Siheyuan: Tathagata's Palm suppresses the entire courtyard!

He realized that behind the second uncle's stubbornness, there was a lot of warmth and persistence that he could not reach.

After a party, Xu Mingjie was chatting with one of his neighbors, Uncle Wang, who casually mentioned something about Second Uncle. "Second Uncle, although he has a bad temper, he actually cares about every detail of the courtyard. You know, his old flower bed is his own hard work."

Xu Mingjie was a little surprised. He didn't know that the second uncle was so obsessed with these details. He couldn't help but have more understanding and respect for the second uncle. "I did find that the second uncle was very particular about flowers and plants, but I didn't know he was so attentive."

Uncle Wang smiled and said, "Yes, Second Uncle is very principled in his work, but he also has his own methods and thoughts. If you want to get along better with him, you have to learn to respect his habits and ways."

Xu Mingjie silently remembered these words. He realized that the relationship with the second uncle was not just about superficial communication, but also about understanding and respecting him. He decided to try to understand the second uncle's lifestyle more carefully in the days to come, and try to interact with him in a more adaptable way.

A few days later, Xu Mingjie took some cakes he made himself and took the initiative to find the second uncle. He knew that sending a token of his heart was to build more trust and friendship in daily communication.

"Hello, Second Uncle. I made some cakes specially and would like to invite you to try them." Xu Mingjie brought a box of exquisite cakes and handed it to the Second Uncle with a smile.

The second uncle took the cake, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Did you make this?"

"Yes, I tried some new methods. I hope they will suit your taste." There was a hint of anticipation in Xu Mingjie's voice.

The second uncle looked at the cakes and nodded. "Then I'll try it."

Xu Mingjie was a little nervous, watching the reaction of the second uncle. The second uncle tasted the cake and his expression gradually softened. "Not bad, well done."

Xu Mingjie felt relieved. He knew that although the second uncle's evaluation was simple, it was recognition and encouragement of his efforts.

"Thank you, Uncle Er. If you have time, I would also like to invite you to chat and share some experiences about flowers and plants." Xu Mingjie tentatively put forward his idea.

The second uncle's frown relaxed a little. "It's fine to chat, but you have to know that I have my own opinions on these flowers and plants, so you have to be prepared."

Xu Mingjie smiled, and felt more hopeful and motivated. "I will, Uncle Er. Thank you for your advice."

As time went by, Xu Mingjie gradually found that he was no longer just a bystander in the life of the courtyard. He began to truly integrate into this small community and establish his own position in it. He tried to make himself closer to life, and at the same time tried his best to understand and respect everyone, especially the second uncle.

One morning, Xu Mingjie got up as usual and went to the yard to check on the status of the flowers and plants. The sun shone through the leaves onto the ground, and the air was filled with a mixture of soil and flower fragrance. He was in a particularly good mood because he had bought some fresh apples at the market yesterday and planned to use them to make apple pies. He had been looking forward to these apples for a few days, but when he was about to start making them this morning, he found a confusing situation - the apples were gone.

Xu Mingjie was stunned for a moment, and a trace of uneasiness flashed through his mind. He carefully recalled what happened last night and confirmed that he had placed the apple on the kitchen table. So he began to look around the small courtyard, hoping to find the whereabouts of the apple.

"What happened? Where did the apples go?" Xu Mingjie muttered to himself, his heart full of confusion and anxiety. He checked every corner of the kitchen and turned over all the places where the apples might be hidden, but he couldn't find them anyway.

He knew that the apple couldn't have disappeared on its own, and he ruled out other possibilities - the kitten at home was always well-behaved and had never touched anything in the kitchen. So his thoughts began to go back to last night. He did chat with a few neighbors while tidying up the flowers and plants in the yard, but he was sure that the apple had been at home. Could someone have entered his yard?

Xu Mingjie decided to ask his neighbors to see if anyone could provide some clues. He walked to the other side of the yard and found Uncle Wang who was watering the plants. "Uncle Wang, good morning. I want to ask, did you see any movement in my yard last night?"

Uncle Wang raised his head and looked at him with some confusion. "Nothing special happened. What's wrong with you?"

"I just found out that the apples in my house are missing. I put them on the kitchen table last night, but they were gone when I went to check in the morning." There was a hint of anxiety in Xu Mingjie's voice.

Uncle Wang frowned, looking a little uneasy. "Apple is missing? That's not right. Did you see any suspicious people or movements yesterday?"

"No, I didn't notice anything unusual when I was working in the yard last night." Xu Mingjie was becoming more and more anxious. "This is really disturbing."

Uncle Wang thought for a while and suddenly said, "I remember that Second Uncle seemed to be active in the yard last night, but I'm not sure if he touched your things. Do you want to ask him?"

Xu Mingjie was shocked. He knew the complicated attitude of the Second Uncle towards him, and he didn't know how to start for a while. Despite this, he decided to go to the Second Uncle to confirm the situation. He walked to the Second Uncle's yard, feeling a little uneasy.

"Morning, Uncle." Xu Mingjie knocked on Uncle's door, feeling hesitant and uneasy. "I have a small question to ask you. Did you see the apples I put in the kitchen last night?"

The second uncle's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Apple? I didn't see it."

Xu Mingjie carefully observed the second uncle's expression. Although he was not sure whether the second uncle was telling the truth, he decided to continue asking. "When I was tidying up the flowers and plants in the yard yesterday, I didn't seem to see anything unusual. However, the apple was indeed found missing in the morning."

The second uncle frowned slightly, looking a little unhappy. "I did stay in the yard for a while last night, but I didn't touch your things."

Xu Mingjie was a little disappointed, but he knew that although the second uncle was reluctant to say more, maybe he really hadn't touched his apple. He breathed a sigh of relief and decided not to ask any more questions for the time being.

"Well, if you see anything unusual, please tell me." Xu Mingjie said politely, but his heart was still full of doubts. He returned to his yard and continued to think about the reason for the disappearance of the apple.