Du Meridian

Lizi came early in the morning like clockwork, waking Anji up and helping her to get dressed. She prepared food for the day and did the menial chores as Yan Ping tested Anji's mental sums.

"What is two times four?"

"Eight?"

"How about three times eight?"

Anji tried her best not to peek behind her. The charts with the right answer were right there. However, after calculations with the help of her fingers and counter pebbles that were now repurposed, Anji eventually got the correct answer.

"Twenty-four!"

It took a long time, but at least Anji understood the basic concept of multiplication. All she needed now was time to fully memorise all the timetables for single digits and then learn how to use the abacus for double-digit calculations.

"It's good enough," Yan Ping acknowledged. "How did you learn to remember or count them?"

Grinning, Anji explained proudly that it was due to her new ability to parallel think.