Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

He didn't know if the snake could understand him, but this was the only way he could think of at the moment. The black snake was still coiled, silent, its eyes looked deep and mysterious in the moonlight. Li Xiangqian felt his heartbeat gradually calm down, as if the snake's presence brought a kind of self-evident silence.

He silently put down the net bag, turned around and walked back to the room, feeling anxious and uneasy. He was not sure whether the snake would understand what he meant. Maybe it would leave quietly, or maybe it would still follow him. But he also knew that all he could do tonight was to wait.

In the following days, Li Xiangqian carefully observed the movements in the courtyard. The shadow of the snake seemed to be a haze hanging over his heart, making him alert at all times. During the day, he tried his best to devote himself to daily farm work, trying not to think about the snake, and trying to restore his original peaceful life. But every time when it was late at night, he would always unconsciously pay attention to the movements in the courtyard, afraid to hear the familiar rustling sound again.

Finally, in the middle of a cloudy night, Li Xiangqian heard the horrifying sound again. His heart tightened, and he quickly got up, put on his coat, gently opened the door, and walked into the yard. There was silence all around, except for the low whistling of the night wind under the eaves, which seemed particularly cold. He picked up the flashlight and slowly shone the light into the corner of the yard. Sure enough, the black snake appeared in his sight again.

This time, Li Xiangqian did not panic, but stood there quietly, as if he was used to looking into its eyes. The black snake coiled on the ground, its eyes like an ancient well, deep and cold. Li Xiangqian walked slowly in front of it, his heart full of taboos and uneasiness. Although he seemed calm on the surface, he was still restless inside.

Li Xiangqian stood under the dim eaves, frowning, with an indescribable emotion churning in his heart. His hand holding the net bag trembled slightly. After thinking it over again and again, he finally decided to go to the field alone tonight. He didn't want He Yuzhu to get involved, not only because the matter was becoming more and more dangerous, but also because he had a vague feeling in his heart that this snake might not be just an ordinary wild snake, and even carried some unspoken threat. And he wanted to bear this threat alone.

Although he and He Yuzhu didn't have much conversation, they had been working together on farming and had gotten along well, and had gradually developed a tacit trust. He knew that He Yuzhu had a cheerful personality, and if he knew about the frequent appearance of snakes in the fields, especially the black snake, he would definitely accompany him to investigate and expel it without hesitation. However, He Yuzhu was impatient and inevitably made inappropriate moves, which made Li Xiangqian particularly worried. If this was true, the slight taboo in his heart would be out of control.

"With Yuzhu's personality, if he sees a snake, he will probably just kill it with a stick." Li Xiangqian sighed in his heart, with a trace of helplessness and worry in his eyes. He knew that He Yuzhu had a strong personality and never believed in these mysterious sayings. If he rashly faced the snake, it might backfire. So he secretly decided that he would not let He Yuzhu go to the field with him tonight. Even if the other party noticed something unusual, he would do everything he could to conceal it.

The night wind was a bit chilly, mixed with the cold air from the distant mountains. Li Xiangqian wrapped his coat tightly around him, praying silently in his heart that everything would go well tonight. The fields were silent under the night sky, as if some unknown danger was hidden. He walked slowly forward with the weak light of the flashlight, his eyes always vigilantly watching the surroundings, even the slightest shaking of the grass made him jump with fear. Such caution made him feel exhausted, but he dared not relax at all.

At this moment, He Yuzhu's hearty smile suddenly emerged in Li Xiangqian's mind. His rough and straightforward character made him feel at ease. However, he became more and more determined not to pass on his anxiety and fear to the other party. He would rather face the black snake in the field alone than see He Yuzhu involved in this vague danger. Li Xiangqian said softly to the empty field: "Yuzhu, if you knew what I was doing, you would definitely say that I was making a fuss... But there are some things that I can't let go of in my heart, and you don't understand."

Suddenly, there was a slight rustling sound in the bushes, which made his heart jump and his breathing quicken instantly. Li Xiangqian held his breath, staring at the bushes, and quickly thinking of a strategy to deal with it. His body unconsciously stepped back a few steps, and sweat oozed from his palms, as if the vague shadow was spying on his every move.

"Here it comes..." He muttered to himself, feeling a chill running up his spine, as if the air around him had become thinner. But he knew that he could no longer retreat and had to face the uninvited guest.

At this moment, a voice suddenly came from behind him: "Xiang Qian! What are you doing here? So late at night!" Li Xiang Qian's heart sank suddenly. He turned around and saw He Yuzhu standing not far away, with his hands on his hips, looking at him with confusion.

Li Xiangqian lowered his voice and tried to remain calm, but he was already extremely anxious: "Yuzhu, why are you here? Didn't I tell you not to get involved in this?"

"Don't mind? Can you hide it from me?" He Yuzhu curled his lips in disapproval and walked closer, obviously dissatisfied with Li Xiangqian's concealment. "You sneak into the field every night. Are you hiding something from me?"

Li Xiangqian felt helpless, but he couldn't say anything to refute. He didn't want He Yuzhu to get involved in this inexplicable situation, but the other party's stubbornness obviously didn't allow him to refuse. He frowned, with mixed feelings in his heart, and sighed softly: "Yuzhu, it's not that I don't want you to come, but... you won't believe what's going on here. I know you don't believe in evil, but this snake... it's really unusual."

He Yuzhu sneered when he heard this, as if he was dismissive of Li Xiangqian's concerns: "It's just a snake, how can it cause any trouble? Are you afraid of it? Look at you, Li Xiangqian, you are really...too cautious!"

Li Xiangqian shook his head, his eyes showing a hint of mixed emotions. He wanted to explain but didn't know where to start. He Yuzhu didn't believe in evil and wasn't afraid of trouble. He already knew this, but the unspeakable taboo in his heart made him have to be very careful. He could only whisper: "You don't understand, this snake is not simple, I always feel... it seems to have some purpose."

He Yuzhu's smile froze instantly. Although the other party's words sounded a little unbelievable, he still felt a chill.