Chapter 74: I Am Also Very Curious

A light breeze blew through the half-dried locust pods, making a "rustling" sound, while golden willow leaves spun in circles and drifted down slowly.

In the mid-autumn season, the afternoon sun was still warm, scattering across the girl's face and revealing the faint golden fuzz on her skin.

Li Zhen stood by the roadside with her hands clasped, her expression bright and gentle. Her willow-leaf-like brows trembled slightly with her eyelashes, her eyes like water, occasionally sweeping over the bench under the tree shade.

Lin Sicheng leaned against the back of the bench, staring straight at the treetop diagonally above, his eyes hollow and devoid of any focus.

Hao Jun sat on the other end, his eyeballs turning left and then right; the more he watched, the more he felt these two young people were quite interesting.

He smiled silently: "What are you thinking about?"

Lin Sicheng woke as if from a dream: "Thinking about how to design and restore the remaining few pieces!"

Hao Jun became interested: "How is the restoration effect? Can it compare to that Plum Vase?"

"Hard to say!"

"Then you restore them first. Let me know once you're done, and I'll find a buyer!"

After giving this instruction, Hao Jun remembered something else: "The shop also has restoration services, but before, most were sent to Beijing; not only was it expensive and time-consuming, but the repairs weren't even that good... If you have time, come over and take a look one of these days!"

Lin Sicheng calculated: "Probably not until next month at the earliest!"

To repair the Delicate Yellow Glaze, to repair the large jar with dragon patterns amidst flowers, and possibly to repair the Chicken Cup—finishing in a month would already be considered fast.

"That's fine, no rush anyway!"

After replying, Hao Jun paused slightly and pointed toward the building entrance: "They're here!"

Wang Qi Zhi and Shang Yan walked side by side, talking as they went.

Although they hadn't reached the point of laughing and chatting, judging by their expressions, that Professor Shang didn't seem very angry?

Hao Jun clicked his tongue in wonder: Before, Lin Sicheng said that even if they argued, they couldn't argue for more than two sentences; he hadn't believed it.

Now that he saw it, it was indeed so?

Tsk, this Professor Wang has some tricks up his sleeve...

After only a few steps, they arrived in the blink of an eye. Lin Sicheng stood up with a smile on his face: "Professor Shang!"

Looking at Lin Sicheng, whom she found more pleasing the more she looked at him, Shang Yan felt quite disappointed: A talent like a phoenix or qilin, yet she could only let him slip through her fingers?

But just as Wang Qi Zhi said: one cannot abandon the entire forest for the sake of a single good tree...

She couldn't help but sigh: "You'll come if I ask for your help occasionally in the future, right?"

Lin Sicheng replied without hesitation: "I will!"

Shang Yan beamed: It's good that he'll come!

There was a class soon, so there was no time to eat together; they could only grab a quick bite.

After saying a word to Wang Qi Zhi, Shang Yan left with Li Zhen.

Watching Li Zhen's retreating figure, Wang Qi Zhi scratched his forehead: "Looks like I still need to find you an assistant."

Lin Sicheng smiled: "Thank you, Teacher!"

It was indeed necessary, because many steps of porcelain restoration required two or more people to work together, and once started, it would take many days.

One couldn't just let Li Zhen drop her primary job to come and act as an assistant for Lin Sicheng, right?

He could also ask the old man for help, but having Wang Qi Zhi step in was more reasonable and convenient.

Wang Qi Zhi nodded: "I'll go to the College Office to ask this afternoon; I'll take the opportunity to pick out some Laboratory Technicians and Interns!"

"Are there many applicants?"

Wang Qi Zhi chuckled: "More than just many?"

There were over a dozen Laboratory Technicians recommended by the school alone, among whom were many Masters and Doctors with five or six years of teaching assistant and laboratory experience.

There were quite a few who understood Cultural Relics Protection for metals and also understood Ceramics; picking an assistant for Lin Sicheng wouldn't be difficult.

"It would be best if they also understand a bit of Carved Lacquer craft!"

Lin Sicheng pondered as he walked, "First, the main technique for the subsequent porcelain restoration is Lacquer Repair. Furthermore, the later research on Bronze and ironware will all involve the Inlaid Lacquer Technique. So it's best to have some relevant experience, so the experimental progress will be faster..."

Wang Qi Zhi was bold and generous: "Then we'll recruit another one, someone more professional... The school is paying the salary anyway!"

No... is this just a matter of paying a salary?

Lin Sicheng's eyelids twitched, and he hurriedly reminded him: "Professor Wang, it only involves Carved Lacquer craft; we can't specifically research this, so there won't be many application scenarios. Besides, it's hard to manage if there are too many people!"

To put it bluntly: as soon as Wang Qi Zhi released the news about recruiting, so many talents applied; their goal was definitely not for the salary and bonuses.

They were coming for Wang Qi Zhi, the Person in Charge of the laboratory, for the sake of academic resources, research results, as well as opportunities and reputation.

If they were recruited and then left to just "make soy sauce" (do nothing) most of the time, no one would be happy.

Wang Qi Zhi paused, his expression slightly strange: "You've never been in a laboratory before, yet you understand this too?"

Lin Sicheng smiled: "I often hear my grandfather nagging about it at home!"

Wang Qi Zhi was suspicious: Professor Lin talks about this too?

He didn't dwell on it; the two discussed as they walked, with Hao Jun occasionally offering ideas.

Ye Ning'an trailed at the very back, bored and distracted.

Every now and then, he would turn his head to take a look.

Under the distant tree shade, Li Zhen walked with an even gait, her slender figure casting a slanted shadow in the sunlight.

After finishing the meal and seeing Hao Jun off, it was already 4:30 in the afternoon; Lin Sicheng took the opportunity to show his face in class.

After perfunctorily attending two basic courses and just thinking about whether to go home, Wang Qi Zhi's call came in:

"Lin Sicheng, work has arrived: regarding those pieces of physical evidence that weren't finished being appraised last week, the Shijian says that no matter what, please ask the guidance group to go over there one more time!"

Lin Sicheng recalled: the only things left unappraised last time were the Bronze, right?

His heart stirred: "Who are the members of the guidance group this time?"

"No members, just you and me... The Appraisal Center sent a formal letter to the college specifically naming you."

As expected?

Lin Sicheng pondered for a moment and felt it would be better to ask clearly: "Professor Wang, wasn't the Dean curious: why would an undergraduate like me join in the fun?"

"Practice makes perfect, right? It's not like the Dean doesn't know about that paperweight from last time, does he?"

At the mention of this, Wang Qi Zhi wanted to laugh, and took the opportunity to give a thumbs-up in praise: when they returned last time, Lin Sicheng had worried: would the Municipal Bureau get used to it and come looking for him for everything?

And it came true in less than a week?

Wang Qi Zhi smiled: "Rest assured, I only didn't object because the item being appraised this time is a bronze. Otherwise, even if the Dean agreed, I could have pushed back!"

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment and said nothing more.

Maintaining a humble heart is always right, but sometimes, being too humble is not good either.

Last time at Qishan, Professor Wang had already seen how his bronze appraisal ability was. In his view, he wouldn't dare say it was very high, but at least it wasn't bad.

This is what is called treating people with sincerity, not to mention the two were teacher and student?

Furthermore, Lin Sicheng was also very curious, what was the situation with that Kangxi Imitation Xuande Censer that Guan Xingmin had repeatedly mentioned, which involved an amount of millions?

"Professor Wang, when are we going?"

"Tomorrow morning at nine... The Shijian was originally going to send a car to pick us up, but I found it troublesome and declined. You come to the school tomorrow, and we'll drive there; it'll be more convenient!"

"Alright!"