Ch 33: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

When Yu Xiang’an returned with the supplies, she and Ye Qijia walked back with somewhat stiff postures.

Ye Qijia couldn’t hold back and said, “Xiao An, don’t be so nervous. I’m fine. Everything is good right now. It’s still early in the pregnancy, so you really don’t need to overthink it.”

Seeing Ye Qijia so at ease made it impossible for Yu Xiang’an to remain tense. She took a deep breath, visibly relaxing her posture. “Sister-in-law, you’re having twins. I wonder if they’ll be nephews or nieces. Either way, it’s wonderful. When Mingjie was born, I was still young. Now that they’ll be born, this aunt is earning a salary and can make new clothes for them…”

As she babbled on, Yu Xiang’an’s thoughts drifted. With two babies, they’d need more nutrition. Moving forward, eating well would be critical. Despite advice not to overindulge, with the current circumstances, it would be hard to overdo it. It wasn’t as if they were feasting on fish and meat every meal. Besides, Ye Qijia still had to work and stay active, making it unlikely the babies would grow too big.

When they returned home and shared the news, Yu Qingshan froze for a moment, showing no joy.

His wife had died during childbirth with twins. For most people, having twins was a joyful event, but for him, it was a painful reminder.

If it weren’t for the twins, she wouldn’t have endured such a difficult delivery, wouldn’t have passed away after lying in the hospital for a month. At the time, their eldest son hadn’t even settled down yet. Now, all these years later, his daughter-in-law was pregnant with twins. He couldn’t help but think of the past.

He remained silent for a long time, listening to Xiao An repeat the doctor’s advice. He thought, If only we had this kind of awareness back then, had taken things more seriously… perhaps things would have turned out differently.

Yu Xianghai took the news seriously as well. He was quite satisfied with the informational pamphlet they’d brought back and carefully flipped through it page by page. He also asked when the next check-up would be.

“I’ll definitely go next time,” he said firmly.

He even pulled Mingjie aside for a private father-son talk, seriously explaining the family’s current situation. He told him that his mother was carrying two siblings and it was hard on her. As the older brother, Mingjie needed to be more sensible, help his mother, and make sure she stayed in good spirits.

Mingjie was already excited about having younger siblings. Now, hearing there would be two, he puffed out his small chest with pride. “I’m the big brother. I’ll take good care of them. I’ll listen and not make Mom angry!”

Yu Xianghai smiled approvingly and added, “And you need to study hard, too, and aim to be like your Aunt Xiao An, okay?”

His sister had only achieved her current job because of her education. Her upcoming promotion couldn’t have been unrelated to her essays being published in the newspaper. If Mingjie followed in his aunt’s footsteps, his future would be much smoother.

Yu Xiang’an often found ways to assign tasks to the two boys, and the family was always supportive.

At the mention of studying, Mingjie frowned, his small brows knitting together in deep thought. Loving school was a rare thing, especially for children.

Mingjie didn’t immediately agree. He furrowed his brows, “deeply contemplating,” while Yu Xianghai watched silently. After a while, Mingjie finally nodded with a serious tone, “Dad, I’ll study hard. When my younger siblings have questions, they’ll come to me. What kind of big brother wouldn’t be able to help them?”

Yu Xianghai stifled his laughter and patted Mingjie’s small shoulder with satisfaction. “Now that’s the spirit of a big brother! Keep it up!”

When they re-entered the house, both father and son wore wide smiles.

By then, Yu Qingshan had come around. “Make sure to go for regular check-ups. Don’t worry about the cost,” he said.

Zhao Qiaoniang’s emotions were complicated. She couldn’t help but touch her stomach. If she could, she would have loved to have another child—boy or girl.

Unfortunately, her body had been damaged, and she knew she would never have a second child in this lifetime.

Now, Ye Qijia had two babies at once, and the comparison made Zhao Qiaoniang feel a pang of sadness.

If Yu Xianghai were her biological son, she wouldn’t be longing for another child at her age. She could simply wait for her grandchildren to be born and enjoy life.

As it stood, she tried her best to be good to Yu Xiangju, and the boy was close to her. But he was still young. He might not think much about her being his stepmother now, but what about when he grew up and had a wife? Would she still hold the same place in his life?

After all, there was no blood relation.

This was her fate—having little affinity with her own children in this lifetime.

When Yao Cuifen heard the news, she brought over some food and privately pulled Yu Xianghai aside for a serious talk.

“Having twins is very risky for a woman,” she emphasized.

Although Yao Cuifen had never given birth to twins herself, her older sister had, and there was a family history of twins. The risk of complications was significantly higher than for a single pregnancy.

“This must not be taken lightly,” she said.

Their family was in a decent financial situation now, which meant they had the resources to address this properly.

“It’s better to prepare and avoid regrets later,” Yao Cuifen added.

Yu Xianghai nodded repeatedly. “Thanks for the reminder, Grandma. I wouldn’t have thought of this otherwise.”

These days, most pregnancies were not closely monitored unless there was an issue. Families with limited means often didn’t even opt for hospital births. If they hadn’t discovered the twins early, the delivery could have been incredibly dangerous.

This was something he needed to share with the extended family, so they picked a day and all returned to Hongxing Brigade.

When Zhang Chahua saw the whole family arrive together, she was overjoyed. “Today must be a good day! Let’s add a few dishes to the meal!”

After Yu Xianghai shared the news about the twins, Zhang Chahua immediately said, “Oh, we must be extra careful. Xianghai’s wife, are you tired? If you are, go lie down in the room. I’ll make you a warm bowl of brown sugar water—it’ll do you good!”

Meanwhile, Yu Chang pondered over who should care for the expecting mother once her pregnancy progressed.

Could Zhao Qiaoniang, Xianghai’s stepmother, take care of her? That didn’t seem ideal since she also worked and was often unavailable when Xianghai came home.

What about Ye Qijia’s mother? That wouldn’t work either, as her health wasn’t great and she probably couldn’t handle the responsibility.

In that case, Xu Xiaojun, Yu Manchang’s wife, might be the best candidate. She didn’t have a job and could spare some time to help out later. Plus, it might strengthen the relationship between the two families, and perhaps Xiaojun could conceive in the process.

Yu Chang decided to discuss this with Yu Qingshan later to see if it was a good plan. It wasn’t urgent yet since Ye Qijia’s pregnancy was still in its early stages.

Yang Huili, however, couldn’t help but glance repeatedly at Xu Xiaojun. She already had her first grandchild from her daughter, but she hadn’t yet had any from her son. Now, the second son’s eldest child was already five, and with the twins, they’d soon have three children. Meanwhile, her own daughter-in-law had been married for some time, but due to the long-distance relationship, there was still no good news. She wondered when she would finally hold her own grandchild.

Yu Manchang noticed his mother’s gaze and also took a second look at his wife.

He wanted a lively, clever child like Mingjie, but he and Xiaojun hadn’t been married long, and he was often in the county. Even if they wanted children, it would have to wait for the right timing.

Zhang Chahua brought out the bowl of brown sugar water and handed it to Ye Qijia. “Here, drink this. When you’re pregnant, you should eat more fish. Eating fish makes babies smarter. As it happens, the boys caught a few medium-sized fish the other day. Tonight, we’ll have fish soup!”

Ye Qijia smiled as she accepted the bowl. “Thank you, Grandma.”

Yu Qingshan spoke to Yu Changyou: “Dad, how’s your health now? Is there anything bothering you? If there is, you must tell us—don’t keep it to yourself.”

Yu Changyou replied, “I’m not hiding anything; I feel fine. I’m not doing any heavy work these days—just keeping an eye on the threshing ground and shooing away sparrows. When the sun is too hot, I don’t even go out.”

If he were to fall ill again, the little he earned from labor points wouldn’t even cover the cost of medicine. Most of the time, he stayed home to rest.

Zhang Chahua chimed in from the side, “Don’t worry, I’m keeping an eye on him.”

His previous illness had frightened her terribly. She didn’t want to be left alone if anything happened to him.

Yu Changyou coughed lightly and changed the subject: “Manchang, how’s your brickmaking training going?”

Yu Manchang, knowing his grandfather didn’t want to hear more nagging, tactfully answered, “I’ve almost mastered it. Before I leave, I should have it completely down. When I return, I can make bricks myself, and we can expand the house to make it more spacious.”

Currently, the family’s living space was insufficient, and there was no plan for housing the two younger brothers when they eventually married.

“If I can master brickmaking, we won’t need to buy bricks. I can make them myself. After applying for timber and tiles, we can build a nice brick house—one that’s both grand and cost-effective.”

Hearing this, Yu Changyou was delighted. “Exactly! When the time comes, we’ll build the house. But make sure you really learn the craft well—we don’t want a house that isn’t sturdy.”

While they were discussing these matters, Yu Xiang’an, Yu Mingjie, and Yu Xiangju couldn’t sit still. Wearing straw hats, they headed outside.

Yang Huili also couldn’t linger too long; if she stayed away from work for too long, she wouldn’t earn her full labor points for the day.

Yu Xiang’an asked around and found out where Yu Manwu and Yu Mancheng were working. She decided to visit them and ask the two local experts if there were any good spots worth exploring in the nearby mountains.

When they arrived at the fields, Yu Manwu and Yu Mancheng were busy turning over soil in a patch of dry land.

They were clearing new land—arduous work that involved removing trees, overgrown grass, and rocks. Once the area was cleared, they would burn the leftover vegetation for ash. Typically, the first crops planted in newly cleared land were beans—soybeans or mung beans. After one or two years of planting beans to enrich the soil, other crops could be grown.

Yu Shunwen, the brigade leader, planned to use the newly cleared land for fruit trees, specifically mandarin oranges. During the New Year, having mandarins on hand was a tradition for families that could afford it. The fruit symbolized prosperity and good fortune, making it an ideal gift.

Mandarins were relatively easy to preserve, and the local environment was suitable for growing them. The neighboring commune already had large-scale mandarin orchards, and some villagers here grew small amounts for personal consumption.

Yu Shunwen aimed to scale up production. If the harvest turned out well, they could sell the fruit to collection stations or factories. If not, the brigade members could still enjoy the fruit during the New Year celebrations.

In the worst-case scenario, they wouldn’t lose much—just the labor invested. Meanwhile, the land could still be used for grain production until the fruit trees matured.

Yu Manwu shared the brigade leader’s plans with Yu Xiang’an, who thought the idea was promising. “At worst, we’ll just eat the fruit ourselves. People here are already growing it, so it shouldn’t turn out too badly.”

In the field, the workers appeared young. Two girls in straw hats were cutting grass, while several boys wielded machetes to chop down trees. This group was the vanguard of the operation.

Among the workers, the two girls stood out. Their fair skin, delicate hands, and well-made clothes—free of patches—set them apart from the villagers.

Realizing they were likely urban youth sent to the countryside, some workers grew curious.

One of the girls asked her companion, “Do you know them? They seem unfamiliar—are they from our production brigade?”

The other replied, “That woman is their cousin. She’s from the county and moved her household registration out of the brigade a long time ago. She doesn’t come back often, so you wouldn’t have seen her. The two kids with her are probably her younger brothers or nephews.”

“She’s a factory worker?”

Noticing the factory uniform on Yu Xiang’an, someone asked enviously, “Are you really a factory worker?”

“Yes,” Yu Manwu answered on her behalf, “She works at the food factory—the one that makes lots of canned goods and biscuits. So many delicious things!” He’d once had a bite of fruit canned by the factory, given to him by Yu Manwu, and the sweetness had left a lasting impression. Even now, he could still recall that delightful taste.

Another young educated youth stepped forward, a teenage girl around sixteen or seventeen. She greeted them with a smile, “Hi, we’ve met before. Do you remember me?”

Yu Xiang’an looked at her, searched her memory for a long moment, then shook her head apologetically, “We’ve met? I’m sorry, I don’t recall.”

The girl gave an embarrassed laugh. “We didn’t speak at the time, so it’s normal you don’t remember. I was pulling weeds with your grandmother, and you came by to see her. We just crossed paths.”

Now Yu Xiang’an had some recollection. She extended her hand with a bright smile, “Nice to meet you. I’m Yu Xiang’an.”

“Hello, I’m Ruan Chenxi. I came here as an educated youth last year.” Ruan Chenxi quickly shook her hand, glad she’d discreetly wiped off the dirt and grass from her hands earlier.

“I heard you work at the food factory. Are you off today?”

Not sure of Ruan Chenxi’s intentions, Yu Xiang’an replied politely, “Yes, today’s my day off. I came back with my family to visit my grandfather.”

“When are you heading back?”

“This afternoon. I have work tomorrow.”

“Would you like to go catch crabs before you leave? I found a spot with a lot of small crabs the size of a baby’s fist. They’re not very big, though.”

Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie’s eyes lit up at the mention of crabs. Even if they weren’t meaty, they’d still be fun to catch!

Yu Manwu nodded, “Catching crabs sounds fun. Want to give it a try? Maybe we’ll find some mussels, little fish, or shrimp, too.”

Ruan Chenxi smiled. “I can show you the way.”

“Is it convenient for you?” Yu Xiang’an asked.

Ruan Chenxi gave a small laugh, “It’s no problem. I’ll head back soon for lunch anyway. I found the spot by accident, so I don’t even know what it’s called.”

Yu Xiang’an quickly understood—Ruan Chenxi was trying to build rapport. Smiling, she replied, “Thanks for offering. If we get a good haul, we’ll share.”

Her words made everyone laugh.

These small crabs were more of a novelty for kids than anything adults would seriously want—they barely had any meat and were notoriously feisty.

Yu Manwu gestured to the others still working, “We’ll step away for a bit. If anyone comes to check, just say we went to the restroom.”

The group of teenagers laughed and waved him off. “Got it. No problem.”

Ruan Chenxi led the way, weaving left and right through trails until they arrived at a small creek.

“This is where I found them last time. Just lift the rocks—they’re hiding underneath.”

She was startled for a moment.

Yu Mingjie couldn’t wait and immediately started moving the stones on the side.

Seeing that the water wasn’t deep, Yu Xiang’an didn’t stop him.

After all, who didn’t have a mischievous childhood?

Yu Xiang’an started chatting with Ruan Chenxi on the side.

Meanwhile, Yu Manwu and Yu Mansheng, both still half-grown boys, joined in the water as well. Whenever they caught something, they’d excitedly shout and place it into a straw hat, covering it with another to prevent the crabs from escaping.

Ruan Chenxi, coming from Shanghai and having seen more of the world, admired Yu Xiang’an’s knowledge and insight.

Although Yu Xiang’an said she’d never been to a major city like Shanghai, she seemed to know a lot about many things.

What started as a deliberate effort to build rapport turned into a genuinely engaging conversation. Ruan Chenxi found that she truly enjoyed talking with Yu Xiang’an.

The two were close in age—Ruan Chenxi was less than a year younger.

By the end of their chat, they’d even agreed to meet again next time Yu Xiang’an came by.

When Ruan Chenxi returned to her group, she was immediately surrounded.

“What did you talk about with her?”

“Is she easy to get along with?”

“Are you two friends now?”

Some, however, weren’t pleased with her proactive approach and refused to join in, grumbling about her efforts.

“She’s just a small-town worker. What could she do for you? Do you really think she can help you return to the city? Keep dreaming.”

“Doesn’t she feel ashamed? Is the reputation of educated youth worth so little?”

Ruan Chenxi had anticipated such reactions when she decided to approach Yu Xiang’an. Her heart stung a little, but she could bear it. Ignoring the sarcastic remarks, she threw back, “Sour grapes.”

Then, she turned and walked away.

It wasn’t as if these people didn’t want to form a good relationship with Yu Xiang’an. Even if she couldn’t help them return to the city, her connections as a local, her uncle being the team leader, and her job at the food factory would undoubtedly bring them benefits.

But they lacked the courage to take the first step and instead resorted to criticizing her efforts.

When Yu Xiang’an and her group returned, all but her had pants half-wet from the water.

Their haul wasn’t bad—about two catties of green crabs and half a pound of small fish.

It was enough for a meal.

However, crabs are cooling in nature, and no one really liked them. They had so little meat and were also quite fishy.

Yang Huili remarked, “Why did you go catch so many crabs? Pregnant women can’t eat them. If you want them, take them back with you.”

Yu Xiang’an readily agreed, “Alright!”

Since Ye Qijia couldn’t eat them and the others didn’t like them, she’d just take them back herself.

Once again laden with packages, they returned home. Just as they were putting things away, someone knocked on the door.

Yu Xiangju went to open it and then came back, calling out, “Fifth Sister, someone’s here to see you.”

Yu Xiang’an, just finishing putting away the crabs, walked out while asking, “Who is it?”

Yu Xiangju shook his head, “I don’t know her—an older sister.”

The visitor was Gao Yimei, her face full of excitement.

“Xiang’an, I heard you were looking for a doctor, right? It’s a coincidence—I just heard about one. He used to be the director of the city hospital, retired now and back in his hometown. Turns out, he’s from Baishi County. They say he’s really good with women’s health issues.”

Yu Xiang’an was surprised at how quickly she got a lead, her delight evident. “Really? Do you know his name and address?”

“I asked around and got this address. His last name is Lin—Dr. Lin. We need to go quietly, though. He’s retired, so we shouldn’t make a big deal out of it. I’ve also been having irregular periods. The county hospital didn’t help much, so I thought I’d give him a try. When are you free to go?”

Yu Xiang’an wanted to scout it out first, so she proposed, “How about after work tomorrow?”

“Deal! Tomorrow it is!”

🌱🌿 🫧🍃