Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

"I don't know either. He seems to be asking something." Xiaoli pouted, not seeming to think there was anything wrong. Li Xiangqian's heart moved, and he walked to the door, followed by Zhang Lin.

The two stood at the door, looking at the person standing outside the yard. The man was wearing an old cotton-padded jacket, his hair was a little messy, and he had a simple smile on his face. He didn't look like a strange visitor, but Li Xiangqian felt an inexplicable sense of strangeness from him, as if this person didn't belong here.

"Hello, I'm from the next village." The man greeted enthusiastically, "I heard that your potatoes are growing well, I'm here to buy some back."

Li Xiangqian was stunned for a moment, then returned to his normal expression. He glanced at the empty plots in the yard, and a trace of doubt flashed through his mind. The people in the village often knew each other, and potatoes were not something that he could sell, so why did someone suddenly come to buy them?

"You mean... buy potatoes?" Li Xiangqian's voice was slightly low, his eyes never completely leaving the man's face.

"Yes, I heard that some of your potatoes have sprouted. I wanted to ask if you don't plan to use them. Can you sell some to me?" The man spoke sincerely, and there was not much cunning in his eyes. Instead, there was a hint of sincerity.

Zhang Lin frowned slightly and said, "Our potatoes have just sprouted. We don't plan to sell them. Let's just wait and eat them ourselves."

The man was slightly stunned, but he didn't seem to be unhappy about being rejected. Instead, he smiled and said, "That's okay, just asking." He turned around and was about to leave, but suddenly stopped and looked back at Li Xiangqian. "But if you really plan to throw it away, tell me. It would be nice to be able to use some to feed the chickens."

Li Xiangqian nodded, still feeling somewhat uneasy. He said nothing more and watched the man leave the yard. As the man walked further and further away, Li Xiangqian took a deep breath and felt an inexplicable chill rising from behind his back.

"He doesn't look like a bad guy, but I always feel that... something is wrong." Li Xiangqian said softly in his heart, and his brows unconsciously tightened again.

Zhang Lin didn't seem to notice Li Xiangqian's uneasiness. She looked away and turned back to prepare dinner. "You think too much. It's not easy for everyone. I'll help if I can."

Li Xiangqian walked into the small shop in the village, his steps were a little hesitant, and he was still thinking about the stranger he met that day. Although he promised the man that he would not sell potatoes, he still felt that these things in his home, such as potatoes and eggs, seemed to be starting to become less safe. The shop was empty, only Old Yang was sorting some goods behind the counter, and occasionally there were a few sounds of wooden boards colliding.

Li Xiangqian looked down at the money in his hand and decided to buy some biscuits. After all, there must be some snacks at home, even if it is just to comfort himself and his family. In life, the daily life of ordinary biscuits seems to be able to soothe his restless heart.

"Lao Yang, bring me two packs of biscuits." He tried to maintain a normal tone, but the anxiety in his heart made his voice a little hoarse.

Old Yang looked up at him and smiled faintly, "Hey, Li Xiangqian, why are you here so early today? Do you want to have some snacks?"

Li Xiangqian forced a smile and nodded, "Well, just buy some." He reached out and picked up a pack of biscuits, his eyes fell on it, but his heart was confused. The packaging bag was printed with red words, and it didn't look fresh, as if it had been stored for a long time.

Old Yang saw Li Xiangqian's gaze and seemed to notice something. "You look a little worried today. What's wrong? Is everything okay at home?"

Li Xiangqian paused for a moment, and an inexplicable emotion surged in his heart. Lao Yang's words made him feel a little warm, but he still didn't say out his uneasiness. Life is always full of uncertainty, especially at times like this, when all he can rely on are these daily trivialities, like a pack of biscuits, a cup of tea, or even a familiar face.

"Nothing, just some small things at home." Li Xiangqian said lightly, then turned his gaze to the shelf next to him, trying to avoid continuing this topic.

Old Yang did not ask any more questions, but reached out and took two packs of biscuits and handed them to Li Xiangqian. "Take them. There are no new products recently, but these are fresh and edible." His tone was concerned, but also seemed a little powerless. After all, in this small shop, Old Yang could only provide a limited amount.

Li Xiangqian took the biscuits, feeling somewhat uneasy. He looked at the two packs of biscuits, and a conflicting emotion welled up in his heart. Biscuits, yes, he originally came to buy these, but why did he always feel like he was avoiding something every time he made these ordinary decisions? Was it the anxiety about the future, or the fear of the changes in front of him? He couldn't figure it out, and even began to doubt whether the choices he made were correct.

"Li Xiangqian, how is your family doing recently?" Old Yang suddenly asked again, as if out of some casual concern.

"It's OK, it's fine." Li Xiangqian answered instinctively, but he was a little unsure when he said it. Is the family really okay? A complex emotion rose in his heart, and those small doubts seemed to gather into a big whirlpool in an instant, making him unable to extricate himself.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to come back to his senses. "Is there any news recently? Let's talk about the thing in the village. No one is talking about it, right?" He deliberately changed the subject, trying to stop himself from being immersed in those uneasy emotions.

When Old Yang heard him ask this, his eyes lit up slightly, as if he knew what he was concerned about. "Ah, come to think of it, there is something. It seems that a stranger has come to our village again. I heard that he came to buy some agricultural products. Well, it's probably nothing serious. But, you know, our place is not very lively, and if someone from outside comes, people will think too much."

Li Xiangqian frowned unconsciously. At that moment, his heartbeat quickened, as if there was a suffocating tension floating in the air. As he listened to Lao Yang's words, his eyes gradually became deeper.

"Stranger? What is he doing?" Li Xiangqian couldn't help asking.

Old Yang didn't notice the change in Li Xiangqian's tone and shook his head. "He just came to ask if there was anything for sale, like vegetables, potatoes, etc. He also chatted with me for a few minutes, which was pretty normal. But that look in his eyes made him look like someone other than an ordinary person."

Li Xiangqian was shocked, and the image of the strange man flashed through his mind. When he came to his house that day, there seemed to be something elusive in his eyes, as if he was not just coming to buy potatoes.