Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

An Ning’s question wasn’t answered immediately. Instead, it was met with a barrage of other questions.

”Excuse me, but aren’t you going to solve the remaining four problems?”

”There are five problems here. Can’t you solve all of them?”

”Do you have any idea what a magnificent mark you would leave on history if you solved all five of these difficult problems?”

...

One after another, the judges, and even some students from the other teams, began to ask questions. The gist of it was that they wanted the Huaxia Team to solve the other four problems as well.

But An Ning was contrary by nature. ’You want us to solve them, so we’re just supposed to solve them? What a joke.’

If all the difficult math problems were solved—or rather, solved right here in front of everyone—then some of their countries’ own technological hurdles would also be overcome.

After all, mathematics is a crucial, foundational discipline. Many problems are bottlenecked by mathematical calculations, and An Ning had no intention of helping other countries advance by leaps and bounds while Huaxia was quietly making its own progress.

All she wanted to do was hold them back and slow their development. As for lofty goals like the common good of all humanity, she couldn’t care less.

From beginning to end, there was only one country she cared about: Huaxia.

If an apocalypse were to break out right now, An Ning would save the people of Huaxia first. Only if she had the capacity to spare would she consider anyone else.

Back at the competition, Jiang Xia received a signal from An Ning and took a few steps forward.

”Excuse me, is this not a mathematics competition?”

”Excuse me, has our Huaxia Team’s performance not surpassed that of the other teams?”

”Excuse me, will our solving or not solving the other four problems affect whether we win the championship?”

”Excuse me, how do you know or determine that we can solve the other four problems?”

”And a final question: If we are unable to solve the other four problems, are we in violation of some law or regulation?”

These five questions left the accusers speechless and unable to argue.

Finally, the host, who had long been wanting to wrap things up, at last played his crucial role and stepped in to smooth things over.

However, the ultimate goal of his intervention was simply: ’Let’s end this already!’

Thanks to the host’s silver tongue, the Huaxia Team was declared the victor. They received a single trophy to share, and each participant also received a certificate and a medal.

As everyone wore their medals, they couldn’t help but think, ’All we did was take a trip abroad. How did we end up winning honor for our country?’

It felt fantastical, but it had really happened.

This year’s competition was also interesting in another way. After the Huaxia Team was confirmed as the first-place winner, the fight for second place became unexpectedly fierce.

The other five teams frantically started working on the problems, each trying to complete more steps than the others.

When one team finally secured second place, they seemed even happier than the first-place winners.

It turned out that, without even realizing it, they had already accepted the fact that the Huaxia Team was on another level.

After the award ceremony, there was a banquet hosted by the organizers.

However, An Ning and the others didn’t attend.

Jiang Xia took his medal and certificate and went with the two teachers to the hospital to visit Tao Quan.

The remaining students, along with An Ning, were in a hotel room—writing their theses.

The solutions to two world-class problems weren’t as simple as just answering a question. They were walking theses, future standard-issue textbooks.

Besides, if they were to indulge in a bit of cynicism, what if someone stole their results and published them first?

What if someone was shameless enough to deny their achievement?

It wasn’t unheard of. As long as you were shameless, you could pretty much do whatever you wanted with impunity.

Under An Ning’s guidance, the writing of the theses went very smoothly.

When one complete thesis was finished, An Ning wrote everyone’s names in the author section.

Everyone tried their best to dissuade her, but An Ning just said calmly, ”My future doesn’t need this thesis to add anything to it. To me, this was as simple as one plus one. Do you understand?”

The group of students sitting obediently across from her wanted to pretend they didn’t understand, but they did. What a gut punch!

”Don’t think I’m trying to hurt your feelings. I’m just telling the truth. What I mean is, it’s okay to take advantage of a leg up when you can get one.”

After she said that, An Ning felt her words hadn’t come out quite right. She tried to rephrase, ”It’s not that you’re stupid... No, that’s not what I mean. I mean, you all came all this way, you can’t just do nothing, right?”

”Hm? That still doesn’t sound right.”

After being metaphorically stabbed a few more times by An Ning, the group finally stopped her as she tried to rephrase again.

”Um, An Ning, what you said was great, really great. But maybe... don’t say it again next time.”

”Right, right! It’s not that we don’t want you to talk, it’s just that we all understood what you meant.”

”Exactly. We totally get it.”

”Loud and clear.”

Chiming in one after another, they finally managed to quash An Ning’s impulse to try and explain herself again.

And so, two world-shaking theses were completed in a single hotel room.

The moment the theses were finished, Jiang Xia and Yu the Elder personally took them to a certain university to be published.

Fortunately, the entire process went smoothly, thanks in no small part to the reputation the Huaxia Team had just established.

Once the matter of the theses was settled, the Huaxia Team prepared to return home.

Tao Quan hadn’t recovered from his injuries yet, so one of the teachers had to stay behind to look after him until he was cleared to fly.

However, the other students all had their own studies to get back to and couldn’t afford any more delays.

So, after some discussion, they booked their tickets and prepared for the return journey.

That night, An Ning and Jiang Xia met once again in the hotel’s rooftop garden.

An Ning cradled a mug in her hands and took a sip amidst the rising steam.

”So comforting. How did you get this?”

Through the steam, Jiang Xia looked at An Ning’s delicate face and said mysteriously, ”Take a guess.”

An Ning shot him a blunt eye-roll and said haughtily, ”I’m not guessing. It’s already in my stomach anyway.”

With that, she took another sip of the hot dough-drop soup.

’Delicious.’

How could one even describe the feeling of tasting food from home in a foreign country?

It was like walking through a desert for countless days, exhausted and parched, only to suddenly stumble upon a ten-star hotel with impeccable service—and it was all free.

”How is Tao Quan’s recovery going?”

”About half a month, I’d say. His healing ability is quite strong.”

An Ning had only asked in passing. As for the rest, they could deal with it after they returned home.

Regarding Tao Quan’s situation, An Ning really didn’t want to wait another day. She had already prepared all the necessary equipment and was just waiting to get back to Huaxia to begin.

”I don’t know why, but I feel like there’s something wrong with Tao Quan’s family.”

An Ning’s gaze drifted into the distance as she recalled the incident with the sack over Tao Quan’s head.

At the time, Tao Quan had been unwilling to go home. It was just a fleeting emotion, but An Ning had caught it.

”According to my investigation, his family is... hmm... perfect.”