Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

"I have to think of a way to prevent the cat from causing trouble again tomorrow." Li Xiangqian thought to himself, maybe he could build some fences or nets to enclose the vegetable garden. Although he knew cats were very agile, he could at least try to prevent them from approaching.

The next morning, Li Xiangqian got up early, took a hoe and a shovel to the yard, and started to build a fence. He decided to make a simple fence with wooden boards and wires, which could prevent cats from coming in and would not affect the growth of onions. While he was working, he thought about the wild cat last night, and felt a little helpless. Life is always like this. Just when you think everything is going well, there will always be some sudden troubles.

"Xiang Qian, what are you doing? You haven't had breakfast yet?" Neighbor Old Huang walked out of the room and saw Li Xiang Qian busy and sweating, so he asked curiously.

Li Xiangqian wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with a smile: "Old Huang, a cat dug up my onion field last night. I have to find a way to fence it off and prevent it from causing trouble again."

When Old Huang heard this, he laughed cheerfully: "Hey, I thought it was no big deal. Cats digging the ground is common. You fenced it well. I think the cat has to take a detour."

Li Xiangqian also smiled, but he didn't think it was that simple. He knew that after the cat problem was solved, there might be other troubles. There were not only cats in the yard, but also small insects, heavy rains, droughts, and even the careless trampling of neighbors, which could damage his onions. But no matter what, he decided to stick with it. After all, this small onion field was not only for harvesting vegetables, but also a spiritual sustenance in his life.

"Come on, I'm free now anyway, it would be fun to grow something." Li Xiangqian answered casually, and then continued to work.

In his heart, growing onions is not just for eating. He has heard from his grandfather since he was a child that onions can not only season and sterilize, but also drive away the cold and cure diseases. Especially in the cold season, eating some onion soup can not only warm the stomach, but also make the whole person feel much more comfortable. Every time Li Xiangqian thinks of this, he feels that the land he grows is meaningful. Although life is simple, as long as you manage it with your heart, it seems that everything can become less monotonous.

After a busy morning, the fence was finally finished. Li Xiangqian clapped his hands in satisfaction. Looking at the fence, which was not high but practical enough, he felt relieved. He stood there, with his hands on his hips, and looked at the onion field. He seemed to see the future harvest again. The onions grew up, took root in the soil, and the leaves grew vigorously upward. The onion heads underground gradually became full and round. When the time comes, he can pick these onions and take them home to cook vegetables and soups, and even make some onion sauce or pickled onions to enrich his own table.

"These little dishes are enough to last for a while." Li Xiangqian thought, and the corners of his mouth rose involuntarily. He liked this down-to-earth feeling. He took care of everything by himself, and watched them grow from nothing to something. The sense of accomplishment slowly grew in his heart.

However, the good times did not last long. In the next few days, the weather was not good and it began to rain continuously. Li Xiangqian stood in front of the window, looking at the gray sky and the dripping rain outside, and his heart sank. If the rain was too heavy, water would accumulate at the roots of the onions, which might cause the roots to rot, and then all the onions he had worked so hard to plant would be wasted.

He couldn't help but blame himself, wondering if he should have built a simple awning outside the fence to prevent too much rain from pouring on the onions. But then he thought again, onions are cold-resistant and drought-resistant crops, so maybe this rain is not a bad thing for them, but it can make the soil more moist and more conducive to growth. After thinking it over, Li Xiangqian still couldn't let it go, and finally he decided to wait until the rain was a little lighter and go to the field to take a look.

In the evening, the rain finally subsided. Li Xiangqian put on his raincoat and walked into the yard. He stepped on the wet soil and felt the rain hitting his face, which brought a cool feeling. He walked to the onion field and squatted down to take a closer look. The rain made the soil soft, and the leaves of several onions looked heavy and drooped, but the roots looked healthy. Li Xiangqian gently pushed away the surface soil with his hands and found that the roots of the onions were not soaked in water. He was slightly relieved.

"It looks like there's no big problem for now, but we still need to be careful." He muttered to himself with a hint of caution in his eyes.

Li Xiangqian stood up and patted the soil on his hands, looking forward to the days ahead. As long as the amount of rain is appropriate, this autumn rain may bring a good growth opportunity. The onion leaves will absorb the nutrients from the rain, grow vigorously, and the roots will continue to expand in the soil.

The next morning, Li Xiangqian walked into the yard and was surprised by the scene before him. After a night of rain, the onions seemed to have become greener. The leaves shone brightly in the sun, and the roots were deeper and more stable. He squatted down and touched these vibrant leaves, and the uneasiness in his heart was swept away. Looking at this vibrant green, he felt particularly relaxed.

Li Xiangqian stood in the middle of the yard. The onion field in front of him was full of green, and the whole courtyard seemed to be infected by this vitality. He walked to the onion, gently pushed aside a few leaves, and looked at the bulging onion heads underneath, feeling happy. Many days have passed, and the onions have grown better than he expected, with plump roots and upright leaves. Now is the most critical period, and the harvest day is getting closer, and Li Xiangqian is getting more and more excited.

Looking at the onions, the taste of a dish suddenly came to his mind: pork belly fried with onions. It was a home-cooked dish, simple but full of temptation. The aroma of pork belly mixed with the sweetness of onions, when stir-fried in the pan, would emit a mouth-watering fragrance. This dish was his favorite when he was a child, especially in winter, when his mother was busy in the kitchen, and the fragrance wafting from the stove made him miss it so much. Thinking of this, Li Xiangqian's stomach seemed to growl.

"Well, when these onions grow a little bigger, I must make some fried pork belly with onions to satisfy my craving." He muttered to himself, and began to think about buying a few pieces of fat and lean pork belly, and adding some onions he grew himself. The taste would definitely be delicious.

This thought took root in his mind, making him feel uneasy all day. At night, Li Xiangqian returned to his room and sat at the simple table, still thinking about how to make the dish: first cut the pork belly into thin slices, put it in the pan and slowly stir-fry it over low heat to let the lard fully seep out. When the meat slices curl up slightly and become golden and charred, slice the onions and pour them into the pan and stir-fry quickly.