Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

Lin Wanwan was dead.

Tao Quan’s name was the first to flash through An Ning’s mind.

”Alright. Are you coming in, or should I go with you?”

An Ning was very cooperative, and the officers didn’t give her a hard time. One of them pointed to the yard and said, ”We can talk inside.”

An Ning invited them into the yard. Jiang Xia and Da Huang followed them in.

They all sat down in the living room. The younger officer took out a pen and notepad to take notes, while the senior officer began the questioning.

”Where were you between 9:30 PM and 2:00 AM last night? What were you doing? Are there any witnesses?”

”I was at the Haitang Opera House, number ten Jingwei Road. Jiang Xia can be my witness. Mr. Hu Sr., the erhu player at the opera house, and Haitang can also vouch for me.”

An Ning answered as the officer took notes.

”The whole time, until 2:00 AM?”

An Ning shook her head and glanced at her watch. ”Jiang Xia and I left Beijing University and drove to the opera house. The trip took no more than twenty minutes. We stayed at the opera house until about 11:30, then came home and went to sleep.”

”No one else can verify that, other than my Xiao Lang.”

An Ning gestured to Xiao Lang, who was lying by her feet, her voice perfectly candid.

The officer finished writing everything down and first confirmed Jiang Xia’s statement. Then he turned back to An Ning and said, ”We’ll go to the opera house to verify your story. In the meantime, please don’t leave Beijing.”

An Ning agreed. As the senior officer stood up to leave, she spoke, choosing her words carefully.

”I have some information. I’m the only one who knows about it. You can take it or leave it.”

Everyone in the living room turned to look at An Ning, waiting for her to continue.

An Ning described the scene in the utility closet, and thus, the police learned the name Tao Quan.

”Thank you for the information. We’ll look into it.”

After seeing the officers out, An Ning stood in the yard with Jiang Xia, their eyes meeting.

”Tao Quan... he’s that really handsome guy?”

”The one who looks like a Peach Blossom Demon. He’s in your class.”

An Ning adjusted her clothes and headed into the house. Jiang Xia followed, asking, ”You suspect him?”

”Mhm.”

An Ning didn’t hide anything, telling Jiang Xia about how Tao Quan had abused a dog.

”Generally, people who cruelly abuse animals do it to vent their pent-up emotions. A place that elaborately prepared wasn’t set up in a day or two. It must have been built up over months, even years.”

An Ning curled up on the sofa, hugging Xiao Lang as she continued, ”I don’t believe someone like that would miraculously give up such a habit in just a few months.”

”Besides, he seems too perfect. You know what I mean?”

Jiang Xia nodded. He understood exactly what An Ning meant.

The more someone seems to strive for perfection, the more they have to hide.

”But... I don’t think the police will find anything. Tao Quan isn’t stupid enough to leave evidence behind.”

An Ning took a deep breath, then stood up, picked up the nearby phone, and called Yin San, the man who helped her gather information.

”Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”

”Me? I’m not worried about myself. It’s just... I feel like a storm is brewing.”

An Ning said, a clear sense of unease in her voice, ”You know I’m something of a Feng Shui Master. For me, this feeling of restlessness is a premonition.”

”Damn it! I hate this feeling.”

’It’s that helpless feeling of knowing something is about to happen, but having no idea where to focus your energy.’

Jiang Xia sat down beside An Ning and said comfortingly, ”I’ll be with you.”

”Thank you.”

Jiang Xia stood up. ”I’ll go make some food. We’re still going to class after?”

”We have to. I need to find out what’s going on.”

With that, An Ning made another phone call. ’Only a fool has connections and doesn’t use them.’

Seeing that An Ning’s mind was still sharp, Jiang Xia felt relieved and went next door to make food.

An Ning was now on the phone with Yu Zheng.

Director Zhao had arranged a position for Yu Zheng as a favor to An Ning.

”Alright. Let me know if you hear anything.”

An Ning hung up and waited for the news.

’Tao Quan... you’d better not cross me. Or else...’

’You’ll die without a grave.’

This was An Ning’s truest thought.

’If she wanted to kill someone, no one would ever know.’

Before long, Jiang Xia came over with a pot of congee and a steamer of shumai. The two ate quickly and then rode their bicycles to the university.

An eerie silence hung over Beijing University that day.

It was like a patch of ground that had been crawled over by ants; the surface appeared calm and undisturbed, but just beneath lay a dense network of tunnels, riddled with countless holes.

Every ant wanted to gossip but didn’t dare.

But how could anyone stay quiet about a murder? They had all just chosen to communicate in whispers.

In the time since morning, An Ning had learned that Lin Wanwan had died in the Beijing University performance hall—the same place they had performed yesterday.

The rumor was that when Lin Wanwan died, she had been wearing her dance costume and exquisite makeup, hanged right on the performance stage.

Her body had been discovered that morning by a cleaning lady.

The performance hall was completely sealed off, and rumors were flying about the cause of Lin Wanwan’s death.

A large number of people believed it was a suicide. As for the reason, many speculated it was caused by her conflict with An Ning after An Ning had taken first place.

As An Ning walked through campus, even more people avoided her than before.

Although there was no official word that An Ning was responsible, people’s imaginations were far more terrifying than the facts.

”An Ning!”

Luo Li rode her bicycle over from the distance and stopped beside An Ning, handing her an apple with uncharacteristic generosity.

An Ning accepted it, looking at Luo Li—who had never given her anything before—and asked, ”What’s this? Given up on saving money?”

”No way! Money is my life!”

After inexplicably handing over the apple, Luo Li pushed off with one foot and glided away on her bike.

Before An Ning could even process it, Yin Xuemei arrived.

”An Ning! Here, some braised snacks I made this morning. Take them. I’m heading to class!”

And just like that, Yin Xuemei was gone too.

With an apple in one hand and the braised snacks in the other, An Ning watched the people nearby avoiding her. Thinking of Yin Xuemei and Luo Li, she suddenly understood.

”Teacher An Ning! I finally found you! This is some beef jerky my mom sent me.”

Yang Jianguo had arrived. He hurriedly left the ”mom’s-brand” beef jerky and rushed off to class.

An Ning looked at the bag hanging from her wrist and couldn’t help but smile.

’You could have at least changed the bag. How else did Master Lu’s Beef Jerky become your mom’s beef jerky?’

”Sis! My dear sister! I finally found you!”

An Guoping was the last to arrive, but he made the biggest scene.

He helped An Ning with her things and walked her all the way to the classroom. At the door, he shouted loudly, ”Sis, let’s have lunch together!”

”I know, now go.”

An Ning gave a calm wave and took her usual seat by the back door.