Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian's heart trembled. Lao Zhang's words hit upon his doubts. The vendor had clearly lured him in on purpose, and then teamed up with the gangsters to rob him. This was not just a simple robbery, but more like a carefully planned trap.

"I should have thought of it earlier..." Li Xiangqian clenched his fists, and a strong anger surged in his heart. He knew that he had trusted others and made a fatal mistake, but he had no place to vent his anger. Facing a cunning opponent, he felt extremely powerless.

Old Zhang looked at Li Xiangqian's expression and said in a deep voice, "Xiangqian, I'll take a closer look at this matter. Go home first and don't let your family worry too much. As for these people, I'll help you keep an eye on them. Although the Security Department is not specifically responsible for catching thieves, we can't let these bastards run rampant around our factory."

Li Xiangqian nodded. Although he was still anxious, Lao Zhang's promise made him feel more secure. At least he was no longer fighting alone, and there were people in the factory willing to help.

"Thank you, Lao Zhang." Li Xiangqian's voice was full of sincerity and gratitude. At this moment, he felt a little comforted and felt that he was not completely alone.

Lao Zhang patted him on the shoulder and whispered, "Don't be polite, we are all family. You go back first and have a good rest, I will take care of the rest." After he said that, he lit another cigarette and turned into the security department's office.

Li Xiangqian stood there, watching Lao Zhang disappear in the dim light, and couldn't help but feel a lot of emotions in his heart. He knew that the security department might not be able to solve the problem immediately in a short period of time, but at least someone was willing to stand up for him, which was the best result at present.

He looked down at the road under his feet, and the thugs who stole his corn still appeared in his mind. His eyes gradually became hard, and the anger in his heart did not die out, but burned more fiercely. He knew that this matter could not be left alone. Those people stole not only food, but also the hope for survival for him and his family.

Li Xiangqian clenched his fists and swore in his heart that he would get back his face no matter what. Even if he was powerless at the moment, he would try his best to prevent this gang of thugs from continuing to run rampant. Back at the courtyard, he had to discuss the next plan with Xiaoying, and at the same time he had to use his brains in the factory to see if he could get more information from other old friends.

When Li Xiangqian returned to the courtyard, the night had completely enveloped the entire sky, and the dim lights under the eaves cast a vague halo. The courtyard was exceptionally quiet, and the occasional barking of dogs made the entire space seem even more dull and lonely. When passing through the gate, Li Xiangqian subconsciously looked up, but his heart was still uneasy. He was thinking about what to do next.

The gangsters who stole his corn were still lingering in his mind. Their cold faces, wanton laughter, and rough movements seemed to be engraved in his mind. Although Lao Zhang from the security department agreed to help, Li Xiangqian knew in his heart that he couldn't rely on others for this matter. Especially now, food is in short supply, and the watermelons in his hands are not yet fully ripe, so they are already extremely precious. The corn was stolen, and if there is a problem with the watermelons again, he really doesn't know what to use to fill the gap in his family. Thinking of this, Li Xiangqian felt uneasy, a kind of anxiety and urgency that he couldn't explain. He felt that he could no longer sit and wait for death, and he had to go to the melon field to take a look in person. Those watermelons became his last hope.

Li Xiangqian's steps were somewhat hasty, his hands tightly grasping the corners of his clothes, and all kinds of ominous premonitions kept flashing through his mind. He knew that there were always people coming and going in the melon field near the courtyard. Although the security measures were not strict, there were still some people guarding it. Especially at this special time of year, everyone was keeping a close eye on their own crops. But even so, he still couldn't be completely relieved. After all, the corn was robbed at the market, which meant that those people had already set their sights on him. Now he was like a prey being stared at by a tiger, and if he wasn't careful, he would fall into the trap again.

Walking on the night road, the shadows of the trees around swayed, and the moonlight shone through the branches and leaves, casting a silver-like light. The melon field was not far from the courtyard. Li Xiangqian walked quickly through a few alleys and saw the familiar field. In the darkness, you can vaguely see rows of neat melon vines spreading under the moonlight. The watermelons hung heavily on the vines, like silent guardians, quietly waiting for the moment of maturity. Li Xiangqian felt a little relieved. The watermelons were still there, untouched.

He walked slowly into the melon field and bent down to check the watermelons that had already shown signs of ripening. He gently patted a melon closest to his feet, and heard the familiar "dong dong" sound. The melon had become a little heavy. He stroked the vine with his hand, feeling the texture of the melon skin. Although the anxiety in his heart was slightly relieved, the uneasiness buried deep in his heart still lingered.

"We can start picking the watermelons tomorrow," Li Xiangqian thought to himself, with a look of determination in his eyes. Thinking of the many people at home waiting for food, and those faces full of hope, he knew he couldn't delay any longer. The watermelons in the melon field must be sold before anything goes wrong.

As he was thinking, he suddenly heard a slight noise coming from afar. The sound was not loud, but it was particularly abrupt in the quiet night. Li Xiangqian raised his head and looked in the direction of the sound. At the other end of the melon field, there were a few dark shadows swaying. Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly rose to his throat, and countless possibilities flashed through his mind. He resisted the acceleration of his heartbeat, quietly crouched down, and crawled forward, wanting to get closer to those people to see what was going on.

The closer he got, the faster his heartbeat became. Li Xiangqian couldn't help but imagine the shadows of those gangsters. Could they have already reached here? Could tonight be the night they would strike again? A strong sense of crisis made his palms sweat coldly, and his steps became extremely cautious. The land under the melon vines was soft and moist, and he felt his feet sink slightly with every step he took.

Suddenly, the shadows started to move. One of them seemed to notice something and turned back to look at Li Xiangqian. At that moment, Li Xiangqian felt as if his heart had stopped beating. He held his breath and huddled behind a cluster of tall melon vines. His hands were already soaked with sweat as he grasped the vines beside him. He didn't dare to move or make any sound, for fear of being noticed by the other party.

Several dark figures were walking quietly in the field. One of them whispered, "These melons are good. Let's start picking them tomorrow before the owner picks them. That way, he won't be able to react."