"Spring rain awakens, spring equinox, clear and bright... Summer's fullness, grain in ear, summer solstice, heat connected..."
He stumbled through the first few lines, but then his recitation became smooth, and he didn't miss a single word. Goldie Thorne looked bewildered. He had memorized the Song of Solar Terms in school, but he'd long since forgotten it all. He had no idea if his nephew was reciting it correctly, but it sounded quite impressive.
Raina understood even less. She could barely recognize a few characters, but hearing her grandson recite such a long poem, she was incredibly impressed. Beaming, she placed a slice of meat in Jim Thorne's bowl.
'If anyone ever says my Jim is bad at his studies again, I'll curse their ancestors for eighteen generations!'
"I can recite it too."
