Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

"Go forward, I understand you." The old man nodded, his voice becoming heavier. "But your power is limited. Don't take everything on your shoulders. Although the people in the courtyard don't say anything, they are all watching. If you really have an idea, let's think of a solution together, don't hide it. No matter how difficult the days are, we have to get through it together, right?"

Li Xiangqian felt a pang of pain in his heart. He remembered that he had been acting secretly these days in order to prevent people in the hospital from knowing, and even dragged He Yuzhu into it. The old man's words were like a heavy hammer, hitting his heart. He knew that the old man was right, but he was still hesitant. He was not sure whether these "methods" of his could really stand up to the scrutiny of everyone.

"Master..." He was silent for a moment, and finally gritted his teeth and said, "If you knew what I was doing, you might not approve."

"I don't agree with you holding on by yourself." The old man said firmly, "Go forward, no matter how difficult it is for the people in the courtyard, we all come from the same courtyard. We have gone through all the ups and downs over the years, who can rely on each other to get through it? If you have something to say, just speak up. No matter what others think, you have to believe that the people in our courtyard are still here."

Li Xiangqian lowered his head, his eyes falling on the bluestone slabs under his feet. His hands unconsciously clenched the cloth bag, and scenes from the past few days flashed through his mind: himself going out in the dark at night, trudging through the wasteland to dig up those inedible roots; the shrunken faces of the neighbors in the yard, the eyes of the children gnawing at the bark of the trees; and He Yuzhu's helpless voice, "Don't get yourself involved."

All of this was like an invisible net that tightly wrapped around him. His throat was dry and his chest felt like it was blocked by a stone. He wanted to tell the old man the truth, but at the same time he was afraid that speaking out would make things more complicated.

The old man looked at his silence, sighed, and patted his shoulder: "Okay, it's okay if you don't talk about it today. I'll tell you one thing - our courtyard, no matter how difficult it is, is still a courtyard. Remember this and don't tire yourself out."

Li Xiangqian raised his head and watched the old man's back gradually disappearing into the distance, feeling indescribable emotions in his heart. He stood there for a long time without moving, with the old man's steady and powerful words echoing in his ears.

Li Xiangqian returned to his room, but he couldn't calm down. The old man's words pierced his mind like a needle, constantly reminding him that the people in the courtyard were still there, but he always deliberately avoided those eyes, even avoiding the people closest to him. He tossed and turned on the hard bed until it was completely bright and there was a sound of pots and pans colliding in the yard. He sat up and rubbed his sore eyes.

His eyes fell on the bag at the corner of the table, and he was silent for a long time. He knew he couldn't go on like this. The matter had been delayed for long enough. If it was not dealt with, sooner or later more people would find out. Thinking of this, he felt a surge of uneasiness in his heart. He clenched his fists and whispered to himself, "I need to find someone I trust to discuss this..."

There are so many people in the hospital, some of whom are untrustworthy, some of whom talk too much, and some of whom are reliable but may not be willing to get involved in his affairs. After thinking about it, a person emerged in his mind - Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu is a smart person, and her words are like honey. People in the courtyard say that she is cunning. But Li Xiangqian knows that this "cunning" is not a derogatory term. Although she has many tricks, she has a bottom line and usually takes care of her neighbors. More importantly, she and he are half friends, and they can talk about anything on weekdays.

Thinking of this, he stood up, sorted out the cloth bag, stuffed it into a worn-out coat, lowered his head and walked out of the house. He walked around the yard, avoided the few families who had just woken up, and quietly walked towards Qin Huairu's door.

The room was filled with the aroma of food, a faint wheat aroma mixed with a greasy smell that made people feel hungry. Li Xiangqian hesitated at the door, and just as he raised his hand to knock on the door, he heard a cough from inside.

"Who is it?" Qin Huairu's voice came from inside, with a little fatigue.

"It's me, Li Xiangqian." He lowered his voice.

There was a pause in the room, and then the door was pushed open a crack, and Qin Huairu poked her head out. She was wearing an old grey cotton jacket, and her hair was casually tied behind her head, obviously not well groomed. Seeing that it was Li Xiangqian, a trace of surprise flashed across her face: "Xiangqian? Why are you looking for me so early?"

Li Xiangqian did not answer directly, but whispered: "I have something to talk to you about. Is it convenient?"

Qin Huairu hesitated for a moment, then moved aside to open the door: "Come in and talk."

Li Xiangqian walked into the room quickly and closed the door behind him. The room was not big, and on the table was a bowl of half-cold corn paste and a plate of pickles. He looked around and his eyes fell on the small stool beside the table. He was about to sit down, but felt a little uncomfortable, so he just stood there.

"Okay, just say what you want to say." Qin Huairu looked at his reserved look and said half-jokingly, "We are not strangers, so don't be so formal."

Li Xiangqian laughed dryly, took out a cloth bag from his coat and put it on the table. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly opened the bag, revealing the contents: a few tubers covered in soil and a few thin weed roots.

Qin Huairu looked down and frowned: "Xiang Qian, what are you doing? Even a pig may not be able to chew this."

"Don't jump to conclusions." Li Xiangqian scratched his head, with a hint of uncertainty in his tone, "I've tried it. Although these things don't taste good, they can satisfy hunger if they are processed well. The key is that these are all that can be found in the fields recently. Even the wild vegetables have been dug up almost completely."

Qin Huairu reached out and picked up a tuber. She pinched it with her fingernails and found it was very hard and had a fishy smell. She wrinkled her nose and said, "Where did you find this?"

"Last night, in the wasteland outside the village." Li Xiangqian paused and lowered his voice. "No one has been to that place, and there are still some scattered roots in the ground. But I can't dig much by myself, and I can't rely on this forever."

Qin Huairu listened and stared at the cloth bag thoughtfully. The expression on his face gradually became complicated: "Xiang Qian, you came to me just to ask me to help you dig these things?"

"It's not just about digging." Li Xiangqian looked up at her with a hint of pleading in his eyes, "I want you to help me think of a way to make this less conspicuous and still benefit everyone."

Qin Huairu was stunned by this. She put down the tuber in her hand, crossed her arms, and looked at Li Xiangqian sharply: "Are you planning to do something big?"