After My Death, I Became a Heartless Madman - Chapter 54.2

Their studio specialized in high-end custom ceramics. The current project was a set of lightly glazed vases themed around the four seasons. The clay produced a lustrous pale pink after firing, harmonizing perfectly with the delicate red petals of the spring motif.

The studio had been tidied up cleanly, as if everything that happened last night was just a dream. Only the missing painting on the table reminded her that yesterday’s events were real.

After working for a while, she picked up her phone and sent a WeChat message to Miss Bai. Their last conversation had been months ago, when Bai Ruowei had bombarded her with video calls, asking why she left, when she would return, what she had done wrong, and that she could change anything.

The helpless sorrow back then was real, and so was the all-or-nothing determination now.

Bai Ruowei was right when it came to seeking her forgiveness, Song Shizhou was indeed giving it her all, determined to succeed.

The studio’s signal seemed weak. Song Shizhou refreshed the page, watching the loading circle spin for a while without any progress. She clicked into her Moments feed, which had recently been flooded with ads for her own studio. Ironically, the first post wasn’t even from her, the boss.

It was Little Sun who had shared it, a casual post praising the avant-garde craftsmanship of the newly opened porcelain studio, highlighting its handmade quality and affordability, along with plenty of photos and contact details. The Sun family held significant influence in the porcelain industry, and once Little Sun endorsed it, word spread quickly, gradually building momentum.

No wonder business had been steady lately.

Along with the refreshed messages came a new post in her Moments Bai Ruowei had shared a photo of a painting, its glass frame seemingly stained with stubborn watermarks.

The caption read just five words:

“I won you.”

Yet the person depicted in the painting was unmistakably Bai Ruowei herself.

Song Shizhou’s gaze lingered on it, unable to look away.

She was speaking in riddles to the world.

But only Song Shizhou understood what she meant.

Tangshui Alley had been bustling with activity since its recent opening. Perhaps due to some large-scale events nearby, the shops around the studio were adorned with red lanterns, radiating a festive atmosphere. Song Shizhou carried a stack of red envelopes, distributing them to the neighboring businesses.

Most of the nearby stores sold snacks traditional pastries shaped like mahjong tiles, intangible cultural heritage handcrafted sugar figurines, and even the sugar painting grandpa she had met before. The old man’s shop was right next to hers, though his daughter managed it now.

There were also traditional culture exhibition halls and Chinese-style escape room experiences businesses that had nothing to do with Song Shizhou’s porcelain studio. Without competition, the atmosphere remained harmonious.

When she returned to the studio, Song Shizhou was laden with small gifts from the shopkeepers.

Zhao was busy photographing and packaging a freshly fired batch of porcelain. Noticing Song Shizhou’s return, she greeted her,

“Boss, you’re back.”

Song Shizhou nodded and placed the gifts on the table. Curious, Zhao stepped closer to take a look.

“Boss, has your fever gotten better? It’s only been two days since it started, and you’re already back at work. You should take care of yourself.”

Zhao approached,

“Boss, why are you dressed so warmly today? Are you still not feeling well?”

Though Zhao’s concern was genuine, when her gaze slowly drifted to the high-neck sweater Shi Zhou was wearing, Song Shizhou subtly averted her eyes.

In Xiao Zhao’s line of sight, her boss’s face turned slightly red as he smiled a bit unnaturally, “I’m fine now.”

He placed a piece of candy on the counter. Xiao Zhao didn’t look closely and casually picked one up to put in her mouth.

She was a beta, with a somewhat carefree personality, so she didn’t delve into what had just happened but instead focused on the candy in front of her.

“This candy is quite sweet. Where is it from?”

“From the shop next door,” Song Shizhou replied. “They say it’s made from a family recipe that has been passed down for several generations, but it seems they don’t have many customers. The owner looks quite troubled.”

“That shouldn’t be.”

Xiao Zhao held the candy and murmured, “This candy is really tasty. How could it not sell well?”

Unlike ordinary candy, this one wasn’t very sweet when it melted in her mouth; it had a faint, refreshing aroma, reminiscent of traditional Chinese medicine.

Xiao Zhao held the candy up to her face. Perhaps due to the lighting, she noticed something vaguely wrapped inside the golden-yellow candy. Curious, she brought it closer for a better look, and inside was a large white worm.

“Ah!!!!!!!!!!!”

The girl’s shrill scream suddenly pierced the air, startling Song Shizhou.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?”

Xiao Zhao darted to the display case, knocking the porcelain inside all over the place.

“A worm! A huge worm! Boo hoo hoo!”

No wonder their business was poor; it turned out to be a specialty candy wrapped around worms.

Song Shizhou spread the candy out on the table. Inside, there were all sorts of worms cockroaches, rhinoceros beetles, mantises, grasshoppers, and some that she couldn’t even name. The one Xiao Zhao had picked was likely a large grain worm. This child was afraid of all soft-bodied insects, and just thinking about how she had put that thing in her mouth made her feel itchy all over.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, think positively. At least you didn’t pick a cockroach.”

Xiao Zhao was on the verge of tears.

“Boss, you must be a devil.”

She held up the candy.

“This shop is too cruel; they don’t even spare the little cockroaches.”

Song Shizhou couldn’t help but laugh at her.

The atmosphere in the room was great. After the two of them played around for a while, they continued with their work. Xiao Zhao confirmed today’s orders, and Song Shizhou looked at her packed schedule over the past few days, reluctantly deciding to add two more hours of overtime each day.

Xiao Zhao expressed her approval of her diligent work ethic.

“Boss, with your attitude, our studio will definitely grow strong!”

Song Shizhou high-fived her.

“Grow strong!”

After about two hours of fun, the sky had completely darkened. Outside, a few children were running around the street with lanterns. The ground of Sweet Water Alley was paved with stone slabs, and walking on it felt particularly special, as if they had traveled back in time. The children were dressed in Hanfu, making it seem like they had truly returned to ancient times.

Inside the studio, only one overhead light was on, casting a soft orange glow that filled the entire room, creating a warm and cozy feeling.

At this hour, there shouldn’t be any customers left. Song Shizhou glanced at her watch.

“There shouldn’t be any customers at this time. It seems a new Chinese restaurant has opened in the alley; how about we go have a meal?”

The boss was easygoing, kind, and generous with bonuses, even letting her leave early during slow periods. Little Zhao inwardly cheered, thinking what a dream job this was, and what an amazing boss she had.

Eagerly nodding, Little Zhao hurried to flip the “Open” sign to “Closed.” As she walked, she searched for that Chinese restaurant on her phone, already planning what dishes to order.

But as fate would have it, the happier one is, the more likely misfortune strikes. The moment she switched the sign, a customer appeared at the door.

Little Zhao froze, instinctively opening the door.

“Hello, ma’am. Are you here to commission custom ceramics?”

The woman was middle-aged, her well-maintained face free of wrinkles. She was dressed elegantly, but her eyes held a strange glint somewhere between disdain and resentment.

The look sent a chill down Little Zhao’s spine, making her take a few steps back.

She had a creeping suspicion this woman was unhinged.

To celebrate the studio’s opening, Chen Ting had gifted Song Shizhou an exquisite porcelain vase, a masterpiece by Master Zhao. Being old friends with the master, Chen Ting had generously handed it over, saying it would add some flair to the shop.

Song Lanyi’s gaze swept the room and immediately locked onto the vase.

The sharp click of high heels on the wooden floor made Little Zhao’s heart inexplicably tense. She instinctively trailed behind Song Lanyi, afraid she might do something to damage the vase.

“Ma’am, we’re actually closed for the day. If you’re interested in custom ceramics, you can add our store’s customer service first.”

Song Shizhou emerged from the breakroom, one sleeve of her black wool coat still hanging loose as she hurriedly tried to put it on.

Madam Song was fixated on the vase in the display case, but at the sound of footsteps, she turned.

And locked eyes with Song Shizhou.

“Did you make this?”

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