Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian shook his head: "Ergou, I appreciate the kindness, but I can't accept it. You are not rich, so keep the sweet potato for your mother, she still needs to eat it."

Ergou scratched his head and smiled a little embarrassedly: "Well, we all live in the same courtyard. We see each other every day. Between brothers, this little thing is nothing. Besides, look at this courtyard, how many people are left? We have to help those who need help."

Li Xiangqian felt even worse after hearing these words. Siheyuan was indeed a warm place in the past. Everyone helped each other and could get through the hard times. But now, the young people in the courtyard are unwilling to stay, and only some elderly people are left. How long can they hold on? And what about him? Can he only watch everything slide into the abyss bit by bit?

Li Ergou looked at his silent appearance and said nothing more. He just gently put the basket on the ground and patted his shoulder: "Okay, Brother Xiangqian, don't think too much. We have to live our lives. We'll think of a solution tomorrow."

After Ergou left, Li Xiangqian looked at the basket of sweet potatoes with mixed feelings. He understood that Ergou came to help sincerely, but he didn't want to trouble anyone again. In the past few years, the situation of the courtyard house has been getting worse day by day. He can feel that the older generation is gradually disappearing, and people of his age are also beginning to think about leaving this place. But he can't bear to leave, he has too many feelings for this courtyard house. This is his root, and it is the carrier of all his memories from childhood to adulthood. His father taught him the craft here, his mother wove cloth here to support the family, and even he himself spent countless difficult and peaceful days here. Now, everything has changed.

He couldn't accept that what he had worked so hard to protect was decaying and disintegrating bit by bit. But what could he do? He had never been good at going out, and walking out of this square courtyard was a huge risk for him. He would rather stay here, no matter how difficult it was, he wanted to hold on, and wanted the fireworks of this courtyard to continue to float among the streets.

It was already late, Li Xiangqian stood up and walked to the window. The courtyard was particularly quiet in the night, with only a few dim street lights in the yard, illuminating the mottled walls and tiles that had begun to fall. His heart was suddenly filled with an inexplicable sense of depression, as if he was trapped in this yard, unable to escape or break free.

He knew that he didn't want his efforts to go to waste. He didn't want the craftsmanship passed down by his father to disappear, nor did he want the memories of the old neighbors in the courtyard to be forgotten. But how should all this continue? He really didn't know.

Li Xiangqian walked back to the table slowly, his mind full of thoughts. He picked up the cigarette on the table, put it down again, tapped the tabletop, and tapped the wood with his fingers, making a subtle sound. This sound made him calm down a little, as if he was seeking some kind of relief. But no matter how he thought about it, he still couldn't find a way for him and the courtyard to continue to survive.

A few barkings of dogs outside the yard broke the silence of the night. Li Xiangqian's mood was once again affected by the faint sounds. He raised his head and his eyes fell back on the old well. The water in the well was completely turbid and not even a reflection could be seen. He sighed and whispered to himself: "The water in the well is like this, what else can I do?"

The next morning, Li Xiangqian thought about it for a long time and finally decided to try to buy some new seeds. This idea did not come up overnight. He had heard about the benefits of these new seeds earlier, such as high yield, strong disease resistance, and adaptability to climate change. But he had always been skeptical and felt that this thing was not very reliable. He was afraid that the food he grew would not be so delicious or would not adapt to the local climate. However, the rotten potatoes in front of him reminded him that if he did not change something, he might not be able to survive until next spring.

When he left, it was not yet completely light, and the courtyard was silent, with only the leaves of the old locust tree at the door swaying gently in the autumn wind. Li Xiangqian walked out of the door in a hurry, but his heart was beating fast. It was easy to say that buying seeds was easy, but he always felt bad when he had to spend money to buy them. Life has become more and more difficult in recent years, and every penny has to be spent carefully. This new type of seed is not cheap, and if it fails to grow, it will be a big loss.

When he arrived at the market, it was already daybreak, with shouts coming one after another, and the air was mixed with the smell of vegetable leaves, soil and fresh food. Li Xiangqian wandered among the crowd in a daze, the hustle and bustle around him seemed to have nothing to do with him, and his heart was still full of uncertainty and hesitation.

"Hey, Lao Li!" Someone suddenly called him.

Li Xiangqian turned around and saw that it was Lao Feng who was engaged in seed business. Lao Feng was wearing an old jacket, with dark skin and a thick smile on his face: "Are you here to buy seeds too?"

"Well, I heard that you have a new type of seeds that are disease-resistant and have a high yield?" Li Xiangqian asked tentatively.

Old Feng laughed cheerfully, "Yes, this seed is good. Many people bought it this year. Look at my stall. It's busy all day long. People are asking about this new seed. The potatoes you had last time didn't work. Try this new one. I guarantee it will work."

Li Xiangqian was silent for a moment, frowning. Lao Feng's words sounded like good news, but he didn't dare to believe it. For such a small bag of seeds, he had to spend half a month's savings. He was really hesitant about the price.

"Old Feng, are these seeds really that good?" Li Xiangqian asked with a serious face, his voice filled with cautious doubt.

Old Feng patted his shoulder and smiled even more widely: "Hey, I have been selling seeds for many years, how can I cheat you? Last year, all the farmers in my neighboring village switched to this new seed, and the harvest of potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes was more than double that of previous years. Don't be afraid of losing money, this stuff is real."

Li Xiangqian looked down at the small bag of seeds in Lao Feng's hand and weighed it in his heart. He knew that he had no way out now. The old method was useless, and the old potato seeds were useless. If he kept guarding that piece of rotten land, he was afraid that the yard would be completely abandoned. He hardened his heart, took out a crumpled stack of bills from his pocket, and handed it over: "Okay, I'll buy it."

Lao Feng took the money, swiftly handed him the seeds, and enthusiastically reminded him: "Remember to fertilize and water the plants this time, and you will definitely have a good harvest. Go back and plant them, and you won't go wrong!"

Li Xiangqian's heart was half relieved. Although he was still a little uneasy, he at least took the first step to change. He returned to the courtyard with the seeds in his pocket, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions - expectation, nervousness, and a bit of reluctance. He knew that he had put in a lot of effort, and he could only rely on luck.