usatvline Chapter 550 might be worth a try.
Chapter 550 might be worth a try.
The morning air in Munich was slightly chilly. Xiao Fangfei sat by the hotel window, holding the trophy she had won the day before.
The silver cup is engraved with the words "International Motorcycle Invitational Tournament Runner-up," and there is a note on the bottom of the cup with Kong Haoyu's handwriting: "Every departure is a step closer to one's passion."
She remembered that last night, Kong Haoyu accompanied her to a local Chinese restaurant. The owner knew that she had won an award, so he specially gave her a bowl of longevity noodles. Kong Haoyu even helped her pick out the scallions from the bowl.
He remembered that she didn't eat scallions, just as he remembered the model number of every part of her motorcycle and the size of gloves she usually wore during races.
The phone suddenly rang; it was a video call from Gu Fanxing.
On the screen, Gu Fanxing stands beside the dragon kiln, while in the background, you can see craftsman Chen and his team of experts adjusting the ignition equipment.
Pei Luonan was recording data with a thermometer.
Ling Jiu'er held up a piece of pottery blank for the camera and excitedly introduced, "Fei'er, look at the glaze of this pottery blank. Master Chen said that it will definitely look exactly like the Southern Song Dynasty celadon after firing!"
Gu Fanxing chimed in, "Fei'er, when are you coming back? Qinglongpo is going to try firing celadon next Tuesday. If you were here, I could brag to them about having a super awesome and cool motorcycle rider friend, and they'd be so envious of me."
"I won't be back in China for another ten days, but that won't stop you from showing off. Even though I'm not there, you can still brag about my driving skills to your colleagues and friends there."
As Xiao Fangfei was speaking, Kong Haoyu walked in carrying breakfast, holding two sandwiches, one with lettuce and an egg, and the other with only an egg.
He knew she didn't like ham, so he specially asked the hotel to make it. There was also a cup of hot milk next to it, with a note on the cup that said "Warm, drink slowly".
"I was worried that your stomach might be upset in the morning, so I asked the hotel to heat the milk to fifty degrees Celsius, just right for drinking."
Kong Haoyu placed the breakfast on the table and casually drew the thin curtains by the window.
"It's a bit windy outside, don't catch a cold."
Gu Fanxing saw this scene on the screen and laughed and joked.
"Kong Haoyu, you really know how to take care of Fei'er. You even remember the milk temperature so clearly. We owe a lot to you in this competition. Otherwise, Fei'er wouldn't have been able to win the award so easily."
Next time you come to Qinglongpo, I'll have Master Chen make a custom-made porcelain mug for you, engraved with the words "Best Assistant" and your initials. It'll be guaranteed to be one-of-a-kind.
Kong Haoyu paused for a moment, then smiled, walked to Xiao Fangfei's side, and said to the screen, "Thank you, Fanxing. Actually, it's all because Fangfei is so capable. I just helped out a little."
Once your trial firing is successful, Fangfei and I will definitely go to Qinglongpo to see just how beautiful Southern Song Dynasty celadon really is. We'll also need Master Chen to share his ceramic-firing techniques with us then.”
After hanging up the phone, Xiao Fangfei looked at the sandwich Kong Haoyu handed her and suddenly made a decision.
She took a bite of the sandwich, the soft bread mingling with the aroma of eggs, and said softly, "Kong Haoyu, actually, before... because of work, I never had the mind to think about marriage, and I never had time to date, so..."
Kong Haoyu stopped what he was doing, looked at her intently, his eyes full of understanding.
"I know you're focused solely on your work, and I know it hasn't been easy for you to work hard all these years. But having someone to care for you and walk alongside you through thick and thin, sharing both joy and sorrow, might not be such a bad thing. You could try trying a different lifestyle; perhaps you'll find a different kind of happiness."
Like President Pei and Fanxing, they worked together in Qinglongpo, discovered the kiln site together, worked together to preserve the Qingning Kiln, and discussed problems together, sharing joys and sorrows.
I don't want to put pressure on you, I just want you to know that if you're willing to try, I'll always be here, accompanying you to every motorcycle race, helping you with the mundane tasks of the workshop, and sharing your joys and sorrows.
His words were gentle, yet carried a firm strength.
Xiao Fangfei looked into his eyes, and there was no pretense in them, only sincere expectation.
She recalled everything Kong Haoyu had silently done for her that year.
He helped her with her work troubles, remembered all her preferences, appeared promptly when she needed him, and even traveled from Paris to Munich specifically for her competition. He even remembered the temperature of the milk she casually mentioned.
These details gradually melted the ice shell in her heart, making her begin to believe that perhaps there really was a relationship that she could rely on with peace of mind.
"Well... let's give it a try."
Xiao Fangfei said softly, her cheeks burning, her fingers unconsciously clenching the tablecloth.
"No need to rush, let's start as friends and get to know each other slowly. If... if you feel it's not right, you can tell me, I won't be angry."
Kong Haoyu's eyes lit up instantly. He looked at Xiao Fangfei, his lips curving upwards uncontrollably, and he even became somewhat incoherent.
"Okay! Okay! We'll take it slow. I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. If you want to go for a ride on your motorcycle, I can go with you; if you want to stay in the workshop and study new parts, I can also go with you to look at the blueprints."
He reached out to touch her hair, but then, afraid of startling her, he simply patted her shoulder gently.
"Hurry up and eat breakfast, otherwise the milk will get cold and won't taste good."
The next day at noon, Kong Haoyu went to the overseas branch to handle the work assigned to him by Pei Luonan.
When they parted at the airport, Kong Haoyu handed Xiao Fangfei a small box, which was tied with her favorite blue ribbon.
"This is a motorcycle model I bought for you in Munich. It's exactly the same as the one you raced on, even the body lines are reproduced. You can keep it in your studio and look at it whenever you miss it."
I've already spoken to President Pei. After we return to China, we'll accompany you to Qinglongpo to watch the trial firing. We'll cheer on Fanxing and the others together, and we can also try the village chief's corn porridge; Fanxing said it's especially sweet.”
Xiao Fangfei took the box, and the moment her fingertips touched the ribbon, she felt a warm feeling in her heart.
As she watched Kong Haoyu's departing figure, she suddenly felt that the future seemed to have changed.
It's no longer just about motorcycles and work; there's someone who remembers all her preferences, accompanies her to see all the sights, and looks forward to every new beginning with her.
Meanwhile, Qinglongpo was already bustling with activity.
The villagers helped craftsman Chen move the pine branches, and Aunt Zhang even brought her homemade sesame cakes to share with everyone.
"When we were hungry while guarding the kiln, we could have something to eat. It was all made with freshly harvested sesame seeds, and it smelled wonderful."
After the expert team debugged the temperature measuring equipment, Pei Luonan and Gu Fanxing together moved the last glazed pottery blank into the kiln chamber.
Ling Jiu'er took out her camera and captured this precious moment from different angles, even taking close-up photos of the glaze on the pottery blank.
The village chief came over carrying a basket of freshly picked plums and distributed them to everyone.
"We'll light the kiln next Tuesday, and the whole village will come to watch over it, to fire up fine porcelain and spread the fame of Qingning Kiln even further!"
Gu Fanxing bit into the plum, the sweet juice spreading in her mouth, a perfect balance of sweet and sour, just right to cut through the richness.
She took out her phone and sent Xiao Fangfei a photo of Qinglongpo. In the photo, pine branches were placed next to the kiln, and the sunlight shone on the top of the kiln, as if it were plated with a layer of gold. The villagers were chatting and laughing around the kiln entrance, their faces full of anticipation.
"We're all waiting for you and Kong Haoyu to come and witness the birth of new porcelain. We'll have you film a full documentary about it, and it's sure to be a hit."
Looking at the photo, Xiao Fangfei replied with a smile, "I'll definitely be there."
She put down her phone, opened the box containing the motorcycle model, and found it to be so exquisitely detailed that it looked just like the real thing, even replicating the small stickers she had put on the handlebars.
Her heart was filled with anticipation—anticipation for the new porcelain to be fired in Qinglongpo, and even more anticipation for embarking on a new journey with Kong Haoyu. She knew that both the kiln fires of Qinglongpo and her relationship with Kong Haoyu would be as warm and bright as the autumn sun, forever full of hope.