Chapter 7:

Yu Xiang’an was nearly moved to tears. She thought she was dreaming and pinched herself hard—ouch! The fruity fragrance lingering in her nostrils was unmistakable. How could something so unscientific truly exist?

But then again, if time travel was possible, having a portable game farm wasn’t entirely out of the question.

“Control panel,” she whispered, and a translucent interface materialized before her, displaying buttons for watering, pest control, planting, and harvesting. In the top-right corner was a tiny “check-in” button.

Yu Xiang’an tapped it, and a watering can appeared with the notification: “+5 Accelerated Water Drops.”

Staring at the familiar interface, she confirmed it—this was the “Xixi Farm.”

Had Xixi Farm transformed from a game into a surreal reality?

Could she take things out?

With a thought, Yu Xiang’an found herself back on her bed, clutching a handful of fresh grass. She glanced at her feet—bits of grass still clung to them.

Another thought, and she was back in the farm, hugging her blanket, the scent of apples filling the air. Her stomach growled again, louder this time.

But now, instead of worry, a radiant smile spread across her face.

The farm spanned several acres. With this as her backup, hunger would no longer be a concern. She could plant rice and vegetables, raise a few chickens, and solve her food problems.

Wait—could she eat the produce here?

Curious, she plucked a handful of edamame and tried feeding it to the ducks. They refused, but the fish in the stream eagerly devoured it.

Tomorrow, she’d test feeding some to other animals. If there were no adverse reactions, she’d have a lifeline in this resource-scarce 1970s.

The sudden appearance of the farm left Yu Xiang’an distracted at work the next day, though her coworkers assumed it was because payday had arrived.

The factory had a fixed pay schedule—the 20th of every month—and the atmosphere was livelier than usual.

Workers first signed their pay slips at the accounting office before collecting their wages from the cashier. Along with money, they received various ration coupons.

Yu Xiang’an wouldn’t get her paycheck until next month, but observing the process gave her an idea of what to expect: a base salary of 27.5 yuan, plus sugar, cloth, and other coupons.

During lunch break, Yan Yuzhen accompanied her to the supply and marketing cooperative after their meal.

Yu Xiang’an’s sister-in-law, Ye Qijia, worked there, which allowed the family to occasionally purchase slightly defective goods without coupons.

Learning of this connection, Yan Yuzhen grew even friendlier toward Yu Xiang’an.

Though they weren’t close yet, once they were, she might leverage this relationship to snag some coupon-free deals. For now, just shopping here earned her better treatment from the usually haughty salesclerks.

Yu Xiang’an didn’t buy anything but borrowed two yuan from Yan Yuzhen, promising to repay her next payday.

After work, she picked up her meal and headed to the black market, having already scouted the small county.

The black market was tiny, with people moving briskly, never lingering. Luck was on her side—someone was selling poultry chicks.

She bought three chicks and three ducklings. But when she tried storing them in the farm, she hit a snag.

The ducklings went in smoothly, but the chicks stubbornly remained in her hands, no matter how hard she willed it.

Yu Xiang’an: “…”

Stumped at first, she soon formed a hypothesis after seeing the ducklings by the stream.

Next, she bought a live crucian carp and a half-dead rabbit. The fish entered effortlessly, but the rabbit wouldn’t budge—until she slaughtered it.

So far, only fish and ducks—already present in the farm—could be taken in alive.

Bees might work too, given the farm had a beehive.

As for inanimate objects, there were no restrictions. She tested it by casually picking some roadside grass, which entered without issue.

Resigned, she carried the dead rabbit and chicks home.

The rabbit, weighing just over a pound, cost her 1.2 yuan, while the chicks were a bargain at 2.5 fen each.

To avoid prying eyes, she stored the rabbit in the farm and hurried home with the chicks.

At home, Yu Xiangju nearly squealed in delight at the sight of the chicks, but Yu Xiang’an shushed him. She corralled them in a corner with firewood to keep them from escaping.

Yu Xiangju: “Are we raising them for meat? No, no—let’s keep them for eggs! Three eggs a day, how wonderful!” He was already daydreaming.

When Yu Qingshan returned and saw the chicks, he frowned. “Why did you buy these?”

Even rural households faced restrictions on poultry, let alone urban ones. They already kept a hen for eggs—any more risked attracting trouble.

Yu Xiang’an laughed sheepishly. “I’ll take them to Grandpa’s place later. I didn’t think it through—just wanted to raise them myself.”

With some time before their next visit to the countryside, she could feed them farm produce and compare their growth to the ducklings.

Yu Qingshan sighed. “You probably thought they were cute. Don’t waste money like this again.”

Back in the village, his mother would either secretly raise them indoors or give them away—most likely the former.

Yu Xiang’an smiled guiltily.

Yu Qingshan handed her five yuan. “You haven’t gotten your paycheck yet, right? Take this for now.”

After a brief hesitation, she accepted. Her funds were tight, but she’d repay him next month—or use it to buy household supplies if he refused.

Yu Xiangju was obsessed with the chicks, gathering wild greens for them daily. Yu Xiang’an had to sneakily supplement their diet with tender grass and apple bits from the farm.

After a week of observation, she confirmed the farm’s rigid rules: only soybeans and the four existing fruit trees could be planted; only fish, ducks, and bees could be raised.

Fortunately, she could cultivate the vast grasslands to expand soybean and fruit tree plots. The chicks and ducklings thrived, though the latter showed no accelerated growth in the farm.

Daily check-ins yielded “Accelerated Water Drops,” which sped up crop growth but had no effect on animals.

After a week of check-ins, she also received five drops of “Spiritual Spring Water.” Testing it on soybeans, ducks, and chicks revealed it boosted crop growth and vitality, while for animals, it only improved health—no growth acceleration.

She confirmed this after reviving a listless chick with a drop.

Could this be the legendary Spiritual Spring Water from cultivation novels?

If so, she’d struck gold.

She didn’t aspire to immortality—just good health. In this era of poor medical care, a robust constitution was priceless.

Later, she retrieved the rabbit from the farm’s storage. Despite the days that had passed, it remained fresh, confirming the storage’s preservation function—a massive, spoilage-free pantry!

Bringing the rabbit home, she beckoned a wide-eyed Yu Xiangju and whispered, “We’re having meat tonight! Quietly call your brother and sister-in-law over.”

Yu Xiangju nodded eagerly and dashed off.

To Yu Qingshan, she explained, “Dad, I happened to get this. It’s been a while since we had meat—let’s all enjoy it together.”

Yu Qingshan agreed without comment.

Yu Xiang’an added, “I asked around for the best way to cook rabbit. Can I try making it tonight?”

Yu Qingshan raised an eyebrow. “Confident?”

“Absolutely! Even if it’s not perfect, it won’t be bad!”

“Then go ahead!”

Zhao Qiaoniao boiled water in the kitchen while Yu Qingshan sharpened the knife. Seizing the moment, Yu Xiang’an slipped out to buy seasonings—the kitchen’s stock was pitiful.

When Yu Xianghai and Ye Qijia arrived with Yu Mingjie, they brought their own rations, eliminating the need to cook extra.

Yu Xiang’an planned to make braised rabbit.

The mere thought made her mouth water. It had been too long since she’d eaten hearty meat.

The rabbit, minus innards and skin, weighed about 1.2 jin—enough for seven people to savor a modest portion each.

Returning with seasonings, she found Yu Qingshan had already prepped the rabbit.

As a former private kitchen owner, her culinary skills were solid. To avoid suspicion, she’d kept them under wraps—until now.

Feigning inexperience, she chopped the rabbit, blanched it, then heated oil in a wok.

As the oil shimmered, she added Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, dried chilies, ginger, scallions, and garlic. The aroma bloomed, making Zhao Qiaoniao wince at the extravagance—but she held her tongue.

Once fragrant, Yu Xiang’an stir-fried the rabbit, then seasoned it with salt, soy sauce, and sugar. Each addition made Zhao Qiaoniao’s eye twitch.

The scent was intoxicating, but the cost—unthinkable.

After caramelizing the sugar, she added water and covered the wok.

When she lifted the lid to plate the dish, she turned to find Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie drooling behind her, eyes gleaming with hunger.

At the kitchen door, Yu Xianghai and Ye Qijia wore identical expressions.

The aroma was irresistible—they were barely holding back from salivating like the kids.