Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

He looked at the clock on the bedside. The hands pointed to the early morning. The room was silent, with only the faint light and shadow in the corner swaying with the breeze. Li Xiangqian's heartbeat seemed to speed up with these subtle changes, and he couldn't calm down. He knew that he couldn't fall asleep at this moment, and his mind was in a mess. So he finally decided to get up, put on his clothes, and walk out of the room.

The atmosphere in the courtyard was exceptionally quiet, and the air was a little dull, as if everything was surrounded by the heavy night. Li Xiangqian took a deep breath, feeling the damp and cold air spreading in his lungs. He walked from the house to the yard, his steps were slow, and the bluestone road made a slight sound under his feet. The moonlight sprinkled in the corners of the courtyard, softly illuminating the vines and weeds clinging to the wall. Li Xiangqian stood in the middle of the yard, looking around, and from time to time he could hear the rustling of leaves in the wind. He suddenly remembered that he still had to go to the vegetable market tomorrow to buy something else.

Sweet potatoes, yes, sweet potatoes. Maybe it would be nice to buy some sweet potatoes. Although they are not as varied as potatoes, the sweet taste of sweet potatoes always brings a little warmth and comfort. He decided to go to the market early tomorrow to change his mood and buy some new ingredients. Thinking of this, his anxiety seemed to ease a little, but the disappeared potato still lingered in his mind.

Back in the house, Li Xiangqian sat at the table and began to rummage around. He knew in his heart that he was not really worried about the disappearance of the pile of potatoes, but that there seemed to be something behind the scenes that was silently eroding his originally peaceful life. Who did it? Was it the neighbor in the yard, or someone else? Li Xiangqian felt a headache, his thoughts were a mess, but he didn't know where to start. There was a depressing atmosphere in the air, as if everything was waiting for something. Whenever he tried to sort out his thoughts, the familiar corner always emerged in his mind, and the secret and silent turmoil that often occurred in that courtyard.

"What am I afraid of?" Li Xiangqian suddenly asked himself in a low voice.

He covered his mouth. The sound was like a harsh echo, echoing in his empty heart. At this moment, he seemed to be awake and lost. What was he thinking? Did the potatoes disappear, or had the dark side of this courtyard slowly penetrated into every corner of his life?

Li Xiangqian stopped at the table and stared at the books in front of him. These books were part of his life. Some were documents for work, and some were novels he occasionally read. However, these books did not seem to give him any comfort at this time. His eyes kept moving away from the books and fell on the weak light.

Under the light, he thought of his neighbor in the west corner, Aunt Wang. Her eyes flickered a little, which made Li Xiangqian suspicious. The lost left shoe seemed to be no small matter. The ambiguity in Aunt Wang's words also made Li Xiangqian feel inexplicably alert to her. What did she know? Why did she always act vague when talking about shoes? Li Xiangqian clenched his fists, and the feeling of uneasiness in his heart flooded again, as if a flame was beating in his chest.

So, Li Xiangqian made a decision - he decided not to wait any longer, maybe he could do something. Since the potatoes disappeared, and there was a hidden story behind it, he would go and see, to find out everything. He couldn't be confused like this anymore, and couldn't let that shadow spread over him. Even a tiny clue might help him find the truth.

The next day, Li Xiangqian got up early at dawn. He did not take out breakfast as usual, but hurriedly washed up, put on his coat, took his wallet, and went out. He felt a little anxious, and his steps were faster than usual, as if every step was forcing him to move towards a goal he did not yet understand.

The market was bustling with people, and the stalls were full of fresh vegetables and fruits. The air was filled with the familiar aroma of vegetables and voices. Li Xiangqian glanced at the market, and his purpose was clear - he wanted to buy sweet potatoes. Perhaps this simple ingredient could help him escape from this shadow a little. After walking past several stalls, he finally found a small stall selling sweet potatoes in a corner. The stall owner was a thin middle-aged man wearing a simple work suit and with an indifferent face.

"Boss, give me some sweet potatoes." Li Xiangqian said directly.

The stall owner nodded, skillfully selected some sweet potatoes of suitable size and put them in a bag, and handed it to Li Xiangqian: "Eight yuan for one pound."

Li Xiangqian nodded and took out his wallet to pay. At this moment, the stall owner suddenly looked at him with a little curiosity in his eyes: "You came early today, what are you buying some sweet potatoes for? This is a good ingredient in autumn, it is good for stews and sweet potato porridge."

Li Xiangqian was a little embarrassed and forced a smile: "Well, let's make a simple dinner, change the taste, and try something new."

The stall owner did not ask any more questions, collected the money and continued to serve other customers. Li held the bag forward and turned to walk to the other side of the street. At this time, the air was a little humid, and the skyline in the distance was not yet fully lit. The hustle and bustle of the market and the silence of the courtyard were completely different, as if they were two completely different worlds.

On the way home, Li Xiangqian still felt confused. Sweet potatoes could bring him some comfort, but they could not solve the problem in his heart. He kept thinking, who moved his potatoes, and what secrets were hidden behind it? This matter was no longer as simple as the loss of items. It had gradually become complicated, and his familiarity with the courtyard began to become unstable. Everyone and everything seemed to become vague, like an elusive net, quietly entangling him.

Li Xiang was carrying the sweet potatoes he had just bought in front of him, his steps were a bit hurried. He knew that he was not just going to buy sweet potatoes today, more importantly, he was going to return to the courtyard to find some clues. His heart seemed to be suppressed by something, and the uneasy feeling had not dissipated, but became heavier. The courtyard, this originally quiet and familiar place, has now become a little strange, and the air is filled with an unknown sense of oppression. Every time he returned here, he always felt that there was an invisible barrier between him and this courtyard, and the disappearance of the potatoes was like a thorn, piercing the originally peaceful life, revealing some seemingly small but unignorable cracks.