Ch 104: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

When Lin Chuanbai returned from the capital, Yu Xiangan asked, “What brought you back this time?”

Lin Chuanbai replied, “My mentor wanted me to join one of his projects. I turned it down. I helped out for a couple of days instead. How did the fight situation go?”

Yu Xiangan said, “It’s all been settled. Your son and the boy he fought, Zhang Tufei, actually became friends in the end. Sometimes, a fight leads to friendship.”

Lin Chuanbai nodded knowingly. “That’s how boys bond.”

Yu Xiangan smiled faintly. “I took them out to sell buns. And I’ve got some good news for you too.”

Lin Chuanbai raised an eyebrow. “Selling buns—trying to make them appreciate hard work? What’s the good news?”

Yu Xiangan replied, “I went to check on Changyao Pharmaceutical Factory. Business isn’t good. They’re barely holding on, but if the management doesn’t change soon, they won’t last much longer.”

Lin Chuanbai’s expression brightened. “Then I’ve got good news too. The new oral solution I developed works well for treating children’s fevers. It’s nearly ready for clinical testing.”

It wasn’t yet the era of mass layoffs at state enterprises, but by the 1980s, plenty of factories were already struggling. Government subsidies and bank loans had kept many afloat—but only barely.

Lin Chuanbai wanted to start a grassroots pharmacy—not one focused on high-end or critical illness drugs, but on simple, everyday medicines: cold medicine, fever reducers, iodine tincture, herbal cooling tea, and so on. At the university research institute, he still participated in major disease research projects, but his personal passion was for affordable daily-use treatments.

That obsession came from a memory before he crossed over: the old Taoist who raised him once fell seriously ill. They spent a fortune at hospitals without improvement, until someone recommended a cheap, little-known traditional medicine that cured him completely.

The experience left a deep impression. Lin Chuanbai had always wanted to make medicines like that available to every household.

Yu Xiangan supported him fully. “If you want to do it, then do it. It doesn’t have to make a fortune—as long as it pays for itself.”

Before long, a new helper arrived in Yangcheng—Wang Yongle, a capable older sister type. Her family had once run a martial arts school, but after some family troubles, she went out looking for work. Yu Xiangan hired her to accompany the twins. Since Lin Yining was a girl, it would be easier for her to talk to a woman, and having someone like Wang around would also prevent gossip.

---

Meanwhile, in a rural area, Li Quanfu, a man in his fifties, had spent his whole life farming. Before the founding of the new country, he and his parents worked for a landlord. After liberation, with no landlords left, he farmed collective land under state planning. Later, with the household responsibility reform, land was divided to individual families—Li could finally farm his own fields.

Farming was the only skill he had and his sole livelihood.

Working for the collective wasn’t the same as working for himself. The same field that used to yield 100 catties now gave him 120. Li was content with his life.

But his children didn’t want to farm. More and more young people were leaving for factory jobs in the cities, earning wages. His sons had left too, returning only during harvest season to help. Still, he and his wife managed fine. He thought life would simply continue this way—until something unexpected happened: at his age, he started earning wages again.

A big investor had leased a large stretch of land—fields, mountains, even marshes. Those mountains had recently been burned in a wildfire, leaving several charred slopes. The investor rented the land long-term and began hiring locals to help clean and restore it.

After clearing the land, they began choosing experienced farmers. Li Quanfu saw the wages offered and decided to try. If there was one thing he could still do well, it was farm.

To his delight, he was selected.

From then on, he had a steady monthly salary—and the fields were right near home.

His wife, his grandkids, and his small family plots were all nearby. It was a convenient life.

He wasn’t the only one. The project spanned three villages, employing many locals and even a few outsiders—some raised fish, others softshell turtles, sheep, or rabbits. Everyone brought their own expertise.

After a few months, Li wanted his sons to come back too. “Why work far away,” he thought, “when you can earn money right here and look after your family?”

Yu Xiangan was investing gradually. Expanding all at once would strain her finances too much.

She cleared the mountains bit by bit, following a plan—some areas for fruit trees, others for economic timber.

Li Quanfu recognized a few of the timber types—good wood for furniture, popular and profitable.

But such things couldn’t be rushed. Fruit trees and timber wouldn’t yield results for years. Yu Xiangan’s goal was to turn the place into a self-sustaining supply source—a “trustworthy kitchen,” as she called it. Too many ingredients these days were full of additives. Nothing was safer than what you grew yourself.

“Investment promotion” had become a hot topic.

More and more local governments were seeking external funding to revive their economies. As long as a company was willing to build a factory, create jobs, and generate income, they would offer incentives—tax breaks, cheap or even free land, and support for construction.

Once a factory started up, it brought jobs; once people had income, the local economy grew.

Baishi County wanted to attract investment too. But it wasn’t on a major transportation route—it had only a small train stop and no natural resources—so bringing in investors was difficult.

In Yuxun Village, the village head, Yu Shunwen, was thinking hard about this very issue.

Their village had a paper mill and a brick factory. The paper mill was managed by the township, but the brick factory belonged entirely to the village. Thanks to those two, their village was considered prosperous—people even said it was easier for their men to marry city girls.

Still, Yu Shunwen and Yu Manchang thought it wasn’t enough.

After visiting the Special Economic Zone, both came back full of ambition.

Their first step was to reach out to Yu Mansheng, who ran a construction business. Many young men from their village had followed him out to work and knew he was making good money.

Yu Mansheng later came to consult Yu Xiangan. “What do you think—should I invest?”

Yu Xiangan shrugged lightly. “If you want to invest, do it. But if you’re thinking of it as charity, then separate the two. Business is for making money—the methods aren’t the same.”

Lin Chuanbai’s older brother, Lin Guangbai, who managed a development zone, had also invited Yu Xiangan to invest there. The policies were excellent, but after calculating her finances, Yu decided against it—it was too far away and not worth the travel or logistics cost for now.

The return on investment simply wasn’t what she wanted.

If asked whether she wanted to invest back in her hometown, Yu Xiangan felt neutral. “If I do, fine. If not, also fine.” The cost wouldn’t be huge anyway. She thought maybe she could start with fruit production—the peaches grown there tasted good. If the brand caught on, she could even build a small cannery for preserved fruit.

From a purely business standpoint, though, it wasn’t the best option.

“If it’s just for profit,” she thought, “investing back home isn’t ideal. But if it’s for goodwill, then maybe fix the school, or repair the roads.”

Yu Mansheng nodded. “I’ll think it over when I get back.”

He needed to check his funds first—his capital wasn’t nearly as strong as Yu Xiangan’s.

Yu Xiangan herself hadn’t ruled out other locations either. The local investment incentives were good—but for now, she still had plenty to build right where she was.

No hurry.

Let a couple more years pass first.

Then, one day, Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiangan received a parcel. It had been sent through a friend by Wu Zheng — inside was a ginseng root more than sixty years old.

Back when Wu Zheng had gone to the capital, Lin Chuanbai had given her a hundred-year-old ginseng. She’d later used it, and ever since, she’d wanted to replace it with something similar to return to him. But she hadn’t been able to find one — until now. This seventy-year-old ginseng had taken her a long time to acquire.

When Lin Chuanbai opened the package, he felt a bit helpless. The original ginseng had been a gift, but Wu Zheng hadn’t wanted to accept it. Now she was sending one back. He didn’t need it — not at all.

If she wanted to send something, he thought, it’d be better to send rarer medicinal ingredients, like saffron.

At this point, Lin Chuanbai could practically call himself a wholesale expert in ginseng.

Yu Xiangan couldn’t help but laugh. “If you ever sold all the ginseng from your herbal garden, you’d cause a market crash.”

Lin Chuanbai replied, “Would that be such a bad thing? It’s an enormous asset.”

Old ginseng only grew rarer with time — valuable and increasingly impossible to find. Wealthy people who managed to keep one as a family heirloom would never hesitate to do so.

*

Meanwhile, Lu Anran was setting up a business opportunity.

She had a friend who wanted to start a daily chemical products company — things like body wash and shower gel — but was short on funds. So Lu Anran arranged a small social gathering at a beauty salon. All women, chatting while getting massages and skincare — a relaxed environment to build rapport and discuss cooperation naturally.

On the way there, Lu Anran introduced her friend to Yu Xiangan. “Her name’s Liang Yuan. We were high school classmates. After graduation, she went to college in the U.S., got married there, had a child, and returned to Hong Kong a few years ago. Her husband’s also Chinese — he still manages their American business. She’s a strong-minded woman, ambitious but not rigid. Even if this partnership doesn’t work out, she’s worth keeping as a friend.”

When they arrived, Liang Yuan was already waiting — dressed in a stylish but casual suit, long golden waves cascading over her shoulders. Her arched brows and bright red lips drew attention immediately.

When her gaze landed on Yu Xiangan, a brief flicker of surprise flashed across her eyes.

Compared to herself, Yu’s attire was more understated — that wasn’t unusual — but she truly didn’t expect her to be around the same age.

Liang Yuan’s lips curved upward. She extended a slender, manicured hand. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

Yu Xiangan smiled and shook it. “Likewise.”

Lu Anran chuckled. “Alright, enough formalities. Let’s head in and talk.”

Their hands brushed briefly and separated.

Yu Xiangan thought, Her hand is unbelievably smooth…

She caught herself mid-thought — that sounded strange. If she were a man, she mused, it’d probably seem pervy. But she was only being honest. Liang Yuan’s hands were incredibly well maintained.

Liang Yuan smiled wider, seeming to guess her thought. “I studied piano for several years. I’ve always been very particular about my hands.”

Lu Anran added, “She trained under a master pianist. You’ll know how talented she is once you hear her play.”

Yu Xiangan smiled. “Then I’ll look forward to it.”

Once inside, Lu Anran asked, “Want to try a facial mask?”

Yu Xiangan shook her head lightly. “No, just a massage for me.”

Liang Yuan said, “I’ll have a hand treatment.”

Lu Anran nodded. “Then I’ll get a massage too — loosen up my shoulders. By the way, do you two like jade? There’s a shop that just brought in some exquisite pieces — want to stop by afterward?”

At that time, jade prices hadn’t yet surged.

Liang Yuan said, “Jade? I love high-ice glass bracelets.”

Lu Anran laughed. “I’m different — I don’t have any particular taste. Apart from gemstones. Gems are my true love. For everything else, if it looks good, I like it. No taste, right?”

Yu Xiangan smiled faintly. “What’s taste? If you like it, then it’s good.”

Her own preferences were simple and direct — if she thought it looked good, she liked it. Still, she occasionally stocked up on pieces that might appreciate in value, like jade. Its prices had been rising rapidly, and fine jade was perfect as an heirloom. Mines were limited — good jade would only grow more expensive with time.

“Then let’s go to that store later,” Yu said.

Liang Yuan turned to Lu Anran. “Why didn’t you bring your kids today? No school, right?”

Lu Anran sighed. “They wanted to go to the zoo. Their father took them. I offered to bring them here, but they refused.”

Liang Yuan looked impressed. “Their father took them himself?”

Lu Anran nodded. “Yes.”

Liang Yuan smiled wistfully. “That’s a good father. My husband’s always buried in work — barely has time for the child.”

Lu Anran said, “He’s busy too. Days like this are rare. The three of us — we’re all about the same, juggling careers.”

Yu Xiangan glanced at Liang Yuan’s slim waistline. “How old is your child?”

Liang Yuan smiled. “Nine. A boy.”

Yu Xiangan laughed. “Then my kids are the oldest.”

Lu Anran said, “You married earlier. In a few years your kids will be in college, while mine will just start grade school.”

Yu Xiangan waved her hand lightly. “That doesn’t matter. I just don’t want them marrying too soon. If someone calls me Grandma or Nana, I’ll feel ancient.”

She always kept a youthful mindset — in her own words, her mental age was permanently eighteen.

“Mom” and “Dad” were fine titles. But “Grandma” or “Nana”? That was a lot harder to accept.

She’d never pressure her children to marry early — no matter when that day came.

Liang Yuan laughed softly. “You have twins, right? Do they look identical? Same height, same face — hard to tell apart?”

Yu Xiangan chuckled. “Not quite. They don’t look exactly alike, but when they stand together, you can tell they’re siblings.”

Liang Yuan sighed a little. “You’re lucky. I only have one son. I wanted to have a daughter too, but it hurt too much. Even now, thinking about it makes me shudder. My body couldn’t handle another pregnancy — one was enough.”

Lu Anran comforted her. “Your boy’s bright and adorable. One’s enough when he’s worth three of anyone else’s. If you don’t want another, don’t.”

She knew exactly how hard that pregnancy had been on her friend — the morning sickness, the complications. For Liang Yuan, giving birth had been like losing half her life.

Yu Xiangan, on the other hand, had had a smooth delivery. When she gave birth, even the doctor had said in surprise, “So fast!” No trauma, no fear — she could have had another if she’d wanted, but she and Lin Chuanbai had agreed two were enough.

Liang Yuan smiled faintly. “You two are lucky.”

Yu Xiangan asked, “Where does your child study?”

Liang Yuan said, “In the U.S. His grandparents are looking after him there. What about yours? Do your two stay with you?”

Yu Xiangan replied, “They’re in Yangcheng, living with their father.”

The conversation drifted naturally from topic to topic, helping them learn more about each other.

After all, if two people’s values didn’t align, no partnership would last — this was the process.

A business partner who wasn’t reliable was like throwing money into a river.

After the massage, Liang Yuan finished her hand treatment, and the three women moved to their next stop — the jewelry shop Lu Anran had mentioned.

Gold, gemstones, diamonds, jade, amber — the store had it all.

It was clearly a high-end establishment, and Yu Xiangan immediately spotted several fine pieces.

The staff had sharp eyes too. After one look at their outfits, they rushed over with eager smiles.

“Welcome, ladies! Our store carries a full selection of jewelry. Would you like to look at gold pieces, or jade today?”

Lu Anran said, “Let’s start by looking at the jade.”

“Of course, this way please,” the salesperson replied brightly, leading them toward the jade section. “These are our latest designs from this year. This entire set is crafted from high-ice glass-type jade — we have matching necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and brooches.”

When the salesperson noticed Liang Yuan’s eyes light up, she focused her pitch on her. “Would you like to try it on? I’m sure it will make you look even more stunning.”

The set happened to be exactly Liang Yuan’s favorite kind — high-ice glass jade. She examined it briefly and said at once, “Alright, help me put it on. I want to see how it looks.”

Two other salespeople came to greet Lu Anran and Yu Xiangan.

Yu Xiangan said, “I’d like to see something a little more elegant. And I’m also looking for a pair of pendants for my son and daughter — do you have any recommendations?”

The salesperson beamed. “For elegance, I’d highly recommend this set. Just look at the purity — I can guarantee you won’t find many pieces like this elsewhere.”

It was an emerald-green set, and when Yu Xiangan glanced at it, the brilliance nearly dazzled her eyes.

“May I take a closer look?” she asked.

“Of course,” the salesperson said.

Just as Yu Xiangan picked it up to examine it, a voice suddenly spoke from behind. “That’s such a beautiful set. Are there more like it?”

The voice sounded familiar. She turned — and froze for a second.

Ke Manyun.

Her old university classmate.

It had been years since they’d last met. The last time was at Wuwei Restaurant in the capital — Ke Manyun and Liu Mingyue had gone there together, and the evening had ended unpleasantly. After that, Yu Xiangan had completely put the woman out of her mind.

Ke Manyun worked at a state-owned company in the capital. What was she doing here — and on the arm of a man?

She’s married?

When Ke Manyun saw Yu Xiangan, her expression flickered too, then quickly turned into a bright, practiced smile. “Well, if it isn’t you, Vice Monitor! Long time no see.”

Yu Xiangan kept her tone neutral. The unpleasantness back then hadn’t been serious — just Ke’s jealousy showing. “It has been a while. I thought you were still in the capital. When did you come here?”

Ke Manyun smiled. “Not long ago. What a coincidence running into you here.”

Lu Anran walked over, glancing between them. “Ran into someone you know?”

Yu Xiangan smiled politely. “An old classmate from university.”

That phrase — “an old classmate” — carried a certain distance. It implied that apart from once being in the same class, there wasn’t much of a relationship left.

Both women understood it perfectly.

Ke Manyun lowered her gaze, her tone softening with feigned sentiment. “Yes, we were classmates in college. It’s been so many years, separated in different cities — time really changes things, doesn’t it?” The words implied that they had once been close, only to drift apart because of distance.

The man beside her cleared his throat. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

Ke Manyun said sweetly, “This is my college classmate and former vice monitor, Yu Xiangan. And this is my husband, Li Zhimu — he’s from Hong Kong.”

Yu Xiangan nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

Li Zhimu smiled warmly. “So you’re all classmates? And this lady as well?” He looked toward Lu Anran with interest. “Your class must’ve been full of beautiful women. What a pity I wasn’t there back then — I could’ve met you all sooner.”

The compliment sounded sincere enough that Yu Xiangan studied him briefly.

He was on the short and slender side, wearing thin silver-rimmed glasses that gave him a scholarly look. On his wrist gleamed a luxury watch she recognized — worth tens of thousands at least. Clearly a man of means.

Few women disliked being praised for their looks. Lu Anran smoothed her hair and smiled playfully. “Then I’ll take that as genuine flattery. I’m Lu Anran — this is my cousin. Nice to meet you.”

Just then, Liang Yuan returned from trying on her jewelry. Her gaze landed on Li Zhimu, and she hesitated before blurting out, “It’s you?”

“Mrs. Chen!” he said with a surprised laugh. “What a coincidence! When did you come to the Special Zone?”

They knew each other.

And Li Zhimu’s enthusiasm toward Liang Yuan was… a little too much. So much that Ke Manyun’s expression stiffened noticeably.

Liang Yuan was the kind of woman who naturally set off other women’s alarms.

Li Zhimu smiled graciously. “What a pleasant surprise. It’s almost lunchtime — allow me to treat everyone. I know a great restaurant nearby. How about we go there together?”

As fate would have it, the restaurant he mentioned was the very one owned by Yu Xiangan and her younger brother, Yu Mansheng.

Yu Xiangan couldn’t help but laugh. “If you mean that one, then what a coincidence indeed — that hotel belongs to my brother and me.”

Li Zhimu and Liang Yuan both looked startled.

Li Zhimu chuckled. “Truly? I’ve been there twice — the food was excellent. What an honor to dine with the owners today! Will there be any special dishes off the menu?”

Yu Xiangan smiled. “Of course. We’ll bring out the best we’ve got.”

Originally, this gathering was meant to let Lu Anran introduce Yu Xiangan and Liang Yuan to see if they could work together. But after running into Li Zhimu, the whole conversation took a turn.

Watching how attentively Li Zhimu spoke to Liang Yuan, Ke Manyun’s smile began to look forced.

He called her “Mrs. Chen” and maintained a polite tone, but his eager attitude made her uncomfortable.

Still, he didn’t seem to notice her silence — he went right on chatting amiably with Liang Yuan and Yu Xiangan.

When the restaurant owner appeared, the kitchen went into high alert — the dishes came out fast and flawless.

As they ate, Li Zhimu said, “It’s even better than the last two times I came.”

Liang Yuan agreed. “It’s wonderful. I’ll definitely come again.”

Near the end of the meal, Liang Yuan finally brought up the main topic. “I have a friend who sent me some product samples — formulas for shampoo and body wash she’s been developing. I tested them, and they work well. Since I’m back in Hong Kong now, I’d like to set up a factory here in the Special Zone to produce them. What do you all think?”

At that, Li Zhimu adjusted his glasses, his lips curling into a pleased smile. “What a coincidence. I just acquired a plot of land that’s still vacant. If you need it, please don’t hesitate. I’ve been wanting to enter this industry myself — if Mrs. Chen could give me the chance to collaborate, I’d be delighted.”

Liang Yuan looked toward Yu Xiangan. “What about you? I wonder what you think.”

Yu Xiangan glanced once at Li Zhimu. “If it’s profitable, I’m naturally interested. But I do have a question…”

🌱🌿 🫧🍃