Chapter 151 Put the food you brought back on the table

As night fell, the courtyard was shrouded in silence, broken only by the sound of the wind and occasional coughs. Li Xiangqian tiptoed out of his room, wrapped in a thick old cotton-padded jacket. He stood in the middle of the courtyard, looking at the sparse stars in the sky, and couldn't help but sigh. This winter, the cold and hunger made everyone extremely vulnerable, but it was this despair that made him more determined to find hope for the people in the courtyard to survive.

"Brother Xiangqian, where are you going so late?" A small voice came from behind him. Li Xiangqian turned around and saw Xiaohua, who was standing at the door, and she had obviously just woken up from the cold.

"I'm going out to find something to eat. Come back to the room and go to sleep, Xiaohua." Li Xiangqian said softly, trying his best to make his voice sound calm.

Xiaohua came over timidly and pulled at his shirt, her eyes full of worry: "It's so cold outside, are you freezing?"

Li Xiangqian felt warm in his heart, squatted down, and patted her head gently: "No, I will be back soon, you have to be obedient and help me take care of everyone."

Xiaohua nodded vigorously, tears glistening in her eyes. Li Xiangqian stood up, took a deep breath, turned around and walked towards the gate. The snow at the gate had been trampled into a path, and he stepped on the snow step by step, as if he was stepping on his heart. Each step was so heavy, yet so firm.

The streets were extremely quiet at night, with almost no one in sight. Li Xiangqian walked on the snow, with only the sound of his own breathing and footsteps in his ears. The surrounding buildings looked particularly eerie in the darkness, and he could not help but feel a little scared. But for the sake of those who were still waiting for him in the courtyard, he had to overcome this fear.

He walked north along the alley, out of the city, and came to a wasteland in the suburbs. The cold wind here was even more biting, and it hurt his face, but he gritted his teeth and continued to move forward. In his mind, he kept thinking about those hungry faces, the little hand that had been holding the corner of his clothes, and those eyes full of hope. All of this inspired him and drove him not to give up.

After passing a withered forest, Li Xiangqian finally found the rumored abandoned warehouse. The door of the warehouse was already tattered and half-closed. Li Xiangqian carefully pushed the door open and walked in. The warehouse was dark, but he could vaguely see some old grain bags and broken wooden boxes scattered on the ground.

He searched eagerly, his heartbeat quickened, his hands and feet trembled. He knew this was his last chance. If he couldn't find food here, the people in the yard might not survive the winter. Suddenly, his hand touched a hard object, and when he looked closely, he found it was a bag of relatively intact food. Although it was moldy, it was still usable.

He quickly hid in a corner, holding his breath, and put his ear close to the wall, listening to the noise outside. His heart was beating as fast as a drum, and countless possibilities flashed through his mind: Is it another hungry person? Is it a night watchman? Or... hostility is unpredictable. He could only hold the iron rod tightly in his hand and prepare for the worst.

The footsteps were getting closer, the warehouse door was pushed open, and a weak flashlight beam swept in. Li Xiangqian stared at the moving trajectory of the beam nervously, his body tense like a string. After the beam swung around the warehouse for a few times, it suddenly stopped in a corner.

"Who's there?" a deep voice asked, somewhat tentatively.

Li Xiangqian's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He knew that this moment determined his fate. He did not make a sound, and tried to hide himself in the shadows, not daring to make the slightest movement. Seeing no response, the man slowly walked forward, and the flashlight beam also moved with him.

Just as the beam was about to hit him, Li Xiangqian made a bold decision. He stood up suddenly and shouted, "Don't come over!"

The man was obviously startled by the sudden noise and almost dropped his flashlight. He steadied himself and looked carefully, and saw Li Xiangqian carrying a bag of grain, holding an iron rod in his hand, with a wary look on his face.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the man asked sternly, with a hint of surprise and vigilance in his tone.

Li Xiangqian did not answer, but asked: "Who are you? Is the food here yours?"

The man was silent for a while, then slowly put down the flashlight, revealing a tired face. "I'm here to look for food, too. My family is almost dying, so I can only take the risk and try my luck." His voice was full of helplessness and exhaustion.

Hearing this, Li Xiangqian's tension eased a little, but he still remained alert. "How many people are there in your family?" he asked, his tone slightly softened.

The man sighed, "There are four people in the family, two young children, and the food at home is running out." His voice was low, revealing deep helplessness.

Li Xiangqian was silent for a moment, and his heart was in turmoil. Although he was also in a difficult situation, the other party was also fighting for his family. He knew that in such a difficult situation, everyone was struggling on the line between life and death.

"There's some food here, not much, but we can share some." Li Xiangqian finally spoke, with a bit of sincerity in his tone. He took out some moldy grains from the bag behind him and handed them to the man.

The man was stunned for a moment, obviously not expecting to encounter such a situation. He took the grain, with a flash of gratitude in his eyes, "Thank you, brother. I... I don't know how to repay you."

Li Xiangqian shook his head and said, "You're welcome. We are all in the same boat. The most important thing is to survive." After he said that, he patted the man on the shoulder and motioned him to leave.

The man nodded and left the warehouse with a look of gratitude and admiration. Li Xiangqian looked at his back with mixed feelings. This disaster made people indifferent, but also taught them to support each other. He didn't have time to think about it, picked up the bag and quickly left the warehouse.

The night was still cold, and the snowstorm was even more violent. Li Xiangqian walked back with difficulty in the snowstorm. Every step seemed like a fight against the cold and hunger, but he did not stop. He knew that the people in the courtyard were still waiting for him, still looking forward to the glimmer of hope he brought back.

Along the way, the familiar faces in the yard kept appearing in his mind: Uncle Zhang's seriousness, Xiaohua's innocence, and the neighbors' expectations. He must hold on, because he is their hope.

It was already late at night when he returned to the courtyard. The courtyard was silent, with only a few weak lights emitting warm light. Li Xiangqian pushed open the gate, walked gently into the kitchen, and placed the food he brought back on the table. Fatigue surged like a tide, but he still persisted.