Threads in a Loving Mother's Hands, Clothes on a Wandering Child

This program was produced by Tomato Listening.

Episode 5: Threads in a Loving Mother's Hands, Clothes on a Wandering Child.

Fortunately, the radish seeds came in bags, with each bag enough to plant one plot of land. Land could only be reclaimed after reaching a certain number of Contribution Points, and reclaiming it required new Energy Wafers, so the system was downright money-grubbing.

Staring at the high-level seeds, Lin Yuzhu could not stop herself from drooling. There were even all kinds of fruit farther down the list—strawberries, cherries, mangoes, and so on, all things she loved to eat.

But when she saw the required levels, Lin Yuzhu felt she might as well go wash up and sleep. Dreaming would be faster.

Small Robots could automatically harvest mature crops, and when it was time for a new round of planting, the system would proactively notify the host.

Look at that. What other system could be so considerate? She spent the money willingly.

In fact, Lin Yuzhu had already realized that this system did not exist for nothing. Unless the host sold products to Caesar Continent, there was no way to upgrade. If she wanted to level up, she would definitely need Contribution Points.

Although the products could be freely used, without mutual benefit, why would anyone so generously give her a system?

Those scientists were not fools either. So even if she eventually upgraded it to the highest level, the system would probably still find ways to tempt the host into selling products.

As long as she wanted the system, this fortune naturally came at a price.

Come to think of it, she had gotten quite a bargain. She was grateful. She would remember the kindness of Caesar Continent's scientists and repay them—double the amount.

After buying White Radish seeds and renting four Small Robots, she saw four short, chubby, white robots emerge from the little brick house. Two rows of wheels rolled beneath their round bodies.

Then they moved onto the land. Their pudgy little mechanical hands suddenly transformed into shovels. One dug holes, one sowed seeds, another covered them over, while the isolated fourth robot was responsible for leveling the soil.

The Small Robots planted the radishes in perfect order.

After watching the lively scene for a while, Lin Yuzhu wanted to look around inside the little house.

The system informed her that the house was the manifestation of the Wireless Warehouse and could not store the host. In other words, she could not enter it.

The Warehouse interface popped up before her again, displaying many empty slots.

Lin Yuzhu clicked her tongue. Did that mean she had to get a set of tables, chairs, and benches to put in the space?

If she ever had no choice but to rest in the space, she could not exactly sit or lie on the ground, could she?

A preliminary reminder: the host is advised to upgrade the system as soon as possible. Many more surprises await your discovery.

Lin Yuzhu raised an eyebrow. Just as she had expected, the system was tempting her to upgrade in every possible way.

The host may also reclaim land. The system will likewise store any products grown there.

Forget it. Once she went to the countryside, she would already have more than enough farming to do. Thinking that level two would allow her to grow wheat and rice, Lin Yuzhu had no desire whatsoever to reclaim land herself.

In the near future, she would soon be able to eat rice and steamed buns made from white flour. Hahaha! Why make so much trouble for herself? As long as she had enough to eat, that was all that mattered.

Was it not better to upgrade step by step?

How much could she earn by farming anyway? A person had to know their own limits. In this era, being able to eat rice at every meal was already a great happiness.

After Lin Yuzhu came out of the space, she was brimming with joy and could not stop smiling.

At lunch, Second Sister Lin saw her looking so cheerful and could not help shaking her head. Silly girl, she actually thought going to the countryside was a good thing.

When winter came, she would have plenty to cry about. Mother Lin thought she was happy because she could suddenly receive seventy yuan, so she did not suspect anything. Knowing her daughter would leave the next morning, she unusually did not nag her.

Though she said they would leave the next day, they actually had to get up in the middle of the night, pack their luggage, and catch the train.

The train arrived at four thirty in the morning. Before dawn, Lin Yuzhu got up and carried her packed luggage into the kitchen.

When she saw that Mother Lin was already up and wrapping sesame flatbreads in oil paper, Lin Yuzhu was a little surprised. She had not expected Mother Lin to wake up to see her off, much less buy her flatbreads. A warmth rose in her heart.

At that moment, a mother's love warmed her heart.

Mother Lin placed the oil-paper packages into the cloth bag one by one and quietly instructed her, "There's a leather water bag in there, already filled with water for you to drink on the way. I don't know whether there'll be water on the train. If there is, take the enamel mug from your luggage and get some hot water. Don't catch a chill on the train."

"If there isn't any water on the train, drink sparingly. It's a long journey. I wrapped the flatbreads two at a time so you won't open too many at once and make people jealous."

Trains were slow in those days. Getting to the Northeast could take two or three days.

Lin Yuzhu nodded repeatedly to show that she had taken every word to heart.

Mother Lin helped carry her luggage, and mother and daughter set off for the train station beneath the moonlight.

Since the place was far away and young people were encouraged to go to the countryside at the time, the local Educated Youth Office provided some subsidies in coupons and money. Thus, apart from clothes, Lin Yuzhu's luggage only contained toiletries, odds and ends, and a white porcelain washbasin. The largest items were a quilt and mattress, neither particularly thick.

Mother Lin had kept the subsidy given to the educated youth, intending to make her daughter a thicker quilt, mattress, and cotton-padded clothes before mailing them to her.

Compared with the other educated youths, Lin Yuzhu did not have much luggage. She could carry it all herself.

Mother Lin did not approve of bringing too many things, afraid she would not be able to keep track of them and they might be lost or stolen. So the luggage was kept as light and convenient as possible.

Back then, buying a platform ticket allowed people to accompany someone into the station.

The moment the train pulled in, Mother Lin's eyes suddenly reddened and filled with tears. She became talkative, saying nothing more than the usual reminders to be careful while away from home.

Yet it was precisely those nagging little words that touched the heart.

Lin Yuzhu kept nodding to show that she was listening.

Seeing the reluctance on Mother Lin's face, Lin Yuzhu's heart softened. Before boarding, she could not help turning back and waving at Mother Lin. "Go home. Be careful on the way back."

Though the sky had brightened slightly, it was still unsafe to walk through the alleyways. Mother Lin waved and nodded too, but showed no intention of leaving.

After getting on the train, Lin Yuzhu actually found an empty seat. She felt quite lucky. This was not an era where buying a seat ticket meant you would definitely get a seat. Everyone paid the same price, so why could you sit while I could not?

Even when you were in the right, many things could not be explained clearly.

After settling her luggage, Lin Yuzhu looked out the window and discovered Mother Lin searching for her from one window to the next.

When Mother Lin finally spotted her, the train began to move slowly.

Mother Lin shouted something she could not make out, walking alongside the train while waving at her.

The system told her that Mother Lin was saying, "Don't blame the family."

Lin Yuzhu's eyes immediately filled with tears. Perhaps from that moment on, Mother Lin gave her a feeling called maternal love.

She knew that in this era, some things were beyond one's control. There were several children in the family, and only she met the requirements for going to the countryside. She was bound to go.

She had no resentment over that and simply waved at Mother Lin.

Only after the train left the platform did her emotions settle. Then she noticed that the one man and two women who had been lying on the table had gotten up. Lin Yuzhu nodded at them in greeting, but did not dare act overly familiar and strike up a conversation.

She was seated in a pair of seats. Across from her sat the two female comrades together, while the male comrade sat beside her.

The two girls seemed quite young, around the same age as her.

The girl by the window had delicate, fair skin and bright, lovely eyes. It was easy to see that in another two years, once she fully grew into her looks, she would become a rare beauty.

The girl beside her looked refined and gentle, with regular features. She was not unattractive, and gave off a fresh, clean impression.

Looking more closely, even the skin on the girl's neck and ears was very clean. One could tell at a glance that she was someone who loved keeping herself clean.

In this era, girls like that were not everywhere.

As for the boy beside her, Lin Yuzhu had only seen his profile. It would not be appropriate to stare at him, but from a casual glance, she could tell that he seemed well-bred.

Temperament was often the easiest thing to make a direct impression.

After the three had fully woken up, the girl sitting opposite Lin Yuzhu asked, "Hey, are you also an educated youth going to the countryside?"

Lin Yuzhu nodded.

The girl opposite smiled. "The three of us are too."

"Hello, my name is Zhang Yanqiu. Yan as in bright and beautiful, Qiu as in autumn."

Her Mandarin was excellent, though there was a slight Beijing-style erhua accent when one listened closely.

Lin Yuzhu guessed she was from Beijing. This train had originated there.

"Hello, my name is Lin Yuzhu. Yu as in jade, Zhu as in bamboo. Are you all from the same place?"

Zhang Yanqiu shook her head. "We happened to board the train together in Beijing, but I and the male comrade beside you are locals."

Only then did the girl by the window speak. "Hello, my name is Li Xiangwan. Xiang as in facing the sun, Wan as in late-born. I'm a nurse."

Her voice was soft and gentle, very pleasant to hear.

Lin Yuzhu could not help taking a breath. So she was the only one at the table from a small city. But what really made her think was Li Xiangwan.

Li Xiangwan?

Zhang Yanqiu?

Then would the person beside her be Li Xiangbei?

Lin Yuzhu's mind raced through her memories. In a novel set in the 1970s that she had read, the female lead was a transmigrator named Li Xiangwan, while the male lead was named Li Xiangbei.

The two were not related by blood at all.

Because of their names, many people in the novel had teased them. The male and female leads had even formed a connection because of their names, as though to confirm something.

Lin Yuzhu looked at the boy beside her and finally saw him clearly. He was handsome and rugged, sitting with his back straight as though he had served in the military. This fit the male lead's description perfectly. She remembered correctly—the male lead in the novel was from a military family.

The male comrade politely said, "My name is Li Xiangbei. I have no family relationship whatsoever with Comrade Li Xiangwan."

Zhang Yanqiu could not help covering her mouth as she laughed, while Lin Yuzhu raised an eyebrow. What did the male lead mean by that? Was he already thinking about the female lead this early? And this major female supporting character across from her—was she still laughing?

Lin Yuzhu laughed it off and replied, "You're all from big cities!"