Restoring cultural relics: Starting with the crying Tang Dynasty figurines

Su Yuan had certainly thought about it, but he assumed it was just that he wasn't lucky enough.

"Didn't your mentor, Zhou Peiyuan, tell you that he also worked here seven or eight years ago?"

Su Yuan was somewhat shocked. Old Zhou?

Old Zhou, who spends his days drinking tea and reading newspapers in the teaching and research office, is more ruthless than anyone else when urging them to write papers.

"He only worked there for a year before leaving."

Director Zhang put on his glasses:

"When he left, he told me that this place was no place for humans, but before he left, he also said that if one day he had a student who could stay here, that person would definitely be you!"

Su Yuan was speechless, and Director Zhang waved his hand:

"Alright, go back now. You'll start work tomorrow, and your first task is to repair that terracotta warrior."

"Fixed? How?"

Su Yuan blurted out, but Director Zhang had already lowered his head to look at the documents:

"Isn't this what you studied?"

Su Yuan stood up, unsure of what to say. He turned and walked out. As he went downstairs, Su Yuan's legs were still a little weak. Old Wu was still in the lobby on the first floor.

Su Yuan walked over:

"Uncle Wu, the director said that my dormitory key is with you."

Old Wu glanced at him, then took a key from the drawer and placed it on the table:

"Room 202 in Building 3, walk forward 50 meters and turn right, that's the red brick building."

Su Yuan picked up the key but then stopped moving. Old Wu asked:

"Is there anything else?"

"Uncle Wu, how long have you been working here?"

Old Wu thought for a moment:

"It's been more than thirty years."

"Have you seen that female figurine?"

Old Wu stared at him for a few seconds and then smiled, revealing a gap-toothed smile:

"I've seen it."

"Can she really...move?"

This time, Old Wu didn't answer directly, but instead folded the newspaper and placed it on his lap:

"Young man, tell me, what does 'movement' mean?"

Su Yuan was stunned again. Old Wu stood up, dusted off his pants, and walked towards the door. When he reached the door, he turned back and told him:

"When you go to fix her tomorrow, remember to ask her first if she wants to be fixed..."

After saying that, he left. Su Yuan stood in the center of the hall, clutching the key in his hand, lost in thought. Only when a ray of afternoon sunlight shone in from the doorway did he realize what was happening.

Since entering this building, he hasn't been directly exposed to the sun!

When Su Yuan arrived at the dormitory, it was more dilapidated than he had imagined. Large sections of the building's exterior walls had peeled off. Room 202 was on the far east side of the second floor, and the door was made of green-painted wood that creaked when pushed.

There was a bed, a table, a chair, and a wardrobe in the room. The quilt on the hard bed board was folded like a tofu block, but it smelled like mothballs!

Su Yuan put down his bag, sat on the edge of the bed for five minutes, then took out his phone to call Lao Zhou.

I answered after a few rings. Old Zhou's voice was still the same, lazy and languid, like he was sipping tea.

"Hey, Xiao Su, all done reporting for duty?"

"Um, Teacher Zhou, I have a question for you."

"Speak!"

"Did you work at the National Center for the Restoration of Special Cultural Relics a few years ago?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"Who told you that?"

"Director Zhang..."

Old Zhou sighed:

"That old man's mouth is still so gossipy..."

Old Zhou lowered his voice a little:

"Yes, I did it seven or eight years ago, and I left after a year."

Why are you leaving?

Hearing Su Yuan ask this, Old Zhou paused for a moment:

"Because that place is no place for humans... Xiao Su, did you see something?"

Su Yuan didn't speak, and Old Zhou sighed and asked:

"Is it a female figurine?"

"Um…"

"Did she talk to you?"

"Um."

The sound of a teacup being put down came from the other end of the phone. Old Zhou's voice became serious; Su Yuan had never seen him like this before. Old Zhou coughed slightly.

"Little Su, listen to me, I saw that terracotta warrior before..."

"She never spoke to me, but I looked at the records of people who had contact with her and found that she only spoke to one type of person!"

"Who is it?"

"The one surnamed Su."

Su Yuan thought to himself, "It's someone with the surname Su again." Old Zhou continued:

"You've heard about that epitaph, haven't you?"

"The tomb owner, Su Awu, was a girl from Sujia Village outside Luoyang before entering the palace. She was sold into the palace because her family was poor."

"She probably lost all her family very early on. No one visited her during the twenty years she was in the palace, and no one claimed her body after she died. It was only through the fundraising efforts of palace maids from her hometown that she was able to be buried!"

"Then why did she...?"

Old Zhou interrupted Su Yuan before he could finish speaking:

"Why are you talking to someone surnamed Su? Because the surname Su represents her only thought in life, the only person she wants to see!"

Su Yuan opened his mouth, unsure of what to say, a logic popped into his mind:

"Could it be related to the Su family's bloodline?"

Then Old Zhou said again:

Do you know how old she was when she entered the palace?

"have no idea."

Nine years old.

Pigeons flew past the window again. Su Yuan gripped his phone, deeply moved. Old Zhou's voice returned to its lazy tone:

"Alright, it's up to you whether you stay or leave. If you want to leave, do it sooner rather than later. If you don't want to leave, then work hard. That old man may be a bit of a gossip, but he's not a bad person."

"Teacher Zhou..."

"Hang up."

The call was abruptly ended. Su Yuan sat there looking out the window. The sun was already setting, and his mind was in complete turmoil!

Thinking about what Lao Zhou had said, Su Yuan stood up, walked to the window, opened it, took a deep breath, and made up his mind.

After all, it's a job within the established staffing system, it would be a shame to just throw it away!

Besides, he studied artifact restoration; it was his specialty. More importantly, the way that female figurine looked at him was truly different…

Su Yuan picked up his toolbox and went out the door. When he arrived at the warehouse door, he saw Xiao Chen squatting down smoking. When he saw Su Yuan coming, he was stunned for a moment.

"Why are you here? What do you want? What time is it?"

Su Yuan glanced at his phone; it was 5:40.

"Something came in for repairs, it's not closing time yet..."

Xiao Chen stood up and looked him up and down:

"Director Zhang wants you to start today?"

"Hmm... I'll fix it today, tomorrow!"

Xiao Chen stared at him for a few seconds, stubbed out his cigarette, took out his keys to unlock the door, and told him:

"Okay, you can go in by yourself. I'll wait outside."

"Remember, call me if you need anything!"

Su Yuan hummed in agreement, pushed open the iron gate, went inside, and closed the door.

The fluorescent lights inside were all on, casting a dim glow on the artifacts on the shelves. The female figurines were still on the innermost shelf, the third shelf!

He walked over and stood in front of her. This time she didn't move or even blink. Su Yuan placed the toolbox on the worktable next to him.

He took out a magnifying glass and a flashlight, but instead of immediately using them, he squatted down in front of her, looked her in the eye, and thought about what Old Wu had said!

Su Yuan's voice trembled slightly:

"Um... I know you can hear me..."

Seeing no response, he picked up the repair brush, his heart pounding, and said:

"My name is Su Yuan, I am 24 years old, and I just graduated with a master's degree in cultural relic restoration."

"My hometown is in Shandong, not Luoyang... but my grandfather's generation migrated from Henan, though I don't know exactly where!"

There was still no response. With respect, he held the brush trembling and asked:

"Senior... I've come today to help you fix your cuffs, but you have to tell me..."

"Do you want it fixed?"