Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

When he wanted to do something else, the chicken's eyes would always appear in his mind unconsciously. They were deep and sharp, as if they could see the deepest secrets in his heart. This feeling made Li Xiangqian unable to let go. He knew that he could not continue like this. The uneasiness and doubts in his heart forced him to make a decision and find someone to find out the situation.

Xu Damao is one of his most trusted neighbors. Although Xu Damao has a strange temper and is often mysterious, he is a very experienced person who can always look at things around him from different perspectives. Li Xiangqian believes that Xu Damao should know some unknown secrets about this place, or even about this land.

He took a deep breath and walked towards Xu Damao's house. Walking on the stone road, Li Xiangqian's mood became heavier and heavier. Today's sunlight shone through the leaves on the ground, and the mottled light and shadow on the ground made him a little dazed. With every step he took, he felt like he was stepping into some unknown territory. The strange thoughts and uneasy emotions in his mind intertwined, gradually forming a premonition that could not be ignored.

When he arrived at Xu Damao's yard, he saw a faint light coming from the window of the small house. Li Xiangqian stood in front of the door, hesitated for a moment, and then raised his hand and knocked on the door.

"Knock, knock, knock..." The sound at the door seemed particularly loud in the quiet night.

After a while, footsteps were heard in the house, the door was pushed open, and Xu Damao appeared at the door. He was wearing a worn cotton coat, with a tired look on his face, but his eyes were still clear and sharp.

"Li Xiangqian, what's wrong?" Xu Damao looked at him, frowning slightly, as if he didn't quite understand why Li Xiangqian appeared at his door at this time.

"Uncle Xu, I have something to ask you." Li Xiangqian's voice was low and urgent, "About this piece of land, and some recent events in the village."

Xu Damao glanced at him, a trace of doubt flashed in his eyes, as if he didn't quite understand why he was so eager all of a sudden. But he didn't refuse, but gently opened the door and motioned Li Xiangqian to come in.

The dim light in the room made the air seem a little dull. There were some old objects hanging on the walls, and the air was filled with a stale smell. Li Xiangqian sat on a wooden bench, silently waiting for Xu Damao.

Xu Damao didn't rush to ask him what was going on. Instead, he sat aside and smoked a cigarette. "Tell me, what's going on?"

Li Xiangqian looked around and whispered, "I know that some unusual things have happened here recently, especially that piece of land. I have heard of disappearances and...some other rumors. I want to ask you, Uncle Xu, do you think there is anything special about that piece of land?"

Xu Damao's fingers stopped on the cigarette, his eyes darkened slightly, as if he had not expected Li Xiangqian to ask this question. He took a puff of the cigarette, exhaled a puff of smoke, was silent for a while, and then slowly said, "Do you really want to know?" There was a hint of coldness and caution in his tone.

Li Xiangqian nodded, his doubts growing deeper and deeper. "I don't know why, but I always feel that there is something wrong with that piece of land. Do you think there is anything wrong with that piece of land?"

Xu Damao sighed, put down the cigarette in his hand, leaned back in his chair, his eyes deep and complicated. "What do you think is wrong?"

Li Xiangqian was silent for a moment, then looked up at Xu Damao. "I went to see that piece of land last night, and I felt an indescribable sense of oppression there, as if something was buried deep underground. I also found some unknown things..." He paused, "And today, I saw the chicken that He Yuzhu brought back."

Xu Damao raised his eyebrows slightly, and his expression became more solemn. "Chicken? Did you see the chicken?" He was a little surprised, but soon regained his composure, "What do you think is wrong with the chicken?"

Li Xiangqian's eyes flickered, and his tone was a little uncertain: "Its eyes... are very strange, as if they can see through people's minds. I don't know why, but when I see it, I always feel uneasy."

Xu Damao was silent for a moment, as if thinking about something. "That chicken..." He whispered to himself, then suddenly looked at Li Xiangqian, "Do you really want to know the secret of this land?"

Li Xiangqian's heartbeat quickened, and he suddenly raised his head. He finally got the answer he wanted to hear. "Yes," he said, with a bit of urgency in his tone, "If there is anything I should know, Uncle Xu, tell me."

Xu Damao's expression became more complicated. He looked into Li Xiangqian's eyes, as if wondering whether he should tell him all the truth. There was a tense atmosphere in the air, and Li Xiangqian felt that every breath he took became unusually heavy.

"You know, not just anyone can grow anything on this piece of land." Xu Damao finally spoke in a low voice, "Some unknown things happened here, and some people even disappeared here. That piece of land seems to have some kind of 'attraction'. It can devour people and also devour life."

Li Xiangqian's heartbeat suddenly jumped, and his mind was buzzing. He didn't dare to believe what Xu Damao said, but the sense of oppression and the look in the chicken's eyes last night made him start to believe that there was some truth in it.

"Are you saying that there is really something wrong with that piece of land?" Li Xiangqian's voice was filled with a hint of shock. He could hardly believe what he heard.

Xu Damao did not answer immediately, but stared into Li Xiangqian's eyes for a long time, as if observing his reaction. Finally, he slowly spoke, "Yes, Li Xiangqian. I know you may not believe it, but I tell you, this land has sucked away lives. Those who disappeared were not 'missing', but were 'sucked away'. There are no bodies, no traces, only some unknown clues left by those people before they left."

Li Xiangqian's heart almost jumped out of his chest, and his mind was in a mess. Xu Damao's words were like a heavy bomb, which made him dizzy. He remembered that Uncle Liu had said something similar, but he had never taken it to heart. At this moment, Xu Damao's confession made him realize that this land was indeed hiding something.

"But..." Li Xiangqian hesitated, "How do we explain that? How do what we see match up with those rumors?"

Xu Damao smiled bitterly. "Rumors are always rumors. No one knows the truth. But some things are known to those who have experienced them. Only those who have experienced them understand where the sense of oppression comes from." He paused. "If you still insist on planting something on that piece of land, I advise you to think twice."

Li Xiangqian was in a very heavy mood. Every word of Xu Damao hit him on the head like a heavy hammer, breaking the balance in his heart. A series of questions emerged in his mind - this piece of land,