Reborn Troops

Zhou Wanwan sat behind the counter of the jewelry store, holding a jade bead in her hand, her eyes wandering.

The business in the store was getting worse and worse. She knew that if it continued like this, not only would she not have peace every year, but even having food every year would become a problem.

She sighed, threw the beads into the drawer, stood up, walked to the door of the store, and looked at the people coming and going on the street.

"Who still wears jewelry these days?" she muttered to herself, with a hint of helplessness in her voice.

Just then, her cell phone rang. It was her best friend Qianqian calling. Zhou Wanwan picked up the phone.

Before she could speak, Qianqian's voice came from the other end of the phone: "Wanwan, guess where I was just now?"

"Where?" Zhou Wanwan asked lazily.

"I'm at the door of your store!" Qian Qian's voice was a little proud, "Are you daydreaming in the store again?"

Zhou Wanwan was stunned for a moment, then quickly ran to the door, and sure enough, she saw Qianqian standing outside the store, waving at her.

She quickly pulled Qianqian into the store, closed the door, and said in a low voice: "Why are you here? Didn't I tell you not to come to the store? This place is very unlucky now."

Qian Qian smiled and patted her shoulder: "What's so unlucky? Your store is in a prime location. Many people want to rent it but can't."

Zhou Wanwan shook her head and sighed: "No matter how good the location is, it's useless if the business is not good. The location is just a decoration."

Qianqian sat down at the counter, picked up a jade bead, looked at it carefully for a while, and suddenly said, "Wanwan, have you ever thought about changing your thinking?"

"Change your thinking?" Zhou Wanwan frowned. "How?"

"For example, designing some jewelry with a theme, such as 'Peace Every Year'."

Qianqian's eyes lit up. "Nowadays, people, especially young people, like things with cultural connotations like this."

Zhou Wanwan was stunned for a moment, then shook her head: "Don't tease me, the jewelry in my store are all old styles, how can they have any cultural connotations?"

Zhou Wanwan was about to continue to refute Qianqian's proposal when suddenly, the shop door was gently pushed open and a breeze blew by, bringing a hint of coolness.

She looked up and saw a white-haired old man walking in slowly.

The old man had a gentle look and a faint smile on his face. He held a cane in his hand. Although his steps were slow, they revealed a calm aura.

"Excuse me, is this Zhou Wanwan's shop?" The old man's voice was low and powerful, as if carrying some irresistible power.

Zhou Wanwan was stunned for a moment, then quickly stepped forward and said, "Yes, I am Zhou Wanwan. May I ask who you are..."

The old man smiled slightly, his eyes stayed on her face for a moment, and then he slowly said: "I am Master Zhongshan, your teacher."

"Master Zhongshan?" Zhou Wanwan widened her eyes, almost unable to believe her ears.

She had heard of this legendary figure when she was studying at the Jewelry Design Academy.

But she never thought that she would have any intersection with this master. She hurriedly asked the old man to sit down, her heart full of doubts and uneasiness.

Qianqian also stood up and looked at the old man curiously.

Although she didn't know Master Zhongshan, she could guess from Zhou Wanwan's reaction that the old man's identity was extraordinary.

"Wanwan, I heard that your store hasn't been doing very good business recently, is that right?" Master Zhongshan asked straight to the point after sitting down.

Zhou Wanwan nodded, feeling a little uneasy: "Yes, Master. The market is changing too fast now, and I can't keep up with the pace."

Master Zhongshan nodded slightly, glanced at the jewelry on the counter, and then said slowly:

"Design is an art, but it is also a business. You can't just stay in the past style, you have to learn to keep pace with the times."

Zhou Wanwan lowered her head, feeling a little guilty: “Master, I understand what you mean, but I don’t know how to change it.”

Master Zhongshan smiled, took out a small cloth bag from his pocket and gently placed it on the counter.

There was a slight clanging sound in the bag, as if it contained something. He slowly opened the bag, revealing several pieces of broken ceramics.

"I found these on one of my trips," said Master Zhongshan.

“They were originally a complete ceramic bowl, but they were broken by accident.

You see, although these fragments are no longer complete, each piece has its own unique shape and texture. "

Zhou Wanwan and Qianqian both came over and looked at the ceramic fragments carefully.

Although the patterns on the fragments are blurred, one can still see their former beauty.

"Master, do you want me to use these fragments to make jewelry?" Zhou Wanwan asked with some confusion.

Master Zhongshan nodded and said, "Yes. You can try to design a bracelet or necklace with these fragments.

Even though they are broken, they still have their value. You can put them back together and give them new life.”

Zhou Wanwan frowned, a little hesitant in her heart: "But these fragments don't look beautiful, and..."

"And what?" Master Zhongshan interrupted her and looked at her directly.

“You think they are ugly because you only see their surface.

But if you observe carefully, you will find that each fragment has its own unique charm. "

Zhou Wanwan was silent for a moment, and something in her heart seemed to be touched.

She picked up a fragment and studied its texture and shape, and suddenly she seemed to see a new possibility.

"Master, do you mean that I can recombine these fragments and design a unique piece of jewelry?" There was a hint of excitement in Zhou Wanwan's voice.

Master Zhongshan nodded: "Yes. You can string them together with wire or fix them on jewelry with glue.

You can give them new meanings, like 'the beauty of brokenness', or 'the hope of rebirth'."

Qianqian was listening intently and couldn't help but interrupt, "This is a great idea! Don't people nowadays like things with stories like this?

Moreover, the pieces themselves have a unique artistic feel that is sure to attract a lot of attention.”

Zhou Wanwan's eyes lit up, and the hesitation in her heart gradually dissipated. She looked at Master Zhongshan,

He nodded solemnly: "Master, I understand. I will try to design a piece of jewelry with these fragments and see how it turns out."

Master Zhongshan smiled with satisfaction and stood up: "Very good. I believe you can do it.

Remember, design is not just about beauty, it’s also about expressing an emotion and a thought.”