"How is it? Do you think the things left by our ancestors are pretty cool?" Shen Qiqi asked with her hands on her hips, a hint of pride, like a general who had just won a battle.

"Sister-in-law, this... this is really amazing!" Liu Erlangzi was the first to come to his senses. The other young people also nodded in agreement, and their original resistance gradually dissipated.

"Hey, we're just getting started!" Shen Qiqi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a sly smile. She glanced at everyone present and said mysteriously, "Next, the highlight!" She suddenly lowered her voice, deliberately lengthening it, and said in a mysterious tone, "Tomorrow, I'll take you to a place that's guaranteed to surprise you."

The next day, Shen Qiqi took Lu Qing and went straight to the residence of Zhang Lao, a highly respected artist in the village.

Old Artist Zhang is the only old craftsman in the village who is proficient in various traditional skills such as clay sculpture, wood carving, and paper cutting. Shen Qiqi's purpose for this trip is clear: he must be captured!

Before entering the door, I heard bursts of "ding-dong" sounds coming from the yard.

Shen Qiqi and Lu Qing looked at each other and pushed the door open.

I saw the old artist Zhang concentrating on carving a piece of wood with a focused expression, as if the whole world had nothing to do with him.

"Uncle Zhang, hello! We are here..." Shen Qiqi just opened her mouth when she was rudely interrupted by the old artist Zhang, "No, no, don't bother me!" The old man didn't even raise his head, his tone was stiff, like a smelly and hard stone.

Shen Qiqi was disappointed and thought to herself: This old man has quite a personality!

But she is not one to give up easily.

"Uncle Zhang, we want to learn these old skills from you and pass on the traditional culture of our village." Shen Qiqi explained patiently.

"Inheritance? What inheritance? Who among the young people still learns this now? They all go to the city to work!" Old artist Zhang put down the carving knife in his hand, his tone full of helplessness and loneliness.

His wrinkled face was filled with disappointment in reality, and his eyes were dull, like a pool of stagnant water.

A heavy atmosphere spread in the courtyard.

Shen Qiqi was not scared off by the attitude of the old artist Zhang, but became more determined in her idea.

She took a deep breath and said sincerely, "Uncle Zhang, you're right. Many young people nowadays are not interested in traditional culture. But we can't just give up! These are the treasures left by our ancestors. They are our roots! If we don't pass them on, they will truly be lost in the future!"

Shen Qiqi paused and continued, "We want to organize a training class to teach these skills to the young people in the village, so that they can rediscover the charm of traditional culture. We have already filmed some promotional videos, and the results are quite good. Many young people have become interested. However, without teachers like you, we can't do anything."

Zhang Lao Yiren listened to Shen Qiqi's words, and his originally tense face gradually relaxed.

A barely perceptible light flashed in his cloudy eyes, as if he was infected by Shen Qiqi's enthusiasm.

He was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Do you really want to learn?"

Seeing this, Lu Qing immediately handed over a pre-prepared USB drive and said, "Uncle Zhang, this is the video we made. Please take a look."

Mr. Zhang took the USB drive, hesitated for a moment, and finally inserted it into the old DVD player.

As the video played, the expression on Mr. Zhang's face gradually changed.

From disdain at the beginning, to surprise later, finally, a glimmer of relief appeared in his eyes.

"This...did you do this?" asked the old artist Zhang in disbelief.

"Yes, we did it all ourselves." Shen Qiqi said with a smile.

Zhang Lao Yi looked at Shen Qiqi. He slowly stood up, walked to Shen Qiqi, stretched out his calloused hand, and patted her shoulder. "Girl, you remind me of someone..." His tone was low and his eyes were deep, as if he was lost in some memories...

Old artist Zhang sighed deeply, his tone carrying a hint of vicissitudes. "Back when I was young, I was just like you, full of passion, wanting to pass on these old crafts. But..." He shook his head, his eyes dimming. "Times have changed. People nowadays are all chasing new and exciting gadgets. Who still remembers these old things?"

Shen Qiqi looked at the lonely look on the face of the old artist Zhang, and a feeling of sadness welled up in her heart.

She clenched her fists and said firmly, "Uncle Zhang, times have changed, but some things remain unchanged! These old crafts are our cultural treasures, our roots, and we can't lose them!"

Old Artist Zhang looked at Shen Qiqi's determined eyes, and his heart seemed to be touched by something.

He was silent for a moment, and finally nodded slowly, "Okay! I promise you!"

"Yes!" Shen Qiqi jumped up excitedly, wanting to spin in circles.

Lu Qing also showed a relieved smile. He held Shen Qiqi's hand and gave her an encouraging look.

Taking down the old artist Zhang is just the first step.

Shen Qiqi knew very well that in order to run this training class successfully, financial support was needed.

So, the next morning, she and Lu Qing went straight to the town's Cultural Bureau.

"Hello, Section Chief Zhao! We are here to apply for funding support for the cultural heritage project." Shen Qiqi got straight to the point, her tone full of anticipation.

Section Chief Zhao adjusted his glasses and said slowly, "We've seen this project, and it's very meaningful. However, the bureau's funds are rather tight recently..." He paused, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes, "I'm afraid..."

Shen Qiqi's heart skipped a beat, and a chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

No way?

Is it going to be cold again?

She took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "Chief Zhao, then... is there any other way?"

Section Chief Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "How about this? You guys go back first. We'll study it and let you know when we have any news."

Shen Qiqi and Lu Qing walked out of the Cultural Bureau, both of them silent.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, as if foreshadowing the difficulties in the future.

Shen Qiqi's mood was as gloomy as the weather.

Lu Qing sensed Shen Qiqi's depression and gently held her hand. "Wife, don't be discouraged. Let's think of another way." His tone was gentle and firm, like a warm current, slowly flowing into Shen Qiqi's heart.

Shen Qiqi raised her head and looked at Lu Qing's determined eyes, and a surge of strength surged in her heart.

Yes, can’t give up!

She took a deep breath, and a glimmer of hope rekindled in her eyes, "Yes! Let's think of another way!"

"We can mobilize the villagers and raise funds together!" Shen Qiqi suddenly thought of an idea and said excitedly.

Lu Qing looked at Shen Qiqi's sparkling eyes, his heart filled with love and support, "Good idea! Let's try it together!"

However, will the villagers really support it? This remains to be seen...

"Qiqi, the village chief is here..." Lu Qing's voice came from outside the door.