I Became The Chief of A Primitive Village

Chapter 16: All Illiterate

Outside the tent, Su Bai tugged at his collar awkwardly.

"Pfft…" Yan Hua held back her laughter, her red eyes looking at Su Bai’s embarrassed expression with glee. Especially hearing the discussion inside the tent, she almost burst out laughing.

"Ahem…" Su Bai coughed and asked in a low voice, "That fox-eared girl called Yu Ying is your friend?"

"Yes, Yu Ying is very hardworking and kind. It’s just that she’s too stubborn sometimes." Yan Hua praised, but then seemed helpless at the last bit.

"What’s wrong?" Su Bai asked, curious.

"Yu Ying is Uncle Cang Shi’s biological Niece. Her parents passed away when she was young and she was raised by her Aunt." Yan Hua revealed some of the truth, "Recently, her Aunt had become pregnant, so Yu Ying moved out, saying she can’t freeload off her Uncle’s Family."

"She did the right thing." Su Bai agreed.

"Yu Ying could just work at Uncle Cang Shi’s place. She can’t eat much meat here." Yan Hua rolled her eyes in dissatisfaction.

"No, you don’t understand her." Su Bai shook his head with a light chuckle.

"Huh? How do I not understand Yu Ying? I’m her good friend." Yan Hua glared with her red eyes and argued.

"When what you give and what you get differ too much, you will feel guilty." Su Bai calmly explained.

He used to be an orphan himself and had this feeling at the orphanage. People can’t take aid for granted. It will make them become lazy and develop dependence, ultimately ruining them.

"What do you mean??" Yan Hua was confused, obviously unable to understand. She felt that what he said did make sense. However, she still could not comprehend its deeper meaning.

"Such things are determined by how one grows up. It’s fine if you don’t understand." The corners of Su Bai’s mouth lifted slightly. Perhaps the candidate for Shaman Priestess had already been decided.

"Shaman, is Yu Ying suitable then?" Yan Hua nervously asked.

"Have her come out. I have a few questions for her." Su Bai said gently.

"Alright." Yan Hua immediately lifted the door flap and called out to the tent, "Yu Ying, the Shaman is looking for you."

"Coming." Yu Ying responded timidly.

"Wow, the Shaman actually came to find Yu Ying."

"Could it be to select Yu Ying as the Shaman Priestess?"

"…"

Hearing the two say this, Yu Ying’s heart jumped in fright. She hurriedly tidied up her appearance.

"Hoo…" She took a few deep breaths before slowly exiting the tent. Seeing Su Bai, she froze.

[Shaman, why is the Shaman here?] This was the only thought in Yu Ying’s mind right now.

Especially seeing Su Bai’s black eyes made her not know what to do. The words of the two women in the tent just now flashed through her mind and her face suddenly flushed red.

"…" Su Bai sized up the girl before him. In the tent just now, he couldn’t really see Yu Ying clearly. Now, he could truly see her full appearance. If one were to describe it in one word, it would be ‘pink’.

Pink hair, pink fox ears, pink eyes, and especially a fluffy pink fox tail with a white tip.

She was about 1.55 metres tall, just up to Su Bai’s chest, but the girl’s chest didn’t seem to be of the scale for her age. It was at least much larger than even Yan Hua, who was just standing beside her.

Su Bai turned his head to glance at Yan Hua’s chest, then lowered his head to scan Yu Ying’s chest. He couldn’t help shaking his head. [Comparisons are fearsome.]

"Shaman, are you thinking inappropriate thoughts?" Yan Hua said, narrowing her red eyes.

"No, I wasn’t. Don’t make such baseless claims." Su Bai hurriedly retracted his comparative gaze.

"Hmph!" Yan Hua let out a cold snort and raised her chin haughtily, but her hands quickly crossed the front of her chest.

Her red eyes shifted down slightly to scan Yu Ying’s chest. She pressed on her own chest with her arms and instantly felt aggrieved. Obviously, she had been training her body too, so why was it not growing? What would she do when she had babies in the future?

"Yu Ying, can you write?" Su Bai asked with some anticipation.

"I, I can’t write." Yu Ying answered softly in a timid manner.

"Shaman, besides the Old Shaman, no one in the Tribe can write. Moreover, no one recognizes characters." Yan Hua sighed.

"What? No one can read and write?" Su Bai was dumbfounded. [So everyone in the Tribe is illiterate.]

"En, our Tribe doesn’t have a writing system." Yan Hua nodded affirmatively and explained in a clear voice, "Only the large Tribes have their own writing systems. We don’t have anyone to teach us how to read and write."

"You mean, the writing systems differ between each large Tribe?" Su Bai asked in a hoarse, exhausted voice.

"Yes." Yan Hua responded crisply.

"…" The corners of Su Bai’s eyes twitched. [Damn it! This really makes me want to cry. How in the world am I supposed to eradicate illiteracy, when I myself can be considered illiterate in this era!?] [Do I have to start learning how to read and write all over again? But the writing system of each large Tribe is different! Do I have to go learn each and every single one? Let alone Shaman Scripture, which those without sufficient Mental Energy and capability could be taught, I have these other languages…] [Wait… why do I need to learn how to read the writing systems of the other Tribes? If not for the purpose of cultural exchange, there’s temporarily no need to learn how to read what they write.] Su Bai asked himself and frowned in thought.

[In fact, once the Flame Dragon Tribe develops and becomes a large Tribe, then shouldn’t others come to learn our writing system instead? We can use our influence, and spread our language and culture to others instead.]

Su Bai’s eyes brightened. [Do the opposite. Do not join others, but have them join us!] [Alright, I admit, I’m being lazy and I don’t want to go and learn the writing systems and language of the other Tribes. To be fair, who knows how many Tribes there are thay have their own writing system and language? If it’s just one or two powerful Tribes that have developed such a system, I would learn it if there is a chance. Yup.] [In that case, eradicating illiteracy has to be put on the agenda. The writing used will be Earth’s simplified characters.] The corners of Su Bai’s mouth curved up.

Yan Hua and Yu Ying looked at each other, their gazes communicating as if asking, [Hey, what’s up with the Shaman?]

Do vote for this novel if you like it. Voting will only last till the 4th August. Bottom one or two will be dropped.