“Father, have you never thought about helping Yun Village become prosperous?”
“Of course I have, but the rules of Yun Village have always been this way. Everyone has long been used to not leaving the village.”
“Father, I think that if the villagers could read… if they could come into contact with the outside world… our village would definitely live better than the others. People only yearn for a good life. As for these old rules—those are dead things. I don’t know exactly what secret Yun Village has been guarding, but whatever it is, it must be a matter from ages past. What matters right now is making sure no one starves again. I know this year’s drought has left us with no harvest, and several villagers have already died of hunger. Such things must never happen again. Father, am I wrong?”
Yun Dahai fell silent.
He lowered his head and thought for a long time before finally speaking.
“Xier… you’re not wrong. The people of Yun Village have followed these rules for generations. If we truly wish to break them, even though I’m the village chief, this matter is far too great for me to decide alone. I’ll discuss it with the elders and the others.”
He paused, then asked:
“As for the matter of teaching people to read… what ideas do you have?”
His expression dimmed, his gaze growing heavy. The smile on his face had vanished without a trace.
Yun Xi immediately sensed something was wrong.
“Father, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing. Your father simply thought of something else. Xier, tell me first—what are your thoughts on teaching the villagers to read?”
“Well… I think teaching should start when they’re still young. Father, you could gather the children together and let them study for two or three hours a day. It wouldn’t interfere with helping at home. Of course, literacy isn’t enough—they must be taught proper conduct too.”
Many children in the village had to help with farm work or even wash clothes and cook; she had considered all of this.
“Then who will teach them? Only a handful in the village can read, and the only person who truly understands all the books is me. But I don’t have the time to teach the children every day. Are you suggesting we hire someone from outside? Outsiders would never come to a poor place like ours.”
“Then does Father know if people outside the village can read?”
“In families with means, children are indeed sent to school. Poor families that can barely fill their stomachs can’t afford such things.”
“So there are many people outside who can read. Do you think those villages live better than ours? At least… they don’t starve, right?”
Again, Yun Dahai had no answer.
“Yes… other villages do have many who can read. Yun Village simply never developed that habit. No one asked to learn, and so no one learned. Suddenly starting a school now… the biggest problem is hiring a teacher. No one from outside would agree to come.”
“Then what does Father think of me?”
“You?” Yun Dahai stared at her.
He had noticed this daughter of his understood far more than before—more than she should.
But he never imagined she would even propose teaching others.
“Yes. I’ve followed Father in reading since I was small. I can read, I can understand books. I should have no trouble teaching the children.”
Inwardly she thought: A modern-day PhD teaching ancient rural children? Too easy.
Yun Dahai looked at her—looked deeply, intently, without blinking.
After a long moment, he drew a long breath.
“You… are not my Xier. Who are you?”