Chapter 44

As they ate and chatted, time passed quickly. After strolling around the streets for a bit longer, Wang Qifang decided to return to the factory. She had seen many fascinating things today, and they were indeed tempting. However, after seeing the prices, she quickly reined in her desires. Things in the city were just too expensive—far beyond what she could afford right now.

Because of this, she became even more determined to perform well in her current job and, hopefully, secure a position in the county through recruitment. Only by doing so could she become a factory worker, stay in this beautiful county town, earn wages, and buy all those desirable items.

So, when she heard that Wu Xiaoxiao and the others were going to visit a friend, Wang Qifang told them she would return to the factory first. She still needed to review the assembly and testing procedures carefully. Her goal was to master them thoroughly and stand out among the others so that she could later ask her seventh uncle for help.

Meanwhile, Chen Si led Wu Xiaoxiao through the winding streets until they reached a large gray door. He knocked, and after hearing a response from inside, he pushed it open and entered.

A shirtless man stepped out, and upon seeing Wu Xiaoxiao, he nearly jumped in surprise before quickly running back inside to grab a shirt. Once he had put it on, he walked out again.

“Chen Si, what brings you here?” Wu Jiang asked while fastening his buttons. “And who is this?”

Chen Si introduced them. “This is my friend Wu Xiaoxiao. She came from Wu Family Village to help out at the agricultural machinery factory. She wants to make some glass bottles, and I immediately thought of you.”

He turned to Wu Xiaoxiao. “Wu Jiang is a friend I met after coming to the county. He’s an expert at glassblowing and painting. That’s actually how we got to know each other. If you need glass bottles blown, he’s definitely the man for the job.”

When Chen Si had first arrived in Beixian County, he had been focused on studying medicine. However, he couldn’t quite let go of his passion for painting and continued practicing in secret, which eventually led to his friendship with Wu Jiang.

Wu Xiaoxiao said, “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Brother Wu Jiang.”

Wu Jiang looked slightly embarrassed. “Sorry about earlier. I was just heating up the furnace to practice glassblowing. It gets unbearably hot in front of the furnace, so I couldn’t keep my shirt on.”

Even now, the shirt he had hastily thrown on was half-soaked with sweat, and a damp ring had formed around his waist.

“Come on in and take a look,” he offered. “Chen Si knows all about this, but I bet you haven’t seen glassblowing before, have you, Wu?”

Wu Jiang eagerly led them inside.

“Oh, right—this place is really hot. Let me get you both some cool boiled water.”

He hurriedly ran back and forth between the rooms, fetching cups of water for them before finally settling down.

It was clear that Wu Jiang wasn’t very good at socializing. He seemed completely flustered around the unfamiliar Wu Xiaoxiao. But as soon as he stepped in front of the furnace and started talking about his craft, his entire demeanor changed.

The room had clearly been set up as his workspace. One side of the wall was lined with neatly hung tools—pliers, scissors, tweezers, clamps, and more. Another area had piles of broken glass, roughly sorted by color.

At the center of the room was the furnace, glowing red-hot. Inside the crucible, molten glass bubbled and shimmered, radiating intense heat.

Wu Jiang grabbed an iron blowpipe and inspected it. “I’ll blow one for you to see first.”

Wu Xiaoxiao watched intently. As soon as she stepped inside, she felt the sweltering heat—easily nearing 40°C (104°F). She had heard of glassblowing before, but seeing it in person for the first time was completely different.

She had only ever seen industrially manufactured glassware—standardized and uniform. But what was unfolding before her eyes now was a work of art.

Wu Jiang heated the iron pipe until it glowed red, then carefully dipped it into the molten glass, picking up a glowing orange blob that seemed to shimmer with fire.

He gently rolled the molten glass on a metal plate, shaping it into a smooth cylinder. After raising it to eye level and inspecting it carefully, he began to blow through the pipe.

He blew with great force, his cheeks puffing out, while the molten glass at the other end gradually expanded, forming a hollow shape.

Wu Jiang alternated between blowing, pausing, and pressing the glass onto a flat metal surface to adjust its shape. He repeated this process over and over, gradually refining the bottle’s form. The walls of the glass grew thinner and thinner with each step.

By the end, the bottle’s walls were so thin they looked as fragile as a soap bubble. Only then did Wu Jiang cut it off from the pipe. While the glass was still soft, he used tweezers to shape the rim, giving it a slightly flared opening with delicate, petal-like patterns.

Once finished, he set the bottle aside to cool, then took a few steps away from the furnace and gulped down several mouthfuls of water.

“That’s the basic process. If you want different colors, I’d have to mix in different minerals like silica sand. My supplies are limited, though—I can only make red, pale green, or completely clear glass.”

Wu Xiaoxiao bent down for a closer look at the freshly blown bottle. She hardly dared to breathe—the glass was so thin it seemed like the slightest gust of air might shatter it.

Chen Si gently tugged her back. “Be careful not to burn yourself.”

Wu Xiaoxiao took a small step back. “That’s amazing! I can’t believe it can be blown so thin!”

Wu Jiang nodded. “It may look delicate, but I’ve tested it. This type of glass can handle the stress just fine. It won’t crack while cooling, and the final product is very lightweight. Come, let me show you more.”

He led them to the next room.

As soon as Wu Xiaoxiao stepped in, she gasped in admiration. “So beautiful!”

One entire wall was lined with wooden shelves, each compartment filled with various glass-blown creations. There were bottles in all shapes and sizes, as well as more intricate pieces—a chubby little rabbit, a miniature mountain, and delicate glass flowers, all sparkling in the light.

Now, she fully understood why Chen Si had said he met Wu Jiang through painting. These glassworks were like paintings brought to life. Glassblowing was just as much an art as painting.

Wu Jiang scratched his head awkwardly. “It’s just a hobby—nothing serious.”

Technically, this was a valuable craft. His old mentor had told him that glassblowing had existed for over a thousand years. If done well, it could at least provide a stable livelihood. But in his case, he could barely support himself, let alone a family. Worse, he had spent more money on materials than he had ever earned.

Some materials he scavenged from the streets, while others he had to buy with his own money.

Thankfully, he lived alone—one man, one stomach to fill. Since he loved the craft so much, he had kept at it despite the difficulties.