Can he teach them?

Fudge things? Of course not.

On the contrary, it was precisely out of respect for his teacher that Lin Sicheng spoke this way.

Otherwise, what did Wang Qizhi expect? For Lin Sicheng to pat his chest and say, "Professor Wang, look, I'm even more badass than you: what Chicken Cup, that's just a piece of cake!"

Wang Qizhi was merely feeling a bit depressed: he had taken on a student who knew more than he, the teacher, did?

After lingering in melancholy for a moment, he let out a long sigh: "The teacher won't ask anymore..."

Lin Sicheng paused his chopsticks, flashing a wide grin: "Thank you, Teacher!"

Wang Qizhi glared at him and pointed at the box beneath his feet: "Then when are you going to finish restoring them?"

"Let's talk about it when I have time." Lin Sicheng thought for a moment. "The laboratory is getting its plaque next week, so I'll join the research group first. Teacher, you should get the project proposal set up!"

We've reached this point, and you still care about project proposals?

Besides, since it has already been brought up at the meeting, it's not going anywhere, right?

Wang Qizhi said earnestly, "When can't you set up a project proposal? Furthermore, it doesn't get in the way: the project team needs to recruit people first and prepare materials, and Feng琳 can handle all of that without needing your help."

"But the Chicken Cup—if you miss it, you really miss it, don't you?"

"Secondly, Professor Lin's home machine isn't complete, and running back and forth is just a waste of effort. You might as well finish the restoration right here in the laboratory... Our lab has all the equipment the ceramics group has, save for one intelligent temperature-controlled electric porcelain kiln. I'll go straight to the dean as soon as I get back and have him coordinate one... Don't worry, it'll definitely be top-tier..."

Lin Sicheng scratched his head: "Won't it be hard to requisition? What excuse will you use?"

Metal artifact research always uses melting furnaces; who uses an electric kiln?

The crux of the matter was the cost. A laboratory-grade intelligent electric kiln, if it's top-of-the-line, would run around one hundred seventy to eighty thousand US dollars.

"It's not like I'm asking the school to buy a new one, just to transfer one over. Is it that hard to find an excuse?"

Wang Qizhi thought for a second, "I'll go find the dean the moment I'm back and tell him we're preparing to research the application of copper-based alloys in the welding and restoration of porcelain artifacts..."

Lin Sicheng froze, then gave a thumbs-up: Professor Wang, you're amazing! To get a taste of this vinegar, you're willing to spring for a whole plate of top-tier abalone and lobster dumplings?

Aren't you afraid the university will treat you like a God of Wealth?

After all, this kind of technology belonged to the fields of industrial ceramics and polymer materials science, and was currently only applied in the electric power, medical, and engine sectors.

As for artifact restoration, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage and the National Museum were indeed researching it, but they were still basically at the stage of feeling their way across the river.

Therefore, if Wang Qizhi dared to talk nonsense, the dean would dare to submit an application to the university and get his project approved at lightning speed: whether they could actually research anything out of it was secondary; first, they had to let Wang Qizhi pull some strings and get the research funds approved.

Moreover, even though the word "copper" was in there, this was a legitimate ceramic restoration technique. Would anyone care to bet that the moment he established the project, Shang Yan would lead a group of people storming right over to their doorstep?

"You'd better not use that one. It'll be too hard to back up later!"

Lin Sicheng shook his head vigorously. "How about this: just say our lab is preparing to try researching Cloisonné restoration technology... We don't need anything top-of-the-line, nor do we need it to be large. A regular electric kiln will do. Let's just check which lab in the ceramics group is free and borrow one first..."

Wang Qizhi's eyes lit up: Oh? Why didn't he think of that?

Just two days ago, wasn't Lin Sicheng doing dot-blue work in the ceramics group's lab, and weren't the samples still sitting right at his own house?

He had only himself to blame for getting too absorbed in his thoughts, focusing entirely on the fact that they were restoring porcelain this time, and completely forgetting that restoring cloisonné also required an electric kiln.

"Good! I'm calling the dean right now!"

Wang Qizhi took out his phone, then paused: "What other materials do you need? Make a list!"

Lin Sicheng thought it over and shook his head again: "Just freeloading off the lab is more than enough. I'd better prepare the materials myself!"

"Lin Sicheng, what are you daydreaming about? Even if you wanted to freeload the school's materials, the school has to actually have them!"

Wang Qizhi pointed at the box on the floor and laughed despite himself. "If you don't believe me, ask Shang Yan—has she ever restored Hongzhi bright yellow glaze or Dayiming blue-and-white base polychrome wares?"

Lin Sicheng nodded. That was true.

And forget Professor Shang; even the old master himself had rarely restored Ming Dynasty official kiln porcelain.

Including the school's ceramics group, the Ming porcelain samples they researched were mostly folk kiln porcelain, and they simply didn't have the materials Lin Sicheng wanted.

Wang Qizhi unzipped his bag again and pulled out a pen and paper. "If you're going to restore it, you have to do it right, but if we wait for you to gather things, the day lilies will be cold and dead... Make a list, make it detailed, and then I'll make the calls. Shortest two or three days, longest three to five days, and they're guaranteed to arrive..."

The moment Lin Sicheng opened his mouth, Wang Qizhi waved a hand: "No need to thank me, it's not a free handout—you'll definitely have to pay for it!"

He froze for a second, then simply closed his mouth: this wasn't about money at all.

Leaving aside the Chicken Cup, just take the two pieces beneath his feet: Lin Sicheng intended to sell them after restoration, so naturally, he couldn't fudge it with plaster and ordinary glue paint like common porcelain.

To give an analogy: if the porcelain shards were incomplete, didn't they have to be repaired with shards of the same type of porcelain? Didn't they have to go treasure-hunting in the capital?

Yet no matter how broken the shards were, these were bright yellow glaze and Dayiming *doucai*. Not only were they official kiln pieces, but they were also Dayiming imperial court porcelain—where on earth were they supposed to be found so easily?

Lin Sicheng estimated that half a month for a round trip would be fast, and the quality would be, at best, mediocre.

Yet with a single phone call from Wang Qizhi, things would be dispatched from the warehouse the same day, packed the next day, and delivered by the third day. Furthermore, whatever variety you wanted, they had; whatever grade you wanted, they possessed.

You don't believe it?

Apologies, the professor's wife's maiden name was Shan...

Lin Sicheng picked up the pen and wrote down the items one by one on the paper.

Wang Qizhi smoothly dialed the dean's number again:

"Hello, Dean. Can I discuss something with you... What? What kind of trap are you trying to dig for me again? When have I ever dug a trap for you?"

"It's like this: isn't the project team about to get its plaque? But the personnel aren't in place yet, so I wanted to do some simple research first and would like to ask your help to requisition an electric kiln... What? No?"

"No... Dean, listen to me, I really am not planning to snatch a project from the ceramics group; what I'm researching really is copperware... It's cloisonné, I've already found the samples!"

"Ah, you actually knew about that? Yes, yes, yes, it's Lin Sicheng... What? Can we requisition from the ceramics group? No way..."

Whatever the dean said on the other end, Wang Qizhi's expression shifted, his back straightened, and even his tone grew considerably stiffer: "Dean, it's just an electric kiln. If you won't requisition one, I'll just buy one myself!"

"Oh... Good, thank you, Dean..."

Hanging up the phone, Wang Qizhi narrowed his eyes and let out a silent, cold laugh.

Lin Sicheng was completely baffled: "What happened?"

"The dean said, can they transfer you to the ceramics group?" Wang Qizhi let out a "ha." "That person surnamed Shang must have gone to complain!"

The person surnamed Shang—Professor Shang?

Lin Sicheng blinked in surprise: Didn't you say just last week that you had reasoned with her and appealed to her emotions?

"How was I supposed to expect that woman to go back on her word?" Wang Qizhi gnashed his teeth. "Going back on her promises, a faithless wretch..."

Lin Sicheng was torn between laughter and tears: "Don't worry, I definitely won't go!"

"Of course I know you won't go, but you can't guard against a thief every single day; you just have to watch out for the thief setting their sights on you..."

Wang Qizhi frowned, pondering for a moment. "The dean said the electric kiln can be transferred over tomorrow. You take a day off, and the day after tomorrow we'll start the restoration...

Restoring the sunflower dish is fine, and restoring the porcelain you're most confident in is fine too... But no matter what we restore, we have to let that Shang woman witness it first..."

Wang Qizhi let out another cold laugh: "If she wants to snatch a student from me, she should weigh her own capabilities first: can she even teach you?"

Lin Sicheng could neither advise him otherwise nor laugh it off...