Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian rushed to the Security Department, feeling extremely nervous. He knew very well that the Security Department was a place with some authority. Although they usually didn't care about trivial matters on the street, if they could be allowed to show up, it would definitely be a deterrent to the group of people. When he arrived at the door, Li Xiangqian stood for a while, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open. Several people in the office were drinking tea and chatting, and the atmosphere was leisurely.

A burly middle-aged man sat behind the desk, his eyes set on Li Xiangqian the moment he walked in. The man looked him up and down, frowned slightly, and then asked in a deep voice, "Who are you looking for?"

Li Xiangqian stood at the door, a little embarrassed, and said, "Comrade, I... I'm here to report a case. A few days ago, I went to the market to sell corn, and I ran into a few thugs who robbed my food. I would like to ask for your help..."

"Robbed?" The man raised his eyebrows and put down the teacup in his hand, seeming to be a little unimpressed. He leaned back in his chair and said coldly, "There are many people in the market, and the food was robbed... How did you let someone rob you?"

Li Xiangqian felt a little guilty about his question, but he still mustered up the courage to continue: "Those few people came with such force that I had no way to resist. They took advantage of their numbers and forcibly took away my food. I am an ordinary person and cannot defeat them at all..."

Another older security officer also interjected, "We have heard of these hooligans you mentioned, but it is really hard to control such things in the market. Besides, since you knew they were problematic, why did you dare to go there yourself?"

When Li Xiangqian heard this, he was immediately irritated, but he held back. He knew he couldn't have a conflict with these people at this time. He took a deep breath and said as calmly as possible: "I don't want to be robbed, but my family really has no food, and corn is the last thing I have. I went to the market just to exchange some food, but I didn't expect to run into this group of people. I have no other choice but to come to you for help..."

The security department exchanged glances, as if silently weighing the pros and cons. The burly man stood up and walked slowly to Li Xiangqian, looking at him, as if judging whether his words were credible.

"We will consider what you said, but this kind of thing is not easy to handle to be honest." The man said slowly, "Our security department is mainly responsible for protecting major events. We have never been able to deal with these minor incidents in the market. Besides, it has been a few days since the incident, and you don't have any solid evidence. We can't act rashly based on your words alone."

Hearing this, Li Xiangqian's disappointment gradually grew. He didn't have much hope in the first place, but he still felt an indescribable sense of frustration. Seeing that things were not progressing, he suddenly felt that if he just left like this, his dignity and the anger in his heart would have nowhere to vent. He gritted his teeth and suddenly spoke in a low but firm voice: "Comrade, I'm not here to ask you for a blank check. I know this matter is not easy to handle, but if you don't care, more people will be robbed in the whole market in the future. My corn is just the beginning. If they can rob me today, they can rob others tomorrow. Do you really want to let this happen under your noses?"

As soon as these words came out, the faces of several people in the security department changed slightly. Obviously, Li Xiangqian's words hit their sore spot. No one wanted to take the responsibility for causing bigger problems due to inaction, especially since they were usually lazy, but they couldn't be criticized too much by the outside world.

The burly man was silent for a moment, as if he was weighing the pros and cons, and finally nodded: "You have a point, we can't just let this go on." He looked at his colleague next to him and ordered: "Lao Liu, take someone to the market to check if there are other similar cases recently. We can't just watch this kind of thing get more and more rampant."

Li Xiangqian felt a little relieved when he saw him relax. He knew that this was just the beginning, and whether the matter could be resolved depended on subsequent developments, but at least now, the security department was willing to investigate, which was a good start.

"Thank you, thank you!" Li Xiangqian thanked them repeatedly, and a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart.

After leaving the security department, Li Xiangqian had mixed feelings. He knew that although the security department promised to investigate, the outcome was still unknown. The gang was powerful, and if the security department was unwilling to investigate further, the matter would probably end in nothing. However, he also understood that he had done his best, and all he had to do was wait.

In the evening, when they returned to the courtyard, Jia Dongxu was repairing his bicycle in the yard. When he saw Li Xiangqian coming back, he approached him and asked, "How is it going? Did you get any results from the security department?"

Li Xiangqian nodded and briefly told Jia Dongxu about today's situation. Although his tone was light, he was still a little uneasy. After listening to him, Jia Dongxu patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry, things will take time. At least they agreed to check it out, which is better than doing nothing."

Li Xiangqian gave a bitter smile: "Yeah, at least they went to check. But for these things, maybe you still have to rely on yourself in the end. Others can only help so much."

Jia Dongxu nodded, showing his understanding: "You are right, you have to be prepared. But don't worry, I will help you with any problems. We can't just watch you get bullied."

Li Xiangqian was grateful for Jia Dongxu's concern and nodded: "Thank you, Dongxu. I know you all care about my family, and I remember it in my heart."

After a few words, Li Xiangqian felt that he was in a better mood, but his inner anxiety had not completely dissipated. The uncertainty of the future still weighed on his shoulders, the situation at home was still tense, the children needed food, and Li Xiuying's body was getting more and more haggard day by day.

A few days later, the security department showed up at the market and began to investigate quietly. Li Xiangqian felt relieved after hearing the news, but he also knew that investigation alone might not be able to completely solve the problem. He could only observe the development of the situation silently and continue to find more food sources for his family.

Li Xiangqian stood in the courtyard of the quadrangle, gazing at the sunset in the sky, with mixed feelings in his heart. Although the security department has begun to investigate those thugs, he knows in his heart that he cannot rely on these people to solve the problem quickly. Right now, food is still in short supply, and life at home is getting harder and harder. Whenever he thought of Li Xiuying's thin face and the children's deflated bellies, Li Xiangqian felt as if he was hit by a sledgehammer. "We can't go on like this, we have to think of a way to supplement the family income."