Siheyuan, integrating everything, cultivating the city

Li Xiangqian walked into the agricultural supply store. There was an old sign hanging at the door and a faint smell of fertilizer wafted out from the door. Inside the store, there were all kinds of seed bags, pesticides and fertilizers, filling the neatly arranged shelves. Behind the counter stood a middle-aged man wearing thick glasses, who was slowly sorting out the account book in his hand.

"Boss, do you have any new varieties of seeds? Those with a short growth cycle and suitable for planting in this season?" Li Xiangqian walked straight to the counter and asked directly.

The boss looked up at Li Xiangqian and frowned slightly. "Seeds with a short growth cycle? It's a bit late for you to buy them this season, isn't it? If you want to plant now, you have to consider the temperature. Many crops are no longer suitable."

"I know," Li Xiangqian said hastily, "but I have no other choice now. All the potatoes in the field have rotted. I have to plant another batch quickly, otherwise they won't survive the winter. Do you have any fast-growing seeds? Can you recommend a few?"

When the boss heard "the potatoes are all rotten", a flash of understanding flashed in his eyes. Apparently, he had also heard that there were problems with the nearby fields. He put down the account book in his hand, walked to the shelf at the back, slid his fingers over the rows of seed bags, and after thinking for a while, he picked out a few bags and handed them to Li Xiangqian.

"These are several new varieties. Their growing period is only about two months, but they are quite demanding on the soil. You have to make sure the ground is not too wet. There has been a lot of rain recently, so you'd better control the amount of water." The boss explained as he handed the bag of seeds to Li Xiangqian.

Li Xiangqian looked down at the bags, feeling the coldness of the packaging in his palms, and weighed the pros and cons in his mind. He was not an agricultural expert, and he did not understand the complex planting conditions, but he had no choice. In any case, no matter how risky it was, this was his only way out.

"How much?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the bags, as if these seeds carried all his hopes.

"These are not cheap, thirty per pack," the boss said calmly.

Li Xiangqian frowned. Thirty yuan a bag of seeds was not cheap for him, especially since he had very little money now. But he knew that these seeds were his only lifeline.

"Give me five packs." He gritted his teeth and made the decision.

After paying, Li Xiangqian walked out of the agricultural supply store with the seeds in his pocket, thinking over and over again what the boss had said. The growth cycle of the new seeds is short enough, but the soil moisture problem has become his biggest concern. The recent rains have almost soaked the fields. If the moisture is not controlled well, these seeds are likely to repeat the same mistakes.

As he walked back, the wind around him gradually became colder, and it felt like a knife cutting his face. A question kept flashing through his mind: Was this decision right or wrong? If these seeds failed again, what would happen to his family? What would he do?

But Li Xiangqian knew that he didn't have much choice. He couldn't give up. He had grown up in this courtyard and had seen many hardships, failures and setbacks, but he stood up every time. Now, the same principle applies to this land.

When he got home, it was getting dark. Li Yun and Lao Liu were waiting for him in the yard. Seeing him holding a bag of seeds, Li Yun hurriedly went up to him and asked, "Brother, did you buy it?"

"Yes, I bought it." Li Xiangqian nodded and handed the seeds to her for her to take a look.

"But..." Li Yun took the bags, his eyes full of worry, "It's so cold today, is it really too late?"

"We can only try." Li Xiangqian took a deep breath. Although his tone was calm, his inner tension was gradually rising. He had no way out and had to trust his judgment this time.

Old Liu came over, glanced at the seed bags, nodded and said, "You are a determined guy. As long as you are not afraid of hardship, you may be able to catch up with the harvest."

Li Xiangqian nodded, trying not to think about the possibility of failure, but to focus on every step at hand. He had to stay calm and do his best.

The next morning, Li Xiangqian began to prepare to turn the soil again. The soil was still moist, but he tried to loosen the upper layer to allow it to breathe and reduce the impact of moisture on the new seeds. Every time he dug the soil, he was fighting against his inner anxiety. Every time he turned the soil, he responded to the unknown challenges of the future.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked up at the land around him, and calculated the time silently in his mind. He knew that he couldn't be careless in this planting, and any small mistake could make his previous efforts go to waste.

When he buried the first seed in the soil, Li Xiangqian felt a mixture of emotions. He was excited about regaining hope, but also worried. He was not sure if the seeds would succeed, but he had to give it his all. Even if he failed, he hoped he would have a clear conscience.

After planting the last seed, Li Xiangqian stood at the edge of the field, looking at the newly cultivated land and praying silently in his heart. He knew that the next few days would be the moment that would decide everything.

Li Xiangqian was busy tending the new seeds in the fields, and he was surrounded by a nervous sense of anticipation. Every nerve in his body was tense, fearing that something might go wrong. The precious packets of seeds had been sown into the soil, and he could only pray for good weather and proper control of soil moisture. He thought countless times whether he had missed any details, fearing that a small oversight would make all his efforts go to waste again.

A few days later, Li Xiangqian decided to go to the town to investigate the situation again. After all, he was still worried about the previous rotting problem. He thought that he might be able to meet some knowledgeable farmers or experts in the town and get more information and advice.

That day, Li Xiangqian came to the town and happened to meet an acquaintance, He Yuzhu. This name is well-known in the town. He has been doing small business for several years. Relying on his intelligence, he can always get some new information about farming one step ahead of others. Li Xiangqian has heard many people mention him, saying that he knows some tips on crop planting and has sold some new varieties of seeds, sometimes getting the goods before the agricultural supply stores in the town.

"Li Xiangqian, oh, how come it's such a coincidence?" He Yuzhu saw Li Xiangqian from afar, with a smile on his face, and quickly walked towards him.

Li Xiangqian was worried and had no idea what to do. When he saw He Yuzhu's warm greeting, he thought it was a good sign. He also forced a smile and greeted him: "Brother Yuzhu, long time no see. You must be busy with business recently, right?"