Interstellar to 80s: A Scientist's Farming Mission

’How could I have slept so soundly?’

Jiang Xia’s question made An Ning’s expression falter guiltily for a fraction of a second.

’I’m busted,’ she thought. ’I think I know why.’

But... when exactly did this big one and little one start colluding? To think they’d even team up for this little caper.

"This makes no sense. Do I really sleep that soundly? I shouldn’t. I’m supposed to be a light sleeper."

Jiang Xia was still racking his brain. He suddenly looked up at An Ning. Her eyes darted about nervously as she asked, "What are you looking at me for? I’m telling you, it wasn’t me! It really wasn’t me!"

Jiang Xia narrowed his eyes, staring at her. "I know it wasn’t you. If it were, you wouldn’t have been able to laugh so brazenly this morning."

"However... I have a feeling you know what happened. Why else would you stop laughing? That means you’re thinking, that your attention’s been diverted. C’mon, An Ning, fess up."

An Ning cupped her hands at Jiang Xia in a mock salute.

"I’m impressed!"

"You really are sharp. Even after all this, you can still analyze the facts."

"You’re right about one thing—I really do know why... But guess what? I’m just not going to tell you! HAHAHAHA, what are you gonna do about it?"

With that, An Ning turned and bolted.

"Hey, hey, hey—what are you running for!"

Jiang Xia chased after her, grabbing a jacket to toss to her. But just as he reached the gate, he saw An Ning leap into the air, grab the top of the wall with one hand, and vault clean over it.

A moment later, a triumphant laugh echoed from the other side.

"HAHAHAHAHA, see you later!"

Jiang Xia stood on his side of the wall with a helpless yet fond smile. He called out, not entirely joking, "You must have a guilty conscience. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have forgotten that I can’t beat you in a fight anyway."

’Sigh. It seems a guilty conscience really does lower one’s IQ.’

Pleased with his analysis, Jiang Xia grinned triumphantly in the courtyard.

On the other side of the wall, An Ning, not willing to let him have the last word, clambered back up and peeked over the top. "I was just being considerate of the wounded! Given your current hairstyle, I’d say you qualify for disability benefits!"

"Speaking of your hairstyle, I came up with a new name for it. Want to hear?"

"Stop!"

Jiang Xia immediately made a "time-out" gesture and said with mock sincerity, "Do we really have to be so cruel to each other?"

"’Each other?’ You’re giving yourself way too much credit."

An Ning grinned triumphantly and held up a finger at Jiang Xia. "A streak of sky upon your crown, letting the chilly wind blow down."

"HAHAHAHAHA, I’m a genius!"

Laughing, An Ning dropped down from the wall, leaving Jiang Xia standing there with one hand clamped to the top of his head.

"WOOF WOOF WOOF!"

"AWOOOO—"

Da Huang appeared right on cue, barking at Jiang Xia from the doorway. The silly dog was laughing so hard it had to lean a front paw against the doorframe for support, not unlike An Ning, who had just been laughing herself breathless.

On the wall nearby, Xiao Lang was even more outrageous. Its tiny front paw pointed right at the top of Jiang Xia’s head while its other paw slapped the wall, letting out a series of trembling, wheezing howls.

"You two... you just wait!"

Indignant and already plotting his revenge, Jiang Xia gave a haughty snort, strode past Da Huang, and headed back inside to shave his head.

He couldn’t stand a hairstyle like this for one more second.

The morning’s little episode provided An Ning with enough material to laugh about for a lifetime. Unbeknownst to Jiang Xia, An Ning decided to give Xiao Lang a little punishment.

During breakfast, An Ning held out a plate with two chicken legs. "Xiao Lang, what you did was wrong. Jiang Xia is our friend, and we have to be reasonable with our pranks."

As she spoke, the image of Jiang Xia’s hairstyle popped into her head, and she couldn’t help but crack a smile.

"Awooo—"

"I know, I know. You already held back."

An Ning looked at Xiao Lang and continued, "I’m just curious, how on earth did you and Da Huang even hold the clippers? It’s not like you two have fingers."

Naturally, that was a question An Ning would never get an answer to.

She didn’t dwell on it, instead placing the plate in front of Xiao Lang. "I was going to give you two chicken legs, but as punishment, you only get one. Understand?"

Xiao Lang gazed at An Ning with its intelligent eyes, then used a paw to drag one of the chicken legs off the plate and began to eat.

’Chicken legs for breakfast! Score!’

That was Xiao Lang’s only thought.

An Ning, completely unaware that her "punishment" was having the opposite of its intended effect, happily ate her own breakfast, thoroughly enjoying the remaining chicken leg.

After finishing breakfast, An Ning grabbed her schoolbag and headed out for her exam, only to run into her next-door neighbor, Jiang Xia, once again.

However...

"Jiang Xia, why are you wearing a hat?"

"What do you think?"

Seeing An Ning playing dumb, Jiang Xia huffed as he locked his door. His pouty, haughty act made An Ning want to tease him even more.

"Oh, come on. It’s just a tiny bald patch. A handsome face like yours can totally pull it off. Don’t worry about it."

"So you do think I’m handsome, then?"

Jiang Xia’s sudden curveball of a question left An Ning standing there, dumbfounded.

"Sigh. I knew it. You’ve been coveting Young Master Jiang’s handsome face. Ah... being this good-looking is such a burden."

Jiang Xia puffed up like a proud peacock and strutted past An Ning.

"Hey—no—what are you talking about? Who’s coveting anything?"

"’Coveting?’ If I set my sights on something, would I need to ’covet’ it? With my skills, it’d be as good as—wait, that’s not what I—"

Getting more flustered by the second, An Ning quickly locked her door, said goodbye to Xiao Lang, and hurried to catch up with Jiang Xia.

She eyed Jiang Xia’s hat, then deliberately reached out to snatch it off his head.

She swiped at it, but the hat didn’t budge. It didn’t even tilt.

"Is your hat... glued on?"

"Not at all. I have my own clever tricks. These little games of yours are nothing but child’s play that Young Master Jiang outgrew years ago."

Gloating, Jiang Xia grinned triumphantly at An Ning, completely forgetting to watch where he was going. THUD! He walked right into a utility pole.

"Ow—An Ning, you didn’t warn me?"

"It’s just ’child’s play.’ I thought Young Master Jiang would have seen it coming."

Neither of them realized that they were at their most relaxed—and most childish—when they were with each other.

With that, An Ning bolted. Now that she finally had the upper hand, she wasn’t about to lose her advantage.

Jiang Xia rubbed his forehead, which didn’t even hurt that much, and grinned goofily.

’Totally worth it.’

Still rubbing his head, Jiang Xia unhooked a very fine string from behind his ears—it was what he had used to secure the hat.

Having sorted himself out, Jiang Xia strode to school, found his exam room, and took his seat.

A moment later, the proctor came over, glanced down, and said, "No hats allowed."

Jiang Xia, who knew the rules, removed his hat without protest. As the overhead lights glinted off his head, the proctor actually flinched.

"Jiang Xia—that’s a... very unique hairstyle you’ve got there."

"Thank you for the compliment, sir."

The picture of composure, Jiang Xia sat ramrod straight, ignoring the distinct coolness on his scalp. He took a test paper from the student in front of him and passed it to the person behind.

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