Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Although the atmosphere around him was still peaceful and his wife He Yuzhu was cleaning the kitchen, occasionally making one or two crisp sounds, Li Xiangqian still felt his throat dry, as if there was an indescribable anxiety churning in his heart.

He touched the water cup on the table, and a thought suddenly came to his mind: "Drink some more water, maybe it will calm me down."

He picked up the cup and took a sip. The coolness of the water slid down his throat, bringing a temporary relief. However, the uneasy feeling in his heart did not dissipate. Li Xiangqian put down the cup and looked up at He Yuzhu in the kitchen. She was busy tidying up the dishes, her movements were skillful and orderly, and she didn't notice Li Xiangqian's sight at all.

Li Xiangqian suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of oppression. Whenever he thought he could relax for a moment, some unknown emotions would always resurface, like waves surging from the depths, impossible to ignore. These emotions were like invisible weights, pressing firmly on his heart, making him breathless.

He looked at the water cup on the table again, as if the water could not bring him enough comfort. He sighed softly, suddenly stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "Yuzhu, I'll go buy some more water later. I'm a little thirsty today." When he spoke, his tone was not heavy, but he could not hide the unconscious sense of urgency.

He Yuzhu looked up at him, frowned slightly, and asked with concern: "Are you feeling a little uncomfortable? Why do I feel that you are not quite right today?"

Li Xiangqian paused, his heart tightened. He lowered his head, not daring to meet his wife's eyes, and a trace of self-blame surged in his heart. He didn't want her to know these inner fluctuations. Although he often felt anxious and uneasy, especially in such a warm family environment, he didn't want this anxiety to affect his wife.

"It's okay, I'm just a little thirsty." Li Xiangqian smiled, trying to look relaxed. Then he looked at the pile of water bottles and said, "I'm going to buy some more water today. The water I have at home is almost gone."

He Yuzhu did not respond immediately. She stopped what she was doing and looked at Li Xiangqian quietly. She knew that he did not bring up this matter because he was thirsty. Li Xiangqian was not so easy to let go of the burden in his heart. She sighed softly and whispered, "Are you really okay recently?"

Li Xiangqian felt the concern in his wife's words, and his heart surged, but he still suppressed his emotions. He shook his head gently: "It's okay, Yuzhu, I'm really fine. I've just been busy with some things recently, so I drank a little more water."

He Yuzhu looked at his somewhat stiff expression, still didn't say anything, just nodded silently. She didn't want to force him to say those things that he didn't want to mention. She knew that everyone had their own difficulties, and Li Xiangqian might not want to talk too much about his anxiety and confusion, or even uneasiness. She knew in her heart that this kind of inner struggle was often only felt by herself.

Li Xiangqian turned and walked out the door, his mind still reverberating with the uneasy emotion. Every time he tried to suppress it, it would burst out again at some point, constantly surging into his heart like a tide. When he reached the door, he paused, turned around and looked at his wife in the kitchen: "I'll go out and be back soon."

He Yuzhu nodded and watched him walk out the door. She knew that Li Xiangqian didn't really want to buy water. Maybe he just needed some time to give himself some space to adjust. She felt a little heavy in her heart, but she still maintained her understanding and trust in him.

Li Xiangqian walked out of the yard, stood on the empty street, and took a deep breath. Today the sun was shining brightly, and people were coming and going on the street. Life seemed to be still lively and orderly. But Li Xiangqian's heart was still in chaos. He didn't understand why he suddenly felt so uneasy, as if everything in his life had lost its previous rhythm and became fragmented.

He walked a few steps along the street, his unsolved confusion and anxiety constantly emerging in his mind. Whether it was the pressure from work or some confusion deep in his heart, it seemed that everything was oppressing him and making him unable to breathe.

"Drink some water, maybe it will make you feel better." Li Xiangqian whispered to himself, his eyes a little confused. He walked into a nearby shop, picked up a bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, tilted his head back and took a few gulps. The cool liquid slid down his throat into his body, bringing a brief comfort.

But this comfort didn't last long. Li Xiangqian put the bottle back on the shelf, still feeling his throat dry, and the emptiness and uneasiness in his heart lingered around him like a shadow. He walked to the corner again and stood there, his eyes empty, as if waiting for something.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, carrying a few dead leaves, which spun and fell to the ground. Li Xiangqian looked down at the dead leaves, and suddenly an indescribable emotion surged in his heart - the feeling of helplessness and loneliness invaded him again. His eyes became stunned, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, as if the dead leaves were a reflection of his inner feelings at the moment - dry, tired, and powerless.

He took a deep breath and turned around to go home. He knew that he couldn't continue to wander outside. After all, his wife was still waiting for him at home. Moreover, he didn't want to let himself fall into this empty emotion anymore.

After returning home, Li Xiangqian stood at the door and silently watched his wife busy inside. She was tidying up the table with a smile on her face, and didn't seem to notice his abnormality.

"Are you back?" He Yuzhu looked up and looked at Li Xiangqian, with a hint of warmth in his eyes.

Li Xiangqian nodded and forced a smile: "Well, I've bought some water." He walked into the house, put the bottle of water on the table, and sat down gently.

He Yuzhu didn't say much, but smiled and brought a glass of warm water and handed it to him. "Drink some water, you look a little tired today."

Li Xiangqian took the cup of water and took a deep breath. The water was just the right temperature, and he took a sip and closed his eyes, as if he could feel the coolness moistening his dry throat. However, the heaviness in his heart still did not completely dissipate, but it was slightly relieved.

Li Xiangqian looked down at the ingredients on the table, tapping his fingers unconsciously on the chopping board, as if trying to find a rhythm for his next move. The eggs on the table had been beaten, the scallions had been chopped into small pieces, and the oil heated in the pot exuded a faint fragrance in the small kitchen. He picked up the spatula, his eyes were a little scattered, but his mind was not completely focused on the things in his hands.