Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

Even the simple-minded An Guoqing could see the disgust in An Guoming’s expression and tone.

”What is this crap?”

An Guoqing’s question made An Ercheng, who was just pushing open the truck’s rear gate, jump down rather unnaturally.

”An Guoqing, you’re home?”

”You... you... you... What are you doing here?”

An Guoqing stammered over his ”you”s for a good while, not once addressing him as ”Second Uncle.” The look of disgust on his face was even more obvious than An Guoming’s.

An Ercheng was a bit embarrassed, but he’d dropped the high-and-mighty act he’d put on as an elder during his last visit. He just chuckled and asked An Guoqing, ”Is your dad home?”

An Guoqing’s mouth moved faster than his brain. ”He’s not home.”

”Hey, eldest—stop dawdling! We’re waiting for you to eat— Second Brother!”

An Sancheng came out to call them for dinner, but he stopped mid-sentence when he saw An Ercheng.

An Guoqing, who had just claimed his father wasn’t home, felt no embarrassment at all as he turned and yelled, ”Dad, when did you get back?”

An Sancheng, now at the doorway, frowned at An Guoqing. ”Didn’t I come back with you?!”

”Forget that. An Ercheng, what are you doing here?”

An Sancheng had no time to deal with An Guoqing. He stared at An Ercheng with an unreadable expression, not bothering to invite him in.

An Ercheng was starting to look uncomfortable. ”Lao San,” he said to An Sancheng, ”I’m your second brother, for goodness’ sake. Can’t we talk inside?”

”That’s right. We came all this way. The least you could do is let us in to talk.”

Du Guijuan had climbed down from the truck as well, followed by a boy of seven or eight. He had chubby cheeks and stared wide-eyed at the people in the doorway.

An Sancheng didn’t need to guess. He knew they wouldn’t have come all this way unless they wanted something.

”Come on in.”

An Sancheng stepped aside, and An Ercheng, followed by Du Guijuan and the young boy, entered the courtyard.

The family of three stared enviously at An Sancheng’s house. They hadn’t gotten a chance to visit last time and had no idea it was so nice.

Things really were different now!

They had seen An Guoming selling vegetables in the county town and had barely recognized him. It wasn’t until someone called out his name that they were sure it was him.

After asking around, they learned that An Guoming would occasionally drive a truck into town to sell vegetables. His produce was expensive, and he was making a fortune.

Rumor had it he’d even bought a house and was preparing to open a shop in town. How much money must that cost!

The news had already made Du Guijuan’s heart itch with envy, and now the feeling was unbearable.

She had been plotting for a long time. Finally, when An Guoming came to sell vegetables this time, she just appeared out of nowhere. She gave him no chance to refuse, and her family of three hopped into the truck and tagged along.

Just then, An Sancheng, still by the door, gave An Guoming a subtle gesture. An Guoming understood immediately, slipped out of the courtyard, and headed for Uncle An’s house.

An Sancheng felt a little more at ease. His eldest brother would keep things under control.

He followed An Ercheng’s family into the house.

Inside, Lin Cuihua had spotted An Ercheng’s family through the window long before. She was now in the kitchen, clattering pots and pans around to express her displeasure.

Worried, she turned to her sister-in-law. ”Keep Hei Dan’er away from that other kid.”

Her sister-in-law nodded knowingly and scooped Hei Dan’er, who had been playing in a pen, into her arms.

An Ning was even more direct—she simply locked her bedroom door.

When Lin Cuihua saw this, she immediately declared, ”That’s my girl! So smart!”

With that, Lin Cuihua went into her own room, grabbed some padlocks, and locked every cabinet she could.

Just as Lin Cuihua was coming out of the west room, Du Guijuan was walking in from the main entrance.

Du Guijuan’s face was plastered with a wide smile as she greeted Lin Cuihua, a far cry from the contemptuous sneer she wore for the villagers last time.

”Sister-in-law, you look as young as ever.”

”Oh, my! An Ning is even prettier than the last time I saw her.”

”An Guoping has gotten so tall!”

An Guoping, who was stoking the fire, lowered his head and pursed his lips. ’I haven’t grown an inch in years, you know.’

Du Guijuan praised everyone she laid eyes on. When it was Hei Dan’er’s turn, she blurted out, ”This child is so... fair-skinned—I mean, good-looking.”

She had meant to say he was fair-skinned but couldn’t bring herself to finish the thought.

The kid was as dark as a lump of coal.

Du Guijuan had made a full round of compliments without receiving a single reply, yet she wasn’t the least bit embarrassed. She just kept on talking, a feat that truly impressed An Ning.

It also made it clear to everyone in the room that Du Guijuan hadn’t lost her mind; she was just after something big.

”An Ning, pour your aunt some water,” Lin Cuihua said. ”All this talking must be tiring for her mouth and her mind.”

An Ning obediently went to get the water. As she turned, she had a moment to think, ’How does Mom’s tongue get so sharp whenever she’s around Du Guijuan?’

’Is this what they call meeting your perfect rival?’

The kitchen was packed with people—some sitting, some standing, some leaning against the walls, and one stoking the fire.

An Sancheng said nothing. An Ercheng was at a loss for words. Only Du Guijuan chattered on nonstop. Lin Cuihua would occasionally toss in a jab, but when Du Guijuan didn’t rise to the bait, she found it all rather dull.

BANG! The main gate was thrown open.

Uncle An strode in from outside with the unyielding presence of a one-man army.

Inside the house, Du Guijuan fell silent the moment she saw Uncle An. An Ercheng shot to his feet, hands pressed obediently against the seams of his pants.

Uncle An’s wrinkled face was devoid of emotion. His eyes, sharp and measuring, fixed on An Ercheng.

”An Ercheng, is there something you needed to discuss with Lao San behind my back?”

”Do you think there’s no one left in the An family to keep you in line? Do you think you’re the head of this family now?”

Uncle An stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his torch-like gaze boring into An Ercheng.

Sweat beaded on An Ercheng’s forehead. His nerve was failing him.

This was exactly what he had intended. He figured he could at least get a word in with his younger brother, but he never expected his eldest brother to show up so fast.

Uncle An saw right through An Ercheng’s petty scheme. He let out a cold snort, making An Ercheng flinch.

”Spit it out. What is it? And don’t you dare try to fool us. We may be simple country folk, but I know what color your shit is before you even take a dump.”

”Oh, Eldest Brother, there’s no need to be so crude—”

”Get out of the way! You think he’d dare pull a stunt like this if you weren’t egging him on?!”

Uncle An ruthlessly cut down Du Guijuan’s attempt to play peacemaker.

But being yelled at seemed to give An Ercheng a backbone.

A man in love will truly do anything.

”Eldest Brother, what are you yelling at Gui Juan for! It was my idea to come back. I’m here to borrow money from Lao San. Why would I come to you for that?”

An Ercheng, having suddenly found his courage, stepped in front of Du Guijuan and blurted out the reason for their visit all at once.

Uncle An glared at An Ercheng, but with Du Guijuan behind him, he no longer seemed afraid.

It wasn’t that he wasn’t scared, but for the sake of the person behind him, he refused to back down.

You had to admit, An Ercheng was acting like a real man for once.

”Go on, I’m listening.”

Uncle An sat down on a chair An Guoming brought over. An Guoping lit his pipe for him, and he settled in, waiting for An Ercheng to speak.

”Lao San, I want to borrow money from you.”

”I don’t have any money.”

”Alright, that settles it. Everyone go home.”

The three brothers, one sentence apiece, turned the tense situation into something of a comedy.