Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Hearing this, Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly surged with mixed emotions. He certainly understood her situation. Qin Huairu was a tough woman. It was not easy for her to support the family alone. However, her approach made him feel an invisible pressure. People in the courtyard liked to make up stories. The more complicated the relationship, the more they were willing to exaggerate, as if this could fill the boredom in their ordinary lives.

He sighed, and his tone softened, but still distant: "Huai Ru, I understand you, and I know it's not easy for you, but there are some things that we still have to keep some distance from. There are many people in the courtyard, and I don't want to cause you any trouble because of our interactions, nor do I want to get involved in unnecessary troubles."

Qin Huairu's face flashed a hint of disappointment when she heard this, but she did not refute immediately. She lowered her head and took a sip of water, looking a little tired. "I know you are right." She whispered, "But sometimes, life is hard and there is no one to talk to. I just think that you are a good person, and I feel better talking to you."

Li Xiangqian was silent for a moment, feeling a complicated feeling in his heart. He didn't want to say anything more, but seeing the helpless look on her face, he couldn't bear to put more pressure on her. After all, he was not a cold-blooded person, especially when facing such a woman with a difficult life.

Li Xiangqian's eyes inadvertently fell on the table, where there was a small bunch of purple grapes. The crystal clear fruits exuded a slight luster under the light. He bought them from the market a few days ago, but he had not touched them. He had almost forgotten about them when he put them on the table. Seeing this bunch of grapes, his thoughts suddenly paused. At that moment, he felt that his thoughts, which were disturbed by Qin Huairu, were brought back to reality by this simple bunch of fruits.

The bright colors of the grapes formed a sharp contrast with the dim lights in the house. The seemingly ordinary fruit suddenly became the only concrete thing he could rely on in his life, allowing him to temporarily break free from the depressed mood. Li Xiangqian unconsciously reached out and took one, gently pinched it between his fingers to feel the delicate skin, and then put it in his mouth. The sweet and sour juice immediately filled his mouth. The momentary coolness refreshed him, but it was followed by deeper contemplation.

"You should eat something too." Li Xiangqian suddenly spoke, pushing the grapes on the table towards Qin Huairu, trying to sound casual.

Qin Huairu was stunned, as if she had not expected him to suddenly make this invitation. Her eyes flashed, and a bitter smile appeared on the corner of her mouth: "How can I have the heart to eat these..." Her voice was a little hoarse, and there was a subtle fatigue in her emotions.

Li Xiangqian did not say anything else, but gently put down the grape in his hand. The atmosphere became a little dull for a while, Qin Huairu's mood was obviously not out of the previous topic, and he also felt a lingering depression in his heart.

The sound of rain outside continued, and the sound of rain hitting the window became more and more urgent, as if the outside world was being washed by the heavy rain, while the air inside the house seemed to be solidified, so heavy that it was hard to breathe. Li Xiangqian's homesickness came up again. On such a rainy night, he wanted to leave this courtyard, leave these troublesome trivial matters, and return to a place where he could really relax.

He suddenly realized that he hadn't felt that kind of real peace for a long time. Dealing with the interpersonal relationships in the courtyard every day, dealing with the gossip and small thoughts of neighbors, such a life made him invisible and exhausted. At this moment, Qin Huairu sat in front of him. Although her eyes were a little helpless, it was more of a kind of pressure that he couldn't escape. This pressure came from her approaching, from her need to find some kind of support, and he knew that this was not something he could easily bear.

"Move forward..." Qin Huairu's voice interrupted his thoughts. She lowered her head and spoke so softly that it was almost inaudible. "Do you think... I'm annoying?"

Li Xiangqian's heart trembled suddenly. He didn't expect her to ask such a direct question. He subconsciously looked up at her, but found that her eyes were filled with a complex emotion, with both expectation and a little disappointment. This made him feel even more at a loss.

"No, that's not it." He immediately shook his head, trying to make his voice sound gentler. "I never found you annoying, but... I don't want you to get into any more trouble because of me. People in our courtyard are quick-witted, and sometimes what they say has no basis, but it always spreads like a story. I don't want you to be wronged because of these things."

Although these words were from his heart, when he said them, Li Xiangqian found that he had an unspeakable feeling of powerlessness in his heart. He didn't know if his words would make Qin Huairu really understand what he meant, or if they would cause her to have more misunderstandings. The situation before him made him feel caught between a rock and a hard place.

Qin Huairu was silent for a moment, then she took a deep breath, as if forcing herself to calm down, and whispered, "I know you are doing this for my own good. I also understand that those rumors in the yard, whether true or false, will not sound good if they are spread too much." She paused, raised her head and looked at Li Xiangqian, with a hint of determination in her eyes, "But, Xiangqian, I don't want to be alone all the time."

Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly shrank. Qin Huairu's words hit the soft spot in his heart. He knew what loneliness meant to a woman like her who was raising a child alone. She once had a husband and a complete family, but now all the burdens were on her shoulders alone. Her strength was just a disguise on the surface. The loneliness and helplessness deep in her heart, I am afraid, only she herself can truly understand.

He was silent for a while, and finally could only sigh softly: "Huai Ru, sometimes, I really don't know how to help you."

Qin Huairu's eyes softened a little, and she shook her head gently: "I don't want you to help me with anything big, and I don't want to cause you any trouble. It's just... sometimes, even just a person I can talk to, I feel it's very precious."

This made Li Xiangqian feel even more depressed. He knew that Qin Huairu was speaking from the heart. Living alone in this courtyard, although it seemed lively on the surface, in fact, everyone had their own lives and troubles. No one could really enter her world and understand her inner loneliness.