Ch 47: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

Yu Xiang’an talked a lot. Usually, she deliberately avoided dwelling on her past, but her birthday provided an emotional outlet.

She wanted to talk about her family from before.

She didn’t need anyone to comment or judge—just a silent listener. After much thought, she realized Lin Chuanbai was the most suitable. He understood what she was saying, wouldn’t think of her as crazy or foolish, and could empathize with her feelings.

Although she didn’t explicitly state that her family was harmonious, it was clear from her words that they were.

To suddenly find oneself in a new world must have been unsettling.

Given the circumstances, Lin Chuanbai thought it was impressive how quickly she adapted to life here.

He wasn’t the same—he had no lingering attachments.

Yu Xiang’an wasn’t sure how long she had been talking. By the time they finished her home-cooked meal, milk tea, and cake, she had run out of things to say.

Lin Chuanbai, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke about himself.

In his past life, he didn’t have many relatives. The only family he had was an old Taoist priest who had adopted him and paid for his education.

The Taoist priest, a somewhat eccentric man, dabbled in various skills. He was often invited to perform rituals, exorcisms, or even treat minor ailments. Through these earnings, he managed to send Lin Chuanbai to university. Unfortunately, less than a year into Lin Chuanbai’s studies, the priest passed away suddenly from an illness.

After that, Lin Chuanbai immersed himself entirely in his studies. He focused on academics and rewarded himself by exploring delicious food. He recounted his food-hunting adventures near his university.

“I loved the spicy hot pot shop around the corner on the snack street. Every time I went, I’d spend dozens of yuan. The beef meatballs were so chewy, and the soup was unforgettable. There was also a bakery next door. I was a regular there, often buying bread and cakes for breakfast.”

“There was a vendor outside the south gate who sold Shaanxi cold noodles. He wasn’t there every day, but whenever he was, there’d be a long line.”

“Right before I came here, I visited a newly opened restaurant. Their specialty, five-color meatballs, was amazing. I was already planning a second visit.”

As Lin Chuanbai spoke, Yu Xiang’an listened quietly. Gradually, her expression changed to one of surprise. When he finished, she asked, “Were you at X University?”

Lin Chuanbai: “??!!”

It turned out they were alumni!

Not only that, but the five-color meatballs he mentioned were from her private restaurant. Before arriving in this world, he had already eaten her food.

What kind of fate was this?!

The two of them sat in stunned silence for a long time before suddenly bursting into laughter.

“HAHAHAHA!”

They laughed so hard they looked like fools.

After that, their relationship seemed unchanged—still revolving around cooking and ordering food—but both of them knew it was different. They occasionally vented to each other about their troubles. Their interactions became the foundation of a true friendship.

Yu Xiang’an discovered that Lin Chuanbai, who seemed reserved most of the time, could be incredibly talkative when he started venting.

“I know what my second aunt is thinking, but what does that have to do with me? My cousin hates studying medicine; it gives him a headache. He doesn’t want to do it, and she can’t force him. So now she takes her frustration out on me because I smoothly secured a job. I’m innocent! It’s nothing major, but her comments and little actions are so annoying.”

“If the county hospital had single dorms, I’d have moved out ages ago. Or if we had housing options like your factory’s, where I could buy a place to live alone, I’d do it in a heartbeat.”

“My grandfather doesn’t like her either, but as the father-in-law, he doesn’t feel it’s his place to constantly criticize her. My grandmother passed away a long time ago, and my second uncle is a complete introvert—he can go an entire day without saying a word. All the big and small decisions in their household are made by my second aunt. He has no say in anything.”

“Thankfully, my cousin didn’t turn out like her. He knows how to draw boundaries; otherwise, it would’ve been double the headache.”

“My second aunt is overly suspicious. Unless she has something firmly in her hands, she won’t believe it’s real. Even though my grandfather has spoken to her, she still gets jealous when she sees me going to work. She probably won’t feel at ease until my cousin has a job of his own. But even then, if his job isn’t as good as mine, I doubt she’ll let it go. Thinking about it, moving out really is the best option.”

“Having your own home is truly wonderful. Privacy isn’t highly valued these days, so having a private space is a real blessing.”

Yu Xiang’an shared some of her own experiences. “The day before yesterday, I went out with Deputy Factory Manager Wang and happened to come across a commotion at the other factory. A woman was making a scene, saying her partner got injured at work and demanding compensation from the factory. She cornered the two of us to mediate, even though we didn’t know anything about the situation. She was literally making a scene—rolling on the ground and yelling.”

Yu Xiang’an sounded amazed. “It was my first time witnessing the infamous ‘one cry, two rants, three hangings’ in real life. She even brought out a rope and pretended she was going to hang herself.”

The spectacle left her stunned.

“But then the situation flipped. It turned out her partner was the one at fault. He’d neglected his duties and caused significant losses to the factory. She didn’t mention a word about that before.”

Their bond deepened, and they began to be more considerate of each other’s needs. When Yu Xiang’an cooked for Lin Chuanbai, she put in extra effort—after all, he was a customer, whether in the past or now.

Lin Chuanbai enjoyed her cooking immensely, and in return, he fulfilled her needs by giving her some ginseng and paying closer attention to her sister-in-law.

Their friendship progressed rapidly. Meanwhile, Yu Qingbao’s progress didn’t fall behind. At home, Yu Qingshan taught him diligently, and during Yu Qingshan’s work hours, Yu Qingbao practiced alone. When Yu Qingshan returned, the two of them worked together.

With Yu Qingshan’s wholehearted guidance, Yu Qingbao quickly mastered the skills. Back at the Hongxing Brigade, he gathered people to start papermaking. The father and son each managed separate areas, and their family’s reputation soared.

The first batch of workers who exchanged labor points for bricks had already built their houses. However, the newly produced paper couldn’t be exchanged for labor points. The team leader announced that it would be sold for cash and the profits distributed later.

This excited everyone. Cash was better—it could buy many things, and straw paper wasn’t a necessity for most of them. Naturally, money was more appealing.

When the first batch of products was ready, Yu Shunwen took a team to sell it. They had already secured approval, and their first customer was the county supply and marketing cooperative, facilitated by Ye Qijia’s connections.

With this successful start, Yu Shunwen grew even more confident. While Ye Qijia’s help was crucial, the quality of their paper also played a key role—otherwise, the cooperative wouldn’t have accepted it so readily without bargaining.

Buoyed by this momentum, Yu Shunwen pushed forward.

Their paper was cheaper than what the cooperative had been sourcing through traditional channels. With no extra costs or disputes, the cooperative naturally chose their product.

To gain everyone’s support and accelerate the upgrade from a small workshop to a factory, Yu Shunwen distributed a portion of the earnings to the workers after just one month.

The money was allocated based on labor points: those with more points received more money, while those with fewer points received less.

This distribution boosted morale significantly. Now, earning labor points not only meant food rations and bricks for building houses but also real money. With such incentives, why would anyone slack off?

Though the initial payout was small, everyone realized it had only been a short time since the project began. If profits had started this quickly, how much could they earn in a year?

Life was becoming more hopeful by the day.

Things were progressing just as Yu Shunwen had envisioned.

Yu Qingshan was also very satisfied with the progress. If all went smoothly, his second son and fourth daughter could come home soon.

Of the two, he planned to call his daughter back first. She was alone far away, so she needed more attention. His son, on the other hand, had his wife and brother-in-law with him, so there was less immediate concern.

Around this time, Ye Qijia entered her final weeks of pregnancy. Twin pregnancies often resulted in premature births and required extra care.

As her due date approached, Ye Qijia moved into the Yu family’s old house. This year, Zhao Qiaoniang couldn’t find a temporary worker, so she helped look after Ye Qijia.

During this period, labor was considered the highest form of glory, but given her special circumstances and carrying twins, Ye Qijia’s superiors had granted her an early leave.

This policy was something Yu Xiang’an strongly disagreed with. At one factory, a heavily pregnant worker had insisted on staying at her post and ended up giving birth there. Thankfully, both she and the baby were fine due to her good health, but the incident had turned her into a model of dedication, praised for her commitment.

This type of “dedication” was nothing more than risking lives for the sake of appearances.

Ye Qijia went into labor at night.

Yu Xianghai was jolted awake and immediately woke up Yu Qingshan and the others to prepare for any emergencies. Since her due date wasn’t near, they hadn’t arranged for hospitalization, so the early labor caught them off guard.

Yu Xianghai was panicking, hovering anxiously around Ye Qijia until Yu Qingshan began directing him on what to do. Only then did he gather himself enough to lift her and help her onto a borrowed handcart.

Yu Xianghai was too tense to push the cart, so Yu Qingshan took over, while Yu Xianghai walked alongside, talking to Ye Qijia to calm her nerves. But judging by his rambling, it was hard to tell who was calming whom.

Zhao Qiaoniang arrived slightly later, bringing clothes, blankets, and food for Ye Qijia.

Yu Xiang’an followed them to the hospital. In his current state, Yu Xianghai was as helpless as a panicked bull—unable to make decisions and stumbling about.

Once the doctor arrived and Ye Qijia was admitted to the delivery room, Yu Xiang’an turned to Yu Qingshan. “I need to inform my sister-in-law’s family.”

They had repeatedly stressed that they wanted to be notified as soon as labor began, no matter the time.

Glancing at the dark night outside, Yu Qingshan said, “I’ll go. You stay here and keep watch.” He handed her the money in his pocket. “If you need it, use it.”

He guessed his eldest son hadn’t brought any.

This was Ye Qijia’s second childbirth, so it was expected to go more smoothly than other twin pregnancies.

Yu Xianghai sat outside the delivery room, staring blankly at the door, listening for faint sounds from within. Suddenly, he snapped out of his daze. “Where are Mingjie and Xiaoju?”

Yu Xiang’an reassured him, “They’re still sleeping. Don’t worry, there’s someone at home watching over them. They’ll be fine.” She planned to return once her sister-in-law’s family arrived. When she left, Zhao Qiaoniang would bring supplies to the hospital.

Not long after, Yu Qingshan returned with Ye Qijia’s parents. They had come in such a hurry that their clothes were disheveled.

It was clear they were very worried.

Once Yu Qingshan arrived, Yu Xiang’an informed him before heading back home.

She had work the next day, and while Yu Qingshan and Yu Xianghai would help with taking leave if necessary, it wasn’t feasible for everyone to stay at the hospital. Yu Xianghai and Zhao Qiaoniang would remain, while Yu Qingshan and Yu Xiang’an would visit during their lunch breaks.

Still thinking about the situation, Yu Xiang’an found herself distracted the next morning. Fortunately, no mistakes occurred.

She had reason to feel confident—she had been consistently going for check-ups, so there was little risk of complications.

Just before noon, as soon as she left, the first baby was born.

It was a boy.

Half an hour later, the second baby, a girl, was born.

The girl, compared to her brother, weighed less than four pounds and needed to stay in the hospital for observation.

She was so tiny it made everyone’s heart ache.

But thankfully, both mother and children were safe. After a thorough examination, the doctor assured them that with proper care, the baby would be fine.

Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, their faces relaxing into smiles.

“Dragon and phoenix twins—how rare!”

“Exactly, so lucky!”

Yu Mingjie kept tiptoeing, trying to catch a glimpse of his new siblings. “When can I see my little brother and sister?”

The doctor, in a good mood, replied, “You’ll see your brother soon, but your sister needs more time.”

Yu Xiangju also tiptoed, chiming in, “I want to see my nephew and niece too! I’m their little uncle.”

Though he was about the same age as Mingjie, he proudly acknowledged his seniority in the family hierarchy.

Yu Xiang’an finally got to see the babies that evening.

The boy weighed nearly five pounds, while the girl was just shy of four pounds.

Newborns, as expected, weren’t much to look at—wrinkly, reddish, and far from fair-skinned.

Ye Qijia had woken up but lacked energy. After briefly seeing the babies, she quickly fell back asleep.

This delivery had been tough on her. She stayed in the hospital for seven days, pampered with an abundance of nutritious food that made other mothers envious.

Much of the food was prepared by Yu Xiang’an, who received a “meal allowance” from Yu Xianghai to help out. She even consulted Lin Chuanbai for advice and added beneficial medicinal ingredients to the meals.

Thanks to her good health and the excellent nutrition, Ye Qijia recovered significantly within a few days and was able to move back home to continue her postpartum care. However, her younger daughter still needed to stay in the hospital for observation.

Ye Qijia’s postpartum care was overseen by Zhao Qiaoniang, while her mother kept an eye on the baby girl in the hospital.

She stayed at the Yu family home for her confinement period.

After the month of recovery, Ye Qijia hadn’t shed any of the weight she gained during pregnancy. Nursing two babies required her to consume plenty of lactogenic foods.

Grateful for the care, she gifted Zhao Qiaoniang a set of clothes once the confinement period ended. Taking care of a mother and newborns wasn’t an easy task.

Afterward, Ye Qijia moved back to the factory housing with her mother to help care for the babies. With two adults, plus Yu Mingjie as the big brother, they managed well.

As the babies grew, Yu Xiang’an noticed that the little girl, named Yu Mingyao, bore a striking resemblance to her aunt—herself. In fact, she thought the girl looked even more like her eldest sister from her previous life!

What kind of fate was this?

Because of this, Yu Xiang’an developed a special fondness for the little girl.

No one found it strange since the girl’s weaker health naturally drew more attention and care.

If both siblings cried from hunger, the girl was always fed first. Only after she was full would they turn to the boy.

Her brother had a hearty appetite, but she ate very little. For now, Ye Qijia could barely manage to feed both. However, it was clear that as the babies grew, their milk demand would soon exceed her supply, and they would need formula.

Fortunately, formula coupons were still available, so they could buy some for the short term. What would happen later was uncertain. Typically, babies could start eating solids at six months. Ye Qijia planned to gradually introduce solid foods to her son, reducing his reliance on milk. For her daughter, it would depend on how well she adapted. If the little girl refused solids, it would ease the burden slightly, as she’d be the only one relying on breast milk.

With the arrival of the younger children, Yu Mingjie and Yu Xiangju seemed to mature significantly.

Now seven and six years old, they were just starting to understand responsibility. In these times, when most families had many children, it was common for the older ones to take care of the younger ones.

Though Mingyao was too delicate to be left in the care of the older kids, little Mingfeng posed no issue.

For the most part, the babies were kept on the bed, left to play by themselves. When they cried, they’d be soothed or changed. When they were hungry, they’d be taken to their mother for feeding.

Watching this system in action, Yu Xiang’an was speechless: “…”

Reflecting on the original owner’s memories, she realized there were many instances of taking care of Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie in the same way. In large families, this was simply how things worked—how else could the adults find time to work and earn money?

Once the children were weaned, the workload lightened significantly. For instance, Mingyao, who now seemed no different from an ordinary child, no longer needed constant attention. Yu Xiang’an returned to work, nursing in the morning, having her mother feed the twins during the day, and nursing again at noon.

By the time the children turned one, they’d essentially become independent. In some cases, younger siblings were entirely raised by older brothers and sisters from infancy to adulthood.

Thinking about how, in her previous life, kids this age were often “brats,” with parents chasing after them to eat, the contrast with these responsible little helpers was stark.

Truly, children of the poor grow up early.

Lin Chuanbai learned about how Yu Xiang’an’s eldest brother’s daughter resembled her older sister from her past life. He understood the emotional connection.

Even though she knew this wasn’t the same person, seeing such a familiar face living a good life brought her comfort. It was the same feeling he had when he saw Lin Duzhong, who resembled the old Taoist priest.

Taking a pound of sesame from his burlap sack, he handed it to Yu Xiang’an. She accepted it—it was for making sesame cakes. These days, Lin Chuanbai found himself getting very hungry in the late afternoons, and having some snacks helped a lot.

“Your niece should be fine now, right?” he asked.

Yu Xiang’an smiled. “She’s fine.”

Children were prone to illness, especially those with weaker constitutions, but thankfully, this time it wasn’t serious. She had been giving the little girl spiritual spring water, which seemed to help.

“Do you want some wild boar meat? I know someone from another brigade where wild boars have been coming down the mountain, destroying crops. They caught over a dozen—some were sold to the procurement station, and the rest were shared among the villagers. If you want some, I can ask him to set some aside.”

Yu Xiang’an’s eyes lit up. “Of course!”

Why would she say no? Although wild boar meat could be tougher, when properly prepared, it was equally delicious.

“Alright, let’s meet here at the same time tomorrow. Oh, by the way, I saw your article in the newspaper. It was very well-written. That’s the second one you’ve had published recently, right?” Lin Chuanbai said. He regularly read the paper and had noticed her name.

Yu Xiang’an felt a bit shy. “It gets easier the more you write.”

As a result, more of her submissions were being accepted.

“I even wrote an article praising our factory, and it got published too. I heard from the factory director that I might be in the running for an ‘Excellence’ award at the end of the year.”

Normally, she wouldn’t mention uncertain things—she didn’t want to come across as boastful in case it didn’t happen. But somehow, she ended up saying it now.

Oddly, she hadn’t told anyone else.

“That’s great. You must be doing well at work, and the articles have brought recognition to the factory. If your boss mentioned it, there’s a good chance it’ll happen.” Lin Chuanbai encouraged her.

Being awarded “Excellence” was highly significant during this time. It came with rewards, increased prestige, and was an important criterion for housing allocation.

“It’d be great to get it, but if not, it’s no big deal,” Yu Xiang’an said nonchalantly. She didn’t plan to stay at the factory until the next housing allocation anyway.

Her plan was to leave once the college entrance exams were reinstated.

The world outside was much broader.

“You really enjoy cooking, don’t you? A couple of days ago, I went to the city and happened to find these two cookbooks in a bookstore. I thought of you and picked them up.” Lin Chuanbai had initially gone to buy picture books for Yuanyuan but remembered her interests and asked the store clerk to help him find these.

Yu Xiang’an took the books and glanced through them, her face lighting up with delight. “These have a lot of recipes I haven’t seen before. Thank you!”

Given their relationship, accepting the books didn’t feel out of place. As long as she returned the favor when she had the chance, it wouldn’t seem like she was always taking advantage. Being too rigid about keeping things even could make the relationship feel distant.

Seeing her happy, Lin Chuanbai breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m glad you like them.”

It was worth all the effort he had spent searching.

“I know you enjoy reading cookbooks, but don’t forget about math and politics. If you forget everything now, it’ll be a pain to pick it up again later,” he reminded her.

Both of them planned to take the college entrance exams.

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

She was momentarily at a loss for words.

He had a point. Reviewing occasionally would make it easier to retain the material, but… passion was the best teacher.

She could read cookbooks, no matter how obscure, with unflagging interest. But math and politics were another matter entirely.

Politics, in particular, was filled with the ideology of the time, and it was crucial to get it right. Writing something inappropriate on the exam could lead to serious trouble.

Suddenly, two small heads popped up from the edge of the scene. Seeing the two of them, the children shouted, “Fifth Sister! Fifth Sister!”

Yu Xiang’an turned and saw Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie.

“What are you doing here at this hour?” She usually stayed at the factory dormitory for work, cooking her own dinners. Since it was dinner time now, their sudden visit must mean something was up.

“Uncle’s here! Dad told us to call you back. Eldest Brother is waiting for you near your dorm. When we asked about you, someone said they saw you heading this way,” explained Yu Xiangju.

Lin Chuanbai nodded. “I’ll head back then.”

“Alright.”

“Why is Uncle here at this time?”

“He came with Brother Manwu to deliver wild boar meat. We’re going to have wild boar meat for dinner!”

“Ah, so Hongxing Brigade caught some wild boars too.”

“By the way, Fifth Sister, who was that man just now? Is he your fiancé? Are you secretly dating like in the movies?” Yu Xiangju’s clear black-and-white eyes sparkled with pure curiosity.

“COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!”

Yu Xiang’an choked at his question, caught completely off guard.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃

<<<

TOC

>>>