Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

I can make the choice, but I can’t have it made for me, can I?

A single question, and everyone around him could feel the profound sorrow in Jiang Donghua’s heart.

To be pushed by the hands of his own beloved younger brother—the pain and bewilderment in that moment must have been immense.

And indeed, to this day, Jiang Dongcheng still remembered Jiang Donghua’s expression after he was pushed. That look of heartache mixed with worry was a nightmare that would haunt Jiang Dongcheng forever.

”Why not? It’s death either way! What’s wrong with you dying in my place?”

Jiang Dongcheng had completely lost it. He scrambled up from the ground, mustering what little courage he had left and stepping forward.

Behind him, Jiang Xia stopped the wheelchair and moved to stand in front of Jiang Donghua.

”There’s no need.”

Jiang Donghua raised a hand, stopping Jiang Xia. His gaze was clear and commanding as he looked fearlessly at the now-standing Jiang Dongcheng.

Jiang Dongcheng had stood up with a surge of reckless courage, but it deflated by more than half the moment his eyes met Jiang Donghua’s.

”You... you... I... You don’t have any proof!”

With his cry of ”You don’t have any proof!”, Jiang Dongcheng earned not just the disdain of the onlookers, but their utter contempt.

Calling him scum would be a compliment.

In his wheelchair, Jiang Donghua’s chest began to shake, and a laugh rumbled up from deep within him.

”Heh heh heh... HAHAHAHA... Excellent! Just excellent!”

”Jiang Dongcheng, from the moment I appeared until now, if you had said just one ’I’m sorry,’ I would have forgiven you. But you?”

”I have no proof? You’re right. I have no proof. I really don’t.”

Jiang Donghua smiled and shook his head, looking at Jiang Dongcheng one last time. ”Thank you. Thank you for feeling no guilt all these years. Thank you for only getting worse with time. And thank you for making what comes next so much simpler.”

”Take me back, Jiang Xia.”

”Yes, Uncle.”

”Hmph. Why call him uncle? Have you forgotten? Jiang Dongcheng has already severed all ties with you.”

As if suddenly remembering, Jiang Xia took a folded newspaper clipping from his pocket. He unfolded it and said, ”You’re right. Jiang Dongcheng has no relationship with me, with you, or with my grandfather.”

”Look at me. How could I have forgotten something like that?”

A newspaper notice announcing the severing of family ties wasn’t anything new. Back then, things like that happened all the time.

In his wheelchair, Jiang Donghua played along. ”No matter. We kept the newspaper. We’ll just have to read it a few more times when we get home to make sure we remember.”

”Let’s go.”

”Right!”

Jiang Xia pushed the wheelchair away without giving Jiang Dongcheng so much as a sideways glance. The two of them, one tall and one short, got into a sedan with an imposing license plate and drove off.

As the sun’s last rays faded, darkness began to fall, and Jiang Dongcheng had the premonition that he was about to be devoured.

Having just witnessed some earth-shattering drama, the crowd of onlookers gave Jiang Dongcheng a wide berth. They were all eager to scurry off and share the news, contributing their small part to the great cause of gossip.

What little sense he had left gradually returned, leaving Jiang Dongcheng standing frozen in place, muttering, ”It’s fake. Nobody knows. It’s all fake.”

Even now, he couldn’t bring himself to believe that Jiang Donghua was still alive.

Deep down, he didn’t want Jiang Donghua to be alive. This was something Jiang Donghua had clearly seen, and it was the very source of his disappointment.

Jiang Dongcheng returned home, completely demoralized. For the first time, he didn’t say a word to Xiao Yan and went straight to his room alone.

Xiao Yan wasn’t the least bit worried. On the contrary, she felt a sense of relief and didn’t even think to go upstairs and ask what was wrong.

She simply called for Jiang Sha to come to dinner. The somewhat dazed Jiang Sha sat down, looked around, and asked, ”Where’s Dad?”

”He’s tired. Let’s eat without him.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Sha took a clean bowl and dished out some food, setting it aside.

”This is for Dad.”

Xiao Yan looked at her sensible and filial son, Jiang Sha, her eyes filled with affection, but her heart ached for him. ’Such a good boy,’ she thought, ’why couldn’t heaven have given him a sharp mind?’

”You’re a good boy, Sha-sha.”

A strained smile appeared on Xiao Yan’s face. Jiang Sha didn’t notice; he just nodded vigorously and began to eat with gusto, enjoying his meal and cleaning his plate.

After they finished eating, a maid began to clear the table. Jiang Sha picked up the plate of food he had set aside and carried it upstairs to his father.

On the second floor, a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK at the door made Jiang Dongcheng, who was inside, call out with a sliver of hope, ”Come in.”

”Dad... time to eat. If you don’t eat, you’ll feel awful and you won’t be able to sleep.”

Holding the plate, Jiang Sha clutched his own stomach to act out how terrible it would feel, then placed the meal on the small table by the bed.

Jiang Dongcheng, who had been lying face down on the bed, felt a pang of disappointment when he saw it wasn’t Xiao Yan. But when he saw it was Jiang Sha, a flicker of genuine happiness sparked within him.

Over the course of the meal, Jiang Dongcheng replayed his own words in his mind and realized he had likely caused a huge mess.

He had planned to talk it over with Xiao Yan, but her completely indifferent attitude had stung him.

Fortunately, he still had a good son.

Although Jiang Sha’s intellect was somewhat limited, the boy was genuinely good to him. His kindness was real, unlike Jiang Xia.

’That Jiang Xia is nothing but a wolf pup! A vicious little wolf pup that wants to take a bite out of everyone he meets.’

”Dad, are you feeling sick?”

Seeing that Jiang Dongcheng wasn’t getting up, Jiang Sha reached out a worried hand to feel his forehead.

”I’m fine, Dad’s fine. I’ll eat. I’ll eat right now.”

Jiang Dongcheng sat up, took the plate from Jiang Sha, and ate heartily.

Watching his father eat with such gusto made Jiang Sha even happier than when he ate himself. The father and son shared a rare, pleasant moment together.

After he finished eating, Jiang Dongcheng still didn’t leave his room, but his mood had improved considerably thanks to Jiang Sha’s comforting presence.

’I’ll wait for Xiao Yan to come in,’ he thought. ’Then I’ll tell her what happened today so she can be prepared.’

Seven o’clock in the evening, and Xiao Yan still hadn’t come upstairs.

Eight o’clock, and still no sign of Xiao Yan.

By nine o’clock, Jiang Dongcheng’s waiting had turned into a simmering rage. Fuming, he stomped downstairs to Xiao Yan’s study.

BAM! The study door was thrown open, but the room was empty.

”Mr. Jiang, do you need something?”

An elderly housemaid, one Xiao Yan had brought with her, asked from behind Jiang Dongcheng.

”Where’s Xiao Yan?”

”The Madam has gone back to her parents’ house. She said something came up over there.”

’Gone back to her parents’ house? Again?’

Jiang Dongcheng let out a sarcastic laugh. ’What even is the point of my marriage to Xiao Yan?’

In any given month, Xiao Yan spent two-thirds of her time at her parents’ house.

At first, he hadn’t minded, assuming Xiao Yan was just protecting the Xiao family’s interests. But it had been like this every month for nearly twenty years. For the deeply shaken Jiang Dongcheng, his thoughts began to run wild.

He waved a dismissive hand at the old housemaid. ”I see. You can go now.”

”Why are you still here?”

Jiang Dongcheng frowned at the housemaid, who hadn’t moved. She said, ”Mr. Jiang, the study is the Madam’s private space.”

The implication was clear: he shouldn’t be here.

”Hilarious. There are places in my own home I’m not allowed to go?

Jiang Dongcheng’s expression turned vicious. ”Get out of my way!” he roared.

”I’m going to see for myself just what kind of secrets she’s hiding in here!”