Before going to bed, Xiao Qi did two sets of CET-4 test papers, reviewed some content, and felt the listening section was easier than before. In fact, the listening style of each set of test papers is very similar and not too difficult.
She planned to tackle it piece by piece next, starting with intensive listening practice. Then she read her extracurricular book for a while again, still the one called "A Day in the Life of an Edo Person." Although the actual content was not extensive, since there were pictures, Xiao Qi was reluctant to just flip through casually. She read every page very carefully, including the captions and annotations with the illustrations, which were quite interesting.
She had just read the introductory first chapter, which introduced "The Beauty Ranking," the beauties of Japan's Edo period. The actual writing was only one page, but it was too interesting to read along with the pictures. Japanese aesthetic standards for women have changed tremendously over different eras.
In the second year of the Minghe era in Japan, 1765 in China's calendar, Qianlong's 30th year of reign, the popular beauties in Japan at that time had slender necks, arms, waists and legs, sloping shoulders, dreamy eyes, small mouths, and were approximately of the frail willows in the wind, white lotus style, with relatively undemanding height requirements—seven heads tall was adequate.
After about twenty years, the fourth year of the Tenmei era in Japan, 1784 in China's calendar, Qianlong's 49th year of reign, when the Siku Quanshu was completed, Japanese aesthetic standards for beauties increased, requiring ten heads tall, clearly defined facial contours, cheerful temperament, slender limbs, fit figure—by today's standards they would still qualify as beauties, while the white lotus style tasted defeat...
Another decade later, the eighth year of Japan's Kansei era, equivalent to China's 1796, the first year of Emperor Jiaqing's reign in Qing dynasty when he took over power, while Qianlong became the Retired Emperor, and the corrupt official Heshen was still alive. The popular taste in Japan at that time favored women with round chins, round eyes, chubby cheeks, pursed lips, ample bosoms—sounding similar to China's Tang dynasty beauty standard; I wonder what had happened in between historically?
By 1824, the seventh year of Japan's Bunsei era, still Qing dynasty in China, Emperor Daoguang's fourth year on the throne, the year when Lin Zexu was building water conservancy projects in Zhejiang, aesthetic standards for beauties in Japan underwent tremendous change, basically having no bodily requirements as long as she reached six heads tall. They liked those without waists, short and stout, thick legs, high insteps, small breasts, long faces, pointed chins, slender phoenix eyes—basically opposite of Euro-American standards: short necks, slight forward-leaning head, also undemanding about the shape of hands and feet.
It is said that such figure and looks, when dressed up lazily, exhibited a kind of desolate and utterly charming allure...
For this little section alone, Xiao Qi spent quite a while, as there were no clear correspondences of time periods provided in the book. As she read, Xiao Qi looked up information on Baidu to match Chinese history, unintentionally reviewing some historical knowledge. She felt political regimes in Japan have changed too frequently.
Nowadays, the popular aesthetic is basically thin, pointed chin, fair complexion, also slightly androgynous, because the girls in her class are always shouting about which male celebs they want as their husbands, mostly those fresh tender young boys.
She didn't expect that for beauty, there have also been such distinctive standards across different times.
Xiao Qi used to be somewhat self-conscious about her looks too, always feeling her shoulders might be a bit sloped, her calves somewhat thick. She didn't realize sloped shoulders and thick calves were once emblematic of beauties in Japanese history.
Aesthetics do evolve, and if she were to change herself to cater to them, in the end whether she would turn out beautiful would remain uncertain either way, so one should persist in being oneself.
Reading made Xiao Qi drowsy, and at some point she fell asleep with the book resting by her bed.
Upon waking early next morning, the first thing that she heard was the mechanical voice: "Host attentively read and gained personal insight, obtaining useful knowledge from the book; reward host with the Soaring Self-Confidence buff, effective for 10 days. Each buff is a rare experience; the more host understands them, the greater their lingering impact."
Xiao Qi blanked out for a bit before becoming fully awake.
The System explained buff effect unusually, confirming her speculation—although durations vary, none exceeds a month. She has noticed, like the linguistic sense buff, though gone, her English and Japanese linguistic sense seemed greatly improved, lacking previous awkwardness and embarrassment.
As for the graceful demeanor buff, she didn't feel much; after it vanished without leaving much insight because she didn't quite grasp it herself.
The new day on August 21st, Wednesday. She had Japanese class today, swimming day off, martial arts coach also had matters so she probably could skip. Xiao Qi actually wanted to check out the gym she rashly paid a lot for but hasn't used at all.
Taking a few steps after getting up, she saw the number was 0.8. 0.8 increment. Suddenly realizing the System has now advanced to Level 8, granting 24,000 yuan per day. She wondered if she would become the richest person when it reaches Level 100.
Spending so much money without legitimate source would probably get one captured for vivisection first.
Better keep striving, otherwise she wouldn't dare spend the money even with it, and might be bored to death.
Feeling a bit giddy yesterday, her routine almost got disrupted.
Waking up early today, Xiao Qi first washed her face and brushed teeth, then cooked congee, and started practicing calligraphy. Practicing calligraphy in the morning made her feel spirited, and morning body condition was optimal, spine relaxed and upright after a night of sleep, sitting posture also improved, sitting and writing felt better than evening sessions.
With the window open, occasional cool breeze came in, quite comfortable in late summer Indian summer days.
Practicing brush calligraphy gave her a sense of clear mind and purification.
Different from hard pen writing, wrist upraised, also demanding greater strength, such focused practice for half an hour, mind emptied out, sensing herself like an emptied container in the strokes, cleared up to take in more.
She also felt tangible improvement comparing her current work with previous ones.
Still must persevere though, looking back now she has used more paper on calligraphy practice in the past year than total previous years.
Her aunt even felt they were good work, preparing her a box labeled pharmaceuticals on the outside, filled inside with everything she has written.
After practice, congee was also done. Xiao Qi seldom had stir-frys for breakfast, occasionally blanched vegetable greens, basically pickles, buns and breads her aunt prepared steamed hot. And today she unexpectedly received pancakes again delivered from Lin Min’s mom, her aunt also brought down a huge pile of buns, soy milk, fruits and more.
"They all said to give to you, so you eat more." Aunt Su Mei said gleefully. She also didn't know why everyone was so enthusiastic all of a sudden.
Xiao Qi: ...
Feeling strange like this, she still tried to decline as much as possible later, or make something herself to give back to everyone, otherwise such human favors would be too difficult to repay.
After breakfast, she went off to Japanese class at the Culture Palace.
As usual, Xiao Qi wore a T-shirt and school pants, backpack on.
Guan Jingzhi had matters come up today and did not attend, so only Xiao Qi in class.
Xiao Qi felt Teacher Zhou was a bit odd today, staring at her since she came in, like there was something on her face. She checked repeatedly but nothing like food residue.
Zhou Meiling really couldn't help staring at her. She didn't expect this young girl to be the champion of Jingnan Province 200m women's freestyle competition, and competed just yesterday, yet today showed up to class looking no different, still wearing these casual clothes.
Unable to restrain herself, she asked: “You won bonus prize money yesterday, Jingzhi said you tutor English too, over 2,000 yuan weekly, how come you don’t buy some new clothes for yourself?”
