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

As the day of parting draws closer, the air in Qinglongpo is filled not only with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus blossoms but also with a touch of bittersweet reluctance.

Gu Fanxing, Pei Luonan, Kong Haoyu, and Ling Jiu'er had almost finished packing. Several suitcases were neatly arranged in the corner, containing simple clothes and collected pottery shards and handicrafts.

The panoramic photo of the archaeological site hanging on the wall was taken when they first arrived, and it has now become their most precious memento.

That morning, Gu Fanxing got up very early and came to the archaeological site with Ling Jiu'er.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated, enveloping this land that bore witness to their countless efforts.

They walked slowly along the fence, their fingertips lightly tracing the cold metal bars, as if bidding farewell to every shard of pottery and every inch of soil.

"Do you remember? When we first discovered the fragments of a Song Dynasty ewer here, we were so excited that we couldn't sleep all night."

She murmured softly, as if speaking to the land.

"And then there was the time when we cleaned up the artisans' living area and dug up a pottery bowl that the kiln workers had used. It still had fingerprints on it. At that moment, it felt like I traveled back a thousand years and saw their busy figures."

Ling Jiu'er held Gu Fanxing's hand and nodded repeatedly.

In the thin mist, a familiar figure slowly walked over; it was craftsman Chen.

He held in his hand a small kiln made of clay, engraved with the iconic kiln pattern of Qingning Kiln.

"You're up so early?" Craftsman Chen walked up to them and handed them the small kiln. "I made this last night and fired it halfway through. It's a semi-finished product. Take it with you. When you see it, it will remind you of the kiln fires of Qinglongpo."

Gu Fanxing took the small kiln, her fingertips touching the not-yet-completely-cooled clay, still warm from the kiln fire.

"Thank you, Master Chen," she said, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thank you for teaching us so much about porcelain making, letting us know that behind every piece of celadon lies the craftsman's dedication."

Craftsman Chen smiled and said, "I should thank you. If it weren't for you, Qingning Kiln would still be buried underground, and no one would know its story. You and Luonan are people who are destined for great things. Qinglongpo is just a stop on your journey, but Qingning Kiln will always remember you."

He looked at the archaeological site and said, “When you have time, come back and visit often. I can even fire a kiln for you and let you taste my newly brewed osmanthus wine.”

Gu Fanxing nodded vigorously and hugged Xiaoyao tightly in her arms: "We definitely will, we will definitely come back."

In the morning, Aunt Zhang brought several women from the village to the guesthouse, carrying large and small bags of things.

"Fanxing, Luonan, this is the osmanthus cake I made. It has walnut and raisin flavors that you both love. I packed two full boxes for you to eat on the way."

Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan quickly thanked them and accepted the gifts, feeling a warm glow in their hearts.

"Aunt Zhang, thank you so much for taking care of me during this time," Gu Fanxing said, holding Aunt Zhang's hand. "You must pass on the art of making osmanthus cakes so that more people can taste the flavor of Qinglongpo."

Aunt Zhang smiled and nodded: "Don't worry, I've already taught a few girls in the village, and they learn very quickly. If you want to eat it in the future, just call me and I'll send it to you."

In the afternoon, Pei Luonan went to the village chief's house to make the final handover.

The village chief took out a thick ledger and handed it to Pei Luonan.

“Luonan, this is the money the village has earned from study tours and cultural and creative industries recently. As you said, part of it will be distributed to the villagers, and part will be invested in the maintenance of the museum and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage. Every single account is kept clear. Take a look.”

Pei Luonan took the ledger, casually flipped through a few pages, and found the handwriting neat and the records detailed.

“Village chief, I’m relieved,” he said, handing the ledger back to the village chief. “I’ll have to put in a lot of effort to keep the museum running from now on. Zhou Ming is familiar with the collaboration between study tours and cultural and creative products, so they can handle any problems that may arise.”

The village chief nodded: "Don't worry, we will not let you down. Qingning Kiln is now a demonstration base for the whole province. We must protect it and let more people know about Qinglongpo and Qingning Kiln."

He paused, then took out a red envelope from the drawer: "This is a small token of the village's appreciation. It's not much, but it represents the villagers' goodwill. Please accept it."

Pei Luonan quickly declined, "Village chief, this won't do, we can't accept it. We're happy to do something for Qinglongpo."

The village chief stuffed the red envelope into his hand: "Take it, this isn't for you, it's for your future child. I wish you a healthy baby soon and a happy and fulfilling life."

Looking into the village chief's sincere eyes, Pei Luonan had no choice but to accept the red envelope, his heart filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, village chief, thank you, villagers."

In the evening, Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan visited the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum for one last tour.

Lin Xiao, Zhou Ming, and Su Ya were all there, along with several young people from the village.

"Teacher Gu, President Pei, these are the gifts we prepared for you."

Lin Xiao handed over an exquisite photo album, "It contains photos of us working and living together during this period of time. There are photos of the archaeological site, the study camp, and the opening of the kiln. Each one records our memories."

Suya handed over a cultural and creative gift box.

"This is a celadon couple pendant that I designed especially for you. It is engraved with your names and the kiln pattern of Qingning Kiln. It is one of a kind."

Zhou Ming also presented a gift: "Teacher Pei, this is the latest research and study data and cultural and creative product sales report of Qingning Kiln that we have compiled. Consider it a farewell gift for you, to let you know that your efforts have been rewarded."

Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan flipped through the photo album, and one photo after another came into view, as memories played back in their minds like a movie.

The tension and excitement of opening the kiln for the first time, the liveliness and busyness of the study camp opening, the unity and perseverance in dealing with online doubts, the joy and pride of winning awards at the expo... every moment is so precious.

"Thank you all," Gu Fanxing said, her voice choked with emotion.

"Thank you for always being with us and working together for Qingning Kiln. From now on, Qingning Kiln will be handed over to you. We hope you will stay true to your original aspirations and pass on this intangible cultural heritage."

Lin Xiao nodded, her eyes shining with determination.

"Teacher Gu, President Pei, rest assured, we will definitely protect Qingning Kiln and not let you down."

It was already dark when we left the museum.

Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan walked side by side on the osmanthus path, the light from the streetlights filtering through the leaves, creating dappled shadows. "Time flies," Gu Fanxing said softly, "It feels like we just arrived in Qinglongpo yesterday, and today we're leaving."

Pei Luonan gripped her hand tightly.

"Yes, but we have left so many memories here—sweat, tears, laughter, and emotion. These memories will become the most precious treasure in our lives."

He looked at the dragon kiln in the distance, where the fire was still flickering.

"The kiln fire of Qingning Kiln will not be extinguished, and our original aspiration will not change. In the future, although we will no longer be in Qinglongpo, we will continue to pay attention to this place and do our part for the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage."

Gu Fanxing leaned on his shoulder, a smile on her face.

"Yes, I believe that with the efforts of Lin Xiao, Zhou Ming and others, Qingning Kiln will get better and better, more people will know about the intangible cultural heritage, and the archaeological cause will also be carried forward."

Back at the guesthouse, Gu Fanxing carefully put the small kiln that Master Chen had given her, the osmanthus cake that Aunt Zhang had given her, and the gifts that the villagers had given her into her suitcase.

Pei Luonan was organizing archaeological data and backing up the final electronic report.

He walked to Gu Fanxing's side, lowered his head and kissed her forehead: "Go to sleep, we have to travel tomorrow."

Night deepened, and Qinglongpo fell into tranquility, with only the kiln fire still burning silently, as if bidding farewell to those about to embark on a long journey. Gu Fanxing and Pei Luonan knew that this departure was for a better return, and the kiln fire and osmanthus blossoms of Qinglongpo would forever remain in their hearts, becoming their warmest longing.