Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Zhang Guifang had already lay down with her back to him, and the distance between them seemed farther than usual.

He kept thinking about what had happened in the past few days. Zhang Guifang's accusations, Yi Zhonghai's trust, and the bumpy road all flashed through his mind like silhouettes. Every time he thought about it, his heart felt like it was pricked by a needle and it hurt.

He turned over and looked out the window. The yard was dark, with only the moonlight shining on the ground, casting mottled shadows of the trees. He suddenly remembered the work he hadn't done in time, and he felt even more anxious. He had been busy lately and hadn't been to the fields for a long time. If he didn't go and take a look, Zhang Guifang would definitely make a fuss with him if something went wrong.

Li Xiangqian hesitated for a while, and finally gently lifted the quilt and sat up. He looked back at Zhang Guifang and saw that her breathing was steady, as if she had fallen asleep, so he tiptoed to put on his shoes. He moved as quietly as a cat, afraid that any sound would wake her up.

"The work in the fields is my responsibility. I can't put it off." He said to himself silently, but he couldn't help feeling a little wronged. He was a grown man, and he usually worked hard for the family, and he had to sneak to the fields at night. He really lived like a thief.

He walked out of the house and closed the door carefully, even the creaking of the door hinges was suppressed. The yard was so quiet that only his footsteps could be heard. He looked around and saw that no one was paying attention, so he walked out of the yard with peace of mind.

The road was a little cold at night, and the moonlight sprinkled on the ground, covering the earth with a thin layer of silver gauze. Li Xiangqian walked quickly, his hands in his trouser pockets, his brows slightly furrowed. As he walked, he thought that the crops in the field should be fine at this time, but if the weather changes recently, there may be some trouble.

There were few people on the road, and the occasional barking of dogs in the distance made the surroundings even more silent. His footsteps on the dirt road made a slight rustling sound, as if he was struggling with the silence of the night.

After walking for about 20 minutes, the shadow of the field finally appeared in front of him. Li Xiangqian let out a long sigh and quickened his pace. He stood at the edge of the field and looked down at the crops in front of him. Under the moonlight, the seedlings in the field swayed slightly, looking full of vitality.

"It's okay, it's okay, I look good." He said to himself, with a hint of comfort and satisfaction in his tone.

But then he squatted down again, stretched out his hand to push aside a few seedlings, and carefully checked the leaves and soil. He found that there were traces of insect bites on several leaves, and his heart sank immediately.

"Sure enough, there is a problem." He frowned, feeling anxious and annoyed. "If I had come to check it out earlier these days, maybe there would be less trouble."

He stood up, put his hands on his waist, and looked around. The night breeze blew gently, and his face was full of helplessness. He knew that it was normal for the crops to have problems, but at this time, the burden on the family was already heavy enough, and if there was another loss, he really didn't know how to bear it.

"If Zhang Guifang knew about this, she would definitely scold me again." He smiled bitterly, but this smile was filled with helplessness and self-blame.

He lowered his head and thought for a while, then squatted down, took out a small knife from his trouser pocket, and began to carefully clean the leaves that were infested with insects. While he was working, he thought that he would have to find an opportunity to go to town tomorrow to buy some medicine and get rid of the insects as soon as possible.

As the night wind cooled, sweat began to form on Li Xiangqian's forehead. He was always serious when working, and he would do his best to make even simple pruning perfect. He felt that this was not only for the crops, but also for his own responsibility.

"Xiang Qian, you are always like this, aren't you tired?" A voice suddenly came out of his heart, as if questioning himself. He raised his head, looked at the moon in the sky, and sighed.

"I'm tired, but what can I do? Someone has to keep things going these days." He answered silently in his heart, then lowered his head and continued to work.

Time passed quietly, and before he knew it, the sky had already turned pale. Li Xiangqian realized that he had worked all night. His legs were a little sore and his back was a little stiff, but when he saw the crops he had cleaned neatly in the field, he felt a little comforted.

"At least my work was not in vain." He muttered to himself, patted the dirt on his hands, turned around and walked back.

On the way, the light of the morning sun shone on him, dispelling the chill of the night. He seemed to feel a little relieved. Although there were still many problems waiting for him to solve, at least at this moment, he felt that he had done something worthy of himself.

When he returned to the courtyard, there was already some movement in the yard. Zhang Guifang was standing at the kitchen door, seemingly busy with something. She looked back at Li Xiangqian and frowned slightly: "Where have you been? So early in the morning."

Li Xiangqian was stunned for a moment, then grinned and said, "I'll go check the fields. I'm afraid there's something wrong with the crops."

Zhang Guifang snorted coldly, and said nothing more, but turned and went into the kitchen. Li Xiangqian stood in the yard, touching his head, feeling a little complicated. He knew that she actually cared about him, but she was just being stubborn.

Li Xiangqian has been feeling like a huge rock is pressing down on his heart lately, and no matter how he tries to adjust, he can't relax. In the dead of night, he lies on the kang, staring at the ceiling in a daze. Zhang Guifang is already asleep, occasionally turning over, making a slight noise of the quilt rubbing against her. But Li Xiangqian's eyes are wide open, and he can't close them.

"Why is life so frustrating?" He sighed in his heart, turned over, and tried to make himself more comfortable, but to no avail.

The recent series of events made him exhausted. Although the pests in the field were dealt with, some crops were still lost. Thinking of this, he felt a tightness in his chest. Zhang Guifang's cold words made him feel even worse. He knew that his wife was unforgiving in words, but in fact, she was also doing it for the good of the family. But he just felt uncomfortable, as if he had been pricked by a needle. The pain made him want to get angry, but he had no place to vent.

"Xiang Qian, what are you thinking about?" He asked himself in a low voice, with a bit of helplessness and self-mockery in his tone. He knew that he was not in a good state recently, but the more he tried to adjust, the more confused he felt.

He sat up quietly, trying not to make any noise, for fear of waking Zhang Guifang. He glanced out the window. The night was dark and the courtyard was completely silent. Only the barking of dogs in the distance seemed particularly clear.

"I can't sleep, so I might as well go out for a walk." He thought to himself, quietly put on his coat, put on his shoes, and tiptoed out of the house.