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墨書 Inktalez
"No way, I have to go out; our son is starting to learn to read!" Liu clapped his hands. How could such an uplifting matter not be properly discussed?
Like all parents, they hoped their children would succeed, and even the slightest progress was something to be proud of in their eyes.
Ignoring the cold, Liu wrapped himself in his cotton coat and walked towards the neighbor's house.
This neighbor was warm and hospitable. Every winter or during the farming off-season, the house would be filled with people chatting, especially around the large fire burning inside.
Upon entering, Liu was greeted by an old yellowed painting of a Buddha. To the left was a bed with black edges, neatly covered with two stacked quilts.
On the right, a fire burned brightly, surrounded by both men and women. The men boasted about their experiences, claiming they had seen everything from the South Sea to the North.
The women gathered on the other side, discussing recent gossip—who had quarreled, which family made more money this year, and which girl had a romantic encounter—various topics flowed freely.
A few animated women looked up and saw Liu, greeting her warmly: "Sister Liu, you're here! Come over and warm yourself by the fire; it's freezing without this place!"
Liu was not shy and took a nearby stool to sit down.
As the village head's wife, others naturally treated her with some courtesy. Seeing her in good spirits, someone took the initiative to change the topic: "Sister Liu, why are you so happy today?"
"Oh, my husband is working on some kind of model; I don't really know what it is. Anyway, it's for Er Zhuzi to learn to read and practice writing."
Liu's act of pretending not to understand seemed quite believable. Of course, this was only for outsiders; at home earlier, she had asked Zhang Wuliang all about it!
"Wow, that's impressive! Once your child learns to read, it'll be something else; there aren't many literate people in our village!" The women praised her without holding back.
Liu was waiting for this response: "It's just a few simple characters. Qingyan has only been learning for a short time too. If Er Zhuzi wants to learn, he can follow him. Qingxi came up with this idea to save us some money."
Although it was a statement of fact, the underlying sense of boasting was quite evident, and anyone with a discerning ear could pick up on it. Of course, she also took the opportunity to promote Liu Qingxi.
"If only my child could learn to read as well!" Who wouldn't want that? All five or six women present thought the same, but only one voice spoke up.
One of them quickly chimed in, "If only we had helped Qingxi earlier, then all the good things would have been ours in the future!"
Unfortunately, there is no remedy for regret in this world. Liu Qingxi naturally wouldn't selflessly help someone who offered her no benefit; otherwise, with so many people in the village wanting to study, there would be no order.
"Sister-in-law, you really have foresight; knowing more characters is truly beneficial!"
"Ah, at that time, I just felt sorry for Qingxi. My husband and I could help a little; this girl is grateful and always thinks of us when something good happens."
"You two are amazing!" The voices of envy and admiration rose and fell, making Liu feel elated.
---
At Liu Qingxi's home, there were more than ten big boys who came like earnest disciples, each holding their own sand tray with a look of devotion.
Liu Qingyan sat upright on a stool, holding the Three Character Classic, and recited in a childish voice: "At the beginning of man, nature is good."
The boys below focused intently on him, their faces filled with anticipation and seriousness as they awkwardly repeated what Liu Qingyan taught them in broken Mandarin.
After three repetitions, Liu Qingyan cleared his throat: "Everyone should memorize it a few times; we'll practice writing soon!"
A cacophony of voices followed as they nodded along, silently reciting "At the beginning of man," and if one listened closely, they would hear someone mispronounce the Three Character Classic as: "At the beginning of man, the heart is good; nature is distant."
"What's the matter with the sound?" Liu Qingxi couldn't help but laugh.
He then felt happy for the few children who were studying hard. Regardless of their abilities, their attitude of putting in all their effort and energy into learning was commendable.
As a first-time teacher, Liu Qingyan's cute round face was serious, looking very much like a Master from a television drama. Holding a teaching stick, she occasionally reminded the students below her.
At first, it was quite interesting. Liu Qingyan read over and over again, but as the reading continued, being just a child and playful by nature, he soon found it boring!
"I learned it after Brother Yang taught me two or three times. Why are they so slow?" He thought to himself, his expression showing some impatience.
Even when the slightly older Zhang Tiechui came over to ask, he said, "Why haven't you learned it yet?"
The honest boy stammered, his face turning red, scratching his head and pounding his chest, unsure how to respond.
During the first class, Liu Qingxi was not very reassured and watched from the back. Seeing this situation, she immediately stepped forward: "Yan, you are now the Master. If Brother Hammer hasn't remembered it yet, can't you teach him more? Didn't you also need Brother Yang to teach you several times when you were learning?"
"But..." Under Liu Qingxi's serious gaze, Liu Qingyan held back the words that almost slipped out.
Alright, he would listen to his sister; she must have a point.
With this little interlude, Liu Qingxi dared not leave anymore. In the end, everyone finally managed to recite the simple twelve characters: "At the beginning of man, nature is good; habits are similar; habits are different."
Next, Liu Qingyan took out a sand tray given by the village chief and neatly wrote the first simplest character "person" on it.
It only took two strokes: a left-falling and a right-falling stroke. Written on the sand tray, the deep indentations made it clearly visible.
"This is the Human Character, the essence of humanity!" Liu Qingyan explained while writing.
Although everyone didn't understand what the essence of humanity meant, the adults grasped it and mimicked Liu Qingyan's writing style. The older kids managed well enough, able to hold the branches and direct their strokes properly.
The five-year-olds struggled, not quite understanding what was going on, their simple strokes appearing crooked and uneven.
Liu Qingxi watched as a group of children surrounded Liu Qingyan, feeling a surge of pride from being in the spotlight. It showed on his face without him realizing it.
"Qingyan, you're amazing! This is what it means to be human!"
"Exactly! We learned the Human Character! Look, did I write it correctly?"
"And me! How does my writing look?"
One by one, they approached with their sand trays, seeking praise, turning the room into a chaotic mess.
Liu Qingyan tapped the table with a stick. "Alright, everyone sit down. I'll check each one of you in turn, so no crowding!"
As soon as she finished speaking, several kids dashed back to their spots at rocket speed, eagerly anticipating Liu Qingyan's arrival at their side.
As she looked over each one, Liu Qingyan suddenly laughed, and Liu Qingxi couldn't help but chuckle as well.
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