Siheyuan: Mastery started in the 50s

Chapter 421 Arrived in Just a Few Steps

"Look, these are the photos I just took when I got together with some old friends." Wang Qiang handed over the phone, his tone filled with pride and nostalgia.

The man took the phone, looked at the photo, and said with a smile: "That's great. It seems that you guys have a good relationship. It's not easy to get together with old friends." He sighed: "Yes, everyone is busy with their own things. It's not easy to have time to get together. So I thought, I must keep a commemoration today. This photo is very meaningful to me."

"Indeed, it's a blessing to have such a friend." The man returned the phone to Wang Qiang with a sincere smile on his face.

Wang Qiang felt a warm feeling in his heart. This brief exchange made him feel that even in the rain, there was a rare warmth. The sound of rain gradually became softer, as if adding a peaceful background to this conversation.

While they were chatting, Wang Qiang suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from not far away. He turned around and saw that it was Zhang Wei walking towards him with an umbrella. Zhang Wei saw Wang Qiang and greeted him with a smile: "Old Wang, why are you taking shelter here?" Then he smiled and said: "I wanted to go home, but the rain was too heavy and I didn't bring an umbrella, so I had to hide here."

Zhang Wei walked a few steps closer and handed the umbrella to Wang Qiang: "I just happened to be passing by here on my way home, and I saw you here, so I came to pick you up. Let's go together, so you don't have to get wet here."

Wang Qiang was touched. He didn't expect Zhang Wei to come to pick him up. He took the umbrella and said goodbye to the stranger who had just chatted with him: "Thank you, brother. We had a great time chatting today. See you again if there is a chance."

The man smiled and nodded: "It's okay, be careful on the road. I hope you can get home soon."

Wang Qiang and Zhang Wei held an umbrella and walked into the rain. The two walked side by side. Although the space under the umbrella was narrow, Wang Qiang felt a rare sense of security. The raindrops hit the umbrella, making a gentle sound, as if telling a warm tacit understanding.

"You are so nice. You even came to pick me up." Wang Qiang said gratefully.

Zhang Wei smiled, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone: "Don't say that. You are my brother after all. Besides, we just had a party today, and I can't let you go back in the rain, otherwise our party will not be perfect."

Wang Qiang felt even more warm in his heart after hearing this. He knew how lucky he was to have such a group of friends who cared about him. Along the way, the two chatted and unknowingly arrived at Wang Qiang's doorstep.

"Okay, we're here. You should go back quickly and don't get wet in the rain anymore." Wang Qiang returned the umbrella to Zhang Wei, his heart full of gratitude.

Zhang Wei waved his hand and said with a smile: "It's okay, just go in. Let's make an appointment later and meet again another day."

Wang Qiang watched Zhang Wei leave, standing at the door of his house, watching him gradually disappear in the rain, and an indescribable feeling of emotion welled up in his heart. Although the heavy rain today came suddenly, it made him cherish the people around him and this hard-earned friendship even more.

Wang Qiang returned home, took off his soaked clothes, put on clean pajamas, made a cup of hot tea and sat on the sofa, quietly recalling the day's experience. He looked at the group photo on his phone and felt the warmth and strength again. He understood that no matter how many difficulties and challenges there were in the future, he would always find the strength to move forward.

When Wang Qiang woke up, it was already daybreak. However, he did not feel refreshed like usual. Instead, he felt indescribably heavy and tired. He turned over and felt sore all over, and his head felt a little heavy. Although he felt a little relaxed after the rainy night last night, his body seemed to be paying the price for the heavy rain.

He sat up and found that his throat was a little dry and itchy, and his nose was a little blocked. Wang Qiang frowned and muttered to himself: "Is it a cold?"

He struggled to get up and went to the bathroom to wash his face and wake up. Standing in front of the mirror, Wang Qiang saw that his face was a little pale and his eyes were a little bloodshot, which was obviously the sequelae of being caught in the rain last night. He turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on his face. The cold water made him a little more sober, but the discomfort still lingered in his body.

"What bad luck." Wang Qiang was a little depressed. He had thought that he could take advantage of the few days off to rest and adjust his mentality, but his plan was disrupted by a cold. His throat was getting more and more uncomfortable, even slightly painful, and his nose was blocked, which made him even more irritable.

He changed his clothes, walked into the living room, and poured himself a cup of hot water, trying to relieve the dryness and itchiness in his throat. After drinking a sip of hot water, he felt better, but the feeling of weakness still enveloped him, as if a heavy haze was pressing on his heart, making him feel indescribably uncomfortable.

Wang Qiang sat on the sofa, holding a cup, staring out the window in a daze. He was enjoying a party with friends yesterday, but today he had to face this sudden cold and discomfort alone. This contrast made him even more depressed. He thought he had walked out of that shadow, but now, this discomfort has dragged him back into anxiety and irritability.

He took out his phone and tried to find something to do to distract himself. But after flipping through it, he found nothing that particularly interested him. Browsing social media and watching his friends' updates, Wang Qiang suddenly felt as if his world had become empty and boring. The things that usually made him happy now seemed to have lost their color.

"Do I really need to rest? Or is it just a physical problem?" Wang Qiang began to doubt himself. He knew that he hadn't relaxed for a long time. A series of recent events had made him almost tense, and this cold was more like a warning from his body: if he continued like this, there might be bigger problems.

He didn't want to let himself fall into this negative mood, so he decided to go to the pharmacy to buy some cold medicine. Even if it was just a simple physical discomfort, he didn't want it to bother him any more. He put on his coat, took an umbrella, and slowly walked out of the house. The air outside was still moist and fresh after last night's rain, but at this moment, such air did not bring much comfort to Wang Qiang, but instead made him feel a little cold.

The pharmacy was not far away, and Wang Qiang arrived in a few steps. He bought some common cold medicines and a few packets of granules, and then turned around to go home. However, the moment he walked out of the pharmacy, he suddenly felt dizzy and his steps could not help but pause. At that moment, Wang Qiang had to stop, hold on to the wall next to him, close his eyes, and try to calm himself down.