Chapter 2: System Activation, Newcomer Gift Pack of Five Jin of Rice

Su Yao pushed open the creaking wooden door, and a musty smell mixed with dust rushed out to greet her. Thick cobwebs clung heavily in the corners, with two or three spiders perched in the center, as if they were the true owners of this dilapidated house. The thatched roof was sparse, allowing glimpses of the gray, overcast sky. When the wind blew, dry straw flakes fluttered down.

“Come in first.” She stepped aside to let the three children enter, then reached back to close the door. The latch clicked shut, finally muffling the howling wind outside.

Lu Xingchen supported his younger brother and sister, his eyes warily scanning the room. The earthen kang bed was covered with a mat riddled with holes, revealing yellowed straw underneath. A table leaned against the wall, missing a leg, propped up by an irregular stone. Its surface was pocked and uneven, etched with crooked and illegible characters carved by some unknown hand.

“Sister, there’s a bug.” Lu Shihan shrank slightly behind her brother, pointing timidly toward the corner.

Su Yao followed her gaze: a pill bug the size of a fingernail was crawling slowly along the base of the wall. She stepped forward, raised her foot, and crushed it. Turning back, she smiled gently at the children. “Don’t be afraid. From now on, when we live here, I’ll chase all the bugs away.”

Lu Yuxuan said nothing. He lowered his head and circled the room, then crouched by the stove, rooting through a pile of firewood to pull out a grimy black object. When he stood up, Su Yao finally recognized it as half a steamed cornbread, as hard as stone and covered with green mold.

“Brother, sister, eat.” His voice was faint, barely above a whisper, as he held it out to Lu Xingchen and Lu Shihan.

Lu Xingchen swallowed hard and reached out to take it, but Su Yao quickly stepped forward and snatched it away.

“You can’t eat that!” Her voice was urgent. “Food with mold will make you sick.”

Lu Yuxuan’s eyes reddened instantly, his small hands clutching the hem of his clothes. “But... I’m hungry.”

Su Yao’s heart clenched, aching and soft. She looked at the three children’s waxy yellow faces, their cheeks sunken from malnutrition, and took a deep breath. Then she threw the cornbread into the stove pit. The flames licked it briefly, and in moments it turned to ash.

“From now on, stay with me,” she crouched down and looked each child in the eye. “There will be food every meal. You’ll never have to eat moldy stuff again.”

Lu Xingchen pressed his lips tightly, disbelief filling his eyes. In his small world, having anything to fill his belly was already a blessing; having food every meal was a fairy tale. Lu Shihan blinked her big eyes and clung tightly to the jacket Su Yao had draped over her.

At that moment, a cold, mechanical voice sounded suddenly in Su Yao’s mind:

[Melon-Eating System activated successfully.]

[Host and dependents detected to be extremely hungry. Distributing newbie gift pack: five jin (about 2.5 kg) of Northeast rice.]

Su Yao was stunned. A system? The golden key of a time traveler?

Before she could react further, the rice jar behind her made a faint rustling sound. The jar looked older than she was, its mouth coated with a layer of dust. She had clearly seen it empty just moments ago.

Lu Xingchen heard it too. He spun around sharply, grabbed a rusty firewood knife from the pile, and took a defensive stance. Though his arm was shorter than the knife, he radiated a fierce determination.

“Don’t move.” Su Yao pressed on his shoulder, slowly standing and approaching the rice jar.

Taking a deep breath, she lifted the heavy wooden lid. Inside, gleaming white rice filled the jar, each grain plump and emitting a natural fragrance. Five jin of rice was not much to fill an empty jar, but it was like a beam of light illuminating the dim, broken house.

The firewood knife clattered to the ground from Lu Xingchen’s hand. His eyes widened in astonishment, his mouth slightly agape. Lu Yuxuan and Lu Shihan gathered close, the three of them looking at each other as if they couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Is this... rice?” Lu Yuxuan whispered, his hand reaching out tentatively before pulling back.

Su Yao picked up a cracked bowl nearby, scooped half a bowl of rice, and held it out to Lu Xingchen. “See? It’s real rice.”

Lu Xingchen’s small hand reached out carefully, his fingertips barely brushing the grains before pulling back quickly. He looked up at Su Yao, and for the first time, a spark appeared in his eyes—a mixture of surprise, doubt, and a hope he hadn’t even realized he harbored.

“I’ll boil some water.” Su Yao poured the rice back into the jar, sealed it, and turned to the stove.

The stove was coated in dust. The iron pot had a small chip on its rim, showing signs of age. She rummaged by the stove for a while and found a broken kettle. She went outside, scooped some snow, brought it back, filled the kettle, and placed it on the fire.

Lu Xingchen silently picked up the firewood knife, found a stone, and began sharpening the blade. Lu Yuxuan crouched by the stove, gathering stray firewood into a neat pile. Lu Shihan pulled over a small stool and sat nearby, wide-eyed, watching Su Yao at work.

“Sister, I’ll help you keep the fire going,” she said in a childish voice.

Su Yao smiled and nodded. “Good, Shihan, you’re so helpful.”

The little girl’s face blossomed into a shy smile, her cheeks rosy.

Soon the fire blazed, orange flames licking the bottom of the pot with a crackling sound. The room gradually warmed, chasing away the cold.

Su Yao tended the fire while silently pondering the system.

The mechanical voice sounded again: [I am here.]

“What kind of system are you? What does ‘melon-eating system’ mean?”

[This system observes, records, and disseminates various events around the host (commonly known as ‘eating melon’ or gossip), providing rewards to assist survival and development in the current era.]

Su Yao roughly understood: the more she observed events around her, the more rewards she could get. Strange as it was, the five jin of rice just now was real and undeniable.

As she contemplated this, a translucent panel suddenly appeared before her, reminiscent of a mobile game interface she once played. Several icons were displayed, one labeled “Spirit Spring,” marked as “Inactive.”

Spirit Spring?

Su Yao’s heart stirred. She tried to activate it with a mental command—no response. She tried again—still nothing.

Just as she was puzzled, a cool sensation suddenly tingled at her fingertip, as if something was trying to emerge from her skin. Looking down, she saw a crystal-clear drop of water hanging on her fingertip, shimmering faintly in the firelight. It was strange; though liquid, it clung steadily without dripping, radiating a refreshing chill.

“Sister, what’s wrong with your hand?” Lu Shihan peeked over curiously, sniffing. “It smells so nice.”

Su Yao hurriedly hid her hand behind her back. The drop vanished quickly upon contact with her skin, leaving only a trace of coolness.

“Nothing,” she disguised the truth. “I just got some water on it.”

Lu Xingchen glanced up at her, his gaze probing but silent. He quietly set the now-sharpened firewood knife on the stove.

The water boiled quickly, the kettle lid bobbing and clattering. Su Yao scooped two bowls of rice from the jar, rinsed it clean, and poured it into the pot.

The rice swirled in the boiling water, soon filling the air with a tempting aroma. In an era of scarcity, this scent was an irresistible temptation.

The three children pursed their lips, eyes fixed unwaveringly on the pot, swallowing hard.

Su Yao watched them, her heart both bitter and grateful. Bitter that such young children had to endure this hardship; grateful that she could finally make something decent to eat for them.

She added a bit of melted snow water to the pot, covered it, and let it simmer on low heat.

“Just a little longer,” she told the children.

Lu Xingchen nodded, then suddenly stood and went to the door, unlatching it to look outside. The sky was darkening, smoke curling from village chimneys, while distant dog barks and adults calling children home for dinner drifted through the air.

“I’ll go gather some firewood.” With that, he grabbed the firewood knife and dashed outside.

“Xingchen!” Su Yao called out, but he was already gone.

Lu Yuxuan whispered, “Brother’s afraid the firewood won’t be enough.”

Su Yao felt warmth spread through her heart. Though this child appeared wary, he was thoughtful, aware that without enough firewood, the rice wouldn’t cook properly.

She patted Lu Yuxuan’s head. “Don’t worry. There’s enough firewood. When your brother comes back, we can eat.”

Lu Shihan leaned against her leg, quietly humming a tuneless lullaby. Probably from hunger, she yawned mid-hum.

Su Yao held her gently, patting her back. The little girl soon nestled into her arms and fell asleep, long eyelashes casting shadows over her eyelids. Even in slumber, her brows furrowed slightly, as if haunted by an unhappy dream.

Lu Yuxuan sat nearby, drawing crooked lines in the dirt with a small twig.

Su Yao looked at the two children and then toward the door, her mind racing. With the system and the five jin of rice, they wouldn’t go hungry for the moment. But in the long run, she had to find a way to earn money and give these three children a better life.

She was a food science PhD—surely she could put some of her knowledge to use in this era. Improving farming tools, optimizing planting methods, making simple food to sell... there had to be a way.

Just then, the door creaked open. Lu Xingchen came in carrying a bundle of firewood, his cheeks flushed red from the cold, beads of sweat on his nose.

“I found some dry wood,” he said, setting the firewood beside the stove, panting.

“Come warm up.” Su Yao pulled him close to the fire. “You’re freezing.”

He said nothing, inching closer to the stove, stretching out his frostbitten hands toward the flames.

The rice was cooked now, the aroma even stronger. Su Yao lifted the pot lid, warm white steam billowing out, carrying a comforting heat.

She found three chipped bowls, ladled the rice into them, let it cool slightly, then handed them to the children. “Eat quickly.”

The aroma roused Lu Shihan from sleep. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and brightened instantly upon seeing the bowls of rice.

Lu Xingchen and Lu Yuxuan picked up their chopsticks cautiously, taking small bites and chewing slowly. The fragrant sweetness of the rice spread through their mouths—a taste they hadn’t experienced in a long time.

Lu Shihan ate the fastest, stuffing her small mouth full. Lu Yuxuan ate more demurely, taking small bites while remembering to offer some to his brother and sister. Lu Xingchen’s eyes reddened as he ate; tears slipped down, splashing into his bowl.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?” Su Yao asked quickly.

He shook his head, choking back emotion. “It’s delicious... I’ve never tasted anything so good.”

A fierce ache struck Su Yao’s heart. She turned away to wipe her tears, smiling through them. “If it’s good, then eat more. I’ll cook for you every day from now on.”

The three children nodded vigorously, burying their heads and devouring their food as if it were a feast of delicacies.

Watching them eat with such appetite, Su Yao picked up her chopsticks and took a bite. The fragrant rice melted in her mouth, filling her with a warm sense of security.

She knew from this day forward, she was no longer alone. Three children depended on her, an unknown system at her side, and a future that demanded hard work.

Outside, the wind seemed to soften. The firelight cast a gentle glow inside, illuminating the satisfied smiles of the three children. Looking at them, Su Yao felt an unexpected surge of strength.

No matter how difficult the future, she would fight to live well for these three children.

She summoned the system panel again, her gaze resting on the “Spirit Spring” icon. What was that strange water droplet from earlier? What use did the Spirit Spring have?

She sensed, faintly, that this system might be more than just a means to ensure they never went hungry again.

Lu Xingchen finished his bowl and took another half, but this time, instead of eating it all himself, he offered a mouthful to Su Yao.

“Here, Sister, you eat too.”

Su Yao looked at the rice, smiled, and said softly, “Thank you.” Her heart warmed.

Perhaps this strange era, this shabby little house, and these three children with unknown origins would become her new bonds and hopes.

She raised her chopsticks and ate heartily, feeling strength fill her whole body.

Tomorrow, she would investigate this Spirit Spring for sure, and visit the brigade to see if she could find some work to earn credits. Life must go on day by day, and she vowed to make sure these three children would never again worry about their next meal.

The rice steamed softly in the pot, reflecting Su Yao’s determined gaze. In this dim and broken house, a light called hope was now burning bright.