Ch 25: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

Because of the upcoming housing allocation, all anyone has been talking about lately is related news about it.

This is normal—no matter which factory it is, housing becomes the center of discussion at times like these.

Every time housing is distributed, people put in their utmost effort. But since there are far fewer houses than the number of people who need them, comprehensive evaluations are conducted based on seniority, rank, performance, and whether both spouses are workers in the factory before the houses are allocated.

The allocated houses are usually quite small. For example, the current batch of houses isn’t large.

New employees have almost no chance, and Yu Xiang’an is a textbook example of a new employee, even though she also dreams of having her own house.

The factory is quite far from her home, and she wastes over half an hour on the road every day.

She doesn’t have much privacy at home either, as at this time, it’s rare for people to keep their doors shut. Family members come and go freely, and except for late at night, there’s barely any private time. If her farm were exposed, it would spell trouble.

It wasn’t the first time Deputy Director Wang called on Yu Xiang’an for help.

No one found it strange, but now she had access to firsthand information, which suddenly made her quite popular.

As she walked down the road, everyone greeted her with smiles. Even people she didn’t know would nod and say hello, and her social circle improved overnight.

Some even secretly tried to bribe her to speak favorably for them.

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

Besides her own changes, she also witnessed a family of over ten people dragging their entire household to Deputy Director Wang’s office to beg him for new housing approval.

There were also those sneaking around, trying to bribe him discreetly, though their guilty demeanor made it obvious.

Some even sent in distant relatives of Deputy Director Wang, pleading on their behalf.

Everyone was trying their best to find a way.

Unsurprisingly, Deputy Director Wang was overwhelmed, but he remained fair. Regardless of who came or what they offered, he stayed impartial, having already laid out clear requirements.

Whoever met the criteria would get the house.

It’s no wonder people were so desperate, though. This time, the new building only had 16 units across two floors.

In other words, at most, 16 families could be accommodated. But the food factory had employees numbering in the hundreds.

Too many people, too few resources.

The disparity was almost absurd.

Yan Yuzhen, who was on good terms with Yu Xiang’an, naturally asked her whether she had any chance of getting a house.

Yu Xiang’an didn’t know. This time, because of the need to gather statistics, she had a better understanding of the factory’s employees, especially those with some seniority, as she had reviewed all their records.

For someone like Yan Yuzhen, it was hard to say. She was right on the borderline.

She had received awards for being an outstanding worker and had over ten years of seniority. However, she wasn’t a dual-income household—her family members didn’t work in the factory, which was a disadvantage.

Yan Yuzhen was restless, sighing frequently. “My youngest son is at the age to get married, but because our housing situation is so tight, we can’t spare him a separate room. No girl is willing to marry into our family under these circumstances.”

Although her youngest son had a formal job and didn’t have to be sent to the countryside, starting a family required at least one private room. Without that, how could they have children?

Yu Xiang’an nodded in agreement. “Exactly.”

Living with such a large family, a new bride can’t just sleep on a floor mat with the groom, right?

Even Yu Xiang’an herself wished for a house, a private space of her own.

She began brainstorming.

At this time, buying a house wasn’t an option since there were no commercial properties available. Occasionally, a few vacant public houses could be found, and those with severe housing difficulties could apply to live in them for free. But with her family’s current situation—although the house was old, it was livable—and as an unmarried young woman, if she applied, no one would take her seriously.

It was only 1970, and there was still a long time before the era of economic reform and the free market for housing. The only legal way she could own her own house was through the factory’s housing allocation.

Factory housing allocation occurred in two ways: one was the current situation, where the factory funded the construction of housing and distributed it based on employees’ various qualifications; the other was if an employee made an extraordinary contribution, in which case housing might be awarded as a reward.

In the first case, Yu Xiang’an knew she couldn’t wait that long.

As for the second option, it was equally challenging. Even earning a commendation for being an outstanding worker was difficult at this time, let alone making a contribution significant enough to warrant a house as a reward.

What other options were there?

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

She felt stuck, but no matter how frustrating it was, she couldn’t give up.

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The final housing allocation list was finally posted after much anticipation from everyone.

Those who made it onto the list were ecstatic, while those who didn’t could only sigh in disappointment. Yan Yuzhen checked the list over and over but couldn’t find her name. She was troubled—she hadn’t made it this time.

She couldn’t even complain because she knew the people on the list were indeed more qualified than her.

But with no house this time, the next housing allocation was far off. Her family’s housing situation was dire, with no space to spare. How could her son get married under these conditions?

There wasn’t even room for an extra bed, which made her hesitant to introduce potential matches for her younger son.

Yan Yuzhen was distressed, and so were others who didn’t make the list. Some, unwilling to accept the outcome, went to find Deputy Director Wang.

On her way to work, Yu Xiang’an saw a couple kneeling before Deputy Director Wang, pleading for his help. They were borrowing a place to stay at the woman’s parents’ house and had no home of their own. Deputy Director Wang looked helpless. “Get up. This matter has already been decided. Everyone is in urgent need, but the factory only has so much housing.”

An idea struck Yu Xiang’an. She had been thinking about it for some time and felt it was worth proposing. If it wasn’t accepted, she would lose nothing; if it was, she might stand a chance. She waited until Deputy Director Wang had sent off the couple after much persuasion, then stopped him.

“Director Wang, I’d like to discuss something with you. It’s about housing.”

Hearing the word “housing,” Deputy Director Wang frowned and looked at her. “Xiao An, you’ve only recently joined the factory, right? Are you thinking about asking for a house too?”

Yu Xiang’an smiled. “Director Wang, of course, I want a house. But I know it’s impossible for me to get one—I’ve just joined. However, I’ve noticed that many families have small homes and too many people. They simply can’t fit. Sons can’t get married because of this. I also understand that the factory is under significant constraints and can’t meet everyone’s housing needs. So I have an immature idea that might help solve this problem. I’d like you to hear it and see if it’s feasible with your experience.”

“An idea to solve this problem? Let’s hear it,” Deputy Director Wang said, intrigued.

“Well, I noticed there’s a small piece of unused land on the southeast side of the factory. It doesn’t seem likely the factory will expand in that direction—it’s close to the road. I think that land could be utilized. We have a brick factory in our county. If the factory could plan that land and collaborate with the brick factory to build housing, formal employees could pay to purchase them instead of waiting for factory-distributed housing. I believe this could address some of the urgent housing needs.”

Deputy Director Wang listened attentively. “Pay to purchase? What do you mean?”

“It means the factory provides the land, helps coordinate with the brick factory and workers, calculates the costs, and lets the workers purchase the houses at cost price. This is different from the welfare housing distributed by the factory, which is free. These would be collective housing purchased by the workers themselves, considered a type of worker welfare. Those without an urgent need for housing wouldn’t have to participate, but workers who need housing for marriage can buy. If they don’t have enough cash upfront, they could pay a deposit and use part of their monthly wages to repay the balance until it’s fully paid.”

“Families with more members who find two rooms too small could opt for larger three-bedroom units. There could also be two-bedroom and one-bedroom units based on demand. If you think this is feasible, Director, you could hold a workers’ assembly or consult with worker representatives. If everyone agrees, it can proceed; if not, then it won’t. Please don’t laugh at me—I know it’s just an immature idea.”

Deputy Director Wang pondered this deeply. “You’re too modest. I think what you said makes a lot of sense. Xiao An, when you go back, carefully write down everything you just said and hand it to me. I’ll think it over. Thank you for bringing up this suggestion. It’s good for young people to have ideas—keep it up!”

Hearing his response, Yu Xiang’an felt relieved. It seemed like there was hope. “Yes, Director. I’ll head back to the office for now, but I’ll come by with the written proposal later.”

“Go ahead.”

Deputy Director Wang was somewhat excited. If such a welfare housing program became available, he would definitely participate himself.

His wife wasn’t a factory worker, and although he was allocated housing due to his rank, their current home wasn’t enough for a family with three sons and a daughter. His youngest son was still unmarried, and if such a purchase plan were available, he’d be more than willing to buy a house for his son to get married.

Since his family had multiple workers earning wages, they could even afford a spacious three-bedroom unit. Then, he could move into the new house, leaving the current one for his youngest son’s marriage. Having independent housing would also raise the bar for finding a daughter-in-law.

Thinking about this, he became even more excited but eventually calmed down.

There were still many things to consider, such as whether using that piece of land was permissible, whether policies allowed it, the construction costs, whether workers would agree, and how the purchasing process would work.

He decided to give it serious thought and then hold a meeting to discuss its feasibility with everyone.

Yu Xiang’an had done everything she could. Now, all she could do was wait for news. She felt that the chances of success were fairly high.

But there was one issue—if the plan succeeded, how could she legitimately come up with the money to buy a house? If such a purchase plan were available, she definitely wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity.

Currently, her salary was divided into three parts: one portion for household expenses, one for her own use, and the rest saved. Although her father, Yu Qingshan, didn’t ask for her money, she still set aside a fixed amount each month to contribute to the family, buying food and other necessities.

Yu Qingshan told her to save the rest as her dowry. In some ways, he was quite open-minded and caring toward his children.

However, if she wanted to buy a house, her total salary was transparent, and Yu Qingshan would know how much money she had saved. His own finances weren’t abundant either, as he had to support two older siblings who were sent to the countryside and cover the living expenses of a large family, including grandparents and an uncle in the village.

After Yu Xiang’an submitted her written proposal, there was no immediate response. Deputy Director Wang reviewed her ideas, added many details, and then convened a meeting with the factory’s senior management to discuss the feasibility of the plan.

This was unprecedented.

Controversy was inevitable.

However, many in the factory faced the same housing shortage as Deputy Director Wang and were interested in the idea.

After most voted in favor, the decision was made to move forward publicly.

A month after Yu Xiang’an proposed the idea, news finally came: the factory would hold a workers’ assembly, and all workers were required to attend.

Nobody knew what it was about, sparking widespread speculation.

Some tried to get information from those higher up, but no one revealed anything. Still, it didn’t seem like bad news.

Could it be a raise? Or increased benefits?

Since it wasn’t bad news, it must be something positive.

At the assembly, Deputy Director Wang stood on the stage and began to speak.

“Regarding the recent housing allocation, we’ve come up with an idea…”

After explaining the proposal in detail, he continued, “You’ve all heard what I just said. This meeting is to gather everyone’s opinions. The food factory is our collective home. Building housing to meet everyone’s needs is beyond the factory’s financial capacity, so someone proposed this idea. What do you all think?”

“You see this ballot box? Write down your answer and put it inside. If more than half agree, the plan will proceed.”

He gave everyone three days to consider.

Unsurprisingly, his words caused an uproar among the crowd.

“Is this even possible?”

“Wouldn’t that mean we have to pay for it ourselves?”

“Having a new house at that price is acceptable.”

“I can’t afford it. Where would my family get that kind of money?”

Those with urgent housing needs and sufficient funds immediately agreed, like Yan Yuzhen. Her family didn’t lack money, and if there were other places to buy a house, she would have done so long ago.

Those without housing needs were indifferent after some discussion. Buying a house with their own money? Not a chance.

Still, seeing how desperate some were, they refrained from openly opposing it to avoid offending others. After all, this didn’t harm their interests. It was just an unused piece of factory land.

Some even thought that if those people bought houses now, it would increase their own chances of getting free welfare housing in the next round.

After three days, Yu Xiang’an helped tally the votes and was the first to know the results.

More than half agreed.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

The first step was a success.

Next, workers interested in purchasing housing received a questionnaire. Those who couldn’t write had others ask the questions and fill it out for them. The questionnaire asked how many rooms they wanted in their house.

Deputy Director Wang specifically sought out Yu Xiang’an for further ideas.

Yu Xiang’an brought up issues regarding house design.

The current houses were all the same and lacked independent kitchens and bathrooms like modern homes. She mentioned that in the previously allocated housing, residents often hung clothes in the shared corridors, causing water to drip everywhere and obstructing pathways. Others cluttered the corridors with various items, further blocking the way.

Of course, such behaviors were hard to prevent entirely.

She suggested that the layout of the houses be finalized from the start. Instead of leaving the interiors as empty spaces for the residents to modify later, the rooms could be pre-divided based on the number of bedrooms they requested.

Additionally, she proposed expanding the small rear balconies to increase usable space. These could be used for drying clothes, planting ginger, scallions, and garlic, or even converted into independent kitchens based on personal preference. If housing space was insufficient, sealing off the balcony could create a small additional room.

Since the city predominantly used coal stoves rather than wood, extending the balcony to include a kitchen would be entirely feasible.

Deputy Director Wang thought it made sense. If every household had its own kitchen, it could prevent many disputes. For example, in his own family, if they made something tasty, they wouldn’t have to share it with everyone or worry about nosy children coming over. They could close the door and enjoy it privately as a family.

Since this project involved workers paying for the construction, the factory wouldn’t bear a significant financial burden—it would only provide the land, labor, and management. As such, workers would still need to pay for their housing.

While Deputy Director Wang agreed with Yu Xiang’an’s ideas, he noted that any significant increase in costs would make the proposal infeasible.

Yan Yuzhen, due to her large family, opted for a three-bedroom unit.

Yu Xiang’an chose a two-bedroom unit but had to borrow some money from both her and Sun Qingchun.

She hadn’t been working long, and everyone knew how much she could reasonably save.

Sun Qingchun’s family already had a house, so he wasn’t participating in the scheme. Lending her a month’s salary wasn’t an issue for him. Likewise, Yan Yuzhen’s family, with several workers, could afford to lend her a month’s salary as well.

Yu Xiang’an agreed on a repayment plan with both, detailing how much she would repay each month and the timeframe for paying them back in full.

After signing up for the housing scheme, she went home and told Yu Qingshan about her decision. After a moment of silence, Yu Qingshan asked, “Are you sure about this?”

Yu Xiang’an replied, “I’ve thought it through. Saving money doesn’t compare to having a house.”

“Houses are so rare these days, and this is even a two-story building. Once the wiring is installed and water is accessible nearby, going to work will just be a short walk away.”

She was satisfied with her current position at the food factory and had no plans to move for now. With the college entrance exam and economic reforms still far away, having a small home of her own would make many things much easier.

Yu Qingshan nodded in agreement but noted her choice of a two-bedroom unit. “Are you thinking of using it for your future family? A one-bedroom would’ve been enough. Didn’t you say a one-bedroom is still 15 square meters? That’s enough for a family of four.”

Compared to a one-bedroom unit, a two-bedroom was more expensive, and he worried it might be too much of a financial strain on her.

Yu Xiang’an smiled. “It’s no problem, Dad. I manage my salary myself, and aside from helping at home, I don’t have many other expenses. It’s better to invest in a house. No matter what happens in the future, it’s a safety net. Besides, why would I live in a one-bedroom alone? With a two-bedroom, we can all live there.”

Yu Qingshan thought to himself that if his youngest daughter had difficulty finding a match in the future, having a house might make a significant difference. Some families with housing shortages might even agree to a marriage or consider moving in with her because of it. Having the house meant she’d never have to worry about such things.

He nodded. “The family’s finances are tight right now, so I can’t help you much. Once things stabilize, I’ll see what I can do.” Most of his money had already gone to Yu Xiangyan, and his current funds were limited.

Yu Xiang’an shook her head. “Dad, I don’t need your help. Don’t worry, I’ve got it figured out. I’ll use half of my salary to repay the loan each month, and the rest is more than enough for me to live on. You don’t need to worry about me.”

After doing some calculations, Yu Qingshan nodded again. “Then don’t buy things for the family every month, understand? Use your money to buy your house. We don’t need you to support us—your dad can still earn money.”

They had managed just fine without her salary before, and now that she was working and eating at the factory, the family’s burden had already lightened. There was no reason they couldn’t get by.

Yu Xiang’an agreed outwardly but disagreed in her heart. She would continue setting aside part of her salary to buy things for the family each month. After all, a single trip to the black market could easily earn her enough to cover these expenses. There was no need to be so strict.

He treated her sincerely, so she would repay that sincerity with her own.

When Yu Xianghai heard about the housing scheme, he sighed. “If only our factory had something like this.”

Right now, his living situation was fine, but what about the future?

If he had more children, or when they grew up and needed to get married, the current space wouldn’t be enough.

“I hope we can have such benefits in the future,” he said. But even if they did, he wouldn’t have much money to spare right now.

He handed Yu Xiang’an fifty yuan. “You borrowed money from your coworkers, right? Pay them back first. Your brother isn’t well-off, but I can give you twenty yuan and lend you thirty—no interest, no deadline. Just pay me back when you’re able.”

Yu Xiang’an couldn’t help but smile, then pushed the money back to him. “If I really needed it, would I not ask my family? I borrowed the money to show my coworkers I’m capable. Brother, save this money to buy food for your kids. If I’m truly short on funds, you’ll be the second person I ask.”

“Second person?” Yu Xianghai asked.

Yu Qingshan coughed. “Of course, second. The first is me.”

Yu Xianghai: “…”

Oh.

He’d forgotten about their father.

“Take the money back. The deposit wasn’t much, and I can repay it gradually later without drawing attention.”

When the Qin family found out, her grandmother also sent money. None of them objected, and Yu Xiang’an patiently explained, her heart softening completely.

How had she been so fortunate to have such understanding family members?

Even in the future, when times were more progressive, many people didn’t support women buying houses, believing the man’s house should suffice.

In this era, the preference for sons over daughters was much more pronounced.

That evening, Yu Xiang’an couldn’t hold back and asked Yu Qingshan, “Dad, you don’t object to this?”

Yu Qingshan looked up at the bright moonlit sky. “Xiao An, you know, your dad was just a poor farmhand trying to make a living. Back then, I was in my teens and could barely recognize twenty characters.”

Yu Xiang’an fell silent.

“At that time, I ran errands and worked as a servant. Later, by chance, I joined a trading firm and caught the eye of a master craftsman, who took me in and taught me a trade.”

He didn’t go into detail—some things he didn’t want to say, and some weren’t suitable to share.

“It was during that time I got to know your mother’s family and met her.” A smile appeared on his face as he recalled those memories.

“The Qin family didn’t approve of our marriage back then. My family was from the countryside, and I’d been a servant. Although the Qin family wasn’t originally from the county, they’d already established themselves here, owning a small house. Later, when the new era came, I gained my freedom. With the skills I’d learned and the money I’d saved, I bought the house we live in now, and only then could I marry your mother.”

“Even though you’re not a boy, it’s the same. Before I owned this house, I felt like a drifter, without roots. It wasn’t until I had a home here that I felt I belonged. Lately, I’ve watched you, and I can tell you’ve been unsettled. You’ve grown up and hide it well, but I can still see it. If buying a house can help you feel secure, why would I oppose it?”

Yu Xiang’an was momentarily speechless.

Her eyes suddenly turned red.

She blinked quickly, forcing the tears back.

Unsettled?

She… yes, she couldn’t deny it. She had smiled through it all, telling herself to stay strong and face the challenges ahead.

But suddenly finding herself in this unfamiliar era—how could she not feel unsettled?

She had just suppressed those feelings.

Her father had noticed her unease but hadn’t said a word. Instead, he had quietly supported her from behind.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃