Chapter 16 Host, you're half a step ahead of fate, don't let me lose this bet...

The familiar teahouse came into view, its dusty signboard swaying gently in the breeze.

Uncle Li sighed and reined in the donkey cart: "Let's rest here for a bit, have some water to catch our breath, we'll be there soon."

No one objected, and the group filed in and ordered several bowls of cold tea.

The scorching sun was now obscured by a few drifting clouds, adding a touch of coolness to the air.

Wen Yu put down his half-finished teacup, turned his gaze to the winding dirt road stretching into the distance, and pointed with his finger: "Look, we're almost there."

Upon hearing this, Lin Lan immediately craned her neck, trying hard to make out the vague outline of her hometown in her memory, feeling a little apprehensive about returning home.

Wen Qingshi was much quieter, simply nestled beside Wen Yu, sipping the slightly bitter tea.

Wen Yue stood under the eaves of the tea stall, his nostrils twitching as he carefully inhaled the scent of the wind.

He suddenly turned his head and exclaimed in surprise, "Sister, the smell in the wind... it looks like it's going to rain again!"

He has always had keen senses, and he was the first person to notice it was raining last time.

Unlike the ecstatic joy brought by the last life-saving rain, the village now has a stable water source, and everyone's mood has become much more peaceful.

But in this year of severe drought, it is still a rare occurrence to have a second rain in less than a month.

Wen Yu looked up and saw a thin layer of light gray clouds floating in the sky, which were not very thick.

It does seem like it's going to rain.

"Rain is good!" Lin Huijun's face lit up with a smile. "With rain, the seedlings in the fields and the plants on the mountains can all survive."

Uncle Li stroked his beard and muttered, "Heavens, are our suffering days really coming to an end?"

No one dared to make any promises; everyone was hoping for a day when the weather would be favorable.

When the earth is green again and all things are revived, everything will be alright.

After a short rest, the group decided to continue their journey.

Just as they were about to leave the teahouse, Tao Ning, who was on Ning Sheng'an's back, murmured and slowly woke up.

"Daddy?" The little girl's voice was filled with the confusion of someone just waking up.

"Oh! Xiao Ning is awake?" Ning Shengan was overjoyed and carefully put her down.

Tao Ning rubbed her eyes, clutched her father's clothes, and whispered, "Daddy, where are we going?"

Ning Shengan squatted down, looked directly into her daughter's eyes, and said in a gentle but firm tone, "We want to go with Sister Wenyu and the others to a wonderful place called Luxi Village."

"When your mother was still alive, didn't she always say that she wanted to build a small house in the countryside with your father and Xiao Ning, and grow vegetables and flowers? Now that your mother has become a star watching over us from heaven, let's fulfill her wish, okay?"

"Yes!" Tao Ning nodded vigorously.

Children are the most innocent, and they quickly became familiar with the people around them, calling out in their clear voices, "Sister Wenyu," "Sister Qingshi," "Brother Ayue," "Aunt Lin," and "Uncle Li."

Even the usually taciturn Uncle Li couldn't help but break into a kind smile, and magically pulled a small sugar figurine from his pocket and handed it to Tao Ning.

Wen Yu was somewhat surprised: "Uncle Li, when did you buy it?"

"While I was waiting for you at the market," Uncle Li said, scratching the back of his head somewhat sheepishly, "I thought little kids would love this, so I bought it."

He added, "Don't let her smiling face fool you. At such a young age, how can she not be shy about leaving a familiar place? Now that she's in Luxi Village, she's one of us."

Wen Yu felt a warmth in her heart and solemnly said, "Uncle Li is right. From now on, we are all family. If we help each other, our lives will only get better and better."

For the second half of the journey, no one stopped.

The sky gradually turned bluish-gray, and a damp wind carrying the scent of earth swept over us, but no raindrops fell for a long time.

The group returned to Luxi Village in a grand procession.

When they went out, there were four people in one car, but when they came back, there were eight people in two cars, and the group had doubled in size.

The villagers who had been waiting at the village entrance were stunned by the sight: "Wen girl, what are all these?"

It took Wen Yu a lot of explaining to clarify the origins and experiences of Ning Shengan and his daughter.

Upon hearing this, the villagers' simple faces showed sympathy, yet also a hint of unease: "Ah, poor thing. But you know our village is in dire straits, we're afraid they'll suffer..."

Ning Shengan quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply: "Fellow villagers, you flatter me. I am traveling with my child and all I ask for is a place where we can live in peace. It is already an immense kindness that Luxi Village has taken us in. In the future, I hope you will continue to take care of us!"

Seeing the harmonious atmosphere, Wen Yu began to make arrangements: "Don't worry, everyone. There are plenty of empty houses in the village. Let Brother Ning and the others find a place to settle down first."

Now she is the undisputed leader in the village, and she is even beginning to subtly take charge of the villagers.

No one could explain why, but everyone felt that whatever Wen Yu said made some sense.

She directed Ning Shengan to follow Lin Huijun and the others to select a suitable empty house, and also gave them detailed directions on the location of the well.

Ning Shengan brought his own bedding and basic necessities, which was enough to get by.

----

After making the arrangements, Wen Yu took Wen Qingshi and Wen Yue back to her home.

Looking at the dilapidated old house left by the original owner's parents, Wen Yu was at a loss.

Wen Yue still sleeps on a straw mat on the ground.

Wen Qingshi is a girl, so she can temporarily share a bed with him, but this is by no means a long-term solution.

It seems we'll have to start thinking about rebuilding the house.

As she thought about it, she put the chickens and ducks she had bought from the market into the fence in the backyard, and then hurriedly built a thatched shed to shelter her from the wind and rain.

Just as she straightened up, the system voice that had been silent for several days suddenly rang in her mind.

[Ding! Host has been detected to have started poultry farming activities, triggering a side quest: Become a large-scale poultry farmer!]

[Task 1: Harvest the first egg (0/1).]

Wen Yu: "...?"

She was both amused and exasperated, and mentally retorted, "System! I thought you were in hibernation! You've been completely silent in the city these past few days!"

[Host, I am the Farming System. Your activities within the city cannot trigger core or side quests.] The system remained as rigid as ever.

Wen Yu immediately seized the opportunity to bargain: "But the millet in the field is still a long way from ripening! We can't just sit idle during this time, can we? Are there any other tasks we can do?"

She had been eyeing the resources rewarded by the system, and had long realized that the system was only responsive to persuasion; she thought that if she begged a little more, she might be able to trigger something new.

[…Searching for matching tasks…] The system seemed to pause briefly. [A series of tasks matching the criteria have been detected. Host, do you accept?]

"What mission?" Wen Yu's spirits lifted.

[Mission Name: Rebuild Our Homes]

“Rebuild our homes? Sure, I’ll take it!” Wen Yu said without hesitation.

I used to be afraid of having too many tasks, but now that I have free time, I feel anxious.

It will be almost two months before the millet arrives. Those viewers who were attracted by the storyline in the live stream may leave after watching the mundane farming routine for a while.

Having been an actress, she understands all too well that a story needs a good balance of tension and relaxation; too long a period of calm can wear down enthusiasm.

She did want to attract attention by developing a tofu industry or innovating culinary arts, just like in the novels she used to read, but without the material support of systemic rewards, even the most skilled cook can't make a meal without ingredients.

The system's new task presents just the right opportunity.

[Ding! The mission "Rebuild Your Home" has been issued. Mission requirements: Main house repair and renovation (0/1), basic farmland planting (host detected to have completed this), basic education for school-age children/teenagers (1/4)]

[Task Rewards: One new house (including basic furniture), one beginner's school (including basic teaching aids), and a 10% increase in plant growth rate throughout the village.]

Wen Yu's eyes lit up.

This reward is too tempting; it's practically giving her a cheat code!

But then she noticed the "1/4" and the specific requirements: "Wait, what does 'universal access to basic education' mean? And what does '1/4 completion' mean?"

The system explained in detail: "Let me explain. The initial mission objective is to ensure that all school-age children and teenagers in the village receive basic literacy and arithmetic education."

Currently, four individuals have been detected who meet the criteria: Wen Yue, Lin Lan, Tao Ning, and Wen Qingshi. Wen Qingshi's status is 'Literate,' so his progress is 1/4.

[Host, please note that the advanced mission will require a basic literacy rate for the entire village.]

Wen Yu pointed to her nose, looking incredulous: "Me? You want me to teach them to read and write?"

Since I've accepted the task, I have to grit my teeth and do it.

Ning Shengan is a teacher, which would be perfect for her. She could go and discuss the teaching content with him another day; it's not like she can't give it a try.

Oh, and Wen Qingshi, she can probably serve as a teaching assistant.

Wen Yu silently planned everything, but couldn't help asking, "System, you are clearly from a higher-dimensional civilization and have the power to change the world, so why do you care about the education of people in a small village?"

In her view, this system is more like an observer or experimenter of an advanced civilization.

The system was silent for a moment, and then a rare hint of emotion flickered in its electronic voice.

[Host, I once had a debate with a... 'colleague'.]

He believes that humanity suffers from fatal flaws: shortsightedness and greed. Without external intervention and guidance, humanity will ultimately lead to self-destruction.

"And I..." the system paused, "I believe that only humanity itself can truly save humanity and guide it towards the future. Powerful external intervention might solve the immediate problem, but it could stifle the possibility of civilization's self-correction and growth."

Therefore, all I can do is provide assistance to the best of my ability, such as supplies, tools, and knowledge carriers.

But how you use them, how you build your homes and society, how you educate your next generation... these are paths you must choose and forge yourselves.

Wen Yu listened intently, suddenly feeling an urge to shed tears.

Humanity's path, over thousands of years, has been forged by its own steady and diligent efforts.

There are no divine blessings, no mechanical interventions; when one generation falls, another takes its place.

How could she not believe it?

So I made a bet with Him, and He bet that my attempt would definitely fail.

"Host," the system seemed to be entrusting her with something, "Don't let me lose this bet, okay?"

Wen Yu took a deep breath and solemnly replied, "Okay."

Both emotionally and logically, she couldn't let the system lose this round.

We must not let humanity lose this battle.

A note from the author:

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