Fast Travel Absurdity Sutra

Ma Pingyuan closed the door gently. The somewhat dilapidated door panel made a slight "creaking" sound with his movement, which was particularly clear in the silent cowshed.

His movements were a little slow. It seemed that this door not only carried the responsibility of isolating the cold and danger from the outside world, but also carried fear and vigilance against the unknown.

He turned around slowly, his eyes becoming sharp and suspicious, fixed on the thin figure that suddenly broke in front of him.

At this time, the dimly lit electric light in the cowshed emitted a dim and dim light, as if it was gasping for breath in this cold night, trying hard to dispel some of the darkness, but seemed unable to do so.

Under this hazy light, Ma Pingyuan was able to see clearly that the person standing in front of him was a thin girl.

Her figure looked particularly thin in the dim light, as if a breeze could blow her down.

But the thick quilt in her arms gave her a sense of stubbornness and strength.

She gently and casually placed the heavy quilt in her arms on the kang shared by the three of them.

Then, she slowly raised her head. Her short black hair was a little messy, with a few strands of hair falling playfully on her smooth forehead.

Her face still had a hint of childishness, and her delicate skin glowed faintly under the light. However, her bright eyes revealed a firmness that was beyond her age, as if burning with two unyielding flames, appearing particularly hot in this cold night.

"Who are you? Why are you here? What... what is this?"

Ma Pingyuan involuntarily took a step back, his voice trembling noticeably, and a complex mixture of surprise, confusion, and disbelief intertwined in his eyes.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant.

In this special period of turmoil and insecurity, it was hard for him to believe that a stranger suddenly appeared here and seemed to be ready to help them.

He looked at the girl in front of him warily, trying to find any flaws or unusual signs in her expression and behavior.

But what he saw was only a sincere and determined look, which made him even more confused and bewildered, and at the same time he was full of curiosity and vigilance towards this mysterious girl.

Lantian bent down slightly and patted his body with his hands to remove the dust from his long journey throughout the night.

Her movements were gentle and soothing, as if she was soothing the tension and anxiety in her heart.

Looking up, she saw that the eyes of the three people in front of her were full of suspicion and vigilance. Those gazes were like cold barriers, blocking her good intentions when she tried to get closer.

Seeing this, Lantian couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The sigh was like a breeze, floating gently in this cold cowshed, but it also carried a bit of helplessness and bitterness.

She slowly straightened herself up, took a deep breath, and began to explain patiently.

She knows very well that in this special period when everyone is in danger, trust is an extremely scarce resource.

Especially for these three people who were in trouble and were like frightened birds, if she couldn't explain things clearly, they would definitely not dare to accept her help, even if this help was so sincere and urgent.

"Professor Ma,"

Lantian's voice was soft and gentle, as if soothing a wounded beast.

"My name is Zhou Tian. I'm an educated youth sent down from a big city to Liujia Village. I live in that small house not far from your cowshed, and I usually live alone."

She turned slightly sideways and pointed in the direction of the cowshed, as if to show them the direction of her residence to increase the credibility of her words.

"I built that house with my own hard-earned money, so no one else will bother me. Right now, Riemann, the chief engineer at the power plant, is recuperating at my place. But don't worry, she has no idea I'm in the cowshed."

Lantian stared closely into Ma Pingyuan's eyes, trying to make him feel sincerity and kindness from her gaze.

"We must pretend not to know each other during the day. The situation is complicated right now, so it's better to be safe than sorry. I know you must be very cold here, so I specially brought you some quilts. In this cold winter, with ice and snow everywhere, how can your body withstand it without adequate warmth?"

Having said that, Lantian no longer waited for their response. She bent down and began to unfold the quilts one by one with swift movements.

Her hands skillfully shook the quilt, making the originally wrinkled quilt fluffy and soft, and then she carefully spread it on the cold and hard kang.

Every movement was full of concern and care. It looked like she was making the bed for her loved ones, hoping to bring them a little warmth and comfort.

However, although Lantian spoke sincerely and did some really thoughtful things, there was still a glimmer of vigilance in Ma Pingyuan's eyes.

His brows furrowed slightly and his hands clenched unconsciously.

Obviously, Lantian's words did not make him let down his guard.

In his opinion, there is no love or help without reason in this world.

Especially in such a turbulent and dangerous environment, any small negligence may have fatal consequences.

Therefore, he remained highly vigilant, quietly observing Lantian's every move, trying to find any flaws or hidden purposes in her words and deeds.

"But how do you know us?"

His words were filled with doubt and suspicion.

"Professor Ma, the village chief has already informed all the villagers of the identities of the three of you. I truly admire your talent, Professor Ma. So when the village chief just mentioned it, I repeatedly confirmed with him that it was really you. I was so excited, but also worried that you wouldn't adapt here, so I brought some necessities. Don't worry, I'm your loyal admirer. I don't have any other intentions, I just want to take care of you to the best of my ability."

Inside the cowshed, the dim lights flickered in the cold wind, and could be swallowed up by the bone-chilling cold at any moment.

Ma Pingyuan stood there quietly, his figure elongated and slightly lonely by the light.

He crossed his arms slightly in front of his chest, his fingers tapping his arms unconsciously, and there was still a trace of vigilance and alertness in his eyes, like a wounded beast hiding in the dark, instinctively alert to anyone who approached.

Lantian stood opposite him, his figure a little thin but revealing a stubbornness.

She raised her head slightly and looked at Ma Pingyuan firmly, trying to find a breakthrough in his suspicious eyes.

"Professor Ma, do you still remember that sensational and world-renowned paper you published? I'm a mechanical enthusiast, and I once read your paper, "On the Production Process of Mechanical Manufacturing Systems," published in the leading international mechanical journal, Mechanical Systems and Manufacturing Processes."

Lantian's voice rang out softly but clearly in the cowshed, breaking the oppressive silence.

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly, her hands unconsciously clasped in front of her, her eyes full of anticipation.

When Ma Pingyuan heard this, his body shook violently, and the expression on his face froze instantly. The originally tense facial lines seemed to relax a little.

He subconsciously lowered his arms and clenched his fists slightly. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He couldn't believe that in this remote little village, someone would mention his proud academic achievement.

"You...how do you know?"

Ma Pingyuan's voice trembled slightly, and as he spoke, he unconsciously took a small step forward. It was a surprise that his academic achievements were mentioned, and it was also a further exploration of Lantian's identity and purpose.

Lantian pursed his lips slightly, with a hint of sincerity and admiration in his eyes:

"Professor Ma, to be honest, I've always had a strong interest in the field of mechanical manufacturing. I've read your paper over and over again and have benefited greatly from it."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and gently lifted the hair by her ear that was messed up by the wind.

"In my opinion, it is simply a beacon in this field, pointing the way for those of us who come later."

As Lantian finished speaking, Ma Pingyuan's expression gradually relaxed.

He nodded slightly, slowly loosened his hands, and began to think secretly in his heart.

This girl knows this paper and can explain it so clearly. At the very least, she really has some attainments in the field of mechanical manufacturing.

Maybe, just like she said, she likes it from the bottom of her heart.

Nowadays, the most important motivation that enables people to study hard and not give up even in the face of difficulties and hardships should be interest.

Ma Pingyuan thought that if a person truly liked his research results, he would not have too many bad intentions.

Yin Hong and Li Haixin stood aside, initially a little overwhelmed by this sudden conversation.

There was confusion and bewilderment in their eyes, and their bodies were still trembling slightly unconsciously. The cold cowshed had frozen their minds.

Yin Hong kept rubbing his hands, trying to warm himself up and relieve the tension in his heart.

Li Haixin wrapped his worn cotton coat tightly and stomped his feet on the ground to resist the cold.

But at this moment, seeing that Ma Pingyuan's attitude had softened, they seemed to be awakened from a deep sleep and slowly came to their senses.

Yin Hong was the first to react, and a hint of excitement and gratitude flashed in his eyes.

He walked forward quickly, his steps a little hurried, as if he was afraid that this warm kindness would suddenly disappear.

He stretched out his hands, trembling slightly, wanting to help but hesitant. He paused in the air for a moment, and finally landed firmly on the supplies brought by Lantian.

"Comrade Zhou Tian, ​​thank you so much."

Yin Hong's voice trembled slightly, not because of the cold, but also because of the emotion that touched him deeply in his heart.

As he spoke, he nodded vigorously, "At this time, you still think of us, it's really a timely help!"

His eyes were full of sincerity and gratitude. He stared at Lantian closely, conveying this gratitude to her.

Li Haixin followed closely behind. His movements were a little slow, and there was a hint of disbelief in his eyes, but more of it was acceptance and touching of this kindness.

Li Haixin stood there, listening to the conversation between Lantian and Ma Pingyuan. He seemed to be frozen by an invisible force, with a dull and astonished look in his eyes.

His mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he was stunned by the scene before him and was speechless for a moment.

At that moment, the whole world seemed to stand still.

Only the howling cold wind outside the cowshed was still raging, slapping the crumbling door panels, making a "clang clang" sound, urging him to come back to his senses from his shock.

After a moment, he seemed to wake up from a long dream and moved slowly.

His legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and every step he took seemed extremely difficult, as if the ground beneath his feet had a huge suction force, trying to keep him firmly in place.

There was still a trace of disbelief in his eyes. He walked to the side mechanically, his steps dragging and slow, like a traveler lost in the wilderness, unable to find the direction and could only move forward by instinct.

As he approached those precious supplies, his eyes swept over them inadvertently.

This glance, however, completely stunned him. His eyes widened, filled with shock and surprise, and his mouth unconsciously opened again, forming a small "O" shape.

He saw that Lantian brought more than just thick and warm quilts.

Next to the quilt, various foods and daily necessities are neatly arranged.

Malted milk was carefully packed into three exquisite tin cans, which gleamed with a unique metallic sheen under the dim light. White Rabbit candy weighed a full three pounds. The snow-white wrapper still looked particularly dazzling in the dim light, bringing joy to the very sight of it.

In addition, there were some crystal clear white sugars packed in a clean plastic bag, as well as pastries with tempting aroma, which were neatly stacked in boxes. The tempting aroma hit his nose from time to time, forming a sharp contrast with the cold and dilapidated cowshed.

Just as Li Haixin was immersed in this unexpected surprise, Lantian saw this and walked over lightly.

There was a hint of mystery and concern in her eyes, and the corners of her mouth were slightly raised with a faint smile.

She walked to the side of the pit, squatted down, and gently grasped the seemingly ordinary bricks with her slender fingers.

The surface of those bricks was rough and covered with traces of time, no different from the surrounding bricks.

However, when Lantian pulled gently, a miracle happened.

The bricks actually slowly loosened, making a slight "rustling" sound.

"Professor Li, here,"

Lantian raised his head, his eyes full of sincerity and kindness, and said softly,

"I came here on the last night when the village was preparing this cowshed for you and secretly dug it for you. There's a big hole underneath each big pit. You can hide things in it."

As she spoke, she pointed to the dark hole, showing them the large holes beneath each kang. Each hole was about half a cubic meter in size, enough for each of them to hide a lot of things.

This time, it was Ma Pingyuan, Yin Hong and Li Haixin's turn to be completely stunned.

Their eyes were filled with shock and emotion, having witnessed the most incredible thing in the world.

They looked at each other, their eyes filled with surprise, their mouths wide open, but they couldn't say anything for a long time.

Everyone was secretly sighing in their hearts: This girl is so kind-hearted!

Before they even got here, she had already quietly prepared all this for them.

You have to know that in this special period, the three of them are the targets of reform, the stinking ninth class, the targets of criticism from the entire society! Most people would like to keep their distance from them and not add insult to injury, which means they still have a conscience!

On the surface, they dare not even hope to enjoy these good things, otherwise they will inevitably be severely criticized.

Lantian's attentiveness and kindness are like a ray of light in the darkness, illuminating their originally gloomy world and making them feel the long-lost warmth and brilliance of humanity.

It allowed the three people to see hope in their desperate moments and rekindled their confidence in life.

The atmosphere in the cowshed became a little warmer because of Lantian's arrival.

The dim light seemed to become brighter, adding a touch of warmth to this small and warm scene.