Reborn Troops

Zhou Wanwan sat in her small jewelry shop. The sunlight shone through the window onto her workbench, making the sparkling gems and metal parts even more dazzling.

Her fingers gently stroked a piece of jade that she had found in a small village in Yunnan. It had bright color and fine texture.

Zhou Wanwan's eyes sparkled with her passion and persistence for jewelry design, but today, her brows were slightly furrowed.

"Wanwan, what are you daydreaming about?" A shallow voice came from the door. She pushed the door open with a cup of hot coffee in her hand.

Zhou Wanwan raised her head and saw her best friend Qianqian's face, which was always smiling, and she felt a little relieved.

"Qianqian, you came just in time. I just received an order. The other party asked me to design a pair of cabbage-shaped earrings, which they said symbolizes 'a hundred fortunes'. I've been thinking about it for a long time, but I still have no idea."

Qianqian walked over to Zhou Wanwan, put down her coffee, picked up the jade and examined it carefully. "Cabbage earrings? That's a fresh idea. But how can we design cabbage to be both beautiful and meaningful?"

Zhou Wanwan sighed, "Yeah, I thought so too. Cabbage looks quite ordinary, but to design it into an earring, and to have the meaning of 'hundreds of wealth', it really stumped me."

Qian Qian smiled and said, "Don't worry, let's think about it slowly. First, tell me, how do you usually design jewelry?"

Zhou Wanwan pondered for a while, "When I design jewelry, I always start with the materials. For example, this piece of jade has a very special color and texture. I will first consider how to show its most beautiful side. Then I will combine it with the needs of the customer to design jewelry that is both beautiful and meaningful."

Qianqian nodded, "So this time, how are you going to use this jade to design cabbage earrings?"

Zhou Wanwan shook her head. "I haven't thought about it yet. The shape of the cabbage doesn't match the color of the jadeite. Also, how to deal with the leaves and stems of the cabbage so that it is both beautiful and has the meaning of 'a hundred fortunes', I haven't figured it out yet."

Qianqian patted Zhou Wanwan's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, let's think about it together. First, tell me, what is your impression of cabbage?"

Zhou Wanwan thought for a moment and said, "Cabbage is the kind that is green, with layers of leaves and a core in the middle. It looks quite ordinary, but if you look closely, it is quite beautiful."

Qianqian smiled and said, "Then let's start with the shape of the cabbage. Think about it, how can we use jade to express the leaves and stems of the cabbage?"

Zhou Wanwan picked up a piece of jade and turned it over and over in her hands. "The color of this piece of jade is green, which is quite similar to the color of cabbage leaves. But I haven't figured out how to show the leaves and stems of the cabbage."

Qianqian picked up a pen and drew a few strokes on the paper. "Look, the leaves of cabbage are layered, with a core in the middle. We can cut this piece of jade into thin slices, stack them up layer by layer, leaving a core in the middle. Wouldn't it be able to express the shape of cabbage this way?"

Zhou Wanwan's eyes lit up. "Yes, why didn't I think of that? But, wouldn't the earrings designed like this be too thick?"

Qianqian shook her head. "No. We can cut the jade into very thin slices and then use metal wire to fasten them together. This way it will be both beautiful and lightweight."

Zhou Wanwan nodded, "Okay, let's try this method. However, there is still a problem with this design, which is how to express the meaning of 'hundreds of wealth'."

Qianqian smiled and said, "This is easy. We can engrave the words '百财' on the back of the earrings. This will have a meaningful meaning without affecting the appearance."

Zhou Wanwan and Qianqian were immersed in a design discussion when the wind chimes at the door suddenly rang and an elegantly dressed middle-aged lady walked in.

She was Zhou Wanwan's customer Xu Jie, a lady with unique insights into fashion.

"I heard that you are designing earrings for me. How is the progress?" Xu Jie's voice was gentle and powerful, with a hint of anticipation.

Zhou Wanwan quickly stood up to greet her, "Ms. Xu, you're just in time. We just discussed a preliminary design plan, you can take a look and see if you like it."

Xu Jie walked to the workbench and carefully looked at the design sketch that Qianqian had just drawn.

Her brows furrowed slightly. "Isn't this design... a little too plain? I was hoping for something more elegant."

Zhou Wanwan and Qianqian looked at each other and felt a little nervous.

Zhou Wanwan took a deep breath. "Ms. Xu, you are right. We should really consider it more carefully. Can you tell me more specifically what style you want the earrings to have?"

Xu Jie pondered for a moment, "I hope this pair of earrings can reflect the meaning of 'a hundred fortunes' while also showing a sense of low-key luxury. I like the color of the jade, but the design needs to be more refined."

Qianqian nodded, "Then we can consider working on the cutting and inlaying of jade."