Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Seeing that his tone softened, Li Mei stopped complaining and just whispered, "What do you think we should do? Reduce the food supply? The child is still growing, we can't let her starve."

Li Xiangqian was silent. It's not that he hadn't considered this, but it was precisely because of the child's growth that he felt the burden on his shoulders was getting heavier. He was thinking, in addition to the food expenses, there were also house repairs, coal reserves for winter, and occasional social interactions. Which one was not an expense?

He rubbed his temple, his mind racing: "Did I buy something too expensive? Or, is there something wrong with the process?"

At this time, the second uncle came into the yard, holding a basket of freshly picked vegetables. He greeted them with a smile: "Xiang Qian, Li Mei, good morning! I went to the fields to pick some vegetables this morning, and thought of bringing some to you."

Li Xiangqian was moved when he saw the basket of vegetables. He knew that Second Uncle's family was not doing well, but they always helped their neighbors as much as possible. He stood up and took the basket of vegetables, saying, "Thank you, uncle. You can keep them for yourself, why are you still thinking about us?"

The second uncle waved his hand and said, "It's not worth much. If you can't finish eating the vegetables you grow, it's a waste to leave them alone. Besides, we are neighbors, so we should help each other and have hope in life."

Li Xiangqian felt a complicated feeling. He was very grateful for the second uncle's kindness, but he felt more helpless. He thought to himself that although the dish was light, it was a token of his love. But what about himself? When would he be able to support his family without relying on others' help?

After seeing off the second uncle, Li Xiangqian sat back on the bench and continued to flip through his account book. As he calculated, he blamed himself in his heart: Have I really been too extravagant over the years? Or is there something that I didn't plan well?

Seeing that he was frowning, Li Mei couldn't help but come over and say, "Don't think like that all the time. Isn't that how life is? There is income and expenditure. Let's not be too hard on ourselves."

Li Xiangqian shook his head and said in a low voice: "It's not harsh, but we have to calculate it clearly. Look, can we buy less vegetables next month and eat more cheap ones, such as sweet potatoes and potatoes? Can we ask the neighbors to help with group buying to save some costs?"

Li Mei frowned: "Sweet potatoes and potatoes can be eaten, but will the child be happy if they eat them every day? Look at our daughter, she has a hard time smiling lately, don't you feel bad?"

Li Xiangqian's heart was stabbed. Of course, he noticed his daughter's mood, but he knew that now was not the time to enjoy himself. He had to save every penny so that the future would not be as difficult as it was now.

"When things get better in the future, I will definitely make it up to her." Li Xiangqian said in a low voice, as if he was making a promise to Li Mei, or as if he was convincing himself.

But Li Mei felt a little distressed when she heard this: "Move forward, life is for the present, not the future. We can't make the present too hard for the sake of the future."

Li Xiangqian did not answer. His eyes fell on the last page of the account book. The numbers were like ropes that tightly bound his heart. He knew that what Li Mei said made sense, but he knew even more that reality often did not go as he wished. He had to find a way to get this family out of the current predicament.

From that day on, Li Xiangqian began to plan every expense more carefully. He no longer bought snacks or extra things for his daughter as he did before, but started to make some simple snacks by himself, which not only saved money but also made his child happy. He also wondered if he could negotiate with familiar vegetable vendors when he went to the vegetable market and buy some cheap leftover goods directly.

Li Xiangqian has been feeling particularly heavy lately, and he always feels that the burden of life is suffocating him. Ever since those accounts began to make him anxious, every expense at home has been like a heavy stone pressing on his heart, and even the most ordinary daily life has become so complicated. He knows that if he doesn't try his best to find some solutions, he will probably fall into a deeper quagmire. So, on a quiet morning, he decided to put aside the trivial matters at hand for a while and go out with Jia Dongxu to take a walk and relax.

Jia Dongxu is an old friend of Li Xiangqian. Although their life trajectories are somewhat different, they have always had a good relationship. Jia Dongxu is not like Li Xiangqian who is always frowning and anxious. Instead, he has a calm temperament, which makes Li Xiangqian often feel an invisible pressure in front of him, as if he has an expectation that he can be as relaxed as him.

In the morning, Li Xiangqian dressed neatly and walked out the door. He did not feel relieved because of his plan to go out. Instead, he felt a little nervous. Things in his life were holding him back, and no matter how hard he tried, he seemed unable to break free. He took a deep breath and tried to relax himself. Jia Dongxu was already waiting outside the yard, with his back straight, standing there as if he was ready for a little adventure.

"Xiang Qian, why are you out so late? Don't forget, we have to relax when we go out this time." Jia Dongxu smiled at him with a cunning light in his eyes.

Li Xiangqian forced a smile, but his heart was still heavy: "Yeah, I know that too. It's just that I've been busy lately and my mind is not here."

"Even if your mind is not here, you have to step out and don't let yourself get stuck in trivial matters." Jia Dongxu patted his shoulder and said in a teasing tone, "Look at you, you worry about this and that every day, and even your tone of voice is full of hostility. Just relax today, and at least go out for a walk and see how other people live."

Li Xiangqian was stunned when he heard this. He knew Jia Dongxu was joking, but he also understood that there was a real concern hidden in this joking tone. Perhaps it was because of this that Jia Dongxu was able to maintain a unique calmness in the face of many difficulties in life, while he himself had long been surrounded by countless trivial matters and troubles.

They walked along the country road, and it was quiet except for the rustling of leaves in the wind. Li Xiangqian thought he would feel relaxed in the silence, but his anxiety did not dissipate. With every step, the burden in his heart became heavier. Jia Dongxu did not seem to notice Li Xiangqian's mood. He would tell jokes from time to time, or talk about his recent business, with a relaxed tone, like a carefree person.

"Look, in this season, the fruits in the market are a lot cheaper. I just bought a few kilograms of oranges yesterday, and they tasted so good." Jia Dongxu said excitedly, his eyes shining, looking very happy.