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Early morning at the hotel's buffet restaurant.
Lin Ruoyin held her coffee cup, her gaze falling on the shimmering pool outside the window.
In the distance, Xu Jia sat diagonally opposite, a cup of black coffee in front of him.
They didn't exchange a single word throughout breakfast. They even carefully avoided eye contact, like two people walking on the edge of a minefield, afraid that the slightest mistake would ignite the lingering awkwardness of the previous night.
Zhou Hui and Xiao Tang both keenly sensed the unusually low atmosphere between the two, and wisely remained silent. After quickly finishing their breakfast, they got up to arrange the vehicles and other tasks.
As the car drove away from the city, the scenery outside the window changed from high-rise buildings to vast oil palm forests. The intense tropical afternoon sun cast shimmering spots of light through the car window onto the back of Lin Ruoyin's hand.
“Haji Abdul is the fifth-generation successor of the workshop.” Xiao Tang turned around in the front seat and handed over a tablet. “He has rejected almost all business cooperation invitations and is extremely opposed to market orientation.”
Lin Ruoyin took the tablet and subconsciously turned her head to look at Xu Jia.
However, Xu Jia was looking out the window and had no intention of communicating with her.
...
The workshop is located in a secluded spot on the outskirts of the city, in a well-maintained Malay stilt house. As soon as the car came to a stop, the wooden door opened from the inside, and an elderly man with gray hair, dressed in a simple sarong, stood in the doorway. It was Haji Abdul.
“Suleiman said you would be coming today.” The old man’s voice was hoarse, with a heavy Malay accent, but his English was clear. He stepped aside. “Come in. Take your shoes off outside; there’s tea inside.”
Although his tone was direct, it conveyed a kind of dignified and respectful manner unique to old-fashioned craftsmen.
The interior was more spacious and tidy than I had imagined. One half was the living area, simply furnished yet spotless; the other half was the work area, with tools neatly arranged and three charcoal stoves burning quietly in the corner. The air was filled with the smoky smell of charcoal and a faint, sandalwood-like herbal aroma.
Tea sets and several dishes of local snacks were already set on the low table. There were brightly colored coconut cakes, sticky rice balls wrapped in pandan leaves, and a small dish of dark brown coconut sugar.
“Sit down.” Haji gestured for them to sit on the rattan cushions, and then skillfully began to brew tea. “I must give Suleiman face. But once you’ve finished your tea and finished speaking, you should leave.”
Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia exchanged a glance and sat down as instructed.
The tea was poured into the cup, creating amber ripples. Haji pushed the teacup in front of them, picked up a cup for himself, took a sip, and then raised his obsidian-like eyes.
"Speak. What do you want from me?"
Lin Ruoyin put down her teacup, placed her hands folded on her knees, and adopted a humble and sincere posture.
“Mr. Haji, we are not here to receive anything,” she said clearly. “We are here to invite you and your workshop to become a bridge.”
Old man: "What bridge?"
“A bridge connecting pure craftsmanship with a wider world.” Lin Ruoyin noticed the old man’s brow furrowing at her grand words, so she slowed her pace and put the concept into practice. “Simply put, in this project we’re promoting called Xingyu, we will build a living space that belongs to you and your workshop.”
Haji: ?
"The space can be completely customized to your needs. Ventilation, lighting, and humidity can all be simulated to resemble the environment here. You can arrange the tool racks and stove yourself." Lin Ruoyin carefully avoided using terms like "showroom" or "exhibition area." "You and your students can continue to create according to your own wishes, just like here. The only difference is that more people will have the opportunity to learn about you."
Seeing that Haji's expression didn't change much, Lin Ruoyin subconsciously turned her gaze to Xu Jia and then said to Haji, "We understand that your most outstanding disciple, Faris, is currently struggling with whether or not to leave to work in a factory."
Haji finally frowned.
“At Xingyu, we’ve also established a new artisan support program.” Lin Ruoyin continued down this path that resonated with Haji. “Through joint assessments by us and the workshop, we provide basic living allowances and material subsidies for apprentices like Faris who are dedicated to passing on their skills but face financial pressure. They don’t need to change their creative direction for orders; they just need to continue refining their craft under your guidance. At the same time, we will utilize digital platforms to systematically promote the workshop’s story, the culture and wisdom behind each process.”
“Mr. Haji,” Lin Ruoyin leaned forward slightly, “I can provide a legally binding long-term agreement for all the above promises, guaranteeing the workshop’s absolute creative autonomy on Xingyu Island and ensuring the continued investment of funds in the disciple support program. Furthermore, the vast majority of all commercial revenue generated from the workshop’s skills, such as digital content and brand collaborations, will flow directly back into the workshop and the disciple fund. Let us be the megaphone for your craft. I know you are averse to the commercialization of art, but actively engaging with the market is different from pandering to it. You and your disciples deserve to be seen by more people and deserve a more stable creative environment.”
After Lin Ruoyin finished speaking, her voice lingered in the silent air of the workshop. Haji Abdul did not respond immediately; the sharpness in his eyes was gradually replaced by a complex contemplation. He looked at Lin Ruoyin more deeply, then glanced at Xu Jia, who remained silent beside him.
I picked up the tea, which had gone cold, and took a sip.
A moment later, Haji stood up, walked to the work area, took down two alloy blanks from the shelf, and took out two simple basic tools: a small hammer, an anvil, and goggles.
"What are your plans for the rest of the time?" Haji asked, turning around.
Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia exchanged a glance, and Lin Ruoyin shook her head at Haji.
Haji: "Interested in doing a craft?"
Lin Ruoyin's eyes lit up: "Is that okay?"
Haji paused slightly at the sudden burst of lively joy on Lin Ruoyin's face.
Haji Abdul walked to the main workbench and gestured for Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia to come closer. "I'll demonstrate for you." The aloofness in his voice faded, replaced by a solemn tone.
He took out a new alloy blank and placed it in the charcoal furnace. The flames licked the metal, gradually turning it into a translucent orange-red, as if molten lava was flowing inside.
“Temperature is the first language of metal.” Haji used long tongs to pick up the blank and placed it on the anvil, his movements as steady as a rock. “Too hot, it’s weak and powerless; too cold, it stubbornly resists. You have to understand the moment it tells you it’s ‘just right’.”
He raised his hammer. Just a second before the hammer fell, his entire demeanor changed. The sharp-tongued, wary old man vanished, replaced by a craftsman completely immersed in his creation. His eyes became incredibly gentle, focused, even carrying a hint of enjoyment, as if he were not hammering a piece of metal, but having a profound and pleasant conversation with an old friend.
"bite--"
The first strike was crisp and long.
“Rhythm is breathing,” he said, his wrists rotating with a seemingly effortless yet incredibly powerful rhythm. “It’s not you hitting it, it’s you dancing together. The force must be penetrating, but not brute. Listen to this sound…” Clang, clang, clang… The hammering sounds, sometimes dense, sometimes sparse, seemed to come alive.
"Feel it stretching and deforming in your hands, and remember this feedback. Be light here, leave it room to breathe; be heavy here, shape its spine."
As he explained, he wore a absorbed expression, his wrinkles seeming to smooth out, as if a part of his life was flowing through him.
Xu Jia was engrossed in watching.
He saw Haji's eyes, those obsidian eyes that were originally sharp, but became unusually soft and focused when struck, as if the whole world consisted only of the metal in his hands, the fire in the furnace, and the "form" he wanted to realize in his heart. It was a devout focus on his craft, the most primal pursuit and reverence for the "beauty" in his heart.
That look in his eyes is so familiar.
Once upon a time, he held a paintbrush, stood before the canvas, and saw the same thing in his eyes. The world was simple then, containing only the smell of paint, the texture of the canvas, and the overflowing desire to express himself. He painted the sunrise, the streets after the rain, and the trembling eyelashes of Lin Ruoyin as she slept; every stroke was an extension of his heartbeat.
He subconsciously turned his head to look at Lin Ruoyin and found that she was also looking at him.
The afternoon sun slanted in through the wooden window, casting a soft, warm golden glow on her face. Her eyes were gentle, even slightly...dazed?
Their eyes met.
Lin Ruoyin's heart skipped a beat.
At first, Lin Ruoyin's gaze was also drawn to Haji, but then her gaze shifted to Xu Jia's face and never looked away again.
She saw his slightly upturned lips, his relaxed and unfurled brow, and his soft silhouette as he immersed himself in art... All of this overlapped with a faded image from the depths of her memory.
She was initially captivated by Xu Jia's appearance; he was immersed in love, radiating pure light, with a gentle and romantic demeanor.
My heart felt as if it had been gently brushed by a soft feather, or as if it had been unexpectedly pricked by a fine needle, causing a bittersweet throbbing sensation.
Five years, more than two thousand days.
It went on for so long that she felt she had lost the ability to love.
But it turns out that all it takes is a profile view, a familiar look, and that seemingly impenetrable defense begins to crack like a spiderweb.
But then, clarity swept away the throbbing.
She was no longer qualified to be moved.
Lin Ruoyin hurriedly looked away.
At that moment, the demonstration ended.
A thin, perfectly curved piece of metal, shimmering like flowing water, appeared in Haji's hand. He immersed it in water to quench it, and white steam rose up.
"Alright, it's your turn." He pushed the tools and two new blanks in front of them.
Xu Jia was the first to try. Wearing goggles and gloves, his movements as he operated the charcoal stove and tools were surprisingly practiced, completely unlike his usual demeanor and that of a pampered entrepreneur. Heating, picking up pieces, observing the heat, and dropping the hammer—while his rhythm and precision were far inferior to those of a seasoned craftsman, it was clear this wasn't his first time doing this; he had likely received professional training.
A hint of surprise and a deeper inquiry flashed in Haji's eyes.
Lin Ruoyin also surprised him. She clearly understood the basics of metalworking and knew exactly where the key points lay.
Seeing that the two of them had gotten the hang of it, Haji joined them and continued creating.
Two hours passed quickly.
Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia stared at the small alloy blanks in front of their respective workbenches. Under Haji's guidance and assistance, they were roughly hammered into soft curves. Although they could not be called works of art, when their fingertips pressed on the warm metal surface with hammer marks, a long-lost sense of satisfaction, a direct dialogue with the material, quietly washed over them.
During this process, Haji quietly observed them.
He saw Lin Ruoyin's delicate fingertips repeatedly caressing the metal, and Xu Jia's unusually serious demeanor as he hammered. More importantly, he saw the light in their eyes, touched by the pure craftsmanship they were experiencing.
Haji put down his tools, walked to the basin of water, and slowly washed the charcoal ash off his hands. Then, he returned to his workbench and handed his newly polished piece to Lin Ruoyin.
His voice was much gentler than when they first met, even carrying a hint of kindness. "This is for you."
Lin Ruoyin was slightly taken aback, then accepted the gift with both hands, her expression filled with delight. "Thank you."
A crescent moon with a natural and smooth arc lay in Lin Ruoyin's palm.
That almost poetic arc, like a bolt of lightning, unexpectedly cleaved open the floodgates of memory.
Lin Ruoyin paused for a moment, then looked up at Xu Jia.
Almost simultaneously, Xu Jia's pupils contracted sharply, and his gaze shifted from the object in her palm to her.
In a certain hardened part of their hearts, a thin crack simultaneously appeared.
Xu Jia's gaze lingered on Lin Ruoyin's neck for two seconds, where it was now empty.
Haji Abdul looked at the two silent young people before him, each caught in a huge emotional vortex. The silent undercurrent between them, the turbulent waves stirred up by a small piece of metal, could not escape the old man's worldly-wise eyes.
He saw Lin Ruoyin's reddened eyes and forced composure, and Xu Jia's sudden paleness and tense body. Although he didn't know the specific reasons, it was a clear picture of someone struck by the emotions conveyed by the object.
The old man remained silent for a moment, then calmly looked at Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia.
"The place you're talking about... Xingyu, right?"
Lin Ruoyin and Xu Jia were both startled, and suddenly came to their senses, looking at him in unison.
He paused, as if making a major decision.
"I'm willing to believe you this once."
The words fell.
Lin Ruoyin could hardly believe her ears.
The old man put down his teacup, his eyes piercing.
"I'm willing to try to believe in people whose hearts and eyes are still warm."
After Haji said that, Lin Ruoyin's tears, which she had been holding back, seemed to have finally found a legitimate reason, and she could no longer hold back.
Haji smiled as he looked at Lin Ruoyin, who was reacting excitedly, and then looked at Xu Jia.
“Mr. Haji…” Xu Jia stepped forward and extended his hand to Haji. “We assure you that we will do everything in our power to fulfill all our promises. Not just for Faris, we will build a complete system so that the workshop’s skills and your spirit can truly live on and be passed down there.”
Haji nodded, said nothing more, picked up his tools again, and began tidying up his workbench.
Everything is understood without words.
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