Ch 96: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

Lin Chuanbai received a call from Xu Haili.

On the other end of the line, Xu Haili’s voice was full of indignation. “Chuanbai, you really need to have a good talk with your wife. She’s already part of the Lin family—so why is she still always favoring her own side of the family? You’re not home, so you don’t know how much her family’s been making. That house of theirs is built so nicely now. We all know what they used to be like before. She must have secretly been giving them money behind your back.”

Xu Haili spoke with heartfelt anger. “That’s the Lin family’s money, and now she’s surnamed Yu! Not everyone in the Lin family is living comfortably. This is biting the hand that feeds you! We relatives aren’t exactly well-off ourselves—how can she ignore her in-laws entirely and only help her own family?”

Her meaning was obvious.

Xu Haili kept going on the phone: “Your wife’s business is doing so well—if she just reached out a little to help us, we wouldn’t have to worry about having food on the table. Your younger brothers would remember your kindness for the rest of their lives. We’re all Lins, after all.”

Lin Chuanbai felt helpless. “Second Aunt, did you call me just to say this? I know what she’s done, and honestly, she hasn’t really done anything—just introduced some people. The rest is up to individual effort.”

Hearing that, Xu Haili raised her voice. “What’s this? You don’t want to hear it? Aren’t you part of the Lin family? Seeing us living like this and you’re not even thinking of lending a hand? You marry into the Yu family and suddenly your elbow’s turning outward? We’re your real family!”

Lin Chuanbai let out a breath. “Second Aunt, you’ve misunderstood. Xiang’an hasn’t done that—it’s their own hard work.”

Xu Haili pressed on. “Just give me a straight answer. Selling clothes isn’t complicated—why not sell to me? I’ll sell them and give you commission afterward. You’re first cousins—don’t let the relationship go cold just because you haven’t been around each other these years. My son has always remembered you. Your wife can’t just look out for her own family. And another thing—you’re not living together. I believe she wouldn’t do anything improper, but you know how it looks. You need to be careful.”

Lin Chuanbai chuckled drily. “I’ve got things to do. I’m hanging up now.”

He hung up and immediately forgot about it.

After all, this was someone he hadn’t spoken to in years, suddenly calling because they’d heard Yu Xiang’an was making money in the Special Economic Zone, and opening with badmouthing her—implying she might even be unfaithful. He’d have to be a fool to take that seriously. If they’d come forward politely, maybe he would have thought it over, but after hearing this… forget it.

Helping them make money wouldn’t even earn him a thank-you—so why bother doing something thankless?

When Lin Nanxing saw her hang up, she leaned over. “Mom, what did he say? Did he agree to let us sell clothes?”

Xu Haili shot her a dark look. “What do you think?”

Clearly, he hadn’t.

Lin Nanxing let out a frustrated sigh. “We’re not even asking for much. If we can’t sell them, at least we could wear them ourselves.” She was itching for it.

She was a regular customer at Ye Qijia’s shop.

She’d bought plenty of clothes there—watching her own money flow out while Ye Qijia’s poured in. It left her feeling unbalanced. She’d mentioned it to her mother, and Xu Haili, already unhappy, was immediately on board. The two of them decided to call Lin Chuanbai, hoping to get a slice of the pie.

The result…

Xu Haili’s face stayed grim for a while. “If he won’t agree, then I’ll call Dad. I don’t believe the old man wouldn’t step in. Even if that second son is dense, he’s still his own son—he can’t just stand by and watch.”

She wanted to complain to Lin Duzhong. She had two children of her own—valuing her son more, though she cared for both. But overall, they were both her flesh and blood. If her son did well while her daughter struggled, of course she’d expect her son to help.

Now her eldest brother-in-law held a high post elsewhere, but because they lived far away, they couldn’t get any benefits from him. This nephew was much closer now, so it only made sense to ask for help.

She pushed for Lin Jiqing to make the call instead—he’d have more pull—but when he heard what she wanted, he hemmed and hawed, unable to speak clearly. Clearly, he was unreliable.

If he couldn’t do it, then she’d have to go herself.

When Lin Duzhong got her call, he listened to her fuss over one thing after another—asking how Lin Tiandong was doing in school, whether Lin Houpu’s job was going smoothly, whether his own health was good, whether he was eating well—checking in on everyone.

He knew his daughter-in-law well enough to see through it. If she was willing to spend this long on the phone without worrying about the cost, she definitely had an agenda.

After circling around, Xu Haili finally got to the point. “But there’s one thing that’s been on my mind for a while now—it’s been bothering me. Tell me, we haven’t done anything wrong, so why would Chuanbai’s wife keep such a big thing from us? We’ve never had any real conflicts—always polite and friendly.”

On the other end, Lin Duzhong was unmoved. No conflicts?

If he was honest, there hadn’t been any deep grudges, true—but there wasn’t much real warmth either.

He remembered well how, back when they all lived in Baishi County, whenever Chuanbai brought them food, the second daughter-in-law always made sure to take a share. Petty little things like that added up—and they’d worn down what family feeling there was.

Xu Haili went on, “Dad, surely they wouldn’t hide something like this from even you? If they did, that would be too much.”

Lin Duzhong coughed. “I already know about it.”

That left Xu Haili momentarily speechless, then her tone rose. “So they told you, but to us—his second uncle’s family—we’re treated like outsiders? We’re the last to know? That’s just to keep us from taking advantage, isn’t it…”

Lin Duzhong frowned. “Did you think it would be this big in the beginning? I’ve heard a bit—it’s been a lot of hard work. And it’s their own household. They can live how they like. You say you didn’t know—well, did you ever ask? If you’d asked, I doubt they would’ve hidden it from you.”

That stopped her short. She really hadn’t asked—she’d just been eaten up with jealousy. Why should they get to go to top universities in the capital and live so glamorously, while her two children could only plod along here? Her daughter still had to scramble for a house. She didn’t want to ask—she didn’t want to see their smug faces.

Her reaction made Lin Duzhong sigh. Just as he thought—she’d never asked. In that case, what was there to argue? The families had split long ago. Even Guangbai and Chuanbai, who were real brothers, had split households. Once you’ve split, you’re two separate families. If Chuanbai wants to share, he can—but if he doesn’t, you can’t call him wrong for it. It just means the relationship isn’t there.

He didn’t want the younger generations to drift apart—but relationships take time and interaction to build.

With the way the second daughter-in-law handled people, it was already good enough if she didn’t offend anyone.

Xu Haili said, “Dad, you have to talk to Chuanbai and his wife.”

Lin Duzhong asked, “And what exactly do you want me to say?”

Xu Haili brightened. “The Yu family’s gotten such a big windfall. Their clothes are selling like crazy. Are we just going to stand by and watch her send all that money to her own family?”

Now he understood—she was just envious. “You want to sell clothes?”

Xu Haili answered loudly, “Yes.”

He asked, “Is this just your idea, or does everyone know? Have you already spoken to Chuanbai?”

She replied, “Everyone in the family knows and agrees. I called him, but he didn’t give me a clear answer. I just thought, since everyone else in the family has jobs and can’t afford to take time off, I could do it—help supplement the household income.”

She didn’t have a job, just usually helped with childcare and housework, so going out to sell things wouldn’t affect much. But if the family members with jobs got dragged into it, that wouldn’t do—what if it affected their standing in the eyes of their superiors?

In Xu Haili’s view, in the long run, Yu Xiang’an was foolish. Sure, business was making money now, but what about later? Could she still keep it up when she got older? Even if she was earning a lot now, too much money was dangerous.

In the old days, people like that were capitalists, destined to be overthrown.

Lin Duzhong figured she must have said something unpleasant to Chuanbai when she called him—otherwise, why would he have reacted that way? He just couldn’t understand. Wasn’t she asking Xiao An for help? Was this the attitude of someone asking for help? Did Xiao An owe her something? If she really called Chuanbai with nothing but accusations, it was a wonder he even took the call.

Lin Duzhong felt worn out. But her personality was fixed—she was already a grandmother, not about to change now.

He sighed. If they’d put more thought into finding a wife for his second son back then, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out like this.

Not that the second son’s family was doing badly—he had a job, his grandson and granddaughter-in-law had jobs, his daughter and son-in-law had jobs, and they lived comfortably. Nanxing’s husband didn’t have enough room at first, but later Guangbai’s place was given to them for five yuan a year—basically for free. With a setup like that, they could live well anywhere.

“Have Chuanyong call me later,” he said. If there was anyone sensible in the second son’s family, it was him. He wasn’t even sure if her claim that “everyone in the family knows” was true.

When Lin Chuanyong found out what his mother had done, he pinched the bridge of his nose and drew out his words. “Mom, what are you trying to do?”

He honestly couldn’t figure her out.

“Mom, remember the other day when you wanted Cousin-uncle’s help? What did you do first? You gave him some meat in advance, and then asked him to make you a new cabinet. Now you want Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law to help you, but you haven’t said a single nice thing to them. Why would they help you?”

Xu Haili was momentarily at a loss, then smacked him on the arm. “How can that be the same? Your cousin-uncle’s hardly family at all—calling him ‘uncle’ is just a formality. Who knows how many branches removed we are. But your second brother—he’s your real second brother! You’re his younger brother, what’s wrong with him helping you?”

“This isn’t my biological brother. And even if it were, we all have our own families now. Is this how you’d want someone to approach you for help? If someone asked you like that, how would you feel?”

His wife, standing nearby, stayed silent, but her expression was telling. She didn’t understand how her mother-in-law could think this way. She had plenty of capable relatives, but got along with none of them—only with her own natal family, whom she often supported with things from her in-laws. Of course they liked her generosity. But had she ever wondered why she couldn’t get along with her husband’s family?

She called them “family” only when there was something to gain. If she didn’t need them, she set them aside. It was too calculating.

“Mom,” Chuanyong said with a sigh, “when you called Second Brother, did you say anything they’d want to hear? Anything reasonable? If you spoke like that, why would they help you?”

Xu Haili understood—he meant she didn’t speak nicely—but she insisted she was just telling the truth. “I’m his second aunt, his real second aunt. If he doesn’t help us, your grandfather won’t let it go.”

“You really think so?” he asked.

She nodded, and he was speechless.

“Why do you want to go into business? Do you have a plan? What about a shop?”

“What shop? Other people start with street stalls. I’ll just lay out a piece of cloth on the ground—that way I save on rent.”

“And where will you get the money to buy the clothes?”

“Your second brother and sister-in-law have so much money now. We can borrow some from them first, and I’ll pay them back once I’ve made a profit.”

Hearing this, Chuanyong felt utterly drained. “Mom, where do you get this confidence from? Confidence that they’ll help you, and lend you money? I just… never mind. But how did you even get this idea? We’re not struggling financially.”

“Your sister’s always buying clothes, and I figured we could do it too. It’s not that we can’t make ends meet, but earning a bit extra for the household would be nice. I don’t work, and selling things wouldn’t affect you all.”

He shook his head. “Mom, no. Listen to me—you say it won’t affect us, but when you’re busy, do you think we could just stand by and not help? If we don’t, what will people say? Mom, don’t start this. I’ve got something uncertain going on—there’s a chance I might get promoted. Let’s not stir things up at home, or if anything goes wrong, it could be ruined.”

“Really?” she said, brightening. “You’re not just saying that to make me happy?”

“Of course it’s true. We should know in a while. So please, don’t cause any conflicts right now—any bad impression could ruin it.”

She nodded eagerly. “Alright, alright, I won’t make trouble. I understand—it’s an important time.”

“…Let’s hope so,” he muttered. “And explain it to your sister.”

“Don’t worry,” she promised. Nothing would get in the way of her son’s promotion.

Once he’d talked her out of it, Chuanyong called Lin Chuanbai to apologize. “Second Brother, I just found out what my mom did. I’m sorry—honestly, I don’t even know what to say about her. Don’t take it to heart.” He gave a rueful smile. “She acted too impulsively—this isn’t suitable for her. With her temperament, I’d be afraid she’d end up arguing with customers.”

He had no desire to see her selling clothes—not because he didn’t want the potential income, but because with her personality, it was all too likely she’d cause trouble. They’d end up cleaning up the mess instead of making money. Better for her to just live quietly.

And what he’d told her about the promotion wasn’t a lie—after transferring to the pharmaceutical factory, he’d worked hard and earned recognition. While many other factories’ fortunes were declining, theirs was growing, thanks to good products and expanding transportation. If he got promoted, his pay would rise a grade, and the family would be more comfortable. There was no need for her to insist on hawking clothes, especially if she ended up clashing with someone—it wouldn’t end well.

No matter how he looked at it, he just couldn’t see his mother successfully selling clothes.

Chuanbai accepted his cousin’s apology. He knew this younger cousin had it rough—when they were kids it wasn’t so bad, but once he’d married and become an adult, every time Xu Haili quarreled with someone, it was him who had to smooth things over. His uncle barely spoke a handful of words a day. It couldn’t have been easy.

And so, the matter ended there. Chuanbai didn’t tell Yu Xiang’an about it—he didn’t see any need to upset her.

She remained completely unaware that it had even happened.

…

Later, Liu Mingyue called to ask Yu Xiang’an whether she should buy treasury bonds. She personally wasn’t required to buy much, but her husband had been allocated a lot, and she was torn over whether it was worth spending so much to get them.

Yu Xiangan still had some impression of treasury bonds.

Buy them, of course—right now it might seem like exchanging cash for these pieces of paper is useless, since you can’t eat them, can’t use them, and can’t spend them like money, and people worry they’ll just become waste paper. But later, these bonds will be worth a lot.

She couldn’t say it like that to Liu Mingyue, though. Instead, she just told her that if later on someone was willing to sell them at a discount, and the discount was big enough, she’d like to buy some. With the state backing them, she believed the country wouldn’t let people take a loss.

It was true enough.

Once she thought it through, Liu Mingyue was reassured. From another angle, when higher-ups were assigning purchase quotas, if they bought more, it might even help them get noticed and remembered by leadership.

After hanging up, Yu Xiangan fell into thought. She couldn’t recall exactly when treasury bonds had been sold at a discount, or when they later skyrocketed in value. Back then most of her focus was on cooking, and she didn’t know much about this. Lin Chuanbai didn’t either, so even if they knew it could make money, they probably wouldn’t put in too much for fear of getting stuck.

She had barely hung up when Yu Mansheng came by, introducing a man to her.

He was tall and heavily built, with a scar across his face, giving him a fierce, intimidating look. At about 1.9 meters, he didn’t have to do anything to exert pressure just by standing there.

Yu Mansheng said, “This is the older brother of that young guy who came looking for work before. That kid left home before he was sixteen, times were hard, and I thought he was sharp, so I took him on to help with odd jobs. His family situation wasn’t good. This brother had joined the army, hadn’t been home in years, and seems to have just retired. When their parents got sick, they couldn’t be saved, and he had a falling-out with his uncles and left home.

“This brother’s capable. He didn’t leave an address, so I don’t know how he tracked me down, but he wanted to thank me for taking in his younger brother. I’d advanced some pay to the kid, and he thought I was decent, so he told me about a lead.”

Yu Xiangan asked, “What lead?”

Yu Mansheng said, “He’s got quite a bit of cash now. He went back home, fixed up his parents’ graves, built a house, made good money. He told me how—he’s been going to Brother Su’s place to trade. He takes daily goods from here to swap over there, where they lack light industrial products.

“But he also said the road’s risky if you’re not skilled, though if you make it back safely, the profits are huge.”

Yu Xiangan looked at him sharply. “You’re not tempted to go try, are you?”

Yu Mansheng rubbed his nose. “If I said I wasn’t tempted, you wouldn’t believe me. But my kid’s still so young—how could I leave? I know my limits.”

Yu Xiangan said, “Good. Because if something happened… with your child so young, I’ll be blunt—if your wife decided to remarry, no one could stop her. Most of what you’ve earned would go to your daughter, and if she took your daughter into another marriage… just think about it.”

Yu Mansheng’s face turned green. In his mind, he stomped out the last spark of that idea. “Got it, sis. Don’t say stuff like that—it’s bad luck. I’ll live long and stay safe!”

Yu Xiangan gave him a look. “If I don’t spell it out, you won’t drop it. Now, what did you actually want to say?” It wasn’t like they had to start from scratch—there was no need to risk lives for profit.

Yu Mansheng said, “Thing is, you know how the Russians are built differently from us. The clothes we make here—the large and extra-large sizes—are what they need for everyday wear.”

He sounded almost envious.

He was well built himself, but next to them he didn’t compare.

Yu Xiangan understood. “You mean making clothes to fit their needs?”

“Right. And since you’ve invested in two clothing factories, that shouldn’t be hard for you.”

It wasn’t.

If he could sell them and sell in bulk, they could both benefit.

As for legality—she was just a clothing producer. If compatriots came to buy clothes, she sold them. What they did with them afterward wasn’t her concern.

“How many does he want?”

“The first batch he wants three thousand pieces, but we have to provide samples first. Once he approves, he’ll take the three thousand. Then we send them over—if they’re accepted, the second order will be at least six thousand, maybe over ten thousand. The requirements are size and warmth—it’s freezing over there in winter.”

And so, Yu Xiangan met this man, whose name was Lei Ming.

She already knew his purpose, so the talks went smoothly. Within days, she had the sample padded coats ready for him to check.

He was tall and broad, tried one on, examined the stitching carefully. “If they’re all like this, I’ll take them.”

“Alright, give me a couple days to pack them for you.”

Lei Ming only wanted two colors—black and gray.

Since he was buying three thousand coats and she saw potential in this, she also gave him, free of charge, ten extra-large silk robes, pull-over sweaters, jackets, scarves, and silk scarves—samples.

If he liked them, he could order those too.

She also casually mentioned that her main business was food—restaurants, instant noodles with condiments, canned goods. The canned food was from a new production line this year.

Lei Ming was speechless.

In the south, it was still blazing hot in late summer, but in the north it had already cooled, and the heavy clothing market was just right.

Lei Ming worked this trade with several fellow veterans. His younger brother looked nothing like him—thin and small—and stayed behind on Yu Mansheng’s site doing odd jobs. He, his comrades, and a few other helpers took the clothes and boarded a northbound train.

If this trip went well, they could breathe easier in the future.

The profits were huge—big stacks of U.S. dollars—but their heads were still on the line. Last time, he’d come back with a knife wound.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃