Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

After the couple came to an agreement, Lin Cuihua lay down to sleep.

But the more she tried to sleep, the more awake she felt.

Lin Cuihua finally just sat up. She told An Sancheng to go on and sleep while she got dressed, got out of bed, and went to knead some dough.

To avoid making any noise, Lin Cuihua brought all the ingredients for the next morning—vegetables, flour, and the like—into their room and worked on them slowly.

She kept at it until around ten o’clock at night. Finally feeling a little drowsy, Lin Cuihua blew out the nearly burnt-down candle and prepared to get some sleep.

She used a candle mainly because she was afraid a brighter light would disturb the children’s rest.

The old couple was a perfect reflection of many parents with children taking the exam. They wished they had soft pads on the soles of their feet, like cats and dogs, so they wouldn’t make a sound when they walked.

As Lin Cuihua was getting into bed, An Sancheng suddenly startled awake and mumbled, ”What time is it?”

”It’s not light out yet. Get some more sleep.”

Hearing this, An Sancheng relaxed and lay back. However, afraid of oversleeping, he merely propped himself up against the headboard instead of lying all the way down. Lin Cuihua did the same.

The next morning, at just after four o’clock, Lin Cuihua and An Sancheng were both up before the alarm went off.

The couple, afraid of disturbing the children’s sleep by getting up too early, simply sat on the bed. The very instant the alarm rang, they shut it off.

After silencing the alarm, the two of them tiptoed out of the room like thieves to boil water, start the fire, and make breakfast.

To minimize noise, they didn’t even wash their faces. They communicated entirely through gestures, refusing to speak a single word.

No one needed Lin Cuihua to wake them; their own internal clocks did the job.

Instead of going for a run, everyone followed An Ning’s lead, doing some light exercises in the courtyard. Their bodies felt wonderful after getting warmed up.

Lin Cuihua didn’t interfere, as An Ning had explained they were used to it and would feel stiff if they didn’t get some exercise.

After exercising, the four of them washed their faces, brushed their teeth, and prepared everything they needed for the exam: IDs, pens, rulers, etc.

Each had a clear bag with their name written on it.

”Alright, breakfast is ready!”

Lin Cuihua called everyone to the table, where the four students were served a traditional good-luck breakfast.

It was clear Lin Cuihua had done her research; she had arranged the food to symbolize a score of 120.

An egg represented the zero, while the one and the two were shaped from dough.

Breakfast consisted of the number-shaped steamed buns, a boiled egg, millet congee, and a side of green vegetables.

All four of them cleaned their plates, which made Lin Cuihua very happy.

Amidst Lin Cuihua’s gentle nagging, everyone double-checked their IDs and exam supplies. Once they confirmed everything was in order, they locked the main gate and set off for the test center.

An Ning and Yin Xuemei trailed behind the others. Sensing her friend’s cheerful mood, An Ning asked, ”You seem so happy.”

”I am.”

Yin Xuemei wasn’t happy about taking the exam itself, but rather about Lin Cuihua’s motherly love.

Though she lacked that in her own life, it was wonderful to experience it up close.

”Where are you planning to go after the exam?”

An Ning was making small talk with Yin Xuemei. She had barely finished her question when Yin Xuemei replied without a hint of modesty, ”Beijing. Aren’t you planning to go to Beijing University?”

”Yep. Everyone says it’s a great school, so that’s where I’ll go.”

”Right. I’ll aim for the same school. If that doesn’t work out, then I’ll see you in Beijing.”

”Deal.”

Their casual conversation was met with ridicule.

”That’s hilarious. You think getting into Beijing University is a walk in the park?”

A few other students, also on their way to the exam, craned their necks as they walked past An Ning and Yin Xuemei, shooting them a disdainful look.

An Ning didn’t get angry. She just said to Yin Xuemei, ”I’ve been cultivating the Dao lately, focusing on letting nature take its course. It’s given me a bit more patience for certain... ignorant creatures who can’t see past the rim of their own well.”

”True. As a human, it’s best not to argue with frogs.”

Their little repartee made one of the girls up ahead turn around in a huff, but her friend quickly pulled her away.

With that little interruption over, the two of them arrived at the gate. Instead of rushing forward, they found a shady spot to wait out of the sun.

At some point, a small crowd started to gather in one spot.

An Ning looked over and saw Jiang Xia emerging from the crowd, a dark expression on his face, before moving to stand somewhere else.

Apparently, Jiang Xia’s striking good looks, combined with his stylish clothes and general aura, had attracted a great deal of attention from young girls and even some older women.

Even after he moved, several people tenaciously followed him. The spectacle was quite entertaining for An Ning, who laughed openly at the scene.

Not far away, Jiang Xia saw An Ning grinning broadly. He could only sigh to himself, ’This is going to be a long road.’

Fortunately, it was the day of the college entrance exam, so most people were focused on the task at hand.

When the time came, the students had to enter the test center.

”Read the questions carefully.”

”Take your time, don’t rush.”

”Check your work when you’re done.”

Outside, the air was filled with the voices of parents calling out last-minute advice. They all knew it was probably useless, but they couldn’t stop themselves.

The gates to the test center opened. Students lined up to have their credentials checked and then filed inside one by one to find their assigned classrooms. The exam was about to begin.

An Ning and her three companions were all at the same test center, but they were assigned to different classrooms.

An Ning found her classroom, where a female teacher at the door checked her pockets, pencil case, and even the soles of her shoes before allowing her to enter.

Following the number on her admission ticket, An Ning found her assigned seat: the fourth desk in the second-to-last row.

She set down her supplies. With over a meter of space on all sides, the desk felt very spacious.

Gradually, the classroom filled with students.

There were three proctors: two at the front of the room and one at the back.

The head proctor began by reviewing the exam regulations, and the students all listened in silence.

With five minutes to go, the head proctor produced a sealed manila envelope. In full view of the students, he broke the seal and removed the test booklets.

The booklets were passed down the rows. Once distributed, students could read the questions but were not yet allowed to write.

As the hands of the clock in the classroom hit the hour, a bell rang from outside. ”You may begin,” the proctor announced.

A chorus of furious scribbling began.

The first subject: Language Arts.

An Ning answered the questions at the speed of a robot that already knew the answers, requiring no thought whatsoever.

The first few sections covered basic knowledge: characters, idioms, classical poetry, homographs, and the like. For An Ning, who had practically memorized the dictionary, she could have answered them with her eyes closed.

However, An Ning wasn’t careless. Since she was participating, she was determined to aim for the top score.

FLIP—

It was the sound of a turning page.

Though An Ning was pacing herself, she was still the first person in the room to flip to the next section.

Several students glanced over curiously before quickly lowering their heads to focus on their own tests.

FLIP—

She turned another page.

This time, most students instinctively glanced at the clock on the front wall. Thankfully, there was still plenty of time.

’But how is she flipping the page again already?’

An Ning’s speed prompted one of the proctors to stroll quietly over to her desk. After a quick glance at her paper, he silently walked away.