Mr. Zhuang patted Manbao's head and smiled, "You take the brush and ink back with you today. Tomorrow, when I have a day off, I'll make a trip to the Bai Family. The day after tomorrow, you'll come back to the school. You are still young, and don't need to learn anything in particular yet. Just start by recognizing some characters with me. Next year when you're a little older, you can start writing and formally begin reading."
Tomorrow is the fifteenth. His school only gives two days off a month, which are the fifteenth and sixteenth.
Manbao, delighted, agreed and went home with her father and brothers, holding the box containing the brush, ink, and inkstone.
As soon as she got home, Erya and Second Son, who were still at home, crowded around and reverently touched the inkstone.
Just as they reached out, Ms. Feng swatted their hands away, saying, "Don't touch. This belongs to your younger aunt. In the future, you need to keep your distance, understand?"
Manbao was displeased and pulled Second Son and Erya to her, saying, "When I learn to write, I will teach you."
Ms. Feng thought for a moment and said, "Scrap teaching Erya, just teach Second Son."
"Why? Erya is even smarter than Second Son."
Ms. Feng laughed, "It's no use for a girl to learn this. Erya still needs to go gather pigweed."
Manbao protested, "How is it of no use? Once you learn to read, you can read books on your own. There are so many stories in books, and they are so interesting."
Ms. Feng found it amusing, "With the time spent reading stories, it would be better off weeding the fields. If she wants to hear stories, we can just tell her."
Erya couldn't help but say, "Mom, I want to learn to read."
Ms. Feng tapped her on the head, "Don't stir up trouble with your aunt. Have you washed today's clothes? If not, hurry to the riverside to wash."
Erya, feeling wronged, didn't dare to cry out loud and went to pick up the dirty laundry with her head down.
Manbao was so angry her face puffed up, but before she could get angry, Ms. Feng seated her on a chair and carefully placed the box in front of her, "Young aunt, where's the paper you brought back earlier? Let Second Son find it for you to practice reading. If you're tired, rest. If you're hungry, just let me know, and I will get you something to eat."
Manbao looked blankly at Second Sister-in-law, feeling this was the Second Sister-in-law she knew, yet it was also Second Sister-in-law who had spoken about Erya just before!
Sitting in the chair in low spirits, Manbao's dejection wasn't apparent on her little face. Ms. Feng, believing she had arranged everything for the young aunt, went to work in the kitchen.
Second Son had already run to find the draft paper Manbao once brought back from Mr. Zhuang's place.
Manbao had a lot on her mind, many questions she couldn't ask others, so she could only talk to the system.
"Keke, why won't Second Sister-in-law let Erya learn to read?"
The system bluntly shared the research findings of future humanity with Manbao, "Because she values males over females."
This was the first time Manbao had heard the term, but it was simple and easy to understand upon glancing at its meaning.
So she widened her eyes, puzzled, and asked, "Why? Isn't she a woman too?"
"This is an inertia of thought that has persisted for thousands of years," the system explained. "Its roots lie in agrarian societies where physical strength was needed for production, and since men are generally stronger than women, they were valued more. Over time, this evolved into a distorted ethic that sees only male descendants as the continuation of a family lineage, while women are seen as mere appendages to men."
Manbao objected, "My parents adore me, and my brothers value me too."
A surge of electricity flashed through the system's core. It cut off the conclusion it had deduced, choosing not to voice it.
The system continued, "You are an exception. Haven't you noticed that apart from you, the status of all the women in your family lies below that of the men?"
Keke was a data collection system, not an educational system, so it didn't understand that some things shouldn't be said to children. It gave Manbao examples, "Your mother is below your father, your sisters-in-law are below your brothers, and your nieces are treated far worse than your nephews."
"Normally, your brothers and their sons eat solid food while your sisters-in-law and their daughters eat porridge. Only during the busy farming season are they allowed solid food," the system said. "Your sisters-in-law must serve your brothers by bringing them washbasins and emptying them; your brothers never do the same for their wives."
Manbao was stunned, "My mom says that my brothers have to do hard physical work, so they need to eat solids."
The system responded, "Your sisters-in-law also do hard physical work."
Manbao thought about it and agreed.
She looked down in thought and then asked, "Does that mean if one day women become stronger than men, we will turn around and value women over men?"
The system referenced the studies of future historians, "Before the slave society and even further back was the matrilineal clan society, centered around women. It probably belongs to what you refer to as valuing women over men."
Manbao, curious, pursued further, "Were women physically stronger than men back then?"
"No, they prevailed through childbirth. Because they could bear children and create labor, their status was above men's, and children only recognized their mothers and knew nothing of their fathers."
Manbao pondered this and shook her head, "Neither is good. I don't like favoring males, nor favoring females. Aren't we all people, equally important?"
The system seemed to gaze into the ether at its host and after a moment, added, "In the future, it will be possible. With the development of technology and the advancement of productivity, social relationships will also change. The future features more intellectual work. When it comes to intelligence, many girls are no less capable than boys, hence slowly, both have come to stand on the same ground."
Manbao half-understood the first part of the explanation, and the system also felt it was too complex to explain the relationship between productive forces and social relations. So it put it simply for Manbao, "The economic foundation determines the superstructure. If your sister-in-law earns much more money than your brother, then your brother would have to listen to her, and she would assert herself with more confidence."
Manbao, clutching her little face, questioned, "So if Erya earns more money than Second Son, will Second Sister-in-law cherish Erya more and let her learn to read?"
"In theory, yes," said the system.
Manbao immediately jumped off the chair and said sternly, "I think that's wrong. Second Sister-in-law should cherish Erya because she is her daughter, not just if she can earn money. I need to talk to Second Sister-in-law."
The system didn't stop her.
Manbao hurried off to the kitchen to find Ms. Feng, "Second Sister-in-law, do you like Second Son more and not Erya as much?"
As she washed the pots, Ms. Feng smiled and inquired, "Where did you hear that, young aunt? Second Son and Erya are both my children. How could I not like Erya?"
"Then why won't you let Erya learn to read?"
Ms. Feng answered matter-of-factly, "It's of no use for her."
Manbao was stunned, "How can it be of no use? Reading is very useful. Why else would so many people spend money to go to school?"
"That's for boys. Do you see any girls spending money to attend school?"
Manbao insisted, "I am!"
Unable to hold back a laugh, Ms. Feng said, "Young aunt, you're different. Besides, Mr. Zhuang doesn't charge you tuition, and he doesn't even plan to make you buy textbooks. You haven't spent much money."