Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

Hua Cheng spat out the food stuck in his throat.

”ARGH—”

The girl clenched and unclenched her fists in the air. She didn’t dare open her mouth, merely glaring at Hua Cheng with eyes blazing with fire.

Hua Cheng took the glass of water An Ning handed him, took a few sips, then looked at the girl across from him and spoke.

”Mao Piaopiao, I see you’re really getting ahead of yourself!”

”Who the hell do you think you are, coming here? What do we have to do with each other? When the hell did I ever say you were my woman?!”

”If I’d actually flirted with you, I’d own up to it. But I haven’t given you the time of day, from start to finish! What are you doing here, putting on airs? You really think you’re someone special, don’t you?”

When he wasn’t facing An Ning, Hua Cheng fully recovered the swagger and sharp tongue of a young master of Beijing.

The girl across from him, Mao Piaopiao, finally wiped the food off her face. She launched into her own tirade against Hua Cheng, her presence not the least bit weaker than his.

”Bullshit! I just like you, and I’d like to see anyone in Beijing dare to get close to you!”

Mao Piaopiao’s gaze couldn’t help but drift toward An Ning. At that moment, An Ning was holding a bottle of fruit wine, perched on the table with one leg dangling and swinging over the edge, enjoying the show.

She raised the bottle toward Mao Piaopiao and said, ”Leave me out of this.”

Mao Piaopiao wasn’t stupid, just anxious and scared when it came to Hua Cheng.

Seeing An Ning’s behavior, she realized she had misunderstood the relationship between her and Hua Cheng.

”Um, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what you two were doing. Someone said something, and I just got worried.”

Mao Piaopiao apologized to An Ning.

An Ning actually felt a bit of goodwill toward the rational-thinking Mao Piaopiao. Not much, just a bit.

She casually lifted the wine bottle, took another sip, and showed she didn’t mind.

Watching An Ning take another drink, Hua Cheng’s brain kicked into high gear. He was one step away from falling to his knees before An Ning.

”My dear ancestor, please stop drinking! If you keep this up, Jiang Xia is going to skin me alive.”

”Why?”

An Ning was completely unaware of how drunk she looked. Hua Cheng was worried sick. He tried to grab the bottle, but An Ning wouldn’t let him.

It was one thing that she wouldn’t give it to him, but her pupils clearly reflected his image, giving him the illusion that he was about to lose his head.

The nearby Mao Piaopiao also seemed to understand. ’This girl must be very important to Jiang Xia, right?’

Her jealousy vanished in an instant.

Hua Cheng, unable to persuade An Ning, had no choice but to turn back to Mao Piaopiao.

”Mao Piaopiao, let me formally inform you one more time: I don’t like you. I’m never getting married in this lifetime. I hate marriage. Can you please stop wasting your time on me?”

Mao Piaopiao completely ignored Hua Cheng’s words, smiling cheerfully as she looked at him. ”That’s okay. I don’t need to get married. Just being with you is enough.”

Hua Cheng slapped a palm to his forehead. He just didn’t get it. Why?!

”Mao Piaopiao, are you crazy?”

Mao Piaopiao automatically filtered out all of Hua Cheng’s harsh words, her eyes gazing at him as if they held stars.

Hua Cheng’s head throbbed.

He had a very clear understanding of himself: he liked dating, and only liked dating.

He was serious about every relationship, but none of them lasted. Nor did he think he could ever meet a woman who would make him give up the entire ocean.

In modern terms, Hua Cheng was a self-aware playboy.

No matter what Hua Cheng said, Mao Piaopiao wouldn’t listen—couldn’t listen. A woman deep in infatuation always thinks she’ll be the one to save the playboy.

”BANG—”

The door flew open, and a sweat-drenched Jiang Xia finally arrived.

Jiang Xia’s gaze swept the room, and he instantly grasped most of the situation.

He walked straight to An Ning, looked at her slightly tipsy state, and said, ”Are you going to walk out on your own, or are you going to walk out on your own?”

’Huh? This isn’t how it’s supposed to go!’

This was the shared thought of Hua Cheng and Mao Piaopiao. Hua Cheng, in particular, looked at Jiang Xia with exasperation. ’The girl is drunk, and you’re not seizing the opportunity?’

Jiang Xia completely ignored the looks from Hua Cheng and the others, focusing only on An Ning.

An Ning’s face was flushed from the alcohol, and her eyes were misty, softening their corners and melting the usual hardness around her.

”You’re... clever.”

After speaking, An Ning hopped down from the table. The tipsy flush on her face vanished in a second, and her eyes became clear.

”Little Hua Cheng, today’s chat was fun. Let’s continue next time.”

”Jiang Xia, next time you invite me to dinner, if you don’t show up, you’d better be prepared for certain consequences.”

An Ning was the first to walk out of the private room, leaving the others with a view of her proud, aloof back.

Hua Cheng pointed after An Ning with a questioning look on his face and turned to Jiang Xia.

”She gets drunk when she wants to, and when she doesn’t, no one can make her.”

Jiang Xia grabbed An Ning’s bag and followed her.

Hua Cheng pressed a hand to his forehead. ’So I worried for nothing.’

”Hua Cheng—”

Mao Piaopiao’s cry made a fire rise in Hua Cheng’s heart. For the first time, he turned to her without anger and asked, ”Do you really like me that much?”

”Even if I won’t marry you, you’re still willing? Even if I break up with you in the end, you’re still willing?”

”I am!”

Mao Piaopiao answered loudly.

”Fine. I just hope you don’t regret this.”

Hua Cheng agreed. He would take one relationship seriously. As for the outcome, he didn’t care.

Mao Piaopiao frantically hugged Hua Cheng. She had just realized the greatest wish she’d had since she was a little girl.

Crazed laughter echoed from the private room. An Ning, already out the door, glanced back before turning away again.

”What are you looking at?”

”A young girl’s future heartbreak.”

An Ning’s words made Jiang Xia catch up to her and ask nervously, ”You can read marriage fortunes, too?”

”No, I’m not Yue Lao. Let’s call it Feng Shui. The energy between those two isn’t very compatible.”

This made Jiang Xia even more curious. With a hint of anticipation, he asked, ”Can you see your own energy, then?”

”Jiang Xia, have you lost your mind? Divination can’t be used on oneself, don’t you know that?”

”Hehehe, I guess I have. What about me, then?”

As Jiang Xia asked, An Ning stopped in her tracks to stare at him.

She shook her head forcefully. ”I drank too much, my readings aren’t very accurate. I can’t see yours either. Strange.”

Though she said it was strange, the genuinely puzzled An Ning started walking forward again. Behind her, Jiang Xia was actually quite pleased.

’It’s good that she can’t see it.’

’I’ve heard that fortune-tellers can’t read the fates of those close to them, or those with whom their destinies are too intertwined.’

’I must be one of the two.’

An Ning took Jiang Xia’s car home, and on the way, he explained why he was late.

”You’re saying Hua Cheng’s father wants to get into the telecommunications business with you?”

”Yes. It’d be about half state-owned, half private. The ratio will probably be adjusted, but in any case, something this important can’t be left entirely in private hands.”

”That makes sense.”

An Ning didn’t offer an opinion on the matter. She had no interest in doing business herself; negotiation wasn’t her strong suit.

”An Ning, I was thinking of buying your technology and giving you half of whatever share I get.”