Ch 72: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

Hearing the accent, Yu Xiang’an turned her head and saw, as expected, a blond, blue-eyed foreigner. When he saw her, his face lit up with a hint of amazement, and he said, “Beautiful,” followed by a greeting in Chinese, “Nǐ hǎo.”

Yu Xiang’an smiled and stood up. “Hello.”

“The thing in your hand, very nice.”

Yu Xiang’an extended her hand, offering the item. “If you like it, feel free to take a look. I just picked it up casually to check.”

The foreigner looked momentarily confused, as though he didn’t understand. Yu Xiang’an repeated herself in English, and his face instantly brightened with delight.

“That’s great! My Chinese isn’t very good, and most of the time, people don’t understand what I’m saying.”

“My foreign language skills aren’t bad. If you like it, you can buy it. It’s only five yuan.”

“This is so beautiful! I like it! Five yuan? That cheap?”

The stall owner, watching them converse in a foreign language, hunched his shoulders a little, clearly impressed. He wouldn’t have dared to do the same. When foreigners spoke to him, he often couldn’t respond and would miss out on business.

The foreigner, who introduced himself as Clark, smiled as he took out money to buy the plate, placing it into his backpack, which already contained a small vase with a similar carp design.

Lin Chuanbai noticed. “You seem to like porcelain?”

Clet flashed a bright smile. “Yes, I was raised by a Chinese woman—my adoptive mother. She had two vases with similar patterns, and I grew to love them as well.”

Lin Chuanbai nodded in understanding. “So that’s how it is. Did she come back with you to visit her homeland this time?”

Clark shook his head. “She has passed away. I recently graduated from university, and I took the opportunity to visit this country. I wanted to see the homeland she always spoke so fondly about. On her deathbed, she kept reminiscing about her hometown, and I promised her that once I graduated, I would come here with her photo and build her a symbolic grave.”

His words stirred sympathy in those around him.

Yu Xiang’an said softly, “Do you know where her hometown is? We’re quite familiar with the area and can help guide you.”

Clark’s smile grew even brighter. “That would be amazing! My pronunciation isn’t great, so people often don’t understand me. I’ve asked others, but I haven’t been able to find the place. I ended up here by following directions from others.”

He took out an old photograph from his pocket, and Yu Xiang’an immediately recognized it. “Isn’t this near Capital University?”

It seemed his adoptive mother had lived near Capital University.

“We know where this is. We’ll take you there.”

“That’s fantastic! How should I address you both?”

“I’m Lin Chuanbai.”

“Then can I call you Lin?”

“I’m Yu Xiang’an, his wife.”

“Then I’ll call you Yu.”

Clark pointed to himself. “Lin, Yu, you can call me Clark.”

Since Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai hadn’t bought much yet, they decided they could shop later. Touched by Clark’s sincerity, they decided to act as his guides.

Clark spent a long time in the area, taking multiple photos with his camera. “From her descriptions, I can confirm—this is it. This was her home.”

Now, however, it had become home to many others.

Watching the children peeking out cautiously from behind doors, Yu Xiang’an fell silent.

Lin Chuanbai said, “My condolences.”

“I believe she’ll be guided by God to heaven, where she’ll reunite with her family,” Clark replied. He was sad for a moment but quickly regained his spirits.

“Thank you for guiding me here.”

Yu Xiang’an said, “You’re welcome. Where are you heading next?”

Clark patted his stomach. “To eat. Do you have any recommendations?”

Yu Xiang’an said, “What a coincidence—I own a restaurant myself, and the food’s pretty good. Would you like to give it a try?”

Clark smiled. “It would be my pleasure.”

Then, curiously, he added, “I wouldn’t have guessed you run a restaurant. I thought you two were university students.” They both looked quite young.

Lin Chuanbai smiled. “I’m actually still a graduate student.”

Clark gave him a thumbs-up. “Impressive!”

Clark followed them to Yu Xiang’an’s restaurant.

Torn between hotpot and braised food, he eventually chose hotpot.

When he entered, the entire restaurant fell silent. Everyone turned to stare, making Yu Xiang’an jump. “Everyone, please enjoy your meals as usual. Don’t mind him—he’s just a foreign friend here to eat.”

Not wanting him to feel uncomfortable, she quickly ushered him into a private room.

Once inside, Clark became a broken record, exclaiming, “This is amazing! My goodness, what is this? It’s so delicious!”

“I’ve never had anything like this before. It’s incredible! I’m in love with it!”

Yu Xiang’an listened with a mysterious smile on her face. “Thank you for the compliments.”

“Thank you for the delicious food,” he repeated enthusiastically.

You had to hand it to foreigners—they were so genuine in their praise that it was refreshing.

Because there was a blond, blue-eyed foreigner dining in the restaurant, other patrons couldn’t resist walking by the private room repeatedly, sneaking peeks through the door cracks to catch a glimpse of the “exotic scene.”

Clark, however, was used to it. In his first two days in the country, he had felt like a monkey in a zoo. Now, he had learned to ignore it.

Lin Chuanbai had to get up and firmly close the door, asking the onlookers to be more restrained. Thankfully, no one had pointed at Clark and called him a monster—now that would have been awkward.

Even if someone had, Clark probably wouldn’t have understood. His Chinese vocabulary was limited to simpler words.

Clark’s table manners were excellent, and watching him eat made others feel hungrier.

As they neared the end of the meal, Yu Xiang’an asked, “Clark, now that you’ve graduated, are you starting work soon?”

Clark, sipping from the soup base with satisfaction, replied, “Yes, I’ll be helping my uncle when I get back.”

“Your uncle owns a company?”

“No, not exactly. He owns a supermarket.”

“The kind that sells a variety of goods—food, daily necessities, clothes, and so on?”

“Yes, exactly like that.”

Yu Xiang’an nodded, watching as Clark picked up a slice of beef from the hotpot, dipped it into her special sauce, and suddenly had an idea. “Do you think this sauce would sell in your supermarket?”

Without hesitation, Clark said while chewing the beef, “Yu, it would definitely sell! It’s so good—if it didn’t sell, that’d be surprising.”

He paused as something occurred to him. Swallowing his food, he gave her a thumbs-up. “Yu, where do you get these seasonings? I want to buy some to take back so my uncle can try them.”

Yu Xiang’an smiled, her eyes narrowing in delight. “I make them myself. If you want some, that’s easy, but I’ll need time to seal them properly.”

Clark’s eyes widened, his heterochromatic pupils making his surprise even more striking. “You made this yourself?! My God, your skills are incredible.”

“These restaurants are mine, and I’m also the head chef here.”

Clark exclaimed, “Yu, isn’t there a Chinese saying, ‘to meet a great mountain but not recognize it’?”

Yu Xiang’an burst out laughing. “You mean, ‘to not recognize Mount Tai when you see it’?”

“Yes, yes! That’s the one. My adoptive mother told me about it.” His eyes practically sparkled as he looked at her.

Lin Chuanbai chimed in, handing him a bottle of soy milk. “Try this.”

Yu Xiang’an, unbothered by false modesty, said, “My cooking skills are indeed good. As you can see, the business is doing well, though the scale is still small. I want to expand gradually. If your uncle likes my sauces and wants to stock them, I’ll have to trouble you to help facilitate that.”

Clark thought about his uncle’s business. If he could bring back a popular product, it would help him establish himself there more quickly. “My dear, do you have any other samples I could take back with me? I’ll bring them for my uncle to try. Of course, you know international shipping isn’t easy.”

Yu Xiang’an replied, “I understand. I just wanted to know if it’s a possibility. If you asked me to start shipping products immediately, I wouldn’t be able to—I don’t have anything ready yet.”

Lin Chuanbai sighed. “…”

Fine, these two only ever think about food or business.

Yu Xiang’an and Clark exchanged contact information and agreed on a time to prepare the items for him. After that, they stopped talking about business and resumed enjoying the food.

When Clark left, Wei Funi approached curiously. “Boss, do you know that foreigner? Were you two speaking English? Your language skills are amazing—I couldn’t understand a single word.”

Lu Xiao also joined in. “Boss, how do you know him? You seemed pretty familiar.”

Aunt He chimed in, “That foreigner is so tall—at least 1.9 meters, right?”

Other customers nearby perked up their ears, eager to listen in.

Yu Xiang’an chuckled. “We met while shopping. He was trying to find a place but didn’t know the way, so we guided him. Then I invited him to try our local cuisine, and he came.”

Wei Funi exclaimed, “So this was your first time meeting him? That’s incredible!” She was deeply impressed—chatting so easily with someone they’d just met.

Their boss’s social skills were truly remarkable.

Lu Xiao pressed further. “What were you two talking about in the private room?”

Yu Xiang’an smiled. “I told him about our country’s food culture. He was amazed and said he’d love to return someday. He also asked me to prepare some sauces and soup bases for him to take back to his country.”

“Wow!”

Everyone became excited.

“So he also thought our food was delicious?”
“Of course! Why else would he want to take it all the way back? It’s not easy to travel internationally.”
“He could take a plane… or a ship, I guess.”
“Either way, it shows that our traditional cuisine is so good it even attracts foreigners.”

Although Clark had left, word quickly spread about the foreigner’s visit and high praise. The restaurant soon experienced another surge in business.

Attitudes toward foreigners had changed significantly from before. In the past, families with overseas connections kept them a secret, fearing trouble. Now, having foreign ties was seen as prestigious. People even believed that “the moon abroad shines brighter,” and if foreigners came to dine here, it must mean the food was exceptional. Everyone wanted to try it.

Watching the bustling crowd, Yu Xiang’an thought, “…”

What an unexpected boon.

The “foreigner effect” would likely remain a strong draw for another ten or twenty years.

She began to consider whether she could capitalize on this by branding her restaurant as foreign-invested.

Because of the encounter with Clark, Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai postponed their next trip to the antique market. When they did return, they purchased a variety of items, including porcelain, old paintings, calligraphy brushes, and other antiques.

This time, they didn’t hide the items but displayed them at home. Some were placed in cabinets, while others were arranged in their bedroom. The twins noticed and curiously touched them. They seemed to admire the pieces as well, particularly the more colorful and intricate ones.

Now that the twins were old enough to understand, Yu Xiang’an instructed them to be careful, explaining that some items were fragile. The twins nodded obediently.

“What do you two like best? Next time, when Dad and Mom go back, we can pick out something similar.”

Lin Yihong pointed to a painting of flowers and birds. “I like this.”

Lin Yining chose a vibrant, colorful vase. “I like this one.”

“Alright, Mom will remember.”

Yu Xiang’an wanted the children to associate their home with these antiques, so it wouldn’t seem unusual in the future when the family displayed them. This way, when they were eventually shown to others, it wouldn’t feel abrupt or out of place.

Not buying but only taking things out felt strange no matter how you thought about it.

However, if they maintained this impression, no one would know exactly what they had bought over the years. Whatever they revealed later would easily pass without question.

When Yu Xiangyan and Wen Ruzhen visited and saw the newly added antiques, they spoke in hushed tones. Yu Xiangyan said, “I’ve also picked up a few items to keep. As the saying goes, ‘Gold in troubled times, antiques in peaceful ones.’ If life continues this smoothly, their value will surely rise. I’m planning to leave them as heirlooms for the three kids.”

He glanced at the room filled with newly acquired items and gave a thumbs-up. “As expected of my sister.”

So decisive—just look at her. She hasn’t been in business for long, yet she’s managed to accumulate so much, almost like wholesale shopping.

Though he never asked how much Yu Xiang’an earned monthly, the sight of her success was enough to reassure him.

Knowing that his sister was doing well and earning a lot, he felt relieved. When their father eventually found out, he might escape with less of a scolding.

Yu Xiang’an smiled and said, “Second Brother, you’re not bad yourself.” She admired his foresight.

The siblings started complimenting each other while Lin Chuanbai shook his head, and Wen Ruzhen chuckled quietly.

Meanwhile, the five children were glued to the TV, completely engrossed.

After some laughter and small talk, Yu Xiangyan asked, “Xiao An, when do you plan to tell Dad and the others?”

Yu Xiang’an waved dismissively. “No rush, no rush.”

Yu Xiangyan sighed. “The longer you delay, the higher the chance of being exposed. You’d better be careful—if Dad hears about it from someone else, it’ll just make things worse.”

Yu Xiang’an thought for a moment, then smiled at him. “Take back those words. Don’t jinx it!”

---

Lin Houpin received letters from both Lin Chuanbai and his old comrade. The content of those letters left him both angry and perplexed. He couldn’t understand why his daughter-in-law would make such a decision, and without consulting anyone, no less. She had already resigned.

He’d always known she was independent-minded, but this kind of impulsive, unilateral decision was too much. This wasn’t a trivial matter. Her job was respectable and well-paying—why on earth would she choose to become a self-employed businesswoman?

Sure, individual businesses could make money, but was money more important than status and stability?

When Lin Duzhong heard about the situation and saw Lin Houpin fuming, he sighed. “Come on, stop getting so worked up. Children and grandchildren have their own destinies. Their kids are already this old—they’re not children anymore. Let them do what they want. If they fail, they can always turn back.”

Lin Houpin, clearly dissatisfied, replied, “Dad, how can you say that? They’re not young and inexperienced anymore. Do you think this is something I can just ignore?”

Lin Duzhong said calmly, “And what can you do about it? She’s already quit her job. Just wait and see. If she does well and achieves good results, there’s no need to worry about whether they can support themselves. Your daughter-in-law isn’t someone without a plan. Besides, this is what the country is advocating for—following the government’s direction. We should support them.”

Lin Houpin fell silent.

This son wasn’t raised under his roof, so there wasn’t a deep bond or sense of responsibility between them. He lacked the confidence to intervene forcefully. And since she was a daughter-in-law, it wasn’t appropriate for him to confront her directly. Should he ask Tiandong’s mother to handle it instead?

That wouldn’t work either.

Left with no choice, Lin Houpin sighed, “Then I’ll just wait and see.”

And what he saw was booming business and money pouring in every day.

Lin Duzhong chuckled. “See? I told you, this granddaughter-in-law knows what she’s doing. Stop worrying. Success can come from any trade.”

Lin Houpin: “…”

Why did he feel slightly uncomfortable about this? Would his daughter-in-law even regret her decision at this point?

Zhang Ying had already joined the military, and Lin Tiandong, now a 16-year-old young man, had his own views. He didn’t think much of the situation. “Dad, everyone has their own aspirations. You know Second Sister-in-law’s skills better than anyone. She wants to take them to the next level. And even if she fails, isn’t Second Brother here? He’s graduated now. Even if she stumbles, he can still support the family.”

This was considered a progressive mindset for the time.

But not everyone shared such open-mindedness.

Wang Haiwen and Liu Mingyue hadn’t actively shared news of Yu Xiang’an resigning to start her business. Still, word trickled out slowly, and others began to learn about it.

When Ke Manyun heard the news, she was so shocked that she accidentally knocked over her cup, spilling water everywhere. Yet she paid no attention to the mess and grabbed Wang Meng’s hand, her voice rising uncontrollably. “Are you serious? She quit her job to go into business?”

Wang Meng, seeing her reaction, regretted bringing it up. She had assumed Ke Manyun already knew, as she had often seen her hanging around with Mingyue and the vice class leader.

“Are you sure? You’re not joking, right?”

When Wang Meng didn’t immediately respond, Ke Manyun repeated her question.

Wang Meng helplessly nodded. “It’s true. Why would I lie to you? The shop is near our school. Someone saw it during a visit back and noticed the place was packed with customers. They went in to eat and happened to run into her. Business is doing really well—even foreigners eat there.”

Ke Manyun’s voice wavered. “So it’s true. I can’t imagine what she was thinking.”

Wang Meng agreed. “I couldn’t believe it when I first heard it either.”

After all, not many people had the courage to voluntarily smash their own iron rice bowl.

Ke Manyun murmured, “Even if business is booming, so what? This kind of work is unstable. What if the authorities decide to shut it down? Then it’s all over, and she could even be labeled with something. Sure, they say class labels don’t matter anymore, but who can guarantee that won’t change in the future? If it does, won’t all her efforts be for nothing?”

As she spoke, a faint smile appeared on Ke Manyun’s lips before she quickly suppressed it. “Well, since I didn’t know before, that’s one thing. But now that I know, we should schedule a visit. We didn’t even send her a congratulatory gift when she opened her shop. We’re supposed to be good friends.” She sounded slightly regretful, but Wang Meng rolled her eyes inwardly.

Good friends?

Sure, maybe in her mind. But their relationship was no more than that of ordinary classmates.

If they were really close, wouldn’t she have been informed earlier? It was obvious there wasn’t much affection between them, yet she seemed oblivious to it.

Among their group of classmates, Yu Xiang’an hadn’t specifically informed anyone about her shop opening, except for Wang Haiwen, Liu Mingyue, and Ke Keke. Wang Haiwen and Liu Mingyue lived nearby and were bound to find out, while Ke Keke had a work connection that made her aware.

Others learned bit by bit, and when they asked her directly, she never denied it.

She was running an honest business, not doing anything illegal. Why wouldn’t she talk about it?

Once regulations allowed, she even planned to establish a company and a factory.

Upon learning of this “unbelievable” news, Ke Manyun invited Liu Mingyue and Wang Meng to join her in visiting Yu Xiang’an’s shop to show their support.

During the visit, Ke Manyun questioned Liu Mingyue, “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

Liu Mingyue shrugged. “I’ve been busy lately, no time to spare. Do you expect me to take time off just to tell you? There’s no need—you’d have found out sooner or later.”

Ke Manyun: “…”

She felt a bit aggrieved.

So much time had passed before she finally learned about it. Even if she was busy, she could’ve found a moment, right?

When they arrived at the restaurant, Ke Manyun was stunned by the crowd. Liu Mingyue, unfazed, said, “It’s always like this. Only during non-peak hours is it quieter. Let’s go in.”

Ke Manyun glanced around. “Where to?”

“Hotpot today. We’ll try the braised food next time.”

As soon as they entered, a chorus of “Welcome!” greeted them.

Recognizing Liu Mingyue, Wei Funi came over to greet her. “Ah, it’s Comrade Liu. Would you like a private room? They’re currently empty.”

Liu Mingyue nodded. “Let’s take a private room.” The main dining area was packed, with diners waiting for tables. Since private rooms came with additional charges, they were less popular. Most people preferred to wait.

As Ke Manyun passed through the dining area, she carefully observed the dishes and expressions on the diners’ faces.

Each table had several plates—some held pork blood, some offal, and others skewered items.

There was a mix of meat and vegetables.

Some diners, feeling hot, had taken off their coats and draped them over their chairs, eating with great gusto.

The genuine enjoyment on their faces was unmistakable. The food was clearly delicious. Judging by their clothes, these were people from families that weren’t struggling financially.

Once inside the private room, Yu Xiang’an came over and greeted them, “You’re here! What would you like to eat today?”

Without hesitation, Liu Mingyue replied, “Spicy soup base!”

Yu Xiang’an smiled. “A fresh batch of fish and shrimp just arrived. Want me to bring some out?”

“Of course! And add a non-spicy soup base as well.” Liu Mingyue turned to Wang Meng and Ke Manyun, “What kind of soup base would you like?”

Wang Meng looked at Yu Xiang’an. “We’ll leave it to the chef’s recommendation.”

Yu Xiang’an said, “Let’s do a beef brisket soup base. The brisket today is excellent—something we don’t have every day. You’re in for a treat.”

Ke Manyun, feeling a bit down, observed Yu Xiang’an. She seemed radiant, without the slightest hint of anxiety. From her glowing complexion and cheerful demeanor, it was clear she was genuinely happy.

Ke Manyun couldn’t understand. She had thrown away a stable government job to become a self-employed businesswoman, constantly catering to others. How could she still be so content?

“I’ll go grab a couple of appetizers and complimentary pear juice for everyone.” Yu Xiang’an left, leaving the three in the private room.

Wang Meng sighed. “This place is no small operation. The crowd is huge, so her income must be substantial. Has she ever mentioned how much she makes a month?”

Ke Manyun immediately perked up her ears.

Yes, how much?

Liu Mingyue said, “I’ve never asked, but it must be a lot. I overheard her saying she’s planning to visit the southern special economic zone after the New Year.”

Wang Meng, sounding envious, said, “Then it must be quite a bit. I have a cousin who went to the special zone in the middle of this year. He didn’t say how much he’s earning, but he came back recently and brought home two tape recorders—one for his parents and one for my grandmother.”

Ke Manyun was startled. “A tape recorder costs over a hundred yuan, doesn’t it? How long has he been there? Did he say what he does?”

“Yes, it costs over a hundred. He’s only been there a few months. I think he’s selling clothes. Look at the outfit I’m wearing—it’s from him. He used to be a temp here, making less than twenty yuan a month, and he spent most of it. The money he brought back must’ve been earned over there.” Wang Meng’s tone was full of certainty.

Ke Manyun fell silent. By that calculation, her cousin must’ve been earning over three figures a month. Otherwise, how could he afford to buy two tape recorders in one go? That was higher than her salary.

Could doing business really be this profitable?

And with a storefront instead of a street stall, wouldn’t the income be even higher? Maybe several hundred yuan a month?

Ke Manyun’s breathing grew rapid. The initial excitement in her heart felt like it had been doused with cold water, leaving her chilled to the bone.

Not long after, Yu Xiang’an returned with two plates of appetizers. Shortly after, Wei Funi brought in a spicy soup base, followed by a beef brisket soup base. One by one, the dishes were served.

“It’s rare for you to visit. Today, you get a 20% discount.”

Liu Mingyue laughed. “That’s great! Only a fool wouldn’t take advantage of a deal.”

Wang Meng also expressed her gratitude. “Thanks, Sister An! Next time, I’ll bring my family here so they can taste your cooking too.”

Ke Manyun, however, wasn’t focused on the meal. Biting her lip, she hesitated before saying, “I heard you’re planning to go to the special zone. Is that true?”

Yu Xiang’an didn’t give a definitive answer. “I’ve thought about it, but nothing’s decided yet. I’m still looking into it.”

Ke Manyun lowered her voice. “I think you should consider another path.” Her tone was serious. “Your business is thriving now, but you can’t just focus on the present. This is winter—people enjoy hotpot now, but come summer, no one will want to eat this in the heat. It’s better to start planning ahead and look for other opportunities. Besides, the south is too far. It’s not safe for a woman to go alone. If anything happens, you’d be letting your husband and children down. As women, we should stick to being honest and modest.”

Liu Mingyue and Wang Meng: “…”

Suffocating.

At first glance, her words didn’t seem problematic. But upon closer reflection, they were full of issues!

🌱🌿 🫧🍃