However, the small pottery figurine that Miss Jin wanted was something he really liked. Letting it go just like that was truly a bit hard for him.
Thinking about it, he could only thicken his skin and say, "Miss Jin, I really have to thank you this time. If I get any news about other rare finds in the future, I'll be sure to notify you first."
Jin Mutong smiled, "Thank you in advance."
After returning home, Jin Mutong took out the small pottery figurine. Looking at it, she said apologetically, "I'm sorry. Even though I found out where your brother is, I still couldn't reunite you two."
The small figurine's bright eyes gazed at Jin Mutong. Over the past few days, it had seen everything the young lady did, running around for its sake. It had also overheard from one of her phone calls about her financial difficulties. At this moment, all it felt for Jin Mutong was gratitude.
Seeing Jin Mutong's somewhat gloomy expression, the figurine tried to comfort her, "It's okay. We don't necessarily need to be together. My brother is being treasured by that person. Seeing how much they like him, I'm sure my brother won't be mistreated. Thank you, sister."
Jin Mutong was at a loss for words and could only pat the figurine's head. If only she had more money.
The figurine, too, tried to comfort her by rubbing against her palm.
Pulling herself together, Jin Mutong shifted her focus to the pieces of colorful porcelain bowls from the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty that she had brought back.
Previously, she had been restoring pottery, but now she needed to work on porcelain. While there were similarities between restoring pottery and porcelain, they were also very different, and she wasn't entirely confident.
To ensure everything went smoothly, she read the sections on porcelain restoration from the "Basic Guide to Antique Restoration" while chatting with Hua.
The book recorded that porcelain had become a household item among common folk during the Tang and Song dynasties. Back then, porcelain repair was already a profession, but the earliest porcelain repairs used a mix of wheat gluten and lime in water to bond broken pieces. However, the repairs were not strong, and the porcelain couldn't even hold water.
Later, the art of metal staples was developed. The broken porcelain would be marked, small holes would be drilled on either side, and staples would be inserted. Finally, lard and lime were applied. Staple craftsmen can even be seen in the famous painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival." The saying, "Don't take porcelain work without the right tools," refers to this craft.
The lacquer repair method, or kintsugi, originated in China but was later popularized in Japan. This method suited the aesthetics of many in Asia and became popular across Southeast Asia. It could also be used to repair jade, purple clay, and wood.
Jin Mutong read through the pages with great focus. Her comprehension was high, but after comparing various methods, she found none suitable. After a full day of thinking, she came up with the most appropriate solution.
Still, she didn't rush to act but first consulted with Hua.
Hua had been silent all along, but upon hearing her question, nodded in approval.
With Hua's endorsement, Jin Mutong wasted no time.
After piecing together all the porcelain fragments, she used a hot glue gun to temporarily fix them in place. This way, she could avoid deforming the bowl during individual assembly. Then, she applied adhesive and made minor adjustments to the fragments before they hardened, striving for perfection.
Throughout the entire process, Jin Mutong was fully focused. If the assembly failed, no matter how well the following steps went, it wouldn't matter.
Next came sanding, shaping, and painting.
Painting was undoubtedly the hardest part, but it was also where the best results could be achieved. After painting, she used a mattifying agent to give the piece an aged look.
She then polished it with a rubbing compound, used a towel for further polishing, and finally applied wax.
She handled every step meticulously, dedicating her full attention to the restoration. Even during the most tedious tasks, she never showed a hint of impatience.
Hua quietly watched her throughout the process. At some point, without Jin Mutong noticing, a faint human-shaped figure appeared over Hua. The figure, though hazy, exuded the demeanor of a gentleman.
His gentle gaze fell on Jin Mutong, his figure warm and graceful. After observing her nearly flawless restoration process, he nodded in approval and slowly disappeared.
This was Jin Mutong's first time restoring porcelain. After completing the work, she carefully recorded her restoration insights.
As she admired the result of her labor, a sense of accomplishment welled up within her.
This was probably the first time she'd be able to make money by restoring antiques. Jin Mutong's lips curved into a gentle smile.
At the appointed time, Jin Mutong carefully packed the restored porcelain bowl and once again headed to the southern part of the city.
The meeting place was still the same, at the antique shop "Zhen Zhen Xuan."
After receiving Jin Mutong's call, Zhu Yaqiang had arrived at "Zhen Zhen Xuan" early. The past few days had been truly agonizing for him.
Though the colorful porcelain bowl from the Tongzhi period was neither a pinnacle piece in terms of craftsmanship, glaze, nor painting, it could only fetch around a hundred or two hundred thousand at most. But antiques are strange that way — they become priceless when they hold a special place in your heart. After finally acquiring it, Zhu Yaqiang had played with it every day, afraid it might break. But when his wife threw it in a fit of rage, the pain he felt was almost unbearable, like he was about to cry.
Since then, he had been dejected, his mind always elsewhere, until he finally had to visit a temple to pray and recite scriptures to calm himself.
Who could have thought that things would take a turn for the better when a restorer appeared, possibly able to fix the porcelain bowl? He'd been restless ever since, tossing and turning at night, barely able to sleep.
But after handing the bowl over to Jin Mutong, he started having second thoughts.
At first, he was just happy to find a restorer, so in his excitement, he handed over the bowl without much thought. But now that he considered it, she was so young — how skilled could she really be?
And her asking price was obviously lower than the market rate. Wasn't that because her skills weren't up to par?
The more he thought about it, the more regretful he became. He was afraid that the bowl might end up worse than it was before the repair.
In the end, he had little hope left for the restoration, resigning himself to it merely being presentable again.
He idly chatted with Boss Zhen, but every minute or two, he checked the time, his heart burning with anxiety.
Finally, he saw Jin Mutong arrive.
"Miss Jin, quick, let me see how the repair turned out!" Zhu Yaqiang anxiously called out as soon as he saw Jin Mutong.
Boss Zhen quickly intervened, "Oh, young man, hold on a second! Miss Jin just got off the train. At least let her have a drink of water."
Jin Mutong smiled and shook her head, "No need, let's look at the piece first."
At this moment, the store clerks also paused their work, gathering around curiously. The girl didn't look very old, and the antique restorers they had seen before were usually much older. Could someone so young really be reliable?
The clerks had expressions of intrigue, and even Boss Zhen joined in with interest, wondering how Mr. Zhu would react when he saw his restored porcelain bowl.
"Hehe, Mr. Zhu, look at you being so nervous. Not to dampen your hopes, but that porcelain bowl of yours was shattered quite badly. Don't get your expectations too high..."
But Zhu Yaqiang seemed to hear nothing, carefully placing the box on the table and slowly opening the lid. He knew that no matter how excited he felt, he had to be cautious. Restored porcelain could easily break again.
The moment the lid was lifted, his heart nearly leaped out of his chest.
A perfectly intact colorful porcelain bowl lay quietly inside the box.
The clerks around him gasped in hushed amazement, while Boss Zhen looked utterly astonished, crouching down to get a closer look, his face nearly pressed up against the bowl.
"This... this defies logic. Where are the cracks?"
Zhu Yaqiang held the porcelain bowl in his hands, and as he felt its familiar weight, he exclaimed, "This is incredible! The bowl is so well repaired that I can't even tell from up close, and it feels exactly the same as before. Miss Jin, you're absolutely amazing!"
His shock was genuine. He hadn't expected much — as long as the bowl was restored to about 80% of its original state, he would've been more than satisfied.
But this... how could it possibly be perfectly restored?
At that moment, Zhu Yaqiang's view of Jin Mutong completely changed.
Before he could say anything, Boss Zhen, who had been standing by, couldn't help but interject, "Mr. Zhu, may I take a look at the bowl?"
Though reluctant to let go, Zhu Yaqiang knew that Boss Zhen had helped facilitate the deal between him and Miss Jin. So, he carefully placed the bowl down, allowing Boss Zhen to inspect it.
"Boss Zhen, be careful with it!" Zhu Yaqiang couldn't help but remind him.
Boss Zhen held the bowl and inspected it closely from all angles, nodding in approval. "Indeed, this is an excellent piece. Mr. Zhu, you've really lucked out. That bowl wasn't worth much once it was shattered, but with such a fine restoration, even if others know it's been repaired, it'll still fetch a good price. Quality pieces are hard to come by these days."
Zhu Yaqiang waved his hand, "I'm not selling it. I finally got it back, and I plan to treasure it."
He then walked over to Jin Mutong and, with sincerity, said, "Miss Jin, your craftsmanship is incredible! You've fulfilled a wish of mine and made up for my regret. I truly thank you!"
Jin Mutong smiled, "I'm glad you're satisfied."
Originally, Zhu Yaqiang had felt a little stingy about the restoration fee, but after seeing the finished product, he was overjoyed. He happily paid the amount, and after some hesitation, he transferred an additional 20,000 yuan — 10,000 more than they had agreed upon.
"Mr. Zhu, you're too kind," Jin Mutong said calmly, not refusing the extra payment.
"No, no, you deserve it. To be honest, a restorer of your level should charge much more. I got a bargain," Zhu Yaqiang chuckled.
Seeing his good mood, Jin Mutong brought up the matter of the small pottery figurine again, "Regarding that small pottery figurine, if you ever plan to sell it, please be sure to contact me. I genuinely want to buy it."
Zhu Yaqiang felt a bit embarrassed. She had done such a great job restoring his porcelain bowl, yet he still hadn't agreed to let go of the figurine.
But antique collectors are like that — once attached to an item, no matter what the other person says or does, they just can't bring themselves to part with it.
However, seeing how skilled Jin Mutong was and how she had repeatedly expressed her interest in the figurine, it seemed she truly liked it.
After thinking for a moment, he extended an invitation, "If Miss Jin really likes it, why don't you come to my home and take a look?"
Jin Mutong hesitated for a second but, seeing the sincerity in his eyes, agreed.
Though she knew that with Zhu Yaqiang's attitude, the chances of acquiring the figurine were slim, it wouldn't hurt to take a look. At the very least, she could confirm if it was genuine and report the good news back to the younger pottery figurine.