Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

He stopped talking and silently lowered his head to pick up the corn cobs on the ground, but his mood became heavier. The touch of each corn kernel made him clearly realize that whether it was rice, corn, or chestnuts in front of him, they were just appearances at this moment. Hidden behind these appearances was a deeper and more complicated situation.

"Everyone is trying to buy time and food for themselves," Li Xiangqian thought, "but in the end, no one can really escape this predicament."

When Li Xiangqian came back from the cornfield, it was already completely dark. He quietly pushed open the gate and felt the usual coolness. The air was mixed with a hint of earth, and the breeze blew gently, with a hint of dampness and the unique freshness of autumn. It was quiet all around, with almost no sound except for a few night birds that occasionally flew by. He stood at the gate for a long time without moving, but his eyes were always fixed on the open space illuminated by the moonlight.

The open space was not big. It was originally a wasteland in his yard, overgrown with weeds and loose soil. But today, standing here, he suddenly felt a strange urge in his heart - he wanted to grow something, grow some food, grow something that could keep him alive.

He knew that the current situation did not allow him to delay any longer. Even the bag of chestnuts was only a temporary emergency and could not solve the problem at all. And the bag of rice, although it was "generously" sent by Aunt Zhou, no one could guarantee that they could continue to rely on the help of others over time.

Li Xiangqian walked silently to the center of the yard, looked down at the land under his feet, and suddenly felt an inexplicable anxiety in his heart. Although this land is not fertile, it is not completely useless. However, he has never really considered farming. When he was a child, he just walked from the kitchen to the yard at home and watched his parents work, but never did it himself. Now, facing the shortage of food, he realized that he seemed to be forced into a situation that he had to face - either learn to farm or always rely on the charity of others.

He looked back and saw that the house in the courtyard was quiet, with only a little light leaking through the cracks in the window. He couldn't help but sigh, and the impulse in his heart became clearer. Farming seemed to be his most practical choice now.

"But can anything really grow on this piece of land?" Li Xiangqian whispered to himself, his eyes involuntarily falling on the small piece of land in the corner of the yard. The soil looked a bit barren, and weeds occupied most of it. Even if he started now, he didn't know if he could guarantee a harvest.

His heart was full of contradictions and hesitations, but he had to face this reality. Food was becoming increasingly scarce, and the people around him were all seeking their own survival. He couldn't always rely on the charity of others, and even the help from his neighbors would eventually run out. Moreover, although the people around him seemed friendly, in fact, everyone had their own calculations in mind, and no one could guarantee that they would always help.

"I still have to give it a try." Li Xiangqian finally made a decision. Although the uneasiness in his heart had not completely disappeared, he knew that only by taking the initiative could he avoid being pushed into a dead end by life.

The next morning, Li Xiangqian started his "farming" plan. He found a few old shovels and hoes at home, cleared a piece of land in the yard, and began to loosen the soil and weed. Seeing the weeds being removed one by one and the broken soil being turned over, Li Xiangqian suddenly felt relieved. Although he had little control over the land, at least now he was doing something for his own survival instead of waiting for others to give him answers.

Sweat dripped down his hands, and his clothes were stained by the dirt, but he didn't care. Looking at the cleared space in front of him, he suddenly felt a little relieved. The busy life over the years had alienated him from these basic labors, and he even looked down on them. But today, when he stood on this land and turned the soil with his own hands, the fear and depression in his heart seemed to be slightly relieved.

"As long as a little food can be grown, even if it's just enough to make a living, it's still a hope." Li Xiangqian thought silently in his heart, continuing to swing the hoe in his hand. Every movement declared his determination to the wasteland.

But at this moment, he suddenly heard footsteps in his ears. He turned around and saw that it was Uncle Liu. Uncle Liu has always been the elder in the yard. He is old and doesn't talk much, but he is very steady in his work. Today, he walked over with a tired face. Seeing Li Xiangqian busy, he paused for a moment and then walked up.

"What are you doing?" Uncle Liu's voice was still gentle, but there was a hint of curiosity on his face.

Li Xiangqian stopped the hoe in his hand, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and forced a smile. "Nothing, Uncle Liu, my family is short of food recently, so I want to try growing something." He smiled a little awkwardly, his eyes still fixed on the newly loosened soil in front of him.

Uncle Liu looked at it, seemed to think about it, and whispered: "Farming is a good idea. However, I'm afraid it's not easy to grow crops on this land." He paused and continued, "You also know that the land here is not fertile. Although this land looks empty, its soil is not suitable for growing too many things. It's okay to grow some vegetables, but if you want to rely on it to sustain a year's food, it will be a bit difficult."

Li Xiangqian frowned slightly, feeling somewhat disappointed. His previous impulse seemed to be poured with a bucket of cold water, and the hope that had just been aroused disappeared in an instant. "Really?" He couldn't help but ask in a low voice, feeling somewhat unwilling in his heart.

Uncle Liu nodded. "Of course, you can grow some small things, like some vegetables. But if you really want to solve the basic food problem with this land, it may be a bit difficult." He paused, his eyes moved slightly, as if thinking about something. "However, if you are willing to try, you can still start small. Most of our neighbors here have some experience in growing vegetables, maybe you can learn something from them."

Li Xiangqian's heart moved, he looked up at Uncle Liu, a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes. "You mean, we should start with growing vegetables?"

"Yes." Uncle Liu smiled slightly, with a hint of gentle concern in his eyes. "This piece of land is indeed not suitable for large-scale planting, but we can try to grow some cold-resistant vegetables. Besides, our neighbors in the yard all have some experience in growing vegetables. If we help each other, we can learn a lot."