Abstinence Pei, don't be too sweet when chasing your wife

As the morning light of Qinglongpo shone over the kiln roof, Aunt Zhang squatted down beside the wooden frame guarding the kiln shed, carrying a bundle of thick hemp rope on her back.

As she hammered the pine sticks into the ground with a mallet, she also made sure to stuff some dry grass into the gaps.

This is a method passed down from our ancestors that makes the wooden frame more stable.

Gu Fanxing reached out to help Aunt Zhang hold the wooden frame, "How high should this shed be? Master Chen said that we need to guard the kiln for three days and three nights, so it needs to be able to shelter us from the wind and rain."

Aunt Zhang straightened up, patted her back, and gestured with her fingers to indicate the height of the kiln roof.

"It has to be at least two feet higher than the kiln opening, otherwise sparks can easily drift in when the wind blows at night. I wove a bamboo curtain yesterday, and I'll nail it to the roof later. It will keep out the rain but allow the wind to pass through, which is much more comfortable than plastic sheeting."

As she spoke, she took out a half-finished bamboo curtain from the bamboo basket, her fingers deftly moving between the bamboo strips, and even taught Gu Fanxing how to do it.

"When weaving, you have to pay attention to the density of the bamboo strips. If they're too dense, it'll feel stuffy; if they're too sparse, they won't keep out the rain. Like this 'three against one' arrangement, it's both sturdy and breathable." Gu Fanxing leaned over to learn, not caring that her fingers were lightly scratched by the bamboo strips. She excitedly said, "Aunt Zhang, after we finish weaving, I'll draw some kiln patterns on the bamboo curtain. Our kiln-guarding shed will definitely be the most unique in Qinglongpo!"

Not far away, Pei Luonan and Professor Li from the expert team were circling the kiln chamber.

Professor Li held a flashlight and shone it on the glaze marks on the inside of the kiln wall.

“Luonan, look at the sintering degree of this kiln wall. Master Chen’s ‘kiln nurturing’ skills have not been in vain. The density of the kiln wall is just right, and the heat conduction will be very even during the test firing.”

Pei Luonan nodded and took out his notebook to write down the data.

"When we moved the last batch of clay blanks in yesterday, we specifically measured the temperature difference in different areas of the kiln. The maximum difference was no more than 5°C, which meets the firing temperature standard of the Song Dynasty dragon kiln."

As he spoke, he took a small thermometer and hygrometer out of his pocket and stuck it to the kiln opening: "Leave this here to monitor the ambient temperature and humidity in real time, so as to prevent the clay blanks from getting damp before firing."

Ling Jiu'er ran over carrying a stack of pottery shards: "President Pei, Xingxing, these are comparison charts of Song Dynasty Qingning kiln porcelain shards that I compiled. Professor Li can take them anytime if he wants to see them."

She opened the file booklet, where the glaze composition, firing date, and even the pattern on the porcelain shards were marked next to the photos.

Professor Li leaned closer to look and couldn't help but nod: "The young lady is so observant. These markings are very helpful for us to reconstruct the pottery-making techniques of that time. Look at this porcelain shard from the late Southern Song Dynasty. The patterns are diagonal, which means that the craftsmen at that time kneaded the clay clockwise when making the shards, which is similar to Master Chen's current technique. This is what inheritance is all about."

At this moment, craftsman Chen came over carrying a bundle of pine branches. Hearing this, he smiled and chimed in: "Professor Li is right! The clay kneading technique passed down in our Chen family was learned from the kiln workers of the Song Dynasty."

"Look at these pine branches. I only picked those that grew on sunny slopes. They're oily, so the fire is more stable when firing, without fluctuating too much or too little. That way, the porcelain body won't crack easily."

He squatted down, pulled a pine branch from the pile, and pointed to the cross-section for Ling Jiu'er to see.

“Look at the texture of this cross-section, it’s fine and even. The firing temperature can be kept stable at around 1200°C, which is just right to bring out the ‘clear sky after rain and the breaking clouds’ of celadon.”

He also took out a small piece of dried pine branch from his cloth bag and handed it to Professor Li: "This is a Song Dynasty pine branch that was dug out from the soil layer of the kiln site last year. Look at the oily residue, it's almost the same as the pine branch I'm selecting now."

Professor Li took the specimen, examined it carefully against the sunlight, and nodded in praise: "This is what you call a lineage. No wonder the celadon from Qingning Kiln has such a good texture."

Gu Fanxing was helping Ling Jiu'er organize her documents when her phone suddenly vibrated.

She quickly answered the phone, and before she could speak, she heard Gu's mother's excited voice: "Xingxing! We sent you some things, including your favorite candied tangerine peel and a few pairs of thick socks—I saw in the weather forecast that it gets cool in the mornings and evenings in Qinglongpo, so don't let your feet get cold while you're guarding the kiln."

"Mom, you don't need to go through all that trouble. You can buy all these things here."

Gu Fanxing said with a smile, but her eyes were a little hot. "We will test fire next Tuesday. The villagers have all come to help build and guard the kiln shed. Master Chen has prepared all the pine branches. Everything is going very smoothly."

Mr. Gu's voice came from the other end of the phone: "I hope everything goes smoothly! When we return to China, we'll take the opportunity to visit Qinglongpo and see the newly fired celadon."

After hanging up the phone, Pei Luonan came over and handed her a cup of hot ginger tea: "I just heard you talking to your aunt on the phone. Did your aunt send you something again?"

Gu Fanxing took the ginger tea, feeling its warmth on her fingertips: "Yes, they sent thick socks and candied tangerine peel. My parents said they'll come to Qinglongpo when they return to China to see the new porcelain."

Pei Luonan smiled and reached out to tuck a stray hair behind her ear: "When your aunt and uncle come, I'll take them to see the kiln site living area and the Song Dynasty well we found. They'll definitely be interested."

At that moment, Xiao Fangfei made a video call.

On the screen, she was sitting at a desk in the hotel, with motorcycle racing information in front of her and an exquisite motorcycle model next to her.

"Xingxing, when I return to China, I'll go and see the new porcelain you've made."

As Xiao Fangfei spoke, she picked up the model to show her, "Look at this model, it even replicates the little sun sticker I put on the handlebars. Kong Haoyu said he specially asked the craftsman to add it, so that when I miss home, seeing it would be like seeing my own motorcycle."

Gu Fanxing leaned closer to the screen and said with a smile, "He's so thoughtful! We've all been waiting for you to come. Aunt Zhang even said she'd make you sesame cakes, and the village chief has prepared some newly brewed rice wine. We're just waiting for you to come back so we can guard the kiln together."

Xiao Fangfei nodded, her eyes full of anticipation.

"By the way, Kong Haoyu bought a gift for your work group—a set of handcrafted carving knives, saying they would be useful when making clay. He specifically asked the craftsmen at the motorcycle workshop, who said that these carving knives are sharp but won't damage the clay."

After hanging up the video call, Gu Fanxing told Ling Jiu'er that Xiao Fangfei was coming back. Ling Jiu'er was overjoyed: "Then the three of us can get together and go crazy again. Let Fei'er experience our archaeological work too; it's no less impressive than her riding motorcycles. By the way, is Kong Haoyu coming with her? Looks like our single princess is about to find a boyfriend!"

By evening, everyone had finished setting up the kiln shed.

Bamboo curtains were nailed to the roof, rustling in the wind. Wooden stools brought by the villagers were placed under the roof, and sweet potatoes steamed by Aunt Zhang and plums picked by the village chief were placed on the stone table.

Pei Luonan and Gu Fanxing checked the kiln door together to make sure that the clay blanks were placed securely.

Craftsman Chen sat under the shed, teaching Ling Jiu'er how to judge the temperature of the pine branches.

The village chief and Aunt Zhang chatted about the offerings to be prepared for the trial firing day—new corn, dried jujubes, and a bowl of freshly ground feldspar powder, all good things from Qinglongpo, symbolizing a smooth porcelain firing process.

Gu Fanxing sat on the wooden bench, looking at the lively scene before her, her heart filled with warmth.

She took out her phone, took a picture of the person guarding the kiln shed, and sent it to Xiao Fangfei.

"The tent is all set up, just waiting for you and Kong Haoyu to come. Sitting here at night, you can see the stars and smell the fragrance of pine branches. It's much more comfortable than the night view in the city."

Xiao Fangfei quickly replied: "I'll be there in a few days! After Kong Haoyu finishes his work, I should also finish my post-match work and return to China. Then we can meet up and reunite with you."

Gu Fanxing put down her phone and leaned on Pei Luonan's shoulder.

The smoke from the kiln roof slowly dissipated, and the sounds of villagers chatting and laughing drifted from afar.

She thought of her parents' concerns, Xiao Fangfei and Kong Haoyu's expectations, and the enthusiasm of Craftsman Chen, the village chief, and the villagers. Suddenly, she realized that the kiln fire in Qinglongpo was not only firing celadon, but also carrying everyone's heartfelt wishes and expectations.

She secretly hoped next Tuesday would come quickly, that the new porcelain would be successfully fired, and even more so, that Xiao Fangfei and Kong Haoyu would find their soulmates in Qinglongpo.

For their warmth and happiness.