Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

"Uncle, your vegetable garden is really nice. Can I learn from you and plant some vegetables at home?" Li Xiangqian's tone was filled with a hint of seeking advice.

The old man laughed heartily: "Why can't you learn this? I'll find you some seeds and fertilizers later, and you can go back and try it. Although growing vegetables is a bit troublesome, the things you grow are very economical."

Li Xiangqian nodded repeatedly, and he felt that this was a good idea. Growing some vegetables would not only ease the pressure on food, but also let Zhao Xiaolan see that he was working hard for the family. Maybe she would argue with him less in the future.

That afternoon, Li Xiangqian brought back some seeds and simple tools from an old man. He rolled up his sleeves and started working in the small yard at home. Zhao Xiaolan looked at him with a serious look and didn't say much, just silently handed him water and cloth.

"Xiang Qian, are you under too much pressure by working so hard?" Zhao Xiaolan couldn't help but ask, with some pain in her eyes.

Li Xiangqian wiped his sweat and said with a smile: "Xiaolan, although our life is tight, we can't always wait for pie to fall from the sky. We can save a little bit, and growing vegetables can also add some security to our family."

Zhao Xiaolan was touched and sad when she heard this. She knew that Li Xiangqian was actually a man who cared about his family, but this concern often made him too anxious. Now that she saw him running around for the family, she secretly made up her mind to try her best to cooperate with him in the future and stop always contradicting him.

When Li Xiangqian got up early in the morning, he went to the mirror to wash his face and suddenly found a few more silver-white hairs near his temples. He was stunned and reached out to touch the white hairs, with a complex feeling in his heart.

"When did it happen? Is it because of the recent fatigue?" He frowned and stared at himself in the mirror, with a hint of self-mockery in his heart. Over the years, he has been working hard for this family. The pressure of life has forced him to be meticulous and thrifty, and there seems to be no room for slackness. Now that he has just passed middle age, his hair has already turned white, which makes him feel a heavy fatigue.

Zhao Xiaolan came out of the kitchen with breakfast in her hand. Seeing Li Xiangqian standing in front of the mirror in a daze, she asked casually, "Xiangqian, what are you doing there? Come over and eat. Breakfast won't taste good if it gets cold."

Li Xiangqian came back to his senses, but did not answer immediately. Instead, he hesitated for a moment and asked tentatively: "Xiaolan, have you felt recently... that I'm old?"

Zhao Xiaolan was stunned for a moment when she heard this, then she put down the bowl in her hand, walked over and stood behind him, and looked at his face carefully: "Why do you ask this suddenly? Aren't you just a little thinner than before? How are you older?"

"Look here." Li Xiangqian raised his hand and pointed to the temple, "White hair is coming out."

Zhao Xiaolan took a closer look and indeed saw a few silver hairs. Her heart sank slightly, but she smiled to cover it up: "Oh, it's just a few white hairs, it's nothing. Besides, who didn't have a few white hairs when they were young? You're just too worried, so it shows."

Li Xiangqian did not smile, but looked a little disappointed. He whispered, "Yes, I am worried. Xiaolan, am I thinking too much? Although our family is living in poverty, I am calculating this and that all day long, making myself look like an old man. Is it worth it?"

Zhao Xiaolan heard the bitterness in his tone, and her heart softened immediately. She sighed, reached out and gently patted his shoulder: "Xiang Qian, don't say that. Thanks to you for supporting the family all these years, if it weren't for your thoughts, how could we survive? Gray hair is nothing, it means you are living your life with all your heart. Besides, don't those big bosses have gray hair too? That's called worrying, not getting old."

Li Xiangqian looked up at her, forcing a smile: "Xiaolan, don't comfort me. I just feel... well, although I can hold on, I always feel uneasy. Today I found my white hair, and suddenly realized that if I continue like this, not only will my family be exhausted, but I will soon be unable to bear it."

Zhao Xiaolan looked at his tired expression, feeling distressed and a little regretful. She thought of the arguments over the years, and how she had sometimes embarrassed him because of her family's affairs, and she couldn't help feeling guilty. She pulled a chair over and sat down, her tone much gentler: "Xiang Qian, I know you worry a lot about this family, but you have to learn to relax. Life is a slow process, and you can't live well by being tense every day."

Li Xiangqian listened to this, lowered his head and said nothing, but his heart felt like being stabbed with a needle. He always believed that a man should support the whole family and should not back down no matter how difficult it was. But now hearing what Zhao Xiaolan said, he suddenly felt that maybe he was really pushing too hard.

After breakfast, Li Xiangqian went out to the yard to exercise. The sunlight from the courtyard shone through the branches onto the ground, creating a patchwork of light and shadow. Several neighbors were chatting in the yard, and when they saw him coming out, they greeted him warmly: "Xiangqian, what have you been busy with these two days? Look at you, you've lost a lot of weight."

Li Xiangqian smiled and waved his hand: "What else can I be busy with? These trivial matters at home, we have to get through the days one by one."

One of the ladies took over the conversation: "Don't work so hard all the time. You're exhausted and your family can't rely on you. Look at you, your hair is turning white. You need to pay more attention."

Li Xiangqian was shocked and touched his hair subconsciously. He originally thought that the neighbors in the yard would not notice these details, but now he realized that they saw it more clearly than he did. He forced a smile: "How can I not worry? We don't have anyone to rely on, so we have to find a way to live."

Another neighbor waved his hand: "It's right to worry, but you can't exhaust yourself. If you really can't bear it, won't life be even more difficult?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Li Xiangqian's head. He suddenly realized that although he had worked hard for the family, if he ruined his health, the burden on his family would only be heavier. He took a deep breath and secretly decided that no matter how busy he was in the future, he would take care of his health and not let his life become more and more stressful.

Back in the house, Zhao Xiaolan was sitting at the table mending clothes. Li Xiangqian walked over and sat down, saying half-jokingly: "Xiaolan, it seems that my gray hair has become a hot topic in the whole hospital. Just now, the neighbors kept reminding me to take care of my health and said that I was overworked."

Zhao Xiaolan looked up at him and said with a smile, "They are right. Xiang Qian, you should be more open-minded. No matter how difficult our family is, we can always get through it. Stop fighting with yourself."