Chapter 121 is about to begin (Bonus chapter for monthly votes, 8/8)
The morning light was hazy, and there were few people on the playground.
Beside the track, Ye Anning rested her hands on her knees, panting heavily. In the distance, Lin Sicheng strode forward, his steps swift and rapid.
Whether it was eight or ten laps, Ye Anning herself couldn't count. Anyway, after she stopped, Lin Sicheng was like a wild horse, lap after lap.
Speed is secondary; the real test of endurance is terrifying to even think about.
No wonder my uncle said that when Lin Sicheng swung the sledgehammer, it was like spinning a pencil.
After running two more laps, Lin Sicheng stopped, with only a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.
In contrast, Ye Anning looked as if she had just been pulled out of the water.
"Excessive sweating, shortness of breath, weak lungs, weak spleen, and poor internal and external health... Sister Anning, let your teacher's wife cook some yam porridge for you, and also make some astragalus and red date tea to help regulate your body."
Ye Anning glanced at him: "I can't even eat all the food I like!"
"It's because you're greedy for food but don't eat enough staple food, which depletes your energy and damages your spleen and stomach. You also sit for long periods and don't move around much, which damages your lungs... It's not hard to cure: eat well and exercise more."
"Really?" Seeing his serious expression, Ye Anning was skeptical. "Where did you learn that?"
"Of course they're cultural relics!"
Ye Anning was skeptical: How many ancient books would that require?
Besides, even traditional Chinese medicine practitioners need to take a pulse, while Lin Sicheng relies on observing qi?
Once she had recovered enough, Ye Anning straightened up, and the two walked towards the cafeteria.
"Do you run around like this every day?"
Lin Sicheng nodded: "Pretty much, take a day or two off every month!"
Ye Anning clicked her tongue in surprise: It was only one aspect that she couldn't get up, but she also felt that as soon as she went out in the morning, the cold air went straight into her pores.
Just like this morning, she hesitated by the shoe cabinet for almost ten minutes. If her aunt hadn't chased her away with a fly swatter, she could have stood there until Wang Youjian went to school.
Then, as she thought about it, she glanced at her from head to toe, a half-smile on her face: "Where are your new pants and new shirt?"
Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment, looking at him strangely: Professor Wang has time to talk about this?
Shouldn't we be thinking about "gold and silver craftsmanship" and "ceramic restoration" all the time?
Ye Anning laughed as soon as she thought about it: "It's because I was so engrossed in thinking that I spoke without thinking: He said you've been wearing the same clothes for three or four days, and even went to the workbench, but they still look brand new. But he got dirty after wearing them for just one day... and then asked my aunt if I hadn't washed them properly?"
Lin Sicheng was stunned and felt a deep sense of admiration.
"Teacher, is this... because you're having too much of a time?"
"Who says otherwise... My aunt said he should wash it himself from now on..."
Ye Anning chuckled and looked at him again: "Are you going home today?"
"Yes, I'm not used to living in the office."
"My uncle said you're hiring two full-time assistants?"
"Professor Shang may be coming to provide guidance for a while, and Senior Sister Li will be focusing on the studio for the time being, so we're looking for someone to fill that position first..."
"Focusing on metal research?"
"right!"
"What about the porcelain? Isn't that Master Chen (Chen Huaizhi) suitable?"
"Chen Huaizhi's main focus is on bronze research, and her expertise in porcelain is somewhat lacking. We'll have to let Senior Sister Li take on the role temporarily. But we definitely need to recruit one person, and the professor will discuss it with Professor Shang later."
"Indeed, it's not good to keep bothering people..."
The two chatted casually, and Lin Sicheng tried to clear his mind and let his brain rest. He never thought that there was a connection between Ye Anning's seemingly random questions.
Straight man.
Ye Anning muttered to herself as the two entered the student cafeteria.
Suddenly, waves of gazes turned toward them.
Lin Sicheng ordered, swiped his card, picked up his food, and found a seat. Ye Anning followed closely behind him, carrying a tray.
Her eyes darted around, asking, "My uncle said you're quite famous at school, so why doesn't anyone greet you?"
"You troublemaker, who dares!"
Ye Anning smiled, pursing her lips.
Lin Sicheng ate a lot and quickly; in the blink of an eye, he had finished two bowls of noodles and a basket of steamed buns.
Ye Anning was quick too; she only drank a small bowl of porridge.
Just as they finished eating, Wang Qizhi called: "Where did you go? Why aren't you here?"
"Eating in the cafeteria with Sister Anning!"
"Huh?" Wang Qizhi was taken aback.
His mind was completely absorbed in the World Heritage application, and he didn't even notice that Ye Anning wasn't home.
Without a doubt, she was kicked out by her aunt...
"Come over after you finish breakfast!"
"good!"
Listening to the two talking on the phone, Ye Anning curled her lip again: Straight man number two.
Knowing she had important business to attend to today, she didn't dare delay: "Let's go!"
Lin Sicheng casually asked for two steamers of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).
It was only a little past seven o'clock, so Wang Qizhi and Feng Lin definitely hadn't eaten yet.
Upon arriving at the studio, Ye Anning went to work. After Wang Qizhi finished eating his steamed bun, Lin Sicheng carried the box of porcelain shards, while Wang Qizhi took the materials, and the two went to the porcelain research room.
They were early, and Shang Yan was even earlier, bringing Li Zhen, a PhD, and two Master's students. They had already warmed up the machine and started the electric kiln.
She even changed into her lab coat.
Upon opening the box and seeing only yellow-glazed porcelain shards and blue-and-white porcelain, Shang Yan breathed a sigh of relief: "I thought you were going to fix the yellow-ground blue-and-white porcelain today!"
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "I need to practice first!"
According to his previous design, he needed to familiarize himself with all the methods of porcelain repair: metal mending, porcelain mending, gold repair, lacquer repair, monochrome glaze, two-color glaze, overglaze enamel (delicate yellow glaze), blue and white porcelain, yellow ground blue and white porcelain, and doucai (enamel overglaze enamel).
The last six methods all employ seamless repair techniques, transitioning from single-layer to multi-layer repair. Only after practicing the entire set and reaching peak condition will I contact the old lady to have the chicken cup delivered.
However, Professor Wang's application for World Heritage status disrupted the process, and the chicken cup had to be put on hold. The order of practice had to be brought forward: the monochrome glaze, bicolor glaze, and delicate yellow glaze could only be skipped, and the blue and white porcelain had to be completed first.
Because Wang Qizhi's goal for Lin Sicheng to apply for World Heritage status was blue and white porcelain.
After all, it has a prestigious reputation, a large influence, covers many dynasties, and has a wide range of technological applications.
To put it bluntly, you can't learn a skill meant to slay dragons. But blue and white porcelain is just right: if you can repair the blue glaze, you can definitely learn everything else, and the rest isn't difficult to learn either. It essentially encompasses all categories of porcelain. This makes the chances of successful inscription on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list much greater…
"Yes, proceed step by step, steadily and surely. If this batch doesn't work, there's another batch, and if that doesn't work, there's the batch after that... Just don't be like your teacher, jumping from the sky to the mud in an instant!"
Shang Yan encouraged Lin Sicheng, not forgetting to tease Wang Qizhi. Then, pointing to her students, she said, "Add Li Zhen, one PhD, three Masters. If that's not enough, you can teach anytime, I'll step in!"
We definitely don't need that many assistants; Li Zhen and Feng Lin are enough.
"Thank you, Professor Shang!"
After thanking him, Lin Sicheng didn't stand on ceremony. He changed his clothes and went on stage, then got straight to the point in an orderly manner.
In an instant, a series of instructions were issued, each concise and clear.
Shang Yan and Wang Qizhi stood below the stage, discussing technical details in hushed tones.
But Shang Yan stopped mid-sentence, staring at the stage, and lowered her voice: "Don't you feel that Lin Sicheng is exceptionally professional and dignified whenever he steps onto the lab table? Sometimes, it makes people unconsciously forget his age and status?"
Wang Qizhi scoffed, "What does 'thinking' matter? Have I ever been bossed around by him?"
Shang Yan immediately became interested: "When?"
"Yesterday, the Provincial Museum..."
Wang Qizhi didn't exaggerate; he simply stated the facts and mentioned only what he could say.
Shang Yan's eyes widened little by little.
She had no doubt that Lin Sicheng had the ability: because when she repaired that plum vase last time, she could tell that Lin Sicheng had a very unique and profound understanding of metal craftsmanship, especially gold craftsmanship, which was even far superior to Wang Qizhi's.
But she didn't expect that even researchers from the provincial museum would praise it so highly?
Yao Hansong and Chen Fen are not nobody figures.
Not only is he not unknown, but his reputation is ridiculously high: he is frequently invited by the university to give lectures to the professors in the department...
The more she thought about it, the more jealous she became: "Wang Qizhi, what kind of luck did you have in your past lives?"
"Speak properly!"
Wang Qizhi tapped her, "I used to owe you, but this time I'm settling the score. You'd better watch your words from now on."
Shang Yan knew he was referring to the application for intangible cultural heritage status for Lin Sicheng's porcelain restoration techniques, and that he had asked her to provide guidance.
I do have to consider Wang Qizhi's favor, but I absolutely can't admit defeat verbally: "Tch, let's talk after you succeed in your application!"
Wang Qizhi was too lazy to argue with her.
The two discussed quietly, and before they knew it, more than three hours had passed. Lin Sicheng had completed all the preliminary preparations.
Disease diagnosis: Multispectral imaging detection.
Layered cleaning: body, base glaze, underglaze, and top glaze.
The rest is all meticulous work: apart from the second firing in the kiln, everything must be done under a microscope.
This includes glaze compounding, glaze layer repair, and interlayer bonding.
Wang Qizhi and Shang Yan shut their mouths and leaned forward a little more: It's about to begin!
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