Ch 127: Bringing a Farming Game System to the 1970s

After the phrase “extending life and prolonging health” went viral online for a while, it gradually died down. For the general public, the matter felt distant, and whether it was even real was still uncertain.

Those who paid closer attention were mostly older people, those who increasingly felt their strength fading and sensed they were nearing the end of their lives.

Because of the company’s long-standing reputation, they were willing to sign up as volunteers and take a chance.

When the body is already in decline, should they just accept it and do nothing? When there is no other choice, there is no choice. But when there is, why not try? As volunteers, they did not have to pay. Food, lodging, and daily needs were all provided, and the living conditions were decent.

Aside from the elderly, there were also participants from other age groups.

This was not something that could be proven in the short term. It required time.

Although mentions of it online gradually decreased, that did not mean it was forgotten. Besides the elderly, many industry peers were also very interested in the news.

Life itself is such a mysterious subject. Everyone wants to explore it. Domestically, things were relatively restrained, but abroad there were already many research labs dedicated to this topic for the wealthy.

They had not yet made any breakthrough progress, so now, all of a sudden, this side claimed results?

They tried to gather information from other researchers in the pharmaceutical factory, but learned nothing. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. In fact, the institute had not known about it much earlier than the public. When they found out, they were just as shocked.

There were two reasons for their shock. One was the effect itself. The other was that they had no idea when such a project had even been underway. In other words, Lin Chuanbai had completed it alone. How could that not astonish them?

No one knew how long he had been secretly working on it. And he had not delayed any of his other work, continuing to produce many other medicines. Someone like that… was truly remarkable.

Of course, Lin Chuanbai could not tell them that a “cheat-like” processing workshop had helped shorten the time, so he could only accept the praise as it came.

After Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiang’an made a public splash, Wang Yuyan was mentioned more and more frequently.

Her development had been too rapid. She left Xinxing Entertainment to establish her own studio, taking with her her original team, including Yue Wu and Wu Lin, along with other carefully selected individuals to make their way in the entertainment industry.

At the end of the day, the entertainment industry runs on resources. If you have resources, you have connections, and she already had both.

Her family, friends, and classmates formed a network, and she herself was also an investor, a provider of resources.

Filming television dramas and movies depends on genre. Modern dramas costing tens of millions are already considered good. Historical dramas, if done with attention to detail, require expensive costumes and accessories, making them costly productions. So Wang Yuyan focused mainly on modern dramas.

Luxury houses, fine clothing, luxury cars, all essential for modern dramas, she already had them and could lend them out for free, reducing costs. For campus settings, it was even simpler. During holidays, she could arrange to rent school facilities, paying a fee to resolve it.

Ultimately, it came down to the script, and whether the director and actors did their jobs well.

She did not chase excessive hype. She wanted actors to prove themselves through ability.

If they were good, they stayed. If not, someone else would take their place.

There were plenty of people wanting to enter the entertainment industry. She did not mind using newcomers.

She had high standards for her artists, but she also treated them well. They did not have to accompany anyone to drinking parties, did not have to attend social banquets, did not have to curry favor with anyone. They only needed to focus on improving themselves and acting well. Everything else would be handled by others.

Those who were expected to attend drinking engagements were usually investors, and very few would dare to ask her to do such things. That would cause a major incident. Some of those investors were even elders, so how could they behave improperly in front of her? One by one, they acted properly.

People who transferred over from other places felt disoriented.

That same President Chen, whom she had once encountered at a dinner and found so greasy she nearly felt sick, now wore a serious expression and behaved like a respectable elder. Truly, having a powerful backing made all the difference.

Wang Yuyan could not say that every project she invested in became a hit, but well-produced dramas had a much higher chance of success.

She also invested heavily in promotion and advertising. Combined with her existing reputation, her development was both steady and rapid.

Once someone became popular, money and fame would follow endlessly.

The entertainment industry, after all, is a place that attracts far more public attention than most fields.

*

Before announcing the news, Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai had hesitated over whether to make it public.

They knew how rare this substance was. Aside from extracting it from the spiritual peach, the only other way to obtain it was from certain aged medicinal herbs, and they had to be wild.

That meant the final pricing could not be low. If it were too low, even the cost could not be recovered.

What pushed them to finally make the decision?

It was a friend of Yu Qingshan.

He had met Yu Qingshan at an exhibition hall. They lived nearby and were about the same age. His son had gone out into the world and made a name for himself, so he had been brought over to enjoy a comfortable retirement. But although he was living comfortably, his children were not by his side, and he had no friends nearby. He was lonely.

After meeting Yu Qingshan, the two of them often spent time talking together.

He was actually a few years younger than Yu Qingshan and appeared to be in good health. But after catching a cold, his condition deteriorated rapidly. His body aged quickly, and things worsened day by day.

When Yu Qingshan came back, he sighed constantly. Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai had already been hesitating about releasing the product, but hearing him speak so gloomily placed pressure on them.

It was like watching a patient suffer while you had medicine that could alleviate it, yet hesitating to use it because of various concerns. If the patient did not recover, it would be like watching a life slip away.

The two of them carefully reviewed the entire process again, double-checking the details, and ultimately decided to release the research results.

The substance was extracted from the spiritual peach, then extensively combined with other real-world materials. They found that similar substances did exist, though in far smaller quantities and of lower quality.

But they still had an effect.

If the life-extending component in the spiritual peach were rated a ten, then the extracted compounds from medicinal herbs would rank one, two, or three. One was common, two rare, three extremely rare.

When the online discussion was at its peak, Lin Guangbai could not help approaching Lin Chuanbai. “You’re saying this thing can extend lifespan. Is that true?”

Lin Chuanbai remained calm. “Brother, what do you think ‘extending lifespan’ means?”

Lin Guangbai said, “Lengthening life.”

Lin Chuanbai replied, “No. When I say it has life-extending effects, I mean it helps regulate the body’s condition, making it more vital and reducing the likelihood of illness. In that way, it achieves the effect of prolonging life. What you’re talking about, directly adding years to a person’s lifespan, does not exist. If someone takes it but does not take care of their body, it won’t extend their life either. It’s not that miraculous. If someone develops a serious illness, things will still proceed as they normally would.”

Lin Guangbai let out a breath. “I knew there wasn’t something that defies the natural order like that.”

Still, he felt a bit regretful.

“Then is it okay for you to advertise it that way?”

Lin Chuanbai said, “There’s nothing wrong with phrasing it like that. It can achieve the effect of prolonging life.”

Lin Guangbai said, “From the way things look on your side, it doesn’t seem like a joke. I’ve already received quite a few calls asking about your new medicine. You didn’t even give me a heads-up…”

Things were no quieter on Lin Yihong’s side. After receiving Lin Chuanbai’s explanation, they all calmed down and patiently waited for the experimental results.

Those who had close ties with their family were actually quite confident, because their family had a long-standing tradition of longevity.

They did not all live in the same place, so why were their lifespans consistently longer than average?

Now it seemed clear that they had some kind of medicine capable of producing this effect.

Previously, the technology had not been mature. Now it was.

The ones who could access the most up-to-date information were the researchers.

The group working on this project was small, but every member was someone Lin Chuanbai trusted.

Ye Chen was in the group, and his daughter Ye Jingjing was also a member.

They stayed in the lab day after day, working overtime, and only went out when absolutely necessary.

There had already been lessons learned. The moment they went outside, there would be all sorts of “coincidental encounters,” with people using various methods to probe for information about the experiment and its progress. Some even tried to buy samples. Among them were quite a few foreigners with unusual accents.

Under such circumstances, staying in the lab and informing their families of the situation was the best choice.

The small size of the team also helped. Their family members all held stable jobs and had regular routines, so any irregularities would be easy to notice. This greatly reduced the risk of exposure. If the group were larger, with more complicated loyalties, not everyone would be able to resist temptation.

It was not just them. Even Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai could not find peace.

Kleit personally came to visit, proposing a marriage alliance on behalf of a friend, a well-known foreign pharmaceutical company.

Neither of the twin sisters was married, and the grandson was also unmarried. On the other side, there were both sons and daughters. As long as Yu Xiang’an agreed to the alliance, choosing a match would not be difficult.

If the children married, they would become one family and could support each other, forming a powerful alliance.

Yu Xiang’an said, “My eldest granddaughter already has someone she likes. As for my other two children, they are still single, but that depends on who they themselves like.”

Kleit felt Yu Xiang’an should not be bound by traditional ideas. “Marriage is marriage. If they have other people they like, they can have children first and then each go their own way. That’s quite normal.”

Yu Xiang’an rejected it outright. “Kleit, I cannot accept that kind of marriage. If my children are not happy, I would rather they remain single. You may not understand, but when I started my business, it was to fulfill my own wishes. In some ways, I am very self-directed. I have fulfilled my own desires. My children should fulfill theirs themselves, not have me decide for them. If I forced them for this reason, it would go against my original intentions.”

Kleit expressed respect for her decision, though he found it a pity. Since she had made up her mind, he would pass along her answer.

Lu Anran and Yu Mansheng watched all of this unfold. Lu Anran felt that if it turned out to be true, there would only be more commotion in the future, and advised making preparations early.

Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiang’an naturally understood this. They had already made plans. Something so sensitive would, of course, be handed over to the state.

That would have to wait until the experimental results came out.

Before the results were released, Wang Yushan got married.

Her partner shared the same profession as Lin Chuanbai, also a researcher, though in chemistry.

He was quiet, fair-skinned, and a little shy, not quite at ease in front of others, but his gaze was clear and upright.

Wang Yuyan was greatly stimulated by this. “Now that you’re married, my hard days are about to begin.”

For example, their grandparents would say that since her sister was already married, and they were twins of the same age, yet she did not even have a boyfriend, she should hurry up…

Wang Yuyan could already imagine exactly what they would say, and the expressions on their faces when they said it.

Wang Yushan laughed. “When you meet the right person, of course you want to get married. I’m at that age too.”

Having a stable family after marriage was better than being single.

Wang Yuyan sighed. “I’ve thought about finding a boyfriend, but… the gap is just too big.”

Wang Yushan asked, “What gap? Compared to whom?”

Wang Yuyan said, “Compared to my ideal type. I also want to find someone like Grandpa, but I haven’t found one. So brother-in-law, which divine being did you dig him out from? I want to go see if I can find someone similar.”

She was not opposed to relationships. She was single simply because she had not met someone she liked. The people who showed her attention had far too impure motives. She would have to be out of her mind to make herself uncomfortable by getting involved with them.

Now that her career had achieved some success, combined with her grandmother’s major move and the fact that she was the only one among her grandmother’s grandchildren engaged in business, the situations she encountered were… intense, to say the least.

At this point, Wang Yuyan could be considered battle-hardened. People came up with all sorts of “coincidental” encounters and excuses to approach her, never repeating the same tactic.

Wang Yushan laughed. She could imagine it and felt a bit of sympathy.

Wang Yuyan said somewhat helplessly, “I’ve even thought about it. If I really can’t find someone I like, I’ll just go to a sperm bank and have a child myself. Forget men altogether. Having one wouldn’t be of any use anyway.”

That statement made Wang Yushan’s eyelid twitch. Original translation at HololoNovels dot com. She gave her a light smack on the head. “If you say that out loud, our parents will definitely be angry. Having a child isn’t that simple. You’re thinking too easily. Do you even know if the sperm bank information is accurate? Whether there are genetic defects or hereditary diseases? Whether the person is still alive? Whether there’s a whole mess of problematic relatives? Don’t do anything foolish.”

Lin Yining said, “How about I introduce someone to you?”

The people she knew were relatively straightforward, such as descendants from families with long traditions in calligraphy, or doctoral students and teaching assistants at universities.

They were of similar age and had common ground.

Yu Xiang’an also provided a few options. These were business partners. She did not arrange direct meetings, but listed their basic information for Wang Yuyan to review. If she was interested, she could find a way to get to know them herself.

Lin Chuanbai looked over the list and shook his head. “I don’t think these will work. The ones Yining introduced might have a better chance.”

The ones Yu Xiang’an suggested were all involved in business. Anyone successful in business tended to be calculating. Wang Yuyan wanted someone more straightforward, someone she would not have to overanalyze every word with even at home. She wanted a relationship that was not exhausting.

Yu Xiang’an agreed, but since Yining had asked her to help, she still provided a few names. She had already inquired about them. Each of them had been carefully cultivated as heirs in their families, outstanding in their own right.

After going through all this effort, nothing came of it. By the time Wang Yushan’s son was born, Wang Yuyan was still single. Disappointed in love but successful in her career, she simply focused on work.

Lin Yining felt exhausted.

She gave up.

Yu Xiang’an began giving Wang Yuyan more responsibility. Since she had shown interest in business, it was naturally better than having no one involved at all. Relying solely on hired managers always carried the risk of being deceived. Having someone from within the family, even if they could not oversee everything personally, would still reduce that risk.

Moreover, her assets would not all go to one person. Some would be entrusted to Wang Yuyan. So she began handing over certain operations for her to manage.

Beyond the entertainment industry, she also gave her control over related sectors such as cosmetics and skincare.

Previously, Wang Yuyan had worked in sales at Meiyan. Now she became a vice general manager, a very high-profile parachute appointment. When she occasionally ran into former colleagues, the expressions on their faces were indescribably complicated.

…Good news continued to come in from the experimental side.

Some of the volunteers were very happy. They could feel the changes in their own bodies. They felt lighter, their sleep at night became deeper and more restful instead of easily disturbed, their appetites improved, and overall they felt several years younger.

Everything had to be backed by data. These experimental results made Ye Chen and the others very excited. Lin Chuanbai was pleased as well, but compared to everyone else’s loud reactions, his happiness was much more restrained. Many people admired him for it, thinking he was calm and confident, that he must have anticipated these results long ago. Otherwise, how could he remain so composed?

Lin Chuanbai: …

A beautiful misunderstanding.

Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiang’an had already decided that once this matter was settled, they would move into semi-retirement, further delegating authority. After all, what were these managers hired for?

To steer the ship.

When the experimental results came out, the drug could not truly be described as “extending life.” That concept was too abstract. No one could determine their original lifespan to confirm an extension. However, other effects were much easier to verify, such as improving cellular activity in the elderly, stimulating blood and liver cell function when division had slowed, aiding recovery in areas with tissue damage, and even supporting growth and development in children, strengthening their constitution.

Something like this was not something a private entity could monopolize. The scale was too large, and the state would not stand by. Lin Chuanbai and Yu Xiang’an took the initiative to hand over the formula, retaining thirty percent of the shares while not participating in management or operations.

Of that, ten percent would be donated to the Hope Project.

Once the agreement was finalized, it was announced immediately.

Security around the research facility was already tight, yet unfamiliar faces continued to appear in a steady stream.

If this medicine became widespread, it would be a blessing to the public. The potential profits were immense.

The active compounds could be extracted not only from wild medicinal herbs but also from carefully cultivated ones that simulated natural conditions. With increased focus, costs could be reduced further, making it accessible to more people.

Children taking it could strengthen their bodies and reduce illness…

After accepting such a major contribution, the authorities naturally took note. Both Yu Xiang’an and Lin Chuanbai were featured in an annual publication.

Online, there was an outpouring of praise.

“If it were me, I couldn’t just hand this over to the state. Even without fully understanding it, I know it’s a money tree. Once it hits the market, I’d buy it for my kids, for myself, for my parents. Treat illness if there is illness, strengthen the body if there isn’t.”

“Even living off dividends would be an astronomical amount. And they’re donating another ten percent. I’d build them a longevity shrine. I was able to go to school because of donations from kind people, but many in my hometown still can’t leave the mountains. Maybe more and more people will get that chance in the future.”

“Wishing good people a lifetime of peace!”

“Wishing good people a lifetime of peace!”

Alongside the praise, countless posts appeared.

If you traveled back to the 1970s, what would you do? OP goes first, I’d befriend Boss Yu and cling to her for dear life!

I envy their relationship, supporting each other for so long. I heard they even went to their private island for multiple honeymoons not long ago.

I want to reincarnate as their sibling. Instant success, no effort required.

If I were Boss Yu’s child, I would…

The last thread became the most popular. Compared to working hard themselves, many people would rather be born into such a family, starting life at the finish line.

Yu Xiang’an’s Weibo was managed by her publicity team, mostly posting official matters. Even so, under her latest announcement, people checked in daily.

“Boss, look at me. Young, strong, can eat, drink, sleep, and work. Are you hiring?”

“This humble Daoist observed the stars and divined that my benefactor is here. Honored one, when will you help me get rich and take me flying?”

“Boss, do I look like your accessory?”

…

Although Yu Xiang’an was a businesswoman, her follower count looked more like that of a celebrity influencer.

With such a major event, interviews were inevitable.

Yu Xiang’an refused many requests, finally selecting a reputable journalist who would not fabricate stories, agreeing to a short live interview.

The moment she agreed, it was announced. Many people entered the livestream early and waited.

“I’m first!”

“No, I’m first!”

“I hereby declare this place mine [dog head]”

“I wonder what they’ll ask, maybe her rise to success? Looking forward to it.”

“Same here.”

The reporter began cautiously. “Your restaurants are nationwide, including hot pot, fast food, and luxury hotels. Some call you the ‘queen of the dining industry.’ What would you like to say about that title?”

Before Yu Xiang’an could answer, the live comments flooded the screen:

“Thanks for the invite. I feel that title is a bit narrow. Besides the food city near my home, the office building across the street is also mine [arms crossed].”

“Not just the office building, there’s also a share in the clothing district [smug].”

“Not just clothing, cosmetics takes up half the market too [wicked smile].”

“And not just cosmetics, even the home medicine cabinet has a piece of the pie [dog head]…”

🌱🌿 🫧🍃