Siheyuan: Rebirth of Liu Ergou

When I woke up, the whole of Kyoto seemed to be gently covered by a mysterious veil. The sky was no longer the azure blue of the past, but became dark, as if the night had fallen early, but without the embellishment of stars. There was an unusual dullness in the air, as if nature was also suppressing its breath.

The common people opened their doors one after another, and the scene before them made them stop in their tracks, their eyes full of astonishment and confusion. The yellow sand in the sky was like waves blown up by the wind, rolling and dancing in the air, sometimes gathering into thick clouds, and sometimes turning into sharp arrows, falling on people's heads. Every grain of sand seemed to carry an invisible weight, hitting people's faces and bodies, causing great pain.

On both sides of the street, trees were shaking under the ravages of the yellow sand, and their leaves were covered with thick dust, losing their former greenness. Pedestrians covered their mouths and noses tightly, squinted their eyes, and walked forward with difficulty in this yellow fog. The laughter of children was swallowed up by the yellow sand, replaced by coughs and wheezing.

The doors of the shops were tightly closed, and the shop owners used wet cloths to block the cracks in the doors, fearing that the sudden yellow sand would disturb their peace. The entire Kyoto seemed to have turned into a forgotten desert city overnight.

People were filled with doubts and uneasiness, and they discussed the sudden change. Some said it was a sandstorm from the distant desert, and some said it was some kind of ominous sign. But no matter what the truth was, at this moment, Kyoto was tightly wrapped in yellow sand, waiting for an unknown fate.

In the early morning, when the sky was just turning pale, a hurried voice broke the silence of the house: "Brother, get up quickly and come out to see!" Xiao Shanshan shouted while shaking Liu Rui's arm. Liu Rui rubbed his eyes and asked in confusion: "What's wrong, Xiao Shanshan? It's so early in the morning."

"There's so much sand in the sky!" Xiao Shanshan said anxiously. Liu Rui immediately understood that it was a sandstorm. He turned to look at his wife Liu Ying, who was three months pregnant and was rubbing her eyes when she woke up.

"It seems that I have to go later today to arrange for Liu Ying's resettlement." Liu Rui said, and stood up and walked to the window, looking out through the glass. The sandstorm was like a yellow wall, blocking the scenery in the distance. He couldn't help muttering: "My God, this sandstorm is really big."

"Then what should we do today?" Liu Ying asked with concern.

"Don't worry, I'll make us something delicious. We can just take a day off." Liu Rui comforted her with a smile, then walked towards the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Liu Rui skillfully took out noodles, beef and various seasonings. He first cut the beef into small pieces, marinated it with cooking wine and soy sauce for a while, then heated oil in a pan, added onions, ginger and garlic to sauté, and then poured the beef cubes in and stir-fried until they changed color. Then, he added an appropriate amount of water, put in the noodles, and sprinkled some salt and pepper to season.

Soon, a pot of fragrant beef noodles was ready. Liu Rui put the noodles into a bowl and brought it to the dining table. Xiao Shanshan and Liu Ying were already sitting at the table waiting, their faces filled with anticipation.

"Wow, it looks so delicious!" Xiao Shanshan couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks and taste it, "Brother, the beef noodles you made are so delicious!"

Liu Ying also tasted it and showed a satisfied smile on her face: "Well, it's really good. Thank you, Liu Rui."

Grandma and Liu Fang were eating slowly. Suddenly, grandma coughed and said, "The beef noodles are a bit spicy today. Liu Ying is pregnant. You can't make such heavy dishes in the future."

Liu Rui sat opposite them and nodded, "I'll pay attention." Then he smiled as he watched them eat noodles: "I'll pay attention to the taste. As long as you like it, I'll make it for you every day. The sandstorm is so severe today, let's just enjoy a delicious breakfast at home."

The family sat around the dining table, eating hot beef noodles, chatting, and enjoying this rare quiet time. Although the sandstorm brought inconvenience, it also gave them a chance to spend quality time with their family. …

The news of a day off came from the radio, and the whole city was in an uproar. Residents of Nanluoguxiang went out of their homes and passed on the unexpected good news to each other. However, Wang Qi, the director of the subdistrict office, seemed to be busier than anyone else. She stood in front of the window of her office, staring at the sandstorm outside that had not yet completely dissipated, and thinking of a bold plan in her mind.

"Why not let everyone use this day to do something for our city?" Wang Qi said to herself. She quickly gathered several street workers and proposed a bold idea: to organize a city cleaning activity for the whole nation to participate in after the sandstorm.

Everyone agreed when they heard it. So Wang Qi took action immediately and called on the residents through broadcasting and nearby notifications. She knew that in order to make this activity a success, everyone must participate and contribute to the cleanliness of the city.

The sandstorm finally passed, and the sky became blue again. Residents of Nanluoguxiang came out of their homes, holding brooms, shovels and other tools, and gathered on the streets. Wang Qi stood in front of the crowd and gave an impassioned speech, encouraging everyone to contribute to the beauty of the city.

Under the leadership of Wang Qi, the residents began the cleaning work in full swing. They had clear division of labor, some were responsible for sweeping the floor, some were responsible for picking up garbage, and some were responsible for cleaning small advertisements on the wall. The whole Nanluoguxiang was filled with a busy and joyful atmosphere.

However, in this harmonious atmosphere, there is a small contradiction hidden. Jia Zhang from Courtyard No. 95 and Wang Xiaobo from the next door courtyard had a dispute over the ownership of a piece of garbage.

It turned out that during the cleaning process, Jia Zhang found a piece of rag discarded by the courtyard wall. She thought it was thrown by someone from the next courtyard, so she threw the rag back to the next courtyard. Wang Xiaobo happened to walk out of the house at this time and saw this scene. He thought that this was Jia Zhang's deliberate provocation, so the two began a fierce dispute.

"How can you be so unreasonable! This is obviously garbage thrown over by people from your yard, why are you throwing it back to our yard?" Wang Xiaobo said angrily.

"You are unreasonable! You were clearly the one who threw this rag at me, I just threw it back!" Jia Zhang responded without giving in.

The two people's quarrel became louder and louder, attracting the attention of the surrounding residents. Everyone gathered around and tried to persuade the two to calm down. However, Jia Zhang and Wang Xiaobo quarreled more and more fiercely, and even started to push and shove.

Wang Qi heard the quarrel and rushed over. She saw Jia Zhang and Wang Xiaobo arguing fiercely and immediately stepped forward to stop them.

"Everyone calm down! We are here to clean the city, not to quarrel!" Wang Qi said sternly. She asked the two to tell their stories separately, and then patiently mediated.

After Wang Qi's persuasion, Jia Zhangshi and Wang Xiaobo finally realized their mistakes. They apologized to each other and expressed their willingness to work together to clean up the city.

This small "battle" finally subsided. The residents continued to work on the cleaning, and Jia Zhangshi and Wang Xiaobo became best friends. They swept the floor and picked up garbage together, and exchanged cleaning tips with each other. Under their leadership, the entire Nanluoguxiang became cleaner and tidier.

As the sun sets, the cleaning activity is drawing to a close. Residents gather on the streets to share their day's gains and insights. Wang Qi stands in front of the crowd and gives a speech. She thanks everyone for their hard work and says that this cleaning activity not only makes the city more beautiful, but also elevates the souls of the residents.

"Although we have only done something insignificant, when each of us contributes to the cleanliness of the city, our power is infinite," Wang Qi said affectionately.

The residents nodded in agreement. They knew that this city cleaning activity was not just a simple cleaning operation, but also a spiritual baptism and sublimation. In this process, they learned unity, mutual assistance and friendship, and cherished the environment and beautiful life around them.

As night fell, the residents of Nanluoguxiang returned to their homes. With tired bodies and satisfied smiles, they enjoyed this meaningful and joyful day. Jia Zhangshi from Courtyard No. 95 and Wang Xiaobo from the next courtyard also became best friends in the process. They agreed to participate in such activities together frequently in the future and contribute their own strength to the beauty of the city.

This sudden city cleaning activity not only made Nanluoguxiang cleaner and tidier, but also elevated the hearts of the residents. They learned to cherish the environment and good life around them.