Chapter 113 High-Tech Systems
Xu Zhili carefully checked whether the bolt on the courtyard gate was secure, and then listened intently to the sounds around her for a moment.
After confirming that everything was in order, she tightened her grip on the basket and, like a shadow blending into the night, stealthily made her way towards the cowshed not far away.
The cowshed was low and dilapidated, emitting a complex smell of livestock, hay, and damp earth.
Just thinking about my mother living in such a place makes my heart clench, and I feel a pang of sadness.
Xu Zhili held her breath and approached, then gently knocked three times on the rickety wooden door.
"Who...who is it?"
A woman's voice came from inside the cowshed, filled with deep weariness and a hint of barely perceptible wariness; it was Xu Nuoyan.
"Mom, it's me, Ali."
Xu Zhili's voice was very low, yet it clearly reached the doorway, carrying a soothing quality.
At the same time, an invisible ripple of consciousness quietly spread out from her center.
The door creaked open a crack, revealing Xu Nuoyan's haggard face.
In the dim light, she recognized her daughter, and her eyes lit up with joy, but this was quickly replaced by a deeper worry.
"Ali! It's you! What are you doing at Xiangyang Brigade? This place is filthy and smelly. You should go back right away. If someone sees you here, it could cause you a lot of trouble. My dear Ali, hurry..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xu Zhili had already nimbly squeezed in to the side and gently closed the door behind her.
In the cramped space, there was only a tiny kerosene lamp, illuminating Xu Nuoyan's pale yet undeniably charming face.
"Mom, don't send me away."
Xu Zhili's eyes were slightly red. She placed the basket on a relatively clean bundle of hay in the corner and deftly lifted the cover.
The aroma of dumplings and diced rabbit strongly dispelled the unpleasant smell of the cowshed.
She presented the food to her mother, saying, "Try my wild amaranth and pork dumplings and spicy rabbit pieces. Eat them while they're hot."
Xu Nuoyan looked at the food that was still steaming, her nose tingled, tears welled up in her eyes, and her voice choked: "Silly child...you and An'an eat, Mom...Mom isn't hungry, it's so hard to get food in the countryside."
She instinctively reached out her hand, but then withdrew it, looking like a loving mother who was heartbroken for her daughter and trying to suppress her grievances.
Xu Zhili stared at her mother, then suddenly sighed, her voice a mix of helplessness and affectionate reproach: "Mom—! That's enough! It's just the two of us here, why are you still acting? Do you think I don't know your 'drama queen' nature?"
Xu Nuoyan's tearful yet resilient expression vanished instantly, as if she were changing her face in a Sichuan opera.
She raised her hand to wipe away non-existent tears, and pursed her lips: "Tsk, boring. You saw through me so quickly? Wasn't my 'strong, loving mother refusing food with tears in her eyes' act emotionally built up enough?"
Xu Zhili rolled her eyes dramatically: "Perfect! Even better than that melodrama that won you the Golden Phoenix Award back then. What a pity there's no audience here."
Xu Nuoyan took the chopsticks her daughter handed her, picked up a dumpling, took a bite, squinted her eyes in satisfaction, and mumbled, "That's right... I was a famous actress all over the country back then! If it weren't for the apocalypse, I wouldn't have married your deadbeat father."
She paused for a moment, her eyes filled with a complicated expression, then brightened again. "When I have the chance in the future, I must make sure I return to the screen. It's such a waste to have all this acting talent wasted growing mushrooms in this cowshed. Sigh."
As she spoke, she picked up another piece of rabbit meat, hissing and sucking in air because of the spiciness, but looking quite pleased with herself.
"Alright, alright, when the time comes, I will definitely find a way to get you out of the spotlight and keep you shining on the screen."
Xu Zhili was both amused and annoyed to see her mother suddenly regain her energy. "But Mom, can we get down to business first? Once you've finished your dumpling, just tell me what's on your mind."
"My mental shielding isn't omnipotent; it takes a long time to work."
Xu Nuoyan quickly swallowed the food in her mouth, her eyes becoming serious. She put down her chopsticks, leaned closer to Xu Zhili, and lowered her voice, which carried a hint of excitement.
"Right, right, I almost forgot the important thing. Pear, listen carefully, Mom, this system isn't some junk from the cultivation world. It comes from a super powerful, high-tech planet, and its functions are incredibly strong..."
"mom!"
Xu Zhili quickly touched her lips with her index finger, stopping her from speaking.
Her keen mental power detected a subtle movement in the far distance outside. Although it was still within the shielded area, caution was advised.
"Walls have ears, so even with shielding, be careful. Go to my space, it's absolutely safe. My grandparents are sleeping soundly, they won't wake up anytime soon."
As she spoke, she grasped Xu Nuoyan's wrist.
Xu Nuoyan immediately understood, nodded, and a hint of caution flashed in his eyes.
The mother and daughter exchanged a glance, and their figures vanished silently into the dim cowshed as if erased by an eraser, leaving only the flame of the kerosene lamp flickering gently after they disappeared.
Xu Zhili pulled her mother along as they stepped into the spiritual space.
Xu Nuoyan saw the most eye-catching place as the radiant Tree of Life, which shone with a dreamlike light, as if it were formed from pure starlight and life force.
"My God, Pear, is this the... Tree of Life you were talking about?"
When Xu Nuoyan saw this magical creation for the first time, she couldn't help but hold her breath, her eyes filled with amazement and curiosity. She subconsciously tightened her grip on her daughter's hand.
"Yes, Mom, that's it."
Xu Zhili grasped her mother's hand in return, her tone filled with pride and solemnity, "It's not an ordinary tree."
"As long as enough energy is collected to upgrade it, a magical black soil can be created in the space, where the yield of grains grown is astonishing, and the medicinal herbs are extremely precious."
Xu Nuoyan carefully examined the divine tree, feeling the gentle yet powerful life force emanating from it, his voice trembling with disbelief.
"This...this is simply a miracle. With this, you and An'an really have hope for the future in Xiangyang Brigade."
Xu Zhili nodded vigorously, her eyes resolute: "It's absolutely true, Mom. I've been running around all this time to collect energy for it."
Thinking of her system, Xu Nuoyan sighed softly: "Speaking of collecting resources... Li'er, you know about this system of yours. It comes from a high-dimensional planet with advanced technology but a collapsed ecosystem."
She raised her hand and summoned the system page, a pale blue screen floating in front of the two of them. "They urgently need our Earth's plant and animal resources, especially... standard 'organic' varieties. They can use high technology to extract special energy from plants. In exchange, they can offer a wide range of things, from precision instruments to... unimaginably advanced technological data."
"For example, on a small scale, we can provide technology related to watches, and on a large scale, we can even provide design solutions for aircraft carriers."
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