son and daughter

Mr. Zhuang patted Manbao's head and smiled, saying, "Today, take the writing materials back with you." Tomorrow, take a rest, and I will go to the Bai family. The day after tomorrow, you can return to school. You are still young and do not need to learn anything special. Just recognize some characters with me first. "When you have a better understanding next year, you can begin writing and studying formally."

Tomorrow is the fifteenth, and his school only has two days off in a month, which are the middle of the month and the sixteenth.

Manbao happily agreed and carried the box containing the writing materials back home with his father and brothers.

As soon as they got home, Er Ya and Er Tou came over and reverently touched the inkstone with their hands.

Before they could even reach out, they were scolded by Mrs. Feng, "Don't touch it randomly." This belongs to your younger aunt. You two should stay away from it in the future, understand?

Manbao was not happy and said to Er Tou and Er Ya, "When I learn how to write, I will teach you."

Mrs. Feng thought for a moment and said, "Little aunt, it's fine to teach Er Tou, but not Er Ya."

"Why not?" "Er Ya is even smarter than Er Tou."

Mrs. Feng laughed and said, "It's useless for girls to learn this." Er Ya still has to go feed the pigs.

Manbao asked, "Why is it useless?" If you learn to read, you will be able to read books independently in the future. "There are many interesting stories in books."

Mrs. Feng chuckled, "Instead of spending time reading stories, it's better to go pull weeds in the field. If you want to hear stories, we can tell them to you."

Er Ya couldn't help but say, "Mother, I want to learn to read."

Mrs. Feng patted her head and said, "Don't instigate your aunt." Have you washed today's clothes? If not, go wash them by the river.

Er Ya felt a little aggrieved but didn't dare to cry out loud. She lowered her head and went to pick up the dirty clothes.

Manbao was angry, but before she could express her anger, Mrs. Feng picked her up and sat her on a chair, carefully placing the box in front of her. "Little aunt, where is the paper you brought back before?" Let Er Tou help you recognize the characters. If you're tired, take a break. If you're hungry, please let me know, and I'll get you something to eat.

Manbao looked at Mrs. Feng in a daze, feeling that she was looking at the familiar Mrs. Feng, but she had just mentioned Er Ya as well!

Manbao sat on the chair with a somber mood. Mrs. Feng couldn't see the sadness on her little face and went to the kitchen to keep herself busy.

Er Tou had already run to find the manuscript paper that Manbao had brought back from Mr. Zhuang's.

Manbao had many thoughts and questions in her mind, but she couldn't ask anyone, so she could only talk to the system.

"System, why doesn't Mrs. Feng allow Er Ya to learn to read?"

The system bluntly informed Manbao about the research results concerning future human beings: "Due to her preference for boys over girls."

This was the first time Manbao had heard this term, but it was simple and easy to understand just by looking at the meaning of the words.

So she widened her eyes slightly and asked, "Why? Isn't she a girl too?"

"This is an ingrained thought of human beings for thousands of years," the system said. "The root of this issue can be traced back to agricultural society, where production depended on physical strength." Men, being stronger than women, were favored, leading to a preference for boys. Over time, this formed a distorted ethical belief, where people believed that only male descendants were the family's successors, and females were considered mere appendages to males.

Manbao said, "My parents love me very much, and my brothers also value me."

A surge of electricity flashed through the system's core, cutting off the conclusion it had deduced without vocalizing it.

The system said, "You are the exception." Have you not noticed that the status of the females in your family, with the exception of you, is lower than that of the males?

Koko was a data collection system, not an educational system, so it didn't know that some things couldn't be said to children. It provided an example to Manbao, "Your mother is subordinate to your father, and your sisters-in-law's position is also lower than your brothers." The treatment of your nieces is far worse than that of your nephews.

"Typically, your brothers and nephews eat dry rice, whereas your sisters-in-law and nieces prefer porridge." Only during busy farming times can they eat dry rice," the system said. "In this culture, it is expected that sisters-in-law must fetch and pour water for their brothers, while brothers are not expected to do the same for their sisters-in-law."

Manbao was stunned. "My mother said that my brothers have to do strenuous work, so they have to eat dry food."

The system said, "Your sisters-in-law also do laborious work."

Manbao thought about it and realized it was true.

She lowered her head and asked, "If one day, women become stronger than men, will the favoritism switch to favoring girls over boys?"

According to future historians' research, the system stated that the society preceding it was a matriarchal one where women held dominance.

Manbao curiously asked, "At that time, were women stronger than men?"

"No, they won by giving birth, because they could bear children and create labor. Therefore, their status was above men, and children only recognized their mothers, not their fathers."

Manbao pondered for a moment and shook her head. "Neither is good." I don't like favoring boys over girls, nor do I like favoring girls over boys. Can't everyone be equal?

The system seemed to gaze at its host in the air and only after a while said, "In the future, it is possible that, due to the advancement of technology and increased productivity, the relations of production will also change." In the future, there will be an increase in intellectual work, and in terms of intelligence, many girls are not inferior to boys. Gradually, both genders can stand on the same level.

Manbao didn't quite understand the first half of the sentence, and the system also felt that explaining the relationship between the means of production and the relations of production was too profound and difficult to understand. Therefore, it directly told Manbao, "The economic base determines the superstructure." If your sister-in-law can earn significantly more money than your brother, then your brother will have to listen to your sister-in-law, and your sister-in-law will become more assertive.

Manbao grabbed her little face and asked, "So if Er Ya can earn more money than Er Tou, will Mrs. Feng love Er Ya more and let her learn to read?"

"In theory, yes," the system said.

Manbao immediately jumped off the chair and said seriously, "I think this is not right. Mrs. Feng should love Er Ya because she is her daughter, not because she can earn money." How can she only love her because she can earn money? I want to go and persuade Mrs. Feng.

The system did not stop her.

Manbao ran to the kitchen to find Mrs. Feng and said, "Mrs." "Feng, I need your help." "Feng, do you prefer Er Tou over Er Ya?"

Mrs. Feng smiled and asked as she washed the pot, "Where did you hear such things, little aunt? Er Tou and Er Ya are both my children." How could I not like Er Ya?

"Then why don't you let Er Ya learn to read?"

Mrs. Feng said matter-of-factly, "It's useless for her to read."

Manbao was stunned. "How, how can it be useless?" Reading is very useful. Why do so many people spend money to go to school?

"That's for boys." "Have you seen any girls spending money to go to school?" Mrs. Feng couldn't help but laugh. "You are different, and Mr. Zhuang doesn't charge you tuition." He doesn't even plan to make you buy textbooks. "It doesn't cost much."