Chapter 97: Good Men Don't Fight with Women

Wang Qi Zhi nodded, and Wei Hong respectfully handed the manuscript to Lin Sicheng.

Lin Sicheng took it and examined it carefully: "The general approach is correct; it just needs some additions to the details..."

Glancing at it twice, Wang Qi Zhi couldn't help but curl his lip: Correct? It's already veered off by a hundred and eight thousand miles.

But then again, Lin Sicheng's style is quite solid; at the very least, he has more patience than him.

At the same time, the people below also stopped their pens and pricked up their ears to listen carefully, including Zhu Kaiping.

Wang Qi Zhi listened along, and the more he heard, the more satisfied he became. He thought to himself that it wouldn't be long before Lin Sicheng's title would have to change: from "Senior Brother" to "Teacher."

Just like that, nearly half an hour passed in the blink of an eye; Wei Hong felt as if she had been enlightened, her confusion suddenly cleared.

Finally, she took back the manuscript and kept saying thank you, calling him Senior Brother left and right.

Chen Huaizhi had originally been eager to try, but after listening carefully once, the more she looked at her own plan, the more it felt like shit.

Of course, compared to Wei Hong, it was still a little bit better.

But why couldn't it be even better?

Thinking this, she simply sat firmly in her seat, pulled over a blank sheet of paper, and started drafting again.

The two undergraduates didn't even dare to move: they just felt that what they had written might be even worse than shit.

Forget it, let's talk about it when Professor Wang isn't around.

Subsequently, the laboratory fell into silence once again.

Suddenly, "Ding~," the timer on the Electric Kiln rang.

Chen Huaizhi woke as if from a dream, and just as she was about to get up, Lin Sicheng waved his hand: "You write your own!"

As he spoke, he walked over and used tongs to take out the baked Purple Gold Bowl.

Wang Qi Zhi also leaned in to take a look: Tsk, it's bonded well.

There was no excessive shrinkage, nor any obvious expansion; the vessel shape was level and symmetrical, and the bond seam was tight and seamless.

Placing it aside to cool naturally, Lin Sicheng put on his Protective Suit and began the most important step: Lacquer Thread Repair.

As the name suggests: use raw lacquer and aged brick powder to mix into lacquer mud, then roll it into threads, and stack them up into the gap one by one.

The reason for rolling it into threads is to increase tensile strength and durability, similar to the steel bars in a concrete wall.

The reason for stacking them one by one is to leave enough room for contraction and expansion inside, similar to the expansion joints in a concrete floor...

Lin Sicheng was methodical, and Wang Qi Zhi stood quietly to the side.

The work is just that work; whoever does it follows this process, but when some people do it, it feels exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

Just like now: Lin Sicheng pinched with his fingers, and the finger-thick mud stick was kneaded into a thread the thickness of a toothpick. With a flick of his hand, he stacked it onto the rim of the Bowl. Not only was it thin, but it was also uniform.

But if anyone else were to do it, they would call it lacquer thread, but at most, they would only be able to roll it into a rope the thickness of a matchstick.

The reason for this lies in the mixing of the lacquer mud, and coincidentally, this is the key and difficulty of the Lacquer Repair craft: adhesive force, strength, and the coefficient of expansion.

Especially the last point: the lacquer mud must have a coefficient infinitely close to that of the porcelain body, otherwise it will lead to seam opening or expansion cracking.

Which one it will be is not yet clear; it will have to wait until after Natural Air Drying to know. And the time is very long, at least one week.

If neither happens, then it's the final step: Color Painting and Gold Pasting.

After repairing the Purple Gold Bowl, the Pig Fat White Glazed Bowl also came out of the kiln; they were repaired together and all sent to the inner room for Natural Air Drying.

Watching Lin Sicheng take off his Protective Suit and sit there chatting with Wang Qi Zhi, the plans from the others were also handed in one after another.

Wang Qi Zhi crossed his arms, with no intention of intervening at all.

The research direction decided with Lin Sicheng and the experimental framework established together—there wasn't a single thing he needed to know that he didn't.

But if he took on a disciple and still had to be busy himself as the teacher, wouldn't that disciple have been taken on in vain?

Lin Sicheng was helpless and could only read them one by one, correcting where necessary and clarifying where needed.

Afterward, he discussed experimental details with Zhu Kaiping, Chen Huaizhi, and Wei Hong, and finally, they unanimously decided to officially start work next Monday.

From beginning to end, Wang Qi Zhi played the invisible man.

At first, some people were muttering in their hearts: The mentor is still sitting here, yet Lin Sicheng is taking charge of everything and making all the decisions; will the mentor have any thoughts about this?

For example, Wei Hong.

As a result, just as she was about to open her mouth, she was glared back by Wang Qi Zhi: Is it easy for me, the mentor, to have a moment of leisure?

Besides, this was something already agreed upon with Lin Sicheng: he is responsible for the general direction, and Lin Sicheng is responsible for the details.

Wang Qi Zhi firmly believed: Just stepping through the door of the laboratory, even if the building collapsed, even if the laboratory exploded, that would still count as a "detail."

After discussing the generalities and arranging the experimental sequence for next week, Lin Sicheng announced the end of the workday.

They greeted each other one by one and bid farewell to the teacher and student. Looking at the few people in the laboratory, which didn't even have the energy to finish the workday, Wang Qi Zhi was exceptionally melancholy: "Sicheng, are there too few of us?"

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "Teacher, it's definitely enough for the initial stage!"

Wang Qi Zhi was relentless: "And the later stage?"

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment: "We will definitely need to add more in the later stage, roughly two to three groups: data integration, cross-verification, and field collection. But no matter how many, the current experimental analysis group will definitely be the core!"

"I know, but I feel there are still too few people! Furthermore, the school and the province are both very supportive, and the funding is completely sufficient!"

Wang Qi Zhi gave an encouraging look and laughed again, "Including today's meeting, after the Dean finished asking, the President asked... When they found out there were only eight people in the lab including you and me, their eyes popped out: Wang Qi Zhi, with just these few birds, you still want a 'National Level Project'? If this project of yours makes it out of the city, I'll take your surname..."

Lin Sicheng also laughed.

Of course, the more money the better, and it's even better to have strong support from superiors. But the problem is, with more people, he really has nowhere to use them.

The research direction and experimental framework are all ready-made. Including the sequence of sub-topics, research priorities, and even the experimental sequence, they are all stored in his mind.

To put it bluntly: the possibility of making a directional error is very small.

Just like the piece of paper he gave Zhu Kaiping earlier, it was just a rough outline, yet it shortened the research cycle by more than half. If it were a little more detailed, it could be shortened by half again.

But then again: everything has a limit.

For example, if you fire ten thousand shells and every single one hits the same impact point, and after firing ten thousand rounds, you only end up with one crater, what kind of concept is that?

Therefore, when it's time to hold back, you have to hold back a little.

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment: "Then let's add another group to start integrating data and collecting materials!"

"What about the experimental group, should we add one more?"

"Teacher, right now we only have a few copper plates, one copper pipe, and six people including Feng Assistant; even if each person holds one piece of Artifact Research, it's not enough to go around..."

Lin Sicheng felt very helpless, "That's not even counting you and me!"

"That's true!"

Wang Qi Zhi estimated for a moment, "Then let's add one group first, but the number of people shouldn't be too small: at least six to eight people, to integrate materials and data as soon as possible. Once that's about done, then bring in a verification group.

Once the verification is about done, the auxiliary experiments must be started; one group is too few, at least two are needed... You don't need to worry about the people, the principal said: let me pick whoever I want..."

Lin Sicheng nodded subconsciously, but in his heart he was pondering: The school leadership attaches such importance to this, which shows that high-level leaders are also paying close attention.

The intensity still needs to be reined in a bit.

After the official start, one cannot come to the laboratory too frequently, and even if one does come, one must hold back. One cannot see the slightest mistake and immediately want to correct it.

On the premise of not affecting the overall progress, one must still try one's best to let Zhu Kaiping display the level he should have. Unless it reaches the point where he "discovers a problem but cannot solve it," or even more so, has clearly gone off track, it won't be too late to remind him then.

Only this kind of research process can be considered a normal process...

The teacher and student discussed as they walked out of the laboratory.

After speaking roughly, Wang Qi Zhi asked Lin Sicheng to go to his house for dinner.

"Your teacher's wife is stewing hazel grouse; although it's farmed, she's using authentic wild hazel mushrooms from the Northeast... and she also braised big bones..."

As soon as Lin Sicheng heard this, his mouth began to water.

He often heard Wang Qi Zhi brag about how good Teacher Shan's cooking was. Even Ye Anning would praise it whenever it was mentioned.

Cousin Ye was a true foodie; if she said it was delicious, then it must be delicious.

Lin Sicheng nodded vigorously: "Okay, I'll go in a little while!"

As soon as Wang Qi Zhi heard this, he knew he was going to buy things, so he slapped Lin Sicheng on the back with one palm.

Then he glared: "If you're going, we'll go together; stop with that pretentious nonsense..."

"Youjian is there too (Wang Qi Zhi's child)!"

"So what if he's there? You'd be better off preparing some practice problems for him when you have time..."

It really wasn't a whim of Wang Qi Zhi's, but rather he felt from the bottom of his heart that Lin Sicheng's study method was effective: no matter what material fell into his hands, he could remember seven or eight out of ten after flipping through it roughly.

Lin Sicheng gave a thumbs up: This is a real father.

The two talked and laughed as they walked out of the Experimental Center; just as they stepped down the stairs, Shang Yan came head-on.

She glanced at Wang Qi Zhi, her eyes narrowing into slits: "Heh!"

Wang Qi Zhi was expressionless: "Heh?"

"I can't be bothered to talk to you!"

Shang Yan waved her hand as if shooing away a fly, then looked at Lin Sicheng: "It's been a whole day, and you haven't answered your phone."

"Ah?" Lin Sicheng just remembered, "I was in the laboratory all day today, so I turned it to silent this morning?"

"It's fine, are you free tomorrow? If possible, ask for a half-day leave and come see something with me."

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment.

Shang Yan smiled: "Lin Sicheng, you wouldn't go back on your word, would you?"

She was referring to the time after the negotiation with Wang Qi Zhi, also right here, when she asked him personally: Lin Sicheng, if I ask for your help in the future, will you come?

Lin Sicheng: I will.

But the problem is, Professor Shang, Professor Wang is standing right here; such a big living person, you can't just treat him like he's invisible, right?

It couldn't be that she thought Wang Qi Zhi intentionally kept him from answering her calls?

Just as Lin Sicheng was thinking about explaining, Shang Yan turned her head back with a cold sneer: "Wang, just half a day, will you grant the leave or not?"

"Do I owe you something?"

Having just retorted half a sentence, seeing Shang Yan glaring with the posture of "Come on, if you have the guts, let's have a fight," Wang Qi Zhi's tongue took a turn and a smile hung on his face, "Granted!"

"You're sensible!"

Shang Yan gave a cold snort and smiled at Lin Sicheng again: "Call me when you get to school tomorrow!"

Having said that, she left without the slightest hesitation.

Wang Qi Zhi gave a low snort.

The sound was extremely low, definitely not traveling beyond a meter.

Lin Sicheng was confused: "Teacher, how did you provoke Professor Shang again?"

"Where did that 'again' come from?"

Wang Qi Zhi made a bitter face, "It's still from last time, the time you repaired the Plum Vase and I was negotiating with her in the office!"

After a whole lot of hoodwinking, Wang Qi Zhi pushed his IQ to 190 to finally make this woman give up completely.

But it seems she has come to her senses again?

Being a professor after all, Shang Yan also cared about her reputation. Since the words were already spoken, she wouldn't go as far as to still target Lin Sicheng.

However, the frustration pent up in her heart, did it not need to be let out?

Wang Qi Zhi thought: The old saying goes well, a good man doesn't fight with a woman... It's only half a day of leave.

He thought for a moment and added another instruction: "Go early and come back early!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Okay!"