Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

An Ning’s group was seven people when they left, and nine people when they returned.

At the train station, the nine of them split into three groups.

Yin Xuemei was heading north with Feng Xiaoyu and her daughter. Hua Cheng went with them—apparently, the head of his family had permitted him to return home.

An Ning first saw Yin Xuemei’s group of four onto the train, waving them off.

”See you in Beijing.”

”See you in Beijing.”

The train lurched into motion, carrying Yin Xuemei toward her future.

After seeing Yin Xuemei’s group off, the next to leave was Jiang Xia.

An Ning turned, walked over to the adjacent platform, and stood beside Jiang Xia.

”Why the sudden departure?”

”A man’s got to earn a living.”

An Ning looked down and kicked at a piece of gravel on the ground. ”I thought you said you had money—more than you could ever spend.”

Jiang Xia, standing next to her, forced a casual laugh. ”Well, you can’t just sit around and burn through your savings. Besides, I’ve still got Da Huang to feed.”

”That’s true.”

WHOOOOOO—

The train pulled into the station. Jiang Xia reflexively stuck out an arm to shield An Ning. ”Stand back.”

For once, An Ning didn’t argue. She obediently took a few steps back, stopping about a pace behind him.

”Have a safe trip.”

”I will.”

Jiang Xia didn’t dare turn around.

This recent period of spending every day together had given him the false impression that An Ning was his.

He couldn’t bear to leave, but he had no choice.

Soon, they would all be heading to Beijing, where An Ning’s brilliance could no longer be concealed.

In fact, her light was already starting to shine through.

Jiang Xia didn’t dare to stop pushing himself. ’I’m afraid she’ll leave me in the dust,’ he thought. ’I’m afraid I won’t be able to catch up, that I’ll lose even the right to pursue her.’

”I’m leaving now. See you in Beijing.”

”See you in Beijing.”

An Ning waved at Jiang Xia’s back as he put on a brave face and boarded the train. After finding his carriage, he sat down and struggled to control the emotion in his eyes.

Not even a minute later, he lost his battle for composure, slid the window open, and stuck his head out, scanning the platform.

”An Ning—!”

On the platform, An Ning followed the familiar voice with her eyes and raised her hand.

”I’m over here!”

”Goodbye!”

”Goodbye!”

Perhaps because of the distance between them, Jiang Xia let the raw emotion in his eyes show, his gaze full of longing.

An Ning wasn’t as outwardly emotional as Jiang Xia, but she felt the pang of parting as well.

’All my good friends are getting busy,’ she thought. ’I can’t fall behind, either.’

With that single thought, she had once again firmly relegated Jiang Xia to the ”good friend” category.

As the train gradually pulled away from the station, Jiang Xia kept his eyes fixed on An Ning.

’Where’d she go?’

In the blink of an eye, An Ning had vanished.

Torn between laughter and tears, Jiang Xia pulled back from the window. He sat down, shaking his head, not quite sure how to feel.

”Is that your girlfriend?”

A boy sitting across from Jiang Xia asked, trying to make conversation.

Jiang Xia didn’t answer. He just sat quietly in his seat, took out a book, and began to read.

From a distance, he looked like an unattainable, icy flower—proud, uniquely beautiful, and radiating an aura that told strangers to keep away.

The boy across from him, having been rebuffed, pouted and turned to talk to the person next to him instead.

Meanwhile, An Ning had already left the station and found An Guoping, Zhou Xiaoshan, and Yang Jianguo. The four of them found a small diner nearby to get something to eat while they waited for their train.

When the four of them reached the provincial capital, Yang Jianguo also parted ways with the group, preparing to go home.

An Ning and the other two got off the train with Yang Jianguo, as they had to make a transfer there.

Carrying his luggage, Yang Jianguo stood before An Ning, a million things on his mind to say.

In the end, all those thoughts were distilled into a single sentence.

”An Ning, my life is yours from this day forward.”

”No, no, don’t be so dramatic! What would I do with your life? Just study hard once you’re at school. Maybe we’ll have an opportunity to work together in the future.”

”Okay, I will.” Yang Jianguo nodded firmly. This chance to go to college was hard-won, and he treasured it.

Yang Jianguo had wanted to invite them to his home, but none of them seemed eager to go, so he didn’t insist. He went home alone, after they all arranged to see each other again in Beijing.

After seeing Yang Jianguo off, An Ning and the other two bought tickets for their transfer.

After a train ride of more than eight hours, the three of them finally got off at Sanhe Town.

Luckily, they had called the village from the provincial capital, so An Guoqing was waiting outside the station to pick them up with his truck.

The truck arrived home under the cover of darkness. After eating the noodles Lin Cuihua had made for them, everyone washed up and went to rest.

The next day, An Ning was woken by something furry brushing against her.

She pushed Xiao Lang away with one hand, her eyes still shut. ”Who did you learn that from? Don’t forget, you’re a wolf—and a fearsome one at that.”

An Ning sat up, scooped Xiao Lang into her lap, and gave him a vigorous rub.

Xiao Lang didn’t resist at all, even flipping over to expose his belly in cooperation.

It was the exact same pose Da Huang would strike.

”I wonder if the honorable Wolf King would lead a siege on my family’s home tonight if he saw you acting like such a mutt.”

An Ning set Xiao Lang down, changed into a clean T-shirt and shorts, and stepped out of her room.

”Good morning, Mom.”

”Good morning my foot! Do you know what time it is? You’re just waking up now.”

Lin Cuihua expertly stir-fried with one hand, her tongue even more expertly laying into An Ning.

Completely unfazed, An Ning looked at Lin Cuihua and said, ”Mom, has anyone ever told you that you’re like a completely different person before and after the college entrance exam? The change is huge.”

”Enough of your lip. A young lady shouldn’t have such a big mouth. You’re starting to sound like your second brother.”

An Guoping, who was just walking in the door, froze mid-stride, one foot inside and one foot still over the threshold, unsure whether to enter or retreat.

”Who did I offend this morning? How’d I get dragged into this?”

”What’s that? You got a problem with it!?”

That question—which sounded like an inquiry but was really a rhetorical challenge that demanded a negative answer—made An Guoping and An Ning realize one thing instantly: Lin Cuihua was in a particularly foul mood today.

The siblings exchanged a look.

’Was it you?’ ’Nope.’

’Then you?’ ’Not me.’

Their eyes met, and they both reacted at once.

An Guoping grinned. ”I’m more than happy to be involved! I’ll gladly do whatever you say, Mom.”

”Exactly!” An Ning chimed in. ”I’ll change, Mom. I’ll change whatever you say.”

The siblings’ attitudes, each more agreeable than the last, caused Lin Cuihua to let out a sigh, and more than half of her pent-up anger dissipated along with it.

”Enough of this nonsense. Wash your hands and faces. It’s time to eat.”

Lin Cuihua emptied the contents of the wok onto a plate and called out that the meal was ready.

From inside a room, An Sancheng emerged in a flash, moving with lightning speed to wash his hands and face.

As An Ning washed her own hands and face, she tilted her head to look at An Sancheng, then glanced toward his room.

”Dad, you were home? How come you were being so quiet?”

An Sancheng didn’t dare to speak, only moving his lips.

Don’t dare.

’Don’t dare?’

An Ning, still at the sink, grew even more puzzled. She asked in a low voice, ”What’s with Mom?”

”What are you mumbling about over there? Get a move on! I make dinner every day, and I still have to beg and plead for you to eat. Hurry up!”

Lin Cuihua’s urging sent a flurry of SPLASHING sounds through the An family’s courtyard.

Each trying to be faster than the last, they wiped their faces, sat down, and waited to eat.