Chapter 56 His sky suddenly cleared up

She waited until half past eight and sent a message to Song Suiyang.

"Have you come to work yet?"

"We'll be there in five minutes. What's up?"

It was just the right time. She didn't want to ask Song Suiyang to help her remove the rust in front of Tong Zhongyuan, so she deliberately refused to talk to him. She was an adult, not a primary school student, and couldn't do such a conspicuous thing.

She picked up the bronze coin and walked to the corner of the restoration department to wait for Song Sui Yang.

Song Suiyang was unreliable. She had waited for ten minutes instead of five, and then she saw her hurrying over. Song Suiyang was surprised to see her. What was wrong with Qin Tian? What could not be said in the office? Why was he waiting in the corridor?

Qin Tian took out a bronze coin from his pocket and gave it to Song Suiyang.

"I have something I'd like to trouble you with. Can you see if it's possible to remove the rust without damaging the coin?"

Song Suiyang took the coin and examined it. It was old. A relatively young coin's rust usually developed on the surface, making it easier to remove. However, the rust on this type of ancient coin often gradually spread from the inside to the outside. In other words, the rust had become one with the coin itself. Peeling off the rust was like peeling off a portion of the coin, skin and flesh.

Song Suiyang stroked the coin repeatedly and asked cautiously, "What do you mean by undamaged?"

"That's exactly what it says. There can't be the slightest damage. It has an inscription, and judging by the height difference, it's a shallow relief, only about 0.1 millimeters. If it's damaged, there's a chance nothing will remain."

Song Suiyang was a bit confused. This requirement was a bit high. The general preservation standard for ancient coins is to maintain their original condition. Patina is an integral part of the coin, a key indicator of its age. Removing patina wasn't a required course in the restoration department. In fact, she had only practiced it in school and had no practical experience in this area since joining the Shanghai Museum.

"I can't do it," she said frankly.

Qin Tian had guessed about 80% of the answer by looking at her deep thoughts, and it turned out just as she expected. She was a little disappointed, but still held out hope.

"What about Dai Lihua? And Xu Zhongyi? Do you think they can do it?"

Song Suiyang thought about it. To be honest, she wasn't sure, but it was probably impossible. The two of them had been messing around for a long time, and besides, the coins didn't need repairing. She had never seen anyone do this in all these years.

"It's possible, but I think it'll be difficult to achieve the undamaged quality you mentioned." She said matter-of-factly, "Or ask Tong Zhongyuan? If there's anyone in our department who can meet your requirements, it's only him. But the coin business is a niche area, so even he wouldn't be able to say for sure."

How could Qin Tian not know this? That's why she came to find Song Sui Yang because she couldn't find Tong Zhongyuan.

Song Suiyang was even more puzzled by Qin Tian's indecision. Tong Zhongyuan was clearly the friendliest person to Qin Tian. Not to mention how he eagerly sent her gifts a few days ago, Qin Tian had also taken care of him when he was sick in Xi'an. It wouldn't take much for Qin Tian to ask him to remove some rust. If he could do it, he would agree without hesitation. What was there for Qin Tian to worry about?

"Why don't I ask him first? Everyone has their own expertise, and he may not be able to do it with coins." Song Suiyang said.

"No need." Qin Tian took back the coin, "I'll ask myself."

Tong Zhongyuan had seen the bronze coin, but his evasive attempts to ask someone else about it only made him look timid. Both he and she knew their relationship was irreparable, but they didn't show it outwardly. Outwardly, they were still colleagues, and she would still nod in agreement when she saw him. She would ask questions herself, and she would ask for help herself.

She had made up her mind, and immediately walked into the restoration room with Song Suiyang. The room was empty; no one else had arrived yet. Only Tong Zhongyuan was already working, wearing headphones, at the restoration table, restoring a Qing Dynasty bamboo bowl.

The sound of them entering the room didn't bother him at all; he didn't even look up. Song Suiyang put down his bag, pursed his lips at Qin Tian, ​​meaning, "Go ahead and ask," and then he picked up the water cup and went out to wash it.

Qin Tian took two steps towards Tong Zhongyuan, but he still didn't notice her. She felt a little embarrassed, and it wasn't appropriate to call him, so she had to bite the bullet and continue walking into his sight.

Tong Zhongyuan's headphones were a bit loud. His concentration had been declining recently, and he could only rely on music to clear his mind. Amid the overwhelming music, a figure approached. It was probably Song Suiyang coming to work. He was too lazy to remove his headphones and said "Good morning" without even looking up. He didn't hear what she said in response, too focused on the repair. However, she didn't leave, still standing there, within his sight.

He concentrated on closing one defective surface, then lowered the tweezers and glanced up. That glance stopped him dead in his tracks. He ripped off one earphone, but the other still echoed loudly in his head: "Can't stop me now, I can't stop loving you."

Seeing that he finally noticed her, she whispered something. He didn't hear her at all. He was stunned for a second, then quickly pulled off the other earphone. He walked around the repair table and came to her.

His breath came with the wind and rushed towards her. She subconsciously took a step back.

"Sorry," he stared at her, "I didn't hear you just now."

She held the bronze coin in her palm, took a deep breath calmly, and opened her palm to him.

"I want to ask you, is it possible to remove the rust without damaging the coin itself?"

He took the coin from her hand, his fingertips touching her warm palm. He recognized the bronze coin; it wasn't that long ago, yet it felt like a lifetime ago.

"What do you mean by no damage?" He asked the same question as Song Suiyang.

"It can't be damaged in the slightest." She answered, gazing at the coin.

He took the bronze coin back to the restoration table and put it under the microscope. He took the coin under the tap, rinsed it with warm water for a while, wiped it dry, and put it under the microscope again.

Qin Tian watched his movements, his heart beating fast, afraid that he would say "I can't do it" in the end.

He raised his eyes from the microscope and looked at her.

"Can."

Qin Tian was stunned for a few seconds. Yes. He actually said yes! She wanted to jump up and ask him, "Really? Can you really do this?" "How can you be so good!" God knows how much willpower she mustered to restrain herself from doing such a foolish thing, but she forgot that she had never been able to control her expression. Her eyes instantly brightened like stars, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up, her whole face radiating joy.

He saw the entire expression on her face. His eyes and brows were filled with smiles, his chin resting on his chin with his fingers clasped together, and they stared at each other from afar.

She suppressed her excitement and asked in a businesslike tone, "How long will it take?"

She had a general idea of ​​the rust removal process: soaking the surface in a corrosive solution and then peeling it off. While it wouldn't take long, the challenge lay in mastering the solution's properties and concentration. She was incredibly impatient. Today was already Friday, and she couldn't wait until Monday to get the answer.

Her face was filled with urgency, and she couldn't wait to get it today. He saw it and agreed to let her have it. He said, "After work today..."

Qin Tian suddenly raised his head, full of expectation. But he paused for a second and said, "It's impossible before the end of the workday. If it's fast, it will be after noon tomorrow."

She was stunned. He used to be a man of few words, but now his words were so rambling. But tomorrow was already fast approaching. It was just Saturday. Was he going to work overtime? Shouldn't she come over too? There was no reason for her to have a weekend off while Tong Zhongyuan worked overtime for her.

"I'll text you tomorrow when I'm done?" he asked.

"I'll come over tomorrow too," Qin Tian said. "Let me know if you need any materials."

He gave her a bright smile and replied, "Yeah, that's fine."

Song Suiyang returned from making tea, just as Qin Tian opened the door with a beaming look on his face. He said cheerfully, "Done," and then vanished like a gust of wind. She knew Qin Tian would agree to anything he asked her to do. After all, he was Teacher Tong, capable of handling even the most obscure area of ​​restoration.

Song Suiyang put down the cup and looked towards Tong Zhongyuan with admiration.

Tong Zhongyuan was leaning against the repair table, the morning sun streaming down his shoulders. Between his fingers, he held the bronze coin, which flipped from left to right, then back again, on the back of his hand before bouncing into the air. His lips curled upward, and he watched the coin lightly, tumbling, and finally landing in his palm.