Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian stood there, looking at Qin Huairu's back, and the confusion and bewilderment in his heart seemed to gradually become clear. He knew that he could not continue to waste his energy like this. He could not take everyone and every disturbance in the courtyard lightly. He had to grow up to find his own space and his own foothold in this chaotic situation.

Li Xiangqian and Qin Huairu walked back to her little house together. The air still carried the warmth of summer, and the sun shone through the window lattice, reflecting on the bluestone floor where the two walked, leaving mottled light and shadows. There was a little dust in the house, but that did not cover up the tranquility and peace in the house. There were several small potted plants on the windowsill, full of greenery, and a few books were piled up in the corner of the room. The room was simple and warm, giving people a sense of tranquility and comfort.

Qin Huairu did not sit down immediately. She walked to the window and opened the curtains to let in more sunlight. Her movements were very natural, with an innate elegance, as if she had merged with the house, and even with the courtyard itself. Li Xiangqian stood at the door, looking at her with a dazed look. This woman, who was once just an inconspicuous name in the courtyard, seemed to always be able to give him some guidance at critical moments and bring him some indescribable comfort.

He walked slowly into the room, raised his hand and casually supported the chair beside the table, but did not sit down. The inner chaos and confusion surged into his heart again. Although Qin Huairu's words just now gave him some comfort, the invisible pressure still weighed heavily on his shoulders, almost making it difficult for him to breathe.

Qin Huairu stood by the window, her back was gentle, but gave people a power that could not be ignored. She seemed to notice Li Xiangqian's silence, turned around gently, and smiled faintly: "What's the matter, is it on your mind again?"

Li Xiangqian looked at her, and was stunned. The Qin Huairu in front of him seemed a little different from the one in the yard just now. At that time, she was concerned and gentle, but now, her eyes were calm and insightful, as if she had seen through all the fluctuations in Li Xiangqian's heart.

He smiled bitterly and shook his head. "I don't know why, but I always feel uneasy. As things have developed to this point, I feel that I am increasingly unable to control the situation. Xu Damao's matter is just the tip of the iceberg. I have no idea about the more things behind it. In addition, the people in the Siheyuan have different mindsets and everyone has their own calculations. How can I find my own foothold?"

Qin Huairu did not respond immediately. She walked over slowly, gently pulled out a chair and sat down, folded her hands on her knees, lowered her eyes, and seemed to be in deep thought. After a while, she looked up, her eyes were still gentle, but with a hint of sharpness: "You just said that Xu Damao's intervention made you feel uneasy, so have you ever thought about why he did this? Why does he act so enthusiastic in front of you, and sometimes even seems to know some of your decisions and react first?"

Li Xiangqian was stunned for a moment. He did not expect Qin Huairu to point out Xu Damao's "motive behind the scenes". He was speechless for a moment, and doubts arose in his heart. Li Xiangqian always thought that Xu Damao's behavior was helping him, and even felt that he was a silent pillar supporting his situation in the courtyard. But as time went by, Li Xiangqian gradually realized that Xu Damao's enthusiasm did not seem to be out of simple friendship or sense of responsibility.

"I've thought about it before." Li Xiangqian finally spoke in a low voice, "He did that because he had some purpose behind it. Maybe he was attracted by some resources in Siheyuan, or something else. But now I'm increasingly suspicious that his actions are not limited to helping me solve the problem at hand, but are already planning for his own interests. In other words, he's using me."

Qin Huairu nodded slightly, not looking surprised at all, as if what Li Xiangqian said was not a hard-to-guess fact. "You might as well observe for a while longer, maybe you will find more details." She paused, as if she felt that she should say something more practical, "You must start trying to control the situation, instead of passively waiting for others to give you the answer."

Li Xiangqian looked at her, with a hint of mixed emotions in his eyes. "I'm not afraid of confronting him. What I'm afraid of is that after making a decision, other people will also start to change from spectators to participants, and in the end, I will be completely involved."

"You are worried that once you take action, all the chess games will change and you will lose control." Qin Huairu took over the conversation softly, "This is a reasonable worry, but if you keep this up, you will eventually be passively swallowed up by the situation. You need to find a balance that can protect yourself and make others realize that you are someone who is capable of making decisions."

Li Xiangqian took a deep breath, and his inner struggle intensified again. He knew that he could no longer continue to indulge in hesitation and anxiety, but every time he faced Xu Damao, or even other people in the courtyard, he always felt like he was in an invisible chess game and could not escape.

"I understand." Li Xiangqian finally said softly, with a look of determination in his eyes, "I can't continue to be passive."

Qin Huairu did not speak again, but just stared at him quietly, as if waiting for him to make the final decision. Her eyes were calm, as if she had seen through Li Xiangqian's heart.

Li Xiangqian was silent for a long time, and his thoughts surged in his mind. He realized that he had to make a choice and could not continue to escape. The fight in the courtyard was not as simple as the outside world imagined. Xu Damao and everyone who had a relationship with him seemed to have quietly laid a net, and he had inevitably walked to the center of this game.

He suddenly understood that perhaps he had always felt like an outsider because he had never really participated in it. But now, whether he was willing or not, the development of the situation had begun to involve him in this dispute. And whether he had enough courage to face these unknown challenges and take the initiative was still an unresolved question.

Li Xiangqian's eyes unconsciously moved away from the window, and his eyes fell on a carpet in the corner of the room, where Qin Huairu's son's toys were scattered around. Suddenly, he heard a dull fall, followed by a child's cry that broke the silence in the room.