Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Zhao Xiaolan looked at Li Xiangqian with some surprise, her eyes showing some surprise and gratitude. In the past, Li Xiangqian would always change the subject in a few words, but this time he took the initiative to show concern. Zhao Xiaolan felt warm in her heart, and felt that this trip to her parents' home seemed to not only bring her closer to her family, but also made Li Xiangqian a lot softer.

"Xiang Qian, thank you." Zhao Xiaolan said softly, with a hint of tentative sweetness in her tone.

Li Xiangqian was slightly stunned, then waved his hands, his tone a little clumsy: "Why thank me? Isn't this the right thing to do? We are a family, and if we live a good life, everyone should benefit from it."

Zhao Xiaolan smiled, revealing a sense of relief and satisfaction. This was one of the few moments in recent years when she felt truly at ease. She knew that Li Xiangqian was not good at speaking, but these changes in him made her cherish him even more.

Back at the courtyard, it was afternoon, and people in the courtyard gathered in groups of three or four to bask in the sun and chat. Seeing Li Xiangqian and his wife coming back, some people greeted them warmly, while others just nodded and smiled. Li Xiangqian was no longer as reserved as before, but smiled and exchanged a few words with a few acquaintances, and Zhao Xiaolan also chatted with them.

Back in her house, Zhao Xiaolan put down her luggage and was busy packing up the things she brought back. Li Xiangqian sat at the table, quietly watching her busy figure, and a sense of calm satisfaction inexplicably rose in his heart. This warm living atmosphere made him feel relaxed after a long time.

"Xiaolan," Li Xiangqian suddenly spoke, his tone revealing a bit of seriousness, "If you want to go back to your parents' home in the future, just tell me in advance. I know you want to help your mother and your brother, but we have to strike a balance in our family. Don't be afraid that I will be unhappy, as long as we can live a good life, I won't stop you."

Zhao Xiaolan paused for a moment, then turned to look at Li Xiangqian, her eyes moist. She walked to the table, sat down gently, and whispered, "Xiangqian, I don't have to help my parents much. I just want them to know that I am living a good life after marrying into your family and that I have the ability to help them. I am already very satisfied that you can understand my thoughts."

Li Xiangqian nodded, feeling relieved. He knew that Zhao Xiaolan's thoughts were not complicated, and she did not want to cause trouble for him. She was just a person who valued feelings, a wife who always cared about her family. And he was also a husband who valued friendship and loyalty.

Li Xiangqian has been feeling like there is a heavy stone weighing on his heart lately, and he just can't let it go. These days seem to be peaceful, and life at home is a little easier than before, but the actual situation is not as easy as it seems. Especially the problem of food consumption, which makes him sleep uneasy all night. The family's reserves are decreasing day by day, Zhao Xiaolan's parents need help occasionally, and some trivial matters in the yard often make him spend money unconsciously. Li Xiangqian feels that if he doesn't save money quickly, this kind of life will sooner or later be a problem.

One night, Zhao Xiaolan was busy cooking in the kitchen, while her daughter Li Xiaoman was playing with a small doll she made by hand. The warm light in the room made the whole room look particularly cozy. However, Li Xiangqian's brows were still furrowed. He sat at the table, holding a small piece of paper with dense calculations in his hand, staring at the numbers on it, with deep worry in his expression.

He tapped the table with his pen and muttered to himself, "There's less than half a bag of flour left, a small bucket of rice, and the oil is almost gone. I do have a little money, but if things continue like this, how can I make it to next month?"

Zhao Xiaolan came out of the kitchen carrying a dish. When she heard Li Xiangqian's mumbling, she couldn't help but frown. "Xiangqian, are you calculating these things again? Isn't our family still in a state of not having enough food to eat? Why do you keep focusing on these trivial matters all day and night and make yourself nervous?"

Li Xiangqian looked up at her and sighed, with a hint of helplessness and dissatisfaction in his tone: "Xiaolan, you don't know how quickly these things are consumed at home. Your mother's family just brought five kilograms of flour, how much less has our family had in the past few days? If this continues, what will we eat?"

Zhao Xiaolan was also a little unhappy when she heard this. She put the plate on the table and retorted, "What do you mean by mentioning my parents' home every time? Didn't I tell you that this is the last time I will bring anything over there? Besides, my parents' home doesn't ask us for anything every day!"

"That's what you say, but you know, food is a bottomless pit if you don't save it! We also have Xiaoman at home, have you thought about her future expenses?" Li Xiangqian couldn't help but raise his voice, but then he realized that his daughter was still there, so he forced himself to lower his tone.

When Xiaoman heard her parents arguing, she looked at them timidly and shrank into a corner with her doll. Li Xiangqian felt nervous when he saw this and forced a smile, "Xiaoman, it's okay. Mom and Dad are just discussing how to make life better."

Zhao Xiaolan looked at her daughter's face and regretted losing control of her emotions. She whispered, "Xiang Qian, I know you're worried about the family, but we can't be stingy. Look at Xiao Man, she's so scared."

Li Xiangqian took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He knew what Zhao Xiaolan said made sense, but he still hadn't gotten over it. He didn't want his family to fall into trouble, and he didn't want his daughter to be without even the most basic living security in the future. He had to find a way to control the family's expenses, especially food.

After dinner, Li Xiangqian coaxed Xiaoman to sleep and then began to think about a specific plan for saving money. He took out an old newspaper and sat under the lamp to write and draw, with various possibilities circling in his mind. Reduce waste? Try not to eat out? Or find a way to make some extra income?

The next morning, Li Xiangqian came to the well in the yard and was about to fetch water when he saw an old man watering his vegetable garden. He said casually, "Uncle, your vegetables are growing well. It's not easy to eat fresh vegetables in winter."

The old man looked up at him and smiled: "Xiang Qian, I just did this when I was free. If you are interested, you can give it a try. Not only can you grow some vegetables and eat them yourself, but you can also save a lot of money."

When Li Xiangqian heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up. He had noticed the old man's vegetable garden a long time ago, but he had never thought about it. Now that he heard him say this, he immediately had some ideas in his mind. He thought that although the small yard at home had limited space, it would be no problem to make a vegetable garden.