Vol 1 Chapter 6 (1/2)
Luan Qi Ba Zao De Wu Xia s.h.i.+ Jie
Volume 1 Chapter 6: To Think My Life’s First Time Will, In This Manner…
“My primary objective at the moment is to learn the texts. If not, I’ll turn into a modern illiterate.”
Yep yep, the bookstores out there should have Learn-to-Read books for kids right? Why don’t I go and buy two of them. With these thoughts in mind, Dongfang Chenyi grabs his money, changes out of his dirty clothes and walks out the mansion.
Truth be told, it wasn’t that Dongfang Chenyi twiddled his thumbs and idled around in the past. He was familiarising himself with the environment so that he wouldn’t get lost like he did on the first day.
However, the way pa.s.sersby look at me is really hard to bear ah. Although I know that their gazes aren’t the despising sort… it still doesn’t feel very pleasant. Is this how it feels like to be ‘raped with the eyes’…
“I remember the bookstore being around here…” Dongfang Chenyi saw a bookstore in the vicinity during one of his strolls before. Although the storefront had tadpole text on it, Dongfang Chenyi noticed that there were many books displayed within, so it should probably be a bookstore.
Dongfang Chenyi enters the bookstore. The shopkeeper immediately greets him, “Isn’t this Young Master Dongfang? Welcome to Xinhua Bookstore. What do you need?”
Cough! Dongfang Chenyi almost spit a mouthful of old blood onto the shopkeeper’s face.
What the h.e.l.l? ‘Xinhua Bookstore’? Don’t tell me it’s a nation-wide bookstore chain[1]?
“Do you have… Learn-to-Read books for kids or the like?” After some consideration, Dongfang Chenyi adds: “Don’t misunderstand, I’m buying this for a child in my family.”
“We do have, we do have, follow me.”
Dongfang Chenyi follows the shopkeeper to a corner of the bookstore. The shopkeeper points at a particular shelf and says: “These are all Learn-to-Read books. Take a look and call me if there’s anything you need.”
“Nuhhuh… I got it.” After sending the shopkeeper away, Dongfang Chenyi randomly picks up a book and flips it.
Mm, the book is really made very meticulously. There’s a picture depicting a woman carrying an infant. Beside the woman are two tadpole characters which, according to Dongfang Chenyi’s conjecture, should be “mother”[2].
However… so brazen! The book may have been made very meticulously but I can’t read it. How can I read when there’s no one to teach me ah? Don’t tell me you guys don’t have phonetic notations? You can also let me check up the meanings of anything I don’t understand either ah! Easy peasy![3]
“Do you have… something like a dictionary?”
“‘Dictionary’? What’s a ‘dictionary?”
“Um… It means something with lots of phonetic notations and explanations of words.” Dongfang Chenyi decides to place his bets on the dictionary.
“Are you referring to the comprehensive collection of vocabulary? We have it.” The shopkeeper quickly brought a seemingly very thick book over.
This book… don’t tell me it’s Xinhua Dictionary[4]… Dongfang Chenyi readily opens the dictionary as he thinks.
Yup, it truly has the same structure as modern dictionaries. However… what the heck’s with this phonetic notation at the side? Weren’t phonetic notations invented during the moder
n era? Aren’t you guys in the ancient times? Why do you have these? Is there really nothing wrong with this wuxia era?
Forget it… Dongfang Chenyi decides not to bother with the details. At least with the phonetic notations, he can learn to read by using the dictionary. After all, the speech used in this era is standard Mandarin. He can hinge on the p.r.o.nunciation一一to learn the words. Still, this dictionary is so thick. How long will he take to memorise it ah…
Carrying a chunky dictionary, Dongfang Chenyi leaves the bookstore with complicated feelings. Just as he takes several steps, he feels a heavy blow strike his head, causing his body to lose strength in the blink of an eye. Next, everything goes black and he faints.
……
“Young Master, this kid Dongfang Chenyi has yet to wake.”
“Pour cold water on him!”
“Yes.”
Splash, cold water is poured on Dongfang Chenyi, giving Dongfang Chenyi the chills as he slowly opens his eyes.
“Eh…. this place is…”
“Young Master, this kid Dongfang Chenyi has woke up.”
“I got it, go bring her here.”
“Yes.”
As Dongfang Chenyi shakes his head, he realises there’s a masked person in black standing before him. Speaking of which, it’s daytime right now. Don’t you feel very conspicuous wearing black in daylight?
Well, this seems to be some dilapidated residence. In addition, my body is tied up, don’t tell me I was… kidnapped? Startled, Dongfang Chenyi starts to struggle: ”Who are you, what are you scheming?”