Chapter 7 of 100

Chapter 7: Wood Carving

14 min read3,488 words

After leaving the Jin Yu Pavilion, Liu Dong did not return to his rented apartment but instead rode his Jinlu bicycle towards the center of the antique market.

Fortunately, it was still early, and there weren't many people on the streets. Moreover, the street vendors hadn't yet set up their stalls. Otherwise, riding a bicycle on the main streets of the antique market would have been a luxury.

The Quancheng Antique Market, though called a 'city,' is not very large. It consists of two main streets, a few alleys, and over a thousand shops, covering an area of only about a hundred acres.

Originally, this place was the residence of Zheng Shusheng, a major capitalist in Quancheng during the Republic of China era. However, like most ethnic capitalists in the country at that time, the Zhang family, once the largest family in Dongshan Province, declined due to frequent domestic wars and political turmoil.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, this place once served as the government headquarters of Quancheng. Later, due to its dilapidated condition and its association with the 'Four Olds' during the special decade, it no longer met the image requirements of the municipal government. Therefore, in the mid-1970s, the government moved to the current location on Yuhang Road, and this place fell into decline.

After the reform and opening up, with the economic development, the antique trade, which had once fallen into a low point, flourished again. The Quancheng municipal government then renovated and expanded the nearly abandoned Zhang residence, gradually forming the most prosperous antique and art market in Quancheng, and indeed in all of Dongshan Province.

Liu Dong's current destination was at the center of the antique market.

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Looking at the grand three-story pavilion, about ten meters high, with a traditional Chinese mortise and tenon structure, and the gilded characters 'Taiyi Pavilion' on the sign at the entrance, Liu Dong stopped his bicycle.

Walking here, Liu Dong no longer had the restraint he had shown at the Jin Yu Pavilion. Entering the first floor, which was filled with various wood carvings, Liu Dong looked around and called out, "Uncle Long! Uncle Long!"

"Stop shouting, you brat! My ears aren't deaf!" An old but cheerful voice accompanied the footsteps coming down from the second floor. An elderly man appeared before Liu Dong, wearing a gray short jacket, holding a common banana leaf fan, with white hair and a vigorous spirit.

Seeing the old man come down, Liu Dong quickly put down the wooden box he was carrying, took two steps forward, and supported the old man's arms with both hands. If his interaction with Wang Kun was purely business, then his respect for this old man was genuine.

Without the old man's guidance and help, Liu Dong's carving skills would not have improved so quickly, and his jade carving skills would not have reached the level of a third-grade carver.

However, for some reason, the old man, who was skilled in wood carving rather than jade carving, refused to take him as a disciple. Liu Dong always guessed this was the reason.

"Alright, boy! I'm not that old yet!" Although he said this, the old man's eyes showed affection when he looked at Liu Dong.

Pushing Liu Dong's hands away, the old man sat down in a redwood armchair behind the counter. He looked at Liu Dong and asked, "Did you go to deliver jade to Wang Kun at the Jin Yu Pavilion again?"

"Yes, Uncle Long!" The old man already knew about this, so Liu Dong didn't plan to hide it. After speaking, Liu Dong moved a round stool from the side and sat down next to the old man.

After he sat down, the old man nodded and said sternly, "Wang Kun has been in the antique market for over a decade. His reputation has never been good, so you must be careful when dealing with him, understand?"

"I remember, Uncle Long! Don't worry about me!" The old man often shared his years of experience, so Liu Dong listened attentively without any sign of impatience.

Looking at the young man, the old man's face showed obvious appreciation. Liu Dong's steadiness and diligence were rare in this era, especially among young people of his age. This was why he had initially guided Liu Dong in his carving skills. However, the old man knew his own limitations and, to avoid misleading his disciple, had never agreed to take Liu Dong as a disciple despite his admiration.

"Come, let me see if your skills have improved this month!"

Hearing the old man's words, Liu Dong quickly took a white grain of rice from his shirt pocket and placed it in the old man's hand.

Yes, it was a grain of rice, but this grain of rice was not ordinary. It was the material Liu Dong used to practice his micro-carving, a skill he had inherited from Uncle Long.

After receiving the grain of rice, the old man did not rush to examine it. Instead, he first held it in his hand, carefully feeling it with his fingers. Then he nodded and took a copper-handled magnifying glass from the counter, placing the grain of rice under the lens for a detailed inspection.

Watching the old man's actions, Liu Dong, sitting beside him, became somewhat tense, straightening his back even more, like a diligent elementary school student facing a teacher's inspection.

"Not bad, after practicing for over two years, being able to carve thirty characters on this is quite an achievement!" The old man put down the magnifying glass and smiled at Liu Dong.

"Compared to you, Uncle Long, I still have a long way to go!" Liu Dong said humbly, feeling relieved.

Hearing his words, the old man waved his hand with a smile, "Don't be too modest. When I was your age, I wasn't as good as you!" He paused, "Alright, what kind of material are you planning to take this time?"

"Uncle Long, I might need a bit more this time!" Liu Dong took a piece of paper from his shirt pocket, filled with various specifications and types of wood, and handed it to the old man.

"Huh, you need quite a bit this time! How's business?" The old man looked at the list and couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks to you, my wood carving skills have improved quickly, so I've been making good money recently!"

Seeing Liu Dong's playful smile, the old man couldn't help but laugh and scold him, "You brat, you're so clever, always saying what I want to hear. I'm not that shallow." He paused, "To be honest, if you hadn't worked hard, no matter how much I helped, it wouldn't have made a difference! But it's a pity that you have too many interests, especially in jade carving. If you could focus on wood carving, with your talent and effort, your skills would have been much better by now. You could even have taken the exam for a provincial wood carving master!"

Hearing the old man's words, Liu Dong smiled. Although he knew the old man was right and meant well, he preferred jade carving to wood carving. He was also practicing micro-carving with the old man, which naturally divided his focus. Although this didn't lead to the same level of achievement as specializing in one skill, it was his own choice, and Liu Dong didn't want to change it.

Seeing his expression, the old man shook his head in slight frustration, "Forget it, there's no point in talking to you. But although you have a big appetite, your skills have improved quickly. Who knows, you might just succeed in the end."

"Rest assured, Uncle Long! With your guidance, whether it's wood carving or jade carving, I will succeed in the end!" Liu Dong quickly assured him.

Hearing his words, the old man smiled and nodded. He looked at the list Liu Dong had given him and showed a thoughtful expression. After a moment, he made up his mind, "Xiao Dong, your wood carving skills are now quite advanced! So, stop carving those small things from the streets and alleys. I'll give you a piece of material. Take it home, carve it, and bring it back to sell here!"

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