Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

"You don't need to know too much." The old man finally spoke, his voice as silent as a heavy stone hitting Li Xiangqian's heart.

Li Xiangqian was stunned, his hands trembling slightly, as if something was rising from his chest, but he couldn't say it out loud. He realized that he seemed to be drawn into an inescapable vortex, and this vortex was being pulled by the old man in front of him.

"Go back, young man." The old man patted Li Xiangqian's shoulder, his tone was light, but with a certain irresistible force, "This road is not something you can just walk on casually."

Li Xiangqian stood there, his heart beating like a drum, and cold sweat began to appear on his palms. Thoughts were churning in his mind, and he wanted to ask more questions, but he didn't know what to ask. At that moment, he could almost feel a potential threat emanating from the old man selling chestnuts, like an invisible pressure, enveloping him.

The old man said nothing more, but turned around and walked away slowly, his steps were slow, but he seemed to have an inexplicable determination. Li Xiangqian stood there, watching the old man's back gradually go away, and his doubts became stronger and stronger. He looked at the bag of chestnuts and suddenly felt that they were no longer ordinary food, but like a sharp knife, embedded in his life, piercing his fantasy of a peaceful life.

Li Xiangqian stood at the gate of the courtyard, watching the old man selling chestnuts walk away. Every step of the old man's back seemed to pull at a string in his heart. The fragrance of chestnuts still floated in the air, but he no longer felt any warmth, but felt a little dizzy, as if there was something invisible lurking in the air, gradually eroding his reason.

He clenched the bag of chestnuts in his hand, feeling the temperature in the bag was still warm and soft, but his heart was empty. Li Xiangqian subconsciously looked up at the branches swaying in the evening breeze. The courtyard under the moonlight was still quiet, as if everything was normal. But he knew that his world had quietly changed. The old man's words were like a heavy stone pressing on his chest, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

"Go back, young man. This is not a road you can walk casually." Those words echoed in his ears again, the voice was low, as if warning him, reminding him that he was about to step into an unknown area, and this area was not as simple as he imagined.

But he did not return to the house immediately, but stood there quietly, lost in deep thought. The old man's words gave him an inexplicable sense of oppression, and the uneasiness coming from the chestnuts did not dissipate with the old man's departure, but became stronger. He suddenly realized that he was not simply doubting the bag of chestnuts, but more like a long-lost memory in his heart began to quietly awaken, with a disturbing power, and began to spread from the dark corners of the past.

He clenched the chestnut in his hand and looked at the dark sky in the distance with a dazed look. Life didn't seem as peaceful as he had imagined. Behind the day-to-day ordinariness, there were always many unspeakable secrets. And these secrets were eroding his original world bit by bit, making him no longer able to breathe peacefully.

Suddenly, there was a hollow sound from his stomach, as if reminding him that he had not had a proper meal for a long time. Food has become the most urgent need of the family. Last night, he and his wife discussed that almost all the edible things in the house have been used up. The vegetables in the yard that he had carefully planted have almost withered and disappeared due to the drought. The situation of several neighbors in the courtyard is not optimistic either. Everyone is worried about how to make a living. Some families have even begun to quietly sell some of their things in exchange for some food.

Li Xiangqian subconsciously touched his stomach. The hunger rising from his stomach was like a black hole that could swallow everything and could not be ignored. He suddenly realized that the predicament before him was far more than the problem of the bag of chestnuts. Many problems in life, like heavy chains, gradually bound him in this inescapable cage. Food was already in short supply, and this lack made people panic, and even the courage to think about the future was being worn away bit by bit.

He turned around, gently pushed open the gate, and walked into the winding alley. The air was filled with a faint smell of soil and the aroma of food wafting from afar. Li Xiangqian's steps became heavy, and his heart was full of tangled thoughts. Most people in the courtyard have begun to live frugally and try to save limited food to cope with the more difficult days that may come. But he knew that he and his wife had reached a fork in the road - without food, life would become more difficult, and even the most basic survival could not be guaranteed.

At this moment, his cell phone suddenly vibrated, breaking his state of meditation. Li Xiangqian took out his cell phone from his pocket and saw a familiar name on the screen - his wife.

"Xiang Qian, are you back? There's nothing to eat at home. I might be hungry again tonight..." The gentle but slightly tired voice of his wife came from the other end of the phone. Her voice seemed a little depressed, as if she had become exhausted by the long-term poverty and hardship. Li Xiang Qian's heart tightened, and a feeling of guilt and powerlessness surged in his heart.

"I understand. I'll be back right away." Li Xiangqian responded briefly and hung up the phone. He was a little confused. He knew he had to do something, but at the moment, he was not sure how to get out of the predicament.

He walked into the street stalls. Most of the shops on both sides of the street were closed. Only one or two shops were still on. The shop owners were busy clearing out the remaining goods. Li Xiangqian walked to a familiar shop. The shop owner was a middle-aged man. He had done business with him several times and occasionally greeted each other. Today, he still stood in front of the shop, looking down at piles of vegetables and groceries.

"Old Li, what do you want to buy?" The middle-aged man looked up and saw him, and greeted him casually.

Li Xiangqian felt heavy in his heart. He hesitated for a moment before he said, "I have something urgent here. Can you see if you can..." He didn't finish his words. He lowered his head and looked at his empty wallet. He suddenly felt a little ashamed.

"You mean, food?" The man smiled slightly, as if he saw through Li Xiangqian's thoughts. "Food is not easy to find recently, and the price has risen sharply. I only have some millet and rice grains left, and the quantity is not much. How much do you want?" His eyes were a little suspicious, as if he wanted to see something from Li Xiangqian's face.