Restoring cultural relics: Starting with the crying Tang Dynasty figurines

When he opened his eyes again, he saw the fluorescent lights in the warehouse. It was already the next morning, and he was still standing in front of that row of shelves, his hand still on Awu's terracotta figurine shoulder.

His hands were trembling as he slowly released Ah Wu and took two steps back.

She was still on the third shelf, in the same position, but everything was different now…

Su Yuan stared at it for a long time before he finally saw the difference.

—It's the eyes!

Those eyes, which once held spirit and warmth, now only possessed the hollowness of black glaze, staring fixedly ahead, devoid of any liveliness…

He felt empty inside, wanting to call her name, but no sound came out.

Unwilling to give up, he waved his hand in front of her eyes, but there was still no reaction. The smile on her lips was still there, but it didn't feel the same as before!

"Awu..."

I couldn't help but let out a soft shout.

The only sound in the warehouse was the buzzing of the fluorescent lights. Su Yuan was still holding the bronze mirror in his hand. He looked at the mirror again and saw only his own face and the shelf behind him.

Those blurry figures and those sounds have all vanished!

Su Yuan stood there until Zhao Cheng pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing the mirror in his hand, Zhao Cheng asked in surprise:

"How did this thing end up with you?"

Su Yuan didn't move. Zhao Cheng walked up to him and stared at the bronze mirror:

"This is... something locked in the safe over there in the warehouse!"

He gave an awkward laugh and said:

"Something happened in the warehouse over there last night. They checked the security footage, and guess what they saw?"

Su Yuan didn't respond, but just stared straight at him.

"The safe opened by itself, and the bronze mirror flew out on its own!"

Zhao Cheng looked at the dazed Su Yuan and sighed:

"This isn't the first time this mirror has run away by itself. I heard that eighteen years ago, it did the same thing, ending up in your father's hands after leaving the warehouse!"

"Back then, your father saw something he shouldn't have seen in this mirror."

Su Yuan spoke, his voice slightly choked again: "Then, how did it get back?"

Zhao Cheng patted Su Yuan on the shoulder and thought for a few seconds:

"It was your dad who brought it back. The last thing he did before he went crazy was to lock it back in the safe."

He looked at Su Yuan with comforting eyes:

"Your dad only said one sentence at the time..."

"What?"

He said, "Wait for my son to come!"

After Zhao Cheng finished speaking, he made a phone call to someone, then turned to Su Yuan and said:

"The instructions said to keep this mirror for now..."

After Zhao Cheng finished speaking, he left. Su Yuan looked at A Wu, let out a long breath, rubbed his temples, put the bronze mirror into his pocket, and walked out of the storeroom.

Xiao Chen was standing outside the door smoking when he saw him come out. He almost dropped the cigarette, hurriedly put it back in his hand, and asked in surprise:

"You, when did you go in? It wasn't just Zhao Cheng..."

Su Yuan didn't answer. Xiao Chen tiptoed and glanced at the storeroom behind him:

"That terracotta warrior..."

"fine!"

Su Yuan rarely interrupted him, and Xiao Chen stared at him for a moment before finally not asking any more questions.

Su Yuan went downstairs to the lobby and saw Old Wu sitting on a bench drinking water and reading a newspaper. He walked over and sat down next to him.

Old Wu looked at the newspaper and asked:

"You saw him?"

"Um…"

"How is it?"

Su Yuan lowered his head: "She's gone..."

Old Wu paused in his flipping through the newspaper, and his usually sharp eyes softened considerably.

"Good riddance..."

Su Yuan remained silent. Old Wu took out a cigarette and handed it to him. He took it and lit it.

"Uncle Wu..."

"Um?"

"Was my dad like that back then?"

Old Wu took a drag of his cigarette:

"It's different. Your dad couldn't get over it after seeing it, but you were able to. You're better off than your dad!"

Su Yuan looked at the burnt-out cigarette butt in his hand:

"The person she was waiting for wasn't me, but my ancestor. She waited for over 1,300 years for the person who promised to come and take her away, but that person never came and died..."

He paused, his voice becoming much softer:

"But she also said that she had waited, and that was enough."

Old Wu looked at him and asked, "Then why are you crying?"

Su Yuan quickly touched it with his hand, but it was dry. Old Wu stood up and chuckled.

"Alright kid, go do what you're supposed to do. That terracotta figure is still on the shelf. Do what needs to be done, and dust it off."

After speaking, he left.

Su Yuan sat for a while. He was neither sleepy nor tired. He stood up, went back to his office to get his toolbox, and then headed back to the warehouse.

Xiao Chen was still outside the warehouse door when he saw him coming and silently made way for him!

Pushing open the warehouse door, Su Yuan went in, stood in front of A Wu, put down the box, took out a soft cloth, and wiped away the dust for her bit by bit.

From her hair bun on her forehead to her shoulders, sleeves, and skirt hem, her movements were slow and gentle.

After wiping it, I carefully checked it from head to toe with a magnifying glass. Everything was normal, and it was no different from an ordinary cultural relic!

After putting away his tools, Su Yuan quietly looked at her: "Awu..."

no respond.

"I'll come again tomorrow."

He picked up his toolbox, turned and left, but as he reached the door, he habitually paused and looked back.

On the third shelf, the sancai (three-color glazed pottery) female figurine seemed to be a little brighter under the fluorescent light than before!

He couldn't quite put his finger on what was different. After staring at Su Yuan for a few seconds, he walked out of the warehouse. Xiao Chen didn't ask any more questions, just watched Su Yuan's back as he moved down the corridor.

Su Yuan thought about what A-Wu had said:

"Go back and tell them."

Who are they? He took out a bronze mirror from his pocket, looked at it with the mirror facing upwards, and in addition to reflecting the lamplight, there was another kind of light in the mirror, a hazy and soft halo!

He leaned closer to take a closer look and saw several blurry figures huddled together in the mirror. He couldn't make out their faces, but he could see their mouths moving, as if they were talking.

Immediately afterwards, some whispers reached Su Yuan's ears:

"Gone?"

"Let's go!"

"Where did you go?"

"have no idea."

"Will she come back?"

"He probably won't come back..."

After a brief silence, another voice rang out:

"The new one..."

"Someone surnamed Su?"

"Um."

"The craftsmanship is quite good."

She said he just talks too much.

"More than the last one?"

"Who was the last one?"

"I don't know, it's been so many years."

"Whoever it is!" the first voice said, "Awu said his cooking skills are really good."

"Um."

"So, if I need anything in the future, I should contact him?"

A moment later, several voices responded in unison:

"Find him!"

Su Yuan stood at the top of the stairs, his heart pounding and his palms sweating. He wanted to laugh, but he also wanted to cry.

He took a deep breath and flipped the mirror over. The sounds disappeared, and he was suddenly jolted!

Those voices said to contact him if I need anything in the future. Who should I contact? Him? What are you going to fix? The things hidden in the interlayer?

The corridor light flickered, and Xiao Chen, standing behind Su Yuan, dropped the cigarette from his mouth.

Su Yuan turned the bronze mirror over again and found that there was a figure standing behind him in the mirror. He turned around suddenly, but there was no one behind him!

Except for Xiao Chen, who was looking at him.

Su Yuan's mind was buzzing. He quickly stuffed the mirror back into his pocket and went downstairs. A voice followed him from behind:

"He's gone?"