Siheyuan: A journey of mountains and rivers

The woman was wearing a simple floral dress, with long hair draped over her shoulders, and a look of fatigue and helplessness on her face. He Yuzhu approached and noticed that she was sorting out a worn-out handbag, with the contents of the bag scattered all over the floor. Seeing her in such a mess, He Yuzhu stopped involuntarily and asked with concern, "Girl, do you need help?"

Ran Qiuye looked up and saw a tall and burly man standing in front of her, with a gentle expression and concern in his eyes. She nodded gratefully and said, "Thank you, it's just that the strap of the bag broke and the things fell out."

He Yuzhu put down the vegetables in his hand and squatted down to help her pick up the scattered items. An old book, a bottle of perfume, a few crumpled banknotes, and some small items. After finishing, He Yuzhu took out a strong rope from his pocket, tied the bag strap again, and handed it to Ran Qiuye.

"Okay, this should last for a while," he said with a smile.

Ran Qiuye took the bag and showed a warm smile on her face: "Thank you so much, are you a resident here?"

He Yuzhu nodded and said, "Yes, I live in this courtyard. What about you? Are you here to look for someone?"

Ran Qiuye lowered her head and answered shyly, "Actually, I just moved to a small alley nearby, and today is my first time here."

He Yuzhu said enthusiastically: "Since we are neighbors, if you need any help in the future, just come to me. My name is He Yuzhu."

Ran Qiuye smiled and said, "My name is Ran Qiuye, nice to meet you."

The two chatted, and He Yuzhu learned that Ran Qiuye had just come to Beijing from another place and found a job, but because she had just settled down, she was not familiar with many things. He Yuzhu patiently explained the situation nearby to her and took the initiative to take her to familiarize herself with the environment of the quadrangle.

As time went by, He Yuzhu and Ran Qiuye became closer. They often met in the courtyard. Sometimes He Yuzhu would invite Ran Qiuye to his home for dinner, and Ran Qiuye would bring some homemade snacks. Whenever she had difficulties, He Yuzhu would always appear at the first time to give her meticulous help and care.

One day, He Yuzhu was busy repairing the water pipe in the yard when he suddenly heard Ran Qiuye's cry for help. He put down his tools and quickly ran to the direction of the sound. It turned out that Ran Qiuye's hand was stuck in the crack of the door and could not move. Without saying a word, He Yuzhu carefully helped her pull her hand out and asked with concern: "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Ran Qiuye shook his head, tears of gratitude flashing in his eyes: "Thank you, Brother Yuzhu, if it weren't for you, I don't know what to do."

He Yuzhu smiled and said softly: "We are friends, so feel free to come to me if you have any difficulties."

Gradually, Ran Qiuye became more and more dependent on He Yuzhu, and a special feeling quietly grew in her heart. She liked to see him busy, liked to listen to his interesting stories, and liked to feel the warmth and security he brought.

However, He Yuzhu never noticed Ran Qiuye's emotional changes. He was only thinking about taking good care of his sister, and work and family occupied most of his time. Whenever Ran Qiuye showed a little bit of affection, He Yuzhu always thought that she was just simply grateful and friendly, and never thought much about it.

One night, in the courtyard of the quadrangle, the moonlight sprinkled on the bluestone slabs, which seemed particularly peaceful. Ran Qiuye plucked up the courage and decided to express her feelings to He Yuzhu. She carefully prepared a dinner and invited He Yuzhu to come over for dinner.

During dinner, Ran Qiuye had an expectant smile on her face, and she would secretly glance at He Yuzhu from time to time. And He Yuzhu chatted with her as usual, telling her about the interesting things that happened during the day. After dinner, she said softly: "Brother Yuzhu, I have something to tell you."

He Yuzhu put down his chopsticks and looked at her seriously: "What's the matter? Qiuye, tell me."

Ran Qiuye took a deep breath, with a determined light flashing in his eyes: "Brother Yuzhu, I actually like you, and I want to be with you."

He Yuzhu was stunned. He didn't expect Ran Qiuye to say such a thing. He didn't know how to respond for a moment. He was silent for a moment, then said softly: "Qiuye, I appreciate your affection for me, but I always think of you as a friend in my heart."

There was a flash of disappointment in Ran Qiuye's eyes, but she still smiled and said, "It's okay, Brother Yuzhu, I just want you to know my feelings. Even if we can't be together, I cherish our friendship. I felt a little guilty and complicated in my heart. He knew that Ran Qiuye was a good girl, but he had too many responsibilities and pressures in his life now, and he couldn't give her a clear promise.

Since then, Ran Qiuye's attitude towards He Yuzhu has remained the same, but the emotion in her heart has been deeply buried. He Yuzhu has also paid more attention to her life and tried his best to avoid making her feel lonely and lost.

Although the relationship between He Yuzhu and Ran Qiuye did not go further, their interaction was still cordial and harmonious. One day, there was a noise in the courtyard. It turned out that the neighbor Yi Zhonghai asked He Yuzhu to go fishing in the nearby river to relax his tense nerves.

"Yuzhui, are you free today? Let's go to the river to catch some fish and relax." Yi Zhonghai said with a smile, his eyes flashing with excitement.

He Yuzhu was busy repairing an old chair in the yard. When he heard Yi Zhonghai's suggestion, he looked up at the sky and thought the weather was good, so he nodded and agreed. "Okay, Brother Zhonghai, I just want to go out and get some fresh air, too."

So, the two packed up their fishing gear and snacks and walked towards the river together. Walking on the road, He Yuzhu's thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the moment when Ran Qiuye confessed to him a few days ago. He felt a little regretful in his heart, but more of an indescribable complex emotion. He knew that Ran Qiuye was a good girl, but his current life was full of responsibilities and pressures, and he couldn't easily accept her feelings.

Arriving at the river, Yi Zhonghai skillfully arranged the fishing gear, and He Yuzhu also got busy. The two sat by the river, enjoying the quiet time with the breeze on their faces. Yi Zhonghai saw what was on He Yuzhu's mind, "Yuzhu, are you worried about something recently? You always seem absent-minded."

He Yuzhu smiled bitterly, sighed, and said, "Brother Zhonghai, something has really bothered me recently. Qiuye confessed her love to me, but I don't know how to respond."

Yi Zhonghai nodded and said with understanding: "It's true that emotional matters are difficult to deal with. Have you ever seriously thought about your feelings?"