Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Arriving at the market, he absentmindedly picked a few pieces of pork. Every piece of meat in front of him seemed to become Qin Huairu's smiling face when she approached him, which made him even more irritated. He quickly paid the money and hurried back with the meat. Halfway through, he suddenly stopped and an idea came to his mind - he must draw a clear line with Qin Huairu as soon as possible, otherwise things will only become more and more complicated.

He didn't hate Qin Huairu, but he knew very well that he didn't want his life to be mixed with unnecessary waves. For him, a stable life was the most important, and the appearance of Qin Huairu broke this stability. Her approach was too deliberate and too frequent for him to ignore.

After returning home, Li Xiangqian put the meat he bought in the kitchen and sat on a chair for a long time. He thought over and over again in his mind, trying to find a suitable opportunity to politely let Qin Huairu know that he did not intend to get too close to her.

"We can't be too blunt. After all, we live in the same yard and we'll see each other every day." Li Xiangqian thought to himself, "But if this continues, the neighbors will definitely have some ideas and spread bad things sooner or later."

In the evening, Li Xiangqian was watering onions in the yard when he heard Qin Huairu coming over again. She was standing at the door and greeted him with a smile: "Xiangqian, are you taking care of your onions again today?"

Li Xiangqian looked up at her and had already made up his mind that he couldn't let things go on like this. He put down the kettle, wiped his hands, and said calmly, "Yes, the onions haven't fully grown yet, so I need to pay more attention to them."

Qin Huairu smiled and walked a few steps closer, her eyes seemed to be filled with concern: "You are really diligent. I think the onions are growing well. When you harvest them, you must let me taste them."

Li Xiangqian smiled, but this time his smile was obviously a little stiff: "I only eat these onions, not much. I actually... don't like to share with others, especially the things I worked hard for, I cherish them very much."

He said this in a lukewarm tone, and although his tone was not a direct rejection, it already carried a sense of alienation. Qin Huairu was obviously stunned for a moment, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly regained her smile and did not seem to intend to back down.

"Oh, I understand that you must have feelings for the vegetables you grow yourself." She said with a smile, "But sharing some with your neighbors occasionally is also a way for everyone to taste the fruits of your labor. Don't worry, I will definitely not eat it for nothing, and I will cook a few of my specialties for you later."

Li Xiangqian became more and more impatient when he heard this, but he remained calm on the surface. He knew that a direct refusal might make the other party feel embarrassed, but he didn't want to get himself into more trouble. After thinking about it, he decided to make it clearer: "Actually, I live quite comfortably alone, and I don't really like the hustle and bustle of cooking and eating with others. As you know, I don't talk much and I might be a bit withdrawn."

Qin Huairu's smile was obviously a little stiff at this moment. She was silent for a moment, and looked at Li Xiangqian with complicated eyes, as if she didn't expect him to be so direct. After a while, she said softly: "Yes, people like you probably like to live your own life."

Li Xiangqian no longer thought about Qin Huairu's affairs, but he still felt a little depressed. Almost everyone in the yard knew each other, and they saw each other every day. He didn't want to embarrass others because of his coldness. After all, they still had to get along with each other, but he also knew that if he didn't draw a clear line as soon as possible, life might become more and more complicated.

"Forget it, let's not think about it. I'll go to the market and buy some peppers today." Li Xiangqian stood in the yard, looking at the onions he planted, and suddenly thought that the pork belly and onions he had recently fried lacked spiciness. In the past, he always paid attention to the flavor of his dishes, especially peppers, which can enhance the freshness and remove the greasiness. Thinking of this, he decided to go to the market, buy some fresh peppers, and see if he could find some other suitable dishes to go with it.

On the way to the vegetable market, Li Xiangqian was still worried. Although Qin Huairu had not come to his house on her own initiative in the past few days, her shadow seemed to linger in Li Xiangqian's mind. Others in the yard did not notice anything, but he knew that his contact with Qin Huairu might have been seen by the neighbors.

"Will she misunderstand something? My attitude is cold enough, but if she thinks too much, it may be more than just gossip." He frowned even more. This kind of thing is not uncommon in their yard. Many years ago, another widow in the yard was talked about behind her back for a long time because she was close to the neighbors. In the end, the family simply moved away and life became quiet, but the gossip still continued for years.

"I don't want to follow her old path." Li Xiangqian muttered to himself and quickened his pace.

When he arrived at the vegetable market, many people had already gathered in front of the vegetable stalls. Li Xiangqian walked straight to a stall selling chili peppers. The stall owner was an old lady in her sixties with a kind smile on her face. She looked at Li Xiangqian picking up chili peppers in a familiar manner and asked casually, "Young man, are you here to buy chili peppers again today? Have you eaten spicy food these two days?"

"Yes, I've been wanting to make some fried pork belly with onions recently, and I think it'll taste better with some chili peppers." Li Xiangqian responded casually, his eyes fixed on the chili peppers on the stall, and he picked some fresh red peppers.

The old lady said with a smile: "Your cooking skills are quite good. I often see you buying vegetables and bringing them home. I'm sure the dishes you cook must taste good."

Li Xiangqian nodded without saying anything. After paying, he turned around and left with the peppers. On his way home, he suddenly thought about how to match these ingredients when he got back. Peppers and onions go well together, and with the aroma of pork belly, the spicy taste with a hint of sweetness is his favorite taste.

But just as he was thinking about this, he felt an inexplicable irritation in his heart - not because of cooking, but because of Qin Huairu. These days, she seemed to be deliberately avoiding him. When they met in the yard, she always glanced at him hurriedly, and sometimes she didn't even say hello. This change made Li Xiangqian feel relieved or a little uneasy.

He thought: "It's fine to keep going like this. Everyone can live their own lives. Life will be peaceful and I won't have to worry about these things anymore." But despite comforting himself like this, the inexplicable emotion in his heart could not be shaken off. He even began to wonder if he was too sensitive or too concerned about other people's opinions.

"Maybe she just thinks it's boring and thinks I don't like crowds." Li Xiangqian sighed in his heart. He was a solitary person who liked to be alone and had no plans to hang out with the people in the yard.