with their heads down, seemingly doing something. This made him a little alert, and he felt uneasy.

He gently pushed open the gate and walked out. As he got closer, he could barely see clearly - several men and women in simple clothes were squatting beside a pile of dry corn stalks, holding a long knife in their hands and carefully chopping corn cobs. They were talking in low voices, with a hint of anxiety and eagerness in their tone, as if they were trying their best to save every grain of corn.

Li Xiangqian stopped silently, and he couldn't help but feel a little confused. Corn is obviously one of the common grains in the countryside, but why do these people break and chop it so carefully? Moreover, standing next to these people, he can also feel an inexplicable tense atmosphere, as if everything here is not so simple.

He looked at the busy figures and felt a desire to explore. So, he lowered his voice, walked forward, and asked softly: "You...what are you doing?"

A middle-aged man looked up with a little surprise in his eyes, but then he relaxed and smiled and replied: "Oh, Mr. Li, it's nothing, I just don't have much food at home, I was planning to break off these corn ears and go back to get some dry food to supplement the food for the people at home."

Li Xiangqian frowned. Although the man's answer didn't sound complicated, Li Xiangqian felt even more confused. "Is this corn... really that important?" he couldn't help asking.

The middle-aged man nodded, his expression becoming a little heavy. "The food supply has been getting less and less recently, and everyone is in a hurry. We have to grab even a little bit of corn. Even though these little corns are worthless, we can make some porridge with them. It can last for a day or two, and it is also a support for life."

Li Xiangqian's heart moved, and he seemed to understand some of the truth. Food was becoming increasingly scarce, and even these seemingly useless corn ears had become an important resource. Everyone was trying to save it, trying to ensure their own food reserves by any means.

He stood nearby, his eyes sweeping over the busy people with their heads down, and found that their movements were somewhat flustered, and everyone's face was full of anxiety. There was a sense of urgency in the air, as if every minute and every second could determine life and death. This atmosphere made Li Xiangqian feel an indescribable heaviness.

At this moment, another young woman looked up and saw Li Xiangqian standing next to her. She was stunned for a moment, then seemed a little hesitant. "Mr. Li, do you want to help too?" Her voice was a little nervous. "If we don't do it before it gets dark, these corn ears will be blown away by the wind, and there will be nothing to do tomorrow."

Li Xiangqian hesitated. He lowered his eyes slightly, feeling annoyed. Although he didn't think he should get involved, he had to admit that these people were not completely unreasonable. The situation before him did make him feel a deep sense of powerlessness.

"Actually, I don't have much food." Li Xiangqian said softly, with a complex tone, "If you can get some help, it can last for a few days."

As soon as these words came out, the people around were stunned for a moment, and exchanged glances, as if to confirm what Li Xiangqian meant. The middle-aged man spoke again: "Mr. Li, is it really that urgent? Although we don't have many grains here, we can make do for a few days. Is your family really out of food?"

Li Xiangqian lowered his head, was silent for a moment, and then sighed slightly. "Yes, there is really nothing at home recently, and the rice is almost gone." When he said this, his mouth was a little bitter, but his eyes were unexpectedly calm.

The young woman frowned and looked at Li Xiangqian, as if she wanted to say something, but she held back. After a moment, she whispered, "Mr. Li, why don't you take some corn back first? We don't have much food here, and we can't provide it all, but if we can get a little, we'll try to help."

Li Xiangqian was a little surprised. He looked up and saw her sincere and complicated eyes. He felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. We all live on the same land. No matter how tense the relationship between us is, there is always some basic trust and support. He nodded slowly: "Okay, thank you."

But the doubts in his heart did not disappear. Li Xiangqian knew that he had never really understood all the people around him. He once thought that neighbors could maintain a simple trust, but now it seems that even these people who were breaking corn, their trust is no longer so pure, and they may have even started some kind of secret exchange and calculation.

He looked down at the pile of corn ears, and suddenly had a strong premonition in his heart - this world is no longer the simple and innocent world it used to be. He couldn't help but think that he might just be a small pawn in this complex game, and it was a huge luxury to want to find a way out by his own strength.