Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

”Sis, you won’t even look at me. Your speech is a real mix of city and country slang now, and you switch between them so naturally.”

An Ning didn’t even glance at An Guoping, her whole demeanor a blunt ’What is it?’

In that respect, she was getting more and more like Lin Cuihua.

An Ning, who was packing her things, finally shot a sideways glance at An Guoping.

”I see you every day. If you have something to say, say it.”

”Hehe, I really do have something to discuss.”

An Guoping grinned and gestured toward An Ning’s room.

An Ning stepped aside and asked, ”Acting all mysterious?”

”Are you looking for an allowance?”

Certain she had figured it out, An Ning reached right for her pocket.

When it came to giving him money, she, as his older sister, was never stingy.

”No, no! What would I need money for? I never go out.”

”You just keep it for yourself.”

After An Guoping’s repeated refusals, An Ning finally gave up trying to give him money.

”Sis, I came to talk to you about the college entrance exam.”

”What about the exam? Don’t tell me that after all the time I’ve spent tutoring you, you’ve forgotten everything overnight.”

An Guoping felt a headache coming on.

”Sis, stop talking and just listen to me, okay?”

”Fine.”

With that one firm word, An Ning fell silent, her eyes fixed on An Guoping.

Suddenly, An Guoping felt extremely awkward.

The words were caught in his throat, and he felt like he was on pins and needles.

”Sis, a classmate came by today and told me that registration for the college entrance exam is about to start.”

An Ning nodded, saying nothing.

”I’m going to the school tomorrow to fill out the registration form. You only get an admission ticket after you register.”

An Ning nodded again.

”I wanted to ask if you want to go with me.”

This time, An Ning didn’t nod.

”Sis, say something.”

”Didn’t you tell me to listen to you? Are you done talking?”

An Guoping, feeling drained, nodded and said, ”I guess I’m done. What I mean is, Sis, you should register too. If you don’t want to take the test when the time comes, you don’t have to go. But what if you decide you want to take it and you haven’t registered? That would be terrible.”

’Actually, An Guoping felt that his sister was so smart she should go away to study.’

’But he had witnessed firsthand how stubborn An Ning could be.’

’Besides, he had no intention of confronting An Ning. The very thought was squashed the moment it surfaced.’

’He still wanted to live, after all.’

”Okay.”

”No, Sis, what I’m trying to say is... wait, what did you just say?”

”I said, okay.”

An Ning went back to packing her things, while An Guoping secretly pinched his own thigh.

”HISS—That really hurts! It’s not a dream.”

”Sis, you value my opinion that much?”

An Ning, who was still packing, felt a little awkward.

’She had decided to take the college entrance exam long ago.’

’But would it be right to crush her little brother’s confidence like this?’

”I’m so amazing! I knew you liked me best, Sis, didn’t I?”

”No wonder we’re twins.”

”I’m just—”

”No.”

An Ning immediately shot him down. ”I decided a long time ago. Don’t get so cocky.”

”I’m worried you might float away.”

An Guoping didn’t mind An Ning’s denial at all. On the contrary, he started pacing around excitedly.

”So, Sis, we’ll go together tomorrow?”

”Can I tell Mom and Dad?”

An Ning zipped up her schoolbag. ZZZIP! It was closed.

”Fine, go ahead and tell them.”

’An Ning saw no reason to hide it. She just felt that since she planned to leave, a diploma would be a good way to shut a lot of people up.’

’Besides, she could now blend in here quite well.’

’Even if she went to a big city, there wouldn’t be too many giveaways. At worst, she’d just seem like a country bumpkin who hadn’t seen much of the world.’

”Dad—!”

”Mom—!”

An Guoping rushed out excitedly. His howling yells startled the old couple so much that they ran out without even putting on their shoes.

”What’s wrong?”

”Where’s An Ning?”

”Mom, it’s nothing! My sister is going to take the college entrance exam!”

An Guoping blurted it all out in one breath. Lin Cuihua hadn’t even processed it yet, but An Sancheng was the quickest to react.

He looked for An Ning, who was behind his son, and the father and daughter’s eyes met.

”Is it true, An Ning? You’re going to take the exam?”

”Yes, Dad. It’s absolutely true.”

An Ning’s confirmation made An Sancheng’s eyes well up.

He turned away, pretending to rub his eyes. ”Some dust from the ceiling fell into my eye.”

An Sancheng was reserved, but Lin Cuihua was the exact opposite.

She was a little slower to react, but now she rushed in front of An Ning and grabbed her by the arms.

”Daughter, is it true?”

”It’s true, Mom.”

”Aiyo, this is wonderful, just wonderful! The ancestral graves of our An family can finally send up some smoke!”

An Ning had to admire Lin Cuihua’s train of thought.

”Mom, I’m taking the exam too. I can make some smoke too!”

And there was another one puffing out his chest. An Ning was even more impressed.

Lin Cuihua waved her hand dismissively. ”Go on, you have to be part of everything, don’t you? You think you can score better than your sister?”

”You might make a little puff of smoke, and the ancestors would be lucky to even see it. Your sister’s the one who’ll make a great plume of smoke.”

”Who are you cursing out now?”

An Guoming came in from outside, having only heard half the conversation, and was immediately met with a baptism of stares.

”Hey, why’s everyone staring at me? I know I’m handsome, but you don’t have to be so obvious about it.”

The ever-cheeky An Guoming stepped over the threshold and entered.

”Mom, what’s with this look? How come you’re not wearing any shoes?”

An Guoming’s words made Lin Cuihua finally notice how cold her feet were.

”You see your own mother isn’t wearing shoes, and you’re not going to hurry up and get them for me?”

Lin Cuihua sat on a small stool that An Ning had brought over, resting her two feet on top of An Ning’s shoes.

Having been scolded for no reason, An Guoming went with a grin to get the shoes.

After An Sancheng and Lin Cuihua had put on their shoes, An Guoming was also brought up to speed.

”That’s great, Little Sis!”

”Go and come back with first place!”

An Ning smiled, not daring to agree. ”That’s not a guarantee. I have my weak spots.”

”For Language Arts and Politics, I’ve memorized all the books, but when it comes to answering the questions, I still can’t quite get the hang of it.”

”Don’t worry, Sis. You’re on the science track. Math is what really makes the difference in scores. Everyone’s about the same in Politics and Language Arts.”

An Guoping explained. An Ning just shrugged and said, ”I’ll just let nature take its course.”

”Right, right, let nature take its course. Don’t put any pressure on them.”

After saying that, An Sancheng changed the subject and looked at An Guoming. ”What did you come over for?”

”Hehe, I knew you were sharp, Dad. You knew I had business as soon as I walked in.”

An Guoming stopped the idle chatter and got straight to the point. ”I’m leaving tomorrow to make another trip down south.”

”Oh, right, Second Brother, I wanted to tell you they’ve started inspecting for private goods on the trains. They’re not letting people carry them.”

”You should be careful with ground transportation, too. They’ll probably be running checks there as well.”

An Guoming didn’t dismiss An Ning’s news. He said seriously, ”I know, Little Sis. I’ll be careful.”

”It shouldn’t be a big problem for me. I’m officially affiliated with the textile factory now, so I can claim transporting goods is part of my work.”

’Hearing this, An Ning felt it was even more imperative that she pay a visit to the textile factory.’