Chapter 107 Be Content

The sky was full of stars, and the moonlight shone through the glass, casting a cool, silvery glow on the floor tiles.

Lin Sicheng pressed the switch, and his vision brightened instantly, with the exhaust fan humming softly. Several potted green plants sat by the window, their leaves swaying slightly. The faint smell of pine mixed with machine oil wafted through the studio.

The electric kiln has been unpacked, and Li Zhen has already performed maintenance on it. The potter's wheel is also in place, quietly resting in the corner.

The long table in the middle was covered with a plastic tablecloth, everything was neat and tidy, and the floor was spotless.

Lin Sicheng was taken aback.

He came once on the day the electric kiln arrived and gave Li Zhen and Xiao Yuzhu each a key. After that, he was busy and didn't have time to come back.

After returning with Professor Shang in the afternoon, he called Li Zhen, who said he was basically done packing. But Lin Sicheng had no idea he'd packed so efficiently.

After scanning the area, he grabbed the bedding and pushed open the door to the cubicle.

The tables and chairs are all in place, and there's a computer, so it serves as an office. There's also a room inside with a bed set up, which serves as a temporary rest area.

Pushing open the door, Lin Sicheng paused for a moment: Again, it was spotless and tidy. Crucially, everything was there.

Bedding, pillows, shoe racks, wardrobes...

They gave Li Zhen 10,000 yuan, but the computer alone would cost 7,000 or 8,000 yuan, and they also needed to buy an office desk and furniture.

That's definitely not enough, right?

He laid out the bedding and then opened the bathroom door. Again, everything he needed was there.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Sicheng went to the outer room and lifted the disposable tablecloth on the long table.

Oddly shaped roof tiles were neatly cut and arranged on the long table. Lacquer, porcelain powder, rice flour, tile ash… all the necessary materials were present.

Then open the refrigerator next to the electric kiln: eggs, various pigments, glazes... it's packed full.

Wow, Senior Sister Li... How much money did you spend on this?

But that's secondary: the key point is that in just one week, not only was it cleaned so thoroughly, but it was also prepared so completely.

How many classes have you missed? How did Professor Shang approve of this?

Xiao Yuzhu must have contributed a lot as well...

Lin Sicheng checked the time again: It's too late, let's talk about it tomorrow or the day after.

He put away his phone, sat on the work chair, and the scene of opening his first studio in his previous life involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

That was in Beijing, in 2012, after my grandfather was diagnosed with the illness.

Gradually, his achievements grew, and his fame increased.

Compared to this, it seems insignificant, but the feeling is strange: it's like... taking a crucial step in one's life.

Suddenly, feeling an itch to touch it, Lin Sicheng subconsciously glanced at the tiles on the long table.

He reached out his hand, then stopped: "No drinking, no work; no drinking, no work..." He had adhered to this principle for half his life in his previous life.

Although it wasn't much—two bottles for four people—he only drank three or four ounces, while Ye Anning drank more than him.

But even a small amount is still wine; if the polishing machine slips, half a finger's worth is gone.

He hesitated for a moment, then withdrew his hand: "I should drink less in the future."

He then got up, looked around slowly, circled around several times, and then returned to the inner room.

At night, Lin Sicheng kept having dreams, all of which were scenes from his past life.

With boundless enthusiasm and unwavering spirit...

...

The morning mist carried the chill of autumn, and the first rays of sunlight fell on the frosty locust leaves.

Li Zhen gripped the insulated bag tightly, pressing her knuckles against the texture of the stiff canvas to create a crescent-shaped pattern.

The aroma wafted out subtly, carrying the unique spiciness of Hu spicy soup.

He walked quickly to the door, then paused, a hint of suspicion flashing in his eyes: Lin Sicheng called yesterday saying he wanted to move in?

Just as she was making wild guesses, she heard a noise behind her and turned around.

Lin Sicheng carried a box in each hand, his forehead covered in sweat.

Seeing her hang the insulated bag on the doorknob, Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "Senior sister, no need, it's not heavy!"

"So much sweat, you've been drinking!"

"I drank with Professor Wang! So I went for a run this morning and worked up a sweat!"

"oh!"

Lin Sicheng opened the door, entered the studio, placed the box on the long table, and then went into the rest room to wash his hands.

Li Zhen handed him a storage bag containing three items: a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a towel.

"Haha... Thank you, Senior Sister!" Lin Sicheng quickly thanked her, "I really forgot!"

Yesterday, all he could think about was Chairman Yang, figuring out how to get him in as soon as possible. He was lucky he even remembered to bring bedding.

In just a few minutes, Lin Sicheng tidied up and set out breakfast on the coffee table in his office.

Three boxes of soup, three beef patties, and two steamers of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).

Lin Sicheng had a habit: if he drank one day, he would be starving the next. Suddenly, his appetite was whetted, so he said thank you, grabbed his chopsticks, and started drinking.

The office fell silent, except for the sound of Lin Sicheng slurping his rice.

Li Zhen smiled and sipped her soup slowly.

As he ate, Lin Sicheng realized something was off: something was off about the atmosphere.

Just as I was racking my brains, trying to think of something to say to ease the tension, a strange shout came from the doorway: "You two ate without calling me?"

Turning around, they saw Xiao Yuzhu with her hands in her pockets, staring at them with a look of disgust.

Lin Sicheng scoffed and raised his chin: "That's for feeding dogs!"

"Oh, thank you, senior sister!"

Xiao Yuzhu noticed there was another serving on the table and rushed over to hug Li Zhen's neck.

Then, beaming with pride, he circled the studio and said, "Aren't we amazing?"

"Impressive!" Lin Sicheng nodded. "Give me a raise!"

Xiao Yuzhu's eyes lit up: "Really?"

You can't lie to a child!

Xiao Yuzhu clenched her fist and shook it at him.

By the time she sat down, Lin Sicheng was already wiping his mouth: "Don't you have classes today?"

"No!"

"That's perfect, help me fix the gold-sprinkled bowl and the lard."

Li Zhen's eyes lit up: "What kind of supplement?"

Lin Sicheng said casually, "Lacquer!"

Xiao Yuzhu had just taken a bite of the steamed bun when her mouth involuntarily opened, and oily soup dripped down her cheeks.

Half of her shirt was soaked before she realized what was happening and hurriedly pulled out a tissue to wipe it off. But her eyes were wide open: Wow, my brother…

While cleaning these past few days, Li Zhen mentioned that Lin Sicheng had repaired a late Qing dynasty plum vase using kintsugi, which Professor Shang praised highly.

Xiao Yuzhu believed it, and was excited for several days. She said that following Lin Sicheng would allow her to earn a salary and learn a skill, which was a great deal for her.

Because universities don't teach kintsugi (the art of repairing metalwork) during undergraduate studies, unless you're pursuing a graduate degree.

However, 90% of graduate students don't actually learn about lacquerware; if they do, they only learn a little bit of theory.

Because lacquerware is more commercially oriented and involves very little "exhibition restoration," it accounts for a small portion of professors' assignments, and most professors don't study it much.

In fact, most museums don't study it much, and their research mainly focuses on "metal repair" and "kintsugi".

The reason is simple: lacquerware techniques are too difficult, and museum artifacts can only be exhibited, not sold. To put it bluntly: museums lack motivation, and researchers have even less motivation.

But for Xiao Yuzhu, a student, wasn't this a windfall?

You don't need to be highly skilled; as long as you know how to mix lacquer and can manage to glue a piece of porcelain together without it cracking or splitting, your life is secure...

In an instant, Xiao Yuzhu's eyes lit up, and she jumped to her feet: "Lin Sicheng, I don't want a salary anymore... teach me... oh no, I'll pay your tuition, whatever you say..."

Lin Sicheng paused for a moment: "Didn't you decide to take Professor Wang's graduate entrance exam and then try to stay at the university..."

Xiao Yuzhu scoffed: "If I learn lacquerware, why would I need to stay at the school?"

"No... Xiao Yuzhu, can't you be a little more sensible?"

"Yes, yes, yes... I'm useless..."

Xiao Yuzhu smiled ingratiatingly, her eyes crinkling. "Senior Brother Lin, are you thirsty? I'll make you some tea..."

Lin Sicheng let out a "heh," and was about to say something when he paused.

Although Li Zhen remained silent, her eyes shone with longing and yearning.

"Professor Shang doesn't teach?"

Li Zhen nodded: "There are too few application scenarios!"

Lin Sicheng suddenly realized: Professor Shang is a professor first and foremost; he couldn't possibly give Li Zhen special tutoring.

Li Zhen quickly emphasized, "You don't need to teach us specifically. Just explain it to us when you're tutoring us!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "But even then, you'll only learn the basics!"

"Enough!"

Li Zhen nodded emphatically and glanced at Xiao Yuzhu again.

Xiao Yuzhu understood immediately and nodded quickly: "One should be content!"