Chapter 298 Careful Care

Li Xiangqian's potato planting not only enriched his life, but also brought new life to the courtyard. Influenced by him, his neighbors also began to plant vegetables and flowers in their own yards. The whole alley gradually became green and full of vitality.

One day, Li Xiangqian received an invitation from an old classmate, inviting him to attend a seminar on urban ecology and sustainable development. Li Xiangqian agreed without hesitation, thinking that his experience might provide some inspiration to more people. At the seminar, Li Xiangqian shared his experience and experience of growing potatoes in a courtyard, which aroused great interest among the participants. Everyone asked him how to find a green space of their own in the city and how to find inner peace in a busy life.

After Li Xiangqian's story was reported by the media, it attracted more attention. Many urban residents began to follow his example, planting vegetables and flowers on their own balconies, rooftops or community gardens, enjoying the joy of labor and the joy of harvest. Siheyuan and Hutong have thus become a successful case of urban ecological construction and community development, and are becoming more and more well-known and recognized by people.

Although Li Xiangqian is still busy with work and life every day, the days when he planted potatoes in the courtyard have become his most precious memories and spiritual sustenance. He found that returning to nature and living a simple life are the source of true happiness and satisfaction. Therefore, he decided to continue to explore more planting possibilities in the courtyard, try to plant different crops, and create more beautiful memories.

Li Xiangqian stood in the middle of the courtyard, looking at the green all over the courtyard, feeling satisfied and relieved. The potato vines had grown luxuriantly all over the vegetable garden, and he felt that his hard work had finally paid off. He squatted down and gently dug up the soil with his hands, revealing several potatoes of different sizes. This was his first harvest of potatoes, and although the number was small, each one made him feel extremely precious.

Li Xiangqian thought that these potatoes could not only solve his daily food problem, but also be stored for emergency use. He recalled that when he was a child, his grandmother would always store extra food for winter or emergency use. He decided to do the same and store some food to prepare for the future.

That evening, Li Xiangqian took a basket and began to carefully dig potatoes in the vegetable garden. He dug out potatoes of different sizes, gently patted the dirt off them, and put them in the basket. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on him, giving everything a warm golden color. When his neighbor Lao Zhang saw him, he came over with a smile and said, "Xiao Li, it seems that you have a good harvest!"

Li Xiangqian stood up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and said with a smile: "It's okay, Uncle Zhang, these potatoes are the result of my careful care."

Lao Zhang nodded. "Planting is a delicate job. It requires patience and carefulness. Your potatoes are growing really well. What are you going to do with them?"

"I want to store some. After all, growing vegetables is for a guarantee in the future." Li Xiangqian replied with a smile.

After hearing this, Lao Zhang said approvingly, "This is a good idea. Storing food is an old tradition and part of life. By the way, Xiao Li, do you know how to best store potatoes?"

Li Xiangqian shook his head. "I'm not sure. I was just about to ask you."

Lao Zhang laughed. "For potatoes, storage requires ventilation and dryness. Find a cool place and put the potatoes in a wooden box. It's best to put a layer of hay or old newspapers on it so that it can absorb moisture and prevent moisture. Check them regularly and take out any bad ones immediately."

After hearing Lao Zhang's suggestion, Li Xiangqian was delighted and said, "Thank you, Uncle Zhang. I will prepare it right away."

In the next few days, Li Xiangqian followed Lao Zhang's advice, found a few wooden boxes, covered them with hay, put the harvested potatoes in one by one, and then placed them in the shade of the west wing. Every few days, he would check to make sure the potatoes were in good condition.

While storing potatoes, Li Xiangqian couldn't help but recall his childhood. At that time, the courtyard was always full of laughter and joy, and neighbors helped each other. Although life was simple, it was fulfilling and warm. Now, he also hopes to reproduce such a life and provide a more secure life for himself and his family.

One night, Li Xiangqian sat on a small stool in the yard, looking at the starry sky, feeling extremely peaceful and satisfied. He knew that although his life was not rich now, he had found his own little world in the courtyard through hard work. He firmly believed that as long as he continued to work hard, the future would be better and better.

"Xiang Qian, look, how beautiful the starry sky is." Neighbor Xiao Wang came over and interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah, I've been busy growing vegetables recently and haven't paid much attention to these things." Li Xiangqian smiled.

"You are busy but also happy. You grow and harvest vegetables by yourself and have enough food and clothing." Xiao Wang sighed.

Li nodded and said, "Yes, doing it myself is indeed another kind of satisfaction. Besides, I plan to continue to expand the planting area and try to grow more vegetables."

Xiao Wang's eyes lit up. "That's great. I'll learn from you and plant more. Then life in our alley will be more colorful."

In this way, Li Xiangqian's planting life in the courtyard gradually became richer. He not only planted potatoes, but also tried to plant tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and other vegetables. Whenever he saw these vegetables thrive under his careful care, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

One day, Li Xiangqian found that some of the potatoes he had stored had begun to sprout. He thought that the sprouted potatoes were inedible, but he also didn't want to waste them. So he decided to plant the sprouted potatoes back in the field for a new round of planting. This decision made him more aware of the importance of recycling and self-sufficiency.

As time went by, Li Xiangqian's vegetable garden became more and more abundant, and he stored more and more food. His life became more organized and more secure. He felt that he was not only growing vegetables, but also growing a new lifestyle, a life full of hope and vitality.

Li Xiangqian was busy in the courtyard. He was going to plant some newly bought tomato seedlings in the yard. However, when he went to get water, he found that the water tank was almost empty. This discovery made him nervous. There was no running water in the courtyard. The water he usually used was taken from a nearby public tap.