"Super market? You created a new term?"
William looked hesitant: "Supermarket? That idea sounds cool - if it could really be implemented, I think I'd like it. Mo, are you planning to open that kind of store in the future?"
This time it was André's turn to shrug helplessly. He had such an idea but lacked the capital. Such a large store obviously required substantial investment - without at least 500,000 gold shields, it couldn't be done. He also had to consider neighborhood gangs and government factors.
He then stopped dawdling and walked less than twenty meters down the street before turning into a bookstore.
William looked helpless but could only follow André inside. He thought André was going to find some supplementary textbooks or books about magical energy. But after entering, he discovered the latter was placing several newspapers from the periodical section into his shopping basket.
"Wow, I remember you were never interested in political newspapers before? If you want to watch political news, couldn't you just turn on the TV?"
"I occasionally want to understand politics and increase my reading."
André casually made up a reason, then stared at a picture book in William's hand: "What's that? Comics?"
"What else could it be?"
While speaking, he struck a pose: "It's my favorite - Iron Blood Lion Fang, the first black hero ever, cool! This is the latest issue, I'm planning to buy it. There's also this Black Iron Knight that I really like. It's a new anti-hero type. Wearing black iron armor, kills without blinking, doesn't give a damn about police or government, just kills kills kills kills kills - so satisfying. He's currently the most popular hero - nine out of ten people at our school like him."
After thinking, André also picked up several books and threw them into his shopping basket: "I also plan to buy some novels to read. William, do you have any good book recommendations?"
He thought that since these were currently popular things, they should help him understand the culture and current situation of this place called the 'United States of America.'
"Novels? Ha, who would read those things?"
William looked completely uninterested: "Those books are all thick volumes with so many incomprehensible words - we never read that stuff."
Hearing this, André couldn't help but smile, then fell into contemplation again.
William's situation was somewhat unexpected for him. But after careful consideration, he found some of the original owner's memories.
In this world's year 3975 of the Light Calendar, famous writer Jonathan Coro used "One-third of this country's people don't recognize these words" as the title of his first chapter in his groundbreaking work "American Illiteracy." In this book, Jonathan Coro claimed that America had 355 million adults who couldn't read poison warnings on insecticide bottles, letters from their children's teachers, or newspaper front pages. Additionally, 365 million people had reading abilities that couldn't even meet the level needed for social survival.
In Light Calendar year 3981, according to educational institution surveys, one-third of 17-year-old teenagers didn't know who America's founding father and first president Abraham Swidden was, and only 13% of Americans aged 8-24 could find the small country of Babylon on a map.
By the recent year 3988, America's literacy rate continued declining - 14% of the adult population (492 million people) were barely literate, 21% had reading abilities below 5th grade level, and 19% of high school graduates were illiterate.
This sounded exaggerated but was the official survey result from the American Department of Education and the American National Literacy Research Institute.
This was the consequence of America's elite education system. Children of the wealthy and middle class studied hard in private schools, rushed between various tutoring classes, and joined various magical energy training organizations. Meanwhile, children from poor backgrounds received so-called "quality education" in public schools.
Obviously, those who could read had no time for leisure reading like novels, while those with leisure time and interest couldn't understand anything too sophisticated.
At this moment, William pointed to his shopping basket: "Oh right, I suggest you don't buy so much - it's too wasteful. If you really want to understand, my uncle runs a scrap shop where newspapers and magazines are delivered daily. Even the newest ones only require waiting two more days. As for comics, our neighborhood has several complete sets - I can probably help you borrow them in about a month. Rental bookstores also have them, though book sources are tight. We don't need to spend money on this, right?"
André readily agreed and immediately put all the newspapers and books from his shopping basket back in their places.
This drew sideways glances from several bookstore clerks, but one of André's strengths was having thick enough skin.
As William said, he didn't need to waste precious gold shields on this.
Whether purchasing from scrap shops or borrowing and renting books, both were very economical approaches. He just wanted to use these books and periodicals to further understand this world's humanities, geography, history, politics, and customs - he didn't care about their age or source.
※※※※
André and William wandered Market Street until three in the afternoon before taking the bus back to their residential neighborhood.
Their luck was fairly good - they didn't encounter robbers on the return trip. However, when André and William parted ways again and arrived at the entrance of that shabby apartment building, he instinctively frowned.
This was because five luxury cars were parked in front of the apartment entrance, especially the one in the middle - a Swidden 'City' model extended version.
Swidden was not only the surname of America's first president but also a well-known luxury car brand throughout America. The extended version of the Swidden 'City' model had fewer than 73,000 units in the entire New World. Their owners could be said to be either wealthy or noble.
Additionally, on both sides of this convoy, over a dozen bodyguards wearing sunglasses stood with hands behind their backs, guarding these magical energy sedans.
When André appeared, these people all turned their heads in unison to look at him.
However, beyond this, these people made no other moves, continuing to stand in place like statues, allowing him to walk into the apartment.
André could roughly guess what was happening and walked inside with a cold, frosty expression.
After more than ten seconds, he reached the door of his semi-basement room. The door was already open, with several tower-like white men standing on both sides.
Notably, there were signs of tampering on the door lock.
At this moment, a clear and pleasant female voice came from inside the room: "You'd better not misunderstand - it was already like this when we arrived. Unfortunately, it seems your place was visited by thieves, André."
André raised his eyebrows slightly, directly ignoring the bodyguards at the door and walking straight in. Then he saw a young woman of about twenty years old with exquisite makeup and pretty features, sitting leisurely with arms crossed at his desk.
André had a deep impression of this woman - this was the original owner's sister, Jennifer Wiltonstein. She also had an abandoned name - Li Yunyun.
"Didn't a shooting happen near that Tsai's restaurant? Why are you only coming back now? You kept me waiting too long, my dear brother."
"When I come back has nothing to do with you."
André answered woodenly and coldly, his voice stiff: "As for you, can you leave now? You're not welcome here, unless you want me to charge you with breaking and entering."
He had no ill feelings toward this Jennifer, but the original owner had been disgusted and repulsed by his biological sister to the extreme. This emotion was extremely intense, mixed in the memories he inherited, and directly affected him.