Ch 19: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

The Dayu Commune, Niujiao Brigade – Yu Xiangqing carried the package sent from home back to the youth dormitory. There was no way to hide it; with so many eyes watching the comings and goings, word would quickly spread.

Once back in her room, she shut the door swiftly and began unpacking. She stashed some items in her cabinet, locking it up, leaving only a few less valuable things out in the open. If anyone unfamiliar with the situation came in, they would naturally assume the package only contained those insignificant items.

She hadn’t expected that her grandfather’s illness would reveal so much about people’s true natures.

Her family had many siblings. The eldest brother had married his wife through an arranged introduction. Her second brother and she both had their own sweethearts, classmates they’d grown close to. They had all made the same decision: to go to the countryside together with their loved ones.

At first, everything seemed fine. The conditions were tough, but she believed she was happy. That was until her grandfather fell ill, and the regular allowances her father sent stopped coming. Her father wrote that they might not be able to send anything for some time.

Back then, she even used her carefully saved provisions and sent them back home. Somehow, word got out, and people assumed her family was in trouble because the financial support had ceased.

She didn’t want to explain in detail, but her silence was taken as confirmation.

That’s when Liang Yong’s attitude began to change.

Women’s intuition is sometimes razor-sharp—no hard evidence is needed, just a glance or an expression, and she knew something was wrong.

At first, it was only suspicion. But then, she overheard him telling others that they were merely friends who had grown close because they came from the same city.

Didn’t they have an understanding?

She thought they would be handing out wedding candies next year.

Turns out, it was only her thinking that way.

She walked straight into the conversation, catching them off guard as they whispered behind her back. Embarrassed, they stopped, but she boldly admitted, “Yes, don’t misunderstand. Liang Yong and I aren’t what you think. We’re just two people from the same city who happen to be close.”

Yu Xiangqing couldn’t understand how years of affection had led to this. In private, she allowed herself to wallow in despair for a time. Then she heard from other youth that Liang Yong had been making frequent trips to the commune, always dressed up.

Yu Xiangqing sneered. The commune? He must have found someone new, perhaps someone who could help him return to the city.

Just as she locked up the cabinet, there was a knock on the door.

“Xiangqing, Xiangqing, are you in there? Why’s the door locked?”

Yu Xiangqing went to open it, and her roommate walked in, glancing around the room. “Why’d you lock the door, Xiangqing?”

Yu Xiangqing looked at her coldly. “I locked it by accident.”

The roommate faltered, clearly not believing her but forcing a laugh. “I heard you brought in a package. Was it sent from home?”

Yu Xiangqing nodded. “Yes, my family sent it. Oh, by the way, I’m planning to send some nourishing food to my grandfather. Didn’t your family send milk powder last time? Do you have any left? You mentioned borrowing my ration tickets before.”

Yu Xiangqing clearly saw the displeasure flash in the other woman’s eyes.

She lowered her head slightly, mocking herself for being so foolish before—not just with Liang Yong, but also with her roommate. But no more.

She knew very well that this so-called “borrowing” was one-sided—something given without return. She had been naive, swayed by a few sweet words. Now, she’d rather throw it into the water and hear it splash than hand it over.

Her father had once told her that she was too simple-minded, easily fixated on what was in front of her while ignoring the bigger picture. She hadn’t taken it seriously then. But now, she realized he was right.

Mo Wenwen’s expression stiffened as she forced a smile. “Xiangqing, about that milk powder…”

Living in the same room, it was hard to hide things. Her milk powder was indeed still there.

But she didn’t want to share it.

At that moment, someone else passed by and said, “What’s this? Milk powder is valuable, you know.”

Yu Xiangqing explained, “Previously, I lent her quite a few ration tickets. Now that my grandfather is sick, I thought she could give me her milk powder to settle the score. I lent her, let me think, at least two pounds of meat tickets, around five pounds of grain tickets, and two sugar tickets. She’s never returned them.”

The passerby, hearing this amount, widened their eyes in shock.

“That much?” Their gaze toward Mo Wenwen changed immediately.

Mo Wenwen panicked. “Xiangqing! How could you say that? Didn’t we agree not to tell anyone?”

Yu Xiangqing feigned a troubled expression. “Back then, my family was doing well, so I never asked you to return them. But now, you know my family’s situation. Even if you don’t have enough tickets to repay me, exchanging them for milk powder works just fine. My grandfather needs it right now.”

Mo Wenwen grew desperate. “Your grandfather is sick, but you’re also struggling here. You don’t need to worry about him!”

The onlookers couldn’t agree. “Wenwen, if you don’t want to use the milk powder to settle it, at least return the tickets little by little.”

Someone finally spoke up, unable to tolerate it anymore.

Not long after, the story about how much Mo Wenwen owed Yu Xiangqing spread. Under the weight of the judgmental gazes, Mo Wenwen had no choice but to begrudgingly open her cabinet and hand over the nearly untouched bag of milk powder. Her heart ached as she handed it over. “Here, take it.”

Yu Xiangqing took it directly. “Good, this settles the tickets once and for all.”

She wasn’t entirely sure how many tickets she’d actually given her, but with this bag of milk powder, the debt was likely repaid—and then some. If she factored in the food she had shared in the past, the calculation might not have been as favorable.

After securing the milk powder, Yu Xiangqing went out with some money, planning to exchange it for some wheat flour.

The Niujiao Brigade primarily produced rice and wheat as fine grains, though not in large quantities. Still, bartering for fine grains here was much easier than trying to do so in the city. Now that her family had sent her some money, she intended to exchange for fine grains and send them back home along with the milk powder.

Good things should be shared with family, after all.

---

In Baishi County, Zhou Changshou frowned as he listened to Zhao Qiaoniang’s disjointed explanation. “Explain clearly. What exactly is going on?”

Zhao Qiaoniang hesitated, visibly shrinking. “I mean, Minxiu’s biological father has shown up, demanding answers. We need to coordinate our stories to make sure no one uncovers any inconsistencies.”

Zhou Changshou’s frown deepened. “He doesn’t know? You didn’t tell him?”

Zhao Qiaoniang’s eyes reddened. “I didn’t… He doesn’t care about Minxiu. He can’t be allowed to know.”

Zhou Changshou exhaled deeply. “I see. Then what do you think his purpose is in coming here this time?”

Zhao Qiaoniang lowered her head. “It’s probably… probably about money.” She had overheard him mention the bride price before, but since he assumed their daughter would be sent to the countryside, he hadn’t acted on it.

Zhou Changshou massaged his temples and went inside to get money. This was going to be a matter of “spending money to prevent bigger problems.” How had his grandson gotten tangled up with a woman like this?

Yang Xizhi, equally displeased, scowled. “Hurry up. If we’re late and he starts spouting nonsense, it’ll be too late to fix things.”

When they arrived at the Yu family’s house, a crowd of idle onlookers had already gathered. Yu Qingshan and Yu Xianghai were present.

“They’re here! They’ve arrived!”

When Zhao Qiaoniang entered through the parted crowd, she kept her head lowered.

Yu Qingshan waited for them to enter, then closed the courtyard door and addressed the onlookers. “Everyone, go home. There’s nothing to see here. Please, return to your own business.”

Despite his words, nobody moved.

Yu Qingshan ignored them, locking the gate and instructing Yu Xiangju, “Stand by the door. If anyone comes in, call us immediately, understand?”

Yu Xiangju nodded seriously with a determined expression. “Don’t worry, Dad. If anyone comes in, I’ll shout for help.”

With the courtyard gate in place, the discussion inside the house could be kept relatively quiet, preventing the crowd outside from eavesdropping.

Ding Fahai and Tian Eryan, seeing the setup, felt a moment of unease. However, they quickly rationalized that they were in the right and squared their shoulders with renewed confidence. “You all owe us an explanation! How could my eldest daughter just get married like that?”

Yu Qingshan and Yu Xianghai sat nearby, quiet and seemingly uninvolved. Ding Fahai couldn’t help but feel that something was amiss. “What’s with your attitude?”

Yu Qingshan raised his eyes slightly and responded calmly, “She’s your daughter. Her household registration has always been under your name. I’ve been raising her all these years for nothing. She has nothing to do with me, and her matters are none of my concern.”

Ding Fahai and Tian Eryan exchanged glances, suspecting that this reaction stemmed from resentment over their daughter allegedly stealing Yu Xiang’an’s fiancé.

Ding Fahai smacked his lips and turned to Zhao Qiaoniang. “You must know something about this! Don’t you dare say you didn’t!”

Zhao Qiaoniang averted her gaze. “I was planning to find the right time to tell you, but I haven’t had the chance. It wasn’t intentional. You know that unless something unexpected happened, Minxiu was supposed to go to the countryside.”

Her household registration was linked to Ding Fahai’s, not the county. With no work unit to take her in, Minxiu would have been sent to the countryside after graduation.

“These two young people saw eye to eye and got things done quickly to avoid her being sent to the countryside. This way, she can stay in the city.”

Tian Eryan scoffed, immediately understanding. It was obvious that this stepdaughter had deliberately seduced her brother-in-law to avoid being sent to the countryside, which must have led to the fallout with the Yu family.

Ding Fahai cared little about such details. He slapped the table and demanded, “I don’t care about any of that! I don’t agree with this marriage! Where is Ding Minxiu? I want her to come back with me!”

Startled by his loud voice, Zhao Qiaoniang flinched and glanced at Yu Qingshan, who remained indifferent. Gritting her teeth, she replied, “Minxiu is already married. She’s not here right now; she went to take care of her grandmother, who’s sick.”

Ding Fahai’s voice grew louder, his face flushed red. “I said I don’t agree, and that’s final! I’m taking her back!”

Zhao Qiaoniang, her voice rising to match his, retorted, “What right do you have to say that? Have you raised her even a single day? Did you ever fulfill your duties as a father? For all these years, you didn’t send a single grain of rice, and now you claim she’s your daughter? Based on what?”

Ding Fahai stood up and roared, “Because she’s my blood! She carries the Ding name!”

At this point, Zhou Changshou stepped in to mediate. “Both of you, calm down. Let’s sit down and discuss this rationally. You’ve come all this way; let’s not waste the trip.”

Zhao Qiaoniang took a deep breath to steady herself. “I’ve only ever had Minxiu’s best interests in mind. As long as she’s happy, even if you didn’t offer your blessings in time, you can still do so now. Because it was arranged in a hurry, we didn’t notify many relatives—her uncles don’t even know yet.”

Given this explanation, Ding Fahai sat back down, albeit reluctantly. “Even so, you didn’t handle this properly. What about the bride price and dowry? How were those arranged?” Finally, he got to the issue that mattered most to him.

Zhao Qiaoniang pursed her lips. “I’ve had to cover some family expenses due to recent illnesses, so there wasn’t much left to prepare for her dowry. As for the bride price, we only accepted thirty yuan, which I gave to her to take with her.”

“Only thirty yuan?!” Ding Fahai exclaimed in disbelief.

Zhao Qiaoniang took a deep breath. “I’m not selling my daughter. The greatest gift is ensuring she can stay in the city!”

Ding Fahai scowled. “I don’t agree with this at all.”

Zhou Changshou, who had gleaned Ding Fahai’s true intentions, stepped in again. “Let’s not rush to conclusions. Minxiu is already part of our family. Yes, there were some hiccups due to poor communication, but we can discuss and resolve them. Taking her back now isn’t realistic.”

Ding Fahai spoke self-righteously. “I’ve always wanted the best for her. The bride price isn’t just a formality; it represents the value the groom’s family places on the bride. Where I come from, the minimum bride price is fifty yuan, along with four major household items and additional furniture. Anything less is an insult!”

He shamelessly declared, “I won’t demand all four major items, but just give us a bicycle, a sewing machine, and 100 yuan in cash, and that will do.”

Ding Fahai sized up Zhou Changshou and Yang Xizhi’s attire and knew their family wasn’t struggling financially. If he didn’t make an exorbitant demand now, when else could he? Truthfully, he didn’t really want to take his daughter back—it was just a bargaining chip. If he could secure all four major items, his son could marry any girl he wanted without a problem.

Zhou Changshou internally scoffed. Such dowries weren’t unheard of, but usually, they came with reciprocal items from the bride’s family. So he asked, “And will you be including a matching dowry?”

Ding Fahai, thick-skinned and unfazed, responded without hesitation, “We’ll hold onto these items for her. Young people don’t know how to handle such things properly.”

Tian Eryan nodded in agreement. “That’s right, as her parents, we’ll keep them safe.” Of course, by “keeping them safe,” she meant they’d become their possessions. Surely their daughter wouldn’t object—after all, she had a younger brother to rely on in the future.

Yu Qingshan watched the entire exchange with a cold expression. Observing the heated argument, he signaled to Yu Xianghai. Stepping outside, Yu Xianghai noticed the courtyard gate was closed, but the walls on both sides were lined with curious onlookers eavesdropping intently.

He pushed open the gate and walked out, loudly calling to the neighbors:

“Auntie, shouldn’t you head home? Your kid’s crying!”
“Uncle, no chores to do at home?”
“Grandma, you should get back to watch your grandkids!”
“Granny, the sun’s blazing—don’t let it burn you!”

Each sentence was shouted clearly and intentionally. Those with thinner skin hurriedly left, too embarrassed to linger. As for the shameless ones, Yu Xianghai approached them directly and spoke loudly, effectively disrupting their eavesdropping. Reluctantly, even they dispersed.

Inside the house, hearing the commotion outside, the group instinctively lowered their voices. By the time Yu Xianghai returned, the deal was essentially finalized: the Zhou family agreed to provide a bicycle coupon and 80 yuan.

Two major items were out of the question. Besides, Ding Minxiu wasn’t even present. At most, she’d stay away until after the baby was born. Surely, by then, with the child crying loudly, the Ding family wouldn’t insist on taking her back. Even if they wanted her to remarry, she wouldn’t end up with a better match, and the payout would likely be less than this.

The 80 yuan was still bearable, and the bicycle coupon was surplus to the Zhou family’s needs, as they already had two bicycles. They had initially planned to trade the coupon for cash.

Yang Xizhi comforted herself with this rationale but couldn’t help mentally noting the cost against Ding Minxiu. “This is all for her!” she thought bitterly.

Zhou Changshou felt the pinch too, but being experienced and composed, he maintained his demeanor in public. Whatever he truly thought was known only to himself.

After seeing off the visitors, Zhao Qiaoniang collapsed into a chair, utterly exhausted. Tears welled up and began streaming down her face. Did she regret it? Absolutely.

She’d rather her daughter had gone to the countryside than stayed in the city this way.

“This child hides her true thoughts too deeply,” she muttered to herself. “I never saw it before. Have I been too negligent?”

Meanwhile, completely unaware of the drama unfolding at home, Yu Xiang’an’s face was glowing with joy. Someone had delivered a parcel to their workplace earlier, and one of the packages was addressed to her.

It was a reply from the city newspaper.

Before discovering her golden opportunity, Yu Xiang’an had brainstormed various ways to earn extra income. Aside from her wages, she figured the only viable option was submitting articles to newspapers. She stuck to safe topics, focusing on praising daily life, and carefully wrote three pieces. However, she never received a reply. After acquiring Xixi Farm, she stopped writing, assuming her submissions had been rejected. Unexpectedly, today, she received this delightful surprise.

Yan Yuzhen, seeing the two-yuan payment for the published article, seemed even more thrilled than Yu Xiang’an. Holding the newspaper, she pointed at the small column where the piece appeared, enthusiastically praising Yu Xiang’an until her cheeks turned red.

Yan Yuzhen was genuinely happy—her team had a talented individual whose work got published in a newspaper!

Spotting the small line that credited “Baishi County Food Factory,” she eagerly took it to the higher-ups, seeking recognition for the factory. After all, this was a proud moment for their workplace!

Soon, another opportunity came knocking. The food factory mainly produced canned meat, canned fruits, and biscuits. However, due to a shortage of pork in recent years, canned meat production had significantly decreased, with the focus shifting to producing more canned fruits and biscuits.

Meat-based products were in high demand, but fruit cans and biscuits were equally popular. Although the factory’s market reach wasn’t expansive, its consistent production ensured decent revenue—enough to support a large workforce.

Liu Guangyi, Vice Director Wang’s secretary, entered alongside Yan Yuzhen, who was still beaming with pride. “Xiao An, I’ve got another task for you today. Vice Director Wang needs to head out. Is your current workload urgent? Can you help out?”

“No problem, nothing here is too urgent.”

Yu Xiang’an wouldn’t refuse such requests, and neither would Yan Yuzhen, who smiled warmly. “Don’t worry about things here—Qingchun and I have got it covered!”

Besides, it wasn’t the first time.

“Is your foot fully recovered?” Yan Yuzhen teased Liu Guangyi.

He chuckled sheepishly. “All better! This time, it’s a trip to the meatpacking factory. If we’re lucky, Xiao An, you might even get to buy some meat.”

Yu Xiang’an gave him a knowing smile, double-checked her attire, grabbed her notebook and pen, and followed Vice Director Wang out.

The meatpacking factory was also where Zhou Boyang worked. It was one of the most sought-after workplaces in the area—offering not only stable employment but also convenient access to meat.

Vice Director Wang had a bicycle for transportation, and Yu Xiang’an was allowed to use one as well. As they prepared to leave, he asked, “You know how to ride a bike, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good.”

Curious, Vice Director Wang asked, “What made you think of submitting articles?”

Yu Xiang’an smiled bashfully. “I saw in the newspaper that other people from factories were submitting pieces, so I thought, ‘I could try that too.’ Honestly, I didn’t have much confidence, so receiving a reply was a huge surprise.”

Vice Director Wang wasn’t surprised. He chuckled heartily, “You’re too modest! I read your piece—it’s excellent. Keep at it! Write more great articles in the future!”

He encouraged her warmly as they rode onward.

Yu Xiang’an nodded, smiling politely. “Of course, I’ll keep working hard!”

It wasn’t just for the manuscript fee—she also hoped her efforts would reduce gossip and enhance the factory’s reputation.

“Director, what’s the purpose of this visit?” she asked curiously.

“We’re here to check on the live pigs. Whether we place an order for the festival depends on whether they have enough pigs ready,” the director explained. Pigs have a growth cycle, so they can’t be supplied on demand. With Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, demand for pork products, especially canned meat, was expected to spike. However, due to a swine fever outbreak earlier, pork production had suffered. Recently, there were reports of improvement, so they needed to confirm this firsthand. Otherwise, accepting orders without sufficient supply would be a big problem.

The meatpacking plant was located on the outskirts of the county, downwind and close to a water source. It received pigs from local farmers and operated its own farm.

When the swine fever hit, it spread rapidly, wiping out a large number of pigs. If not for timely segregation, even the remaining piglets might not have survived. Farming was always precarious—one outbreak could render an entire year’s efforts worthless.

In this era, suppliers wielded considerable power. The meatpacking plant’s staff, tasked with receiving Vice Director Wang, displayed indifference. They were curt in their responses, sometimes requiring repeated questions before answering. Their demeanor reminded Yu Xiang’an of the aloof sales clerks at supply and marketing cooperatives.

However, Vice Director Wang tolerated it all without complaint, maintaining his composure and avoiding any unnecessary words.

Yu Xiang’an observed this and couldn’t help but silently marvel, once again taking mental note of how crucial resources were in this era.

She didn’t encounter Zhou Boyang during the visit, which wasn’t surprising given the size of the meatpacking plant. What she didn’t know was that Zhou Boyang had spotted her. He quickly ducked away, avoiding her notice.

Seeing Yu Xiang’an in her factory uniform, looking neat, capable, and energetic, stirred a complex mix of emotions in Zhou Boyang.

He didn’t regret being with Ding Minxiu; in fact, he took a certain pride in it. He believed he was breaking free from the constraints of the old ways and making the right choice.

His engagement with Yu Xiang’an had been arranged by their families. But now, in this new era, freedom in love was the ideal, and he wasn’t wrong to pursue it.

At least, that’s what he told himself. Yet, he couldn’t ignore the trouble he’d caused. Deep down, he knew the real issue wasn’t choosing love but crossing the line and leaving tangible evidence—a child. This mistake had tied his hands.

After being beaten up by Yu Xianghai and his family losing a job because of it, Zhou Boyang didn’t dare stir up more trouble. However, not long after, he was ambushed and beaten again while heading home one night. Though he didn’t see his attackers, he had his suspicions.

Resentful but unable to retaliate, he felt bitterly aware of his isolation. With no brothers to back him up, he was at a disadvantage and could do nothing but swallow his anger.

Now, seeing Yu Xiang’an again after some time, Zhou Boyang noticed that she seemed to have blossomed. Her complexion was healthier, her face fuller, and she exuded a bright, confident energy in her uniform. He also noticed the glances of young male workers lingering on her as they passed by.

This made him uneasy. Even though their engagement was broken, how could she move on so quickly? Didn’t she have any shame?

While he wouldn’t go as far as to physically harm her, this was the perfect opportunity to teach her a lesson.

He didn’t know why she was here, but this was his territory. His grandfather had worked here for years and built connections. Regardless of her purpose, he decided to make her regret coming.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃