Ch 10: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

When Yu Xiang’an returned with her younger brother and nephew carrying a wooden bucket, lunch was almost ready.

Their outing had been productive—Yu Mingjie had caught a sizable eel weighing over a pound. While some girls might shy away from its snake-like appearance, Yu Xiang’an saw it as a rare culinary treat.

Zhang Chahua handed the eel to Zhao Qiaoniang to clean and pulled Yu Xiang’an aside. “Xiang’an, Grandma heard about what happened. What are your thoughts? Tell me everything; I’ve eaten more salt than you’ve eaten rice and might have some advice to share.”

Yu Xiang’an had anticipated this conversation and smiled warmly. “Grandma, don’t worry. I’m not upset anymore. Honestly, it’s a blessing in disguise. Imagine if I’d married into that family and found out later—it would’ve been so much worse. Now, I’ve got a stable job and a bright future ahead. I just want to focus on my work and build a good life.”

Zhang Chahua studied her granddaughter’s expression and saw no signs of forced optimism. Relieved, she gently squeezed Yu Xiang’an’s hand. “It’s good that you’ve come to terms with it. You’re right. You’ve got a steady job now, and with your looks and prospects, you’ll find someone even better when the time comes.”

Yu Xiang’an felt a warm glow in her heart. She truly was fortunate to have caring family members, both in her previous life and now in this one.

As the rest of the family trickled in, including Yu Xiang’an’s eldest uncle, Yu Qingbao, and his wife, Yang Huili, the house became lively.

Yu Qingbao and Yu Qingshan were twins, though Yu Qingbao was shorter and thinner, with a frail appearance. Yang Huili, on the other hand, was tall, sturdy, and famously hardworking. She often tackled tasks typically handled by men, earning respect in the community.

Yang Huili greeted them warmly. “My brother brought over some smoked rabbit last time he visited. I’ve been saving a piece for an occasion like this. Let’s share it for lunch!”

Yu Xiang’an observed the interactions and committed her extended family members to memory. Yu Qingbao and Yang Huili had six children, though one had sadly passed. Of the five remaining, the eldest two daughters were married, leaving three sons—Yu Manchang, Yu Manwu, and Yu Mansheng.

Yu Manchang, the eldest at 19, had finished middle school and sometimes helped with administrative tasks at the production team due to his literacy skills. The younger two had only completed primary school before returning home to work the fields.

Yu Mansheng, the youngest, burst into the kitchen and eagerly sniffed the air. He quickly invited Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie to go foraging in the hills. “Let’s go find some wild fruit!”

Yu Manchang, overhearing this, called after them, “Don’t stay out too long! Lunch will be ready soon.”

Yu Mansheng waved him off. “We’ll be quick!”

Yu Xiang’an grabbed her hat and joined them. “Wait for me—I’m coming too!”

Together, they made their way toward the hills.

The hills and forests belonged to the collective, so resources were managed carefully. Cutting down trees was strictly prohibited, but pruning branches for firewood or gathering wild plants and fruits was allowed. Hunting small game like rabbits or birds was officially forbidden, though anything caught in secret and hidden well was often overlooked.

As they walked, Yu Xiang’an took in the lush greenery and the rustic beauty of the landscape. Despite the restrictions, the natural abundance provided small comforts to families like hers, who made the most of every opportunity.

On their way, Yu Xiang’an noticed plenty of wild greens. Some were too mature, but others were fresh and tender, making her mouth water. These greens had a bittersweet taste—those who enjoyed it loved it, while others found it as unpleasant as medicine.

Yu Xiang’an belonged to the former group. Seeing such tender greens, she couldn’t resist picking some.

Yu Mansheng didn’t stop her and even helped. In no time, they had gathered a decent amount. Then, he led them to a shaded hollow in the hills and confidently stopped by a waxberry tree laden with fruit. “Not many people know about this spot,” he said proudly. “I checked yesterday, and they’re nearly ripe. Let’s pick the ones that are ready today.”

Yu Mingjie and Yu Xiangju cheered, “Are they sweet?”

They hadn’t had fruit in ages.

Waxberries were prone to worms and needed to be soaked before eating. Seeing the deep red berries hanging on the tree, Yu Xiang’an’s mouth watered as she recalled their tangy, sweet flavor.

Yu Mansheng grinned. “This tree bears sweet berries. I found it last year, but there weren’t many fruits then. This year’s harvest is much better.”

Yu Xiangju exclaimed, “Let’s pick them quickly!”

The four of them got to work—Yu Mansheng climbed the tree while the others gathered berries from the ground. Before long, they had picked all the ripened berries.

By the time they returned, lunch was almost ready.

The dining table was laden with an impressive spread: fish head and mushroom soup, steamed eggs with fresh scallions, braised fish chunks, stir-fried bacon and wood ear mushrooms, braised rabbit with taro, wild greens from the hills, and additional dishes like bamboo shoots and dried mushrooms brought by Yu Qingshan’s family. In total, there were eight dishes—meals this lavish only appeared during the New Year.

Yu Manchang, being the eldest, maintained some composure, but Yu Manwu and Yu Mansheng couldn’t help but linger near the table, mesmerized by the feast. Zhang Chahua tugged their ears, scolding, “Look at those dirty hands! Go wash up before you even think of sitting at the table!”

The family of thirteen squeezed around the large table. Zhang Chahua gave Yu Xiang’an special treatment, serving her half of the fish head while sharing the other half with Yu Mingjie and Yu Xiangju. As Yu Xiang’an savored the tender, flavorful fish head meat, her mind wandered to her plans for the future. Once she confirmed that the produce from Xixi Farm was safe, she would unleash her culinary skills—steaming, braising, pan-frying, sweet and sour, deep-frying…

With so many people eating together, speed was essential. Even the kids had mastered quick hands, as anyone who moved too slowly would miss out on the best dishes.

By the end of the meal, every plate and bowl was empty. Those that had held meat or fish were as clean as if they’d been washed.

Yu Changyou leaned back with a satisfied sigh, loosening his waistband. Then, he shared some good news with Yu Qingshan. “Because of my illness, we delayed Manchang’s wedding. But now, the date is set—two months from now, on the sixth. It’s a good day. If we miss it, we’ll have to wait until the end of the year or next year.”

When Yu Manchang heard this, his sun-tanned face turned a deep shade of red, and he awkwardly lowered his head. Beside him, Yu Manwu nudged him with an elbow and teased, “Big brother, happy to have a sister-in-law soon, huh?”

Yu Manchang coughed and replied, “Stop messing around.”

Yang Huili’s grin was ear to ear. The family gaining a new member was a joyous occasion, and she was already imagining cradling her grandson in a year or two.

Yu Qingbao glanced at Yu Mingjie, who was plump and fair-skinned, and couldn’t help but daydream about his own future grandson.

As twins, Yu Qingbao and Yu Qingshan often compared their lives. His younger brother already had a five-year-old grandson, while his own son’s bride was yet to arrive. But if things went smoothly, he could expect to meet his grandson next year.

“What’s the plan for the wedding?” Yu Qingshan asked.

Yu Changyou replied, “These days, no one hosts lavish banquets. We’ll keep it simple. On the wedding day, we’ll borrow an ox cart and a bicycle from the brigade to fetch the bride. We’ll invite relatives to witness the ceremony, and if any neighbors come to offer congratulations, we’ll serve them tea and roasted beans—no formal feast.”

“What about the bride price? Has that been settled?” Yu Qingshan continued.

Yang Huili beamed. “Yes, it’s agreed. Thirty yuan as the bride price. The bride’s family will provide two trunks, a cabinet, and two quilts as the dowry.”

Thirty yuan was considered generous for a rural area. Recently, someone in their brigade had a wedding with a bride price of only twenty yuan, and the dowry consisted of just a few outfits and two pairs of shoes. While this bride price was higher, the dowry was also substantial and might even include some hidden cash as a bonus.

Yang Huili had carefully vetted this match. After Yu Manchang approved of the bride during the meeting, she immediately finalized the arrangement.

Yu Xianghai patted Yu Manchang’s shoulder. “Once you’re married, you’ll officially be a grown man.”

Ye Qijia chuckled. “I managed to save a piece of red fabric from the supply co-op. It’s supposedly defective, but you wouldn’t notice unless you look closely. I’ll bring it over next time as a gift for the bride. If she doesn’t mind, it could make a perfect bridal veil.”

Yang Huili graciously replied, “Xianghai’s wife, I’ll remember your kindness.”

In this era, weddings were simple affairs. The groom usually wore a military-style outfit, while the bride donned red. However, red fabric was rare and hard to buy, even with money and ration tickets. Borrowing or patching together wedding attire was common. The bride’s family had a red dress they could lend, and with the addition of a new red veil, the wedding would be complete. Defective fabric? No one would care about that.

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

She was once again reminded of the material scarcity of this era. When her brother and sister-in-law got married in her previous life, they had three sets of wedding attire—a gown, a traditional red dress, and a red evening gown. The banquet menu had been meticulously planned by her mother, featuring dishes with auspicious names and satisfying portions. Here, weddings relied on borrowed clothing and lacked even a simple feast.

Though many young people in this era didn’t want extravagant weddings, the difference between “not wanting” and “not being able to” was stark.

As a “child” yet to marry, Yu Xiang’an didn’t participate much in the conversation. Throughout, Zhao Qiaoniang remained silent.

She glanced at Yu Xiangju and discreetly wiped the corner of her eye. Not having a son of her own meant she could only look forward to arranging such an event when Yu Xiangju grew up. She had raised him single-handedly, and though he wasn’t her biological child, he was as close as one could be.

After lunch, Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie played outside for a while before it was time to leave. They brought back a good amount of fresh vegetables and local produce.

Back home, Yu Xiang’an felt a sudden wave of frustration—she’d started her period. But in this era, there were no sanitary pads. Women used strips of cloth filled with ash or stuffed with coarse paper.

Yu Xiang’an: “!!!”

She was about to lose her mind.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃

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