Chapter 1116 It’s Too Late to Regret

As the two were talking, Xu Damao turned around, bent down, and began to work. Li Xiangqian stood beside him, watching him working non-stop. Suddenly, he felt a long-lost warmth in his heart. Perhaps it was Xu Damao's pure enthusiasm, or perhaps it was the unspoken neighborly friendship in the courtyard that made him feel unprecedented comfort.

"Sorry to trouble you, Damao." Li Xiangqian sighed and patted Xu Damao on the back gently.

Xu Damao said without even raising his head: "Why are you being polite? With our relationship, it's nothing to ask for a favor."

Li Xiangqian smiled slightly and turned his gaze to the old willow tree in the distance. The branches swayed gently in the wind, and the sunlight shone through the willow branches onto the ground, like a layer of warm gauze. Everything inside and outside the courtyard seemed so peaceful and natural, as if every tree, every leaf, and even every inch of soil was silently telling the story of the years.

Xu Damao was busy for a while, then raised his head and wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Okay, it's almost done. I'll find you some wooden boards tomorrow to build a fence around the potato seedlings." He stood up, patted the dirt on his hands, turned around and said to Li Xiangqian: "Are you relieved now?"

Li Xiangqian nodded: "Don't worry, don't worry, thank you so much."

Xu Damao smiled and turned back to his own courtyard. Li Xiangqian looked at his departing figure, feeling mixed emotions. Although Xu Damao's words were not many, they were enough to make him feel warm. He felt a little lonely doing all these things by himself, but fortunately he had a friend like Xu Damao who was always available and generous. Life in a courtyard should be like this. The relationship between people was cordial and sincere, and they supported each other. It seemed that all of this had become the most precious thing for him.

"Alas, that's how life is. We can't always think about ourselves." Li Xiangqian muttered in a low voice.

He slowly walked to the potato seedlings, bent down and gently stroked the tender green leaves. The breeze blew by, bringing a faint earthy fragrance. Although the days in the courtyard were ordinary and even a little monotonous, it was these daily trivialities that made up his entire life.

He bent down, pulled out a slender potato seedling from the ground, and gently held it in his hand. Suddenly, a long-lost feeling of emotion emerged in his heart. These potato seedlings, like the road he had walked before, although it was not easy, still stubbornly took root in this land and worked hard to grow towards the sun.

At this moment, a slight sound came from the house. Li Xiangqian stood up straight, turned his head, and saw his wife Xiao Zhao standing at the door. She was holding a basket of freshly picked vegetables in her hand, and when she saw Li Xiangqian, a smile appeared on her face.

"Xiang Qian, how are the potato seedlings growing?" Xiao Zhao walked up to Li Xiang Qian and asked.

Li Xiangqian nodded and said with a smile, "It's OK. Xu Damao helped to tidy up the land. It should be better."

Xiao Zhao didn't ask any more questions and smiled, "That's good. Don't worry, we will be able to eat fresh vegetables sooner or later."

Li Xiangqian looked at his wife's face and suddenly felt an indescribable satisfaction and peace of mind. Although he had not lived a rich life in recent years, he seemed to have found his own happiness with his family, neighbors and friends.

Li Xiangqian reached out to wipe away the sweat on his forehead, slowly turned around and looked at his wife Xiao Zhao. She smiled gently, with a little tenderness in her eyes. At the gate of the courtyard, a scent of earth was quietly floating, and the air was filled with a fresh scent of newly sprouted plants.

He took a deep breath, but inexplicably felt uneasy in his heart. This uneasiness was not because of the potato seedlings, nor was it because of Xu Damao's enthusiastic help, but because of the land he and Yi Zhonghai had been discussing. He knew the potential of the land, but at the same time, he was also aware of the risks involved.

"Xiang Qian, you have been absent-minded lately. Is there something on your mind?" Xiao Zhao noticed the change in his expression and asked softly.

Li Xiangqian frowned, looked at his wife's eyes in a daze, and his heart was moved. He didn't intend to tell her about this matter - not because he didn't trust her, but because he knew that she always worried more than anything else. If he told her, she would be worried and unable to sleep all night.

"Nothing. There are a lot of things going on in the courtyard recently. I'm too busy." Li Xiangqian lowered his head slightly, deliberately avoiding his wife's gaze. "You know, I need to take a closer look at the potato seedlings. I can't be careless."

Xiao Zhao nodded, and it was obvious that she believed it, but she did not ask any more questions. Li Xiangqian felt complicated, and he knew that if he continued to delay like this, it would be a problem that could not be solved. He had talked with Yi Zhonghai about the land for some time. The location of the land was not too far away, and although it was close to the courtyard, the terrain was not ideal.

Li Xiangqian has been thinking back to what Yi Zhonghai said that day: "This piece of land has great prospects. Think about it, there are already some people developing it around it. Once the surrounding facilities are complete, there will be a lot of room for appreciation."

Listening to Yi Zhonghai's words, Li Xiangqian's heart was filled with temptation and fear. Although he was not greedy, he knew that if he could buy the land, the future return would be great. However, when he thought about the large amount of money he needed to invest, his heart became heavy.

Especially before he made a complete decision, he always felt that there was a string in his heart that was always taut and seemed likely to break at any time.

"Xiao Zhao, if I lend money to Yi Zhonghai, can I guarantee the living in the Siheyuan?" Li Xiangqian suddenly asked.

Xiao Zhao was a little stunned. She obviously didn't expect him to ask such a question out of the blue. She put down the basket in her hand and was silent for a moment, with a hint of confusion in her eyes. "Lend it to him? Are you sure you want to lend it to him?"

Li Xiangqian sighed, "Well, I've thought about it. Yi Zhonghai is a steady person, and if the land is handled properly, it would be a good investment. I'm afraid that if I miss this opportunity, it will be too late to regret it."

Xiao Zhao frowned, obviously not completely agreeing with Li Xiangqian's idea. "But, for something like this, we can't rely entirely on others. I know Yi Zhonghai, he's a good guy, but investing is always risky. I feel uneasy when you say that."

Li Xiangqian lowered his head and remained silent for a while. He knew that Xiao Zhao's concerns were correct, but he always felt that the value of the land far exceeded their current doubts.

"Don't worry. If something goes wrong, I won't let you get hurt." Li Xiangqian didn't answer her question directly. Instead, he patted her shoulder gently and said, "I know what I'm doing."