The little clay figurine was at a loss for words; he could tell that the person speaking wasn't joking.
B-b-but! Wasn't he supposed to be the kind of legendary antique that could make someone rich overnight, one that everyone adored?
Why did she talk about breaking him so casually? Boohoo.
Jin Mutong could see the little clay figurine's expression, and she chuckled, trying to comfort him: "Alright, alright, don't be so pessimistic. Think of it this way: you were already damaged. Even if I'm not very skilled, at worst I'll just break your leg again. Compared to losing your life, that's not so bad. Be good."
Waaah. He didn't feel comforted at all. Hugging his little feet pitifully, he thought to himself, "This isn't comforting at all."
But his life was in her hands, so he had no choice but to submit and lie down.
Jin Mutong didn't immediately start the restoration. Instead, she began a thorough inspection of the little clay figurine. Compared to the one she had just broken and repaired earlier, this figurine's condition was much better. It didn't need reassembling or gluing. However, due to improper care, the figurine was quite dirty, so she patiently began cleaning it.
This step was crucial for preserving antiques. Although it's not necessary to restore them to look brand new, if dirt and grime cling to the surface, it can harm the preservation of the piece.
As soon as she touched the little clay figurine to start working, the figurine trembled in fear, looking at her pitifully. "Can't we negotiate this?"
"No." Jin Mutong replied firmly.
The little clay figurine still thought it could be saved. "How about you practice on some other figurines first? That old man had plenty of them."
As he said this, his expression turned sly. "That old man is really shady. Everything he sells is fake except for me! You could buy all his figurines and smash them to practice. How about it?"
Jin Mutong ignored him and continued cleaning.
"Ahhh! If you think the old man's figurines are too low-quality, you can practice on my brothers first! Ah, what did you put on me?! I'm going to die, I'm going to die!"
After spending a few days with the figurine, Jin Mutong had already developed a great deal of patience. No matter how much the figurine rambled, she remained unfazed, carefully following the cleaning steps she had learned.
As she cleaned, the dirt and grime were gently removed, revealing the figurine's original appearance.
Next, she had to restore the details of the figurine's clothing, which had worn away over time.
Han dynasty clay figurines often suffered from facial erosion and the loss of clothing details due to their age. The little clay figurine was lucky; its facial details were still intact and quite expressive. It seemed to be one of the better-preserved pieces of its time. Unfortunately, the clothing details had mostly worn away, with some parts even missing, and this would require restoration and repainting.
Jin Mutong hesitated. She studied the figurine for a long time but didn't make a move.
Normally, restorers can infer the clothing details from other similar figurines. Clothing styles from the same period were usually quite similar. However, this method carried risks. If she hastily restored it incorrectly, it would alter the cultural information the antique carried.
But researching historical details is a vast and challenging task, and she couldn't do it alone in such a short time.
At this moment, she had no idea how to proceed. Instinctively, she glanced at the painting, wondering if it had any solutions.
The painting instantly understood her meaning and chuckled lightly. "This isn't a difficult problem for you."
"Hm?"
"Why don't you just ask it?"
Jin Mutong's eyes lit up. How had she forgotten? She could communicate with the little clay figurine! Who else could know better about its appearance than the figurine itself?
She immediately turned to the little figurine and asked, "Hey, don't sleep yet. Tell me what your clothes looked like before."
The little clay figurine snorted, "Now you're asking for my help, huh? Why should I tell you?"
Jin Mutong pretended to sigh regretfully, "Then I'll just fix it however I want. If it looks wrong, don't blame me."
The little clay figurine: "…"
"Fine, fine, I'll tell you. Back then, I was wearing..." The little clay figurine tried to describe it but found himself at a loss for words. Suddenly embarrassed and angry, he grumbled, "You wouldn't understand even if I explained it. Just reach out and hold me."
Jin Mutong followed his instructions and held the little figurine.
An astonishing scene unfolded in her mind. Out of nowhere, two figures appeared.
Jin Mutong paused for a moment, focusing her attention on the two figures in her mind.
The two men looked like brothers, both with honest and joyful smiles on their faces. What surprised Jin Mutong even more was that the younger one bore a striking resemblance to the little clay figurine she had just restored.
Could this be the craftsman who made the figurine?
Before Jin Mutong could think further, the scene in her mind began to move.
The two brothers were named Fan An (the elder) and Fan Lin (the younger), and they looked very much alike. When Fan Lin was a child, he fell ill, and the once lively and adorable boy became somewhat slow and never spoke again. He also never called Fan An "brother" after that. But even so, Fan An continued to love and protect his brother, even more determined not to let Fan Lin suffer any mistreatment.
The brothers were orphaned early, and it was Fan An who raised Fan Lin. Like a father figure, he always sheltered his brother, and Fan Lin was never bullied. To support his brother, Fan An became a pottery craftsman, learning the trade from an old master. He sculpted the brothers' childhood likenesses into small clay figures and fired them into the clay figurines. Because he missed how his brother looked before he fell ill, he crafted Fan Lin's figurine in a lively pose, hoping that his brother would be clever, talkative, and happy again, with bright eyes that would gaze at him, calling him "brother" once more.
When the figurines were fired, the master praised Fan An's talent, saying he could now be a potter. Fan An brought the two clay figurines home, intending to surprise his brother, but he found that Fan Lin had been drafted for labor.
Fan An knew that with his brother's health, he couldn't handle heavy work, especially since the labor involved rebuilding the Changle Palace, a task that required climbing to dangerous heights. For Fan Lin, this was extremely hazardous. Fan An bribed the guards and overseers to secretly replace Fan Lin and sent his brother home. During their last meeting, he gave the two clay figurines to Fan Lin.
As Fan Lin looked at the small clay figures in his hands, the brother who hadn't spoken for years finally opened his mouth.
At first, only a few sounds escaped, but slowly he managed to form a complete sentence: "The two... of us... brothers... will each... keep one... figurine. Brother, I'll wait for you to come back."
Unfortunately, Fan Lin never saw his brother again. He only received the tragic news that Fan An had died after accidentally falling while working on the Changle Palace. The only things returned to him were Fan An's ashes and a small clay figurine with a broken arm.
The vision ended there. Jin Mutong was stunned, unable to recover from the emotional impact of the story.
She looked at the little clay figurine before her and, through its worn and broken body, seemed to see the two brothers from centuries ago.
She had always found the little figurine talkative and annoying, but now, knowing its story, she felt an inexplicable desire to hear it speak more.
To her, it had been just an antique. But it carried the bond of brotherhood between two people.
Jin Mutong gently caressed the little clay figurine, her eyes filled with a hint of sorrow.
The figurine shuddered slightly and looked at her with disdain. "Ugh, what's with that look? So cheesy."
"Sorry," Jin Mutong apologized, feeling sorry for calling him talkative earlier.
The little figurine understood that Jin Mutong must have seen his story. His gaze lowered slightly, and he mumbled, "What's there to apologize for? You've already seen what I look like. Go ahead and restore me if you want."
With that, he closed his eyes and lay down.
Jin Mutong took a deep breath and turned her attention back to the little clay figurine in front of her.
The image of the figurine in her mind began to merge with the one before her. Slowly, the marks of time were repaired, and a greenish-blue color began to reappear on its surface.
Its hair was tied up, it wore a Han dynasty cross-collared robe, with a sash around its waist, and even a pair of boots on its feet.
She steadied herself, picked up her tools, and began the restoration process with care. Each time she restored a part, she compared it with the figurine's original appearance in her mind.
The story of the figurine replayed in her thoughts, filling her with a complex mix of emotions that made her heart ache.
She didn't want the figurine to be lost or forgotten. She wanted to help it return to the way it was meant to be.
Of course, Jin Mutong knew that no antique could truly cross the barrier of time and be restored to its original condition. But doing her best to restore its authentic appearance was still necessary.
Before she realized it, Jin Mutong had worked through the entire night. It wasn't until dawn the next day that the restoration of the little figurine was finally complete.
"Finished!" Jin Mutong stretched, feeling a bit of relief. The work had been anything but easy. Now that it was done, her body ached, but looking at the figurine, which now closely resembled the one in her memory, she smiled slightly.
At that moment, the little figurine slowly woke up.