Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

An Ning made up her mind in an instant. If she missed out on a good bit of gossip, she wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink.

She was quick, darting down a small path and zipping along with nimble footwork until she was hidden behind a large tree next to Chen Mingliang’s house.

An Ning expertly concealed herself, peeking out just a little. Her neck was craned, and she wished her ears could prick up. Just as she was about to use her spiritual power to eavesdrop on the gossip, a bundle of leaves landed on her head.

”What the heck!”

”Shhh... shhh...”

The shushing sound came from above. An Ning looked up.

”Get up here! I saved a spot for you!”

’Jiang Xia!’

Jiang Xia was crouched on a large tree branch, pointing to the spot beside him and giving An Ning a meaningful look.

”’Now that’s what I call a friend!’”

Using her hands and feet, An Ning scrambled up the tree as nimbly as a monkey. She quickly reached Jiang Xia’s side, gossip-ready.

”Here.”

”A true professional!”

”Experience.”

An Ning took the binoculars from Jiang Xia’s hand. She wouldn’t even need her spiritual power now. She could experience the simple joy of eavesdropping firsthand.

Jiang Xia leaned back slightly, giving An Ning the best view. He stayed quiet.

It’s a cardinal rule of gossip-watching: don’t talk. Missing a single exciting detail is a tragedy.

An Ning held her breath and listened intently, binoculars in hand. The ever-changing expressions on her face were a testament to just how juicy the gossip was.

A faint smile played on Jiang Xia’s lips as he watched her.

Down in the Chen family’s yard, Chen Mingliang was holding one cleaver to his own neck and pointing another at Miao Xiaohua.

His eyes were wild as he screamed his lungs out.

”Miao Xiaohua, I’m not letting you leave! I’ll die before I divorce you!”

”Forget about it! If you dare to leave, I’ll kill you, then I’ll kill myself!”

Across from him, Miao Xiaohua radiated an aura of utter despair. She stared at the man she had spent seven years scheming for, serving, and supporting. A thousand different feelings churned within her, but all that remained was bitterness.

”Chen Mingliang, we’ve been married for seven years, and you haven’t earned a single penny! Besides getting drunk and running your mouth all day, have you ever done a single useful thing?!”

”If you had just gotten a job, or even farmed the land as a last resort, I wouldn’t have wanted things to end in divorce.”

Miao Xiaohua spoke with such genuine feeling that she earned a great deal of sympathy from the villagers.

But Chen Mingliang saw it differently.

”You’re the one who said I had talent, that I was bound to succeed! You said it all! You said you were willing to wait, that you’d stick by me! Now you regret it? Why didn’t you say any of this back when you were seducing me in bed?!”

”Would I be in this situation today if it weren’t for you?!”

It wasn’t that Chen Mingliang loved Miao Xiaohua so much; he had regretted his choice long ago.

Watching the An family’s steady rise to prominence was a daily torture for him. But at least Miao Xiaohua was truly capable, which meant Chen Mingliang didn’t have to worry about food or clothing.

Chen Mingliang regretted not ending up with An Ning, but he was even more terrified of losing the comfortable life he had now.

He knew perfectly well that if Miao Xiaohua actually left, the Chen family wouldn’t indulge him. They wouldn’t let him eat and drink his fill without lifting a finger.

In the end, both Chen Mingliang and Miao Xiaohua had their own selfish motives.

Chen Mingliang’s rant was the last straw for Miao Xiaohua, who had been trying to remain rational.

”I was fucking encouraging you! How was I supposed to know you were a piece of trash! A complete and utter waste of space!”

”Chen Mingliang, you just regret it, don’t you? Let me tell you something! If you hadn’t come to me a few days before the wedding and said you liked me, I never would have given you the time of day!”

”Looking like the dog you are, even a blind An Ning would stay far, far away from you!”

Up in the tree, enjoying the show, An Ning gave a wry smirk and a nod. ’Miao Xiaohua has a point there.’

”AAAAAHHH—”

An Ning immediately snapped to attention, her gaze fixed on the scene below. Her little expressions made Jiang Xia’s eyes soften with affection.

’She’s so adorable!’

”I’ll kill you! Don’t you even think about leaving me, not even in death!”

Chen Mingliang charged forward recklessly, swinging the two cleavers.

Miao Xiaohua forcefully flung the suitcase she was holding, knocking one of the cleavers from his grasp.

The onlookers couldn’t just stand by and watch. Village Chief Sun Dazhuang led the charge, and a few burly men quickly knocked the other cleaver from Chen Mingliang’s hand with some thick branches.

A quick-witted villager snatched up the two cleavers, making the situation much easier to handle.

Chen Mingliang’s pathetic physique was no match for the villagers’ brawn; they had him pinned to the ground in no time.

”’Nice!’”

An Ning couldn’t help but cheer, relishing the sight of Chen Mingliang’s head being pinned under the foot of someone from the An clan.

”The Chen family! Are you going to deal with this or not?”

Chen Mingliang’s father, his back stooped with age, emerged from the crowd. He glanced down at Chen Mingliang, then over at Miao Xiaohua.

”I agree to the divorce. And after you’re divorced, you can both get the hell out of my sight!”

It wasn’t that his father was being cruel; the truth was, Chen Mingliang was a terrible son.

He was once the youngest and most doted-on son. But what had become of him?

Setting aside the matter of breaking off the engagement, just look at when he and Miao Xiaohua went off to find work.

They were gone for six years. In all that time, there were only a handful of calls and letters, and never a word of concern. Every time they did get in touch, it was only to ask for something.

The most heartbreaking part was when Chen Mingliang’s mother fell ill three years ago. Despite several phone calls, they couldn’t get him to come home. Why? Because he was busy gambling.

Ultimately, Chen Mingliang’s mother passed away, and his father began to act as if he no longer had a son.

”Dad—”

”Don’t call me Dad. I don’t have a son like you.”

”Your mother doted on you so much...”

Those words were enough to shut Chen Mingliang up.

Miao Xiaohua, who had been standing off to the side, finally stepped forward to stand before Chen Mingliang.

”Chen Mingliang, whether you agree to a divorce or not, I’m leaving. I’ll change my name and go live in the mountains if I have to, but I am leaving you!”

”It’s no use trying to stop me. You’re a useless piece of trash. Aren’t you afraid I’ll just kill you with rat poison?!”

At Miao Xiaohua’s last line, An Ning wanted to applaud. ’Nice one,’ she thought.

Sure enough, the thought of being killed with rat poison seemed to genuinely scare Chen Mingliang.

However...

”Fine! I’ll agree to a divorce. But you have to give me ten thousand yuan!”

”The day you come up with the money is the day I’ll divorce you!”

The moment the words left his mouth, Chen Mingliang felt his face being smashed into the ground. With a yelp, his cheek was nearly buried in the dirt.

”Fucking shameless.”

”His face is already being ground into the dirt. What’s he need it for anyway?”

”Spit on you? Nah, you’re not even worth my spit.”

The villagers chimed in one after another, not bothering to lower their voices. But Chen Mingliang, lying on the ground, couldn’t have cared less.

”Chen Mingliang, are you insane?! Where am I supposed to get ten thousand yuan!”

Miao Xiaohua was sickened by his shamelessness, but she knew he meant it.

For a moment, Miao Xiaohua felt like she would never be free of him in this lifetime.

”I don’t care! If you don’t give me the money, you can forget about a divorce! Go ahead, poison me with rat poison. We’ll just die together!”

”Miao Xiaohua, I’m telling you, wherever you go, I’ll follow! I’ll never let you live in peace!”