Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

He Yuzhu nodded, and the two of them didn't say anything more, and hurriedly retreated from the shabby little courtyard. The market outside the alley was still bustling with people, and the hawking sounds were one after another, as if nothing had changed. But Li Xiangqian's mood had turned upside down. The images of those corns kept flashing in his mind, like a nightmare.

On the way back to the factory, Li Xiangqian looked down at his feet from time to time, his mind still in a mess. His steps were mechanical and heavy, as if every step he took made his heart heavier. He didn't dare to think about the expressions of his family members when they learned that the corn was stolen, especially Xiaoying. That strong woman had already paid too much for this family, and he didn't want to make her worry anymore.

"Xiang Qian, don't blame yourself. We can always find a way." He Yuzhu seemed to see his inner struggle, and his voice was steady and powerful. He Yuzhu was always able to stay calmer in chaos than Li Xiangqian, and perhaps this was the reason why he was trusted by everyone in the courtyard. He patted Li Xiangqian on the shoulder and continued, "We fell into a trap this time, and we must learn a lesson. If we encounter such a thing next time, we must be careful and don't easily trust those who are not familiar with us."

Li Xiangqian nodded. Although he was still feeling heavy in his heart, He Yuzhu's words comforted him a little. He knew that He Yuzhu was right. He had to be more cautious and calm, and not be blinded by his impatience.

The streets were still dim, and the air was filled with a dull atmosphere. The daily trivialities of the courtyard seemed to have left them in an instant. At this moment, the hustle and bustle of the entire city seemed to have nothing to do with them. Only the familiar but unknown road in front of them was waiting for them to walk on.

Li Xiangqian stood at the gate of the courtyard, feeling a mixture of emotions. He had never felt the road beneath his feet so heavy. Every step he took was like being pressed down by a huge stone, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. The light from the house shone through the window, faint and warm, but Li Xiangqian's eyes were full of pressure. The corn was stolen, and he knew that he would have to face Xiaoying and the child's questions sooner or later, but he didn't dare to go into the house, fearing that he could not bear the disappointment and helplessness in their eyes.

"Forget it, this matter must be resolved first. I can't just swallow this anger." Li Xiangqian said to himself fiercely in his heart. Then, he turned and walked out of the yard, deciding to go directly to the factory security department to try his luck, maybe they could help.

The street lights in the courtyard had already dimmed, but Li Xiangqian's mind was in a mess. Along the way, he repeatedly thought about the next countermeasures, and his heart was full of doubts and regrets. Why did those people know that he brought food? Why did everything seem to have been arranged long ago? Could there be more accomplices in the market? The calculations behind this made him feel cold, but he knew that the most urgent task now was to find the gangsters who stole his corn as soon as possible, whether it was to get the food back or to prevent them from succeeding again, he had to act immediately.

The factory's security department seemed particularly deserted at night. The few workers who occasionally passed by lowered their heads and walked hurriedly. Li Xiangqian walked to the half-open iron door. Behind the door was the small office of the security department, with only dim light shining through. Standing at the door was a security guard in a gray uniform, leaning against the wall and smoking in boredom.

"Hey, Xiangqian, why are you coming to the security department so late?" The security guard saw Li Xiangqian, a look of confusion appeared on his face. He blew out a smoke ring and frowned slightly.

Li Xiangqian hurriedly stepped forward and whispered, "Lao Zhang, I have something urgent and I need your help." There was a hint of urgency in his tone, but he did not dare to appear too impatient. After all, this was a request for help, not an order.

Old Zhang's eyes flickered, and he felt something was wrong. After all, although Li Xiangqian was usually reserved, he would never rush to his house, especially at night. He narrowed his eyes, threw away the cigarette butt in his hand, crushed it with his foot, and then asked in a low voice: "What's the matter? You don't look well."

Li Xiangqian took a deep breath, calmed himself, and briefly recounted his previous experience. His tone was still filled with deep regret and helplessness. The feeling of being robbed but unable to resist made him feel as if a huge stone was pressing on his heart, which was extremely heavy.

"The corn was stolen?" Old Zhang frowned and looked serious. He obviously didn't expect things to develop to this point. After all, the workers in the factory had a hard life, and food was even more expensive. Old Zhang lowered his head and pondered for a while, as if he was weighing the seriousness of the matter.

"This is a big deal." He muttered in a low voice, then raised his head and looked at Li Xiangqian, his eyes more serious, "Xiangqian, let me tell you, things are not peaceful at the market recently. Several people have mentioned to me that some criminals are taking advantage of the chaos to do these shady things. These hooligans you met don't seem to be just making a fuss. There may be a group of people behind them."

When Li Xiangqian heard this, his heart skipped a beat. Sure enough, the matter was much more complicated than he had imagined. Those people did not commit the crime by chance, but were organized and premeditated. Thinking of this, he felt even more uneasy and anxious.

"Lao Zhang, what should I do? These people come and go without a trace, and I don't even know their background. Should I just let it go?" Li Xiangqian's voice was filled with helplessness and anxiety. He knew that it was almost impossible to take back the stolen food from these thugs by his own strength, but he couldn't accept that the matter would end like this.

Lao Zhang took a deep breath, and seemed to be thinking about a solution. He was silent for a moment, and finally nodded: "This way, our security department is not helpless. Your case is not a small matter, I can help you find out if there are other people who have been targeted by them. Also, if you describe the appearance of the person who robbed you, maybe we can find some clues."

Li Xiangqian's eyes suddenly flashed with hope. He immediately recalled the men who robbed him. Although the situation was chaotic at the time, he still remembered the faces of two strong men. He carefully described the men's appearance, as well as their rude actions and words. Lao Zhang listened carefully and nodded from time to time, as if he had already outlined some familiar images in his mind.

"The people you mentioned seem to be the ones who have been hanging around recently. They hang around the market all day, targeting the honest people who are not vigilant." Lao Zhang thought for a while and said slowly, "But they usually won't succeed easily unless they know in advance that you have something valuable. So... there must be something wrong with this vendor."