That night, Li Jianhua returned late once again.
But unlike before, he did not wait for anyone to question him.
Without a word, he stepped into the house, his expression weary and distant, and went straight to his room. The wooden door shut with a dull thud, followed by the faint click of the latch.
Silence fell over the living room.
Chen Meilan stood still for a moment, her brows knitting tightly together.
"Why is he behaving like this?" she murmured, unease creeping into her voice.
Turning to Li Jianguo, she asked anxiously, "Little Second, did you hear anything at school? Did his teachers say something? Or… is he being bullied?"
Li Jianguo immediately shook his head.
"No, nothing like that," he replied firmly. "Elder brother is well respected at school. His classmates admire him, and the teachers often use him as an example. Even in our class, they mention his name to encourage us."
Chen Meilan frowned deeper, still unconvinced.
"Then why this strange behavior?" she pressed. "Look at him—coming home so late, refusing to explain himself. This is not like him at all."
Li Jianmin spoke up hesitantly, "Didn't I say earlier? Perhaps he has taken on tutoring work to earn some extra money."
Before Chen Meilan could respond, Li Shuying interjected calmly, her tone measured.
"Third Brother, if he were simply tutoring someone, he would not hide it like this," she said. "There is nothing shameful about earning money honestly. Elder brother would have told us openly. I don't think that is the case."
Her words caused a brief silence to settle over the room.
Then, as if recalling something, Li Jianguo suddenly spoke.
"Yesterday, when we went to the school canteen, we found out that we need aluminum lunch boxes to collect food from the serving window," he said slowly. "We didn't have any, and Uncle Li Guofu mocked us for it, saying we couldn't even afford such a basic thing even after we claimed father's allowance."
Chen Meilan's expression changed instantly.
"What? There's such a rule?" she asked, startled. "You must bring your own lunch box? Then how have you been eating?"
"We've been borrowing from classmates," Li Jianguo replied.
A flicker of realization crossed Li Jianmin's face.
"Could it be… because of that incident?" he ventured.
Li Jianguo immediately frowned and snapped, "What are you saying? Elder brother isn't so childish as to brood over a few mocking words from Uncle Li Guofu."
Li Jianmin shook his head quickly.
"No, that's not what I meant," he clarified. "I'm saying… perhaps he is trying to earn money to buy them. It may sound trivial, but you know how stubborn he can be. He would rather struggle silently than wait for Father's allowance next month."
He paused, then added in a lower voice,
"And… I heard something else from my classmates. A final-year student recently brought a full set of practice collections compiled by Peking University and its affiliated high schools—materials for the college entrance examinations."
His tone carried a hint of awe.
"Those are not ordinary books. They are internal reference materials—rare, valuable. Elder brother seemed very interested when he heard about them… but he didn't dare ask. Such things are beyond what we can afford."
Li Jianmin exhaled softly.
"I think… perhaps all of this combined has pushed him. Didn't he once insist on quitting school to find work? Maybe now… he's doing some temporary labor in the county."
His words lingered heavily in the air.
Li Shuying stood frozen.
Peking University reference materials…
She knew of them.
In her previous life, she had once heard a sent-down educated youth from the capital speak of those very collections. They were compiled years ago by elite teachers and scholars, circulated internally among top schools in Beijing. The genuine sets were never sold openly. What occasionally appeared in other cities were merely copied versions—yet even those commanded exorbitant prices.
And her elder brother…
He had desired them?
Her gaze slowly drifted toward the closed door of Li Jianhua's room.
All this time, she had seen him as someone unshakable—calm in the face of hardship, composed even amid storms. He never complained, never demanded, never revealed any personal longing.
He had always placed his younger siblings before himself, sacrificing quietly, as though he had no desires of his own.
But now—
She realized she had been wrong.
He, too, had dreams.
He, too, had things he wanted… but chose to bury deep within himself.
A faint ache rose in her chest.
Before, when their family had nothing, it was one thing for him to suppress those desires.
But now—
Now she had money.
More than eighty yuan.
Enough to buy not just one, but several copies of those materials.
So how could she allow her elder brother's aspirations to wither in silence?
Her eyes flickered with determination, like a spark catching fire in the dark.
She knew what she had to do.
Without a word, she turned away from the conversation. While Chen Meilan and her two brothers continued discussing in low, worried voices, Li Shuying quietly slipped out of the living room.
The moment Li Shuying stepped into her room, she shut the door softly behind her.
Without hesitation, she closed her eyes.
In the next instant, her consciousness sank inward and she entered into the System Space.
Ever since earning more than eighty yuan from the morning's trade, she had been too preoccupied to enter again. She had not even had the chance to check what changes such a large transaction might have triggered.
She walked swiftly toward the control room.
The moment she stepped inside...
A soft glow flickered before her eyes, and a series of notifications unfolded like golden scrolls.
Li Shuying's breath caught.
A smile slowly spread across her lips, though her eyes widened in unmistakable shock.
[Congratulations!]
Farm Space has upgraded to Level 4.
New features unlocked:
Five new plots of land unlocked.
New crops unlocked: Millet, Sorghum, Soybean, and Chinese Cabbage.
New equipment unlocked: Oil Press and Filter Machine.
Congratulations for unlocking a new feature: Fruit Orchard.
New fruit unlocked in Orchard section: Apple.
For a long moment, Li Shuying simply stood there, staring at the floating words as though they might vanish if she blinked.
Not only she upgraded by two levels so quickly she also unlocked...
"A… fruit orchard?" she murmured under her breath, disbelief coloring her voice.
Her brows knit slightly.
"How is this possible…?"
In her previous life, she had played this very system as a mobile game. Even when she had reached level sixty before her death, she had never knew about the fruit orchard.
Yet now...
In this living version, such a feature had appeared before her.
Her heart stirred with both curiosity and anticipation.
Without wasting another moment, she activated the newly unlocked section.
The world around her shifted.
When her vision cleared, Li Shuying found herself standing upon an expanse of land so vast that, for a fleeting moment, she forgot to breathe.
Before her stretched a magnificent orchard.
The air carried a faint sweetness, fresh and clean, like the breath of early winters. The land rolled gently into the distance, divided into neat sections, each marked yet dimmed—vast areas still locked, shrouded in a faint grey haze.
But one portion of land was open.
Fully unlocked.
There, more than twenty apple trees stood in orderly rows, their branches lush and full, leaves shimmering with vitality. Though not yet heavy with fruit, the trees exuded a quiet promise.
Each tree bore a faint, glowing timer hovering above it if twenty four hours.
"So each harvest takes twenty-four hour " she whispered.
She stepped forward slowly, her fingers brushing lightly against the bark of a nearby tree.
Her heart began to race.
Apples…
For a brief moment, Li Shuying simply stood in the orchard, her thoughts rippling like water struck by a falling stone.
In the northern regions, apples were not as rare a luxury as chicken or white rice—but in these present days of scarcity, even such modest fruits had become distant dreams.
Before Liberation, there had once been a grand orchard in the county, owned by a landlord family. It had stretched across rolling land, filled with jujubes, pears, peaches, and apples in abundance. In those days, though common folk could not partake freely, the sight of such fruits was not unheard of.
But that was a lifetime ago.
Nearly ten years had passed since those upheavals. When the landlords were overthrown, their orchards were left untended. During the chaos of those turbulent years, people, driven by hunger, stripped the land bare—cutting trees for firewood, scavenging whatever they could to survive.
What once had been fertile groves became desolate fields.
Since then, fresh fruits had all but vanished from daily life. Even at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, one might occasionally find dried fruits transported from the south, or wild pears and peaches gathered from the hills—but fresh apples?
Those existed only in faded memories and the books.
And yet...
Now she can have as many as possible.
Li Shuying's gaze fell upon the orderly rows of trees before her, her lips slowly curving into a knowing smile.
She could already imagine the reaction.
If such apples—plump, flawless, of the finest quality produced by the system—were to appear in the market…
It would not merely cause a stir.
It would be an explosion.
Her eyes gleamed faintly.
Without further delay, she turned back to her work.
She harvested the crops she had planted earlier, stored then in warehouse. Then, with practiced movements, she sowed a new round—this time including millet, sorghum, soybeans, and Chinese cabbage.
Afterward, she moved to tend to the livestock—collecting eggs, feeding the chickens, and the rabbits. Every action was smooth, methodical, as though she had long since become one with this space.
Only after completing all her tasks did she withdraw from the system.
That night, sleep did not come easily.
Excitement fluttered within her chest like a restless bird, refusing to settle.
Yet beneath that excitement lay a heavier weight—like a stone pressing against her heart.
There were too many burdens.
Too many uncertainties.
The drought, the looming famine, her family's precarious situation, the risks of trading…
Though she now held opportunities in her grasp, the path ahead remained shrouded in mist.
She turned on her bed, again and again.
The next morning—
When Li Shuying entered the classroom, she found it nearly empty.
She realized she had arrived earlier than usual.
Walking toward her seat, she noticed someone already there.
Tang Chunlan.
She was seated upright, her head lowered slightly, her hand moving quickly across a notebook as though afraid of being seen.
Li Shuying smiled faintly as she approached.
"Hey," she greeted lightly, her tone warm, "you're early as well?"
The sudden voice shattered the silence.
Tang Chunlan startled visibly, her shoulders jerking as though struck. In a flurry of panic, she snapped her notebook shut, her movements hurried and unsteady.
"L–Li Shuying…" she stammered, her voice trembling slightly. "I… I was just… solving some math problems."
Her fingers tightened around the edge of the notebook.
Li Shuying paused for a fraction of a second.
She noticed the slight tremor in Tang Chunlan's hands, the flicker of unease in her eyes.
A lie.
But she chose not to press further.
Instead, her smile widened just a touch, light and teasing.
"Oh, I knew it," she said casually, taking her seat. "What else would one expect from the class topper?"
A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she settled in.
Tang Chunlan glanced at Li Shuying carefully. Seeing no trace of suspicion in her expression, she let out a quiet breath of relief. A faint smile returned to her lips as she said softly, "You're exaggerating."
Li Shuying merely smiled, but after a brief pause, her gaze swept the classroom before she leaned slightly closer, lowering her voice.
"Tang Chunlan… I've been meaning to ask you since the day before yesterday," she said gently, her tone cautious. "Is everything alright at home? After what happened… I doubt Tang Yulan would let it go so easily. Has she made things difficult for you?"
The moment the word home was mentioned, Tang Chunlan once again stiffened.
A flicker of panic crossed her eyes.
"No… no," she said quickly, almost too quickly, shaking her head. "Everything is fine. There's nothing wrong at home. Sister Yulan… hasn't made things difficult for me."
Her voice, though steady on the surface, carried a faint tremor.
Li Shuying's gaze lingered on her for a brief moment before she withdrew it calmly.
She understood.
Some wounds were like sealed jars—once opened, even the fragrance would carry bitterness. Tang Chunlan's family affairs were clearly such a matter. And their friendship, though budding, had not yet reached the depth where such burdens could be shared without fear.
Only Li Shuying knew what the future held—that this timid girl before her would one day become her closest confidante, a pillar she could rely upon without hesitation.
But that time… had not yet arrived.
She smiled lightly, her tone easing.
"That's good," she said. "It's best if things remain peaceful. I only hope Tang Yulan continues to keep the river water separate from the well water—minding her own affairs."
Tang Chunlan gave a small, awkward nod, unsure of how to respond.
Her fingers tightened slightly under the desk.
In truth, she was conflicted.
Li Shuying was the only person in the entire class who had treated her kindly—who had stood up for her against Tang Yulan, who had even shared her lunch without hesitation. Such warmth was something Tang Chunlan had rarely known.
And yet…
That was precisely why she feared losing it.
If Li Shuying were to learn of her family problems—of the labels, the shame—would she still look at her the same way?
Tang Chunlan lowered her gaze.
I must not lose this, she thought silently.
So she said nothing more, merely nodding again.
Li Shuying's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. She took Tang Chunlan's quiet response as a small yet meaningful step forward in their relationship. Like the saying goes, "Dripping water penetrates stone" trust, too, was something to be built over time.
Sensing the heaviness in the air, she smoothly changed the topic to their plans on weekends.
Today was Thursday. According to the school's arrangement, formal classes were held only until this day; from Friday onward, the next three days were reserved for labor in the school's fields.
However, for students from rural households, such as Li Shuying, participation in school labor was not compulsory. They were permitted to return to their respective production teams and contribute to work in their own allocated fields. A certification letter from the brigade would suffice to account for their labor in the school's records.
So, for Li Shuying her weekends usually started earlier, this was one of the only advantage she had being a rural student.
Tang Chunlan said with a small smile. "I'll be working in the school fields. I've already missed two weeks labour because of my health… I can't slack off anymore."
Then she turned slightly, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
"Why don't you join us in the school fields?" she asked. "The work here isn't too heavy. The plots are small, and with so many students, it usually finishes in just a few hours."
Li Shuying smiled faintly, her expression composed.
"I'll consider it," she said. "Perhaps from next week. But this week… I have other plans."
Tang Chunlan blinked, instinctively asking, "What plans?"
Li Shuying's lips curved into a small, almost playful smile.
"I'm going to Baicheng."
Tang Chunlan nodded in understanding, "Oh… that sounds nice," she said softly. Then, after a brief hesitation, she added with a hint of concern, "But be careful on the train. I've heard it's not very safe these days."
Li Shuying nodded lightly. "I will..."
Before she could finish, a voice suddenly cut through the quiet of the classroom.
"Shuying, you're going to Baicheng? Why? Is it to visit Uncle Guoqiang?"