Chapter 297: Tending the Vegetable Garden

Li Xiangqian decided to buy some wheat. This idea had been brewing in his mind for several days. Recently, everyone in the courtyard has been discussing how to improve the diet structure and add some fresh ingredients, and wheat is undoubtedly a good choice. It can be ground into flour to make noodles and buns, or it can be cooked into porridge to enrich the family's dinner table.

In the morning, Li Xiangqian got up very early. As soon as it was light, he put on simple clothes and prepared to go to the market. He knew that the wheat in the market would be of better quality and the price would be relatively reasonable.

"Xiang Qian, are you going to the market?" his wife asked with concern as she watched him getting ready to go out.

Li Xiangqian nodded and said with a smile, "Yes, I plan to buy some wheat so that our family can have more variety and everyone's nutrition can keep up."

The wife nodded and said, "Good idea. You should bring more money and be careful on the road."

Li Xiangqian patted his pockets to make sure he had enough money, then said, "Don't worry, I'll be careful. You take good care of the children at home, and I'll be back soon."

After leaving the house, Li Xiangqian walked on the road to the market, thinking about how much wheat to buy. He thought about his wife and children, and the daily expenses of the family, and made some plans in his mind. After walking for about half an hour, he finally arrived at the market. The market was crowded with people, and the vendors' shouting was heard one after another, and the whole market seemed very lively.

Li Xiangqian walked to a food stall. The stall owner was a middle-aged man. When he saw him, he greeted him warmly: "Big brother, what can you buy?"

Li Xiangqian looked at the wheat on the stall. It was golden in color and the grains were full. He nodded with satisfaction and said, "I want to buy some wheat. Can you pick some good quality wheat for me?"

The stall owner smiled and said, "Don't worry, the wheat here is all top quality. How much do you want?"

Li Xiangqian thought about it for a while and decided to buy a bag to try first: "Give me one bag first, I will come back later when it's better."

The stall owner weighed a bag of wheat and handed it to Li Xiangqian. Li Xiangqian paid the money and carried the wheat. He felt the weight on his shoulders, but he felt relieved. He knew that taking this bag of wheat home would bring more changes and hope to his family.

When Li Xiangqian got home, he put the wheat in the kitchen. His wife and Xiaogang came around. When his wife saw the bag of wheat, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes: "You bought so much wheat. It's a good idea. We can grind it ourselves to make noodles or cook wheat porridge."

Xiao Gang asked excitedly: "Dad, what delicious food can be made from wheat?"

Li Xiangqian smiled and touched his son's head. "Wheat can be used to make a lot of delicious food, such as noodles, dumplings, steamed buns, and porridge. When dad finishes grinding the flour in a few days, I'll make some new dishes for you."

Xiao Gang's eyes lit up when he heard this: "Great, Dad, you're awesome!"

Li Xiangqian and his wife worked together to pack the wheat and store it in a dry place. In the next few days, Li Xiangqian found the flour-grinding tools he had used in his spare time and prepared to grind the flour himself. He felt that this was not only for the diversification of his family's diet, but also a self-challenge and fun.

Although the flour-grinding process is a bit tiring, Li Xiangqian feels a sense of accomplishment when he sees the golden wheat turned into fine flour. His wife helps him and hands him a towel to wipe his sweat from time to time. The two of them have a good understanding of each other, and the whole kitchen is filled with a warm atmosphere.

Finally, the first batch of flour was ground. Li Xiangqian wiped the sweat from his forehead, looked at the fine flour with satisfaction, and said to his wife: "Tonight, we will use this flour to make noodles."

The wife nodded and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll knead the dough, you go take a rest, and we'll do it together in the evening."

In the evening, Li Xiangqian and his wife were busy in the kitchen, and the aroma of noodles soon filled the air. Xiaogang was helping out, and although he was busy, he was also enjoying it. Seeing the happy family, Li Xiangqian felt extremely satisfied and happy.

While eating, Xiaogang ate the fresh noodles with big mouthfuls, his face full of satisfaction: "Dad, Mom, these noodles are so delicious!"

Li Xiangqian and his wife smiled at each other, their hearts filled with a sense of accomplishment and joy. He knew that this was not only because of the delicious noodles, but also because of the happy time they had as a family.

Li Xiangqian returned to the quadrangle courtyard passed down by his ancestors. Although this courtyard has gone through the baptism of time, it still retains the style of the past. The main house, east wing, west wing and back house of the quadrangle courtyard form a square courtyard with a small open space in the middle, which is full of weeds. Li Xiangqian stood in the middle of the courtyard, recalling the scenes of playing here in his childhood, and his heart was filled with warmth and tranquility.

One day, when Li Xiangqian was weeding in the yard, he suddenly remembered that his grandfather had planted vegetables in the yard when he was a child. He decided to open a small vegetable garden here and plant some of his favorite vegetables. So he started to turn the soil, weed, fertilize, and prepare for planting. While turning the soil, he accidentally found some old potato seeds, which reminded him of potatoes, a crop with tenacious vitality and rich nutrition.

Li Xiangqian decided to try planting potatoes first. He carefully read the information on potato planting and learned the entire process from seed selection, sowing, management and harvesting. Then, he chose a sunny place with fertile soil and cut the seed potatoes into pieces according to the instructions in the information, each with at least one bud, and buried them in the loosened soil.

After planting the potatoes, Li Xiangqian carefully took care of the vegetable garden every day. He watered, loosened the soil, weeded, and observed the growth of the potatoes. As time went by, the small potato sprouts broke through the soil and grew vigorously. Watching the green vines gradually cover the vegetable garden, Li Xiangqian was filled with a sense of accomplishment and joy.

The potatoes in the courtyard are not just a crop, but also a reflection of Li Xiangqian's attitude towards life. He gradually discovered that the process of growing potatoes brought him inner peace and satisfaction. He began to apply this peaceful mentality to his life and work, becoming more calm and composed.

The growth of potatoes also attracted the attention of neighbors. Seeing Li Xiangqian busy in the yard, everyone came to ask about his planting experience. Some older neighbors recalled their experience of growing vegetables in the courtyard when they were young and shared many valuable experiences and suggestions with Li Xiangqian. As a result, people often gathered in the courtyard to discuss planting methods and techniques and share the joy of harvest.