Ch 81: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

Lin Houpin asked first, and Wu Zheng followed with the exact same question: “What are you doing here?”

Yu Xiang’an was doing everything she could to lower her presence. Why? Because both of them had their eyebrows raised—and she was afraid they’d start arguing. If that happened, it wouldn’t be pretty. Not with the kids at home. She didn’t know for sure, but maybe they were thinking the same thing too.

Wu Zheng gave a cold snort. “My son lives here. Why wouldn’t I be allowed to come?”

Lin Houpin looked like he wanted to say something, but glanced at his granddaughter next to Yu Xiang’an, then at the grandson seated across from Wu Zheng, and snorted as well. “You make it sound like he’s only your son. He’s my son too. Why would me coming to my son’s house be a problem?”

Yu Xiang’an: “……”

Honestly, if these two were kids, this whole scene wouldn’t seem out of place at all.

So this was another side of her father-in-law?

Huh… first time seeing it.

After that, the two of them turned away from each other and ignored one another. Lin Houpin asked Yu Xiang’an, “Where’s the second one?”

Yu Xiang’an wiped her hands on her apron. “One of his juniors came to get him for something at school. If you need him for anything—Dad, come in and sit down. Are you in town for work?”

Lin Houpin slowly stepped inside. “Yes, I’m here on a work trip.” He called over to Lin Yining and Lin Yihong, “Grandpa was passing by and brought roasted rice cakes and chicken wings. Eat them while they’re hot—they won’t taste as good once they cool.”

At their age, Lin Yining and Lin Yihong were just old enough to understand some things, and still young enough to be completely clueless. Yu Xiang’an gave them a look, hoping they’d help lighten the mood and not ask anything awkward that could turn the room cold. Luckily, the kids were sharp. They quickly stepped forward, smiled, and thanked him.

“Thank you, Grandpa! I love these. Did you get them from that shop with the red sign at the corner? That place is so good!”

Lin Houpin smiled. “Glad you like it. Yes, that one. I’ll bring more next time.”

Yan Jin didn’t know what to say to Lin Houpin—they had no blood ties—so he shrank into a corner, keeping his head down.

Yu Xiang’an breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Whether the mood stayed warm or turned cold now depended on those two kids.

When Wu Zheng and Yan Jin arrived earlier, the twins had once again confirmed the family relationships. It was… complicated. Their paternal grandparents had divorced. Their current grandmother had no blood relation to them. They now had a step-grandfather and a younger uncle.

Why did Grandpa and Grandma divorce?

Even their parents didn’t know.

Divorce wasn’t common in that era, but it wasn’t unheard of either. They knew what it meant.

And anyone could imagine that when two people who once got divorced ran into each other again after all these years, it wasn’t going to be easy.

The two kids did their best to carry the conversation. Lin Yihong chatted with Lin Houpin while Lin Yining clung to Wu Zheng, asking her to braid her hair.

Yu Xiang’an escaped into the kitchen, silently praying for Lin Chuanbai to come home soon.

Thankfully, he did come back quickly. He took one look at the situation and froze for a moment, but with the memories of the original host, he quickly made sense of things. Judging from their body language, those two probably wouldn’t fight. He relaxed and said casually, “Dad, you’re here.”

He didn’t know the real reason they divorced—he’d only ever been told it was due to “personality differences.” He had asked before, but no one gave him a straight answer. Eventually, he stopped asking.

Lin Houpin, sitting on a stool, gave a faint “Mm.” “Came to town for a work trip. Thought I’d stop by. Are you on break yet? If so, you should come home for New Year’s.”

Lin Chuanbai replied, “How many days are you staying? Did you finish your business here? I still need a few more days to wrap things up—gotta check progress.”

Lin Houpin said, “I’m done. Wouldn’t have come otherwise. My train’s tomorrow morning. How’s Xiao An doing? Still busy?”

Yu Xiang’an answered, “It’s okay. I’ve got someone helping manage things, so I’m not overwhelmed right now.”

Gu Nanfeng had come back to the capital with her and was now basically her assistant. He used to be the manager of a hotpot restaurant in the capital. Later, when she expanded into the special economic zone and needed someone experienced, she transferred him over. He was very capable, and eventually became her assistant, often running around with Liu Sanbao and the others.

Wu Zheng just sat there, watching TV, not moving a muscle.

Pretending none of this concerned her at all.

Lin Houpin and Lin Chuanbai kept talking, not even glancing in Wu Zheng’s direction.

Yan Jin was reading a newspaper, sitting in such a rigid posture that Lin Chuanbai felt exhausted just looking at him.

Was Lin Houpin staying the night?

Yes.

The study could fit an extra bed, and there were plenty of blankets and bedding. No problem.

But the atmosphere between the two elders—it felt like a tug-of-war. Neither wanted to relax. Whoever gave in would be the one to lose. They were locked in this silent standoff.

Lin Yihong and Lin Yining tried their best to keep things from going stiff. Yu Xiang’an felt bad for the kids and simply started asking about their homework. Helping them with homework gave the children a natural out. Lin Chuanbai stared in surprise when even Yan Jin rushed over—after all, a near-senior-high student tutoring elementary schoolers was no problem. With Yu Xiang’an helping one and Yan Jin the other, only the three elders were left sitting in silence.

As for what had happened between Wu Zheng and Lin Houpin, Lin Chuanbai wasn’t especially curious. If they wanted to say something, he’d listen. If they didn’t, it made no difference.

Still, what a strange coincidence, all three of them ending up together like this…

If they’d always been this stubborn, it was no wonder their marriage hadn’t lasted.

But that didn’t explain everything. If it had always been this bad, how did they manage to have three kids?

Lin Chuanbai glanced toward Yu Xiang’an, then at the stone-faced Lin Houpin and Wu Zheng, and thought: this won’t work. He returned to his room, found a newspaper, and brought it out to steer the conversation toward something else. He brought up a headline, and it led Lin Houpin to ask about the missing persons notice Yu Xiang’an’s family had posted. He had seen something similar in Qin City.

That topic was a winner.

Lin Chuanbai brought Yu Xiang’an into the conversation, and together they explained how her third granduncle’s widow and children had been found—how they reconnected and finally reunited. It was a story full of surprises, and it quickly grabbed everyone’s attention.

Stories like that weren’t unheard of from that era—rare, but not impossible. If someone managed to escape and survive, they were already lucky. Even if they’d gone far away, at least they lived. Who knew how many people had quietly perished and now rested in unknown lands.

The only regret was that he’d passed away too soon. Back then, there had been no way to get in touch. They never got to meet again.

That led to Yu Xiang’an mentioning she hadn’t yet bought property in Hong Kong. Prices had dropped by a third, but were still steep. More importantly, she couldn’t predict when prices would rise again. If she bought too early, her money would be tied up. So instead, she was focusing on expansion and buying land.

She had mentioned her thoughts to Yu Yegui and Yu Wanxin. Whether they listened was up to them. She’d done her part by giving them a heads-up.

The conversation opened up from there. Even Yan Jin joined in. Lin Chuanbai gave Yu Xiang’an a look of thanks.

The atmosphere finally stopped feeling so suffocating.

Even though Lin Houpin and Wu Zheng still didn’t get along—one would speak, and the other would immediately find a reason to contradict—it didn’t escalate into an argument, and that was good enough.

They got through the day, and the next morning Lin Houpin left. He said he had an early ticket. If he hadn’t already bought it, he might’ve left the moment he saw Wu Zheng the day before.

He left, and Wu Zheng left not long after as well—her leave had ended. They both departed on the same day.

Before leaving, she gave Lin Yihong and Lin Yining each 200 yuan to buy snacks and treats.

Altogether, that was 400 yuan—about half a year’s salary for her.

When Lin Chuanbai said, “You don’t have to,” she responded, “I didn’t give it to you, so what are you refusing for?”

Lin Chuanbai: “…”

The two of them had arrived suddenly, and left just as quickly. Life returned to its usual rhythm, though not without some changes—Lin Yining grew unexpectedly close to her grandmother. She even slept curled up in bed with Wu Zheng one night, and the two promised to write letters and call regularly.

Yu Xiang’an once asked her why she got along so well with her grandmother. Lin Yining tossed her ponytail and replied, “Grandma’s easy to talk to. She doesn’t look easy to talk to, but I like her.”

If she liked her, then she liked her. After all, she was her biological grandmother.

A few days later, they packed up and returned to Qin City. The mechanical plant’s residential compound was quiet as ever. Lin Houpin didn’t mention running into Wu Zheng, and they didn’t bring it up either.

Lin Tiandong had a very busy winter break—why?

Because he was a high school senior preparing for college entrance exams.

Li Yujiao hired a private tutor for him—an experienced, expensive one—to give intensive lessons over the break.

Lin Yihong and Lin Yining would sit in on the lessons from time to time. They didn’t understand much, but the study atmosphere rubbed off on them, and they started doing homework quietly at the table too.

Lin Tiandong already had a plan: he wanted to study economics at Qingmu University. If he got in, he’d be Yu Xiang’an’s junior. His grades had always been solid. With a little more effort, it was possible.

But since there was no guaranteed admission, Li Yujiao was anxious. People said eating fish made you smarter—and also believed in the “like nourishes like” theory—so she bought tons of walnuts and pig brain for the house, insisting Lin Tiandong eat a bit every day.

Fish had to be eaten fresh, so she went out daily to buy it. These days, getting fresh fish wasn’t hard as long as you were willing to pay.

Even in the coldest part of winter, there were people selling fish. One day, Yu Xiang’an took the kids to join the fun of ice-hole fishing—it was a huge event. The lake was public property, so the fishing was organized by the local government. They brought in professionals to manage the nets, and the whole place was buzzing with activity.

They arrived just as the net was being pulled in. The lakeside was packed with curious onlookers. Some people had already set up crates and scales nearby, ready to sell the fresh catch on the spot—whether in bulk or retail, all selling while the fish were still wriggling.

Li Yujiao was there too. Fresh fish like this needed very little prep—just scale and gut them, add ginger shreds, steam for a few minutes, drizzle soy sauce, and it was done.

Her cooking wasn’t fancy, but the taste turned out just fine.

When the big, lively fish came flopping out of the hole, cheers broke out all around.

Lin Yihong and Lin Yining clapped so hard their palms turned red. If the crowd hadn’t been cordoned off, they would’ve run up front for a closer look.

This happened every year. The workers knew what to do—some pulled the nets, others sorted the fish, while others packed and weighed them for buyers.

Though the lake surface was frozen, the water below was still flowing, and the fish were all alive when pulled up.

As soon as the fish hit the shore, people rushed in.

“I’ll take this one!”

“This one’s too big—I want a smaller one.”

“I’ll take three!”

“One at a time, line up! No need to rush, there’s plenty!” A young man in a cap laughed while weighing fish. Next to him stood someone dedicated to collecting money.

“Abundance every year”—a good omen for the New Year. If there was no fish on the table, the family feast would feel incomplete. And with the holiday approaching, these fresh catches fetched a high price, helping many people afford a bountiful New Year.

Li Yujiao, being “first to charge,” squeezed into the first group and carefully picked her fish.

Yu Xiang’an stood beside her with a bucket. As soon as she received a fish, she wiped it down with snow and packed it neatly into the bucket.

Besides their own share, they also helped bring back fish for a few families in the plant housing complex—there was quite a lot.

Lin Chuanbai had brought a cart just for this.

That very evening, Yu Xiang’an steamed a fish. The fish head went to Lin Tiandong. But when he saw it, his face turned slightly green. He’d eaten so much of it lately that it no longer tasted good—it was starting to make him queasy.

But his mother insisted that fish was good for the brain, so refusing wasn’t an option.

Yu Xiang’an noticed that aside from the four of them—and Lin Tiandong, who was basically forced to eat his fish head—no one else at the table moved their chopsticks much. It was clear they’d all had too much fish lately.

Lin Duzhong winced at the sight of the fish too. Seeing his grandson so uninterested, he suggested, “Why not make fish soup or skip a day? Change up the flavor—kids will enjoy it more.”

Lin Tiandong nodded rapidly.

“Yeah, Mom. Not every day. It’s too much.”

Li Yujiao huffed, “You’re being dramatic. Back in the day, we couldn’t even afford fish. Now you complain about having too much. Fine—we’ll skip a day. But don’t forget to eat your walnuts.”

Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai didn’t say anything. If they did, Li Yujiao might think they weren’t rooting for her son. It was safer to just eat quietly.

Lin Houpin finally spoke up with a smile, looking at the twins. “Would you two like to experience army life this summer?”

He liked his grandchildren very much—but in his view, kids needed to go through hardship to appreciate blessings. He thought Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiang’an were raising the kids too comfortably.

Just like Tiandong—he was born in better times, never really struggled. It was time to let the army toughen them up.

But Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiang’an didn’t feel they were overly indulgent. They just raised them normally. Neither of them were overly delicate people. When the kids were young, they went to daycare. Once they started school, they walked home themselves because it was close. Meals were cooked at home when time allowed—if not, they ate out. They used standard things, didn’t spoil them with money, and always pushed them to study and explore hobbies.

Still, they could see the benefit of the suggestion. Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiang’an both looked at the twins.

The twins’ eyes lit up—they weren’t scared at all.

They were genuinely curious about what army life would be like.

Yining pointed at herself. “Grandpa, I can go too, right?”

“Of course you can,” he replied.

“Then I want to go too!”

Lin Houpin was pleased. “Great, it’s settled. I’ll bring both of you this summer.” And if they didn’t want to go by then, he’d find a way to make them want to.

Lin Tiandong chuckled when he overheard. He remembered the difference between himself before and after military training. Before, he’d had almost no friends—he just wasn’t easy to get along with. But once he entered the army, no one went easy on him. He suffered plenty, but it made him grow and brought him friends.

His niece and nephew didn’t seem to have that problem, but going to the army would definitely change them too.

He found himself looking forward to it.

Would they end up crying and regretting it?

He still remembered his own tears—and the way people laughed at him. Every time he thought about it, he cringed with embarrassment.

What a pity that life can’t rewind. But by the time summer vacation rolls around, his college entrance exam will be over. He could go with them. And if either of them creates some embarrassing “black history” there, he won’t miss it. Why enjoy it alone when everyone can have fun together?

This unscrupulous uncle was already scheming, while Lin Yihong and Lin Yining were still eagerly asking questions about military life. Kids naturally had a certain fascination with people in uniform.

That year, Yu Xiang’an brought back a lot of good things for the New Year. Besides hard-to-find fresh fruits, she also brought back two jars of wine.

Brewed with spiritual spring water and aged on the farm for a few years.

As soon as one jar was opened, Lin Houpin and Lin Duzhong instantly treasured it. They weren’t heavy drinkers, but both were fond of good liquor—whenever something worth celebrating came up, they liked to indulge in a few cups.

Now that there was good wine, the two were thrilled.

But if there were guests and the friendship wasn’t close enough, they wouldn’t bring it out.

Lin Duzhong asked, “Where did you buy this wine? Help Grandpa buy a few more jars. It’s not strong, doesn’t get you drunk, and tastes great. Let’s get more.”

Yu Xiang’an laughed, “As long as you like it, Grandpa. I brewed it myself years ago and had it stored away. If you like it, I’ll bring more next time.”

Lin Duzhong’s eyes lit up. “So you even know how to brew wine? There’s grain at home now… never mind, never mind. With these jars, if we drink sparingly, they’ll last a while. No need to brew more for now.”

After all, brewing wine used up grain. First things first—fill the belly.

Yu Xiang’an showed off a little more of her skills that day, and even Lin Tiandong said, “Sister-in-law, I think my standards for a future girlfriend are too high now. It’s going to be hard finding someone as amazing as you.”

Lin Chuanbai puffed up smugly. “Well, not everyone has my taste.”

Li Yujiao: “…”

She used to think he was just some small-town factory worker. Who would’ve thought that after all these years, he’d leap several social classes?

Lin Yining looked at her little uncle and said, “Uncle, don’t worry. You’re so good-looking and educated—there’ll be plenty of girls who like you. Only someone excellent can attract another excellent person.” She clenched her little fists and turned to Yu Xiang’an, “Mom, I want to learn from you and become someone amazing too.”

She wanted to find a good-looking boy as her future partner. Everyone needs someone to go through life with—if her someone was handsome, even if she felt down, just seeing him would make her happy. Life would be beautiful like that.

Lin Yihong heard her and immediately knew what she meant. He couldn’t help rolling his eyes. Face-obsessed. Totally hopeless.

Yu Xiang’an also fell silent: “……”

She was a little worried. Would this child really not get tricked by some pretty-faced, empty-headed guy in the future?

Her remarks were also her subtle way of showing her success. They asked, and while she wouldn’t give a specific number, she would share what she currently owned.

When Lin Duzhong and Lin Houpin heard her talk about her land and factories, they were speechless for a long time.

Back in the day, she would’ve been labeled a capitalist outright. Now, the country was allowing some people to get rich first, but no one had imagined it would happen so quickly. The idea of being a “ten-thousand-yuan household” used to be an ambitious goal. At this rate, how far off was a hundred thousand? A million? Ten million?

Lin Houpin had an excellent position at the mechanical factory, but compared to Yu Xiang’an’s income, it was like pocket change. Still, not everything could be measured in money. Some things money simply couldn’t buy—like power.

With power, money would naturally follow. But if all you had was money, you were easy prey.

In the capital, Yu Xiang’an’s operations were supported by her old comrade Zhao Li, who worked at the Public Security Bureau. That meant those little street thugs didn’t dare mess with her.

But what about in the special zone?

Of course people tried to demand protection money—thugs never disappeared—but Yu Xiang’an had her own people.

Yu Mansheng’s construction site was full of strong, able-bodied men. Those thugs wouldn’t dare stir trouble there.

There weren’t enough of them to be a real threat. And if they did grow too powerful, the government would step in.

As for higher-level interference—things hadn’t reached the point where business was impossible without connections. Society wasn’t that rigidly stratified yet. That’s why so many people in the future would look back and regret missing out on this golden window.

That’s just how it was.

Plus, corruption among officials was still relatively low at this time. Most in power had lived through hard times themselves. Sure, some had private motives, but in the broader context of reform and economic development, there weren’t any major scandals. At least for now, Yu Xiang’an hadn’t run into anything like that. There had just been a major crackdown too. If not quite a reign of terror, it was close enough.

Listening to Yu Xiang’an talk about her assets made Lin Tiandong’s blood boil with ambition. But he didn’t want to go into business.

He agreed with Lin Houpin: you can’t have it all. Between money and power, he preferred power.

After the New Year, Yu Xiang’an didn’t immediately return to the special zone. Instead, she bought an old courtyard house about two or three hundred meters away. The owner had let it be known they were selling—their children were going abroad, and the whole family planned to emigrate. Selling the house would help with expenses.

Yu Xiang’an went to inquire. The price had gone up significantly compared to the past.

The courtyard was even larger than the one she currently lived in—over 600 square meters. It was a single-story home with three rooms.

The original house had been in bad shape and was torn down. The current one still needed to be demolished. Yu Xiang’an paid 6,000 yuan.

She had bought her current home for just 1,000 yuan back when the college entrance exam system had just been restored. Now, in this era of economic reform, prices had risen dramatically.

It was expensive, yes—but she wanted it, so she didn’t haggle much. She just rounded down the price and bought it, then quickly had the site leveled and began building.

She planned to build three stories. The first and second floors would be for commercial use. The third could be shops or housing. For now, she decided to turn the top floor into dormitories—they could live there or rent it out.

If needed in the future, they could always renovate.

At the time, zoning distinctions between commercial and residential use weren’t clearly defined. After all, it had only been a few years since the country was founded and even fewer since the economic reforms began. A lot of things were still trial and error.

Yu Xiang’an also bought the open plot of land behind it. She planned to turn it into a parking area. At that time, demand for parking wasn’t high—most people still used bicycles. Motorcycles and cars existed, but they were few and mainly owned by government agencies or work units.

Still, thinking long-term, it was essential to reserve parking space. Otherwise, once more people had cars, customers would stop coming due to inconvenience—and that would mean losing business.

Only after making all these arrangements did Yu Xiang’an prepare to head south with Gu Nanfeng again. They’d agreed she’d return every two or three months.

Just as she was getting ready to leave, she got a surprise.

Yu Qingshan said he planned to apply for early retirement and asked if she wanted his help.

Yu Xiang’an nearly jumped with joy. “Yes! Of course I do!”

Having someone trustworthy to keep watch for her would save her so much trouble.

Originally, she was going to head straight to the special zone—but now, she’d go to Baishi County first to pick up Yu Qingshan.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃