Shang Ruyi smiled and asked, "What's your name?"
The girl whispered, "Erya."
"What's your surname?"
"Li."
"Is Erya your formal name?"
"No, it's my nickname. My parents are illiterate, and they said that once we have money, they'll ask the fortune teller on East Street to give me a formal name."
"Do you know how to read?"
"I can recognize just the characters in Erya. A neighbor's brother taught me those."
"Do you want to learn to read?"
"Yes!"
The girl's voice was originally timid and soft, but when she mentioned this, her tone increased quite a bit, and she nodded vigorously at Shang Ruyi, saying, "I want to. My parents also said that once this academy is built, they'll send me to study."
Saying this, she glanced behind Shang Ruyi and whispered, "Ma'am, they say this place accepts female students, and that the tuition is only half. Is that true?"
Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "It's true."
The girl took a deep breath and cautiously asked, "Ma'am, do you keep your word?"
