Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

He Yuzhu covered his abdomen, stood up with difficulty, and gasped: "Damn, these bastards!" He kicked the tiles on the ground angrily, but it was obvious that he was powerless to change anything.

Li Xiangqian gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with anger and helplessness. He clenched his fists, his nails dug deep into his palms, his heart filled with regret and self-blame. Why did he trust others so easily? Why didn't he be more cautious? He thought this was an opportunity to buy some breathing space for his family, but now everything was ruined. His eyes became gloomy, as if an invisible fire of anger was burning in his chest.

"What should we do?" Li Xiangqian's voice was low and hoarse, as if it was squeezed out of his throat. He looked at the scattered corn on the ground, and his heart was in pain. These grains should have been the guarantee for him and his family to survive the winter, but now they have become someone else's possession.

He Yuzhu was silent for a moment, patted his shoulder, and said in a low but firm voice: "No matter what, we can't just let it go. Those people came prepared. We failed today, but it doesn't mean we won't have a chance in the future."

Li Xiangqian's chest was heaving violently, his eyes fixed on the end of the alley. The figures who had robbed his corn had long disappeared in the morning mist. His mind was in a mess, as if he was caught in a sudden storm and couldn't think at all. His whole body seemed to be nailed to the ground by something, unable to move for a while, and his mind was filled with countless complex emotions - anger, fear, helplessness and despair, all of which mixed together, as if to tear his reason into pieces.

He was robbed.

At this moment, he felt as if a piece of his heart was hollowed out. Those corns were once his most important hope and the last resort for his family to get through this difficult winter. But now, they were just being snatched away before his eyes. And he was powerless, not even able to resist.

He Yuzhu stood aside. Although he was also covered in wounds, his eyes were much clearer than Li Xiangqian's. He looked at Li Xiangqian's stiff figure and sighed softly. After a few seconds of silence, he finally couldn't help but whispered, "Xiangqian, don't stand there. The person ran away a long time ago." There was a hint of helplessness and fatigue in his tone.

Li Xiangqian seemed to have not heard anything, still standing there blankly, his eyes somewhat confused. His ears were buzzing, and he seemed to have not recovered from the sudden blow. Just a few minutes ago, he was still holding on to hope, thinking that this transaction could change the status quo, and even bring in a life-saving sum for his family. But reality gave him a hard slap in the face, and all his beautiful visions turned into bubbles in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, He Yuzhu patted him on the shoulder, his tone a little anxious: "Xiang Qian! We have to calm down, things have already happened, we have to find a way to deal with it, we can't just stand there!" His voice was strong, trying to pull Li Xiangqian back from the chaos.

This pat seemed to bring Li Xiangqian back to reality. His shoulders trembled slightly, his lips turned pale, and he murmured to himself: "My corn... is all gone..." His voice was filled with disbelief and deep self-blame. He couldn't believe that what had just happened was so real.

When the gang came, he was unable to react at all. He was like a fool standing next to his prey, watching the corn being plundered without even a hint of effective resistance. He suddenly realized his incompetence and negligence, and the pain and regret pierced his heart like a sword, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

"It was me...I shouldn't have trusted that vendor..." He said in a hoarse voice, squeezing out these words from deep in his chest like an emotional breakdown. He hated himself, hated his credulity and recklessness. There were obvious signs that this deal was not right, but he chose to ignore these warnings because of his momentary urgency. Now, he paid a heavy price.

He Yuzhu sighed, with a complicated look in his eyes. He could see that Li Xiangqian was in a very bad state, as if he had suffered a great mental blow. He understood that Li Xiangqian had placed all his hopes on this deal, but now not only did he not get any return, he also lost the most precious thing - food. In this situation, anyone would feel extremely painful and frustrated.

"Xiang Qian, we failed this time, but we can't just give up." He Yuzhu's voice became more determined, trying to pull Li Xiang Qian back from the abyss of despair. He patted Li Xiang Qian's shoulder, trying to convey some strength, "You still have Xiaoying and the children at home, they still need you. We can't be defeated by this setback, we have to stand up again."

When Li Xiangqian heard He Yuzhu mention his family, his eyes finally showed a slight wave. His throat tightened slightly, as if a heavy stone was blocking his chest. He thought of Xiaoying and the children at home, their thin figures and the expressions of them waiting eagerly for meals every day, and his heart suddenly felt sour and painful.

He cannot fall down, as his family is still waiting for him to support the family.

However, the corn was gone, which meant that the days ahead would be even more difficult. How could he find a way to make up for the loss? Li Xiangqian was at a loss, and he had no idea how to proceed. A thick fog seemed to appear before his eyes, and all the roads were blurred, and every step was full of unknown dangers.

"I...what should I do..." Li Xiangqian murmured to himself in a low voice, his voice full of helplessness.

He Yuzhu frowned, and after thinking for a moment, he took a deep breath, and said with a hint of determination: "We can't rely on these thieves. Why don't we go back to the old guys in the factory and see if we can get some food from the factory. Although this is risky, it's better than suffering this kind of bullying at the market."

Li Xiangqian's heart skipped a beat when he heard this. He knew that the chances of getting food in the factory were slim. The factory had already tightened the rationing. It was harder than climbing to the sky to get an extra pound of food. But He Yuzhu was right. Instead of taking the risk of dealing with those hooligans at the market, it was better to go back to the factory and try his luck. At least the old guys in the factory still had some friendship.

He was silent for a while, thinking quickly in his mind. He knew that he could no longer indulge in his loss and had to make a decision quickly, otherwise the longer he delayed, the worse the situation at home would become. Thinking of this, he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

"Okay, let's go back to the factory and take a look." He said in a low voice, with a hint of reluctant determination in his tone.