Chapter 294 Hard Work

As time went by, Li Xiangqian and his son became closer. Xiaogang learned how to help in the fields and how to respect and understand his parents' hard work. Li Xiangqian felt extremely satisfied and proud watching his son grow up.

It was another busy morning. Li Xiangqian stood in the kitchen, looking at the table full of ingredients, feeling a little irritated. Recently, neighbors in the courtyard often came to visit, and sometimes stayed at home to eat together. Although the relationship between neighbors was harmonious, the frequent gatherings made Li Xiangqian feel a little tired. After all, he was just an ordinary farmer, and his family's resources were limited. Every time he prepared meals for so many people, he always felt a little reluctant.

His wife, who was helping to cut vegetables, noticed Li Xiangqian's mood change and asked in a low voice, "Xiangqian, do you feel a little tired?"

Li Xiangqian stopped what he was doing and sighed, "Yes, everyone has been coming to our house for dinner recently. It's not that I don't welcome them, but if this continues, we won't have enough food at home."

The wife nodded in understanding, "I feel the same way. In fact, the neighbors don't have to eat at our house, but they think our house is lively and they are willing to come and sit."

Li Xiangqian pondered for a while and decided to have a good talk with the neighbors. He knew that it was not good to refuse directly, but he could not let the situation continue. He thought for a while and said, "I will go to He Yuzhu and others tonight and tell them about the situation."

That evening, Li Xiangqian came to He Yuzhu's house. He saw He Yuzhu repairing a worn-out chair in the yard, so he walked up to him and said hello: "Brother Yuzhu, are you free? Let's chat."

He Yuzhu raised his head and responded with a smile: "Of course I am free, Xiang Qian, what can I do for you?"

Li Xiangqian organized his words and said sincerely: "Brother Yuzhu, everyone has been coming to my house for dinner recently. I think it's great, but you also know that our family's conditions are limited. If we do this frequently, I'm worried that it will affect the family's expenses over time."

He Yuzhu nodded, looking a little embarrassed: "Yes, Xiang Qian, I understand what you mean. In fact, we don't have to eat at your house, we just think your house is lively and want to join in the fun."

Li Xiangqian smiled and said, "I know everyone means well, but I think we can try another approach. For example, everyone can take turns to have dinner at their own homes. This way, no one will be tired and everyone can participate."

He Yuzhu patted Li Xiangqian on the shoulder and agreed, "This is a good idea! Let's tell everyone later. I believe they will understand."

Li Xiangqian breathed a sigh of relief and felt much more relaxed. He knew that He Yuzhu had a certain prestige in the courtyard, and with his help, everyone would definitely understand and support him.

In the evening, several main neighbors of the courtyard gathered together, and Li Xiangqian expressed his ideas. Everyone nodded after listening, expressing understanding and support. Liu Haizhong even suggested: "In the future, we can set up a rotation table, with each family taking turns once a week, so that everyone can feel involved and no one will be tired."

Qin Huairu agreed with a smile: "Yes, this is good. It can increase everyone's interaction and reduce the burden on each family."

The matter was happily decided, and Li Xiangqian finally felt relieved. When he returned home, he told his wife the good news. After hearing this, his wife also breathed a sigh of relief: "This is a great arrangement. It won't offend anyone, and it allows everyone to feel involved."

Li Xiangqian sat by the bed, watching his wife busy at work, his heart filled with gratitude. He knew that thanks to his wife's support and understanding, the family's problems could be solved smoothly. He whispered, "Our lives will get better and better in the future."

His wife looked back at him, smiled and nodded: "Yes, as long as our family works together, we can overcome any difficulties."

In the following days, the dinner party in the courtyard really became orderly. At the beginning of each new week, everyone would see their family's name on the duty roster and prepare in advance. This arrangement not only reduced Li Xiangqian's burden, but also made every family feel the joy and responsibility of participating.

One day, it was Liu Haizhong's turn to go home. Li Xiangqian brought his wife and son to the house on time. Everyone sat together, eating delicious meals, chatting about family matters, and laughing. Li Xiangqian looked at all this and felt extremely satisfied and happy. He knew that this small courtyard was their home, the place where they worked together and protected.

After the dinner, Li Xiangqian returned home with his family. Xiaogang excitedly said to his father: "Dad, today's meal is really delicious. The dishes made by Uncle Liu are as delicious as my mother's."

Li Xiangqian smiled and patted his son's head: "Yes, every family has its own characteristics. We should learn more and make better meals in the future."

The morning sun shines through the leaves in the courtyard. Li Xiangqian gets up early and prepares to weed the fields. He knows that weeds in the potato field grow very fast. If they are not cleared in time, it will affect the growth of potatoes. His wife is busy in the kitchen. When she hears that he is going to the fields, she reminds him: "Xiangqian, the sun is strong today. Remember to bring a straw hat. Don't get sunburned."

Li Xiangqian smiled and nodded, picked up his straw hat and put it on: "Don't worry, I will pay attention." He walked out of the house, and the breeze blowing in his face brought the coolness of the morning, which made him feel refreshed. Along the way, the people in the village also started their busy day one after another, and everyone greeted each other, and laughter echoed in the air.

Arriving at the field, Li Xiangqian put down his tools and looked at the green potato field in front of him, feeling satisfied and proud. This field carries his hopes and dreams, and is the result of his and his family's hard work. Now that the potato seedlings are growing well, all he has to do is make sure that these weeds do not take away the nutrients of the potatoes.

He bent down and began to carefully pull out the weeds. Each weed was deeply rooted, and he pulled it out with force, carefully checking the surrounding soil to make sure that no weeds were missed. Although the weeding process was boring, Li Xiangqian felt peaceful. He enjoyed the sense of accomplishment brought by this labor, and every time he saw clean soil, his mood became happy.

While he was busy, neighbor Xu Damao came over and saw Li Xiangqian working in the field. He stopped and said with a smile: "Xiangqian, your potato field is growing well. You have worked so hard."

Li Xiangqian raised his head and responded with a smile: "It's not hard at all. This is all thanks to everyone's help and support. I just did what I should do."