Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

Beijing?

An Ning felt a stir of interest.

”Young lady, I still don’t know your name?”

”My name is An Ning, and this is my mother, Lin Cuihua.”

The woman greeted her first, then said with a smile, ”We really are fated to meet. My surname is also An. My name is Anna.”

”That is quite a coincidence.”

An Ning hadn’t expected them to share the same surname either.

Anna sat on the other side, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.

”If you have any questions or doubts, just ask. Mom, that goes for you too.”

An Ning was all too familiar with the curious and gossipy look in Lin Cuihua’s eyes.

”My daughter knows me best. I just want to know, are ghosts real?”

An Ning shook her head.

”They aren’t ghosts. They’re just people with powerful wills. When they die, if they have too many unfinished matters or are too worried about certain people, their soul is able to linger for a short while.”

”But no matter what, a soul form has very little influence. The most they can do is something like breaking a couple of light bulbs.”

”Among the deceased, not even one in a hundred thousand might become a soul form. Most people around us experience a final surge of life and leave with no regrets, so you don’t need to worry about whether ghosts exist.”

An Ning’s explanation put Lin Cuihua at ease, but also left her feeling a little disappointed.

Anna, who was beside them, also asked, ”Then where did they go when they disappeared?”

”They’ve probably gone to be reincarnated.”

An Ning said uncertainly, ”The worlds of the living and the dead are separate, not just a matter of illusion. The world on that side is a place that not even the most powerful Feng Shui Master can cross into.”

’If it were truly possible to cross over, I would definitely go see my master.’

Anna nodded. In her heart, she was willing to believe An Ning’s words—that they had all gone to a better place. That was good.

”Is there anything I can do to help him have a good reincarnation?”

”Burning joss paper and making offerings are customs passed down by our ancestors. Just continue doing that. There’s no need to do anything extra.”

Anna nodded in understanding, her heart finding a bit of direction and solace.

The three of them continued talking. An Ning learned that Anna’s family lived in Beijing and that Anna herself was a history professor at Beijing University.

Anna also found out that An Ning was a student who had taken the exams this year and wanted to study in Beijing.

”I have a feeling you’ll get in.”

”Wish me luck.”

The two exchanged a smile, then swapped contact information, promising to stay in touch.

Holding her precious baby, Anna left An Ning’s compartment and returned to her own. They would have to travel the rest of the way by themselves.

Inside the compartment, An Ning saw that Lin Cuihua seemed a bit dazed, so she moved to sit beside her.

”Mom, if something’s on your mind, just say it.”

”Huh? It’s nothing serious. I was just thinking that when I get home, I should go visit your grandparents’ graves.”

”Grandma and Grandpa? Where are they?”

An Ning had never heard Lin Cuihua mention them before. She had only said that her maternal grandparents had passed away and that there was no one left on her mother’s side of the family.

”Sigh... It’s not far. I... I haven’t been back in many years.”

Lin Cuihua’s unfinished words clearly held many stories, but since she didn’t elaborate, An Ning didn’t ask.

”Daughter, tell me the truth. Will you get hurt knowing all these things?”

Lin Cuihua’s disappointment turned to worry with lightning speed.

”I won’t. I’m not a true practitioner in this field.”

More importantly, she didn’t belong to this time and space, placing her outside the scope of the Five Harms and Three Deficiencies.

”You’re not lying to me?”

”I’m not. I’m really not. I swear.”

”Put your hand down! What are you swearing for? Don’t swear anymore in the future.”

Lin Cuihua was still a bit superstitious. People in this line of work weren’t supposed to make oaths casually.

An Ning obediently lowered her hand and leaned against Lin Cuihua.

”It’s the middle of summer, you’re making it hotter... Scoot over.”

Though she was verbally shooing An Ning away, Lin Cuihua’s hand never stopped fanning her.

An Ning felt that coming out was indeed the right decision. Lin Cuihua’s mood was clearly improving again.

The mother and daughter got off the train at the provincial capital’s station, where they needed to transfer.

An Ning didn’t know as many people as An Guoming, so a problem arose: there was no way to get Xiao Lang onto the next train.

Outside the train station, An Ning stood motionless in front of a pillar.

Lin Cuihua’s mood, which had just calmed down, was starting to get agitated again.

”Mom, have some tea. Don’t worry.”

An Ning took out the tea from Master Tang and gave it to Lin Cuihua to drink.

”Why do you keep giving me water? What are we going to do about Xiao Lan? If this doesn’t work, I’ll just take Xiao Lan home myself.”

”You really do love it, don’t you?”

An Ning didn’t give Lin Cuihua a chance to complain, continuing, ”Here.”

Lin Cuihua followed An Ning’s finger, but saw nothing of interest.

”What’s up there?”

”Disabled person.”

Lin Cuihua’s expression was as bewildered as a sleepwalker who suddenly wakes up to find themselves wandering down a main road, completely lost.

An Ning leaned in and whispered a few words in Lin Cuihua’s ear. Lin Cuihua’s expression changed from resistance to compromise, and finally to the madness of someone going all-in on a desperate gamble.

”Fine! Are you sure you can act the part? And what about our Xiao Lan? Can it do it?”

”Of course it can. Xiao Lan is smart, isn’t it?”

An Ning squatted down and had a talk with Xiao Lang.

The main point was: You are a dog, a guide dog.

After being tempted with three beef dinners, Xiao Lang agreed.

”Mom, remember, we don’t know each other. You’re just a warm-hearted aunty who strikes up a conversation on the side, got it?”

Lin Cuihua was too nervous to speak, mentally rehearsing her lines over and over.

For some reason, the mother and daughter both felt a sense of excitement, thrill, and the anxiety of doing something bad.

The adrenaline rush was so thrilling!

An Ning found a rope in her school bag. It had a loop at one end and had been specially made for Xiao Lang.

After putting it on Xiao Lang, she pretended to be a blind person and had Xiao Lang lead the way.

Lin Cuihua trailed a few steps behind An Ning, watching with fear and trepidation, terrified they would go the wrong way.

As it turned out, Xiao Lang was smarter than expected.

The little thing trotted along on its four short legs, its steps quick and nimble, and precisely located the ticket counter.

”Xiao Lan, have we reached the ticket counter?”

An Ning perfectly portrayed the state of a blind person, her hand exploring her surroundings until it finally found the cool glass.

A satisfied smile appeared on her face. Her pupils were unfocused as one hand gently tapped on the glass.

”Comrade, can I buy a ticket to Jin City?”

The ticket seller at the station stood up and looked at the rope in An Ning’s hand and the simple tree branch she had found somewhere to use as a makeshift cane.

”You can buy a ticket, but this dog of yours...”

”Xiao Lan isn’t just any dog. It helps me find my way. I rely on it whenever I go out. I can’t go anywhere without it.”

As An Ning spoke, she lowered her head and tugged on the rope, as if resigned to her fate.

”Is it really not possible?”

Following An Ning’s plea, Lin Cuihua made her entrance.

”Just let her take it on. The poor girl is already in this state, life isn’t easy for her. You can tell this dog is obedient, it won’t cause any trouble.”

”Yeah, it’s not easy for anyone.”

Led by Lin Cuihua, several other people in the crowd started to speak up.

The ticket seller was also moved. The regulations for bringing pets on board weren’t that strict at the time.

”Wait here a moment. I’ll go ask my supervisor.”

”Thank you, thank you! Thank you so much!”