TRT – Chapter 3 Preparations Before Transmigration (Part Two)

[Scene One]

“Zhao Minmin!!! Enough already!!! It’s been eight hours! Why are you still singing this one song?!!”

Minmin calmly turns her head, “Don’t you know? ‘When will the bright moon appear~’ is the essential classic anthem for time travel! … If not, how about we switch to ‘A Laugh From the Vast Sea’ (which Zhou sang for nine hours straight)?”

[Scene Two: Girls’ Dormitory]

Roommate A: “Do you think… Minmin might be in love?”

Roommate B: “What makes you say that?”

Roommate A: “Look, these days she’s always writing poetry with a brush, and they’re all sentimental, sighing about autumn or spring—so sour and lovesick…”

Roommate B: “Ah, I see. Melancholy seasonal love poems, huh…”

At this, Minmin suddenly throws down her brush and rises from her pile of rice paper, roaring angrily: “Nonsense! Who always writes sappy poems lamenting autumn and spring?! Ignorant! Do you know how rare those kinds of poems are?! (…Not the point you should be mad about…) I’ll tell you: a time-travel heroine doesn’t have to be pretty, but she absolutely must know how to compose poetry! The most common kind? Tea poems! Then odes to plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum. Then poems praising rivers, lakes, and seas… And of course, lots of pieces praising the peace and prosperity of the age—after all, pleasing the Emperor is very important.

Memorizing poems isn’t enough—the key is to use them flexibly! First, you’ve got to figure out the era! If you recite Li Bai’s poetry to Emperor Kangxi and claim it as your own, you’ll be tossed out on your ear…”

The usually silent Roommate C finally speaks: “Minmin… you’re preparing to time travel, not taking the college entrance exam for Chinese literature. Calm down…”

[Scene Three: At Home]

Minmin wraps herself around her dad’s neck like an octopus: “Dad, Dad, teach me to play Go~! Is there a way I can beat Uncle Liu from next door within a year?”

Dad: “I’ve been battling him for over ten years and never won! He’s the Beijing amateur champion! A year? Keep dreaming!”

Minmin: “Dad, you really lack fighting spirit~ Hehe… But don’t worry, your daughter will ignite your flame… You are like a fire~ burning fiercely, burning me alive…” (she hums as she leaves)

The next day:

Neighbors gather around: “Old Zhao’s got guts! Respect!”

“Brother Zhao, I admire you so much—challenging Old Liu head-on! You’re my idol!”

“Holy crap, Zhao! You’re amazing! I’ll definitely come watch the match!”

“Honey, since we married I’ve never seen you so manly! Don’t worry, I’ll fully support you!”
…Everyone clapping and cheering…

Dad stands there, dumbfounded.

Minmin edges closer carefully: “Um, Dad… I wrote a challenge letter to Uncle Liu on your behalf. It’s already posted at the alley entrance…”

Dad nearly faints, grabbing her in panic: “What did you say?!! What exactly did you write?! Oh heavens, why did you send me such a little demon as a daughter…??”

(Dad bursts into tears)

Minmin, still calm despite her father’s near-collapse, replies: “Actually, it wasn’t anything embarrassing. Just this:

‘Liu brat! You’ve bullied me for years (never taking out the trash in the hallway, always hogging space on my balcony to dry your clothes…)! Petty grievances piled up, my anger cannot be quelled! One year from now, I challenge you at the broken pavilion by the alley to a duel of Go! The loser will clean the hallway for a year! I, Zhao Zhong, swear I will utterly defeat you, leaving no piece behind! Same day next year—see you there without fail!’

Signed: Minmin on behalf of Dad

…Ah! Dad! Dad, why did you faint?!”

And so, with no way out, Dad begins intensive Go training. Minmin, his only sparring partner, memorizes countless master game records, while Dad pours out all he knows. Day by day, Minmin improves by leaps and bounds…

The truth:

Minmin: “You know, in ancient times, this was the only refined form of entertainment~ Even if you can’t kill time, you can still look profound, right?”

[Scene Four]

Friend A: “Minmin, we understand you’re preparing for time travel, but why did you also sign up for French and Japanese classes?”

Minmin: “Sister, you’re being too narrow-minded~ How do you know I’ll only travel to Chinese ancient times and not some foreign ancient times? Please refer to works like The Tale of Princess Song in Heian-kyo… I’m making double preparations—grasping with both hands, and both must be strong~”

[Scene Five: College Courses]

Course: Ideological and Political Education

Teacher: “Zhao Minmin! Instead of listening in class, what trashy romance novel are you reading? Nowadays, girls only read shallow stuff—where’s the refinement? Where’s the quality? Hand it over!”

Minmin hands it up. On the cover, in bold golden letters: The Prince

Teacher freezes on the spot…

Course: History of Post-War International Relations

Teacher: “Zhao Minmin, what are you reading with your head down?”

Minmin: Introduction to Public Administration

Teacher: “…”

Course: Marxist Political Economy

Teacher: “Hey! You over there! What nonsense are you reading instead of listening? Did you even understand the economic theory I just taught?!”

Minmin: “Yes, I understood. I’m reading Modern Business Marketing.”

Teacher: “…”

Course: Deng Xiaoping Theory

Teacher: “Zhao Minmin, what are you reading? Did you grasp the essence of Deng Xiaoping’s theory?”

Minmin: “I’m deepening my understanding. This is The Art of War.”

Teacher: “…”

Course: Classical Chinese Literature

Teacher: “…You see, modern people have forgotten their roots! How many of you even know the five grains? Do you know what rice looks like growing in the field?… Hey, you there, what are you reading?”

Minmin: Comprehensive Guide to Terrace Farming

Teacher: “…”

Course: Advanced Mathematics

Teacher: “Don’t think calculating numbers is useless! Theory serves practice! The formulas on paper today are tomorrow’s skyscrapers!… Zhao Minmin! What are you reading now?!”

Minmin: Steel Smelting Techniques

Teacher: “…”

And so, even daydreaming in class has reached a whole new level of dedication…