Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

However, Li Xiangqian was not satisfied with this. He knew that the income from these small items was far from enough. New ideas and thoughts kept emerging in his mind, wondering whether these wooden products could be promoted further. After thinking again and again, he decided to try to contact larger shops, or even some handicraft exhibitions, to show Mr. He's works to more people. Thinking of this, he was excited - perhaps this plan could bring a greater turnaround for the He family.

In the next few days, he rushed around during the day, visited many different shops, and continued to promote Uncle He's works. Despite repeated rejections, he was not discouraged, but became more determined. He knew that the courtyard house not only had Uncle He's hopes, but also Aunt He's comfort, and his own obsession with traditional craftsmanship. In each sales process, he was full of sincerity and introduced in detail the uniqueness of Uncle He's craftsmanship and works.

As night fell, Li Xiangqian dragged his tired body back to the courtyard, but every time he saw Grandpa He's gratified smile and Grandma He's earnest eyes, his heart was rekindled with strength. He knew that he was not only helping a family, but also protecting the warmth and beauty of this courtyard.

After Li Xiangqian brought the good news to Grandpa He and Grandma He, he was still in a state of depression for a long time. That night, he sat in the yard, the moonlight shining through the branches on him, the silver light calmed him down, and his thoughts gradually returned to reality. Although the carpentry business has stabilized, he still can't let it go, and always feels that something is missing. After all, Grandpa He is old and Grandma He is not in good health. It is barely enough to rely on this income to maintain daily life, and it is even more difficult to deal with unexpected situations.

He pondered under the dim light and suddenly thought that if he could grow some vegetables in the courtyard, even if he couldn't sell them, at least he could subsidize his daily needs and it would be a kind of solid reserve. As soon as this idea came up, Li Xiangqian thought more and more that it was appropriate. The next morning, he went to the town alone. When he passed by the market, he saw a stall of cucumber seeds. The green melon seedlings appeared in his mind, and he couldn't help but feel happy, thinking that this was a good choice.

He squatted down and carefully examined the seeds on the stall. He gently picked up a few seeds with his fingers and felt their weight and texture. His thoughts went back to his childhood in the countryside. His parents took him to plant melons and beans in the fields. Those cucumbers grew plump and crisp, and people could not help drooling at the sight of them. He thought that if such cucumbers could be planted in the courtyard, they would be able to eat fresh vegetables in the summer, which would not only bring health to the He family, but also make the courtyard more lively.

Seeing his serious look, the stall owner smiled and said, "Young man, you look so focused, are you planning to grow vegetables?"

Li Xiangqian nodded and replied with a smile: "Yes, I want to grow some fresh cucumbers for the elderly at home. After all, although the things on the market are good, it is more reliable to grow them at home."

The stall owner nodded with satisfaction, handed him a few packets of cucumber seeds, and carefully reminded him of the key points of planting: "This cucumber likes warmth, but also needs ventilation. When the seedlings grow out, don't forget to build a rack so that they have a place to climb. As long as you take good care of them, you can eat your own cucumbers in a month or two!"

Li Xiangqian listened carefully, nodded repeatedly, and thought about the steps of planting. Then he bought the seeds, hurried back to the courtyard, and told Uncle He and Aunt He about the plan.

After hearing this, Aunt He's face lit up with joy. She said cheerfully, "It's good to grow some vegetables. This way, we don't have to go to the market all the time to buy them, and we can eat them with peace of mind." Uncle He was silent for a moment, nodded, and smiled with satisfaction, "Xiao Li, you are so thoughtful. Our yard is not big, and I was worried that we couldn't grow anything here. Now I think that with young people like you taking care of it, even a small yard can grow good things."

That night, Li Xiangqian rolled up his sleeves and reclaimed a small plot of land in the corner of the courtyard. Although the plot was small, he used all his strength with each shovel, thinking about the scene of the seeds taking root, and gradually a sense of responsibility emerged. After the land was turned over, he carefully scattered the seeds one by one into the soil, and then gently covered it with a thin layer of soil with his hands. Finally, he scooped a few buckets of clean water and poured it on the ground carefully, as if nourishing a hope.

In the following days, he would go to check on the small cucumber field almost every morning and evening, sometimes squatting on the ground to carefully check the moisture level of the soil, and sometimes silently praying that the seeds would sprout quickly. Seeing how serious he was, Aunt He couldn't help but laugh and tease him: "Xiao Li, you are more careful than those old farmers. When these cucumbers grow, they will probably be so tender that you can squeeze out water!"

Li Xiangqian smiled, rubbed his hands, and said shyly: "Auntie, please don't laugh at me. In fact, I am just a beginner. I am afraid that the seeds will not survive and delay your and your expectations!"

A few days later, tiny sprouts appeared in the cucumber field. The green color looked particularly vibrant in the sun. Li Xiangqian looked at these seedlings and felt an indescribable joy. Whenever he bent over and approached the seedlings, gently touching the delicate leaves, he felt a sense of accomplishment. It seemed that these little lives were the hope he had cultivated with his own hands. He not only planted a vegetable patch for the He family, but also gave them more security for the future.

Every evening, he would sit in the yard, patiently watering the cucumber seedlings, watching them grow taller and clinging to the racks he had built. From time to time, he would gently stroke the delicate vines, as if he was talking to them or cheering them up. Every time Aunt He saw this scene, she would smile silently and feel extremely comforted. She knew that Li Xiangqian was not her biological son, but she had already treated him as her own. Even Uncle He often sighed that this young man treated them more attentively than his own son.

As the days passed, the cucumber seedlings gradually grew up under Li Xiangqian's careful care, with dense branches and leaves, entwined vines, and even a few small cucumbers quietly hanging between the branches and leaves. Every time he saw the newly grown cucumbers, Li Xiangqian would always touch them carefully to confirm their size and growth. Seeing these small cucumbers on the tender yellow vines, he felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

"Aunt He, look, these cucumbers are growing well, aren't they?" One evening, Li Xiangqian took a pair of scissors and gently picked a newly ripe cucumber and handed it to Aunt He.