Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Old Liu was walking behind them and seemed to have heard their conversation. He interrupted and said, "Xiang Qian, don't worry too much. Although the potatoes are all rotten, maybe we can find some other ways. This year, everyone is having a hard time, not just your family. When the time comes, when we all discuss it, maybe we can pool our wisdom and find a way out."

Li Xiangqian listened to Lao Liu's words and forced a smile. He knew Lao Liu was trying to comfort him, but the haze in his heart did not dissipate. As the mainstay of the family, he knew the weight of all this. Li Yun and other family members were all counting on him, and he couldn't fall down. However, he also felt unprecedented loneliness and helplessness.

As they continued to move forward, the outline of the town gradually emerged in their field of vision. Li Xiangqian's heartbeat could not help but speed up a little. Perhaps there would be some solution in the town, or at least it could give him a little hope. Even a tiny hope could keep him moving forward.

Arriving in the town, they quickly found the office of the village cadres. It was a simple hut with a wooden sign hanging at the door that read "Village Committee". At the moment, there were not many people in the hut, only two cadres were busy sorting out some documents.

Li Xiangqian hesitated for a moment, but still pushed the door open and walked in with Li Yun and Lao Liu.

"What's up?" Sitting behind the desk was a middle-aged man with gray hair and a weathered face. He looked up at Li Xiangqian and spoke in a calm tone that revealed a bit of fatigue.

"Comrade cadre, we are here to ask about this year's potatoes..." Li Xiangqian said, with a bit of nervousness and helplessness in his tone, "All the potatoes in our fields are rotten, and we want to know if the town has any way to remedy the situation."

The cadre frowned and sighed, "Are all your potatoes rotten too?"

Li Xiangqian nodded. "Yes, almost none of them are usable. I heard that several families nearby are like this. Do you know what's going on?"

The cadre put down the documents in his hand and leaned back in his chair, his face looking even more tired. He seemed to have anticipated this question, but still found it difficult to give a definite answer.

"Recently, many people have reported this to us," the cadre said slowly. "We are also investigating the cause. Our initial guess is that it may be related to the recent weather changes. The moisture content in the soil has exceeded the standard, and the previous autumn rains have caused the potatoes to rot. However, the specific situation can only be confirmed after the technicians come to inspect."

Li Xiangqian's heart suddenly sank. Although he had been prepared, he still felt powerless when he heard this. He gritted his teeth and asked, "Is there any way to remedy the problem? If I plant it again, will it rot?"

The cadre shook his head. "We can't be sure right now. We can only decide on the next course of action after the technicians' report comes out. For now, you may have to find another way to get through the winter."

Li Xiangqian was silent. Although he had a vague feeling that things would not go smoothly, when he really heard these words, he still felt a sense of despair welling up from deep in his heart.

Li Yun's face turned pale as he listened to this. He couldn't help but ask, "Will all the crops this year be ruined? How are we going to live?"

The cadre sighed, his tone adding a bit of helplessness, "This year is indeed a difficult year, but it is the same for everyone. The town will try its best to coordinate some food supplies for families in need, and everyone must unite and help each other to overcome the current difficulties."

Li Xiangqian nodded and forced a smile to express his gratitude, although he knew that this amount of food was just a drop in the bucket. After leaving the village committee, the feeling of depression and powerlessness in his heart became heavier, as if the whole world was closing its doors to him.

Li Yun looked at her brother's face and felt bad. She knew that Li Xiangqian had always been the man who carried the whole family. No matter what difficulties they encountered, he was always the first to stand up and solve the problem. However, this time, things were much more difficult than they had imagined.

"Brother..." Li Yun gently pulled his sleeve, wanting to say something comforting, but swallowed it back when it came to her lips. She knew that any comfort would seem pale and powerless at this moment.

Li Xiangqian took a deep breath, stopped, and looked up at the sky in the distance. Dark clouds had begun to gather in the sky, and it seemed that another heavy rain was about to come. His mood was like the rain that was about to pour down, depressed and heavy, and he could not find any way out.

Li Xiangqian felt heavy-hearted on his way back. Although his steps were steady, his mind was in a mess. The town cadre's words made him realize that waiting was not the solution. Although the government might provide some food supplies, the meager relief was not enough to survive the winter. He had to find a way out himself. He could no longer sit and wait for death.

When he reached an intersection, Li Xiangqian stopped and looked into the distance with a frown. In that direction was a town agricultural supply store that specialized in selling seeds and fertilizers for various crops. He had bought seeds there several times before, and the quality was pretty good. An idea suddenly came to Li Xiangqian's mind: maybe he could go there to see if there was any emergency solution.

"You guys go back first, I have to do something." He turned and said to Li Yun and Lao Liu.

Li Yun was stunned for a moment, frowned and asked: "Brother, where are you going?"

"Go buy some new seeds," Li Xiangqian said calmly, with a hint of unquestionable determination in his voice. "Since all the potatoes are rotten this time, I'll try something else. I can't just give up like this."

When Li Yun heard this, he hurriedly said, "But brother, it's autumn now. Is it too late to plant? The weather is cold and the crops can't grow at all."

Li Xiangqian's face flashed with hesitation, but he soon became firm, "How do we know if we don't try? Although it's cold now, there may still be some crops growing fast that can be harvested before the cold winter. We can't just give up like this."

Old Liu nodded and said, "Go ahead, your idea is right. You have to seize the opportunity. Otherwise, you can't just sit there and wait. I heard that some new varieties of crops have a shorter growth cycle than our traditional seeds. Maybe they can help you get through it."

Li Xiangqian was encouraged by these words, and the heavy feeling in his heart seemed to loosen a little. He knew that this road might not be easy to take, but at least it was an option. It was better than doing nothing.

He nodded to Li Yun, signaling her not to worry, and turned to walk towards the agricultural supplies store. Although Li Yun was uneasy, she also knew her brother's character. It was difficult to change a decision, so she nodded helplessly: "Then be careful and come back early."