After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety Shows
Chapter 290: Experience Production in Progress

Chapter 290: Chapter 290: Experience Production in Progress

"As you’ve just seen, we have two skilled craftsmen in each area. You can freely choose one type to learn and experience. If you have any questions during the process, feel free to ask our craftsmen."

There are fixed cameras in the experience zone, continuously recording the craftsmen at work. Jiang Lingxi and the others had seen them earlier during the tour.

Now it’s time to make their choices.

The previously silent Lin Nuo was the first to move, "I’ll choose pen-making."

Hearing his choice, Arlene, standing outside the camera, had her eyes turn red.

She remembered the scene when Lin Nuo, accused of plagiarism by everyone including teachers and classmates, silently broke all his drawing pens in the home studio.

Since then, he hadn’t picked up a pen again.

She could finally see her Lin Nuo holding a pen once more!

Shen Huchen didn’t hesitate either, "I’ll choose fan-making."

Lu Sen lingered for a moment between the paper and inkstone areas but ultimately didn’t dare face the utterly shattered pieces, "I’ll choose papermaking. Can I choose gold-sprinkled paper?"

Since he was choosing, he might as well choose the most expensive and challenging!

"Of course, come this way."

Everyone expected Qian Yaya to choose pen-making since she was the only one who directly ordered a set of brushes. But her choice surprised the group, "I’ll choose ink-making."

Seeing the unexpected looks, Qian Yaya smiled, revealing dimples, "My aunt’s ink is almost used up. I’m taking this opportunity to make a piece for her."

When the camera turned to Su Yi, her indecisive expression was evident.

Honestly, if she had enough time, she would choose all four of them.

In the end, she took a deep breath and looked at the inkstone area, "I’ll choose the hidden task."

Lu Sen, about to enter the paper area, paused and couldn’t help but glance back at Su Yi.

He moved his lips but didn’t say anything.

The hidden task, named so for its difficulty, was nearly impossible to complete.

He hadn’t seen Su Yi have much interest in inkstones before, yet she chose the hidden task that even he didn’t dare tackle.

He really didn’t know what was on her mind!

But it wasn’t his concern anyway.

Soon, only Jiang Lingxi and Jing Huai were left on site.

In terms of status in the entertainment circle, Jing Huai was ahead, so the person in charge asked him first, "Mr. Jing, what’s your choice?"

Jing Huai couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Lingxi’s face, still unable to figure out what he was thinking.

"Pen-making then."

Compared to the ink area where Qian Yaya, the fan, was, Lu Sen and Shen Huchen were high-profile and distinguished in the paper area, and he deemed restoring inkstones neither doable nor interesting. The brush area seemed cleaner and more relaxed, with Lin Nuo being silent and not much of a concern.

When the person in charge looked at Jiang Lingxi, she pointed to the ink area before they could speak, "Ink."

Sitting in front of the monitor, Chen Weiwen raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Among the four experience projects, he thought the ink area would be the least likely for Jiang Lingxi to choose.

He expected her to choose the pen or paper area, after all, ink-making could easily stain hands and was labor-intensive.

Surprisingly, besides Su Yi who challenged the hidden task, the other two female guests chose ink-making as well!

Just having received a work suit from the craftsman, Qian Yaya was startled to see Jiang Lingxi come in, "Teacher Jiang, you chose ink-making too?"

"Yes."

The craftsman responsible for teaching smiled even wider.

He thought no one would choose his experience zone, as ink-making was messy and laborious, unlike the clean and tidy pen and paper areas next door.

Unexpectedly, two young women came his way.

Quickly, he took out another clean work suit, "Here, put this on first, so you don’t dirty your clothes."

Learning a craft was akin to formally apprenticing in ancient times.

Jiang Lingxi took the work suit with both hands, "Thank you, Master, you can call me Xiao Jiang."

Qian Yaya realized she hadn’t introduced herself yet and quickly followed, "You can just call me Yaya."

"Okay, Xiao Jiang, Yaya, you both sit around this table as you like, and I’ll bring out the materials for ink-making in a bit."

"I’ll go with you."

Qian Yaya hurriedly followed, eyes blinking as she watched the back in front.

She always felt that Jiang Lingxi held an unusually high respect for the master teaching them ink-making.

Once the materials were brought out, Jiang Lingxi understood why the ink could be completed in a day.

The soot and glue were ready-made.

With these two time-consuming processes removed, the most troublesome task remaining was grinding.

The two of them, under the craftsman’s guidance, mixed soot and glue, steamed and boiled, until they turned into soft, cohesive ink masses.

The craftsman handed over two grinding tools, smiling as he spoke, "Now it’s a test of strength and patience!"

Qian Yaya theatrically spat into her palm, "Let’s go!"

Jiang Lingxi glanced at her, picked up the grinding hammer, measured it in her hand, dropped the ink mass without fear of getting dirty, and after feeling it, brought down a hammer blow.

The sound of hammering continued rhythmically in the quiet space.

Compared to the activity here, the other three experience zones were much quieter.

Su Yi wiped the sweat off her nose, and after nearly three hours of effort that strained her eyes, she finally pieced together a complete inkstone from the pile of fragments.

But the real test was just beginning.

She needed to be even more meticulous in bonding the fragments together until they formed a sturdy, usable whole again.

The zenithally resting master craftsman in the inkstone area had been resting with closed eyes, doubting anyone had the patience for such a task; otherwise, these fragments wouldn’t have been left here for so long. He thought the young woman who chose this hidden task would soon give up out of frustration.

Yet, as he drifted into a sleepy haze, he heard what sounded like a hallucination, "Master, I’ve pieced the inkstone together, can you teach me the next step?"

The craftsman opened his eyes abruptly after a three-second stupor.

Turning his head, he saw on the white tabletop nearby, what appeared to be a complete inkstone at first glance.

And standing by the inkstone was a young woman whose eyes were reddened from focus. He moved his lips but refrained from saying anything.

Well, he thought he could have a lazy day, but who would have thought a young woman with enough perseverance would show up!

"Let me give you a heads-up; restoring the inkstone isn’t simpler than picking it out of a pile of fragments. Can you tell me why you chose such a challenging task?"

Su Yi picked up a fragment, smiled gently, and replied softly, "I started learning to paint with a teacher using an inkstone that’s only one-third complete. If I can restore this inkstone, I’ll have a complete one."

Facing the hopeful eyes of the young woman, the craftsman barely held back from saying, ’I’ll gift you a complete one.’ He swallowed hard, "Girl, do you know that the piece you’ve chosen to restore is the most fragmented of all?"

Thinking of the work ahead, he felt like he could faint!