Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

Jiang Xia planted his ax on the ground, leaned on the handle with both hands, and looked up at An Ning.

”You look pretty comfortable sitting on that wall.”

An Ning, sitting on the wall, wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. Instead, she asked, ”It’s our family’s wall. Why shouldn’t I be comfortable?”

Jiang Xia was at a loss for words and gave An Ning a thumbs-up.

”You’re right!”

”Of course I am. You should be used to this by now.”

Perched on the wall, An Ning continued asking in all seriousness, ”Where did you buy your big black pig?”

Jiang Xia tilted his head back and asked:

”You’re going to buy one today? Do you even know how to pick out a pig?”

The two questions stumped An Ning.

”Just you wait—”

”An Ning—you little rascal! You just recovered from your illness and you’re already getting cocky!”

Lin Cuihua had come out to get some potatoes and happened to see An Ning showing off on the wall.

”Is the ground not big enough for you? You have to go show off on the wall? Why don’t you go climb on the roof while you’re at it!”

Startled by Lin Cuihua’s roar, An Ning flinched, stuck out her tongue, and jumped down.

The An family’s wall was nearly three meters high.

”Don’t jump—”

”Be careful!”

Lin Cuihua yelled not to jump. Jiang Xia, who shouldn’t have been worried, found himself worrying needlessly along with her.

An Ning leaped lightly and landed steadily, then gave Lin Cuihua a cheeky grin.

”Mom, I was asking Jiang Xia where he bought his pig. I want to buy one too.”

When Lin Cuihua heard this, her eyes darted toward the wall. After looking away, she lowered her voice a bit and said, ”Go discuss it with your dad.”

An Ning didn’t dare provoke Lin Cuihua. Ever since her recent illness, Lin Cuihua was always very worried about her.

’I’d better behave myself at home for a while,’ An Ning thought.

”Mom, what are you doing? I’ll help you!”

Lin Cuihua knew she was being a little overprotective, but she couldn’t help it.

”Go to the cellar and get some potatoes and sweet potatoes.”

”I’ll do it!”

An Ning was eager to show she could be helpful, and Lin Cuihua didn’t stop her.

An Ning followed behind Lin Cuihua and watched her pull open a door in the ground, propping it up with a stick to keep it from accidentally closing.

”Wait a moment. Let it air out before you go in.”

An Ning nodded. She understood the reasoning—too much carbon dioxide inside could make a person faint.

The mother and daughter waited for several minutes. Then, An Ning climbed down the pre-built ladder into the cellar and gathered a good number of sweet potatoes and potatoes. Lin Cuihua took them from her at the top and told her to hurry up and come out.

”Coming.”

An Ning climbed out of the cellar, closed the door properly, and went inside with Lin Cuihua.

On the other side of the high wall, Jiang Xia leaned against it, listening to An Ning’s voice until there was no more sound.

He felt his mood inexplicably improve.

Jiang Xia picked up his ax, feeling a boundless surge of energy, and began to chop firewood.

Grandpa Jiang Xia, watching through the window, put on his reading glasses. In his hand was a yellowed book.

”Silly boy, young love is blooming.”

Grandpa Jiang Xia was happy to see what was developing between the two, but he decided not to interfere.

’Let the silly boy outside figure it out for himself!’

Meanwhile, An Ning returned to the house and found An Sancheng.

”Dad—what are you doing?”

”Shhh—”

An Sancheng guiltily pulled An Ning inside. He glanced at the kitchen; Lin Cuihua wasn’t there, which made him relax a little.

An Ning came in, confused, and looked at An Sancheng with suspicion.

”Dad, what are you hiding?”

”Don’t be silly. I just had some dirt in my shoe, I was just knocking it out.”

An Sancheng cleared his throat twice, his expression uncharacteristically serious as he gestured for An Ning to sit down.

”What did you need me for?”

”Oh—I want to buy a pig and a few sheep. I want to make some lamb soup to thank the villagers for helping us look for Li Chengze that day.”

When An Sancheng heard this, he had no problem with buying a pig and some sheep.

”An Ning, about Li Chengze... I wanted to ask you, what are your plans for him?”

”He’s a grown man, after all. Right now, I’m telling people he’s Guoping’s classmate. We know the real story, but that excuse won’t hold up forever with everyone else.”

An Ning understood what An Sancheng meant. She wanted to observe Li Chengze for a while. If he turned out to be a trustworthy person, she would take him on as a student.

”Let me think about it.”

An Ning hadn’t come up with a better solution yet.

”Dad, what about the pig and sheep?”

”If you want to buy them, go ahead. Take your big brother with you. He knows how to pick them out. He’s had a knack for dealing with those critters since he was a kid.”

An Ning giggled, amused, and decided to go ask Jiang Xia first.

This time, An Ning didn’t climb the wall. She used the gate.

When she got there, Jiang Xia was still chopping firewood.

”How much firewood are you planning to chop? Isn’t this enough to burn?”

Jiang Xia, who had been so focused on chopping that he hadn’t noticed how much he’d cut, turned around, looked at the pile, and said nonchalantly:

”It’s not much. Just getting some exercise, you know?”

Jiang Xia put down his ax and asked, ”You’re going to buy them today?”

”Yes. Just tell me where to go.”

An Ning hadn’t planned on asking Jiang Xia to go with them.

With his back to An Ning, Jiang Xia put the ax away properly, then turned around and said, ”I’m going too. My family wants to get a sheep to eat.”

”They sell pigs and sheep at the same place?”

”Yep, they’re both over at the breeding farm.”

Hearing that, An Ning naturally had no objections.

”Okay, I’ll see you at the gate in a bit. I’m going back to get my big brother.”

An Ning turned and walked out of Jiang Xia’s yard to get An Guoqing.

In the end, An Guoqing, An Guoping, and Li Chengze all came out with her.

Jiang Xia, who was already waiting at the gate, looked at the group coming out and suddenly felt it was a bit of a crowd.

The five of them set off in the village’s tractor.

An Guoqing drove, making his way slowly toward town.

The ”CHUGGA-CHUGGA-CHUGGA—” sound was especially prominent across the wide-open land.

On the tractor, An Ning sat leaning against the back of the driver’s seat. To her right were An Guoping and Li Chengze; to her left was Jiang Xia.

Jiang Xia looked at Li Chengze across from him and suddenly asked, ”Li Chengze, how long has it been? Why don’t you stay at my place tonight?”

Li Chengze, sitting opposite him, choked on his own saliva and started coughing violently.

He stared at Jiang Xia in terror. ’What does he mean by this?’

Jiang Xia didn’t seem at all bothered by the suspicion. Acting like they were old pals, he sat down next to Li Chengze and threw an arm around his shoulders.

”Acting like a stranger, are we? We’re childhood friends. You’ve been here for so many days, shouldn’t you go see my grandpa?”

That last sentence, along with the increased pressure on his shoulder, left Li Chengze unable to refuse.

”Okay.”

He agreed. Jiang Xia released his grip and said nothing more.

After the tractor reached town, Jiang Xia took over driving.

An Guoqing, who had gotten down, looked at Jiang Xia in surprise and said, ”You know how to drive this thing too!”

For once, Jiang Xia set aside his prideful nature and said very modestly, ”Brother An taught me well.”

An Guoqing frowned, thinking hard. ’Did I teach him?’

”Big Brother, get on.”

An Ning called for An Guoqing to get on the tractor. Jiang Xia drove it toward the breeding farm.

When they arrived at the breeding farm, Jiang Xia found someone he knew, and An Guoqing picked out a pig.

As for the sheep, there was no choice. There were only five in total, and they took four, as one had already been reserved by someone else.

The person at the breeding farm told An Guoqing, ”You picked a good pig.”

An Guoqing said with a simple-minded grin, ”You think so? The moment I saw it, I just knew it would be delicious.”