Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

He Yuzhu didn't say anything else, just nodded silently, turned around and started to prepare tools. They all understood that in such an environment, the only thing they could rely on was their own hands and the tacit understanding between each other. No one else could do these things for them, and no external force could change the current predicament. Only by themselves and by working hard without giving up can there be a glimmer of hope.

Li Xiangqian looked at He Yuzhu's busy figure, and his heart was touched. He knew that he and He Yuzhu had no way out, and the children in the courtyard had no way out either. The fate of each of them was tightly tied together and could not be separated. Their hope could not rely on external forces, but could only be fought for by themselves.

Li Xiangqian suddenly thought of his family. Although they were no longer around, the days they had lived together had never really left him. Li Xiangqian knew that although he had experienced many hardships at that time, he always had a place to take shelter, the support of his family, and the help of his friends. But now, he no longer has these to rely on, and he can only rely on his own strength to fight and survive.

"Can't stop, can't give up." Li Xiangqian repeated to himself again.

He and He Yuzhu continued to walk to the edge of the field and began to dig. They had gradually found some patterns, knowing where the soil was relatively soft and where food might be buried. Every time they dug a hoe, a new hope was born. Although most of these tubers were shriveled and some had even become rotten, Li Xiangqian could still feel a faint vitality from them. He knew that even this little vitality was the only thing they could rely on now.

"Go forward, there's a big one here." He Yuzhu's voice came with a hint of surprise.

Li walked forward and saw He Yuzhu holding a slightly larger tuber in his hand. He looked down and his eyes gradually softened. "Okay, put it in the bag first and take it back." He said softly, and the heaviness in his heart eased a little.

However, despite finding a piece of slightly better food, Li Xiangqian still couldn't really let go of the burden in his heart. He knew that this kind of food was far from enough, and the land they could dig was not unlimited. As time went on, this land might become more and more barren, and the resources that could support them would become less and less.

"Perhaps, we should think of another way." Li Xiangqian thought to himself. He knew that digging and searching for tubers was not enough for their current predicament. The resources of this land would be exhausted sooner or later, and even these simple tools could not support them to continue digging. In order to survive, they needed a longer-term plan, more resources, and even new methods.

Li Xiangqian frowned slightly and fell into deep thought. Various ideas flooded his mind like a tide. He began to recall various stories he had heard before, about planting in other places, about food preservation, and even about innovations in other methods. But these ideas now seemed so far away. He was not sure if he had enough ability to implement these plans, nor was he sure if he could hold on until that moment.

"Now, all I can do is keep thinking." Li Xiangqian said to himself silently.

He knew that only by trying these possibilities one by one could he know which method was the most feasible. After all, life always challenges people, and the only thing they can do is to find a way out in the challenges.

Li Xiangqian stood in the courtyard of the quadrangle. The air around him seemed to be getting heavier and heavier, as if some invisible pressure was silently enveloping him. He looked around the corners of the courtyard, feeling uneasy. Last night, he was still in a bad mood until dawn. When he got up from the bed, he kept thinking about a thought that made him palpitate - his neighbor, the middle-aged man who looked honest but was actually scheming, He Zhihua, seemed to be planning something unspeakable.

Li Xiangqian felt a chill. He Zhihua's eyes would occasionally inadvertently glance at the granary in front of Li Xiangqian's house, with a hint of greed in his eyes that was difficult to conceal. He had noticed many times that the other party would look into the yard from time to time, but he pretended to be inadvertent and smiled tepidly. Li Xiangqian knew very well that behind that smile was a frivolous desire. He had dealt with He Zhihua several times, but they had never developed a deep friendship. He Zhihua was not only the most observant person in the neighborhood, but also had a bad reputation, as if he was too deep in people's minds and could see through the desires in others' hearts when they were not paying attention.

"Does he really have such intentions, or am I overthinking?" Li Xiangqian whispered to himself, frowning and with a hint of vigilance in his eyes. He turned his eyes to the bags of food piled up at the door of his house, knowing that this was the only reserve for the family, and if he was not careful, it might become someone else's meal.

"Now, food has become the most precious thing in everyone's heart." Li Xiangqian clenched his fists slightly, his heart full of contradictions and anxieties.

Last night, Li Xiangqian stood quietly at the gate of the courtyard under the dim light. Through the gap in the curtains, he saw He Zhihua quietly walk to the gate and stop. At that moment, Li Xiangqian could almost hear his heartbeat, nervous and rapid. Although He Zhihua did not directly make any disturbing moves, his hesitant eyes and the almost imperceptible greed made Li Xiangqian feel a little uneasy.

He ignored He Zhihua until he turned away quietly. Only then did Li Xiangqian move away from behind the curtain and heaved a sigh of relief. But that sigh did not completely relax his inner vigilance.

"Am I really overthinking?" Li Xiangqian recalled what happened last night and still felt uneasy. He knew that the food in his hands was an irresistible temptation for every neighbor. And this was exactly what he needed to guard against the most.

That morning, when Li Xiangqian saw He Zhihua finally walking towards the gate with an empty sack, he suddenly became nervous. He quickly pretended to be calm and walked into the yard to break the silence: "Good morning, Brother He."

He Zhihua turned his head and smiled, showing his usual friendly expression: "Go ahead, good morning, what are you busy with?"

Li Xiangqian was unable to completely conceal his nervousness, and he managed a smile: "Nothing, just checking the crops in the yard."