Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

Liu Guangqi hummed a little tune, which was a newly popular tune in the streets and alleys. It was light and anticipatory. His steps seemed to be on the clouds. His heart was filled with anticipation of meeting Qi Sihui again, and he walked into the house in a lighthearted manner.

But who could have expected that the atmosphere in the house would be like the frost and fog that suddenly fell on a cold winter night, instantly enveloping him tightly, and the chill went up along his spine, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.

The humming tune suddenly stopped, and the smile on his face froze at the corner of his mouth before he could hide it.

The second aunt sat upright on the old chair, her back straight, her hands neatly placed on her knees, her face as gloomy and heavy as the one before a rainstorm, making people feel uneasy just by looking at her.

Liu Guangqi slowly opened the door and walked in.

However, she didn't even lift her eyelids at all, as if she was completely unaware of Liu Guangqi's arrival.

Not only that, even the polite greetings that were essential when meeting each other in the past were thrown out of the window by her at this moment.

She said bluntly, "Boss, I won't agree to your relationship!"

When Liu Guangqi heard this, his heart suddenly tightened, as if a huge and invisible hand suddenly stretched out from the endless darkness and tightly grasped his heart.

The feeling was so strong that his heart skipped a beat involuntarily.

In an instant, a heart full of confusion and doubts rushed wildly in his chest like a wild horse.

At this time, Liu Haizhong was sitting leisurely on the edge of the kang, holding a pipe tightly in his hand.

Originally, he wanted to take advantage of this rare leisure time after dinner to take a few puffs of dry tobacco to relieve his physical fatigue.

But who would have thought, at this moment, he suddenly heard his wife say such words, and for a moment his face was full of astonishment, and the whole person seemed to be under a spell, standing there in a daze, and even forgot to put down the pipe in his hand.

After a long while, Liu Haizhong finally came back to his senses as if he had just woken up from a dream.

He subconsciously reached out and scratched his head. The action seemed a little flustered and his eyes revealed a deep sense of confusion.

Before that, his wife winked at him, indicating that she had something to discuss with her after their eldest son came back.

At that time, he was still thinking in his heart that it was probably just something about his son's marriage, so he didn't take it too seriously and just responded with a few words casually.

Who would have thought that what my spouse was going to talk about would be such a serious matter?

Why did they suddenly say they didn't agree? Didn't they just ask Qi Sihui to come to their house more often?

And we were chatting happily, what's going on?

The look in his eyes when he looked at Second Aunt was full of questions, as if silently urging her to tell him the reason.

The second aunt snorted softly, the sound coming out of her nose, carrying a bit of dissatisfaction and certainty.

Then he poured out all his thoughts like a bamboo tube pouring beans: "Look, Qi Sihui's family is the only girl, there is no son, the burden of supporting them in the future will fall on your shoulders, right? The rules passed down by our ancestors are to raise a son to prepare for old age. We raised you with great difficulty, hoping that you will support our family in the future. If you marry her, you will have to use your energy and financial resources to take care of her family. Wouldn't our hopes be greatly reduced? I am thinking about you, and we can't let this matter develop in a muddle. In the end, you will be the one who suffers, and our family will suffer as well."

As she spoke, she crossed her arms and looked at Liu Guangqi and his son with a serious expression.

Her eyes were burning, as if she was waiting for the father and son to come to their senses and follow her far-sighted thinking.

After hearing this, Liu Guangqi's originally relaxed brows suddenly frowned tightly together, as if twisted into a dough stick. A deep wrinkle was squeezed out between his eyebrows, which was as clear and visible as if carved by a knife.

At this moment, he thought to himself: Could it be that the little thoughts in my heart were seen through so quickly?

It shouldn't be like this! Qi Sihui hadn't mentioned a single word about marrying into the family.

Moreover, I have always kept this idea hidden very carefully. I am extremely cautious in my words and actions on weekdays, and dare not reveal the slightest clue. But why do my parents have such strong opposition for no reason?

He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but he swallowed the words back when they reached his lips. His lips trembled slightly, and his upper and lower teeth knocked lightly against each other, making a very subtle "click" sound.

At this moment, Liu Guangqi thought he should calm down for a while and listen quietly to what his parents were going to say next.

If he rashly revealed his true thoughts at this moment, it would probably just add fuel to the fire, making the situation increasingly difficult to control. Then, Liu Guangqi asked, "Why is this happening? We were all getting along well just now!"

Liu Haizhong was stunned at first, and in that moment, his eyes widened slightly, his mouth opened unconsciously, and then he smacked his lips.

His lips opened and closed with a "clicking" sound, and he began to ponder over what his wife had said.

When I first listened to it, I thought it made some sense, and a sad picture of the old couple being alone and unattended in the future emerged in my mind. But when I thought about it again, I felt that something was wrong, as if there was a fish bone stuck in my throat, unable to move up or down.

He cleared his throat, breaking the brief silence in the room, and advised: "Mother, you are too hasty. Although the Qi family has an only daughter, Xiaohui is well-behaved and sensible. Her every move shows her upbringing. Her soft words reveal kindness. She will not necessarily treat us, Qi, badly. Besides, it is too early to talk about old-age care now. The children are still in love. It is the time to cultivate their affection. We can't break up the couple and ruin a good thing."

Liu Haizhong tried to smooth things over and ease the suddenly tense atmosphere. He put on a slightly forced smile and looked at his wife and son with expectations in his eyes.

When the second aunt heard this, her eyes instantly widened into bells. Her originally small eyes seemed to be enlarged by anger, her eyeballs turned red, and her pupils flashed with the angry light of being disobeyed.

The second aunt suddenly raised her voice: "What do you know! When we really get married, it will be a done deal and we won't have any say in it. It will be too late to regret. We are honest and don't have that many tricks. If we are led by the Qi family, we will suffer a great loss."

As the second aunt spoke, she poked the table with her fingers. Her fingers were full of strength, making a tapping sound, and each tap seemed to hit people's hearts to increase their momentum. The dishes and chopsticks on the table were shaking slightly.

Seeing this, Liu Guangqi hurriedly stepped forward with rapid and flustered steps, and stretched out his hands to hold the second aunt's hands. His hands were slightly sweaty due to nervousness, and his palms were warm.

"Mom, don't be angry yet. It's not good to get sick from anger. Let's discuss this matter slowly. Xiaohui and I have just started dating. We haven't even started dating yet. We just have a good impression of each other. It's not yet time to talk about marriage. But don't judge her by one stroke. She is a really good person. She treats people kindly and has a good heart. If you get to know her more, you will definitely like her."

Although Liu Guangqi was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, he tried to keep his tone calm, slowing down his speech and choosing his words carefully, hoping to calm his mother down and find a way to ease the situation.

But the second aunt was not willing to give up. She twisted her face, her neck stiffened like a stubborn log, and said angrily, "Hmph, I'm putting my words here. I don't agree to this marriage unless her Qi family can give a proper explanation, written down in black and white, and promise not to drag our family down in the future. Otherwise, don't even think about entering our Liu family."

Liu Guangqi felt a trace of disdain in his heart, and his mouth corners turned down slightly. Although the amplitude was small, it revealed his true emotions. He secretly complained in his heart.

He was not a "filial son" in the traditional sense who was submissive and obeyed his parents' orders. If he were that kind of person, he would not have secretly harbored the idea of ​​marrying into the Qi family.

After getting along with Qi Sihui, although I can say that I love her, in fact, it is not to the point where my love is as deep as the ocean and I cannot live without her, or that I miss her so much when I don't see her for a day. It is more of a decision made after weighing the pros and cons.

Qi Sihui comes from a wealthy family, and the complex network of personal connections behind her is like a hidden and huge spider web, with every thread connected to opportunities and ways, like a golden key that can open the upward passage.

It is enough to help him step forward from this cramped, dull, and endless alley in the city, break through the invisible yet solid circle of life in front of him, and touch a broader and more dazzling world.

Moreover, Qi Sihui was born with delicate features, a pretty face, a gentle, docile and generous temperament. When she smiled, her eyebrows were curved and her voice was soft and sweet. When anyone saw her standing next to him, they would praise her as "a talented man and a beautiful woman".

Such conditions are extremely favorable to him in every way, and this is a great opportunity for him to change his destiny.

..................

..................