Transmigrated Into the Stand-In of the Tragic Novel’s Heroine - Chapter 27

Facing Xie Qingtang’s playful eyes, Chang Yishao was momentarily speechless, unsure how to refute her.

She knew about the old relationship between Qi Yu and Zhou Yunmeng. She had originally thought Zhou Yunmeng had feelings for Qi Yu but never waited for her to confess. After many years of not seeing them, Zhou Yunmeng ended up with He Yanjin instead. And yet, here she was again, appearing near Qi Yu, cautiously, wanting to get closer, but not daring to.

Seeing a hint of awkwardness on Chang Yishao’s face, Xie Qingtang restrained her mocking expression. Interpersonal relationships in this world were not complicated, yet not entirely simple either. The people who had appeared so far all seemed to have some connection with He Yanjin. However, based on the usual pattern in previous worlds, the heroine of such a melodramatic story should also be surrounded by some unswervingly devoted supporting characters, right? She wondered when they would appear.

After thinking for a while, she couldn’t come up with anything. Xie Qingtang found herself a bit amusing. Was she truly addicted to being a mere tool? She was supposed to be enjoying retirement, yet she still felt the need to consider so much? Her eyes darted around, and with a raised eyebrow, she met Chang Yishao’s gentle gaze. After a moment of pause, she cleared her throat and asked, “Teacher Chang, do you need me for something?”

Chang Yishao did not reply. In fact, the students’ practical activities didn’t really require Xie Qingtang’s guidance. Her absence had simply made her suddenly feel a sense of loneliness, so she came out to look for her. After a long pause, she finally said, “Why did you choose the dipping glaze method?”

The question surprised Xie Qingtang. Chang Yishao had been here quite a few times, and given her solid knowledge when lecturing the students, how could she not know why? This excuse felt a bit lame. Could it be that she had come here on the way to find He Yanjin? Xie Qingtang speculated for a moment, then, looking at Chang Yishao with a knowing smile, replied, “If Teacher Chang prefers, you can also use immersion glazing.”

Chang Yishao simply “Mhm-ed,” her expression unchanged. Her thoughts shifted, and the topic changed accordingly. “How is your own creative work going?” Xie Qingtang had mentioned a few times that she was here to seek “inspiration.”

Xie Qingtang slapped her head and let out an “Oh!” Chang Yishao’s reminder made her remember something! She had left something pressed down in the pavilion and hadn’t retrieved it yet.

Chang Yishao’s eyes remained fixed on Xie Qingtang, taking in her every movement and expression. “What is it?” Chang Yishao’s eyelids fluttered, hiding the emotion in her eyes, and she displayed her usual tenderness.

“I forgot to bring something back,” Xie Qingtang sighed. She glanced at Chang Yishao and quickly said, “Wait for me here.” With that, she turned and ran back. However, when she reached the arched gate, she suddenly stopped and looked back. Chang Yishao was still there, her shadow cast on the ground, overlapping with the shadows of the nearby trees. She looked like a tree herself, standing there, waiting for something unknown.

What was Chang Yishao waiting for her to do? A thought flashed through her mind like lightning. But Xie Qingtang was preoccupied with the item in the pavilion and didn’t linger for too long. Taking a step, she ran all the way. Chang Yishao shouldn’t wait; she couldn’t keep people waiting. Qi Yu was still in front of his easel, completely engrossed in the vividly colored painting. People came and went here, their steps hurried, but their individual paths never overlapped.

The tea set in the pavilion had already been collected. As for the sheet of paper with the musical score, it was nowhere to be found. Xie Qingtang looked around and estimated that it might have ended up in a trash can somewhere, so she gave up searching. Since she had it memorized, there was no need to fret over its loss.

The weather in early May was already carrying the heat of summer and no longer had the fluctuating nature of spring. Xie Qingtang had been jogging, and fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead. She looked up and saw Chang Yishao still standing in the same spot, maintaining the posture she had when Xie Qingtang left. This brief period seemed to have been cut short by an invisible hand, as if she had never left at all.

“Wipe the sweat.” Chang Yishao took a tissue out of her pocket. Seeing Xie Qingtang momentarily stunned, she took a step forward, raised her hand, and carefully wiped the sweat from Xie Qingtang’s forehead. The soft tissue brushed her forehead, and Xie Qingtang could almost feel the warmth of Chang Yishao’s fingers. Her emotions felt as if they were being pulled by a string, and her body involuntarily trembled. Before her surging thoughts could settle, she instinctively reached out and grabbed Chang Yishao’s wrist. The touch was instantaneous and brief, and a soft sensation seemed to linger on her fingertips. She cleared her throat and said, “Thank you, I’ll do it myself.”

Chang Yishao looked at her calmly, “Mhm-ed,” and withdrew her hand.

The tissue was crumpled into a ball in her hand. Xie Qingtang felt stuffy and hot, and the flowing sweat seemed endless. She looked up at Chang Yishao, suddenly realizing that she was standing too close to her. She took a step back, finally finding a sense of ease and coolness. Her vigorously beating heart, following the exercise, finally began to recover, no longer drumming intensely. Xie Qingtang sighed, letting out a long breath. She said, “Let’s go back.”

“Did you find it?” Chang Yishao’s voice sounded at the same time.

Xie Qingtang shook her head, her tongue unconsciously rubbing her left cheek. Her gaze casually swept around, and she replied, “I didn’t find it.” After a pause, she added, “It wasn’t anything important.” It was all stored in her mind anyway.

Hearing Xie Qingtang say this, Chang Yishao felt relieved. Many people came and went here, and recently there had also been filming, so if something important was lost, it might be difficult to find.

In front of the kiln, a group of students were peeking and discussing animatedly, like a flock of noisy sparrows. Xie Qingtang saw rows of small bowls. Although the footings weren’t perfectly flat and the glaze varied in thickness, the students couldn’t hide their excitement; after all, these were the “finished products” they had made with their own hands.

“Teacher Chang, will the leaf burn away when fired? Do we need to stick it to the bowl with something?”

“No need. The great truth is simple, honoring nature. The beauty of the wood-leaf bowl lies in the natural spirit of the leaf, a wisdom gained by our ancestors from observing nature.” Seeing Chang Yishao smile without speaking, Xie Qingtang took the initiative to answer.

“How long does it take to fire?” The student who asked looked eager, wishing he could take his small bowl back immediately to show off to friends and family.

“Nine to ten hours,” Chang Yishao replied.

“Is it fired with firewood?”

“Alright, students, first put your unfired pieces into the saggars, then slowly place them into the kiln.” Xie Qingtang clapped her hands. “Loading the kiln means the practical activity is nearing its end. How do you all feel?”

As soon as Xie Qingtang asked the question, the students became even more boisterous and lively.

“Some people felt bored before and wanted to go traveling. When I get back and show her this, let’s see if she regrets it!”

“It’s much better than going out to see crowds of people. I regret that last year’s practical activity didn’t have this to reference.”

“Teacher Xie, will I be able to see you after the practical is over? Should we exchange WeChat?” A young boy asked, blushing, followed by a burst of teasing laughter. Many took out their phones, just waiting for a word from Xie Qingtang. The enthusiastic young boys and girls were a bit overwhelming for Xie Qingtang. She turned to Chang Yishao, casting a pleading look for help.

Chang Yishao crossed her arms, took a step forward, gently took the boy’s phone, and smiled, “No. If fate wills it, you will meet naturally. If there is no fate—then do not force it.”

“Oh, well—” The students looked slightly disappointed. “Then can I come here to be an apprentice and work during the winter and summer holidays? Will I be able to see Teacher Xie then?”

“Do you all like Teacher Xie that much?” Chang Yishao raised an eyebrow, a bright smile on her face.

“Of course, we like Teacher Chang too,” several students in the front responded in unison.

“But we can see Teacher Chang every day at school.”

Chang Yishao raised an eyebrow again, a beaming smile on her face. She turned to Xie Qingtang, seemingly saying, “I didn’t expect you to be so popular.”

Controlling the kiln temperature is not easy; even Xie Qingtang, who had worked as an apprentice in a flat kiln for a while, found it hard to master. The students certainly didn’t need to stand guard during the long firing process. The next day, the bus carried the group of young boys and girls back to the flat kiln. They poured out of the bus and rushed towards their destination, clearly eager to check the results of their two days of hard work.

Xie Qingtang had driven over early. She leaned against the big red wooden gate, smiling as she watched the running students. Only when Chang Yishao was the last to step off the bus did she straighten up and take a step forward, as if to greet her. “It’s the last day,” Xie Qingtang said with a touch of emotion.

“One kiln lives, one kiln dies. We don’t know the result until the kiln is opened,” Chang Yishao sighed. When she first followed Old Master Qi to learn here, she had failed countless times. She had also conveyed this worry to the students, but looking at this group of cheerful students, they probably hadn’t taken it to heart.

“Whether it’s good or bad, it’s all up to nature,” Xie Qingtang replied. Many things during the entire firing process are difficult to control. However, if something made with one’s own hands fails, it might be hard to suppress the feeling of disappointment. She looked up and met Chang Yishao’s somewhat profound gaze, and patted her shoulder as a form of comfort. She could vaguely sense Chang Yishao’s pursuit of the word “nature” and the contradictory resistance that came with it. She seemed to be suppressing something, and upon closer examination, there always seemed to be a lack of vitality.

Countless pairs of eyes were fixed on the master who was opening the kiln, watching him remove the kiln bricks one by one. Coupled with the comment, “The temperature might not be high enough,” the students even slowed their breathing. When the saggars were taken out, they looked hesitant, wanting to rush forward but not daring to.

“I’ll go take a look,” Xie Qingtang said with a smile. The students heard her voice, looked back, and consciously split into two sides, clearing a small path for Xie Qingtang to walk through. Chang Yishao followed closely behind her.

The students were not as experienced as the masters. They had placed the unfired pieces into the saggars themselves, and some were not sealed well enough, causing some ash to fall into the bowls, making them less than perfect. However, overall, they were clean and transparent, the leaf veins at the bottom of the bowls were distinct, and they blended perfectly with the black glaze. Of course, a few “defective products” were mixed in with the batch. The leaf mark was still there, but the veins were gone, and some leaves were curled up, leaving only a corner.

“Come and see for yourselves,” Chang Yishao said.

The uneasy students then slowly started to move their feet. Only when their hands touched the finished small bowls did they become excited again.

Xie Qingtang stood to the side with her arms crossed, watching. The students’ joy and the heavy disappointment of the kiln workers were two completely different emotions, like the two ends of life and death. Her previously blocked thoughts were suddenly cleared, and the incomplete musical score was made whole in that moment.

“What are you thinking about?” Chang Yishao’s voice was soft and airy. Her gaze was not on the students; it was scattered and without a focal point.

“I’m thinking about life and death.” Xie Qingtang stretched, her hand naturally resting on Chang Yishao’s shoulder. She blinked and said, “In Teacher Chang’s eyes, this kind of work is probably ‘dead.’”

Chang Yishao softly “Mhm-ed.” She had learned kiln firing from Old Master Qi, but even now, she hadn’t kept a single small bowl for herself. Those imperfect works, in her view, were “dead objects” and unnecessary to keep.

“Chang Yishao, you truly have no heart,” Xie Qingtang couldn’t help but sigh upon hearing her response. Her gaze dropped, resting on Chang Yishao’s hair, which was being ruffled by the wind. She followed the movement of her hand on Chang Yishao’s shoulder, lightly tucking the hair behind Chang Yishao’s ear before withdrawing her hand. She continued, “A life like that is too boring.”

Support