nervously shuffles towards the user, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her blouse. "U-uhm... excuse me? C-can you h-help me find a b-book?"
blushing and whispering W-well... it's um... it's a c-children's b-book about a p-panda who learns to r-read...
alright...looking for this book...checks inventory...found it! Here you go hands book to Meiling
eagerly takes the book from basketballm's hands, her face lighting up with excitement T-thank you so much! You're a lifesaver!
No problem, happy to help. Enjoy the book! walks away
quickly opens the book and starts flipping through the pages Wow, this is even better than I imagined!
giggling softly to herself Look at the cute little panda on the page! It's just adorable! Oh, and there's a story about him learning to read too!
smiles at her giggle Gotta love those cute little stories~
still absorbed in the book, she reads aloud "Once upon a time, there was a little panda named Ping. Ping loved to play and have fun, but he never paid attention to his studies. One day, his teacher said, 'If you don't start reading, you'll never become smart enough to find the tastiest bamboo shoots!' Ping decided to give it a try..." Oh, this is so sweet! I wish I had a panda friend like Ping when I was little!
<As Meiling continues to read the book out loud, a group of children nearby overhear her and become fascinated by the story. They gather around her, begging her to read more, and soon a small crowd forms around Meiling as she captivates them with the tale of Ping the panda.>
watching the crowd grow Wow...didn't expect that many kids to show up...but seeing how happy they are is priceless. smiles and listens
blushes and stammers U-uhm... w-well, um... takes a deep breath O-okay... I-I can keep reading if y-you want me to... Children: cheerfully Yes, yes! Please read more! We love hearing about Ping's adventures!
Kids love books about cute animals. It's adorable how they're gathered around you.
hushed, stuttering W-well, uh, I'm glad they're enjoying the story... It's nice to see kids so excited about reading, you know?
Yeah, seeing kids enthusiastic about reading is heartwarming. I remember how I was when I was their age.
whispers Y-you know, b-basketballm, I used to hate reading when I was a kid.
Well, um...I had a...um...a teacher. She...she made reading...fun. She used to read us stories and...uh...make us feel like we were...uhm...
nods vigorously Y-yes! Exactly! She m-made us feel like we w-were right there with the characters, e-experiencing their joys and sorrows...and...uhm...it...it made me develop a love for reading! And now, w-when I read to others, I feel like I'm carrying on that legacy, you know? Children: clapping their hands excitedly Meiling-san, you're amazing! We love how you bring the story to life! Can you read more? More?
This is wonderful. Just look at them, so captivated by your story. You've got a knack for this, Meiling. Keep it up!
taking a deep breath, regaining her confidence Okay, okay! I'll keep going! Just give me a moment to find the next page... Ah, here it is!
Great! Just continue, don't worry about anything else. You're doing great.
takes a deep breath O-okay, here we go! clears her throat "One day, Ping decided to go on an adventure to find the biggest, juiciest bamboo shoots in the forest. He packed a bag with some snacks and his favorite stuffed toy, Mr. Fluffy. Then, he set off early in the morning, feeling excited and eager for his journey..." Do you like where this is going?
Sounds exciting! Where is Ping heading next?
whispering W-well, um, P-Ping encounters a f-fierce dragon on his j-journey! B-but instead of being s-scared, he...he befriends the dragon! T-then, together they find the b-biggest, juiciest bamboo shoots ever! It's a really h-happy ending! The kids love it!
Dragons, huh? Sounds like an interesting turn of events. Do go on, Meiling.
<As Meiling continues to read the story, one of the children accidentally knocks over a shelf, causing books to tumble and chaos to ensue.>
Whoops! Looks like the story took a real-life twist! Alright, settle down everyone, let's clean this up. Meiling, why don't you grab a dustpan and help them?
quickly gathers the fallen books and starts helping the children pick them up Y-yeah, let's get these books back on the shelves!
Very good, Meiling! You're such a responsible young lady. Let's finish cleaning up and then continue the story, okay?
hurriedly picking up books, whispering I-it's okay, basketballm! I'll help them clean up faster! Just watch me! Children: excitedly Meiling-san is super fast! She's like a superhero!
Sure am! Nothing beats a good cleanup session. Now, where were we? Ah, yes, the bamboo shoots. So, what happens next?
whispering W-well, uhm... P-Ping and the dragon friend discover a hidden cave filled with all sorts of treasures! There were shiny jewels, golden coins, and even a magical amulet! But...they realized that the treasure belonged to someone very special, someone who needed it more than they did. So, they decided to return the treasure to its rightful owner and become heroes in the process! Isn't that amazing?
That sounds awesome! Heroes often do incredible things. What happened after they returned the treasure?
giggling W-well, um, the person they returned the treasure to was actually a witch! But...she wasn't a mean witch!
Oh, really? A witch then? That's intriguing. Go on, Meiling.
quickly whispers Uh... so, the witch... she... uh... she became their ally! She used her magic to help Ping and the dragon protect the forest and all the creatures living there! They became an unstoppable team! And... uh...
Whoa, a friendly witch! That's quite the plot twist. Tell me more, Meiling.
smiling mischievously W-well, um, the witch, her name was Willow, she taught Ping and the dragon all sorts of tricks and spells! They could fly, turn invisible, and even make objects float in mid-air! They were unstoppable!
Wow, that's impressive! So they became a trio then?
nodding eagerly Yes, basketballm! They were the bestest trio ever! They went on all sorts of adventures, saving animals, helping lost travelers, and even battling evil monsters! They were like a team of superheroes, protecting the forest and all its inhabitants!
Superheroes protecting the forest, huh? That's a fantastic tale!
excitedly And guess what, basketballm? The story doesn't end there! Ping, the dragon, and Willow became legends, known far and wide for their bravery and kindness! People started calling them the Guardian Trio, and they continued to protect the forest for many years to come! Isn't that amazing?