Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian smiled and eased some of the tension: "Brother Yuzhu, you make it sound easy, but I just feel that those snakes... are not right, as if they are coming for me." Before he finished speaking, a slight rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes, and the two of them couldn't help but look in that direction at the same time.

Li blinked slowly, trying to calm himself down, but the snake's gaze was like a nail stuck in his mind. He tried to blur his vision and not look into the snake's eyes, trying to relax himself, but the cold eyes seemed to have some strange attraction, forcing him to lock his gaze on it again.

"Xiang Qian, calm down." He Yuzhu noticed Li Xiangqian's stiffness, patted him on the shoulder gently, and whispered, "It's just a snake, don't think of it as a monster." His voice was calm, with a reassuring power, which made Li Xiangqian relax a little, but the uneasiness in his heart did not completely dissipate.

Li Xiangqian nodded slightly, but the cold sweat on his palms reminded him clearly that he still couldn't calm down completely. His lips were slightly dry, and he couldn't help but say: "Brother Yuzhu, do you feel that... the look in this snake's eyes is not right? It... doesn't seem to be an ordinary snake."

He Yuzhu frowned, looked at the snake, and said with a tone of disapproval: "Snakes' eyes are cold. What's so strange about this? We are just scaring ourselves." He smiled, trying to ease Li Xiangqian's nervousness, but his smile seemed a little weak in the dark night.

Li Xiangqian didn't say anything, just stared at the snake silently. The snake spit out its tongue and slowly moved a small step towards him. The movement was slow and steady, as if it was testing him. Li Xiangqian's heart was pounding, and he could almost hear the sound of his blood rushing. He couldn't help but wonder: What exactly does this snake want to do? Does it want to scare him away, or is it confirming something? This hesitant attitude made him feel an indescribable chill in his heart.

At this moment, the snake suddenly sped up and slithered towards him. Li Xiangqian's eyes went dark, and all the muscles in his body tensed up. He subconsciously took a step back and almost dropped the flashlight in his hand.

"Move forward! Hold on!" He Yuzhu sensed his fear, quickly grabbed his arm, and whispered, "It's just a snake, it won't rush over! Stay calm, we're here to check the situation, not to fight!"

Li Xiangqian managed to calm down a little, took a deep breath, and managed to calm his mind. He knew He Yuzhu was right, but he still couldn't get rid of the lingering fear in his heart. Since these snakes appeared frequently, his life has become restless, and tonight, this shadow seems to be even stronger, almost suffocating him.

He stared at the snake, and it slowly stopped, as if it was a little confused about their behavior, and quietly spit out its tongue, as if waiting for something. Li Xiangqian felt his heartbeat gradually stabilize, but the vague uneasiness still hovered in his heart, making him feel that he was in danger all the time.

"Brother Yuzhu, this snake... I always feel that it is not here to wander around casually." Li Xiangqian whispered, trying to dispel the fear in his heart with words, "It seems to be testing us."

He Yuzhu looked at him silently and said in a deep voice: "Xiang Qian, don't scare yourself. Snakes are just ordinary wild animals. Don't take them too mysteriously. Maybe it's just because you have paid too much attention to them recently that you feel that every snake has a purpose." He spoke in a soothing tone, trying to make Li Xiangqian relax.

Li Xiangqian smiled bitterly, knowing that what He Yuzhu said made sense, but the shadow in his heart was still hard to dispel. He suddenly thought that he was not a person who was easily panicked in the past, but this incident made him unconsciously become sensitive.

Just as he was thinking, there was a slight rustling sound in the bushes, as if something was slowly sliding. He turned his head sharply, and saw another snake emerging from the darkness not far away! The snake was thicker than the previous one, and the scales on its body shone coldly in the weak moonlight.

Li Xiangqian's heart almost jumped into his throat, and he couldn't help but take a step back: "Brother Yuzhu, look, another one!" His voice trembled, and his eyes were fixed on the new snake shadow, fearing that it would suddenly rush up.

He Yuzhu was also a little surprised, but he remained calm. He whispered, "Don't be afraid, there are always snakes in this place. We only see them at night. As long as you don't disturb them, snakes generally won't attack people."

Li Xiangqian nodded, but a question involuntarily emerged in his mind: Why do these snakes always seem to linger near the vegetable field? It seems that they are not passing by by chance, but appear here with a purpose, as if they are full of interest in the vegetable field he planted. This thought made him more suspicious.

"Why don't we go back first?" He Yuzhu saw his anxiety and suggested, "Let's stop here today. We've observed these snakes and there's nothing special about them. Staring at them all the time will only make you suspicious. It's better to have a good rest."

Li Xiangqian hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded in agreement. He knew that he was indeed a little nervous. If he continued like this, not only would he not be able to solve any problems, but he would become even more exhausted. The two of them slowly retreated, carefully staying away from the snake shadows, and walked towards home.

Along the way, Li Xiangqian couldn't relax. He couldn't help looking back frequently, fearing that the snakes would suddenly catch up with him. Seeing this, He Yuzhu couldn't help but smile and shook his head, saying, "Xiangqian, don't look back so often. The snakes won't chase you. If there is a problem, we will find a way to solve it."

Li Xiangqian forced a smile, but the doubt and uneasiness in his heart still lingered. He murmured in a low voice: "Brother Yuzhu, I always feel that these snakes are not ordinary snakes... They seem to be approaching me intentionally, and they may even be conveying something. Maybe these vegetables I planted really attracted something that shouldn't come."

He Yuzhu patted his shoulder and comforted him, "Don't think too much, go home and have a good sleep. No matter how big the problem is, we'll talk about it tomorrow." He looked at Li Xiangqian with a relaxed smile, but he felt a little uneasy in his heart. After all, the appearance of those snakes was indeed unusual.

The two returned home, said goodbye to each other and went back to their rooms. Li Xiangqian lay on the bed, tossing and turning, his heart still restless. The shadows of the snakes seemed to hover in his mind.