Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

"Guifang, I promise you, I will do better." Li Xiangqian's voice was firm and sincere.

There are many neighbors in the courtyard, of different ages and personalities, but the most eye-catching one is He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu is a young man who looks less than 30 years old. He is tall and thin. His long body and messy hair always give people a sloppy and unkempt feeling. Unlike Li Xiangqian, he always likes to socialize and talk. Even though he is straightforward and does things casually, there are always many people around him, coming and going, which always makes the courtyard look more lively.

But He Yuzhu also had his own bitterness. Although he often seemed to be smiling, Li Xiangqian could see from the subtle details that he seemed to be hiding some unspeakable pain deep in his heart. He never mentioned that pain to anyone, and even Li Xiangqian had never heard a single complaint from him.

In the evening of that day, Li Xiangqian sat on a bench in the courtyard as usual, holding a worn-out book in his hand, but his eyes drifted outside the courtyard from time to time. The courtyard was always filled with a kind of inexplicable silence, which was a kind of precipitation of years and a long-lost tranquility. Just as he was about to lower his head and turn the page again, he suddenly heard several hurried footsteps, as if someone was striding across the path.

Li Xiangqian raised his head and glanced at the gate. He saw He Yuzhu hurriedly walking in from the gate, followed by a burly man with a fierce look. He was wearing a gray coat and his steps were steady and tough. He was obviously a man with a strong aura.

He Yuzhu walked quickly, with a hint of anxiety in his eyes and his lips moving slightly, as if he was arguing with the man behind him. Li Xiangqian noticed that the man seemed to be scolding He Yuzhu. The two spoke in very intense tones. Although he couldn't hear the specific content clearly, the sense of oppression filled the air.

He Yuzhu's face was a little pale, his hands unconsciously clenched the fabric on the edge of his pants, and his body took a few steps back, looking a little weak. The man's voice became louder and louder, and Li Xiangqian finally heard a few words clearly.

"Do you dare to do anything? Don't forget what you owe me!"

"I, I've tried my best, Brother Liu, but I just can't do it..."

"Can't do it? You're a waste!" Liu Guangfu yelled and pushed He Yuzhu away. The latter was caught off guard and fell to the ground in an instant, his limbs trembling and he bit his lips in pain.

Li Xiangqian was stunned and shocked. Although he knew that He Yuzhu had some disputes with others, he had never seen He Yuzhu treated like this. Without hesitation, he stood up quickly and walked forward.

When he reached the gate of the courtyard, Li Xiangqian could already hear Liu Guangfu's voice becoming even more harsh.

"Is this how you treat me? You can do something that you can do, but you keep dragging your feet. You are such a useless person!"

He Yuzhu slowly stood up from the ground, with a painful expression on his face, but he still dared not look directly at Liu Guangfu, as if he was enduring some kind of humiliation that he could not get rid of by lowering his head. Li Xiangqian's heart moved, he understood that He Yuzhu seemed to have long been accustomed to this humiliation, as if no matter how he resisted, the result would only make him more painful.

He walked up to the two men, stopped without hesitation, and looked straight at Liu Guangfu.

"Enough." Li Xiangqian's voice was low and firm.

When Liu Guangfu saw Li Xiangqian approaching, his face suddenly darkened, and a trace of disdain and vigilance flashed in his eyes. "Who are you? Do you have any say in this?"

Li Xiangqian was not afraid, and stared at Liu Guangfu sharply. "I am here, He Yuzhu is my neighbor, I won't allow you to do this to him."

Liu Guangfu sneered and said coldly: "He is my debtor who refuses to pay back the money. I know how to treat him. Who do you think you are? How dare you point fingers at me?"

Li Xiangqian slowly raised his head, his eyes swept over Liu Guangfu calmly, and after a moment of silence, he said calmly: "I don't care about the debt. But you shouldn't insult someone like this. If you continue to do this, I will let you know that some people cannot be offended casually."

Liu Guangfu's expression changed slightly, and he was obviously a little afraid of Li Xiangqian's momentum, but he did not respond immediately. Instead, he snorted coldly and turned to He Yuzhu and roared: "If you dare to do this again next time, don't blame me for being rude."

After saying that, he walked away and disappeared at the end of the trail.

Li Xiangqian looked at Liu Guangfu's receding back until he completely disappeared from his sight, then he turned to look at He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu lowered his head, looking extremely ashamed, holding his trouser pockets tightly, not daring to look Li Xiangqian in the eye.

Li Xiangqian sighed, walked to He Yuzhu, reached out and patted his shoulder: "Are you okay?"

He Yuzhu raised his head, with a complex emotion in his eyes, both gratitude and unspeakable pain. "I'm fine, thank you."

Li Xiangqian nodded silently and said softly, "You can't let him do this to you again. You don't owe him anything."

He Yuzhu smiled bitterly and shook his head, his eyes a little confused. "Owe? I owe, besides money, there are many more..."

Li Xiangqian didn't say anything else, just looked at him and was silent for a moment. He knew that He Yuzhu's world was very complicated, and those "debts" he mentioned might be deeper invisible shackles.

Li Xiangqian stood at the gate of the courtyard, looking at the winding path in the night, with an indescribable emotion surging in his heart. He Yuzhu had quietly walked away, still with his head down, obviously feeling unspeakable pain in his heart. Li Xiangqian knew that at this time, what He Yuzhu needed was an outlet, rather than continuing to be pressed in that invisible cage.

He looked up at the sky. The faint moonlight sprinkled in the yard and on the old bluestone. The air was filled with a faint chill, as if every gust of wind could blow people's thoughts into pieces. Li Xiangqian's mood was like the dust blown away by the wind, becoming increasingly difficult to gather. The stone slab under his feet seemed to become particularly heavy, and every step seemed to be stepping on some kind of weakness in his heart.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you standing here in a daze alone?" His wife's voice came from behind, breaking Li Xiangqian's thoughts.

Li Xiangqian turned around and saw his wife Lin Xiaoyu coming out from the corner of the yard. She was wearing a simple home dress, her hair was casually tied behind her head, and although her expression was calm, she showed a trace of imperceptible fatigue. Lin Xiaoyu was a gentle person, and she always tried to avoid conflicts with Li Xiangqian, as if she knew that Li Xiangqian's temper needed some time to digest everything.