Chapter 244: Finding the Embroiderer

Early the day after tomorrow, Su Ruan and Lin Xiaoyu set off for Lijiang.

While waiting at the airport, Lin Xiaoyu was still a bit excited: "Teacher Su, the village we're going to this time, I've researched it; it's very pristine. I want to take a series of photos and call it 'Memories at the Fingertips.'"

"Good name," Su Ruan nodded. "We're counting on you this time. Not only must we photograph the Embroiderer, but also their lives and their hands. Hands are the soul of a handcraft person."

On the plane, Lin Xiaoyu took out her camera and showed Su Ruan some photos she had previously taken of handcraft persons.

"This one was taken last year in Guizhou, of an elderly grandma who does wax dyeing," Lin Xiaoyu said, pointing at the screen. "Her hands are covered with wrinkles, but they're especially steady. She says after sixty years of wax dyeing, her hands have memory."

Su Ruan examined the photo closely: "How wonderful. Handcraft is like that, passed down from generation to generation. Unfortunately, fewer and fewer young people are willing to learn it now."

"So we must record it," Lin Xiaoyu said seriously. "Using design to let tradition shine with new life is also a form of inheritance."

Three hours later, the plane landed in Lijiang. This time they didn't stay in the Old Town; they rented a car at the airport and drove to the first destination—Baisha Village.

Baisha Village is not far from Lijiang, but it retains more of the Naxi Ethnic Group's traditional appearance.

When the car entered the village, ancient houses lined the stone‑paved road, and faded Dongba Script could still be seen on the walls.

"This is it," Su Ruan said, looking at the map. "Grandma Yang Xiuying's house; everyone in the village says her embroidery is the best."

They asked for directions at the village entrance, and a Naxi Ethnic Group aunt warmly pointed: "Grandma Yang's house, go forward; the one with a big locust tree at the doorway is it. But she's old now and doesn't take many commissions."

"Thank you."

Finding the big locust tree, they knocked on the door. The one who opened it was a sixty‑something elderly grandma, her hair silvered, but her eyes were bright.

"Who are you looking for?"

"May I ask if this is Grandma Yang Xiuying?" Su Ruan asked politely. "We are designers from the Chongsu brand and would like to visit you."

Grandma Yang sized them up for a moment: "Chongsu? I haven't heard of it. Come in."

The interior was very simple, but kept clean.

On the wall hung several embroidered pieces, with fine stitches and exquisite patterns.

"Are these embroidered by you?" Su Ruan asked as she stepped closer.

"Hmm, I embroidered them when I was young," Grandma Yang poured two cups of tea. "Now my eyes aren't good; I can't do fine embroidery anymore."

Su Ruan examined an embroidered piece of a butterfly among flowers: "How beautiful. Grandma Yang, we came this time hoping to ask you to come out of seclusion and embroider some new patterns for us."

"New patterns?" Grandma Yang shook her head. "I only know how to embroider the old styles; I can't do new ones."

"It's the old style, just slightly altered," Su Ruan took out the design draft. "Look, these are elements we extracted from Dongba Script, and we want to express them through embroidery."

Grandma Yang put on her reading glasses and examined the drawing carefully.

After looking for a while, she said, "This… can be embroidered. But it's very labor‑intensive; I can only stitch such a small piece at most in a day."

She gestured, indicating roughly the size of a palm.

"No problem, slow work yields fine results," Su Ruan said. "We'll pay per piece; whatever you stitch, we'll pay that amount."

Grandma Yang hesitated: "How much will you pay?"

Su Ruan quoted a price.

Grandma Yang's eyes widened: "That much?"