Chapter 19: Literacy

She arrived at the room her second brother had arranged for her.

Li Yaqin tossed her worn-out canvas bag onto the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

It made a dull thud, like a silent protest against her new surroundings, a sign that she was finally settled.

The bag was worn white, with several patches at the edges, looking shabby.

Inside, there was nothing of value: a few patched, coarse cloth clothes, their colors dull.

Their original appearance was unrecognizable; they were all worthless trinkets.

They were folded neatly, though, revealing the bitter reality of a poor child learning to be independent early.

Her gaze fell on the several vertically formatted books in traditional Chinese characters on the table.

Li Yaqin's brows furrowed into a knot, like two fighting figures, neither willing to give in.

The pages were yellowed, emitting a faint musty smell, as if mocking her ignorance.

She randomly flipped open a book; the dense, dark handwriting resembled a swarm of ants.

They crawled in front of her in a line, like a bunch of snarling little devils, mocking her overestimation of her abilities.

It made her dizzy, and waves of frustration washed over her. She couldn't recognize many of the characters—traditional characters; she had previously learned simplified characters.

Some characters she recognized, others… well, she couldn't guess.

"Hiss…" She gasped, plopping down hard on the wooden plank bed.

The mattress beneath her was so thin she could almost feel the grain of the wood, making her bottom ache.

The wooden bed seemed to be deliberately working against her.

It creaked, as if mocking her predicament.

What kind of situation was this?

Li Yaqin felt incredibly frustrated.

Back in the day, although she wasn't a top student, she was at least a literate and numerate modern person.

She'd had a few years of schooling, so how did transmigrate and become completely illiterate?

Illiterate? It would have been better if she hadn't transmigrated at all!

These days are unbearable! Completely clueless, how am I supposed to survive?

"Damn it, God, are you playing with me?" Li Yaqin lay on her back, pointing a middle finger at the rafters, her expression listless.

It was as if she were protesting the injustice of fate, or perhaps challenging the heavens.

But besides herself, only a few flies buzzed around her head.

They seemed to echo her complaints, or perhaps mock her helplessness; no one paid her any attention.

She rolled over dejectedly, like a dried-out salted fish, lifeless.

She buried her face in the faded white pillowcase, trying to escape reality.

A pungent, musty smell of soap splattered into her nostrils, nearly choking her.

The smell felt like it was trying to transport her back to the modern world.

"No, I can't give up like this!" Li Yaqin abruptly raised her head.

A stubborn glint flashed in her eyes, like a defiant little animal.

Or like a cornered beast, preparing for a final struggle.

It's just learning to read, right? No big deal!

She refused to believe it. She had grown up under the red flag, received a modern education.

While not a top student, she still had learning abilities.

Now she had to start from scratch, becoming illiterate? How could she accept that?

With her modern brain, couldn't she overcome these challenges?

She remembered the literacy classes in the army that Li Qiang had mentioned, and a glimmer of hope rekindled within her.

Like an oil lamp in the darkness, its light, though faint, was enough to illuminate the path ahead, bringing her a sliver of comfort.

In these times, literacy was a valuable skill, a guarantee of success wherever one went.

She had to seize this opportunity; she couldn't let it go to waste. If she missed this chance, she might never get another!

"Just wait, until I learn to read and write..." Li Yaqin bit her lower lip, her teeth leaving a faint mark.

Her eyes were resolute, as if she were challenging herself, or declaring war on fate, on the traditional Chinese characters filling the room.

The second half of her sentence remained unspoken, as if afraid that speaking it would diminish its power, or perhaps afraid that someone would overhear and discourage her.

The setting sun shone through the paper-covered wooden lattice window, casting dappled shadows on the earthen wall.

The light and shadow moved slowly with the passage of time, like an invisible hand caressing this simple house.

Like an ancient ink painting, it silently tells the story of time's vicissitudes.

The room was quiet, save for the sound of Li Yaqin's heartbeat.

Each beat grew heavier than the last, like a war drum urging her forward, or perhaps reflecting her current anxiety.

She closed her eyes, forcing herself not to think about those chaotic thoughts.

But her mind raced like a movie, unable to stop.

One moment she saw modern skyscrapers, flashing neon lights, bustling traffic, and a cacophony of voices.

Then she saw this dilapidated mud-brick house, bare walls, with only a few flies buzzing around.

Then she saw computers and cell phones, an explosion of information; then she saw this sea of traditional Chinese characters, and she was illiterate…

"I hope… I can get through this," she muttered softly, almost inaudibly.

It was like a prayer, or perhaps a self-comforting attempt to encourage herself.

Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, as if weighed down by a thousand-pound stone, and she couldn't open them no matter what she did.

Sleepiness surged up like a tidal wave, unstoppable, engulfing her.

In her hazy state, she seemed to have returned to that familiar era.

But everything around her became blurry, as if seen through a thick layer of frosted glass.

Unclear, untouchable…

She really couldn't go back.

Li Yaqin was awakened by the aroma of food.

She rubbed her sleepy eyes and got out of bed. Her stomach rumbled incessantly, as if protesting her owner's neglect.

"Awake? Come and eat." Li Qiang stood in the doorway, looking at her with a kind smile.

Li Yaqin responded and shuffled to the table.

On the table were a few simple dishes: a bowl of cornmeal porridge, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a plate of stir-fried wild vegetables.

Although simple, it was considered a decent meal for that era.

Li Yaqin picked up her chopsticks and began to eat voraciously.

She was starving; she had barely eaten anything since yesterday.

"Eat slowly, don't choke," Li Qiang said with a smile, watching her wolf down her food.

Li Yaqin looked up, smiled at him, and continued eating.

"By the way, Yaqin, can you read?" Li Qiang suddenly asked.

Li Yaqin paused, shook her head, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on her face.

"I can't read..." Li Qiang hesitated for a moment.

"That won't do. Being illiterate makes life incredibly difficult in this society."

"The army often organizes literacy classes to teach illiterate people to read and write. Why don't you give it a try?"

Li Yaqin remembered the army literacy classes Li Qiang had just mentioned, and a glimmer of hope ignited in her eyes.

Li Yaqin nodded unconsciously.

She really should get a primary school diploma first, and then pursue other studies, or at least find a wealthy man willing to support her immediately.

Otherwise, this situation is truly complicated.

"How about this, I'll enroll you in the army literacy class. You can go and learn to read," Li Qiang immediately decided.

He had a ulterior motive in having his sister come to the army to take care of his wife and children.

Brother-in-law and relatives can always provide an advantage in his career.

"Literacy class?" Li Yaqin's eyes lit up. This was a great opportunity.

“Yes, the army often organizes literacy classes to teach illiterate people to read and write,” Li Qiang explained.

“Go and learn; it’s better than being completely illiterate.”

“Okay, I’ll go!” Li Yaqin agreed without hesitation.

The setting sun faded, its last rays disappearing. Night fell.

Li Qiang pushed aside his dishes and got up, hurrying out.

“Yaqin, you pack up first; I’ll go register you for the literacy class.”

Before he finished speaking, he was already out the door.

Leaving Li Yaqin alone.

A newly graduated botanist, yet in this unfamiliar era, she had to learn to read from scratch.

Li Yaqin felt a mix of emotions.

There was anticipation, but also trepidation.

After all, the original owner of this body was completely illiterate.

She slowly and deliberately cleared the dishes.

Her mind, however, was racing.

With this identity, things might be less of an obstacle in the future.

After all, an illiterate person suddenly becoming literate would always attract attention.

But if she started learning step by step from a literacy class, it would be a natural progression.

The next day, before dawn, as the east began to lighten with the first hint of light,

Li Qiang stood at the door, his urging voice breaking the morning's tranquility.

"Yaqin, get up quickly. Today I'll take you to the literacy class to familiarize yourself with the way and meet your teachers and classmates."

Li Qiang rubbed his hands together, his excitement even more intense than that of Li Yaqin, the one going to school.