A Mother's Thread, a Wanderer's Clothes

This program was produced by Tomato Listening.

Episode 5: A Mother's Thread, a Wanderer's Clothes.

Fortunately, White Radish seeds came in bags, with each bag containing just enough to plant one field. Fields could only be reclaimed after reaching a certain number of Contribution Points, and reclamation required new Energy Wafers, so the system was ridiculously money-hungry.

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

But looking at the required levels, Lin Yuzhu figured she might as well 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 remind the host.

Just look at that. What other system could be so thoughtful? She was more than willing to spend this money.

Lin Yuzhu had actually realized that the system did not exist just for the sake of existing. Hosts would not be selling their products to Caesar Continent for nothing. As long as they wanted to level up, they would definitely need Contribution Points.

Although the products could be freely distributed, without mutual benefit, why would anyone generously give you a system?

Those scientists were not idiots either. So even if a host eventually upgraded to the highest level, the system would probably still find ways to tempt them into selling their products.

As long as you wanted the system, you naturally had to pay a price for this wealth.

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

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

Then they moved onto the field. Their chubby little mechanical hands suddenly transformed into shovels. One dug holes, one planted seeds, another buried them, 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 take a look inside the little house.

At that moment, the system explained that the house was the physical form of the Wireless Warehouse and did not have the function of storing the host. In other words, she could not enter it.

The Warehouse interface popped up before her again, revealing numerous empty slots.

Lin Yuzhu clicked her tongue. Did that mean she would need to get a table, chairs, and stools to put in the space?

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

A sneak preview: the system recommends that the host speed up its upgrades. Many more surprises await your discovery.

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

The host may also reclaim land. The system will store the products grown there as well.

Stop right there. She would probably have endless fields to farm after going to the countryside anyway. Knowing that level two would allow her to plant wheat and rice, Lin Yuzhu had no desire 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 enough.

Would it not be better to level up step by step?

How much could she earn by farming herself? People had to know their limits. In this era, being able to eat rice at every meal was already a very happy thing.

After Lin Yuzhu left the space, she was delighted from head to toe and could not stop smiling.

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

Once winter came, there would be plenty of time for her to cry. Lin Mother thought she was happy because she had suddenly gotten 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 she would leave the next day, she actually had to get up in the middle of the night, pack her luggage, and catch the train.

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

Seeing that Lin Mother was already up and wrapping sesame cakes in oil paper, Lin Yuzhu was a little surprised. She had not expected Lin Mother to get up to see her off, much less buy her sesame cakes. Warmth rose in her heart.

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

Lin Mother placed the oil-paper packages into the cloth bag one by one and quietly instructed, "There's a leather water bag in there, already filled with water for you to drink on the road. I don't know whether there'll be water on the train. If there is, take the enamel mug out of 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 sesame cakes two at a time, so you won't open too many at once and make others jealous."

Trains were slow in those days. It might take two or three days to reach the Northeast.

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

Lin Mother helped her carry her luggage, and mother and daughter headed toward the train station beneath the moonlight.

Because the destination was far away and young people were being encouraged to go to the countryside, the local Educated Youth Office subsidized some ration coupons and money. So apart from clothes, Lin Yuzhu's luggage only contained toiletries, miscellaneous items, and a white porcelain washbasin. The largest things were a quilt and a mattress, neither particularly thick.

Lin Mother had kept the subsidies given to the Educated Youth and planned to buy her daughter a thicker quilt, mattress, and padded clothes, then mail them to her afterward.

Compared with the other Educated Youth, Lin Yuzhu did not have much luggage. She could carry it herself.

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

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

When the train pulled into the station, Lin Mother's eyes suddenly reddened and grew damp. She became talkative too, saying nothing more than reminders to be careful while away from home.

Yet it was precisely those bits of nagging that touched the heart.

Lin Yuzhu kept nodding, showing that she was listening.

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

Although dawn had begun to brighten the sky, it was still unsafe to walk through the alleys. Lin Mother waved and nodded too, but she showed no intention of leaving.

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

There were many things that remained impossible to explain even when you were in the right.

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

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

Lin Mother seemed to shout something as she walked alongside the train and waved at her.

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

Lin Yuzhu's eyes instantly filled with tears. Perhaps from that moment on, Lin Mother 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, but she was the only one who met the requirements for going to the countryside. She had been destined to go.

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

Only after the train left the platform did her emotions settle. Then she noticed that the man and two women who had been resting their heads on the table had all gotten up. Lin Yuzhu nodded at them in greeting, but she was too embarrassed to strike up a conversation like they were old friends.

She was sitting in a two-person seat. Across from her sat the two female comrades together, while the male comrade was seated beside her.

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

The girl by the window had tender, fair skin and bright, lively eyes. It was easy to see that in another two years, once she fully blossomed, she would become a rare beauty.

The girl beside her looked gentle and refined, 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 a girl 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 proper to stare at him openly, but from the few casual glances she took, he gave her the impression of someone well brought up.

Temperament was often the easiest thing to give people an immediate impression.

Once all three had fully woken up, the girl across from Lin Yuzhu asked, "Hey, are you an Educated Youth going to the countryside too?"

Lin Yuzhu nodded.

The girl across from her 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 that she might be 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, but the male comrade beside you and I 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 everyone at this table except her was from a big city. Then, as she thought more carefully, it was because of Li Xiangwan.

Li Xiangwan?

Zhang Yanqiu?

Then would not the person beside her be Li Xiangbei?

Lin Yuzhu's mind raced through her memories. In a novel set in the seventies that she had read, the female lead was a transmigrator named Li Xiangwan, while the male lead was 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 come together because of their names, as though they were proving something.

Lin Yuzhu looked at the boy beside her and finally saw him clearly. He was handsome and rugged, sitting with his back ramrod straight, as though he had been in the military. This perfectly matched the male lead's character setting. She remembered correctly—the male lead in the novel was the son of a military family.

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

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

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