Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

With Jiang Xia’s help, Da Huang accepted reality.

An Ning was not to be messed with, and neither was her wolf... dog.

A dejected Da Huang rested its large head in Jiang Xia’s embrace, like a child who had lost a fight.

The sight made An Ning feel a little bad for him.

Holding Xiao Lang, she stepped forward and guided one of his little paws toward Da Huang.

”Da Huang, Xiao Lang is very nice. He’ll protect me. How about we become friends with him?”

Xiao Lang, nestled in An Ning’s arms, put on a haughty air, as if to say, ’I don’t want to, but you’re forcing me.’ Yet, he had retracted all his claws, leaving only his soft paw pads exposed.

Whether it was out of acceptance or a genuine desire to reconcile, Da Huang pulled away from Jiang Xia’s embrace and extended a paw toward Xiao Lang’s small one.

A historic truce was about to unfold before their very eyes.

”Agh—you little monster!”

”No, no, no! Don’t get mad!”

Before Jiang Xia and An Ning’s eyes, Da Huang’s outstretched paw shot out with lightning speed, smacking Xiao Lang right in the face.

Xiao Lang, caught completely off guard, blinked his shimmering blue eyes before they returned to a calm state. Da Huang hadn’t used his claws either. After that first smack, Da Huang finally gave Xiao Lang a proper ”high five.”

An Ning and Jiang Xia had already pulled the two apart. They exchanged a look. ’Having pets this smart isn’t necessarily a good thing.’

What a troublesome pair.

It was these same two troublemakers who, upon sensing that Grandpa Jiang and the others were about to leave, went on a coordinated hunger strike.

On the first day of the hunger strike, everyone thought the two of them were sick.

Just as everyone was preparing to call a vet, the two started eating again, proving that they weren’t sick.

It was only when the pair started dragging the luggage back into the house with their teeth that everyone finally understood their intentions.

In the very end, the large and small pair succeeded in staying.

Jiang Xia tugged Da Huang into the house next door. An Ning, curious, followed him inside. After a quick look around, she realized the layout was almost identical to her own home, with no major differences.

”Why did you buy a place here?”

”An Ning, have you forgotten? I was the one who handled the purchase of your house.”

Jiang Xia let go of Da Huang and continued, ”When I buy property, of course I’m going to choose something I believe will appreciate in value. That’s why I bought here. You should be happy. At least you know I didn’t give you a bum steer, right?”

An Ning tilted her head, looking at Jiang Xia.

”You have a point, but for some reason, I feel like you’re just talking nonsense.”

Jiang Xia, who was in fact spouting nonsense, looked at An Ning with a serious expression. ”How could that be? When it comes to money, I’m extremely cautious.”

An Ning didn’t press the issue, instead asking about the two companies that Xiao Xian had previously forced to temporarily suspend operations for restructuring.

Jiang Xia told her that everything had been resolved.

”What about Xiao Yan and Xiao Xian?”

”I didn’t release anything official, but there are rumors spreading. I made sure to leave some room to maneuver.”

Jiang Xia’s words brought an approving smile to An Ning’s face.

”Well now, you’re quite obedient, aren’t you?”

Jiang Xia looked at An Ning trying to act all worldly and wise, and retorted uncooperatively, ”You know, that mature act doesn’t suit you.”

Hearing that, An Ning’s rebellious spirit was ignited. She pretended to stroke a non-existent beard and asked in a deep voice, ”And what do you intend to do about Jiang Dongcheng and Jiang Xia?”

Jiang Xia shook his head and chuckled, not stopping her, letting her have her fun.

”Jiang Dongcheng’s mental state isn’t stable anymore. I’m preparing to send him to a psychiatric hospital. As for Jiang Xia... I’ll send him to a special facility. The rest will be out of my hands.”

”Not bad, not bad. The young man handles his business with a bit of my flair.”

An Ning, who had still been playing around, suddenly grew serious. ”Jiang Xia, that’s really good.”

”But of course! Don’t you know who Young Master Jiang is?”

Seeing Jiang Xia revert to his usual smug self, An Ning felt genuinely happy.

The issues with the Jiang and Xiao families had been like two old, festering wounds, constantly stirring up trouble within Jiang Xia.

Especially back in Beijing, Jiang Xia had lost the boyish air he’d had in Shili Gou.

Now that those two scars had been removed, that youthful air about him had returned.

They talked for a while longer before Jiang Xia walked An Ning home.

At her door, Jiang Xia gave An Ning a gentle push inside and said, ”Wait for me, I’ll bring you dinner.”

”With only one good hand?”

”It won’t be a problem.”

With a CLANG, her front door was shut from the outside.

An Ning shouted through the door, ”I’m not taking responsibility if your hand starts hurting!”

”Got it!”

With his back to the door, Jiang Xia faced the rising sun and broke into a wide smile.

The burdens of his life had been lifted. Only one most important task remained.

He glanced back at the door, imagining the expression on An Ning’s face. His smile widened, and he turned to go buy groceries.

It was a Sunday, so neither of them had to go to school.

Jiang Xia thoroughly enjoyed the lunch he shared with An Ning, one wolf, and one dog.

He had expected the evening to be the same, but when he arrived with a container of food, An Guoping, Li Chengze, Yang Jianguo, Zhou Xiaoshan, and Yin Xuemei were all there, along with a girl he didn’t recognize.

”Jiang Xia, let me introduce you. This is my roommate, Luo Li.”

Jiang Xia instantly placed her. The Luo Family had been a great help with the genetic testing.

He gave Luo Li a polite nod in greeting. ”Hello.”

”Hello.”

Luo Li wasn’t her usual enthusiastic, talkative self. She just offered a simple greeting before settling back down next to An Ning.

Jiang Xia went to put his things down and popped into the kitchen to see if anyone needed help.

An Ning nudged Luo Li with her elbow. ”Don’t you want to dissect him? And why are you so quiet all of a sudden?”

Without even moving her head, Luo Li replied with two words: ”Proper distance.”

”Huh?”

An Ning was completely bewildered, but Luo Li, who understood perfectly yet said nothing, simply maintained an air of mystery.

It only took one glance for Luo Li to recognize Jiang Xia’s feelings for An Ning. And it wasn’t that An Ning felt nothing for him in return; she just hadn’t arrived at that realization yet.

That being the case, as An Ning’s friend, it was only natural for her to maintain that proper distance.

That evening, everyone enjoyed a hot pot dinner, complete with several side dishes made by Jiang Xia. They ate until they were completely satisfied.

Everyone left fairly early that night, as they all had morning classes the next day.

As the group was leaving, An Ning called out to Zhou Xiaoshan.

”Master, did you need something?”

”Yes. Come find me here tomorrow morning.”

”What time?”

Zhou Xiaoshan didn’t even ask why. An Ning replied, satisfied, ”Six o’clock.”

”Alright, I got it.”

Only after Zhou Xiaoshan left did Jiang Xia turn to go, reminding An Ning to lock her door.

”Don’t worry. If a burglar actually shows up, I’ll be happy to get a little exercise.”

From outside the door, Jiang Xia shook his head. ”You misunderstand. I’m worried *for* the burglar.”

With that said, Jiang Xia returned to his own house under An Ning’s indignant glare.

Inside, An Ning shut the door and called to Xiao Lang, who was beside her wheelchair. ”Let’s go.”

The large door closed, plunging the entrance into darkness. Across the street, in a shadowy corner, a figure flickered past.