Chapter 50
Li Chi'an looked at the unfinished Miao embroidery in front of him with amazement, and found that the embroidery was colorful but not vulgar. The various silk threads seemed to be given life in Aunt Luo's hands.
"How long will it take to complete this embroidery?" Yu Shi asked.
"Two months if it goes quickly, three months if it goes slowly," Aunt Luo replied without looking up.
How much can it sell for?
“A middleman comes and buys it for 1,500 yuan. They take it outside, put it in a frame, and say it’s an intangible cultural heritage artwork. My son said it can sell for tens of thousands of yuan.” Aunt Luo’s tone was full of sighs.
She seemed unable to comprehend this enormous gap.
Li Chi'an's heart tightened. She looked at the nearly completed embroidery and imagined it being bought at a low price and then sold for dozens of times the price. She couldn't help but feel a complicated feeling.
“Your embroidery is very good; it could be very valuable if you find the right seller.”
"We don't know how to sell it. If only we did."
Both of them were art lovers and held these craftspeople in high esteem, appreciating their works with great care. When they came out of Aunt Luo's house, Li Chi'an bought a few beautiful embroidery pieces at a reasonable price.
The speed at which they paid surprised Master Yang once again. Before they even left the house, he enthusiastically asked them, "Do you want to see other handicrafts? If so, I'll take you to see them all."
"Okay, okay."
With Aunt Luo's warm farewell, Master Yang then took them to visit Master Wei, who makes bamboo weaving.
When they arrived at Master Wei's workplace, Li Chi'an and Yu Shi learned that there are two types of bamboo weaving in Yunwu Town: Wangcao bamboo weaving and Chishui bamboo weaving.
Wangcao bamboo weaving has a long history, using unique water bamboo and employing exquisite craftsmanship. Products range from daily necessities to works of art, such as bamboo hats, lamps, calligraphy and paintings.
Chishui bamboo weaving uses local golden bamboo as its material to make handicrafts such as incense fans, with products such as golden bamboo incense fans.
"So many bamboo bags!" Li Chi'an was amazed when he saw the bamboo bags displayed on the cabinet. He picked one up and held it in his hand. "Aren't they beautiful?"
Yu Shi nodded, "It looks good, it goes with everything."
"This bamboo bag, you see, is one I use myself. The side that's often exposed to the sun is darker, and the side that's not often exposed to the sun is lighter, creating a gradient effect." Master Wei is a woman in her fifties with a round figure and a kind face.
"They're so beautiful." Li Chi'an was absolutely captivated by the bamboo handicrafts made by Master Wei. "This little bamboo bell is so cute."
"Buy a few more to take back and give to Zui Zui," Yu Shi said with a smile.
"I'll buy it." Li Chi'an smiled, then turned to see the colorful editor's hat on the other shelf. "Is this little one an earring?"
“Yes.” Master Wei reached out and took the bamboo earrings from the other box and showed them to Li Chi’an. “Look at these styles, do you like any of them? You have fair skin, they’ll look good on you.”
Before Li Chi'an could even take them, he took out a pair of antique-looking earrings from the box and held them up to her ears. "Shall I help you try them on?"
“Okay.” Li Chi’an turned slightly to the side; she also liked the pair that Yu Shi had chosen.
Before Li Chi'an could even look in the mirror after putting on the earrings, Master Wei and Yu Shi immediately praised how beautiful they looked.
Master Yang grinned from ear to ear, and even couldn't resist picking up a handful of bamboo bookmarks to promote to the two of them, saying, "These are good gifts for children."
Yu Shi and Li Chi'an took a look and found it to be really good. Without saying a word, they chose one and placed it aside, waiting to pay the bill later.
Master Wei was very happy to see that they really liked these things.
After looking at many bamboo handicrafts in the shop, Li Chi'an liked them very much. Most importantly, she really liked a bamboo lamp.
"This is too big, it will be difficult to carry if I buy it."
The two had already asked Mr. Yang, and he said that the town was remote and sending packages was quite troublesome. They would have to go to another large town several kilometers away to mail the packages. If they had a lot of items, they could ask the postman to come and pick them up, but they hadn't bought enough.
"We drove here, have you forgotten?"
“I know, but it’s not easy to get it from here to the car.”
“I can,” Yu Shi said readily. “Just buy whatever you want. As long as the car can fit it, I can take it all with me.”
Li Chi'an was intrigued. "Call the base and ask if they can mail it there."
Without saying a word, he took out his phone and called his friend at the base.
After a few words, he hung up the phone. "I can send it."
Li Chi'an felt relieved and began carefully selecting bamboo handicrafts. Thinking about the gifts he would be giving to people, he picked out the presents much faster.
Without the worry of not being able to take them with her, this time she chose mostly handmade artworks by Master Wei, some large and some small, but all exquisite.
As he browsed through the options, Li Chi'an crossed a threshold and saw a courtyard behind the door, where several young people were making handmade bamboo weaving.
Master Wei saw Li Chi'an looking into the courtyard and smiled, "They are all my apprentices. They are women who have children in school and cannot go out to work. They come here to learn a craft. They can sit at home and weave bamboo, which allows them to take care of their children and increase their income."
"Master Wei, you have so many apprentices!" There were a dozen or twenty people sitting in the courtyard at that moment.
"I have more than a thousand apprentices." This is an impressive thing in itself, but Master Wei described it in a very calm way. "I teach them all for free. As long as they are willing to learn, I am willing to teach them."
Master Wei lowered his voice slightly, "Many of them are children from the mountains. They stop studying after graduating from junior high school, get married early, and don't earn much money. I teach them bamboo weaving. They usually weave small bamboo baskets and hampers at home, which they can sell."
Small bamboo baskets and crates are everyday, common items that sell well.
Li Chi'an couldn't help but show admiration on his face, "You are truly remarkable."
"It's nothing," Master Wei smiled. "It's just a matter of lending a hand."
Li Chi'an turned to look at Yu Shi and saw that although Yu Shi's handsome face was not smiling, his eyes were full of admiration.
Because of a fleeting glimpse from high above, they arrived in Cloud Mist Town, and in this sparsely populated town, they encountered one craftsman after another who dedicated their lives to doing only one thing.
In that instant, a surge of emotion welled up within her, and she felt a strong urge to do something for the people of this town, something that would add a unique meaning to their unexpected journey.
As Master Wei slowly recounted the story, Li Chi'an learned that all the young people who came to Master Wei's house had to learn from her step by step, starting with more than 20 processes such as scraping the bamboo, splitting the bamboo, making bamboo strips, boiling bamboo strips, and pulling bamboo strips.
Among these steps, processing the bamboo strips is particularly crucial. Craftsmen need to repeatedly polish the strips to make them smooth and round, so as not to hurt their hands.
Then, they possessed the hand of God, transforming ordinary beads into the household items and even works of art before them.
“All our products are completely handmade.” Even the taciturn Master Yang couldn’t help but say a few more words when he saw them observing and listening so attentively.
"Won't these get moldy in the south?" Yu Shi asked promptly. "We are from Guangdong Province, living by the sea. It's humid all year round, and wooden items in our homes are very prone to mold."
Li Chi'an raised an eyebrow.
She was surprised that the young master would ask such a down-to-earth question, after all, he didn't need to clean the house and its belongings himself.
Master Wei replied, "Bamboo weaving also needs maintenance. If you buy it, you should apply oil and sun it from time to time. If you take good care of it, it can last a long time."
Li Chi'an nodded, then casually picked up a small bamboo root carving of a monk that he had just glanced at and presented it to Yu Shi, saying, "Look, this is so cute."
"Cute," Yu Shi laughed. "If you like, you can buy a few more."
...
With Mr. Yang's personal introduction, the two's trip to "Cloud and Mist Town" was very smooth and fruitful.
When they returned to the hotel near the base that evening, Li Chi'an couldn't help but feel sad when he thought about the price they had learned from the town that afternoon when their products were sold to middlemen. "Those people are too greedy. They make money by taking advantage of information asymmetry. Master Yang and his team get too little of their share."
Yu Shi nodded, "Yes, but this is currently the only sales channel. Without those merchants, these handicrafts might never have left the mountains."
“There must be a better way.” Li Chi’an knew about this situation, but when she saw so many unknown craftsmen in the town working hard every day but earning meager incomes, she couldn’t help but want to do something for them. “Many of the works made by the masters in the town have ancient patterns and profound meanings, and are no less than the works of some famous artists.”
Both are handmade, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Artists are able to sell their work for high prices, even astronomical prices, because they know how to manage their businesses.
The artisans here, no matter how good their work is, can only earn a meager income.
“I know you respect the cultural significance and the hard work involved in making the town’s handicrafts.” Seeing Li Chi’an’s furrowed brow, Yu Shi turned her around and hugged her. “We can help them.”
That evening, in their hotel room, they began brainstorming.
Yu Shi took out his laptop and began searching for information on handicraft cooperatives, intangible cultural heritage protection, and other related topics.
Li Chian then scribbled on paper, listing the things they could do.
“Look at this.” Yu Shi turned the computer screen toward Li Chi’an. “A village in Yunnan has established a handicraft cooperative, with unified quality standards and unified brand promotion. Now their products can be sold abroad.”
Li Chi'an's eyes lit up. "We can do that too! We can establish a cooperative and build the Yunwuzhai brand."
Yu Shi continued, "We also need to innovate in design. While traditional patterns are beautiful, they may need to incorporate some modern elements to make the products more in line with the aesthetic and practical needs of contemporary people."
“Either is fine.” Li Chi’an actually prefers these traditional patterns. “Now everyone is advocating cultural confidence and cultural export. If we find good marketing points and sales channels, the products will definitely sell well.”
“Distribution channels are also very important,” Li Chian added. “We can start by using social media for promotion.”
“I have a photography exhibition opening in Guangzhou next week. Many media and collectors will be there, and I can bring some of my works to exhibit.”
"We can also collaborate with local governments to apply for intangible cultural heritage protection and support funds," Yu Shi said, becoming increasingly excited. "We can even organize seminars and invite designers to guide artisans, preserving tradition while incorporating modern elements."
As they discussed the matter, their plan gradually became clearer.
They decided to find a suitable opportunity to return to Yunwu Village and discuss the idea of a cooperative with the artisans.
...
The next few days felt like a beautiful dream.
They went to the local market together to haggle and pick out gifts for Zui Zui and other relatives and friends; they even cooked together occasionally, making healthy and delicious food.
To my surprise, Young Master Yu's cooking skills are actually quite good.
In response to Li Chi'an's surprise, Yu Shi laughed and said, "I'm a returned student from England."
Li Chi'an laughed heartily, understanding instantly.
That night, they slept in each other's arms, and when the mood struck, Ji Xing would engage in a sweaty and exhilarating sexual activity.
Yu Shi and Li Chi'an both enjoyed this physical contact and found it very comforting.
After observing Yu Shi closely, Li Chi'an discovered that Yu Shi was a person who dared to think, dared to act, had love, was capable of loving, and had principles.
He is very mature and always knows what he wants and doesn't want, and he is willing to take care of her.
It is a very comfortable thing to be with Yu Shi.
She found herself becoming more and more accustomed to Shi's company, to his thoughtfulness and respect.
He never tried to cross the boundaries she set. He would always check in advance to see if she liked it too. He respected his own ideas while also respecting her preferences, and tried his best to reach an optimal solution through negotiation.
As the last day of training came to an end, a magnificent sunset hung in the sky. They sat side by side on camping chairs, looking at the boundless horizon and wilderness, feeling the mountain breezes from all directions caressing their faces, feeling completely comfortable and refreshed.
This trip was so therapeutic, far better than I had imagined before coming.
"We're going back to Xianghai tomorrow," Li Chi'an said softly, "to get back into the crowd."
"Are you scared?" Yu Shijian asked, turning to look at her.
“A little,” she admitted. “There are a lot of complicated things in crowds.”
Yu Shi held her hand and said, "Remember how you felt these past few days. No matter what happens, I will respect your pace and choices."
Li Chi'an turned to look at him, "Why me? With your qualifications, you could meet many outstanding women."
“You are one of them.” Yu Shi answered without hesitation. “You are beautiful and pure, honest and responsible, talented, good-looking and loving. You also have so many interests that overlap with mine. It’s easy for me to like you.”
Li Chi'an felt his eyes burning.
“When I get back, I want to meet Zuizui properly,” Yu Shi said calmly, “not as his ‘boyfriend,’ but simply as someone who wants to be friends with his mother.”
Li Chi'an looked at him in surprise, "You don't have to..."
“I want to understand your whole world,” he said firmly, “not just a part of it.”
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