Chapter 15: The Illiterate’s Sorrow

Two days later, the new home was finally settled. Xu Jinniang told Tong Chuxue that according to custom, moving into a new house required holding a housewarming banquet. Although they didn’t know many families in the village, this step was absolutely necessary; skipping it would bring misfortune for the first three months of living there.

At the Luo family’s home, Old Madam Luo saw Xu Jinniang and Tong Chuxue approaching. Unlike before, when she had ignored them, she now greeted them warmly with a smile.

After exchanging greetings, the two went straight to Lin Chunyan’s room.

Xu Jinniang was the first to state their purpose. Lin Chunyan was delighted to hear their news. “I’ve been meaning to come visit for days, but the fields kept me busy. Now that you’re moving into a new home, I definitely have to come.”

As they chatted, a young maidservant brought them two bowls of water. Tong Chuxue found the girl familiar and suddenly recalled—she was the little girl who had come to warn her when Xu Jinniang was bullied at Tong’s house. No wonder she recognized her.

Smiling, Tong Chuxue gently pinched the girl’s cheek. “You’re the one who warned me last time, aren’t you?”

The girl, unaccustomed to such kindness, blushed shyly and nodded slightly.

Just then, a lively little boy about seven or eight years old dashed in—the very same little boy Tong Chuxue had met in the mountains before. Bouncing over to her, he looked up eagerly. “Sister, do you remember me?”

It had only been a few days; Tong Chuxue could hardly forget. She flicked his nose playfully. “Of course I remember. But I don’t even know your name yet.”

“My name is Luo Huifeng. Sister, you’re Luo Huiqing, and brother is Luo Huian.” The boy almost wanted to recite every family member’s name.

At his age, curiosity was boundless. Tong Chuxue teased him, “Can you write your name?”

The boy puffed up with pride. “Of course! Brother taught me.”

He pulled Tong Chuxue outside to an open patch of ground. He grabbed a small stone and carefully wrote his name on the dirt.

However, Tong Chuxue forgot that she couldn’t read the local script at all and had no way to tell if it was right, so she just smiled awkwardly.

A clear voice sounded behind her. “You made a mistake in one character.”

She turned around to meet Luo Huian’s serious gaze. She wasn’t sure if he was looking at the ground or at her, but his eyes seemed to linger on her.

Probably just her imagination, she thought.

That day, Luo Huian wore a dark robe, resembling a scholar’s attire. Farmers usually wore short clothes for ease of movement in the fields.

He wasn’t particularly strong but was tall. Standing behind the two, he blocked the bright sunlight, casting a shadow over them.

Snapping back to the moment, Tong Chuxue glanced at the little boy beside her and praised, “You can write your name? That’s impressive.”

The little boy beamed with pride but was soon scolded by his older brother with a light tap on the head. “If you can’t even write your name correctly, you’d better study an extra half hour starting tomorrow.”

The cold reprimand deflated the boy instantly. He slumped to the ground, silent for a long while.

Tong Chuxue and Luo Huian weren’t close. Without the boy bridging the gap, the atmosphere between them grew awkward.

“Well,” Tong Chuxue tried to break the ice, “why don’t you teach me how to write my name?”

Though a university graduate, she was now illiterate in this place, which frustrated her deeply.

Luo Huian picked up a stick and slowly wrote Tong Chuxue’s name in the dirt, pausing after nearly every stroke as if worried she might not understand.

To Tong Chuxue, the characters looked like an unknown language—somewhat like Japanese at a glance but utterly indecipherable upon closer inspection.

This was unacceptable. She had many plans for the future, and being unable to read or write would leave her vulnerable to deception. But in a small village like Qingshan, families had to scrimp and save just to support one scholar. Sending girls to school was unthinkable. Only the wealthy families in the distant capital could afford to educate daughters, and even then, only to manage household affairs.

She wanted to find a teacher, but literate people in Qingshan were few, and those willing to teach even fewer.

She was truly worried.

Lost in thought over the characters on the ground, she suddenly heard Luo Huian offer, “Why don’t you try writing it yourself?”

Without hesitation, she took the stick and wrote her name smoothly, as if she had always known how.

The little boy watched in awe, crowding close. “Sister, you’re amazing! You only had to see it once to get it!”

Embarrassed by the praise, Tong Chuxue thought it was just writing a name, but the boy’s reaction was overwhelming.

Unexpectedly, Luo Huian looked at her with a similar expression.

Speechless—did they all think she was an idiot?

As evening fell, Lin Chunyan insisted they stay for dinner, but Tong Chuxue declined. “We have a lot to prepare tomorrow.”

Lin Chunyan was not easily brushed off and pressed, “What business do you have? I think you should go to town to buy everything you need. Otherwise, you’ll have nothing, and life will be hard.”

“I was thinking of gathering some herbs from the mountains to sell for silver, then buying supplies,” Tong Chuxue replied.

“Herbs?” Lin Chunyan was surprised. “Chuxue, you know herbs?”

Indeed, this was the first time Xu Jinniang had heard this and was equally amazed.

“Well, I know a little. Not many,” Tong Chuxue answered vaguely.

Having stayed home most of her life, suddenly claiming knowledge of herbs was a bit suspicious.

“Mother, can I go too?” Luo Huian asked.

“But your health…” Lin Chunyan worried.

“I’m fine now. The doctor said moderate activity is good for me,” Luo Huian reassured.

Hearing they were going to the mountain, the little boy couldn’t contain his excitement, jumping with joy. “I want to go too!” He looked eagerly at his big brother.

Tong Chuxue thought Luo Huian would refuse, as the little boy was young and might get into trouble. But to her surprise, Luo Huian agreed, only warning, “Don’t run off.”

Seeing Luo Huifeng going, Luo Huiqing protested, “Brother, I want to come too! You can’t take just our little brother and leave me behind—I’m way more useful!”

With all the children eager to join, Lin Chunyan did not stop them.

Tong Chuxue realized that although Luo Huian was often ill and rarely went out, he wielded great authority in the household. Lin Chunyan rarely opposed anything he approved.

Finally, they agreed to meet at dawn to go up the mountain together.

As the sun was about to set, Tong Chuxue and Lin Chunyan hurried home. In the countryside, night without light was pitch black, indistinguishable whether eyes were open or closed.

Unexpectedly, as they neared home, they noticed a faint glow around the house.

Feeling uneasy, Tong Chuxue quickened her pace and swiftly unlocked the door.

Upon entering, they saw wild grass planted along the house’s foundation burning fiercely.

Within the raging flames, a small figure struggled desperately to escape through the dog door, but the fire spread too quickly. If he tried to crawl out, he would surely be burned.

Moreover, Tong Chuxue was not about to let him have that chance.

“Stop right there!” she commanded.