Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

An Ning was amused by Luo Li’s expression, which looked like she was plotting a major conspiracy. She playfully patted Luo Li’s cheek and pushed her away.

”Rein in that wild imagination of yours and just stick to being a doctor.”

”Sigh... All right.”

In a tone of deep regret, Luo Li put down her scalpel and asked about the performance again.

”Today’s performance wasn’t representative of my true skill level.”

After An Ning spoke, Luo Li nodded frantically as if she’d had a sudden epiphany.

”I get it! You’re holding back now so you can blow everyone away later. Brilliant! Absolutely genius! You’ve definitely read your Thirty-Six Stratagems.”

Believing she had figured it all out, Luo Li immediately lowered her voice. ”Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.”

”As long as you know.”

An Ning just went along with Luo Li’s theory. ’She couldn’t very well say it was because the erhu wasn’t the right one, could she?’

After sharing their bit of gossip, the two went their separate ways to get busy.

The next morning, the rumors about An Ning had escalated, evolving into stories of her acting like a tyrant backstage, ostracizing classmates, and being utterly arrogant.

Overhearing some classmates gossiping about her, An Ning suddenly appeared behind them and, eager to join in, asked, ”Is there anything else?”

”Yeah—they said An Ning bullied the folk dancer—An Ning!”

”What about An Ning and the folk dan—An Ning!”

The students nearly jumped out of their skins, shouting the name of the very person they were gossiping about in terror.

An Ning, however, just greeted them amicably and walked past them with a chuckle.

”Don’t worry, I won’t sue you for slander.”

An Ning said it seriously, and her words sent a chill down their spines.

’She... wants to sue us?’

’I heard An Ning taught herself the entire law curriculum... every single statute!’

Suddenly, the students were too scared to have any interest in gossiping.

An Ning spent the whole morning in class, during which the gossip fermented into a new story: the tyrannical An Ning was going to sue her classmates.

Many students admired An Ning’s genius, but when it came to the performance, they still had their reservations.

Only this time, they discussed it in secret, even posting a lookout.

Many people would duck away when they saw An Ning. Their eyes held a mixture of accusation and disdain, their mouths pursed and eyebrows twitching.

An Ning couldn’t care less about any of it and just went about her business.

At noon, An Ning ran into Jiang Xia.

Jiang Xia sauntered over with a roguish grin. ”I’m gone for half a day,” he said, clearly enjoying the drama, ”and your fame has already reached new heights.”

”Can’t be helped. When you’re this outstanding, you can’t hide it even if you try.”

In that moment, An Ning’s smug pride was a perfect mirror of Jiang Xia’s.

An Ning and Jiang Xia walked side-by-side toward the edge of campus. With no classes in the afternoon, An Ning planned to head back and check on Xiao Lang.

Usually, when An Ning was out, Xiao Lang stayed with Yu Zheng.

”Didn’t you just get here? Why are you heading off campus?”

”I came to find you.”

At this, Jiang Xia seemed to remember something important. ”An Ning, have you ever thought about improving the state of telecommunications?”

”I know they have those brick phones in Hong Kong, but they’re way too bulky, and the signal is spotty at best. I think we could make a smaller, more portable phone.”

”I’m already researching it.”

An Ning continued, ”It needs supporting infrastructure. Relying on the authorities alone is no longer enough for my needs...”

Before An Ning could finish, Jiang Xia’s eyes lit up. ”You want to get involved?”

”Yes.”

Jiang Xia was first pleased by their unspoken understanding, then said, ”With the way things are going, many industries will need capital investment. It wouldn’t be out of line for me to get involved, right?”

”Not at all. It shows great foresight.”

The two discussed their vision for the future of telecommunications as they walked.

It was highly probable that these visions would one day become reality.

”By the way, what did you need me for?”

”Oh... right. Didn’t you say you wanted me to learn the suona to accompany you?”

”Oh—you found a suona?”

An Ning and Jiang Xia were both studying at the opera house, but they couldn’t find a suitable suona for their performance, so they couldn’t achieve the effect An Ning was looking for.

”I found one. I just don’t know if it’s the right one.”

Jiang Xia didn’t particularly care about the performance itself, but he was very eager to participate if it meant performing with An Ning.

So when An Ning mentioned needing a very special suona, he had truly gone to great lengths to find one.

”Okay, let me see it.”

They walked to Jiang Xia’s car. He opened the back door, revealing a battered box lying quietly on the seat.

”This is it. I only borrowed it.”

”Let me see.”

An Ning opened the sheepskin box, revealing the suona inside.

Mellow. Full of life.

Those were the two words that appeared in An Ning’s mind. This suona was brimming with a human touch.

She gently picked up the suona. As she played a note, her spiritual power surged. After just a few seconds, she put it down.

”This will work.”

An Ning placed the suona back in the box. ”It’s... almost sentient.”

”I don’t know about sentient, but it’s been around for a long, long time.”

An Ning didn’t press for details. Jiang Xia still had to get to class, so after agreeing to meet at the opera house for their lesson that evening, they went their separate ways.

After leaving the university, An Ning first headed to Yu Zheng’s house.

It wasn’t far from Beijing University to Yu Zheng’s home, and there was a convenient bus route that went right there.

It was now close to New Year’s Day, and the northern weather was frigid. Pedestrians hurried along, eager to get back to their warm homes, to huddle by a stove and feel the warm air.

An Ning stomped her feet at the bus stop, waiting a few minutes before boarding with the others who were also waiting.

The bus was crowded, packed almost shoulder to shoulder.

An Ning found a spot near the door. She only had three stops to go.

The bus started, and the crowd swayed with its movement. An Ning glanced toward the back, preparing to move further in. She figured the next stop would be even more crowded.

As she looked around, a very old man caught her attention.

The man, who was dressed quite respectably, was standing behind a woman. His face was practically touching her neck as he took a somewhat creepy sniff.

An Ning frowned, thinking of calling him out to startle him, but in the next second, the old man turned in another direction, one of his hands starting to wander.

He had switched targets.

The old man was creepily and disgustingly sniffing a woman’s hair, one hand ”accidentally-on-purpose” brushing against people’s backsides. But the bus was too crowded for anyone to be sure if it was intentional, and since the man was dressed so well, no one said a word.

The bus stopped again. After one stop passed, An Ning moved further into the bus with the flow of the crowd.

She positioned herself just behind and to the side of the man, just in time to meet the creepy old man’s eyes as he turned.

An Ning put on an innocent, polite expression. Just as she expected, the old man started to squeeze his way toward her. It was obvious he had made her his next target.

This was exactly what An Ning wanted.

The bus moved on. The old man purposefully squeezed his way closer. An Ning saw her chance. As the bus lurched, she sidestepped. The old man, who was just about to reach her, stumbled and fell in her direction.

In the moment he fell, An Ning could even see the look of triumph in his eyes.

THUD!

The triumphant look turned into a gushing nosebleed.