Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Suddenly, a detail flashed through his mind - Bang Geng. A few days ago, he accidentally heard Bang Geng boasting that he "got a good shovel". It was a tool that he "stole" from someone's house.

"Bang Geng is a kid who is so young that no one would really pursue him, but this shovel..." Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly went on alarm. If someone came to his yard last night, could this guy be a variable? A shovel is usually inconspicuous, but it can be used to turn the soil or leave traces. Once it is traced, it is easy to implicate the person.

"I can't let him do whatever he wants." Li Xiangqian's heart tightened, thinking secretly. He knew that Banggeng was a smart and cunning child, and ordinary people couldn't do anything to him, but he couldn't let him do whatever he wanted. At this time, any uncontrollable factors could become the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Li Xiangqian stood up and paced around the room with mixed feelings. He was thinking about how to start the conversation without alerting Banggeng, but at the same time, he could find out his whereabouts and the whereabouts of the shovel. "I can't force it, this guy is too cunning." He thought to himself, "I have to go around from the side."

He hesitated for a moment, and finally decided to act immediately. It was still early, and Banggeng would definitely not go out and run around. He walked quickly to the outside of the yard, and saw Banggeng squatting in the corner, holding a dry bun in his hand, chewing it while looking around. Li Xiangqian watched coldly, thinking to himself: "Sure enough, he is restless. He has the leisure to eat so leisurely on such a day. He must be thinking of some crooked ideas again."

"Banggeng!" Li Xiangqian called out in a low voice, with a tone that left no room for doubt. Banggeng raised his head, still chewing a steamed bun, and said incoherently, "What's the matter, Uncle Li? Why are you looking for me so early in the morning?"

"Come here, I have something to ask you." Li Xiangqian waved his hand, his face expressionless. Banggeng looked at his serious expression and suddenly became alert, but he still put down the steamed bun, wiped his hands and came over.

"Uncle Li, you came to me so early, didn't you hear something about me from someone?" Bang Geng put on a smile, but there was a hint of tentativeness in his tone.

"Don't talk nonsense. Let me ask you something." Li Xiangqian stared at him, his eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts. "Did you get a shovel recently?"

When Banggeng heard this, his eyes slightly turned and he immediately waved his hand to deny it: "No way, a shovel is not that easy to use. Who are you listening to?"

"Okay, stop pretending." Li Xiangqian sneered, his eyes fixed on his face, "Who can you hide your thoughts from? I don't have time to beat around the bush with you. Just tell me, where is the shovel? Have you used it?"

Bang Geng felt uneasy when he was looked at. His mouth twitched twice and he tried to make up something. But when he met Li Xiangqian's eyes, he suddenly felt that this man seemed to know everything. He lowered his head, touched his nose, and muttered: "I... I picked it up. I really didn't do anything with it. I just put it at home and never used it."

"You picked it up?" Li Xiangqian's tone was full of doubt. "Can you guarantee to me that you didn't use it to turn over the ground or dig anything?"

"Really!" Bang Geng waved his hands hastily, "I just saw it was new, so I picked it up. Uncle Li, believe me, I really didn't do anything else."

Li Xiangqian stared at him, his eyes becoming sharper. He was silent for a few seconds before he spoke: "You'd better not use it. If I find out that you lied, I don't need to tell you the consequences, right?"

Bang Geng nodded repeatedly with a flattering smile on his face: "I'm not lying, Uncle Li. I, Bang Geng, keep my word."

"Okay." Li Xiangqian nodded and lowered his voice a little, "Now, take me to see the shovel."

Banggeng was stunned for a moment, but seeing the expression on Li Xiangqian's face that would not tolerate rejection, he could only agree obediently and turned to walk home. Along the way, his heart was beating like a little rabbit. He didn't know why Li Xiangqian was suddenly so interested in this shovel, and he didn't know if he had given himself away. But his intuition told him that if he got it wrong this time, the consequences might be much worse than usual.

Arriving at Banggeng's house, he opened the broken door in the backyard and dug out a shovel from the firewood pile in the corner. The shovel was indeed brand new, with some dirt marks on the handle, obviously it had been used. The moment Li Xiangqian saw the shovel, his face darkened slightly.

"Banggeng, is this the shovel you said you never used?" His voice was low but cold.

When Bang Geng saw the dirt on the shovel, he panicked and quickly waved his hands to explain: "This, this may have been used by someone else before, I really didn't do anything!"

Li Xiangqian did not speak immediately. He squatted down and carefully examined the dirt on the shovel. He twisted it with his fingertips. The dirt was moist and a little sticky, obviously it was just applied recently. He frowned and looked up at Banggeng: "This mud was just applied. If you tell me again that it has not been used, I will go to your mother and have a good talk with her."

Bang Geng was so frightened that his face turned pale. He hurriedly shook his head: "Uncle Li, don't, don't tell my mom! I really didn't do anything. I just... I just saw the wasteland at the entrance of the village last time, dug a few times, and gave it a try."

"Wasteland at the entrance of the village?" Li Xiangqian's eyes narrowed slightly, and a trace of vigilance flashed through his mind. "When did it happen?"

Banggeng swallowed and whispered, "It was only three or four days ago... that place is unattended, so I just dug a few times and didn't find anything."

Li Xiangqian's brows furrowed as he listened. He grabbed the shovel and said in a low but unquestionable voice, "I'll take this shovel first. Listen carefully, from now on, don't cause trouble and don't run around. If I find out anything again... you know the consequences."

Bang Geng lowered his head, not daring to refute, and could only nod repeatedly: "Okay, okay, Uncle Li, I remember, I will definitely not move."

Li Xiangqian carried a shovel and walked slowly and heavily in the narrow alley leading to the yard. His palms were slightly warm, and he seemed to be unaware of the strength of holding the shovel handle tightly. He looked down at the mottled soil on the shovel, and Banggeng's panicked voice echoed in his ears, and he felt mixed emotions.

"A boy of this age has a more active mind than an adult, and his head is full of unorthodox ideas." Li Xiangqian took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, but he felt like his heart was stabbed by something.

A cool breeze blew by, and he stopped and looked up at the dead branches fluttering on the courtyard wall not far away. The sun shone on his face, but it could not dispel the gloom in his eyes. His thoughts involuntarily returned to those earlier days. At that time, most people in the courtyard were still simple and honest. Children played around, but no one would reach out to touch other people's things. But now, children like Banggeng are like a mirror, reflecting every dark corner of this courtyard.