Abstinence Pei, don't be too sweet when chasing your wife

Chapter 545 Transoceanic Call

Ling Jiu'er hadn't even looked away from the moon when the morning dew had already dampened the tips of the grass on Qinglong Slope.

She sat at the workbench with great anticipation. The 3D model of the kiln site on the screen had been mostly adjusted according to the parameters taught by Du Fei. The curvature of the kiln bed finally matched the previously surveyed mountain terrain. Only the details of the foundation of the kiln workers' houses still needed to be improved.

As she was studying the outline of the stone on the screen, she saw Gu Fanxing walk over with a stack of pottery shards, her fingertips still covered in wet label glue.

“Jiu’er, I marked the date on the wave-patterned pottery shards we found yesterday. Professor Wang examined them remotely and said they were everyday pottery from the mid-to-late Southern Song Dynasty, slightly later than the main kiln site, indicating that the potters lived here for a long time.”

Gu Fanxing placed the pottery shards on the table, each with a pink label bearing its number and location.

“Pei Luonan just went to town to get new batteries for our surveying equipment. He said he needs to measure the foundation dimensions again today to ensure the model data is accurate.”

Ling Jiu'er nodded and reached out to touch the patterns on the pottery shard: "Xingxing, your CEO Pei is so devoted to you! He gave up his CEO job to his subordinates to accompany you to the ruins and suffer for you. He even ran errands for you. You can see how much he cares for you. If someone treated me like that, I would wake up laughing in my sleep. It's so enviable!"

"You don't need to be envious or jealous anymore. Don't you know who Du Fei came to the ruins for? Don't pretend you don't know, or you might scare Du Fei away one day. Don't cry then. I remember Du Fei isn't much worse than Pei Luonan. Don't be so ungrateful..."

Just then, Gu Fanxing's phone rang. The words "Mom and Dad" flashing on the screen made her eyes light up. She quickly pressed the answer button and turned on speakerphone as well.

Since my parents went on a trip abroad, although they don't talk on the phone every day, they still contact each other every now and then to keep in touch.

"Xingxing! Look at the Chinese news screen downstairs in our hotel!"

Gu's mother's excited voice came from the other end of the phone, and the sound of traffic could be heard in the background.

"The broadcast above shows the progress of the excavation of Qingning Kiln, and there's a photo of you! You're wearing a blue work uniform, standing by the kiln site talking to the team members, and you look very energetic!"

Gu Fanxing was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"Really? I didn't know about this. It must have been reported by the county's propaganda department."

She picked up the pottery shard on the table and spoke into the phone.

"Mom, we made another discovery yesterday. We found the foundation of a Song Dynasty kiln worker's house to the east of the kiln site, as well as pottery shards with wavy patterns. These discoveries provide an even better reconstruction of the kiln workers' daily life than our previous ones."

"Great!"

Mr. Gu picked up the conversation, his voice brimming with barely suppressed pride.

“I just told the hotel’s Chinese owner that this is a project my daughter is involved in! He read the detailed report and said that you not only found the kiln site, but you are also restoring the ancient method of porcelain firing. This is a major event in protecting traditional culture, and we Chinese people should all be proud of you!”

Ling Jiu'er, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but chime in: "Uncle and Aunt, Xingxing has been working really hard lately, organizing materials until midnight every day, but she's very happy. Every time she finds something new, it's like she's unwrapping a gift."

Mrs. Gu smiled, her voice filled with heartache.

"Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. I was worried she wouldn't be able to handle the tan I saw in the last video, but now it seems she really loves this job."

By the way, where's Pei Luonan? I saw him next to you in the last photo, helping you with your notebook. How's he taking care of you?

Mentioning Pei Luonan, Gu Fanxing's cheeks flushed slightly, and she glanced down at the breakfast on the table.

Those were soy milk and tea eggs that Pei Luonan had specially bought in town that morning. Knowing that she didn't like egg yolks, he had even peeled them for her in advance.

“He’s really nice. He reminds me to eat breakfast every day. Last time it rained heavily, he tilted the umbrella towards me and got half of his body wet. Also, when I was sorting the pottery shards, he helped me sort the labels by color, which saved me a lot of trouble.”

"This kid is reliable!"

Mr. Gu's voice was filled with satisfaction.

“When your mom and I were watching the news, we noticed that he was always by your side, either handing you things or shielding you from the sun. The care he showed in his eyes was impossible to hide.”

"Xingxing, you need to find a partner like this. He doesn't just say he cares, he shows it through his actions. We feel at ease with you with him."

Just as Gu Fanxing was about to speak, Pei Luonan pushed the door open and came in, carrying a plastic bag filled with fresh peaches.

He saw Gu Fanxing on the phone, so he slowed his pace, put the peaches on the table, and thoughtfully picked out the biggest one, wiped it clean with a tissue, and handed it to her.

Hearing the noise on the other end of the phone, Gu's mother asked with a smile, "Is Pei Luonan back? Let him say a few words to us too."

Gu Fanxing handed over the phone. Pei Luonan was taken aback for a moment, then took it, speaking gently.

"Hello, Uncle and Aunt. Xingxing has been working very hard and diligently lately. I will remind her to rest on time and stay by her side to take care of her. You can enjoy your trip abroad and don't worry about her."

"Hey, Luo Nan, you've worked so hard!"

Gu's mother's voice was particularly warm.

“We saw the news about Xingxing abroad and know that what she is doing is meaningful, and we also know that you have been helping her. Next time we go back to China, we will definitely treat you to a meal to thank you properly.”

Oh, by the way, we sent Xingxing some sun-protective clothing and her favorite dried mangoes. The address is in your name, so could you please deliver it to her?

"You're too kind. It's only right that we take care of Xingxing. I'll keep an eye on the package and give it to Xingxing as soon as I receive it."

After Pei Luonan finished speaking, he returned the phone to Gu Fanxing and casually tucked a stray hair behind her ear, his actions natural and intimate.

Gu Fanxing answered the phone and heard her mother laughing on the other end: "Look at the two of you, you have such a great understanding without even saying a word, we feel much more at ease."

After hanging up the phone, Gu Fanxing looked at the peaches on the table and felt a warm feeling in her heart.

Pei Luonan sat down beside her and picked up a shard of pottery to examine it closely.

"Professor Wang just sent a message saying that he will bring an expert team over next Wednesday and will also bring the report on the dating of the porcelain shards we measured earlier. Then we will be able to determine the specific time when the kiln workers' living area was used."

At this moment, craftsman Chen walked in carrying a bundle of pine needles, his face full of smiles.

"Fanxing, Luonan, Jiu'er, come and see my newly ground feldspar powder! I ground it until midnight yesterday and sifted it three times. It's as fine as flour. Using this to mix the glaze will definitely make the celadon more lustrous."

He poured a little feldspar powder from the bag into his palm. The pale white powder was fine and smooth, shimmering slightly in the sunlight.

Ling Jiu'er leaned closer to look: "Master Chen, your skills are amazing! When Du Fei sees this, he'll definitely want to learn how to grind flour from you."

"That is!"

Craftsman Chen patted his chest confidently.

“I have already prepared the porcelain basin for mixing the glaze. I’m just waiting for Du to come back so we can knead the clay and glaze it together. I’ll let him fire a porcelain bowl by himself, which will be his contribution to Qingning Kiln.”

Just then, the village chief walked in carrying a basket of plums. The plums were bright red and looked very sweet.

"They were just picked from the mountain, they're very fresh, you should try them."

"Oh, right, Fanxing, I had my wife find the old bamboo sieve at home. It'll come in handy for sifting feldspar powder. I'll bring it over to you later."

Gu Fanxing accepted the plum, her heart filled with gratitude.

She recalled what her parents had said on the phone, Pei Luonan's meticulous care, and the enthusiasm of Craftsman Chen and the village chief. Suddenly, she felt that Qinglongpo was not only her workplace, but also a warm home.

She picked up a plum, took a bite, and the sweet juice spread in her mouth, just like her mood at that moment—full of happiness and contentment.