Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

Two days later, in the early morning, the sun struggled to penetrate the clouds, casting a few rays of light, adding a little warmth to the courtyards of the old city.

Liu Guangqi got up early, his heart was like a restless little rabbit, jumping around non-stop.

Today is an important day for him. He is filled with anxiety and high expectations.

He stood in front of the mirror, arranging his clothes carefully and meticulously, fearing that any untidiness would affect what was going to happen next.

Not only that, he also repeatedly reminded Qi Sihui beside him of various details that needed attention, as if he could never say enough.

Looking at Qi Sihui again, she was obviously dressed up carefully today.

She was wearing a simple and elegant buttoned jacket. The fabric was obviously of top quality, soft to the touch and as smooth as silk.

The delicate buttons are like small and exquisite works of art, neatly arranged on the coat. They not only serve the purpose of fixing and decorating, but also cleverly set off her slender and graceful neck line, making her look more gentle and dignified.

The lower body is matched with a navy blue cloth skirt, which is just knee-length.

When she took light steps, the hem of her skirt swayed gently, just like the tender green willow branches swaying in the spring breeze, graceful and charming.

This outfit perfectly showcases her fresh and beautiful temperament.

Her long, shiny black hair was combed neatly and braided into two exquisite braids, falling on her shoulders.

A few strands of hair hung neatly on both sides of her fair ears like naughty elves, adding a touch of playfulness and cuteness.

Whoever sees such a beautiful Qi Sihui will involuntarily feel happy and feel the soft and warm breath emanating from her.

As soon as she stepped into the house, Qi Sihui's eyes as bright as stars lit up instantly. She immediately perked up, with the corners of her mouth raised, and a smile as bright as the warm spring sun bloomed.

She took small, light steps and ran towards Liu Haizhong and the second aunt, calling out in her clear, soft voice, "Uncle, aunt, long time no see! Are you all doing well lately? I've been thinking about you all the time!"

As she spoke, Qi Sihui bowed slightly, her movements elegant and graceful, fully displaying the demeanor of a lady from a noble family.

Her big watery eyes looked at Liu Haizhong and Second Aunt with great sincerity, as if she could see deep into their hearts through their eyes.

However, what is unexpected is that their attitude towards bangs this time is quite different from before.

The originally amiable face in the bangs now became stiff as a frozen iron plate without any expression.

His brows were slightly furrowed, forming a deep groove. He looked very serious, and even revealed a hint of displeasure.

The eyes that were always smiling now became cold, as if covered with a thick layer of frost, making people feel intimidated.

The second aunt standing by also looked embarrassed. She tried hard to force a smile to respond to Qi Sihui's enthusiasm, but the smile seemed extremely forced and uglier than crying.

Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end it turned into a sigh and she shook her head gently.

Faced with Qi Sihui's enthusiastic greeting, Liu Haizhong and the second aunt merely nodded indifferently and then remained silent, as if saying one more word would make them feel extremely exhausted.

The whole scene suddenly fell into an awkward silence, with only a depressing atmosphere filling the air.

Liu Guangqi, who had been observing all this silently from the side, couldn't help but feel furious when he saw this.

He never thought that his parents would be so indifferent to Qi Sihui. They were completely different from before!

He just felt a tightness in his chest, and the fire burned more and more fiercely, until his cheeks turned slightly red, and even his ears began to feel hot.

Unconsciously, Liu Guangqi's hands had been clenched into fists, and his knuckles had turned white because he was using too much force.

He secretly complained: They are turning a deaf ear to my words and don't care about my and Qi Sihui's feelings at all.

Last night, I spent a long time earnestly talking to my parents about Sihui's good points. I thought they would change, but I didn't expect them to still be like this.

Liu Guangqi frowned and was about to open his mouth to speak when he was stopped by Qi Sihui, who had been quietly pulling at the corner of his clothes and watching his every move.

Qi Sihui gently tugged at the corner of his clothes with just the right amount of force, shook her head slightly at him, her eyes full of dissuasion.

She was a smart and insightful girl with a clear mind. She came to Liu Guangqi's house with full sincerity and wanted to discuss their marriage with his parents.

It would be not worth it if Liu Guangqi quarreled with his parents again because of me. Things would only get worse and worse, and it would be even more difficult to ease the relationship in the future.

Liu Guangqi looked at Qi Sihui's eyes, understood what she meant, and had to give up. He took a deep breath, suppressed his displeasure, and secretly thought about finding an opportunity to bring up the matter later, but his eyes still revealed reluctance.

Seeing the awkward atmosphere, the second aunt hurriedly tried to smooth things over. She put on a smile, and the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes were squeezed together. She greeted them swiftly, "Girl, come in and sit down. You must be tired from the journey. Auntie will pour you a glass of water."

As he spoke, he quickly walked to the cupboard, picked up the cup and the teapot, and in one smooth move, he poured boiling hot water into the cup, and wisps of hot steam rose up.

Qi Sihui thanked him quickly, her voice soft and pleasant. She took light steps with her skirt fluttering. She sat down obediently, her back straight, and her hands placed neatly on her legs.

Liu Guangqi also sat next to her, sitting upright, but he glanced at his parents from time to time, full of anxiety.

For a moment, the house fell into a brief silence, with only the slight sound of water flowing when the second aunt poured water, ticking, like a countdown clock, knocking on everyone's heart.

Qi Sihui was the first to break the silence. She smiled and talked to Liu Haizhong and the second aunt. There was no anger on her face. She was still friendly and gentle. She said softly, "Uncle, aunt, I heard from Guangqi these two days that uncle and aunt do not approve of Guangqi and I. I want to ask why. Guangqi and I sincerely want to be together. If there is any problem, let's talk about it and find a way to solve it together. It's better than being in a stalemate."

She leaned forward slightly, her eyes open and full of anticipation.

Liu Haizhong coughed lightly, picked up the teacup, blew away the tea leaves floating on the surface, took a sip, moistened his throat, and then spoke, picking up some decent words first: "Girl, to be fair, you are really a good child, gentle and kind, well-educated, good-looking, and good-tempered. Your every move reveals the cultivation of a lady from a noble family. You are definitely a good match for our Guangqi. When others see you, they will definitely praise you for your talent and beauty."

At this point, he suddenly changed the subject and his expression became serious. He put down his teacup, folded his hands on his knees, and leaned back slightly. "But, considering your family's special circumstances, I don't approve of you two being together."

Seeing Qi Sihui listening attentively, Liu Haizhong continued, "Xiaohui, you are the only girl in your family. Your family lives far away in the northeast, which is a land of ice and snow. Your grandparents are still there. Although your family has settled here, the minds of the older generation are unpredictable. I expect your father will definitely go back after retirement. Will you go back with him then? If you also want to go back, will Qi be the only one in our family? Should we go back with you or stay in the old city? The days ahead are long, and living apart is not a solution. Husband and wife cannot see each other for a long time. Not only will their feelings fade, but there will be no one to take care of the family affairs, and they will break up sooner or later. We ordinary people live our lives in peace and reunion, but we can't stand such tossing. We also took this into consideration, so I don't agree with you two."

He stared at Qi Sihui with sharp eyes, as if he wanted to see through her.

Qi Sihui lowered her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, and thought for a moment, then raised her head again, with a sincere look, and explained slowly and calmly: "Uncle, you are very considerate, and I am especially grateful that you can consider so much about the future of Guangqi and me. Yes, my grandparents are still in their hometown in Northeast China, and my father has talked about going back to spend time with the elderly after retirement. But I grew up here since I was a child, my classmates, friends, and work circles are all here, and I am very familiar with every tree and grass here. More importantly, Guangqi is here."

As she spoke, she unconsciously looked at Liu Guangqi, her eyes full of tenderness, and reached out to gently hold Liu Guangqi's hand, "I have already discussed with my family that even if my father and his family return to the Northeast, I will stay in Sijiucheng. This is my root, and this is where I will run my life with Guangqi in the future. I can't bear to leave Guangqi, and I can't bear to leave everything here."

Liu Haizhong still had some doubts, his brows knitted tightly together, forming a deep "川" shape, and he pressed on, "Girl, you say it lightly now, but people are all made of flesh and blood. When your father and his family really pack up and leave, can you be so cruel as not to follow them? The Northeast is your hometown after all, and the blood is thicker than water. If you suddenly change your mind, what will Guangqi do? He has you in his heart and eyes, and he will be so sad to be left behind by you."

Liu Guangqi couldn't stand it anymore and stood up. He couldn't help but interrupt, "Dad, why don't you believe Sihui? Since she said so, she can definitely do it. Besides, even if something happens, we can discuss and solve it together. Don't always think the worst of her."

He was a little emotional, and the veins on his neck were slightly bulging.

"Shut up!" Liu Haizhong glared at Liu Guangqi and raised his voice to scold him, "Don't interrupt the adults when they are talking. This is a matter that concerns your whole life. Can you just agree to it casually? Do you understand what is going on?"

Qi Sihui quickly pulled Liu Guangqi, signaling him not to be impulsive, and then continued to say to Liu Haizhong: "Uncle, I know that empty words are not enough, and it is human nature that you don't trust me. How about this, let's make a written agreement, and if I break my promise today in the future, you can deal with it. I really want to live a good life with Guangqi. In the future, you two are my real parents, how can I abandon Guangqi?"

Her words were sincere and her eyes were firm, revealing her determination to fight to the end.

The second aunt was listening at the side and couldn't help but be moved. Her eyes were slightly red. She gently patted Qi Sihui's hand and said, "Girl, I know you are an honest child, but this document is too hurtful, so it's not necessary. It's just that your uncle is tangled in his heart and hopes that Guangqi will be smooth in the future. Please bear with it."

Liu Haizhong didn't say anything, but he was worried in his heart. Although the girl's words were sincere, there were too many variables in life. Who could guarantee that nothing would go wrong in the future?

He pondered for a long time before speaking again: "Girl, even if this can be settled, there is still the issue of retirement care. Your elderly are in the Northeast. If they have a headache or a fever in the future, will you have the energy to take care of them if you run back and forth? If Guangqi is tossed around by you, will he still be able to work? Life is not just about the two of you, it involves a lot of things. Life with old people above and young people below is not as simple as you think."

Qi Sihui pursed her lips and replied solemnly: "Uncle, I have also thought about the issue of elderly care. Nowadays, transportation is convenient and communications are developed. If there is an emergency in the Northeast, I can rush back quickly by train. On weekdays, Guangqi and I will also send more money and things to the elderly, and call them often to show our concern. As for here in Sijiu City, I will definitely take good care of your later life and never let Guangqi be distracted, so that he can work with peace of mind and be filial to you two. I will wash clothes and cook, serve tea and water, and chat with you two to relieve boredom. If you are sick, I will stay by your bed and serve you, and I will never shirk my responsibility."

She sat up straight, clenching the corners of her clothes with both hands to show her determination.

At this moment, several neighbors gathered outside the window, including Aunt San and Yan Bugui.

The three aunts stretched their necks, stood on tiptoe, pricked up their ears, and had gossipy looks on their faces.

Yan Bugui held the account book between his legs, shook his head, and whispered to the third aunt: "This girl is quite eloquent and makes sense. Let's see if she can convince Liu Haizhong completely."

The third aunt smacked her lips and whispered back, "It's difficult. Liu Haizhong's temper can't be dismissed with just a few words. I'm afraid there's still a lot of room for improvement in this situation."

The solemn atmosphere in the room continued. Liu Haizhong was silent for a long time, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

Liu Guangqi was full of anxiety, but he didn't dare to speak rashly.

Qi Sihui sat quietly with a firm look in her eyes, as if silently expressing her determination.

This negotiation about marriage has reached a stalemate, and no one can predict whether there will be a bright future.

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