Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

There were three men whose looks had left An Ning breathless. One was Jiang Xia, but perhaps because they were too familiar with each other, he only ranked third for the time being.

As for first place, that went to the charmer An Ning detested. But setting aside his questionable character, his looks truly had the potential to topple nations.

If Tao Quan was a reincarnated Peach Blossom Demon, and Jiang Xia was the dashing, arrogant Little General from the General Mansion, then the man before her was a well-read and scholarly Prince, exuding an air of nobility.

”Uncle Hu, I’ve told you before.”

The man walked over to the table in a few steps. He first gave An Ning a slight nod and said, ”Hello, I’m Haitang.”

An Ning’s pupils widened. She stared at the man, utterly speechless, her lips silently forming his name, ”Hai...”

”You’re Haitang?”

An Ning finally managed to ask. Haitang gave an affirmative reply, ”Yes, I am Haitang. I’m also the leader of this opera troupe.”

”We’re not selling this erhu. I’m very sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing.”

The man’s voice was exceptionally clear, each word perfectly enunciated. Although An Ning understood him, her mind was still replaying his performance on the stage.

’He’s a man?’

An Ning had always thought Haitang was a girl’s name.

”Excuse me, did you hear what I said?”

Haitang asked again. An Ning finally snapped out of it and nodded. ”I heard you. It’s fine whether I buy it or not. I never intended to force the issue.”

An Ning’s understanding response brought a faint smile to Haitang’s lips, and he thanked her.

At this moment, the old man who played the erhu reluctantly hugged it, turning his back on Haitang. Like a worried parent, Haitang felt a headache coming on from the old man’s childish behavior.

”I don’t believe I caught your name?”

”My name is An Ning.”

Haitang commented that it was a good name and continued to ask, ”May I ask what you plan to do with the erhu?”

”Ah? Well, it’s like this. I want to...”

An Ning explained her situation. After listening, Haitang asked, ”So, in other words, you don’t want to own the erhu long-term, you just want to use it for a performance.”

”That’s right.”

An Ning nodded affirmatively.

Haitang looked knowingly at the old man clutching the erhu, then held out his hand. ”Put it down. I heard someone was out pretending to be blind again today.”

The old man flinched and guiltily put down the erhu. ”I was just trying to make some money.”

”Make money?”

Haitang let out a long ”Hmph,” his voice naturally authoritative.

”The last time you pretended to be blind, you were chased for three blocks and ended up in bed for half a month. Have you forgotten?”

The old man cringed, lowering his head, not daring to speak.

Haitang said no more. He took the erhu, placed it in front of An Ning, and said, ”You can borrow it.”

”Borrow it?”

”Yes. We were the ones who broke our agreement, so we should compensate you.”

An Ning didn’t refuse. She picked up the erhu and gave the bow a couple of rough strokes. It didn’t break.

’This is good stuff. Absolutely top-quality. It can withstand my spiritual power.’

”Thank you, I really need this. How about this, what if I pay a rental fee? Also, I’d like to ask Mr. Hu Sr. for some lessons. I don’t know the first thing about the erhu. I’ve only played it once or twice for the dead back in my village, and that wasn’t exactly about playing a proper tune.”

An Ning’s straightforwardness brought a faint smile to Haitang’s eyes.

”Mr. Hu Sr.?”

”Yes, yes, yes! I’ll teach you! How much are you paying for rent?”

Hu Lai’s eyes were practically sparkling with dollar signs.

”One yuan a day? And that includes you teaching me the erhu.”

”Deal.”

Mr. Hu Sr. agreed immediately. It wasn’t convenient for him to go out and pretend to be blind for the next couple of days, so any money he could make was better than none.

After settling on a time with Mr. Hu Sr., An Ning left the theater.

After leaving, she found a phone booth and called Yu Zheng.

Putting down the phone, An Ning sighed. ”This is so inconvenient.”

’Maybe it’s time to develop a portable phone. They have those brick phones now, but they’re huge, like carrying a brick around.’

’The key is, it’s not even as sturdy or easy to handle as a real brick in a fight.’

As An Ning waited, her mind was constantly calculating.

’The phone design itself isn’t difficult. The hard part is creating the most suitable device for today’s world based on currently available materials.’

After some time, Yu Zheng arrived.

An Ning got in the car, and they headed back.

On the way, An Ning gazed out the window. From time to time, she could see construction crews. Streets, utility poles, signal towers, and other infrastructure were all under construction.

She had a premonition that in a short period of time, Huaxia would undergo earth-shattering changes.

When An Ning got home, she first organized her designs for the portable phone. Jiang Xia from next door came over again to bring her food, and An Ning told him what had happened that day.

”So, you’re going to perform on the erhu?”

”Yes. Do you want to join?”

”Me? How would I join?”

Jiang Xia used the serving chopsticks to place a chicken wing in An Ning’s bowl as she said, ”How about... you play the suona?”

”Heh heh heh... Are you trying to send someone off to the afterlife?”

Jiang Xia watched An Ning nod affirmatively from across the table. ”There’s a little bit of that, yes. Besides, a suona paired with an erhu would be absolutely stunning. Unforgettable.”

Seeing how enthusiastic An Ning was, how could Jiang Xia possibly refuse?

”Alright, I’ll go learn the suona. But with so little time, I’ll probably only be able to learn one piece. What should we play?”

’That’s a question worth considering.’

An Ning decided to ask about it tomorrow when she went for her erhu lesson.

Jiang Xia planned to skip class tomorrow and go with An Ning.

For the next few days, Jiang Xia and An Ning went to the theater in the morning to learn the erhu and suona, and returned to school in the afternoon for classes and studying.

As for the impossibly noble and strikingly handsome Haitang, the two of them never saw him again.

That afternoon, the two of them went to class as usual. After entering the campus, they split up, one heading east and the other west.

An Ning, walking quickly with her cane, passed by the men’s dormitory where a crowd had gathered to watch a spectacle.

”Tao Quan, I really like you! Why don’t we give it a try?”

A vibrant and pretty girl with a high ponytail stood before Tao Quan, holding a bouquet of flowers, her face full of anticipation as she awaited his answer.

Tao Quan, his eyes as full of deep affection as ever, gave the girl a faint smile.

”I’m sorry, but I already have someone I like.”

Tao Quan’s words broke not only the heart of the girl who had boldly confessed, but also the hearts of many other girls in the crowd.

In the half-year since school started, Tao Quan had undoubtedly been crowned the campus heartthrob, becoming the Prince Charming in the hearts of countless girls.

The girl confessing with the flowers had a feeling Tao Quan might reject her, but she hadn’t expected this to be the reason.

”Are you serious? You’re not just saying that to reject me, are you?”

”Of course not. You’re an outstanding person. It’s just that it would be hard for my heart to hold anyone else. It’s my fault.”

With just a few simple words, the rejected girl actually thanked Tao Quan.

”Thank you. I don’t regret this today. I hope you can be with the person you like.”

The girl offered her blessing and turned to leave, but then she looked back and asked, ”Who is it that you like?”

An Ning, standing in the crowd, suddenly felt a sense of crisis and prepared to retreat.