Chapter 20: Study

Li Yaqin, still half-asleep, crawled out of bed.

She hastily threw on some clothes, not even bothering to put on her shoes properly, and followed Li Qiang out the door.

The morning air, damp with moisture, brushed against her face.

Water droplets clung to the roadside grass, glistening in the dawn light.

Li Yaqin took a deep breath, the fresh air filling her lungs and dispelling the lingering sleepiness.

She quickened her pace to keep up with Li Qiang.

Li Qiang strode ahead, chattering incessantly.

He rattled off various details about the literacy class.

First, he described in detail the class's daily operations: class times, rest schedules, and so on.

Then he began praising the teacher in charge, praising his profound knowledge and unique teaching methods.

Next, he gossiped about the other students in the literacy class: this one was outgoing, that one was somewhat reserved, and a few were particularly mischievous.

Li Yaqin followed quietly behind Li Qiang, listening intently.

She would occasionally nod slightly to indicate she was listening.

But in reality, her mind wasn't entirely focused on Li Qiang's words.

Deep down, a lingering unease and anxiety remained.

After all, she still lacked sufficient understanding and a sense of security regarding this unfamiliar era.

Moreover, she now had to face completely unfamiliar teachers and classmates as an illiterate person.

This made her feel somewhat lost, even resistant.

Li Qiang suddenly stopped and turned abruptly to face Li Yaqin.

He stared into Li Yaqin's eyes, his tone becoming serious, carrying a clear warning.

"Hey, I'm telling you, you'd better study hard, don't embarrass your brother."

Li Yaqin scoffed dismissively.

What a joke! She, a botanist who graduated from a respectable university in the 21st century, wouldn't be afraid of not being able to learn a few simple words?

This was utterly ridiculous.

However, to avoid arousing Li Qiang's suspicion, she tried her best to appear obedient and compliant.

She nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.

"I understand, brother."

Her voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of feigned obedience and docility.

Li Qiang looked at Li Yaqin, his gaze sweeping over her as if assessing something.

His younger sister had never been interested in studying since she was little, only thinking about playing all day.

Now, suddenly sending her to a literacy class, he wondered if she could settle down and learn anything seriously.

What if she didn't do well? Wouldn't that be a complete waste of this rare opportunity?

More importantly, it would seriously affect his own future.

After all, the reason he went to such lengths to have Li Yaqin accompany him to the army wasn't just to have her take care of his pregnant wife and young child.

His deeper purpose was to use Li Yaqin's connection to pave the way for his own promotion in the army.

Li Qiang secretly calculated this, but his steps didn't falter; he continued leading Li Yaqin towards the literacy class.

The literacy class teacher was a young female soldier named Wang Fang.

She wore a neat military uniform, her hair in two braids, and looked both quiet and capable.

"You must be Comrade Li Yaqin?" Wang Fang asked with a smile, looking at Li Yaqin.

"Yes, teacher," Li Yaqin nodded, answering somewhat shyly.

"Don't be nervous. From now on, you'll be learning to recognize and write characters with me." Wang Fang's kind attitude put Li Yaqin at ease.

Wang Fang's teaching methods were also quite effective.

She broke down complex characters into simple strokes and explained their meanings using vivid and interesting stories.

She also frequently organized group discussions, allowing everyone to learn in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

Most of the students in the literacy class were family members of military personnel, but there were also some young people like Li Yaqin who had come to stay with relatives.

The classroom was well-lit, with literacy charts hanging on the walls, and the desks and chairs were neatly arranged.

Outside the window, sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows, and birds sang merrily in the branches.

There were young wives holding babies, and elderly women with gray hair.

There were also several girls around Li Yaqin's age.

They came from all over the country, with different accents, but all shared a passion for learning.

Li Yaqin was seated by the window.

Her deskmate was a young wife named Sister Zhang.

Sister Zhang was fair-skinned and plump, with crescent-shaped eyes when she smiled, very endearing.

"Hello, my name is Sister Zhang, what's yours?" Sister Zhang greeted Li Yaqin.

"My name is Li Yaqin," Li Yaqin replied.

"Yaqin, you're so pretty!" Sister Zhang complimented.

Li Yaqin smiled shyly.

In this era, fair skin was generally considered beautiful.

Li Yaqin's skin was dark, and her features weren't particularly delicate, so she wasn't considered pretty.

"Sister-in-law, please don't tease me," Li Yaqin said modestly.

"I'm not teasing you, I'm telling the truth," Zhang's sister-in-law said earnestly.

"Your eyes are so big and bright, like stars in the sky. And your nose, so straight and delicate, you look like a lucky person."

Li Yaqin blushed a little at the compliment; she hadn't expected Zhang's sister-in-law to say that.

"Sister-in-law, you're the truly beautiful one," Li Yaqin retorted.

"Haha, let's not flatter each other," Zhang's sister-in-law laughed heartily.

The two chatted like this and quickly became acquainted.

The literacy class began, and Li Yaqin studied very diligently.

Because her foundation was weak, she worked even harder than others.

Every day, besides attending classes, she also used her spare time to study on her own.

When she encountered problems she didn't understand, she humbly sought help from her teachers and classmates.

Wang Fang liked Li Yaqin very much, believing her to be diligent, eager to learn, and promising.

Sister-in-law Zhang also frequently helped Li Yaqin, and the two became close friends who could talk about anything.

However, the learning process was not always smooth sailing.

For someone who had never been exposed to written language before, recognizing and writing characters was extremely difficult.

Li Yaqin often encountered various difficulties, such as not being able to remember the shapes of characters, not being able to distinguish their pronunciations, and not being able to write the strokes correctly.

Sometimes, she felt frustrated and discouraged, and even considered giving up.

But whenever this happened, she would remember her purpose in coming here.

She was determined to change her fate and live a better life.

She couldn't be defeated so easily; she had to persevere.

"Yaqin, don't be discouraged. Take your time. Nobody learns in a day," Aunt Zhang always encouraged her.

"Yes, I know," Li Yaqin nodded, picking herself up again.

She continued to bury herself in her studies, practicing again and again until she had memorized every single word.

Besides the difficulties in her studies, Li Yaqin faced pressure from other sources.

In this age of judging by appearance, Li Yaqin's ugliness subjected her to much scorn and ridicule.

Some people would whisper when they saw her, their eyes filled with scrutiny and gossip.

"Look at her dark face; she's obviously from the countryside."

These words pierced Li Yaqin's heart like needles.

Li Yaqin felt terrible, but she didn't give up or wallow in self-pity. Most importantly, she possessed a beauty elixir that could change her appearance.

Physical appearance is innate and cannot be changed, but inner cultivation can be cultivated through effort.

She needs to focus more on her studies, enriching herself with knowledge and becoming stronger.

When the time is right, she'll take the beauty pill—she'll be as beautiful as she wants!

Damn it, for safety's sake, she'll endure it!