Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Qin Huairu's approach made him feel uneasy, and the bag of vegetables just now was more like an invisible bond, trying to gradually bring the two people's lives closer.

The moment the door was closed, the room suddenly became quiet. Li Xiangqian returned to the table, picked up his bowl and chopsticks, and tried to concentrate on finishing the meal. However, as soon as the food in the bowl entered his mouth, he felt a little tasteless. He couldn't focus on the food at all, and his mind was full of the conversation with Qin Huairu just now. Her smile, her tone, and her slightly lowered eyes always made people feel nervous.

"What on earth does this woman want to do?" Li Xiangqian asked himself silently. Was she approaching him for a purpose? Or was she simply lonely? This series of questions made him unable to calm down.

He put down his chopsticks and stared at the dark clouds outside the window. The sky gradually darkened and a dull atmosphere filled the air. The sky in the distance was already filled with dark clouds, which seemed to indicate that a rain was about to come. Li Xiangqian's thoughts were inevitably drawn back to his distant hometown - the place he had always been thinking about. Although it was far away from the hustle and bustle, when it was rainy and cloudy, the scene of his hometown would unconsciously emerge in his mind.

"It would be nice if I could go back home." He whispered to himself, and suddenly a sense of longing surged in his heart. Although he had lived in the city for many years and had long been accustomed to the rhythm and environment here, whenever it rained, he would always think of the old house at home, the warm little courtyard, and the figure of his mother who was always busy in front of the stove.

However, he knew that it was not so easy to go home. He worked and lived here, and the daily chores had long made him unable to take care of too many things. In addition, the cost of going home was not low, so it was not an easy thing to go home. Although he was very eager in his heart, the reality was like an invisible chain that bound him firmly to this city.

"Wow—"

A crisp sound of rain interrupted his thoughts. It suddenly started to rain heavily outside, and the raindrops hit the window with a dense sound. Li Xiangqian walked to the window and looked at the blurry rain outside, feeling a little melancholy. The heavy rain came so suddenly, as if the dark clouds in the sky had been brewing, waiting for this moment to pour down. The courtyard in the rain became quiet, and occasionally the sound of rain hitting tiles could be heard, and the rustling sound of leaves being beaten by rain in the distance.

He stood there quietly, watching the rain slowly slide down the window glass, as if those water drops reflected his innermost thoughts. The desire for home became stronger under the catalysis of the rain. He thought of the alley at home. When he was a child, every time it rained, the alley would always be full of water. He and the children from the neighboring families played barefoot in the water, and the splashing water made everyone laugh. Although those pictures are blurred now, they are like old photos washed by rain. The more you recall them, the clearer they are.

However, this peaceful thought did not last long. In the sound of rain, there was a sudden sound of footsteps outside the door, and Li Xiangqian instinctively listened. His nerves suddenly tensed up, and a feeling of uneasiness surged in his heart. Who would come to see him at this time on a rainy day? Countless possibilities flashed through his mind, and finally he decided to go and take a look.

He hurriedly put on a coat and opened the door. A cool breeze and damp air hit him. Sure enough, there was someone standing outside the door. It was Qin Huairu. She was soaked by the rain, her hair stuck to her cheeks, and she looked a little embarrassed.

"You...what are you doing..." Li Xiangqian was stunned and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Qin Huairu was obviously a little uneasy, her eyes flickering. She stood outside the door, tightening her clothes, her voice trembling slightly: "I... I'm sorry, Master Li, I was just going home, but it suddenly rained heavily halfway and I had no place to take shelter. I thought your house was close, so I... came here."

Li Xiangqian was filled with mixed emotions. He knew Qin Huairu didn't mean to disturb him, but the scene before him made him feel at a loss. Letting her in seemed a little inappropriate, but not letting her in, he really couldn't bear to see her soaked like this.

He hesitated for a moment, and finally moved aside to open the door: "You... come in and take shelter for a while, don't stand outside."

Qin Huairu nodded, whispered a thank you, and walked into the house. Her clothes were soaked, and water dripped down the corners of her clothes. The air was filled with a damp smell. Li Xiangqian didn't know what to do for a moment, and stood there at a loss.

"Please sit for a while. I'll get you a dry towel." Li Xiangqian quickly found an excuse, walked into the bedroom, rummaged around for a while, took out a clean towel and handed it to Qin Huairu.

She took the towel and gently wiped her wet hair. The expression on her face relaxed a little, but she was still a little uneasy: "I'm so sorry to trouble you."

Li Xiangqian waved his hand and forced a smile: "It's okay, no one expected it to rain so heavily."

In fact, his heart was much more complicated than the calmness on the surface. Now there were only two of them in the room, and it was raining heavily outside. This situation inevitably made people feel awkward and nervous. He didn't want anyone to misunderstand him, nor did he want the relationship with Qin Huairu to become more complicated, but under the current circumstances, he really had no way to distance himself from anything.

The room was quiet, with only the sound of raindrops hitting the window. Li Xiangqian was a little flustered, not knowing how to break the awkward silence. Fortunately, Qin Huairu took the initiative to speak. She lowered her head and said in a weak voice: "Master Li, you live here alone, don't you feel lonely?"

Li Xiangqian was stunned for a moment, not knowing why she suddenly spoke up: "Sometimes, but life gets busy and there's nothing special about it."

Qin Huairu lowered her head and sighed softly: "At least you can still be busy with work, I..." Her voice gradually lowered, and she seemed unwilling to continue. Li Xiangqian understood what she meant - her life was much more difficult than she had imagined. After her husband passed away, she was a woman with several children, relying on a meager income to make ends meet, and the gossip among neighbors made her feel even more stressed.

Li Xiangqian suddenly felt that perhaps Qin Huairu's approach was not just a simple dependence or scheming. Perhaps, she just wanted to find someone to talk to, someone who could understand her predicament. However, this emotional bond made Li Xiangqian feel particularly complicated. He didn't want to be too involved with her, but he couldn't completely ignore her situation.