Ch 117: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

The new feature that appeared after this upgrade was rather mystical.

What emerged was a small hill. It was not large, nor very tall, covered in lush green grass. At the very top of the hill stood a peach tree about half a person’s height.

The tree gave off a faint glow, subtle enough to be easily overlooked.

It bore two small peaches, along with several flower buds.

The moment Yu Xiang’an saw the tree, a name popped into her mind, simple and direct: spirit peach.

After eating it, one could cleanse the body, extend lifespan, and become immune to illness.

Looking at these tiny spirit peaches, Yu Xiang’an felt both delighted and troubled.

There were two formed peaches and seven buds of varying sizes, nine in total. It seemed like quite a number, and if its effects were real, it would be a priceless treasure.

But how long would it take to ripen?

And after harvesting, would new peaches grow again?

She did not know.

She tried pouring some spirit spring water and accelerated droplets, but it did not seem to help. Or if it did, the change was too slight to see with the naked eye. If these spirit peaches required a very long time to grow, like in cultivation novels where certain fruits take a hundred years to bloom, a hundred years to bear fruit, and another hundred years to ripen, then by the time they were ready, she might already be ashes.

That was a problem.

Previously, many of the resources in her space, beef, mutton, fruits, soybeans, aside from what they consumed themselves, were mostly stored away because there was no immediate need. She had not been farming aggressively for experience. But now it seemed she needed to make full use of everything. If spirit peaches had appeared this time, what might come with the next upgrade?

This area also seemed like a kind of blessed land. The vegetation here was clearly not ordinary. Even breathing the air felt fresher, more invigorating compared to outside.

Yu Xiang’an said, “Even though the storage still has space, some things have been sitting there too long. We should clear them out. From now on, we need to fully utilize the farm and earn experience.”

They began taking fresh meat and fruit from storage into the processing workshop, turning them into beef jerky, beef sauce, and various preserved foods, preparing to bring them out when the opportunity arose.

Lin Chuanbai nodded. This was like a game farm, with one-click harvesting and planting. It did not require much effort. He also wanted to see the next upgrade as soon as possible, curious what new benefits it might bring.

He joined in processing the food. These items could not be revealed as their own work, so he deliberately adjusted the recipes. That way, even if familiar people tasted them, they would not trace them back.

Lin Chuanbai also wondered if, once the spirit peaches ripened, he could analyze their composition and replicate them. If possible, they would never lack money and could even benefit many people.

But he suspected it would be difficult.

He had once tried to understand the nature of the spirit spring water, only to give up after no progress. Tests showed it was merely water with slightly higher trace elements, nothing more. Yet its effects were undeniable. Wine and soy sauce made with it tasted better, and their own health had clearly improved.

Both of them became motivated to grind experience. They even experimented by placing valuable materials around the peach tree, jade, diamonds, gemstones, to see if any contained some form of spiritual energy that could accelerate its growth, or perhaps be nourished in return.

Lin Chuanbai also made nutrient solutions for the tree and carefully applied them around the roots.

Still, there were no visible changes, leaving them uncertain whether it was helping or not.

In the end, they could only leave it to time.

*

Chen Xiaoyang and the others received a batch of employee benefits, a holiday gift package.

The packaging was nice, and the contents were generous.

There was beef jerky, wine, dried tofu, and fresh fruit.

Meat, fruit, and even wine. Wine felt especially refined.

As for Chen Xiaoyang, since grain was precious, she had only drunk alcohol fewer than five times in her life, all homemade rice wine or mixed-grain brews. She had never tried grape wine. She had heard from the distributors that it was good for women, beneficial for beauty and skin.

Chen Xiaoyang: “!!!”

So amazing!

She carried the entire package home intact. As soon as her mother saw it, she placed it prominently on the table, then immediately went out. Chen Xiaoyang did not need to ask. She knew her mother had gone to show it off. Before long, people would come over to take a look.

Some would praise it, others would want a share. Her mother, caring about appearances, would reluctantly give some away, then regret it afterward. Chen Xiaoyang was very familiar with this pattern.

So after her mother left, she quickly followed and went out as well. If she stayed home, she would have no peace.

She walked along the paved road, which led all the way to the foot of Bamboo Mountain.

The villagers cherished this road dearly.

As she walked, she reached the mountain. At the entrance, an elderly man sat in the shade dozing. He was the caretaker.

He watched over the area to prevent careless children from causing trouble, and to guard against those with ill intentions. A bronze gong sat nearby. If anything happened, one strike would summon help from nearby.

There had been incidents before.

A neighboring village did not have bamboo forests and grew envious. They claimed they came to cut bamboo for fences, and permission was given. But during their cutting, a fire broke out. Fortunately, it was discovered early, and the damage was limited.

Still, it had pained everyone.

Afterward, the villagers decided to have elderly men and women who could not do heavy labor stay here. If anything happened, they could call out.

At their age, they could no longer do much farm work anyway. Here, they could pass time weaving bamboo baskets and strips while watching over the area.

The old man woke at the sound of footsteps. Read the full chapter on HololoNovels .com. Seeing Chen Xiaoyang, he grinned, revealing only a few yellowed teeth. “Xiaoyang, you’re back.”

He crouched down and pulled out a small cage from behind his worn stool. “Caught a bamboo rat. Take it home. Let your mother cook you something nice.”

The village now protected the bamboo forest, and whenever bamboo rats appeared, they would catch them.

Chen Xiaoyang waved her hands. “Grandpa, I can’t take that.”

“Take it, take it. Why be polite with me?”

It cost nothing anyway.

The village now earned quite a bit. This bamboo mountain was like treasure. First selling bamboo shoots, then bamboo, and all kinds of bamboo products, all purchased by Xiaoyang’s employer.

Last year’s dividends had been substantial. With a bit more saving, they were planning to build a house.

Chen Xiaoyang tried to refuse several times but could not.

She had no choice but to take the bamboo rat and head back. On the way, she saw several teenage boys coming along a side path, laughing, carrying buckets. They were soaked from head to toe, barefoot, with bits of mud still clinging to them.

They had clearly been catching fish somewhere.

When they saw her, the tallest boy bent down, took an empty basin, and dropped two fish into it. “Sister Xiaoyang, take these back and make soup.”

Chen Xiaoyang refused three times in a row. “No, I won’t take it, I’m not bringing it. You guys keep it and share it.”

But the boy just laughed it off. Seeing that she was already holding a bamboo rat and only had one hand free, which made carrying the basin awkward, he dashed forward, shouting as he ran, “Sister Xiaoyang, I’ll carry it to your house for you!”

Chen Xiaoyang called after him, “I said no, take it back! You worked hard to catch those fish, take them home and eat well!”

He ran farther and farther away. “It’s fine, it’s fine, I’ll go again next time! Sister Xiaoyang, don’t refuse. If I give it to you, my mom won’t scold me!”

Otherwise, if his mother saw him coming back soaked and muddy from sneaking off to catch fish, even if he brought fish home, he would still get a beating. But if he said he had given them to Sister Xiaoyang, then he would be spared.

Chen Xiaoyang: “…”

Both annoyed and amused.

He was clearly using her as a shield.

The more the villagers benefited, the more grateful they were to her as the one who had led the way.

She had accepted quite a few of these small favors, and honestly felt a bit embarrassed. Even though she would return gifts during festivals, she knew she had not actually done that much.

Still, because of this, her mother had stopped nagging her about finding a partner. She had probably come to terms with it. Thinking about it made Chen Xiaoyang laugh. That was truly something to be happy about.

If she were to find someone, it should be someone she liked and who liked her in return. Only then would life have something to look forward to.

By the time she slowly made her way home carrying the bamboo rat, there was no one else there. Her mother sat on a stool, looking pained at the opened gift box.

Chen Xiaoyang glanced over. Fortunately, the wine was still there. As for the rest, what had been given away was given away. She had money, she could buy more.

Besides distributing some as employee benefits, part of it had also been given to the primary school and the orphanage.

By spreading things out, a good portion of the long-stored inventory had been cleared. The freed space would soon be filled again by Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai.

*

Lin Yining successfully found a master and became Shi Changtian’s youngest disciple.

From her calligraphy, it was clear she had already put in considerable effort. After assessing her, Shi Changtian was quite satisfied and accepted her. Then came a thick reading list. Every book on it required her to write reflections, and she also had to submit a certain number of pages of calligraphy practice daily.

Lin Yining felt both pain and joy.

The pain was that the freedom she had just gained in university life was gone.

The joy was that she could clearly see her own improvement. Listening to a master’s guidance was worth more than years of study. No wonder so many people sought renowned teachers.

She was also introduced to her senior brothers and sisters. Most of them were already accomplished in their fields, and even the youngest had completed graduate school. Now, as the junior disciple, she received quite a few gifts. These would become part of her future network.

When Li Yujiao heard about this, she was speechless.

The old man was far too biased. Back then, why had he not helped Tiandong find such a teacher?

She complained after the lights were out, but Lin Houpu immediately refuted her. “How long has my father known Professor Shi? Before Tiandong went to university, they didn’t even know each other. As for Tiandong’s field, back then my father didn’t know anyone in it. How was he supposed to introduce him?”

Lin Houpu understood his father’s character. If he had known someone suitable back then, he would definitely have helped Tiandong. He was someone who wanted all his descendants to succeed.

And after all, this was his father. No matter which daughter-in-law bore the children, they were still his blood.

If it could benefit Tiandong, he would never stand by and do nothing.

Before Li Yujiao could say more, Lin Houpu changed the subject. “Is your relationship with your daughter-in-law still bad? I’ve heard people say you two are constantly at odds. What’s going on? Didn’t you promise me you’d treat her well? With things like this, where am I supposed to put my face?”

Back when they married her into the family, everything had been said so nicely. Read the full chapter on HololoNovels .com. Now she acted like a wicked stepmother, making it hard for him to face his old comrades.

Li Yujiao fell silent.

Lin Houpu’s tone grew heavier. “Didn’t you hear what I said?”

She turned over stubbornly, facing away from him. “I’m the mother-in-law. Can’t I have some opinions about my daughter-in-law? Which mother-in-law has it as hard as I do? It’s not like I starve her or leave her cold.”

Lin Houpu almost laughed in anger. “If you were starving or freezing your daughter-in-law, what era do you think this is?”

Did they lack food or clothing?

Besides, their daughter-in-law had her own job. She was not dependent on them.

Lin Houpu said firmly, “If you keep this up, I’ll find a way to transfer them far away so you’ll hardly see them at all. Then you won’t have the chance to pick at her anymore.”

Li Yujiao suddenly sat up. “What kind of person are you? Fine, fine, I get it, alright?”

Her chest felt tight with frustration.

What kind of mother-in-law had it as hard as she did?

She wanted to discipline her daughter-in-law, yet faced resistance everywhere.

…

Lin Yining was often out from early morning until late at night, and on weekends she was rarely seen. This week was the same. When she returned, her roommates teased her.

“Did you start dating? Going out on weekends to meet your boyfriend?”

Lin Yining looked innocent. “If I really had one, I’d definitely bring him to meet you all. Don’t worry.”

The four of them in the dorm got along well, and their family backgrounds were all decent. They shared similar mindsets. It was, in a way, a matter of fate.

None of them were extraordinary beauties, but each had her own charm. Even the least striking could be described as fresh and pretty. As for top scorers, that was nothing unusual.

What they lacked in nothing was academic excellence. Every year, the school admitted top-ranking students from different regions.

The four of them came from four different places, each bringing a top student.

Lin Yihong was the same. He and his sister had taken first place in their province for arts and sciences respectively.

The bonuses from the school and local government added up to a tidy sum.

Lin Yining set down her bag. “Come on, food time.”

“What did you bring?”

“Milk tea, cold marinated chicken feet, cold noodles, and jianbing.”

Looking at the spread, everyone felt both joy and worry.

“…It smells so good… but if you keep bringing food like this, we’re all going to gain weight.”

Lin Yining patted her stomach, equally conflicted. “I went to my second uncle’s place. Look how much I brought back. I ate a lot too. This won’t do. I’m running extra tomorrow. Who wants to join me?”

Looking at the food, the others could not resist. They all raised their hands.

“Tomorrow we run together and burn all this off!”

Who did not care about appearance?

Too thin or too heavy was not ideal. A balanced, slender figure was best.

As they ate, one of them let out a blissful sigh. “While you were gone these past couple of days, we also had plenty of good food. Our dorm leader’s family sent some jerky and things like that, and we even shared some with nearby dorms.”

Among the four of them, the dorm leader was from the northwest, where cattle and sheep were plentiful. The second was from the far south, sending seafood. The third was from a region known for spicy food, bringing chili sauces. Lin Yining was the youngest, only a month younger than the third.

This fact annoyed her.

Just over a month, and she ended up the youngest one.

As they were eating, the dorm leader said, “Oh right, while you were away, someone came looking for you. A male classmate.”

She smiled with a hint of meaning. “Pretty handsome too, kind of like a movie star. Is he someone you’re considering?”

Lin Yining tilted her head. “Who?”

“The name’s Zhang Da. He came looking for you twice. I told him you weren’t here.”

Lin Yining thought for a moment. “I think I’ve seen him when I went to sit in on classes, but I don’t really remember him. Does he really look like a star? Didn’t feel that way.”

The second roommate had a childhood sweetheart, though they were currently long-distance. Seeing Lin Yining’s reaction, she knew there was no chance. “I don’t think it’s possible either. I mean, maybe, but still, I feel like our Yining deserves someone better.”

Ordinary guys just felt like cabbages being taken by pigs.

Lin Yining shrugged. “Didn’t you say he looks like a star? My standards are high. To catch my attention, he’d have to look almost like one. After all, I’ve got a star face myself. If I’m going to be with someone, I want a handsome guy too.” She shamelessly praised herself.

The other three chimed in together, “Ugh, shameless!”

“HAHAHAHA—” The four of them burst into laughter.

The third roommate said, “That’s just the truth. If he’s not good-looking, I don’t want him either. I’m not bad-looking myself.”

The dorm leader added, “Exactly. And he has to be tall. At least taller than me. Like your brother. If he were at our school, I’d totally chase him. Then you’d have to call me sister-in-law!”

Lin Yining replied proudly, “There’s a long line of people who want that title. Get in line.”

The third roommate laughed. “Compared to your brother, I actually like your dad’s type more. Got any younger, single versions to introduce? I’m curious about your mom too. She must be beautiful.”

Lin Yining rolled her eyes. “Go look in your dreams. Everything exists there. Of course my mom is beautiful. Otherwise how do you think I turned out this good-looking?”

At the start of the semester, they had all been polite and reserved, each one a proper young lady. Now, none of that remained.

Lin Yining’s dorm life was lively and full of fun. Lin Yihong’s days, on the other hand, were much more routine.

Classes and training, over and over, all within the campus.

On the rare occasions they were allowed out, everyone acted like unleashed huskies, running around wildly. It didn’t matter where they were, as long as they didn’t have to go back early.

Those with girlfriends would stand by the public phone booths, unwilling to hang up, spending all their saved pocket money on phone calls.

Lin Yihong was single. He had no girlfriend and hardly any chance to find one in that environment.

Wang Lipan was in the same situation.

As for Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai, they were the real parents. After watching the spirit peach tree for a while and seeing only minimal changes, they gradually relaxed about it.

It was clearly not something that would ripen anytime soon. Life had to go on as usual. They would just check on it once or twice a day and continue managing the space.

They shifted some of their attention away and started sending things to the twins.

Food, daily necessities, and many books.

Before they had shifted focus, Yu Qingshan had noticed something strange about his daughter and son-in-law.

He wanted to say something but held back. At their age, yet they would come out of their room looking exhausted.

Weren’t they just going in for a nap?

Why did they look like they had been doing heavy labor?

Could it be… they were thinking about having another child? At their age it was still possible, but wouldn’t that count as advanced maternal age?

That wasn’t safe.

He hesitated, then said nothing, but quietly added more “kidney-tonifying” dishes to the family menu.

Lin Chuanbai: “…………”

Yu Xiang’an: “…………”

He had completely misunderstood.

They really had been doing manual labor.

Once they had access to one space, they found themselves thinking more often about the other. Unlike Yu Xiang’an’s game-like farm where everything could be harvested and planted with a click, Lin Chuanbai’s medicinal garden required actual hands-on work.

Real labor.

Even with machinery, most medicinal herbs could not be handled mechanically. Only a few exceptions existed. Most required careful tending.

That was also one reason their health remained so good. They worked constantly, ate well, exercised enough, naturally their bodies stayed strong.

And it was not something they could delegate. They had to do it themselves.

Yu Mansheng, on the other hand, felt his health declining. He frequently drank with business associates. In that kind of social environment, he rarely refused. Over time, combined with less attention to fitness, he had put on weight and developed a noticeable belly.

Lu Anran was firm about it. “I signed you up for a gym.”

Yu Mansheng: “……”

Among his peers, his physique was actually not that bad.

Lu Anran said, “I don’t care. If you let yourself go too much, I won’t even want to look at you.”

Yu Mansheng felt like he had been stabbed in the heart.

He looked pitifully at Lin Chuanbai, focusing especially on his stomach. “Brother-in-law, how come you don’t have one?”

Lin Chuanbai chuckled. “I’ve got abs. Why don’t you?”

Lu Anran looked at Yu Xiang’an with envy. They had been joking earlier, but now hearing that Lin Chuanbai still had abs, she truly envied them.

“Brother-in-law, how do you maintain your figure? My sister keeps hers well too, but I’ve never seen you go to the gym. Do you just work out at home?” She couldn’t help pinching the soft flesh at her waist. Her figure had changed a bit as well.

She had been controlling it carefully. Otherwise, it would have been worse.

Yu Xiang’an actually weighed a bit less than before. As for why… she knew the reason. It was because they had been working harder in the fields lately.

Others did not know that, so she simply nodded. “Maybe I’ve been using my brain too much lately. Exercising at home is a good idea too. Just set up a room, and it’s basically your own gym. No need to go elsewhere.”

Lu Anran knew what Yu Xiang’an had been busy with recently. She had almost invested as well.

Yu Xiang’an had spent a large sum to acquire a piece of land and planned to develop a high-end residential area, half villas, half upscale apartments.

In the 1990s, real estate was about to surge, and she intended to seize that opportunity. She had invested in property projects before, but this time she was going big. The land alone had cost her millions.

🌱🌿 🫧🍃