Ch 40: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

Yu Xiangyan wasn’t just planning to teach Liang Yong a lesson; he wanted to settle scores with Zhou Boyang too.

Previously, when Yu Xianghai had thrown Zhou into a sack, he hadn’t been present. Thinking about it still felt like a missed opportunity. Now that he was back, it was only natural to make up for it.

After a good night’s sleep, the next day, Yu Xiang’an, Yu Qingshan, and Yu Manchang had to head to work, leaving Yu Xiangyan, his group, Yu Xiangqing, Zhao Qiaoniang, and the two children at home.

With Yu Xiangyan around, physical tasks like grinding soybeans were no problem. Since Wen Ruzhen and Wen Yizhen weren’t familiar with the household, Yu Xiangyan stayed with them the entire time.

Yu Xiangqing, knowing a bit about her second sister-in-law’s past, had assumed she would be unaccustomed to labor, perhaps clumsy or unaware of how to manage farm work. But to her surprise, Wen Ruzhen was more skilled than she had imagined.

Upon reflection, it made sense. When the siblings had been sent to the countryside, they must have gradually adapted to everything on their own.

Indeed, that was the case. In the beginning, they endured all sorts of hardships. It was only after adapting to the countryside that Wen Ruzhen accepted Yu Xiangyan’s pursuit. Before that, she had done everything herself.

After helping grind the soybeans, Yu Xiangyan brought some items to his grandparents. Since his wife had arrived, it was essential for her to meet the elders.

Sensing Wen Ruzhen’s nervousness, Yu Xiangyan reassured her once again, “My grandparents are very kind. Don’t worry—they’re just as open-minded as my dad. We don’t have many relatives in the county; my grandfather and uncles are in the countryside. They’ll definitely like you when they meet you.”

Yu Xiangyan was optimistic about his family. He was confident his grandfather would be thrilled with such a wonderful wife and had full faith in her.

After all, Wen Ruzhen was truly exceptional—beautiful, kind-hearted, skillful, and righteous.

Qin Qiang and Yao Cuifen were mostly at home since retiring. But if Yu Xiangqing hadn’t informed them in advance, they might have gone out.

If not for this, Yao Cuifen would still be parading Yu Xiangqing around to meet her old friends.

Like Yu Xiangqing, Yu Xiangyan had tanned after going to the countryside. He had been there even longer than Yu Xiangqing. Besides his darker complexion, he was now taller and stronger, with a visibly robust build.

Yao Cuifen patted his arm with satisfaction. He looked like he had been well-fed and well-taken care of.

“This must be your wife. What’s her name again? Is it Zhenzhen?”

Wen Ruzhen smiled shyly. “Yes, Grandma. My name is Zhenzhen. My full name is Wen Ruzhen.”

Yao Cuifen already knew her name, so she didn’t ask about her family or background. She handed her a red envelope she had prepared in advance. “You have a long life ahead of you. Grandma truly hopes you two will live a harmonious and happy life, growing old together. As long as a couple is united, life will always get better.”

Wen Ruzhen nodded earnestly and glanced at Yu Xiangyan. “We will, Grandma.”

Hearing this, Yu Xiangyan couldn’t help but grin. His eyes seemed to sparkle as he looked at her.

Scenes like this had only existed in his dreams before, but now they were a reality. He felt overjoyed.

“Your uncles all have jobs, so it’s just the two of us old folks at home,” Qin Qiang said. “When the time is right, we’ll gather everyone to formally meet.”

Yao Cuifen chimed in, “They’re still not on holiday yet. Once the New Year comes, everyone will be here.”

The introductions should have taken place at their wedding, but it wasn’t feasible at the time. Now that they were back, it was only fitting to make up for it.

Yu Xiangyan nodded. “Grandpa, I’ve been praised as quite the chef in the countryside. Many people invite me to cook for banquets. But there’s one dish from there that I’ve made many times, and it still doesn’t taste quite right…”

He started discussing cooking techniques with Qin Qiang, while Yao Cuifen pulled Wen Ruzhen aside to ask about the household’s members and their names.

Yu Xiangyan had already told Wen Ruzhen all of this, so she patiently listened again.

After they left, Yao Cuifen watched their closely linked figures and nodded. “Old man, what do you think? Are they capable of living a stable, happy life together?”

Qin Qiang sipped his tea. “For now, it seems she has genuine feelings for him. While the depth is hard to gauge, with time—raising children and building a life together—even shallow feelings can grow deep.”

Yao Cuifen nodded in agreement. “I chatted with her a lot earlier, and she was very patient. Not the kind to brush people off and very polite. She’s a good child, but… do you think her family situation won’t cause trouble?”

Qin Qiang remained unconcerned. “Her and her brother’s household registrations were transferred with their mother. That means there’s no connection anymore. Once they’re back in the countryside, who’ll know what her family background is?”

He knew about the Wen family’s past. Back in the day, they were prominent, almost untouchable. If times hadn’t changed, his grandson would never have had a chance with someone like her.

“She seems sensible. From what I can tell, she’s likely to stay home for the time being.”

Wen Ruzhen and Wen Yizhen indeed stayed indoors, just as she had told Yu Xiangyan. She didn’t want to risk being seen and having rumors spread to the wrong ears, causing unnecessary trouble. She didn’t want drama or gossip. Staying home was the safest option.

There was plenty to do at home for the upcoming New Year, and as a new daughter-in-law, she felt it was her duty to be diligent.

That evening, Yu Xianghai, Yu Xiangyan, and Yu Manchang said they were going out to meet friends after dinner. They left without specifying where they were headed, and no one asked further.

The next day, Yao Cuifen heard a rumor: Liang Yong had been dragged into an alley and beaten up the previous night. The culprit couldn’t be found, and now he’d have to celebrate the New Year with a face full of bruises.

When Yu Xiangqing learned of this, she quickly pieced together who might have been responsible. Thinking back to the three brothers sneaking out the previous night, she felt both touched and anxious. Hearing that Liang Yong had sworn not to let the matter rest and vowed to track down the culprit, she nervously said, “What if someone saw them? Getting into trouble over someone like him just isn’t worth it!”

Yu Xiangyan feigned innocence. “What are you talking about? We really just went to meet a friend. You can go ask him yourself—my old deskmate, you’ve seen him. Liang Yong getting beaten up has nothing to do with us. Oh, wait—it kind of does. Whoever did it must be a hero. I’d love to meet them and be friends.”

Yu Xiangqing couldn’t help but laugh. The way he twisted the truth made it obvious they were responsible. Her second brother truly had a thick skin.

As she laughed, her nose began to sting, and her emotions surged. She felt a weight lift off her chest. Deep down, she thought Liang Yong deserved it. If she could have taken him on herself, she would’ve done it long ago.

Having brothers stand up for her was an incredible feeling.

When the rest of the family learned about it, Yu Qingshan merely made a few mild remarks about being cautious and how such actions were too dangerous. However, all three brothers found an extra egg at the bottom of their bowls during dinner.

As they ate and discovered the eggs, the three brothers silently exchanged glances.

“Is this… a reward?”

Currently, Zhao Qiaoniang handled all the cooking. Using three eggs at once wasn’t her decision—it was clearly Yu Qingshan’s.

After staying home for two days, Wen Ruzhen and Wen Yizhen had grown more comfortable moving around the house. As Yu Xiangyan had promised, no one in the family looked down on them. Everyone treated them kindly, even Zhao Qiaoniang, who didn’t pry about why Wen Ruzhen brought her brother along. Not a single person mentioned her family’s past, maintaining a respectful and considerate atmosphere.

The mutual understanding and care in the household deeply moved Wen Ruzhen.

This was the kind of family dynamic she had once known.

What surprised her even more was that the Yu family seemed to be in better financial shape than she had expected.

When they first arrived, there was bone broth for them to drink, followed by tofu-making, and then meals with fish, eggs, or duck eggs. Every meal included something substantial. While it was true that their rare return home and the New Year celebrations meant a need to nourish them well, and supplies were relatively abundant, this level of indulgence would still be difficult without a stable family foundation.

This eased her anxiety somewhat. When they got married, she had contributed nothing; everything had been provided by Yu Xiangyan.

Her relationships with her two sisters-in-law were going well. Typically, the most challenging issues for a new daughter-in-law involved in-law and sister-in-law relationships.

In the Yu family, she didn’t need to worry much about her relationship with her mother-in-law. As a stepmother who married into the family when Yu Xiangyan was already grown, mutual respect sufficed. She lacked the leverage to make things difficult. As for the two sisters-in-law, she had easily won their favor by demonstrating her excellent needlework, earning heaps of praise in no time.

Yu Xiangqing even started learning to sew from her, while the younger sister-in-law gave up on the idea altogether but got along well with her nonetheless. She had brought some books from her house near the factory to share, so the sisters could pass the time when they were bored.

The books were all approved materials, but her younger brother, who had always loved reading, was especially delighted. Since moving to the countryside, he had lacked access to books. With a good book in hand, he could sit still all day, oblivious to the world around him.

Since Yu Xiangqing had returned, Yu Xiang’an had moved back home, using her place at the factory only for midday naps.

Yu Xiangqing had already checked out the place, but Yu Xiangyan suggested taking a look. Yu Xiang’an immediately agreed, saying, “I was going to ask! I want to see what your place looks like. Big Brother mentioned in his letter that you made it really nice—I could use some inspiration.”

Yu Xiang’an hesitated, her tone slow. “It’s really nothing special—just ordinary. Once you see it, I’m sure you’ll agree.”

“Nonsense,” Yu Xiangyan laughed. “This is your hard-earned place, your trophy of independence. The idea was yours—it’s amazing! Who would’ve thought of it back then? Now I see many factories building similar housing, all thanks to your inspiration.”

Yu Qingshan, overhearing, added with pride, “Your little sister has a sharp mind.”

Of course, he thought to himself, she takes after me. But he refrained from saying so aloud—it would sound too much like something Yu Xiangyan would say.

Wen Ruzhen and Wen Yizhen opted not to join, so Yu Xiangqing led Yu Xiangyan to the place herself.

“Xiao An is at work. I’ll take you there. The gatekeeper knows me.”

Yu Xiangju raised his hand eagerly. “He knows me too!”

He had stayed there for a while, after all.

When they arrived, the gatekeeper asked a few questions and let them in.

Standing before the two residential buildings, Yu Xiangyan nodded in approval. “Not bad. Xiao An lives in the back, right?”

Yu Xiangyan thought his younger sister’s unit had a great location—close to where many of the leaders lived. It was convenient for networking; you could gather a lot of information just by taking a stroll through the building.

As they approached, they saw Song Shujing sitting by her open door, knitting in the sunlight. She smiled at their arrival. “Xiao Qing, you’re here. And this is…?”

Yu Xiangqing greeted her. “Sister Song, this is my second brother.”

“So, you’re Xiao An’s second brother,” she said, smiling warmly.

Yu Xiangqing introduced them formally, “This is Sister Song, Xiao An’s neighbor.”

Then she unlocked the door and led Yu Xiangyan inside. “This is the place Xiao An was assigned.”

Yu Xiangyan surveyed the space. “Everything you’d need is here.” It struck him as a perfect future wedding home for his sister.

With this place, she wouldn’t have to live with a mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, or brothers-in-law. Even as a man, he understood how tricky those relationships could be.

Having her own space meant she could take her time finding a partner. Whether in five or ten years, she could still find someone with decent qualities and no overly burdensome family issues.

He inspected the doors, windows, and walls before leaving.

This was essentially his sister’s room, and as an older brother of about the same age, it wasn’t appropriate for him to scrutinize it too closely.

Aside from spending time with his wife and helping with household chores, Yu Xiangyan also took the opportunity to reconnect with his former classmates and friends.

He had many friends, and even during his time in the countryside, he had kept in touch with them through letters. Now that he was back, it was only natural to pay them a visit.

Among his classmates, some had taken over family jobs, while others had also been sent to the countryside as educated youth. Generally, the majority had been sent down, given the era’s circumstances.

At the time, families tended to have many children. His mother had given birth to seven, and five of them were still around—a number that was neither unusually large nor particularly small.

One of his classmates had a mother who had given birth to twelve children—the largest number of siblings he had ever encountered among people he knew.

If you weren’t the eldest or youngest child, your chances of being sent to the countryside increased significantly once you came of age.

When Yu Xiangyan visited some friends living near the Zhou family’s area, he also took the opportunity to wander around their neighborhood.

He didn’t want to admit it, but he had misjudged both Liang Yong and Zhou Boyang.

Back then, although he hadn’t considered them ideal candidates for his sisters, he thought they were passable enough and didn’t oppose them. In hindsight, his judgment had been painfully off the mark.

The truth slapped him hard in the face. His ability to assess people clearly needed work.

He had already dealt with Liang Yong by giving him a beating to vent his sister’s frustration. As for Zhou Boyang, he hadn’t been present when his elder brother had ambushed him with the sack. He felt the need to find an opportunity to settle that account himself.

However, as time passed, rehashing the same incident became tiresome. The gossip about their love triangle had died down, and Zhou Boyang had returned to a normal life. As for his stepsister, by now she was eight or nine months pregnant, close to giving birth.

She rarely went out, and although he had passed by their home several times, he hadn’t caught a proper glimpse of her. Once, he saw a silhouette moving by the window, but that was it.

The Yu family had formally severed ties with her. He hadn’t seen her since.

While there were no open interactions between the Yu family and her, he wouldn’t be surprised if Zhao Qiaoniang maintained private contact.

After all, that was her biological daughter, and with her being pregnant, it was only natural for her mother to care. As long as Aunt Qiao kept things discreet and didn’t try to restore their relationship as if nothing had happened, everyone could turn a blind eye.

Generally, stepmothers carried a stigma. It was easy for a stepmother to be harsh toward her stepchildren, with the father often becoming emotionally distant in turn.

For example, Ding Minxiu.

Once her younger brother was born, their father, Ding Fahai, would completely forget about his daughter unless someone explicitly reminded him.

But their family was different.

Firstly, with so many siblings, the eldest, Yu Xianghai, was already earning a salary by the time Zhao Qiaoniang entered their lives. Shortly after, Ye Qijia also started contributing to the household income.

Most of the children were already grown by then. With the Qin family living nearby, their grandmother often visited. More importantly, their father stood firmly on their side and didn’t let marriage to a stepmother turn him into a negligent parent. If he’d had the resources and energy to raise the twin younger sisters on his own, they might have survived. He had remarried solely for the children’s sake.

Secondly, Zhao Qiaoniang didn’t have a formal job, her family wasn’t based in the county, her parents had passed away, her relationship with her brothers wasn’t good, and she had brought a daughter into the marriage. On top of all that, she couldn’t have children of her own, so her position in the household was weak.

The Yu siblings hadn’t experienced mistreatment from their stepmother and treated her as a distant yet cordial relative. They respectfully called her Aunt Qiao and maintained a neutral relationship.

In this recent matter, Yu Xiangyan could differentiate between Zhao Qiaoniang and Ding Minxiu. If Aunt Qiao had been complicit in the issue, his attitude would have been entirely different.

Today, Yu Xiangyan visited a high school classmate who had married early. The classmate had tied the knot the same year they graduated, and now had a one-year-old child. Yu Xiangyan brought a gift to visit them and, on his way back, took a detour to pass by the Zhou family’s neighborhood. There, he unexpectedly ran into Zhao Qiaoniang.

The way she kept glancing behind her after every few steps piqued his curiosity. Quietly following her, he wondered what she was up to, especially in this area near the Zhou house. Was she meeting Ding Minxiu?

At a secluded corner, Yu Xiangyan spotted Ding Minxiu standing there.

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

There was no need for Zhao Qiaoniang to act so furtively, even if she was meeting her.

Zhao Qiaoniang quickly approached Ding Minxiu and handed her some baby clothes she had secretly made. With the baby due any day now, she had prepared two little outfits.

Ding Minxiu accepted the clothes and examined them. Her brows furrowed slightly—these weren’t made from a single piece of fabric, the texture wasn’t soft, and they looked a bit old, as though the material had been stored for a long time.

She held them without saying a word.

Zhao Qiaoniang offered a few pieces of advice, cautioning her to take care of herself. Ding Minxiu, growing impatient, responded curtly, “Alright, I got it. Are you done? I need to go back.”

When Yu Xiangyan peeked out again, he saw Zhao Qiaoniang hurrying away. Ding Minxiu, however, remained standing there, staring at the baby clothes in her hands for a long time before finally heading back.

Yu Xiangyan decided to ask his elder brother, Yu Xianghai, if he knew about Zhao Qiaoniang’s interactions with Ding Minxiu. Did the family ever address it, prompting her to act so secretively?

Yu Xianghai seemed puzzled. “I didn’t know. She’s never mentioned Ding Minxiu to me. But they must be in contact—after all, she’s the one who wrote to us about the whole incident with Fourth Sister.”

He added, “She’s probably afraid we’d get angry if we found out. You weren’t here before, so you didn’t see Dad’s face when he found out about it. He was furious.”

“Grandma even scolded her after she got back.”

Yu Xiangyan nodded thoughtfully.

---

On New Year’s Eve, Lin Chuanbai finally had a day off. Working at the hospital meant accommodating patients, so he only had two days of vacation this year—New Year’s Eve and the first day of the lunar year. He arranged a shift swap, turning his break into New Year’s Eve and the second day of the new year.

That evening, the family sat down for the New Year’s dinner, but the table felt emptier than usual.

Lin Duozhong took the main seat. On his left sat Lin Jiqing, Xu Haili, Lin Nanxing, and Lin Chuankong. On his right was Lin Chuanbai. Altogether, there were only six of them.

Earlier, Lin Duozhong had received a phone call from his eldest son, wishing him a happy new year. His son was currently at the factory, working alongside the remaining staff to ensure production continued through the holidays. Naturally, he couldn’t come home.

Since his eldest son wasn’t coming back, neither his second wife nor her children would return either.

His eldest grandson was in Shanghai. Although he technically had time off for the New Year, the round-trip journey would take too long. By the time he arrived, his vacation would be over, so returning wasn’t feasible.

His eldest granddaughter lived nearby but had already started her own family. If she were to visit, it would be on the second day of the lunar new year, when daughters traditionally return to their parents’ home.

Lin Duozhong looked around the table and felt it was far too empty.

If nothing unexpected happened, his eldest grandson would likely settle in Shanghai permanently. His youngest grandson was still in school. If there were any hopes of expanding the family, it would have to fall to Chuanbai and Nanxing.

Nanxing had her mother planning for her, but Lin Chuanbai was a different case. Lin Duozhong looked at him and said, “Don’t you think it’s about time for you to get married? Tomorrow, you’ll be nineteen.”

Lin Chuanbai could only chuckle helplessly.

Xu Haili’s eyes darted around. She didn’t want him to marry too soon; her own son was still young.

So she chimed in, “Dad, he’s still learning from you. Once he marries, he’ll get distracted. He’s still young—there’s no rush.”

For once, Lin Chuanbai agreed with her. “Exactly, no rush.”

Finding a partner wasn’t urgent for him. At this stage, potential matches would typically be around sixteen or seventeen years old, which felt far too young. He couldn’t shake the sense of guilt such a situation would bring. Waiting until he was thirty to think about marriage didn’t seem like a bad idea.

Lin Duozhong sighed, but he didn’t press further. Since Lin Chuanbai had said his piece, he dropped the topic. “Tomorrow is the first day of the new year. Before your shift, remember to visit Uncle Wang’s house with your brother to offer New Year’s greetings.”

Lin Chuanbai had two days off. Yu Xiang’an, on the other hand, enjoyed a four-day holiday for the new year: New Year’s Eve through the third day of the lunar year.

Their schedule was well-organized. New Year’s Eve was spent as a family. On the first day, they visited relatives to exchange greetings. The second day was reserved for visiting the Qin family, and on the third day, they would return to their rural hometown.

On New Year’s Eve, the meal was a feast. Yu Xiangyan and Yu Xiang’an prepared the dishes, while Zhao Qiaoniang, Yu Xiangqing, and Wen Ruzhen helped.

The menu included: braised beef chunks, pig trotters stewed with soybeans, braised fish, sweet and sour ribs, braised tofu, steamed egg with shrimp, stewed lotus root, steamed meatballs, steamed ham, and radish bone soup.

Ten dishes—symbolizing perfection.

When the dishes were all laid out, Yu Xiangju stammered in astonishment, “So… so many dishes!”

His face was filled with a dreamlike expression.

Swallowing hard, Yu Xiangju didn’t even hear Ye Qijia calling him to wash his hands. He was too entranced, all his attention captured by the table full of food.

This must be how immortals lived.

The beef was brought out by Yu Xiang’an, the pig trotters were exchanged through bartering, the large fish was Yu Xianghai’s contribution, and the ham was brought back by Yu Xiangyan. The rest were bought through careful planning and queuing.

Each family member added something, resulting in this grand feast.

Yu Qingshan looked at the array of dishes, then at his family, all present and accounted for, and smiled so broadly that his eyes nearly disappeared.

Yesterday, when Yu Xiang’an had mentioned her idea of starting a collective workshop in the Hongxing Brigade, Yu Qingshan had mulled over the possibility. If successful, they could stabilize job quotas and perhaps bring back Yu Xiang’an and Yu Xiang’an from the countryside.

To celebrate, Yu Qingshan brought out his treasured liquor. Everyone received a small amount except for Yu Xiangju, Yu Mingjie, and the pregnant Ye Qijia.

Lifting his cup, Yu Qingshan spoke first: “This year is behind us. Let’s hope for fuller bellies and peace in the new year!”

Zhao Qiaoniang followed: “May we all smile more.”

Yu Xianghai added: “Another year has passed, and I’m a year older. I’ll work harder and aim for a promotion.”

Ye Qijia said warmly, “Peace is a blessing.”

Yu Xiangyan grinned, “May we all rise higher in life next year. I also hope for a promotion.” He was aiming to get promoted to “dad.”

Wen Ruzhen smiled shyly, “May our family stay safe and sound.”

Wen Yizhen echoed, “Good health to everyone.”

Yu Xiangqing declared, “Next year, I’ll be an aunt again! I’ll work hard too.” She planned to write more and make a name for herself.

Yu Xiang’an smiled. “I hope we can all stay warm and well-fed, and that the day we can take a bus everywhere comes soon.”

Yu Xiangju, full of spirit, exclaimed, “I’m an uncle now! I’ll be a role model for my nieces and nephews. Next year, I’ll study hard, grow taller, and mature faster!”

Each person shared their wish, and after finishing their drink, Yu Qingshan said, “Dig in!”

At that, everyone eagerly picked up their chopsticks and attacked their favorite dishes with vigor.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃

Thingyan: Translator after this chapter 👇