Chapter 3: Learning New Skills
990 Words
What?
Food?
If Stana had been conflicted earlier, she was now utterly at a loss, realizing that the man’s gaze was not truly on her but on the bread she was carrying.
A momentary urge to laugh surged within Stana, but it was quickly overshadowed by a wave of disappointment.
Yi-An Li remained oblivious to Stana’s subtle emotional shifts.
“Miss, is it alright?”
As he spoke, his stomach audibly rumbled.
“Of course,” Stana replied with a smile, her amusement evident. “However, exchanging just this piece of bread seems insufficient. I live in the building ahead. If you don’t mind, you can come to my place. Besides the bread, I can also make you some soup.”
Mind? How could he mind?
To be able to have a hot soup when he was both hungry and thirsty was simply wonderful.
What’s happening to me?
Minutes later, as Stana cut potatoes in the kitchen, she remained puzzled about why she had invited a stranger into her home.
Why did she extend the invitation?
While cutting potatoes, she could hear the silence from the living room, where the man she had invited was seemingly examining her home.
Yi-An Li was indeed taking in the surroundings. The room’s décor was quite luxurious, suggesting that Stana’s family was well-off, at least in the past. Flanking the fireplace were a bookshelf filled with books on one side and a piano, covered in dust from lack of use, on the other.
Above the fireplace were several photographs. One showed a couple, with the woman being Stana and the man in military uniform, presumably her husband.
“Her husband is an officer?” Yi-An Li mused.
Given the context of World War II, it was not unusual for men to serve in the military.
Having surveyed the room, Yi-An Li’s curiosity was soon overshadowed by the persistent rumbling of his stomach. All he could think about was when he would get to eat.
While eating was crucial, another issue weighed heavily on his mind—identity.
Here he was in wartime London, an unidentified foreigner who could easily be mistaken for a spy, arrested, or executed.
That would be the end of his journey.
What should he do next?
How should he explain his origins?
Or how could he obtain legal identification?
These were pressing concerns.
“Being transported to another world, you should at least pick a better place and time... A single mistake could be fatal.”
Yi-An Li lamented silently, lost in thought about the challenges ahead.
Time flew by quickly while he was lost in thought. As night fell, Stana emerged from the kitchen with several dishes.
“Sir, dinner is served.”
“Thank you, Miss.”
The visible delight on Yi-An Li’s face made Stana smile, though a tinge of disappointment lingered in her heart.
So it was indeed the food he cared about.
The bread, with its faint wheat aroma and bacon, tasted extraordinary to Yi-An Li, who had been so hungry.
After all, when you’re starving, anything tastes good.
There was mashed potatoes, and... although the dinner was not lavish due to limited ingredients, it was still heartwarming.
During the meal, Stana inquired, “Sir, you must be Chinese, right?”
“Yes, how did you know?”
“Before the war, I lived in the South Seas for two years. The Japanese are short, and the locals there are dark-skinned and unattractive. So I guessed you must be Chinese,” Stana explained.
“Miss, you’re incredibly perceptive. You guessed correctly.”
Yi-An Li complimented her.
“However, why would you trade such expensive perfume for a simple meal?” Stana finally asked, her curiosity piqued.
“I’ve just arrived in England.”
Yi-An Li anticipated this question and responded, “Just arrived in England?”
Stana asked, “From China? At this time?”
“No, I escaped from France.”
Yi-An Li sighed in resignation.
Stana looked taken aback, her expression turning strange.
“Escaped from France? How is that possible?”
Stana asked curiously.
“Years ago, to escape the turmoil, I left China with my family and went to Saigon. Before the war broke out, I sailed to France to study. But the war erupted just after we arrived. France fell, and as a foreigner, living in France was incredibly difficult. A few months ago, I managed to escape to Spain and then took a Spanish fishing boat to England…”
As Yi-An Li spun his tale, he glanced at the perfume in his pocket and decided to steer the conversation.
“Thank God, meeting such a kind lady like you in London saved me from starving. This perfume is a gift from a friend in France. I’m very grateful for your hospitality.”
He placed the perfume on the table.
“It’s now yours.”
“Are you really willing to exchange it?”
Stana’s eyes sparkled with surprise.
“Certainly. Thank you for your warm hospitality.”
Stana eagerly took the perfume and cradled it as if it were a precious treasure.
“Thank you.”
At that moment, the light screen appeared again.
[Second transaction detected.
Another system prompt?
Is this considered a transaction?
More experience points?
With a sense of anticipation, Yi-An Li watched as the screen flashed with his reward.
[This transaction involved proactive engagement in seeking suitable business opportunities. You can now learn the skill ‘Psychology’. Do you wish to learn it?
“Learn it, learn it!”
Another new skill reward? This system is truly remarkable!
As the words “Psychology learned” appeared on the screen, Yi-An Li couldn’t help but feel excited.
Learning new skills like psychology could be quite useful. What other skills might he learn in the future?
Though he had just arrived in this new world, Yi-An Li was filled with hope and curiosity about what lay ahead.
- Writer
