I was chased by my sickly junior brother who had two lives

After glassware has become a shining pearl in the craft industry of Qingguo, illuminating the road of innovation from drinking utensils, stationery to various daily utensils, Chen Jia and Chen Jue's workshop has become famous and orders have been pouring in. However, this creative couple is not satisfied with their existing achievements. They have the eyes of keen explorers and constantly search for new sources of inspiration in the vast world of art.

One day, Chen Jia was invited to visit an old friend. When she entered the elegant mansion, she was immediately attracted by a set of exquisite wood-carved furniture in the main hall. The screen was carved with lifelike flowers, birds, fish and insects, and the armrests and backrests of the tables and chairs were decorated with delicate and complex patterns. Every line was the result of the craftsman's hard work, exuding a simple and mellow charm. But in Chen Jia's eyes, these wood-carved furniture were beautiful, but seemed to lack some agility and modernity.

After returning home, Chen Jia couldn't wait to pull Chen Jue, with excitement in her eyes, and said, "Husband, today I saw a set of wood-carved furniture at an old friend's house. The craftsmanship is exquisite, but I think if we can combine it with the colored glaze craftsmanship that we are good at, it will definitely collide with new sparks. Imagine the calm and heavy wood carvings combined with the crystal clear colored glaze. For example, inlaying colored glaze in the hollow of the wood-carved screen to let the light pass through and reflect colorful light and shadow; or embedding colored glaze beads in the decorative patterns of tables and chairs to make them sparkle in the light. Such a unique and novel design will surely create a product that is popular in the market and open a new chapter in home decoration."

Chen Jue listened to Chen Jia's description, and the amazing scene also emerged in his mind. He nodded in approval: "My wife, your idea is really wonderful! However, the combination of wood carving and colored glaze is not easy, and many difficulties need to be overcome. First of all, the material of the wood carving must complement the colored glaze. It must be hard and able to bear the weight of the colored glaze, and the texture must be beautiful to add color to the whole. Secondly, the inlay process of colored glaze is extremely demanding. It must be firm and not loose, and it must not destroy the original beauty of the wood carving. Thirdly, the style of the two must also be harmonious and unified, and not appear abrupt."

Chen Jia nodded slightly, fell into deep thought, and raised her head after a moment: "My husband is right. We need to find some wood with fine texture and compact texture, such as golden nanmu and red wood, which can not only highlight the texture of wood carving, but also perfectly integrate with colored glaze. As for the inlay process, I think we can design some special slots to accurately embed the colored glaze, and then reinforce it with special adhesive to ensure that it is foolproof. In terms of style, we can refer to the classical styles in ancient books, integrate the current popular elements, and create a unique style that is both retro and fashionable."

Chen Jue immediately sent people to timber markets in various places to carefully select high-quality timber. He personally traveled for several days, covering mountains, forests and markets, and negotiated with many timber merchants. Finally, in a remote deep mountain forest, he found a batch of golden nanmu wood with a texture as smooth as flowing clouds and water and a texture as hard as iron. Chen Jue was overjoyed and directed the craftsmen to carefully transport the timber back to the workshop.

Chen Jia gathered the wood carving masters and glass craftsmen in the workshop, and everyone sat together to discuss the design plan enthusiastically. Chen Jia picked up a piece of wood and gestured, saying, "Masters, this time we are going to create unprecedented wood-carved and colored glaze furniture. We designed this screen into a picture of flowers and birds of the four seasons, with wood carvings outlining the outlines and colored glaze filling the parts of flowers and birds, making the picture seem vivid; for the tables and chairs, colored glaze beads are embedded in the carved parts of the armrests and backrests, and the spacing is orderly, like stars dotted; and for the cabinets, the cabinet doors are made of wood carvings to create historical story scenes, and colored glaze is used as decorative elements such as windows and jewelry, showing a dreamlike effect." An experienced wood carving master frowned and said worriedly, "Madam, this work is very delicate. Wood carving is time-consuming and laborious, and with the addition of colored glaze inlay, the whole work will be ruined if you are not careful. We must be careful." Chen Jia smiled and encouraged, "Uncle Zhang, you have superb craftsmanship and are the backbone of our workshop. With you leading everyone, and with our concerted efforts, more attempts and more running-in, we will definitely succeed."

The design was finalized and production officially began. The woodcarvers first carefully carved the wood according to the drawings. Each cut was full of persistence and awe for the craft, depicting flowers, birds, fish, insects, and stories of people to the core. Chen Jia gave instructions from time to time, adjusted the details, and strived for perfection.

When the wood carving part takes shape, the colored glaze craftsmen come on stage. They carefully fire the colored glaze parts according to the size, and the colors are bright and elegant. Chen Jia personally supervises the inlay of colored glaze. She carefully picks up a piece of colored glaze, puts it into the slot, and then carefully applies special adhesive to fix it. She stares at it without blinking, for fear of any mistakes.

"Slow down, be gentle, and be sure not to damage the texture of the wood carving..." Chen Jia whispered to the craftsmen.

After weeks of hard work, the first wood-carved glazed screen was finally completed. When it was slowly placed in the center of the workshop, everyone was shocked by the sight. The sunlight shone through the window onto the screen, and the wood-carved flowers and birds seemed to have traveled through time and space. The glazed parts reflected colorful light, and the light and shadow intertwined, like a dream, as if the beauty of the four seasons was condensed in this world.

"It's done! We succeeded!" Chen Jia's eyes were red with excitement, and she hugged Chen Jue tightly. The craftsmen also cheered and congratulated each other on this hard-earned achievement.

As the news spread, the dignitaries in the capital were the first to move. One day, a high-ranking minister came to the workshop with his family, and was attracted by the wood-carved glass screen as soon as he entered the door. The minister's wife exclaimed: "This screen is simply a treasure on earth! If it is placed in the main hall of my house, it will surely make guests praise it. And these tables and chairs are decorated with glass beads just right, showing both wealth and elegance." The minister also nodded and praised: "Madam Chen, Duke Chen, your craftsmanship is unparalleled. I want to order a full set of wood-carved glass furniture for my newly renovated mansion. The price is not a problem."

Afterwards, wealthy businessmen also rushed to buy. A wealthy businessman in brocade robes touched the wooden story carved on the cabinet, his eyes shining: "This cabinet is so exquisite! It is perfect for storing my treasures. I want to order a few more sets to give to business partners to show my taste."

As word of mouth spread, woodcarving and colored glaze furniture quickly became popular in the Qing market. Whether it was the luxurious mansions of wealthy families or the quiet courtyards of literati, they were proud to own a set of such furniture. Orders for Chen Jia and Chen Jue's workshops came in like snowflakes. In order to meet the demand, they continued to expand the scale of the workshop, trained more skilled craftsmen, and opened a special showroom for people to appreciate and purchase.