Reborn Troops

Zhou Wanwan was sitting in her small jewelry shop. The walls around her were hung with all kinds of jewelry. The gold and silver jewelry sparkled alluringly under the lights.

However, her eyes rested on a pile of straw hangings in the corner.

These ornaments are her latest creation, ancient and simple, yet they contain an indescribable beauty.

"Wanwan, are you looking at those straw weavings again?" Aqiang, an old friend in the store, came over with a rag in his hand, wiping the counter casually.

"Yes, Aqiang, don't you think these straw weavings are very tasteful?" Zhou Wanwan raised her head with a hint of fascination in her eyes.

Ah Qiang curled his lips, "Taste? I think it smells like poverty. How much can these straw weavings sell for? It would be better to buy more gold and silver jewelry and make more money."

Zhou Wanwan smiled and did not refute. She knew that Aqiang was a realist and only cared about money.

But she is different. She likes the stories behind these straw weavings and likes the ancient and simple beauty.

"Wanwan, are you really going to do this?" Qianqian's voice came from the door. She was holding a cup of coffee in her hand with a hint of doubt on her face.

Zhou Wanwan raised her head and smiled slightly: "Of course, Qianqian. These straw ornaments are not just a decoration, they are a cultural heritage."

Qianqian walked to Zhou Wanwan, put down her coffee, picked up a straw ornament and looked at it carefully: "But, Wanwan, young people nowadays like those sparkling jewelry. Can these straw things really attract them?"

Zhou Wanwan shook her head, her eyes firm: "Qianqian, you don't understand. There is a profound cultural heritage behind these straw hanging ornaments. They represent an ancient way of life and wisdom."

"I believe that as long as we design and promote them with our heart, they will be popular."

Qianqian sighed and sat down: "Okay, Wanwan, I support you. But how do you plan to start?"

Zhou Wanwan smiled and took out a design from the drawer: "I already have a preliminary idea, but I still need your help. Let's design these straw ornaments to be more modern and more attractive."

Qianqian took the design and looked at it carefully: "Well, this design is not bad, but I think the color can be adjusted to make them look more fashionable."

Zhou Wanwan nodded: "You are right, Qianqian. We can try to use some bright colors, or add some metal elements to the straw to increase their texture."

The two began a heated discussion, paying attention to every detail, from color to shape, from material to craftsmanship.

Time passed by unknowingly, and the sky outside the window gradually darkened.

"Okay, Qianqian, let's stop here for today." Zhou Wanwan stood up and stretched, "We'll continue tomorrow."

Qianqian nodded and picked up the coffee cup: "Okay, Wanwan. But are you really sure you want to do this? This is quite a challenge."

Zhou Wanwan smiled, her eyes full of determination: "Of course, Qianqian. I believe that as long as we work hard, we will succeed."

The next morning, Zhou Wanwan and Qianqian got together again to continue their design work.

This time, they decided to try making straw hangings with different materials to see which one would work best.

"Wanwan, what do you think of using this kind of bamboo?" Qianqian asked, picking up a thin bamboo.

Zhou Wanwan took the bamboo and looked at it carefully: "Well, bamboo is good, but I think its color is a bit monotonous. We can try to use some dyes to color it."

Qianqian nodded and picked up a box of dye: "Okay, let's try it."

The two of them began to get busy, and the bamboo gradually turned into exquisite straw pendants in their hands.

However, just as they were about to finish, Zhou Wanwan suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong, Wanwan?" Qianqian asked.

Zhou Wanwan frowned: "I think these ornaments are still missing something. Although they are beautiful, I always feel like something is missing."

Qianqian thought about it, and suddenly her eyes lit up: "I see, Wanwan! We can add some traditional patterns, such as dragons and phoenixes, lotus and the like, which can not only increase their artistic sense, but also highlight their cultural connotations."

Zhou Wanwan nodded with a smile on her face: "Yes, Qianqian, you are right! Let's do this!"

The two of them were busy again, this time adding various traditional patterns to the straw hangings.

Dragon and phoenix, lotus, cloud patterns...each pattern has been carefully designed, retaining the traditional beauty while incorporating modern elements.

Zhou Wanwan and Qianqian encountered a bottleneck in the process of designing straw pendants, so they decided to seek help from Master Zhongshan.

Master Zhongshan is a famous local handicraft master who is particularly good at straw weaving. His works are often regarded as works of art.

The next day, Zhou Wanwan brought their design drawings and some preliminary straw ornaments to Master Zhongshan's studio.

The studio is located on an ancient street, with a quaint wooden sign hanging at the door that reads "Zhongshan Straw Weaving".

"Hello, Master Zhongshan." Zhou Wanwan knocked on the door gently and greeted politely.

Master Zhongshan was busy in the studio. When he heard the voice, he looked up and smiled kindly: "Oh, it's Wanwan, come in."

Zhou Wanwan and Qianqian walked into the studio, which was filled with various straw weaving works, from simple baskets to complex screens, each one was full of artistic sense.

"Master, we have encountered some difficulties and would like to ask you to help look at our design." Zhou Wanwan said as she handed the design drawing and straw pendant to Master Zhongshan.

Master Zhongshan took the design, looked at it carefully, then picked up a straw pendant and stroked it gently.

His brows wrinkled slightly, as if he was thinking about something.

“Your design is very creative, but it seems to be lacking some soul.”

Master Zhongshan said slowly, "Straw weaving is not just a handicraft, it is a cultural heritage that needs to be felt and understood with the heart."

Zhou Wanwan and Qianqian looked at each other. They knew that Master Zhongshan’s words made sense, but they were still confused about what to do specifically.

"Master, can you give us some specific advice?" Qianqian couldn't help but ask.

Master Zhongshan nodded, put down the straw weaving ornament in his hand, walked to the cabinet beside him, and took out a thick book: "This is my straw weaving notebook, which records my understanding and experience of straw weaving over the years. You can take a look at it, maybe it will inspire you."