He glanced at the attribute panel.
Name: Chen Yushu
Age: Twelve years old
Skills:
Reading: Literacy (22/100), Calligraphy: Self-Discernible (27/100)
...
Seeing that the 'Literacy' item under 'Reading' had indeed increased by one point, he was satisfied.
“This should be the function of the attribute panel, to be able to see the progress of a skill’s improvement at all times.
Moreover, once recorded, it will never be forgotten.
What is learned is learned, what is mastered is mastered; there will be no forgetting or regression.
I can intuitively feel that today’s me is stronger than yesterday’s me.
And once I read carefully, even if I already recognize every single character, the experience value for reading can still increase, though only by a little, it gives a sense that as long as I put in effort, there will be a reward.
In other words, even if I don’t have other books, just by relying on this three character classic, I can fully master the ‘Literacy’ aspect of reading to one hundred percent?”
Chen Yushu had already deduced the changes in the attribute panel’s progress increase earlier.
Each time he read carefully, he could increase his reading progress by one point.
Of course, if he just skimmed through it, it wouldn’t work; it wouldn’t increase any experience points, and the further he went, the less it would increase, unlike at the beginning when it could directly increase by three or four experience points.
Clearly, this book could no longer satisfy his reading needs.
However, he didn't put the book away directly; instead, he picked up a wooden stick from the ground and began to write characters stroke by stroke on the ground.
This was him beginning to practice Calligraphy.
What was read, had to be written.
It was just that conditions were limited, so he could only use a wooden stick as a pen and the earth as paper.
Stroke by stroke, he wrote very carefully.
In his previous life, he often forgot how to write characters when picking up a pen; he hadn't properly written for over ten years.
Brush Calligraphy? He didn't even know how to hold the brush.
Therefore, his Calligraphy Realm was ‘Self-Discernible’, meaning he could guess what it meant—only he himself could recognize it.
He didn't mind this; he wrote each stroke carefully.
After a little over half an hour, he finished writing a passage from the three character classic.
Reading +1
Calligraphy +3
Reading: Literacy (23/100), Calligraphy: Self-Discernible (30/100).
Each act of writing was a reading process that deepened his memory, so both items could increase.
The improvement was not significant.
But he was very satisfied.
Especially looking at the characters on the ground, he vaguely noticed that the handwriting seemed slightly neater.
While he began reading and writing, his parents had actually risen even earlier.
The two of them went down to the fields together to tend to some farm work, until the sun was halfway up, when his mother, Zhao Hehua, returned. Upon her return, she didn't rest, going directly into the kitchen to start a fire and prepare food.
Of course, what she was preparing wasn't breakfast.
Most people in Beijiao Village didn't have the concept of breakfast, only two meals: morning meal and afternoon meal.
Generally, the first meal was eaten around the time of 'Yi Shi', which is around nine to eleven o'clock.
It was agreed yesterday that Zhong Bo would be entertained, and though the Chen family was not wealthy, they would not go back on their word.
A wisp of smoke rose, and Chen Yushu returned to his room, taking out a second book.
“Hundred Family Surnames.”
After a little over half an hour.
Chen Yushu finished reading it once and writing it once.
The food at home was also ready.
Chen Baihe also came home, and upon seeing Chen Yushu, he greeted him, saying, “Yu Shu, go to the east end of the village and invite Zhong Bo over.”
Chen Yushu responded and walked out of the courtyard.
The entire Beijiao Village was not large, stretching along both banks of a river, from east to north, with scattered households at both ends of the river, and only a bridge in the middle.
This bridge was an old-fashioned wooden bridge; although very stable, every time he walked on it, he felt a little uneasy because looking down from the bridge, upstream in one spot, there was a huge rock. This rock was like a fish’s large mouth, slanting downwards, and at its edge, there was a groove like a fish’s eye. The lower half was covered by river mud and sand, so it wasn’t too obvious.
But according to the village elders, this rock was mostly exposed years ago, with a clearer outline, and below the ‘fish mouth’ were connected rocks, as if a real big fish had emerged from the water.
Its mouth was open, as if it wanted to devour people.
It was also during that period that this place was very eerie; despite the river not being very deep, people drowned under the bridge every year.
After crossing the bridge, he quickly arrived at Zhong Bo’s house.
At this time, it seemed someone else was also asking Zhong Bo to do something; as he entered, he just happened to hear the other person say, “You must come on the eighth day of the tenth month.”
“Understood, I won’t miss it.”
Then, it was Zhong Bo's voice.
The man nodded and walked out of Zhong Bo’s courtyard. Chen Yushu glanced at him; he was an old man in his forties or fifties, dressed simply, and he didn't pay attention to Chen Yushu as he left.
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“Zhong Bo, come to my house for a meal.”
Chen Yushu quickly called out.
Then he entered the courtyard.
Zhong Bo’s courtyard was not large; from the entrance, one could directly see the main hall. In the center of the main hall, there was a statue of a deity, an old man. Chen Yushu knew that this was the local Land God, who was said to have been a renowned benevolent person three hundred years ago. After his death, he was commemorated, received incense offerings, and evolved into a deity.
He hadn't expected Zhong Bo to invite him directly into his home and offer him incense.
It is also worth mentioning that on the altar, Chen Yushu also saw the bell that was rung yesterday, and that willow whip.
Besides these, there was also a wooden sword and a pair of rusty scissors.
According to Zhong Bo's words yesterday, that bell was an old artifact. Could that wooden sword and scissors also be old artifacts?
He just didn't know what these 'old artifacts' were.
“Oh, it’s Yu Shu. Your father is too polite.”
Zhong Bo saw him, smiled and asked, then said, “Are you fine now?”
“I'm fine.”
Chen Yushu quickly nodded.
Aside from feeling a bit weak, he was indeed fine.
“That’s good.”
Zhong Bo nodded, and without delay, followed him out of the house, casually asking, “I heard you don’t go out much every day now, and you’re always at home reading?”
Seeing him nod, Zhong Bo smiled and said, “Reading is good. With knowledge, you will understand principles and be able to find a good future.
If you pass the imperial examinations in the future, that would bring glory to your ancestors.
And these ghostly things won't come knocking on your door either.”
“Reading, can it also ward off ghosts?”
Chen Yushu was already interested in these things and quickly asked.
“Reading cannot ward off ghosts, but people who read have a righteous Qi, which even ghosts fear. A minor ghost like the one you encountered before wouldn’t dare to approach; it would be dispersed upon getting close.
And if you achieve official status, you can also receive protection from the authorities, which is something many people envy.”
Zhong Bo was in a good mood at this time, so he didn’t mind telling him these things.
“Then what about the skills you use?
Is it a Spell?”
Chen Yushu thought for a moment and then quickly asked.