Immediately afterwards, Tang Xiaoxiao picked up the phone and called He Zhan, asking him to introduce her to some skilled carpenters.
She hadn't been in contact with the He family for a while because she was too busy. However, the supply to the He family restaurant had never stopped, and the truck responsible for transportation would come every day. So He Zhan heard a few words from his subordinates about Tang Xiaoxiao's recent big moves and called to ask a few questions.
When He Zhan received Tang Xiaoxiao's request to find a carpenter, he didn't find it strange, considering that her house was probably being renovated. Hearing Tang Xiaoxiao emphasizing that the carpenter had to be exceptionally skilled and that she could find an ordinary carpenter herself without bothering him, He Zhan was both amused and annoyed. He said, "Alright, don't worry. Since you've come to me, I'll definitely get it done for you."
Tang smiled and thanked him, saying she would treat him to a big meal after she finished her work, and then hung up the phone.
A few days later, He Zhan called and said that the carpenter had been contacted and gave her a phone number.
Tang Xiaoxiao dialed the number, and a slightly aged voice answered. The voice was very respectful to Tang Xiaoxiao, a skilled craftsman. She first introduced herself and then asked for the other party's name. The other party replied that his surname was Chen, so Tang Xiaoxiao addressed him as "Master Chen" and then explained her thoughts over the phone.
After listening, there was a moment of silence on the other end, then the person said, "I need to see the materials."
Tang Xiaoxiao agreed, asked for the address, and decided to pick them up in person.
Carpenter Chen's home is in the suburbs of City A. It is a simple farmhouse with three single-story houses. The yard is a bit messy. Unlike other families, there are no rows of vegetables or chickens and ducks. Instead, it is very spacious, with various objects that are half-carved and pieces of wood of different sizes scattered all over the ground.
When Tang Xiaoxiao arrived, the courtyard was empty. She bent down and casually picked up a small wooden carving from the ground. It was a little rabbit, carved from very ordinary wood, yet it was incredibly lifelike and expressive. But this wooden carving, which Tang Xiaoxiao considered a work of art, was carelessly discarded on the ground, showing that it was completely beneath its owner's notice.
Thinking of this, Tang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but have even higher expectations for this master.
There was no one in the courtyard, and she didn't want to enter the owner's house without permission, so she stood outside and coughed lightly twice.
Soon, a young man with dark skin, wearing a simple short-sleeved shirt, came out of the house.
Upon seeing Tang Xiaoxiao, he suddenly realized and said, "You're the guest I arranged to meet with Master on the phone, right? Please come with me."
After saying that, he led Tang Xiaoxiao to the door of a room on the left side of the courtyard and knocked on the door: "Master, we have a guest."
"Come in."
With permission, the young man gently pushed open the door, and Tang Xiaoxiao followed behind. Upon entering the room, she found it to be a very spacious studio, filled with various tools and workbenches, and with various drawings on the walls, resembling an artist's private domain. An elderly man, who appeared to be over fifty years old but was in good spirits, was engrossed in studying something at a table.
Tang Xiaoxiao didn't make a sound to disturb him, but looked around with great interest. A few minutes later, the old man put down what he was holding and straightened up.
"Miss Tang?"
Tang smiled and said, "Yes, Master Chen, we made an appointment beforehand, and I came to pick you up."
"Let's go then. I don't have much to pack." Master Chen clapped his hands lightly, brushed the dust off his clothes, gestured for the young man to follow, and strode out the door.
After driving the master and apprentice home, they arrived at a corner of the villa's yard, where a makeshift rain shelter had been erected and a pile of timber was neatly arranged on the ground.
After getting out of the car, Mr. Chen immediately spotted the pile of bright red timber. He excitedly rushed over, examining it closely and touching it repeatedly.
Tang Xiaoxiao understood how a craftsman would feel when he encountered such exquisite materials, so she didn't disturb him. She waited until he calmed down before asking, "Master Chen, I wonder if these pieces of wood can be used to make what I want?"
Master Chen looked at Tang Xiaoxiao with a complicated expression and said, "Miss Tang said before that she wanted to make a three-section canopy bed. Including the railings and matching tables, chairs, dressing table and other items, these are enough, more than enough." He glanced at the wood as he spoke.
Hearing this, Tang Xiaoxiao felt relieved and said, "Then will Master Chen take this job? If there are any leftover materials, you don't need to save them for me; you can keep them for practice."
Master Chen's face twitched, and he gritted his teeth and said, "Call!"
With that agreed, things became much easier. The master craftsman introduced by He Zhan must be quite skilled, and based on the details she had personally witnessed, she had great confidence in Master Chen's craftsmanship. The two of them immediately discussed it. Tang Xiaoxiao was a novice and only had a general idea, so everything would depend on Master Chen's rich experience to perfect it.
After clarifying all of Tang Xiaoxiao's requirements, Master Chen said that he would need about six months to fully dedicate himself to the project, to which Tang Xiaoxiao naturally had no objection.
The real "thousand-step bed" that a young lady from a prominent family would bring as part of her dowry in ancient times was made by skilled craftsmen commissioned by her family from the day she was born. Because the bed was so big, it would take a young lady with bound feet more than a hundred steps to walk around it. Therefore, the "hundred-step bed" was also known as the "hundred-step bed".
The canopy bed has a complex structure and exquisite workmanship. Inside, there are sleeping mats, chamber pots, dressing tables, small cabinets, jewelry boxes, snack boxes, tables, drawers, etc., which is equivalent to a small independent room, greatly improving the comfort and privacy of the ancient sleeping environment.
In her past life, Tang Xiaoxiao happened to see an introduction to canopy beds. Out of curiosity, she looked up some information and became deeply fascinated by them.
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