Siheyuan: Rebirth of Liu Ergou

In this ancient and quiet courtyard, the morning light of the 29th day of the first lunar month slowly spreads, but it seems to carry an unusual chill. The smoke from the cooking stoves in every household no longer rises as it did in the past, but is replaced by low sighs and discussions. This season is the time when everything is revived and spring is getting stronger, but the residents of the courtyard are facing a serious problem - the surplus food is running out.

As time went by, the meager supply from the supply and marketing cooperative could no longer meet the growing needs of the men, women and grandmas in the compound. Whenever night fell, the compound was filled with people, standing or sitting together, with anxiety and helplessness written all over their faces. Everyone was talking and discussing, but no one could find a solution.

"Alas, life is getting harder and harder." Uncle Yi Zhonghai sat on the doorstep, gesturing with his hands, his eyes full of helplessness and sighs. Although he is an elder in the compound with high prestige, he is helpless in the face of this sudden predicament and can only shake his head helplessly.

Second uncle Liu Haizhong sighed at the side, his brows furrowed tightly, as if water could be squeezed out of them. As another pillar of the compound, he also felt unprecedented pressure. He knew that he had to do something, but he didn't know where to start.

At this time, the third uncle Yan Bugui stood up, his eyes flashing with cunning and expectation. "We can't just sit there and wait for death!" He raised his voice and said, "I heard that Liu Yi has a way to get a lot of food reserves, why don't we go find him and think of a solution?"

As soon as these words came out, the courtyard suddenly became quiet. Everyone's eyes were focused on Yan Bugui, with both expectations and doubts. After all, in that era of material scarcity, food was life, and no one wanted to easily expose their trump card.

However, Liu Yi was an exception. He was well aware of the plight of the compound and his responsibilities as a member of the compound. Although he did have a lot of food in his hands, he did not share it with everyone immediately out of caution. However, after hearing Yan Bugui's proposal, he nodded and said that he would find a way.

In the dead of night, Liu Yi quietly got up and went to the simple pavilion in his backyard. He opened the door of the secret room, which was filled with all kinds of food, including the three thousand kilograms of golden cornmeal. These foods were taken out from the space and accumulated bit by bit on weekdays, but now they have become the key to solving the predicament of the compound.

Without any hesitation, he quickly moved the cornmeal out of the secret room and neatly stacked it in the pavilion. The night breeze blew, bringing a hint of coolness, but Liu Yi's heart was filled with warmth and determination. He knew that he was doing the right thing.

The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight penetrated the clouds and shone on the courtyard, the second uncle Liu Haizhong had already started to organize everyone to distribute the grain according to Liu Yi's instructions. He stood in front of the pavilion, holding a small notebook in his hand, carefully recording everyone's share. People in the courtyard lined up in a long line, their faces filled with gratitude and expectation.

"Liu Yi is such a good person!" said an old lady, wiping away tears, "In such a difficult time, he still thought of all of us."

"Yes, we must thank him well in the future!" an old man also echoed.

Jia Zhang's unintentional words were like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples and making everyone's heart sink.

"Relying on these grains is not a long-term solution. We still need to think of a way." Her voice was soft, but it was like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's heart. People in the compound stopped their work, sitting or standing, looking at each other, their eyes full of worry and confusion about the future.

Liu Yi, a young man who is usually taciturn but always stands up at critical moments, also feels unprecedented pressure at this moment. He looked around and saw those familiar faces full of expectation and helplessness, and an indescribable emotion surged in his heart. He took a deep breath, tried to calm the waves in his heart, and then slowly said: "Don't worry, I will find a way to get food, everyone just prepare the money."

This sentence was like a spring breeze, blowing through everyone's heart, bringing a long-lost warmth and hope. People cast grateful eyes at Liu Yi, some nodded in thanks, and some clenched their fists with a determined light in their eyes. They knew that as long as Liu Yi was there, nothing was impossible.

However, the second uncle Liu Haizhong was a straightforward man. He spoke his mind and directly pointed out another hidden worry in everyone's mind: "Liu Yi, we appreciate your kindness, but you also know that many people in this compound come from ordinary families and may not be able to afford the high-priced grain." Before he finished speaking, a voice of agreement was heard in the yard. Obviously, this was also everyone's common concern.

Liu Yi frowned slightly when he heard this. He understood everyone's difficulties and was well aware of his responsibilities. He was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "Don't worry, since I, Liu Yi, have said I will help, I will definitely help to the end. I will try my best to find some food at a reasonable price. If I really can't find any, I will also find a way to help everyone raise funds to ensure that everyone can eat."

At this point, Liu Yi's eyes flashed with determination. He knew that this road was destined to be bumpy, but he was ready. No matter how many difficulties and obstacles there were ahead, he would keep going.

In the following days, Liu Yi devoted almost all his time and energy to the task of finding food. He traveled to the surrounding villages and markets, bargained with vendors, and even traveled far away to find food with reasonable prices and good quality. Whenever it was late at night, he would always sit under the old locust tree in the yard, staring at the starry sky, silently thinking about how to better solve the food problem in the compound. If he didn't do this, how could he explain the source of the food? Liu Yi lit a cigarette and smoked it intermittently.

The people in the compound were not idle either. They all showed their special skills, some wove cloth and sewed clothes to exchange for money, while others went up the mountain to collect herbs and went down the river to fish, using their labor to exchange for a meager income. Although life was hard, everyone's hearts were closely connected, working together for the same goal. . .

Finally, with Liu Yi's unremitting efforts and everyone's support, the food crisis in the compound was effectively alleviated. When the heavy bags of food were transported back to the compound, everyone's face was filled with long-lost smiles and gratitude.