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

The afterglow of the setting sun has gradually faded, and the blood-red setting sun seems to be eclipsed by Liu Guangqi's mood at the moment.

He walked hurriedly, each step seemed to carry a heavy burden, and the sound of the soles of his shoes rubbing against the ground was particularly clear in the quiet alley.

Liu Guangqi walked with steps that felt as heavy as if he was weighed down by lead but as rapid as a storm, stumbling and panting all the way from home to Qi Sihui's residence.

This house was the welfare housing her father was allocated when he responded to the country's call to participate in aid construction work.

Its unique design style of independent entrance and independent house is particularly eye-catching among the surrounding traditional courtyards and slums, just like a beautiful flower among the green, different and unique.

I saw the two rooms standing there neatly, giving people a sense of dignity and stability.

There is also a separate kitchen and a clean toilet next to the house.

Although the walls of the house are not brand new, it is obvious that it was built not too long ago and still exudes the unique atmosphere of a new house.

It was sunset at this time, and the afterglow of the sunset gently fell on the house like a thin layer of golden gauze, making the whole building glow with a faint halo.

The halo appears and disappears, as if silently telling the tranquility and beauty of the years.

However, this beautiful scene formed a sharp contrast with the depression in Liu Guangqi's heart at the moment.

Liu Guangqi finally arrived at the door. He stopped and took a few breaths.

I saw that his originally broad and solid chest was rising and falling violently, as if there was a ferocious beast hidden inside, struggling hard to rush out.

Obviously, he was trying his best to suppress the surging emotions in his heart like a raging storm.

He raised his head slightly and cast his gaze towards the last trace of sunset in the sky that was about to disappear.

After taking a deep breath of the slightly cool air, he slowly exhaled, repeating this several times, as if he was trying to use this method to calm his breathing rhythm which was slightly disordered due to nervousness and excitement.

Then, he slowly raised his right hand, and that hand was like a candle in the wind. After trembling slightly in the air for a while, he finally mustered up the courage to knock on the door in front of him.

There was a crisp knock on the door, followed by the sound of footsteps inside the house.

After a while, the door opened and it was Qi Sihui who appeared at the door.

When she saw that the person standing outside the door was Liu Guangqi, her beautiful big eyes were immediately filled with surprise and confusion.

She couldn't help but think to herself, "Didn't Liu Guangqi just send me back home? How come he came back again after just a short while? Did he forget to tell me something important?"

However, before she could open her mouth to ask, she keenly noticed that something was wrong with Liu Guangqi.

She noticed that Liu Guangqi's eyes had turned slightly red, as if he had just experienced an extremely intense emotional storm.

Those eyes that always sparkled with bright light and sparkled with spirit now revealed a trace of fatigue and sadness that was difficult to conceal.

This sudden change made Qi Sihui more confused.

"Guangqi, what happened?" Qi Sihui couldn't help but ask, unable to hold back her concern. Her voice was obviously mixed with a hint of worry and uneasiness, and even her slightly furrowed eyebrows seemed to be filled with deep concern for Liu Guangqi.

Faced with Qi Sihui's concerned inquiries, Liu Guangqi just lowered his head slightly and remained silent.

As time passed, the whole scene fell into a suffocating silence.

After a long time, he slowly raised his head, but still did not speak. His lips just moved slightly, as if he was trying hard to organize the words he wanted to express.

Finally, he slowly opened his mouth as if he had used up all his strength. His deep and hoarse voice revealed a deep fatigue and unspeakable helplessness.

"My parents... they don't agree with us being together. Just now, I had a big fight with them. My heart feels like it's being eaten by countless ants. It's a mess."

After hearing these words, Qi Sihui was stunned on the spot for a moment as if she had been struck by lightning.

She widened her eyes and looked in disbelief at the man in front of her whose face was filled with pain and confusion.

"How...how could this happen? When I was at your house just now, your uncle and aunt were so warm to me! They cared about me and were very considerate. How come everything suddenly changed not long after I returned home? What on earth happened?"

Liu Guangqi took a deep breath, then exhaled heavily, accompanied by a long sigh, as if an invisible force was gushing out from the deepest part of his heart. The sigh was full of endless bitterness and helplessness, like a surging tide, hitting his already broken heart wave after wave, making him feel extremely sad and uncomfortable.

Qi Sihui was extremely worried. She grabbed Liu Guangqi's arm and shook it vigorously, asking anxiously, "Guangqi, what's going on? Can you tell me quickly? Don't carry these troubles alone anymore. Let's find a way to solve it together!"

Liu Guangqi frowned, his eyes full of helplessness and pain. He slowly said, "Sihui, my father raised a very difficult question. He said that there is no boy in your family, which means that if we are together, I will have to take on the responsibility of being the leader of your family in the future."

Liu Guangqi sighed softly and continued, "There is another point. My father thinks your hometown is too far from here. He is worried that once we start a family, I will not be able to take care of both families. After all, it is impossible for me to take care of two families far apart at the same time, which makes him very worried."

He shook his head again and said in a low voice, "Moreover, he is also worried that your father will return to his hometown in Northeast China after retirement. He thinks that according to common sense, you will definitely follow him back. If that happens, I will be in a dilemma. On one side are my elderly parents who need care, and on the other side are you and your family whom I love deeply. I really don’t know how to choose."

Qi Sihui anxiously defended herself: "Guangqi, you have to believe me, my family really has no plans to return to our hometown at the moment, and we don't have such a plan. We can live here forever, and my dad will not return to the Northeast when he retires."

Liu Guangqi looked sad and said slowly, "I understand. I told my father all these words. But he is stubborn. He always said that I can't take risks with the rest of my life and gamble on an uncertain future. He is afraid that my happiness will be ruined because of these factors. I feel very sad now."

Qi Sihui slowly stretched out her slender and graceful hands and gently held Liu Guangqi's slightly rough big hands.

The moment her fingertips touched Liu Guangqi's palm, a warm current seemed to spread from the place where the two of them were holding each other and quickly spread throughout her body.

Liu Guangqi only felt that the hands he was holding were as soft as cotton, yet with just the right temperature, making him feel extremely comfortable and at ease.

Qi Sihui raised her head slightly, and stared at Liu Guangqi with eyes as clear as water, her eyes filled with endless tenderness and concern.

She opened her red lips slightly, and said softly in a voice as sweet as a yellow oriole singing out of a valley: "Guangqi, don't be too sad for now. This matter has just begun, and there is still a long way to go before the final result. We have plenty of time to think about countermeasures. Wait for another two days, and I will go to your house in person and sit down with your uncle and aunt to have a calm and peaceful discussion. Perhaps I can successfully persuade them to change their original ideas."

Hearing Qi Sihui's words, Liu Guangqi slowly raised his head, and his originally dull eyes were now sparkling with tears.

His eyes were fixed on the beautiful, kind and considerate woman in front of him. His eyes were full of gratitude, but also mixed with a hint of deep worry.

"Sihui, you...are you really willing to go? My father has always had a hot temper and is stubborn. Once he gets angry, he won't recognize any relatives. I'm worried that he will vent his anger on you because of this and say something harsh to you." Liu Guangqi's voice trembled slightly, and it was obvious that he was very conflicted inside.

Qi Sihui shook her head slightly, her black hair swaying gently, and said firmly: "Guangqi, for our relationship, I am not afraid. I believe that as long as I communicate with them sincerely and tell them our ideas and plans, they will understand us. After all, we really love each other and want to take good care of them."

Liu Guangqi sighed: "My dad is too stubborn. Once he makes up his mind, it is difficult to change it. If I don't do what he says, I'm really afraid that he will do something extreme. After all, my two younger brothers are beaten almost every day."

Qi Sihui gently patted Liu Guangqi's shoulder: "Guangqi, don't worry. No matter what, I will be with you. Let's try all the methods we can think of first. If it doesn't work, we will think of another way. Maybe when uncle and aunt calm down, they will find that our relationship is worthy of blessing."

Liu Guangqi nodded: "Sihui, I feel more at ease with you here. But I am still very worried that this matter will not be so easy to solve."

Qi Sihui smiled and encouraged: "No matter what the result is, we will not regret it as long as we have tried our best. Don't be too anxious these two days. Take a good rest and adjust your mentality. We will face it together."

Qi Sihui frowned slightly and said with some doubt: "Guangqi, I suddenly thought of something. I haven't told your parents about asking you to come over yet, why are they reacting so strongly? Did you tell them something?"

Liu Guangqi shook his head helplessly and explained, "I really didn't say anything. Maybe they figured it out on their own. They just think your home is too far away from here, and they're always worried that you'll go back to your hometown in the Northeast. Then I'll definitely have to go with you. They're old, and they're afraid I won't be able to take care of them."

Qi Sihui sighed softly: "It seems that this matter cannot be rushed, and we have to find a way to solve it slowly. I am the only child in my family, and my parents have always held me in the palm of their hands. I certainly can't ignore them. But your parents' reaction is really too sensitive. I haven't mentioned anything yet. If I really told them about marrying into the family today, they might really quarrel on the spot."

Liu Guangqi was worried: "I'm afraid the situation will get out of control. My dad has a bad temper and he won't care about anything when he gets angry. But we can't just give up like this. Sihui, what do you think we should do next?"

Qi Sihui pondered for a moment and said slowly, "I think we should start by easing your parents' attitude. In the next two days, you should tell them more about my good points so that they can get to know me better. I will also prepare and think about how to talk to them about our future plans, so that they can rest assured to leave you to me and resolve their concerns."

Liu Guangqi nodded: "This is the only way. But my dad has old-fashioned ideas. I don't know if he can accept our ideas."

Qi Sihui looked at Liu Guangqi intently and asked softly, "Guangqi, what do you think?"

Liu Guangqi met her gaze without hesitation, his eyes full of determination: "Sihui, I want to be with you forever and become a family. This is what I desire most in my heart. From the first moment I saw you, I was determined to be with you. I don't want to give up our relationship because of any obstacles."

Qi Sihui nodded slightly, and then continued: "What would you do if you really quarrel with your parents?"

Liu Guangqi's face instantly showed an embarrassment. He lowered his head slightly, was silent for a while, and then slowly said: "This is really too difficult to choose, Sihui. On one side is you, the lover I want to be with for the rest of my life, and on the other side is my parents, who have worked hard to raise me. But if I have to choose, I... I will still choose you. I know my parents love me very much, and I hope they can understand me. I believe that they will not watch me give up my own happiness, and will not always stop me from moving towards a future life with you. It's just that this process will definitely make them sad, and I feel guilty."

Qi Sihui gently stroked Liu Guangqi's face, her eyes full of emotion and heartache: "Guangqi, I know this is too difficult for you. But no matter what, we have to face it together. Maybe we can find some middle ground, such as developing steadily here for a period of time, and when the conditions are ripe, we can consider the arrangements on both sides and try to make it acceptable to everyone."

Liu Guangqi held Qi Sihui's hand and nodded: "Sihui, you are right. We can't just think about ourselves, we also have to take our parents' feelings into consideration. But my dad's personality makes it difficult to convince him."

Qi Sihui thought for a moment and said, "Why don't we find an opportunity for the parents of both sides to meet and have them speak frankly about their thoughts. Maybe we can find a better solution."

Liu Guangqi hesitated: "I'm afraid my dad will directly object when we meet, which will make the situation very awkward."

Qi Sihui thought about it and realized that this was indeed the case. If the two families met and the problem was not resolved, the talks might really break down, so this method was not feasible.

After all, Qi Sihui didn't know Liu Haizhong, so naturally she didn't know what Liu Haizhong was thinking. If she knew that Liu Haizhong was a power-hungry person, she would definitely take her father to talk to Liu Haizhong, and put on some official airs, and then make some big promises, and maybe Liu Haizhong would agree directly.

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