Old Harden, can you handle having your vision-shifting abilities on all the time?

Ancient Chinese bronzes, especially ritual vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, are extremely valuable in the antique market.

A well-preserved Shang Dynasty bronze ding (a type of ancient Chinese cooking vessel) can easily fetch hundreds of millions of dollars.

The difficulty of restoring bronze artifacts is no less than that of restoring porcelain artifacts.

The types of damage to bronze artifacts are diverse, including rust, cracks, deformation, defects, and corrosion of inscriptions, each requiring different repair techniques and materials.

Moreover, the restoration of bronze artifacts involves knowledge from multiple disciplines such as metallurgy, materials science, and chemistry, requiring extremely high comprehensive skills from the restorers.

Xu Xing looked through the papers and technical materials on bronze restoration on the computer screen, his brows gradually furrowing.

Although he possessed the incredible cheat code of X-ray vision, which allowed him to directly observe the internal structure and distribution of damage in bronze artifacts, he was still a novice when it came to specific restoration techniques.

He can see with X-ray vision, but he can't do it.

Just like someone can see the bullseye 100 meters away, it doesn't mean they can hit it.

Xu Xing turned off the computer and rubbed his temples.

For the next week, Xu Xing spent almost every day at home, immersing himself in research on bronze artifact restoration.

He bought several professional books, from "Chinese Bronze Ware Restoration Technology" to "Scientific Analysis and Protection of Ancient Bronze Ware," and studied them one by one.

He also found some open course videos from universities online and systematically learned the basics of metallurgy and materials science.

Although these theoretical concepts were dry and boring, Xu Xing's memory and comprehension abilities underwent a qualitative leap after being reinforced by the warmth of antique collecting multiple times.

He could memorize those obscure technical terms and principles after reading them only once, and he could quickly grasp their essence.

After a week, he had gained a systematic understanding of bronze restoration. Although he was not yet an expert, he was no longer a novice.

That morning, Xu Xing was in his study reading a book on the analysis of bronze artifact defects when his phone suddenly rang.

The caller ID showed Wang Benquan.

"Hello, Mr. Wang."

Xu Xing answered the phone.

"XCMG, did I disturb your rest?"

Wang Benquan's voice carried a hint of politeness.

"No, Mr. Wang, what is it you need?"

"Here's the thing, the company just took on an S-level project, which is a piece of famille rose and doucai porcelain from the Qianlong period. It's quite damaged and we need you to oversee its restoration."

Wang Benquan's tone was somewhat solemn, "The person who commissioned this item is a major collector from Hong Kong Island, and the restoration fee he quoted is very high. The company hopes that you can take over the project."

Upon hearing this, Xu Xing raised an eyebrow slightly.

"No problem, Mr. Wang, I'll start coming tomorrow."

Xu Xing readily agreed.

"Okay! I'll have Li Jianjun prepare the equipment and materials. You can go straight to the studio when you arrive."

After hanging up the phone, Xu Xing first called Zhu Yong and Liu Jian to inform them that a project was starting the next day and that they should go directly to the repair center to meet up.

Then he called Zhang Ming and asked him to come over and help out.

The next morning, Xu Xing drove to the Chengxinzhai Restoration Center.

When he swiped his card to enter the studio, Zhu Yong and Liu Jian were already there, and the two were organizing tools and equipment.

Zhang Ming arrived on time on his electric scooter, wearing a brand-new white shirt and with his hair neatly combed, looking much more energetic.

"Brother, what's the project today?"

Zhang Ming leaned closer and asked curiously.

"It remains an S-level porcelain project."

Xu Xing answered casually, then walked to the worktable and began to review the project materials that Li Jianjun had sent in advance.

The information is very detailed, including the porcelain's dimensions, age, damage, and estimated value, and also includes several high-resolution photos and X-ray images.

After carefully reading through the document, Xu Xing felt confident.

This kind of object was completely easy for him and his team.

Just do it step by step.

It took Xu Xing and his team five days to complete the restoration of the porcelain piece.

It remained remarkably stable, earning an excellent internal rating.

The studio's performance bonuses exceeded 25 million.

After finishing this period of work, Xu Xing went back to rest.

After resting for two days, Xu Xing began to miss the manager who had found a bargain in the jade gambling industry in Pingzhou some time ago.

These days, finding a bargain in the antique market isn't so easy. Even with X-ray vision, you can't always find a hidden gem.

For example, if he hadn't happened to come across that bronze incense burner during his trip to Huacheng, he might have made a wasted trip.

But gambling on jade is different.

Although gambling on jade is very risky, with the help of X-ray vision, he can basically be right every time.

During his trip to Pingzhou Jade Street, he spent less than eight million yuan to cut out jadeite raw materials worth over one hundred million yuan.

This way of making money is much more stable than picking up bargains.

Xu Xing thought about it more and more and felt that there was great potential in the path of gambling on stones.

He opened his phone's map app and searched for the major jadeite rough stone markets in China.

Tengchong in Yunnan Province is one of the largest distribution centers for raw jadeite in China. It is adjacent to Myanmar, has abundant supply, and the prices are much cheaper than in other parts of China.

Moreover, Tengchong itself is a famous historical and cultural city with many antique markets and antique shops, so you might be able to find a bargain along the way.

Xu Xing made up his mind to rest for two days before heading to Tengchong.

However, just as he was about to book his flight, his phone rang.

The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number, but the location was Chang'an.

Xu Xing hesitated for a moment, but still pressed the answer button.

"Hello."

"Mr. Xu, it's me, Liu Qing."

A soft, gentle female voice came from the other end of the phone, with a touch of the melodious charm of the Jiangnan water towns, "Long time no see, do you still remember me?"

Upon hearing Liu Qing's voice, the image of that gentle and intellectual woman immediately came to mind.

"Teacher Liu, it's been a long time."

Xu Xing replied with a smile, "Why did you suddenly decide to call me?"

"What, can't I call you if there's nothing wrong?"

Liu Qing's voice held a hint of reproach, then she laughed, "Just kidding. Actually, I've been wanting to invite you to dinner. Are these next few days convenient for you?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Xing hesitated for a moment.

He had originally planned to go to Tengchong tomorrow, and he had already booked the plane tickets.

"Teacher Liu, I'm so sorry, I have to go on a long trip these few days, so I'm afraid I won't have time to eat."

Xu Xing replied truthfully, "Let's talk about it when I get back."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone before Liu Qing's voice came through again, tinged with curiosity: "Going on a long trip? Where to?"

"Tengchong, in Yunnan Province."

Xu Xing replied casually, "I have some personal matters to attend to."

"Tengchong?"

Liu Qing's tone revealed a hint of surprise, "What a coincidence, I've also been planning a trip to Yunnan Province recently."

I want to visit Dali, Lijiang, and Tengchong, but I just can't find the right travel companion.

She paused, her voice carrying a hint of probing: "I wonder if I would have the honor of accompanying Mr. Xu?"