Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian stared at Xu Damao, his tone getting colder and colder: "Stop playing tricks here. What do you want?"

Xu Damao's smile gradually faded, and a hint of teasing flashed in his eyes. "Li Xiangqian, I don't want to embarrass you, nor do I want to ruin your current situation. I just feel that if you continue in this state, you will mess yourself up sooner or later."

Li Xiangqian knew that every word of Xu Damao had a purpose, which was to make him fall into some kind of emotional fluctuation. At this moment, he was in an indescribable anxiety. He knew that what Xu Damao said was not completely groundless, but it also had some kind of guidance, as if he deliberately wanted him to make a mistake.

"I understand what you said," Li Xiangqian's tone was as cold as ice, "You just want me to surrender, but I won't give you this chance."

Xu Damao's smile deepened. "Don't give in? Then continue to do what you want to do. But I hope you can understand that the apparent peace in the courtyard does not mean that nothing has really happened. Everyone has their own calculations, and the fact that you have come this far is enough to prove that you are not a fool."

Li Xiangqian did not speak again. He just stared at Xu Damao quietly, but a stronger determination was ignited in his heart. The man's words were like an invisible string, stirring up a certain impulse deep in his heart again. Perhaps Xu Damao was right. There was no real "peace" here. Everyone was waiting for a certain opportunity, waiting to strike.

He was not afraid of this game, and even had some desire for it, but he also knew that now was not the time to make a move. Li Xiangqian took a deep breath, turned around and walked deeper into the courtyard, his thoughts in his mind were like the wind that had never subsided, still spreading wantonly.

Li Xiangqian walked aimlessly in the courtyard, his footsteps on the familiar bluestone road, and the echo of each step seemed particularly clear. The atmosphere of the courtyard was a bit depressing, and the air was filled with the smell of old wood and blue bricks. It seemed that every brick and stone was silently telling the history of this place and conveying those unspoken secrets.

Today, he was in an extremely complicated mood. The dispute with Lou Xiao'e just now made him feel bad, and Xu Damao's provocation made him even more nervous. The tranquility of the courtyard formed a sharp contrast with his inner restlessness, as if he was in two different worlds, and every tiny change outside was constantly irritating his nerves.

He walked to the old locust tree. There were several sparrows hanging on the branches, pecking at food. The sun shone through the mottled leaves and cast mottled light and shadows on the ground, like a moving painting. Li Xiangqian lowered his head and looked at the interlaced light and shadows. He couldn't help but feel a little dazed, as if he remembered many past events. He had wandered under this tree before, and countless thoughts and decisions had now been buried by the daily life of this courtyard.

Li Xiangqian couldn't help but smile. What on earth was he insisting on? He wasn't stupid. The people in the courtyard had different thoughts. Everyone wore a mask, some were gentle and elegant, some were shrewd and ruthless, but who could really see through whom? And who could he see through?

He looked up and saw the millstone at the gate in front of him. Almost everyone would pass by there. Next to the millstone were a few wild flowers in full bloom, swaying in the wind, and the fresh fragrance drifted into his nose. Li Xiangqian stopped for a moment and suddenly realized that he actually didn't know this place, not even himself.

"What are you doing here, kid?" A voice suddenly sounded, pulling Li Xiangqian out of his deep thoughts. Looking back, it was Uncle Liu, who often appeared in the yard, holding a broom and staring at him with wide eyes.

Li Xiangqian was slightly stunned, then smiled bitterly and said, "It's okay, take a walk and think things through."

Uncle Liu put down his broom and slowly walked to Li Xiangqian's side. His figure was hunched, and his eyes flashed with an inexplicable wisdom. "Li Xiangqian, you have to be careful about the Siheyuan. This place is not a place you can just walk through whenever you want. If you take a wrong step, you will be in trouble every step."

Li Xiangqian did not answer immediately, and suddenly he felt uneasy. Uncle Liu was not a simple person. Although he was old and his body was becoming less and less flexible, his prestige and connections in the courtyard were definitely not something that ordinary people could ignore. Every time he talked to him, Li Xiangqian would feel an inexplicable pressure, as if Uncle Liu could always see through something in his heart.

"What do you know now?" Li Xiangqian asked in a deep voice.

Uncle Liu smiled, with a deep light in his eyes, "I know you know what's going on and won't do anything stupid. But there are some things that you can't control alone. You have to remember that the courtyard is not your own world, and everyone has his own calculations."

Li Xiangqian's mouth twitched slightly, and a complex emotion surged in his heart. Indeed, Lou Xiao'e had said something similar, Xu Damao had also reminded him, and Uncle Liu's words at this moment were like a needle that pierced his heart. He knew that everything he was doing now, no matter from which angle, had attracted the attention of some people. And he seemed to be walking step by step into that dangerous vortex.

"I understand. Thank you, Uncle Liu." Li Xiangqian said in a low voice, but he couldn't help feeling a little confused. He was not unaware of the complexity of the Siheyuan and the various undercurrents in it, but the omnipresent sense of oppression still made him feel suffocated.

Uncle Liu patted Li Xiangqian on the shoulder and said softly, "Young man, matters concerning the Siheyuan require a sense of propriety. Don't move too fast, and don't be too impatient. Take it slow, step by step, and one day, you will understand."

After saying that, Uncle Liu slowly turned around and walked towards the gate of the courtyard with his broom in his hand. Li Xiangqian looked at his receding figure, and his heart was filled with anxiety again. Uncle Liu's reminder seemed to tell him that the current situation was not as simple as he had imagined. The more anxious he was to get out of the situation, the easier it would be for him to fall into the trap that others had already set.

Li Xiangqian sighed, turned around and continued to walk to the other side of the courtyard. He didn't want to stay in this silent atmosphere anymore, he wanted to leave and find something to calm himself down. However, every corner of the courtyard was like a mirror image of his inner self, no matter where he went, he couldn't get rid of those complicated emotions.

Walking to the well, Li Xiangqian stopped and stared at the light reflected on the water surface of the well. The water surface was like a mirror, reflecting the worried expression on his face. Through the water, he saw his familiar yet unfamiliar appearance. That person looked so calm, yet so confused, as if he had been swallowed up by the complex environment of the courtyard.