Chapter 1234: Taking the First Step

Xu Damao did not answer, but just stood there silently, as if he was lost in deep thought. Li Xiangqian's gaze stayed on his back for a moment, and suddenly felt that Xu Damao seemed to be hiding deeper pain and unwillingness behind him.

"If you want to truly change, you must first let go of your pride." Li Xiangqian finally broke the silence. His tone was no longer so cold, but rather gentle, as if trying to melt the chill.

Xu Damao suddenly raised his head, with some resistance still in his eyes, but also a hint of complicated emotions. He did not refute anymore, but just whispered: "I know what to do." There was a hint of helplessness in his tone, but also a hint of sincerity that he had never had before.

Li Xiangqian nodded, feeling somewhat relieved. He knew that Xu Damao's change might not be immediate, but it was at least the first step. And for him, this moment today was more significant than any other conflict - he was no longer a passive bystander, no longer a victim who endured injustice, but a person who stood on his own position and decided the fate of himself and others.

"Your apology this time at least gives me hope that you might change a little bit," Li Xiangqian said, his voice calm but revealing a hint of relief. "But remember, no change can be achieved overnight. You have to change from the heart, not to please others, but for yourself."

Xu Damao's mouth moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing. He just stood there, looking deeply at Li Xiangqian, as if he wanted to say something, and seemed to be thinking about something.

Li Xiangqian didn't say anything more. He knew that he had achieved a phased goal. And then, Xu Damao's future would be decided by himself.

As the night deepened, the lights in the courtyard gradually dimmed, and the courtyard returned to its former quietness. Li Xiangqian turned around and prepared to return to his room, but his mood was unusually calm. At this moment, he seemed to have thrown away all the grievances and entanglements of the past, and only the steps forward were left, firm and calm.

Just as he turned around, he suddenly heard a faint voice from behind: "Li Xiangqian, thank you."

Li Xiangqian was slightly stunned, and turned to look at Xu Damao, and found that the man was standing there, with deep eyes, and seemed to be less frivolous and disdainful than before, but with a rare calmness. Xu Damao's face was a little ashamed, but also with a hint of relief, as if he had finally unloaded a heavy burden.

Li Xiangqian nodded. Although he didn't smile, he felt a faint warmth in his heart. Without saying anything more, he walked straight to his yard and disappeared into the night.

The night in the courtyard was still quiet, and everything seemed to have returned to the past. Only in a corner, Xu Damao still stood there, as if re-examining his life, while Li Xiangqian's figure had long disappeared in the distance, continuing to move towards his own future.

As the night deepened, the air in the courtyard was also quietly changing, the temperature dropped, and the air was filled with the unique coolness of the night. However, in this quiet courtyard, Li Xiangqian and Xu Damao did not intend to completely let go of the past disputes. Just as Li Xiangqian walked into his room, he suddenly stopped and turned his back to the courtyard. A thought suddenly emerged in his mind - there seemed to be a deeper entanglement between him and Xu Damao, and more things were unresolved.

He turned around quickly and walked towards Xu Damao, his steps were neither hurried nor slow, but he faintly revealed a certain determination. Xu Damao was standing in the corner of the yard, his hands in his trouser pockets, with a trace of contemplation on his face, as if he was caught in some complicated emotions.

"Xu Damao." Li Xiangqian's voice suddenly broke the silence of the courtyard, with a hint of unexpected calmness.

Xu Damao turned around and saw Li Xiangqian approaching. A hint of hesitation flashed across his eyes, and then an unnatural smile appeared on his face: "Why, Li Xiangqian, haven't you already gotten the apology you wanted? Why, do you still want to teach me a lesson?"

Li Xiangqian stood still, staring at Xu Damao, his mind churning. The intense emotions of the past seemed to have become less important at this moment, and more of a rational thinking. "I know you haven't completely let it go. Over the years, you have been hiding resentment in your heart, especially facing the eyes of me and the people around you. You see, everyone no longer respects you like before, right?"

Xu Damao still had a smile on his face, but his eyes were a little gloomy. He whispered, "Do you think I care about what these people think? These people don't understand me at all. They are just a bunch of people on the surface. Who really cares about who?"

Li Xiangqian did not rush to respond, but stood quietly, his eyes not moving away from Xu Damao. Xu Damao looked at Li Xiangqian and suddenly felt uneasy, but he did not want to show it, still pretending to be indifferent, as if he wanted to hide something.

"You are wrong, Xu Damao." Li Xiangqian suddenly whispered, "These people may seem indifferent, but you have to know that what you did in the past has already created a gap between them. You can still continue to do it, but you will find that one day, loneliness will swallow you up. You can no longer rely on them like before, and all the hypocrisy will be revealed."

Xu Damao frowned slightly, as if he had not expected Li Xiangqian to say such a thing. He suddenly looked at him in confusion: "What do you mean? Do you want me to let go of the past and be a 'good person'?"

"I never told you to be a 'good person.'" Li Xiangqian raised his lips slightly, his voice cold and challenging, "But you have to admit that it's time to change your choice. You know that if you want to truly change your destiny, it won't work just by relying on these so-called vanity and climbing up the ladder."

Xu Damao frowned and took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the anger in his heart. Finally, he sneered, his tone no longer as frivolous as before, but revealed a sense of determination and calmness: "Then tell me, what should we do? If you say I should change, will I change?"

Li Xiangqian was neither impatient nor anxious, and spoke slowly: "Look, Xu Damao, I know your inner struggle, and I know you are not completely ignorant, but you are always trapped in the images of the past and cannot extricate yourself. You have always wanted to control everything, thinking that you can live without any constraints, but the result is that you are getting deeper and deeper. Now, I will give you a chance, a chance to change completely."

Xu Damao's eyes froze, and he was obviously aroused to think about what Li Xiangqian said, but he seemed to quickly return to his indifferent attitude: "What exactly is the opportunity you are talking about?"