Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

He began to fry the omelette, his hands operating skillfully. The egg liquid spread quickly in the pan, making a "sizzling" sound, and the familiar aroma of oil filled the air. Every time he flipped the omelette, he would control it precisely to ensure that both sides were golden, soft and tough. Although Li Xiangqian's movements were skillful, his heart was full of fluctuations at this time. He could even feel the emptiness deep in his heart, as if every time he flipped the omelette, his heart was also being flipped.

He asked himself more than once, is this kind of life really what he wants?

The kitchen space was getting warmer and warmer, and the aroma in the air was getting stronger and stronger, as if everything was conveying some kind of comfort to him, but he still couldn't relax, and the uneasiness in his heart was like the boiling oil in the pot, and it could never stop. He couldn't help but think about what he had worked hard for, and why he still felt confused after being busy for so long.

He continued to flip the pancakes in the pan, but the strength of his fingers seemed to become stronger and stronger, as if he was unconsciously venting his emotions. The frying in the pan became louder and louder, and beads of sweat gradually appeared on his face. This small kitchen seemed to have become a closed world, and he was an isolated island struggling in this world.

"Pah!" The omelet was turned over, the surface was slightly browned, and the edges were slightly curled. Li Xiangqian looked at the food in the pan, feeling a little dissatisfied. He felt that he had fried it a little too much, but he couldn't change anything. He stopped and picked up the spatula to put it on the plate.

Suddenly, He Yuzhu's voice came from outside the kitchen door, "How is your frying going? I'm hungry."

Li Xiangqian frowned, and a wave of irritation surged in his heart, instantly making him feel a sense of depression in his chest. He raised his head and looked at his wife standing at the kitchen door, the person he had used all his strength to protect. At this moment, she was wearing a simple home dress, with a little fatigue on her face, but her eyes were still clear and gentle. At that moment, Li Xiangqian somehow felt as if he was getting farther and farther away from her.

"I'll be right there." Li Xiangqian replied in a normal tone, with a barely perceptible stiffness at the corners of his mouth. He did not walk over immediately, but stood in the kitchen, staring blankly at the omelet that had already been fried to a slightly burnt yellow.

The emotions that surged in his heart made it almost impossible for him to control his thoughts. What on earth made him feel so empty every day? His life was plain and his wife was always by his side, but why did he always have an indescribable sense of loss in his heart? That feeling was like a fog, covering his mornings and nights. He thought he could forget it, suppress it, until one day, it finally left him with no way out.

"Li Xiangqian, stop standing there and hurry up." He Yuzhu's voice came from outside again, breaking the moment when he was immersed in his own thoughts.

He was stunned for a moment, took a deep breath, and turned the pancake over on the plate, but his heart was churning like a storm. He Yuzhu's voice became a little anxious, which made him feel a subtle uneasiness. She didn't know her inner fluctuations, and maybe she didn't understand why Li Xiangqian suddenly felt so depressed.

"Okay." Li Xiangqian finally responded in a low voice, forcing a smile at the corner of his mouth.

He walked out of the kitchen with the fried omelette and went to the dining table. He Yuzhu was sitting at the dining table with some expectation in her eyes. Li Xiangqian put down the plate and sat opposite her. There were some simple tableware, a few home-cooked side dishes, and a bowl of freshly cooked soup on the table. The air was filled with the aroma of food, but Li Xiangqian had no appetite at all.

He lowered his head and began to slowly cut the omelet. The sound of the knife and fork touching the plate was particularly clear. He Yuzhu seemed to have noticed that something was wrong with Li Xiangqian. He looked up at him, and the smile on his lips gradually disappeared, becoming a little worried.

"Li Xiangqian, are you worried about something today?" She finally couldn't help but ask, her voice low and soft.

Li Xiangqian paused, the knife and fork in his hand stopped for a moment, and there was a wave of uneasiness in his heart. He raised his head and looked at his wife's concerned eyes, and suddenly an indescribable emotion surged in his heart. He clearly wanted to say something to her, but found that he couldn't say it at all. The inner confusion, depression and uneasiness intertwined together, making him feel at a loss.

"It's okay, Yuzhu, I'm just a little tired." Li Xiangqian forced a smile, put down his knife and fork, picked up the water cup and drank a sip of water, trying to make himself look more natural.

However, the uneasiness in his heart was not relieved by this sip of water. He knew that he had not really solved the problem, but just used a simple excuse to cover up the fluctuations in his heart. His wife obviously did not completely believe his answer, but she did not ask any more questions, just lowered her head and ate her meal in silence.

Li Xiangqian looked at her quietly, his thoughts drifting away again. He had thought before that maybe he should really relax, enjoy the ordinary days in front of him, and cherish this peace. However, the uneasiness deep in his heart always followed him like a shadow and refused to leave.

He felt as if he was wandering between two worlds: on one side was the peace and love in his wife's eyes, and on the other side was the anxiety and uneasiness in his heart. Li Xiangqian didn't know how to face all this, and he even began to doubt whether he could really find the long-lost peace.

"Li Xiangqian, you've been acting really strange lately." He Yuzhu said softly, with a hint of helplessness in his tone, "You don't have to hide it from me. It's better to speak out slowly than to keep it in your heart."

Walking to the edge of the vegetable field, Li Xiangqian put down his hoe, squatted down, and carefully looked at the crops he had cultivated with his own hands, his heart filled with an incomparable sense of satisfaction. He gently pushed aside a green leaf with his fingers, revealing a thin bud. He took a closer look, and unconsciously raised a smile at the corner of his mouth: "This little guy is growing well."

Just as he was concentrating on observing the fruits of growth, he suddenly heard a rustling sound. Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly tightened and his brows furrowed. He slowly turned his head to look in the direction of the sound, but saw nothing unusual. But the sound continued to sound intermittently, like something sliding in the grass. He swallowed, stood up, looked around with a more alert look.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed in the grass next to the vegetable field, so fast that it almost seemed like an illusion. Li Xiangqian blinked and felt a little uneasy. He consoled himself secretly: "Maybe it's a wild cat or a mouse or something, don't think too much about it."