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

Liu Guangqi sat alone in the narrow, dark room. It was eerily quiet around him, as if he was the only one left in the world. Even his own breathing and heartbeat could be heard clearly.

Every heartbeat is like a heavy hammer hitting my heart, making a dull and rapid sound.

Tears burst out of his eyes like a flood, flowing down his cheeks without restraint.

Soon, the collar of his clothes was soaked with tears, and the wet piece stuck to his body, bringing a hint of coolness, but at this moment his heart had already been occupied by pain and despair, and he had no time to care about these things.

He clenched his fists tightly, and because he was squeezing too hard, his knuckles had turned pale and bloodless. He secretly vowed to make a change.

Thinking of Qi Sihui, whom he loved, and his parents' firm opposition to this marriage, he felt extremely angry and helpless.

In his eyes, his parents were the epitome of stubbornness, and their ideas were as unshakable as thousand-year-old rocks.

In this case, he decided not to tell them any news about the marriage, but to take control of his own life with his own strength.

Liu Guangqi thought: "As long as Qi Sihui and I can find the right opportunity to secretly get the marriage certificate, we can make this matter a fait accompli and make it a done deal.

Then even if our parents knew the truth and were unhappy or even strongly opposed, it would be useless. They could only watch us being together and accept this reality helplessly."

Outside the window, the cold wind was like a ferocious evil ghost, with bared fangs and claws, still whistling and hitting the window frames, making a "bang bang" sound, as if trying to break through this fragile line of defense and rush into the house.

The candlelight in the room flickered and swayed, and the light and shadows swayed and danced on the walls, illuminating Liu Guangqi's face, which was slightly resolute and yet a little childish.

Half of the face was hidden in the darkness, and the other half was outlined by the warm yellow candlelight. There was a gleam in the eyes, which showed both a fiery vision for the future and a resolute determination in the face of the current predicament.

Outside the house, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu were like two frightened quails, huddled in the corner, their bodies pressed tightly together, trying to absorb each other's meager warmth, but they were still shivering with cold, their upper and lower teeth chattering. However, the cold was no match for their inner panic, like a dwarf meeting a giant.

They witnessed the entire family storm that was like a violent rainstorm, their eyes bulged like bells, their eyeballs slightly bulged out with fear, and they dared not breathe.

Every breath was suppressed to the point of suffocation. My mouth was tightly closed as if it was stitched shut. I dared not utter a word. My throat seemed to be choked by a stone.

They simply couldn't believe their eyes and ears. Their eldest child actually dared to disobey his parents!

This was beyond their imagination. In their understanding, the eldest child was an obedient and sensible child. How could he make such a bold move?

Moreover, their parents love the eldest child very much, so how could this eldest child be like this?

In this family, the orders of the parents have always been regarded as the laws of heaven hanging high above their heads, solemn and awe-inspiring, and no violation is allowed.

If anyone dares to challenge this authority, he will be met with endless disasters and suffering, and the consequences will be unimaginable.

Recalling the past, those days seemed like a series of dark and dull slides, constantly playing in their minds.

At that time, they had to bear tremendous pressure every day to complete various heavy housework.

If they were a little slow and failed to meet the strict deadline set by their father, what would await them next would be their father's distorted face of anger.

I saw my father's eyes were wide open, his eyeballs almost popped out of his sockets, and his mouth was still roaring. He looked like a beast possessed by an evil spirit.

Immediately afterwards, a violent storm of beatings and scolding befell them.

The thick leather belt in my father's hand was waving wildly in the air, and every time he whipped it, a crisp and loud "snap" sound was made.

The belt fell heavily on their tender skin, instantly tearing their flesh apart and leaving shocking blood marks.

These bloodstains crisscrossed each other, and from a distance they looked like a bunch of ferocious centipedes with bared fangs and claws lying on the body, which was chilling.

Not only that, even the feather duster in their mother's hand would not show mercy to them.

Whenever my mother waved the feather duster, the originally soft and light feathers would suddenly fly around, creating a hazy scene.

However, in the midst of this seemingly beautiful flying feathers, waves of piercing pain came straight at them, leaving them with nowhere to escape.

The pain from the beatings on my body is still fresh in my memory, like a curse engraved deep in my soul. Life like that was so painful, as if I was in a thorn bush. Every step forward was bleeding and I was exhausted both physically and mentally.

At this moment, seeing Liu Guangqi being so "audacious" but not severely punished, the envy in my heart was like unrestrained weeds in spring, which grew uncontrollably in the wind and rain.

They all hoped that their eldest brother could get what he wanted, break out of the family cage, and find freedom and happiness.

I also secretly wondered whether I would have the courage to break free from the strict rules of this family like my eldest brother did in the future. I was like a frog trapped at the bottom of a well, looking at the small piece of blue sky at the mouth of the well, feeling longing but also fearful of the unknown.

After some thought in the house, Liu Guangqi finally figured out his own feelings and decision. He knew very well that his parents' stubborn attitude would never change in the short term, and how could he easily give up his feelings for Qi Sihui and his aspirations for the future.

Thinking of this, he took a deep breath, and the breath in his chest rose and fell rapidly like a raging storm, surging and surging, carrying his inner resentment and unwillingness, rushing back and forth in his chest.

After a long time, driven by strong self-control, I was able to calm down my fluctuating mood a little, just like a sailor who was trying his best to steer the ship in the strong wind and huge waves, and finally stabilized the ship after going through hardships. I temporarily suppressed all the negative emotions in my heart and hid them in the corner deep in my heart.

Then, with a determination to burn his boats, he stretched out his hand and suddenly opened the door that separated him from the outside world. With a "creak", in the house where it was so silent that you could hear a pin drop, the sound was like a sudden thunderclap, breaking the oppressive silence.

He stepped out of the threshold with firm and slightly heavy steps, his posture upright and his back straight, like an ascetic carrying the heavy cross of fate. Every step he took was firm and powerful. Although the road ahead was confusing and unknown and the pressure on his shoulders was like a mountain, he did not flinch, and his eyes revealed his persistence in upholding his own destiny.

During this period, Liu Haizhong and the second aunt have been like vigilant sentinels, listening attentively to the movements in the house, keeping their nerves tense at all times and not missing a single sound.

Hearing the abrupt and harsh sound of the door opening, the two of them were instantly alert and rushed forward like arrows from a bow. Their steps were hurried and messy, and they almost bumped into each other. Their eyes were full of inquiry and concern. They tried to see through Liu Guangqi's true inner thoughts from his expression and demeanor. They wanted to know whether this kid had changed his mind after being alone for a while, or had other plans.

Seeing that Liu Guangqi's eyes were red, which were the obvious traces left after a long cry, the second aunt's heart suddenly tightened and a trace of bitterness arose in her heart.

After all, he was my child, whom I carried in my womb for ten months, gave birth to with great difficulty, and raised with great effort. In the countless days and nights in the past, I had poured all my efforts into every detail, from the careful care I took when he was born to the bumps and bruises he encountered on the road to growth. How could I just watch him so sad and remain indifferent?

But when she thought of the "red line" of retirement support, it seemed like an insurmountable chasm in her heart. It was the key to a stable life and beautiful hopes for the rest of her life. It was as important as protecting her own life and property, and she would never let it go easily.

Even though I'm heartbroken at this moment, I can only grit my teeth and harden my heart, force myself to be resolute, and suppress the softness and hesitation in my heart like putting on cold armor to resist external enemies.

Liu Haizhong originally wanted to patiently persuade his son, using his elder's authority and experience to make him turn back from his wrong path. But when he saw Liu Guangqi's cold and resistant expression, he felt as if he had hit a thousand-year-old iceberg head-on, and a chill hit him in the face.

In an instant, the anger that had been suppressed for so long suddenly jumped up from the bottom of my heart and burned to my forehead, like a rocket suddenly taking off into the sky, swift and hot, and the defense line of reason was instantly broken down by anger.

He was not a good-tempered person. If he was not satisfied with Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, he would beat and scold them. He acted like a tyrant, and he was not going back on his word and would not tolerate any disobedience.

At this moment, the eldest son's blatant disobedience accurately touched his sensitive and irritable nerves, just like stepping on a minefield covered with sharp spikes, and his anger exploded with a "boom".

His face turned red, as if he was swollen with anger. The veins on his forehead were bulging, each one clearly visible. The blood vessels in his neck were throbbing, and his whole body was trembling slightly with anger.

The eyes behind his bangs were wide open, filled with burning anger, and looked as if he wanted to eat someone. He stared at Liu Guangqi viciously, like a hungry beast staring at its prey, exuding a dangerous and ferocious aura.

He suddenly raised his hand, and with a tremendous force, he slammed it heavily on the table beside him. With a loud "bang", the teacups on the table shook and jumped, and the tea splashed out like an out-of-control fountain, instantly wetting the table top. The water stains spread wildly, making the originally tidy table top a mess, as if it were a disaster scene.

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