Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

However, in the following days, Qin Huairu would always appear beside him with various excuses, sometimes carrying a basket of vegetables, saying that she had just bought some from the market, and occasionally chatting about trivial matters in the yard, such as whose children quarreled, whose family lost something, and gossiping about family matters. But these seemingly insignificant exchanges made Li Xiangqian feel more and more uneasy.

He didn't know why Qin Huairu suddenly approached him, and he felt that things were not that simple. She was usually independent, so why did she suddenly show such great interest in his onion planting? Various speculations began to emerge in his mind - did she need his help with something? Or did she have other ideas about him? As soon as these thoughts came up, Li Xiangqian immediately denied them. He had always been honest and dutiful, so how could he have any other intersection with Qin Huairu?

But the fact is that Qin Huairu's approach caused a wave in his heart. That night, Li Xiangqian lay on the bed, looking at the dim ceiling, and kept thinking about the conversation with Qin Huairu during the day. Her smile, tone, and the pair of eyes that occasionally revealed a soft light seemed to have a deep meaning. He wanted to shake off these thoughts several times, telling himself that they were boring fantasies, but the doubts in his heart were like a fog that could not be dispelled.

Li Xiangqian is not a person who likes to think about feelings, especially a woman like Qin Huairu who has a completely different life background from him. He thinks it is impossible. But her every move, especially the frequent contact recently, gradually made him a little upset. He began to avoid her intentionally or unintentionally, deliberately choosing places far away from her home when working in the yard, or simply hiding in the house. But the more he avoided like this, the stronger the feeling of uneasiness in his heart became, as if Qin Huairu had become a mystery in his life, and he could not escape.

A few days later, Li Xiangqian was turning the soil in the yard again, preparing to water the onion field. At this time, Qin Huairu came again, carrying a bamboo basket full of vegetables and gently placed it on the ground. She was wearing a clean and neat blue cloth dress today, and she looked particularly energetic standing in the sun.

"Master Li," she came over with a smile, her voice full of teasing, "How was your planting today? Have the onions sprouted?"

Li Xiangqian was startled, then he looked up at her and said awkwardly, "Not yet. It has just been planted not long ago. It will take some time to see any movement."

Qin Huairu smiled, walked closer, and looked down at the land that had just been watered: "Onions, be patient, don't rush. When it grows, you have to give me some, and then everyone in our yard can taste it."

Her words were light-hearted and teasing, but Li Xiangqian felt uneasy. He didn't understand why Qin Huairu always circled around him, and even began to wonder if she was testing him on purpose. Although her tone was calm, her vague concern made him feel a little uncomfortable.

"Okay, I'll definitely give you some when it grows back." Li Xiangqian forced a smile, lowered his head and continued to work, trying to end this somewhat awkward conversation.

Qin Huairu stood aside, and didn't seem to be planning to leave. She looked at Li Xiangqian's back quietly, as if she was thinking about something. After a moment, she suddenly said, "Master Li, besides growing things, do you have any other hobbies? We live in the same yard, and it's a rare opportunity to chat."

Li Xiangqian's heart tightened at this. He instinctively felt that this was a little unusual. Qin Huairu suddenly cared about him so much, which was really hard for him to understand. He has always been introverted and didn't like to communicate too much with others, and he was not good at dealing with complicated interpersonal relationships. And Qin Huairu, such an independent woman, took the initiative to approach him, which made him feel a little pressured.

"I don't have any special hobbies. I just go to get off work and grow some vegetables occasionally." Li Xiangqian answered perfunctorily, but he was thinking about how to end this conversation. He didn't want to appear too cold, but he also didn't want the other party to misunderstand that he had other ideas.

Qin Huairu didn't care about his indifference, but continued: "It's good for you to live like this, living a stable life, which is much better than my messy life. I've been thinking recently whether I should change my way of life. I'm always so busy and there's no end in sight."

Li Xiangqian felt more and more uneasy. Qin Huairu stood in front of him, speaking with a bit of fatigue and helplessness, as if she wanted to seek some comfort, which made Li Xiangqian feel upset. He didn't want to get too involved with Qin Huairu, especially since she had always been talked about in the Siheyuan. She lost her husband at an early age and had several children. Her life was indeed not easy, but because of this, she became the topic of conversation after dinner. In a closed environment like the Siheyuan, people are always extremely sensitive to the lives of others. If there is any disturbance, gossip will spread.

And now, Qin Huairu's approach undoubtedly sounded the alarm in Li Xiangqian's heart.

He didn't want to cause trouble, nor did he want others to think that he had any special relationship with Qin Huairu. Although she was a tough woman, her life was burdened with heavy responsibilities, especially with several children to take care of, and she had always lived a tight life. Li Xiangqian couldn't help but think that Qin Huairu might want to find someone to rely on because she saw that he was single. But once he got involved with her, the rumors among the neighbors would sweep in, and he definitely didn't want to get involved in such a complicated situation.

"Aunt Qin, your life is hard but it's stable." Li Xiangqian smiled and tried to change the topic, but his tone was obviously distant.

Qin Huairu frowned slightly when she heard this, as if she heard the evasiveness in his words. She looked up at Li Xiangqian and her smile faded a little: "Master Li, you say that because you think I talk too much, right? I know that I usually talk less and ask fewer questions, but today I talked a little more, so you might find it strange."

Li Xiangqian felt flustered and waved his hands quickly: "No, no, Aunt Qin, don't misunderstand me, that's not what I meant." He lowered his head and continued to turn the soil, pretending to be busy, for fear that Qin Huairu would see his nervousness.

Qin Huairu was silent for a moment, then sighed softly: "Hey, Master Li, I don't mean anything else. You are an honest person. Everyone in our hospital knows that you don't talk much and have a simple mind. It's just that I've been a little tired recently, and I want to talk to someone and find a place to confide. Don't think I'm annoying, I really don't mean anything else."

There was a hint of sadness in her voice, which moved Li Xiangqian's heart slightly.