Ch 114: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai knew that this was a choice he had made after careful consideration, and they expressed their support.

Times were different now. There were basically no large-scale wars anymore. Unless one was sent to the front lines for special missions, things were relatively safe.

Because of his decision, Wu Zheng personally came over and carefully explained to Lin Yihong the pros and cons of various military academies, as well as the situation in different units, so he could make an informed choice.

She had always been in the military, and no one understood it better than she did.

Lin Houpu had once served in the military as well, but he had been out for many years, so some things he no longer understood as promptly or as comprehensively.

Lin Yihong had already figured out the path he wanted to take in the future, and Lin Yining had more or less decided as well.

The two of them felt no pressure. Their parents and elders had given them the confidence of freedom. They could do whatever they wanted without worries.

With their parents around, there was no financial pressure at all. If they chose politics, they had their grandfather and eldest uncle; if they chose the military, their paternal grandmother was there, and their grandfather still had some remaining influence.

Lin Yining had once thought about becoming a teacher. Why a teacher?

Because of the winter and summer vacations.

Although teaching required both mental and physical effort, and these students were the tender shoots of the nation, and a wrong kind of guidance could lead them astray, which worried her, she still felt it was worth trying.

She did not want to be like her father, spending all day in a laboratory doing research. She admired people like that, but she did not like that kind of life.

She wanted to be a teacher. She liked calligraphy and painting. Thinking long term, a teacher could transition into administration, even become a principal. A soldier who does not want to become a general is not a good soldier. Her sights could be set further ahead.

For now, she was focusing mainly on calligraphy and painting. In that sense, she had made up her mind even earlier than Lin Yihong.

When the college entrance exams came, she wanted to attend the best university in the country, then pursue graduate studies, remain at the university, and steadily work her way up.

Things might change in the future, but for now, this was what she wanted.

Lin Yining’s exact words were: “In the future, I’m going to become a cultured person. The characters I write and the paintings I make will be the kind that money can’t buy!”

That was what she said, but she had never stopped taking martial arts classes. When danger came, nothing was more reliable than relying on oneself.

If you could save yourself, there was no need to depend on others. That way, if a chance to escape appeared, you would not miss it.

It could not be helped. They often spent time around a security company made up of veterans, listening to stories about people encountering danger. Naturally, they had to be mindful of their own safety.

Given their parents’ circumstances, they fully met the conditions to become kidnapping targets.

Among their close friends, most had already more or less determined their futures as well. Wang Lipan would most likely become Lin Yihong’s classmate. Chen Yi wanted to become a doctor. Zhuo Mingwei planned to go abroad for university after the college entrance exams.

One by one, they strengthened their wings and spread them toward the future.

Since the two children had entered their final year of high school, Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai made an effort to come home more often. They stayed busy outside during the day, but in the evenings, after the children returned, at least one of them would be at home.

The feeling of having parents at home versus not having them was completely different. The twins had a strong foundation and had always ranked at the top of their class, but even in their final year, they still had to work hard. There were many prodigies around.

If they became careless, their grades would slip. Lin Yining wanted to get into the best university, so she could not slack off.

Yu Qingshan, meanwhile, was practically living there.

If the children’s parents were not around, their grandfather would definitely be.

The concern they had not felt as strongly in childhood became fully apparent in their final year of high school, leaving the twins with complicated emotions.

But seeing how much their family cared about them made their hearts ache a little, and it only strengthened their resolve not to fall behind. As long as they were willing to study, Yu Xiang’an would hire any renowned teacher for them.

Occasionally, when Yu Mingyao came over and saw the two of them each receiving one-on-one tutoring, she could not help but shiver.

If she had studied like this before, she might have gotten into a better school, but the pressure was immense.

In the short term it was manageable, but over a long period, she felt she would not be able to endure it.

Whenever Yu Xiang’an was around, she would stock the fridge with ingredients and prepare all kinds of delicious food for them, often adding some spirit spring water.

Yu Xiang’an was skilled at cooking all kinds of dishes, and the twins had picked up some culinary skills themselves, standing out among their peers.

Part of the reason they learned was to satisfy their own appetites, and another part was learning from Yu Xiang’an. When they were unhappy or stressed, they would go into the kitchen to vent.

It did not happen often, but occasionally it did. For example, at this moment, Lin Yining grew frustrated with a problem she could not solve. She abruptly stood up, put down her pen, and hurried into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator to see what was inside.

There were tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, eggs, potatoes… and some fruit, along with two bags of bread.

She took out the bread. A sandwich would do.

She took a carrot, washed it, sliced it, then diced it. She diced some green pepper as well, and cut corn into kernels. On the flattened slices of bread, she first laid down a layer of ham and bacon, then spread the diced carrot, green pepper, and corn on top, leaving a space in the middle. After thinking for a moment, Lin Yining took some seaweed, crushed it, and sprinkled it over. Finally, she cracked an egg into the empty center, added some cheese, and carefully placed it into the oven.

“Ding—”

When the time was up, Lin Yining opened the oven, took it out, covered it with another slice of bread, and cut it diagonally in half. The sandwich was done.

Looking at the sandwich, her mood improved quite a bit. She brought it outside. Lin Yihong was writing furiously. Seeing the sandwich, he grabbed it with his left hand and continued working while eating.

Lin Yining focused on holding her sandwich with both hands. After finishing it, she went back to the kitchen, took out some fruit, and made watermelon juice. Each of them had a cup. By the time she finished drinking, her mood had completely calmed, and she picked up her pen again to tackle the problem.

They had participated in some competitions and earned bonus points, but those were just icing on the cake. If their core performance was not strong, the extra points would not help much. In the end, one had to be solid on one’s own.

When Yu Xiang’an returned with some beef, she peeked in and saw the siblings bent over their studies in the study room.

“Sorry to interrupt,” she said. “I bought some beef. How do you want it? Steak or hot pot?”

Lin Yining said, “Steak.”

Lin Yihong said, “Hot pot.”

Yu Xiang’an made an OK gesture. “Then we’ll have both.”

The beef came from her own space.

She had deliberately raised high-quality cattle for her family to eat.

When Lin Chuanbai returned and opened the door, he was greeted by the rich aroma of food.

“What did you make today? It smells so good.”

Lin Yihong was already on a break, sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper. “Steak and beef hot pot.”

He folded the newspaper, set it aside, and headed to the kitchen. “Dad’s back. Time to eat.”

At the dining table, everyone chatted as they ate.

Lin Chuanbai asked Yu Xiang’an, “How’s the renovation going?”

Yu Xiang’an had transformed the original factory. Back when she bought the land, it had been large and cheap, leaving plenty of room for expansion later. Now that the factory had been relocated to a more remote area, this prime piece of land would not be left unused.

The area had already developed into a small hub, and using it as a factory would have been a waste.

Yu Xiang’an had built a hotel, a large shopping center, a food street, a clothing market, and even a European-style garden town for photos, strolling, chatting, and dating. In a few years, when smartphones became widespread, this place would surely attract many visitors coming to take pictures.

But that was something for the future. Right now, the first things to be launched were the hotel and the food hall. What was currently being renovated was the large shopping complex. After the hotel and food hall opened, the popularity of the place was enough to make people jealous. The shopping complex had not even finished reconstruction and renovation yet, and people were already coming on their own to ask about renting space.

It was easy to foresee that once Yu Xiang’an got this whole series of projects up and running, it would become a true money-devouring beast.

Yu Xiang’an said, “It’s pretty much done. There are still some small odds and ends left. In about ten more days, everything should be finished.”

The twins had often gone to places like those large shopping centers. You could shop, stroll around, play games, do everything there. When Lin Yining wanted to go shopping, that was exactly the kind of place she liked to go.

The more places there were, the more complete and concentrated in one area, the better. That way, there was no need to run all over the place.

There was also a food hall like that here in Yangcheng.

When Lin Yining wanted to eat something different on the weekend, she usually went there. There was a huge variety, enough for anyone to choose from, and the prices were affordable even for ordinary students.

“When the renovation’s finished, I want to go take a look.”

Lin Yining had seen the design plans and the model renderings. They looked quite nice, and she wanted to see the real thing.

Yu Xiang’an said, “There’s still a bit of a difference between looking at a model and looking at the actual place.”

Lin Yining asked, “Does it turn out better, or worse?”

Yu Xiang’an said, “I think it’s all right. Your grandpa doesn’t like it, though.”

Yu Qingshan shook his head. “I still think square, proper houses look the best.”

The others: “…” Not surprising in the slightest.

Suddenly remembering something, Yu Qingshan glanced at the twins but said nothing. Only after dinner, once they had rested a little and the two children had gone back into their room to study in earnest, did Yu Qingshan ask Yu Xiang’an, “That troublemaker from before, did you find out who it was? When you went back this time, did you uncover who did it? Which rotten bastard was behind it?”

Because of the renovations, the area had been fenced off to keep children from wandering in, so ordinary people could not get inside. But somehow, someone had snuck in at night. When the workers arrived in the morning, they found several basins of dog’s blood splashed over the main entrance. It had taken quite a while to clean up.

That incident put the workers on edge, and a few days later there was more trouble. Garbage had appeared inside, somehow brought in by who knew where, and the freshly painted walls had been covered with random graffiti.

That had already happened twice. After hearing about it from the people below, Yu Xiang’an told them to keep a closer watch.

Where there was a first time, there would be a second. Where there was a second, there would be a third. And sure enough, the third time came too. After silently suffering two losses, they caught the person red-handed.

Yu Xiang’an said, “We caught her.”

Yu Qingshan asked, “Who did it? Was it some competitor who had it in for us?”

Yu Xiang’an sighed. “Not a competitor. It’s someone we all know.”

At that, Yu Qingshan frowned. “Someone we all know? Who?”

Yu Xiang’an said, “Ding Minxiu.”

Yu Qingshan froze for a moment, then asked again, “Who did you just say?”

Yu Xiang’an repeated herself. “I said Ding Minxiu. Yes, that Ding Minxiu, the one we know.”

Lin Chuanbai frowned too. “What’s going on here?” He remembered that person.

Only… it seemed like they had not had dealings with her for a very long time. So why would she suddenly do something like this? What was she after?

Yu Xiang’an said, “When I got there, I didn’t know it was her at first.” Her face was full of speechless disbelief. At the time, she had not even recognized who the person was. Full translation available on HololoNovels dot com. It was only because Ding Minxiu called out first that she managed to connect this woman with the person in her memory.

“I haven’t seen her in who knows how many years, and we’ve never had any contact at all. Then she pulls something like this, and I’m honestly baffled. What exactly is she trying to do? How did I offend her?”

Yu Qingshan asked, “What did she say?”

“She spouted a bunch of nonsense. Stuff about carrying out justice on heaven’s behalf, about the bright light of day, about ill-gotten wealth. The first time was splashing dog’s blood, the second time was throwing trash around and scribbling all over the walls. And do you know what she did the third time? She set up a fake person there to pretend it was haunted.”

If word got out that the place was haunted, how many people would still dare come in the future?

Yu Xiang’an said, “Before I went, I had no idea it was her, so I called the police right away. She only panicked when she saw the police. I didn’t listen to anything she had to say. I handled it exactly the way it should be handled. I didn’t want to waste time. She deserved a lesson. Otherwise, she’d keep showing up to cause trouble whenever she pleased, and that would waste even more time.”

If work stopped for even one day, who knew how much labor and money would be lost? Now that they had caught her, things would proceed as they should.

Settle it in private?

She refused.

Even if the punishment was not severe, it was still better than some weightless little apology.

Yu Qingshan’s expression was so complicated it was hard to describe. He rubbed his stomach. If he had not just eaten his fill, hearing this now would have made him lose his appetite. How could this woman be so infuriating?

“Serves her right. Let the police teach her how to behave. When you saw her this time, was she acting alone?”

Yu Xiang’an said, “She was acting alone. Her mother probably didn’t know. After the police arrived, her mother came over too. I only heard about it afterward from other people. I didn’t see her.”

Yu Xiang’an did not want to see Zhao Qiaoniang. She could easily imagine how Zhao Qiaoniang would beg her to let Ding Minxiu off.

Why should she?

They had stayed out of each other’s lives for so many years. Ding Minxiu came looking to stir up trouble for her, and now she was supposed to magnanimously let it go like some great statesman?

Yu Xiang’an did not want to. She was not that generous, and she was certainly no saint.

Not to mention their old grievances. Even if it had been a stranger, anyone doing something like this would have upset Yu Xiang’an.

Yu Qingshan let out another long sigh. “What do you think is going on in her head? Some things should be done, and some things absolutely shouldn’t.”

Lin Chuanbai said, “Who can know? Everyone thinks differently. Some people are just unreasonable like that. She has nothing to do with us, Dad, so don’t think too much about it.”

Yu Xiang’an nodded as well. “Exactly, Dad. Look at how tightly your brows are knitted. We stopped having anything to do with them ages ago. And I still remember exactly what happened back then. I’ll remember it for the rest of my life.”

This was something she could never forget even if she wanted to. If not for Ding Minxiu and Zhou Boyang, the original owner would not have died of illness.

Yu Qingshan nodded. “I understand that logically. It just doesn’t sit right in my heart. Do you know how they’re doing now?”

Yu Xiang’an shook her head. “Not very well. The son Ding Minxiu gave birth to is a leech living off his parents. He talks a good game, but in reality he’s unwilling to do anything. Right now several of them are still working here to earn money and support the family.”

Yu Qingshan knew a bit about this as well. Sometimes when he went back, people would tell him about the Zhou family, so he knew that the family had placed enormous importance on their only heir. Bit by bit, they had spoiled the child rotten, until he was unwilling to do anything. At a very young age he got married and had a child, then brought his little family along to live off the older generation at home.

Sometimes Yu Qingshan wondered if this was retribution.

Back then, for the sake of Zhou Tianyou, that unborn child, the Zhou family had chosen to stand on Zhou Boyang and Ding Minxiu’s side. Then after the child was born, they doted on him so much that they turned him into this.

Was that love?

That was ruining a child.

They would grow old. They would die. Once they were gone, how was Zhou Tianyou supposed to make a living?

An iron rice bowl was not necessarily iron forever. Yu Qingshan had seen too many people forced into layoffs and early retirement. No one could say what the future would bring.

In contrast to the Zhou family, his daughter had weathered that period when everyone pointed fingers at her, then met the man who was now her husband. This son-in-law was so much more outstanding than Zhou Boyang it was not even a comparison. The young couple lived in harmony, and before long they had twins, a son and a daughter, both blessed children.

In the blink of an eye, his grandchildren were already about to take the college entrance exams. More than ten years had passed. So why was the other side still unable to let go?

Splashing dog’s blood, throwing trash, scribbling all over the walls, pretending the place was haunted, all of it had been aimed at making trouble for his younger daughter.

Why cause trouble?

Yu Qingshan thought about it. One possibility was that Ding Minxiu herself was not doing well, and seeing his daughter living a good life made her feel unbalanced, even envious, so she wanted to stir something up.

But what was the point?

They had long since become two parallel lines.

Yu Xiang’an looked at Yu Qingshan’s expression. “Dad, if I had known you cared this much, I wouldn’t have told you. Look at how unhappy you are.”

Only then did Yu Qingshan relax a little. “I’m just sighing over how things and people have changed. I’m fine.” When people grew old, it became easier to think back on the past.

Before his daughter had come to tell him that Zhou Boyang and Ding Minxiu had gotten involved and that Ding Minxiu was already pregnant, what had he been worrying about back then?

He had been worrying that Ding Minxiu was about to be sent down to the countryside, and he needed to find someone to help assign her somewhere closer. He had been preparing for a marriage alliance with the Zhou family, getting a dowry ready for his younger daughter. At the same time, his own father had fallen seriously ill, draining the family’s savings. He did not have much money left, and he also could not neglect his second son and fourth daughter back in the countryside…

There had been many problems, but at that time, his heart had still felt at ease.

Yu Xiang’an also remembered those days. When she had first arrived here, she had discovered what the original owner had gone through and had been facing the prospect of being sent to the countryside, possibly to some remote, miserable corner. She knew her own limits. Life in the countryside did not suit her at all. She did not know how to farm, and she had been very uneasy. Then she met Yu Qingshan, this father of hers. He had a strong sense of right and wrong, and with him there, many things did not require her to worry. At that time, her heart had settled a great deal.

Yu Xiang’an pressed on, “Then let me tell you something happy. Yuhong is pregnant. You’re going to have a great-grandchild. Are you happy?”

Yu Mingjie and Meng Yuhong had been married for several years without children, and now she was finally pregnant.

Yu Qingshan perked up immediately. “Really?”

Yu Xiang’an replied firmly, “Really.”

“They went to the hospital for a checkup, and it just so happened that I have a friend there. He told me quietly. They’ll probably come tell you the good news tomorrow. I’m just letting you know in advance.”

Yu Qingshan was truly delighted. After all, his eldest grandson and his wife had not been able to have children before, and they themselves had been anxious, even worrying that something was wrong with their health, going to the hospital and taking medicine. Now she was finally pregnant.

Pregnant was good. Pregnant was good.

Whether it was a boy or a girl, it would be his good child.

…

Li Yujiao was feeling somewhat anxious, because Lin Houpu was about to retire. Given his age, he had been able to give her son Tiandong some support, but some of that support had also shifted toward Lin Guangbai. Lin Guangbai held the highest rank, had the deepest experience, and had achievements to his name. With these added resources, his path became even smoother, like adding wings to a tiger.

But Tiandong was different. His experience was still relatively shallow. With Lin Houpu as his backing, he had not encountered malicious situations like being undermined or having credit stolen, but he still had to climb step by step.

Asking Lin Houpu to pull strings and promote him ahead of schedule was out of the question.

Lin Houpu had his own personal feelings, but not to the extent that he would do such things. Tiandong could only advance slowly, one step at a time.

If there were time, that would be fine. But compared to Lin Guangbai, what Tiandong lacked most was time.

Before he could fully grow, his father was already nearing retirement. This was the disadvantage of being younger.

There was nothing to be done.

And on top of that, after finally marrying a wife, she gave birth to a daughter. To Li Yujiao, her son had no son to carry on the family line.

Both husband and wife held formal jobs, so they could not risk violating policy by having another child. If they did, they would lose their jobs.

No son, only a daughter. How could that be acceptable?

After her granddaughter was born, Li Yujiao began to feel dissatisfied with the daughter-in-law she had once approved of.

She had thought about secretly having another child, but she had lived through the era of informants. Full translation available on HololoNovels dot com. Some things simply could not be done. Once reported, it would be certain trouble.

Pregnancy and childbirth took such a long time. How could it possibly be hidden?

She wanted a reason that others could not criticize.

There was only one legal way to have a second child: if the first one was gone. But she could not bring herself to harm her granddaughter. Even though she wanted a grandson, she still wanted her granddaughter as well. Nor could she simply have another child, because her daughter-in-law already had an IUD and did not want another child, believing that one daughter was enough.

With no other options, she began to scheme about getting them to divorce. How could she make them separate?

In the end, she came up with a plan. If the couple split, her son could remarry a new bride, and then they would be able to have another child.

It was a vicious idea, and Li Yujiao told no one, carrying it out quietly on her own.

After much deliberation, and in order not to affect her son’s future, Li Yujiao decided she would become a cruel mother-in-law, making life difficult for her daughter-in-law. Once the young woman could no longer endure it, she would ask for a divorce.

The idea was beautiful. Reality was harsh.

This daughter-in-law was someone she had once been satisfied with. Her family background was not bad either. She was the daughter of Lin Houpu’s old comrade. Both she and her husband had jobs in another city, so they were not living together with Li Yujiao. They only saw each other a few times a month. How much trouble could she really cause? The daughter-in-law could simply endure those few days and be done with it.

Having them move closer was also not an option. Li Yujiao needed to stay by Lin Houpu’s side. If she were not there and Lin Houpu were persuaded by his sons from his previous marriage, while she remained unaware, she would be placed in a very passive position.

If she ended up losing the greater benefit while chasing something small, she would regret it for the rest of her life.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃

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