Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian knew that what Grandpa Liu said made sense, but he still couldn't let go of the entanglement in his heart. Money was not just a number to him, but also the hope he had accumulated over the years. He wanted to spend every penny wisely, but now he had to face reality and make a choice.

"Okay, uncle, I'll listen to you. I'll go find someone today." Li Xiangqian finally made up his mind, with a barely perceptible firmness in his tone. He nodded with satisfaction: "That's right. There are a few young people in our village who have not had much work to do recently. You can ask them and give them some wages. They will definitely be willing to help." He has already started to think about how to arrange it next. It is indeed a good idea to hire someone to help. At least it can free him from heavy physical labor and concentrate on dealing with other important things.

After saying goodbye to Grandpa Liu, Li Xiangqian packed up and rode his bicycle to the village to find some reliable young people. He was still a little nervous, not knowing whether these young people were willing to help, and whether he could really trust them to do the work in the fields.

He thought a lot along the way, and various possibilities kept emerging in his mind. He understood that hiring people was not only to reduce his burden, but more importantly to take better care of the crops in the fields. If he could find the right people to help, perhaps the work in the fields would be done better.

Arriving in the village, Li Xiangqian went straight to Zhang Ergou's house. Zhang Ergou was a well-known strong laborer in the village. He usually did odd jobs in the town, and he had nothing to do recently. Li Xiangqian knocked on the door, and it was quickly opened. Zhang Ergou poked his head out from behind the door and smiled, "Brother Xiangqian, do you need me for something?" He got straight to the point and said, "Ergou, I have a lot of work to do in the fields recently, and I want to ask you for help. The wages are negotiable. Do you think it's okay?"

Zhang Ergou's eyes lit up when he heard this. He had been worried about not having any work to do recently. Now Li Xiangqian took the initiative to come to him for help, which was exactly what he wanted. "Why are you being so polite? I'm free these days and there's absolutely no problem helping you with the work." Zhang Ergou agreed readily, with a strong sincerity in his tone.

Li Xiangqian was relieved. He knew that Zhang Ergou was a quick worker and could be of great help. "That's great, Ergou. Let's make a deal. We'll start at dawn. We need to work harder while it's cooler."

Zhang Ergou nodded and agreed: "Okay, no problem, don't worry, Brother Xiangqian, I will go to your house early tomorrow morning."

After Li Xiangqian left Zhang Ergou's house, he felt a little relieved. Having found a helper, he no longer had to carry out all the work alone, which made him feel that the burden on his shoulders was slightly lightened.

After returning home, Li Xiangqian began to plan tomorrow's work. He decided to give some of the heavy work to Zhang Ergou, and focus on those parts that require delicate operations. This way, he can not only reduce his burden, but also ensure that the crops in the field are better taken care of.

In the dead of night, tomorrow's work schedule kept coming to mind. He knew that the days ahead would still not be easy, and he was no longer as anxious and helpless as before. He finally made up his mind and was ready to face the new challenges tomorrow. Li Xiangqian got up. After washing up and having a simple breakfast, he was ready to go out. At this time, there was a gentle knock at the door of the yard.

Li Xiangqian opened the door and saw Zhang Ergou had arrived, holding a hoe in his hand. He smiled and said, "Brother Xiangqian, I'm here." He patted Zhang Ergou on the shoulder and smiled, "You've come at the right time. Let's get started quickly. There's a lot of work to do today."

The morning sun shines in through the window. Li Xiangqian stands in the kitchen, holding a kitchen knife, chopping fresh vegetables on the table. A pot of hot porridge is cooking in the pot on the stove. The aroma of rice and the steaming heat fill the small kitchen.

He cut the vegetables skillfully, but his mind was a little erratic. Several hired helpers were working in the fields at the moment, and Li Xiangqian wanted to prepare a hearty lunch for everyone so that they would have enough energy to continue their work in the afternoon. Over the years, he had long been accustomed to cooking and eating alone, but today was different. With a few helpers, he felt that this meal had to be cooked properly.

As he was cutting the cucumber in his hand, he recalled the scene in the morning when Zhang Ergou brought a few young men to help in the field. Those young men were full of enthusiasm and were good at work. Li Xiangqian felt relieved. At least with the help of these people, he would not have to work alone in the field.

He thought, with a slight smile on his face. Although life was not easy, with everyone's help, he felt that the road ahead was no longer so difficult. Everyone was busy in the fields, sweating profusely, for the common land. Li Xiangqian secretly made up his mind that today's meal must satisfy everyone.

The porridge in the pot was gradually cooked, and Li Xiangqian was busy putting the cut vegetables into a large bowl to prepare a cold dish. He knew that cold dishes were the best way to relieve the heat, and adding a bowl of hot porridge would make it the simplest but most comfortable meal.

"Today I'll make some cold cucumber salad and stir-fry a few side dishes. We've worked all morning, so we should have a good meal." Li Xiangqian muttered to himself, his hands moving more and more skillfully. He sprinkled salt on the sliced ​​cucumbers, stirred them evenly, poured a little soy sauce and vinegar, and finally added a few drops of sesame oil, and the aroma immediately filled the air.

Then, he started cooking. The iron pan was heated on the stove, and a little peanut oil was poured into it. As the pan heated up, the aroma of the oil filled the air. Li Xiangqian poured the pickled beans into the pan, stir-fried them for a few times, and immediately a tempting aroma came out. Li Xiangqian looked at the dishes in the pan, imagining the expressions of those young people when they ate these dishes, and suddenly he felt a sense of accomplishment.

Just as he was preparing the last dish, brisk footsteps were heard at the gate of the yard. Li Xiangqian turned his head and saw Zhang Ergou and several young men walking in with big strides, all of them sweating, but their faces were full of enthusiasm. "Is the meal ready? We are all starving!" Zhang Ergou joked with a smile, his tone full of anticipation.

Li Xiangqian wiped the oil stains on his hands and replied with a smile: "It's almost done, just wait a few more minutes. Go wash your faces first and take a short rest, and we'll be ready for dinner soon."

Zhang Ergou and a few other young men responded and went to the water tank to wash their faces. After being splashed with cold water, they immediately felt refreshed and their fatigue seemed to be relieved a lot.