Chapter 2854: Bridging the Gap

The moment the pot lids were lifted, billowing white steam rose into the air, carrying with it the mingled aromas of oil, cured meats, seafood, vegetables, and scorched rice. The three of them were instantly captivated by the rich fragrance.

"Go on, try it. This is the shop's signature dish. They say all the ingredients come straight from Fujian. Old Cantonese absolutely love it!" Guo Xi'er's eyebrows danced with delight.

The three began sampling the delicacy. The clay pot rice truly lived up to its reputation: the cured meat was deeply fragrant, the soy sauce perfectly balanced between savory and sweet, and the rice was cooked to an ideal texture. The scorched rice at the bottom proved especially satisfying—golden and crispy without a trace of bitterness.

After they finished the clay pot rice, the waiter brought three bowls of sweet soup, perfect for cleansing the palate after such a satisfying meal.

Guo Xi'er hadn't found an opportunity to speak earlier, so she seized the leisurely moment while they sipped their sweet soup to ask about the photo studio. The subject fascinated her, and she grabbed Chen Shixin's attention with a relentless stream of questions.

Chen Shixin was more than happy to oblige. He explained that he originally worked in the Propaganda Department of the Guangzhou Municipal Government and hadn't been required to intern at the photo studio at all—he had fought for the opportunity purely out of curiosity.

"...Although photography is rendered in black and white and cannot capture the colorful hues of painting, there's an indescribable charm in its tones and the subtle grayscale transitions between them. The interplay of light and shadow during a shoot is especially captivating... This instantaneous art may appear simple, but compared to painting, it possesses an entirely different quality..."

Clearly, Guo Xi'er had little interest in Chen Shixin's eloquent discourse on aesthetics. What truly fascinated her was how photographs "printed" people onto paper. The question was easy to ask but difficult to answer completely. Guo Xi'er descended into a spiral of "one hundred whys," and Chen Shixin soon found himself at the limits of his vocabulary.

"...I'm merely parroting what I've heard. The Chief's knowledge runs too deep, and I'm naturally slow-witted, so I truly cannot grasp it all," Chen Shixin said with modesty.

"You really are too modest." He Xiaoyue smiled, her fondness for the young man growing. "You mentioned you were originally in Guangzhou?"

"That's correct. I worked in the Guangzhou Municipal Government as a propaganda officer," Chen Shixin replied. "Besides propaganda work, I painted murals, wrote large slogans, and so forth..."

"So those big slogans and murals were all your doing?"

"Not all of them—my colleagues in the Propaganda Department worked on them together." Chen Shixin's eyes lit with sudden realization. "Is Miss He also from Guangzhou?"

"Mm-hmm, though I worked in the Civil Affairs Department." He Xiaoyue immediately recounted her time at the shelter.

"Oh my, I heard them speak of it! Later, the Chief even organized a collective wedding. It was truly remarkable. I never imagined Miss He had personally participated in such a grand undertaking!"

Speaking of participation, as a member of the propaganda sector, Chen Shixin had naturally played an active role himself—though a clever young woman like He Xiaoyue could surely deduce as much.

"The Propaganda Department..." He Xiaoyue seemed to recall something and lowered her head, taking a few spoonfuls of sweet soup. After a moment, she finally could not help asking, "Since you've been working in the city, you must know quite a few people?"

"I'm acquainted with most of the staff in the Municipal Government," Chen Shixin said.

"Then... do you happen to know a detective in the City Police Bureau named Li Ziyu?"

Chen Shixin started, then broke into a sudden laugh. "Of course I know him! In fact, we're good friends."

"Good friends?!"

"Yes, we were classmates in the community school. Back then, we spent our time together reading Australian books. After I came to Lingao, I didn't know his whereabouts for quite some time. It was only later that I learned he had taken the police examination..."

He Xiaoyue was both surprised and delighted, pressing eagerly, "Really?!"

"Of course." Chen Shixin smiled. "I never expected that rascal would have such bright prospects in his career..."

"How is he now? Is he doing well?"

"His prospects are bright, as I said. He earned merit in several consecutive cases. His current rank is several levels above mine."

"That puts my mind at ease." He Xiaoyue touched her chest, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes. "Amitabha."

Perhaps feeling she had lost her composure and fearing a misunderstanding, He Xiaoyue hurried to explain: "This Officer Li... he is my benefactor. He saved me back then." She recounted the past events in detail. "Without him, I would have... I would have..."

By this point, she was on the verge of weeping.

"So that's what happened!" Chen Shixin nodded repeatedly. "Such a history between you! It seems Ziyu's bright career prospects are also due to the merit he accumulated through his everyday duties."

"I've always wanted to see him and kowtow to him in gratitude..."

"Ah, ah, that really isn't necessary." Chen Shixin waved his hands emphatically. "As a police officer of the Great Song, serving the Senate and the people is Ziyu's fundamental duty. In truth, it wasn't him alone who saved you—it was our Senate, which is wholeheartedly devoted to the people! If Heaven had not sent down the Senate, eternity would be like an endless night!"

Chen Shixin was a cadre from the propaganda sector, capable of composing speeches on the spot. The two young women could not help but silently admire him: "Truly a man of talent."

"What you said is wonderful!" He Xiaoyue exclaimed. "What a phrase: 'If Heaven had not sent down the Senate, eternity would be like an endless night'!"

"Mm-hmm-hmm!" Guo Xi'er nodded vigorously. Seeing Chen Shixin respond with only a slight smile, she could not help asking, "And what about you?"

"Me?" Chen Shixin laughed softly, then pondered for a moment. "I am unlike many of my comrades. Without the Senate, I would probably be an oil painter craftsman like my father, toiling in poverty—though likely managing to scrape by somehow. The Senate may not have saved my life, but it was as if it opened a new pair of eyes for me, allowing me to see a brand new world..."

"Yes, a world turned upside down!" Guo Xi'er declared.

Chen Shixin nodded, but He Xiaoyue understood that his meaning lay elsewhere. Their gazes met across the table, and they smiled at each other without a word.

Guo Xi'er, however, remained wholly absorbed by her interest in photography. As someone in the group closest to the Senators, she had been photographed many times and was deeply curious about the principles behind it all. She continued to pepper Chen Shixin with questions.

Chen Shixin did not actually know very much himself. Seeing her determination to get to the bottom of things, he finally said, "Since Miss Guo is so interested in photography, tomorrow happens to be my internship day. If it's convenient for you, why not come to the photo studio and have a look?"

"Yes, yes, yes! I'll definitely come!" Guo Xi'er was elated.

He Xiaoyue quickly tugged at her sleeve. "Aren't you working tomorrow?!"

"Oh, oh, right, right." Guo Xi'er suddenly remembered that the next day was a workday. According to the Senate's schedule, there were two rest days per month. Their next day off was still three days away.

"It's no trouble—a few days later works just as well." Chen Shixin laughed. "I'll be interning in Lingao for a while. Once I've completely mastered the technology, I'll return to Guangzhou. They're going to open a photo studio there too."

"So you'll be going to Guangzhou to manage the photo studio?"

"Hehe, that won't be the case." Chen Shixin laughed again. "The one in Guangzhou will definitely be privately run. It will be put out to bid for merchants. Wealthy investors will compete for it. If any family has spare capital and wins that bid, they'll surely make a fortune."

"Aren't you a Guangzhou local? Why not have your relatives bid for it?" Guo Xi'er asked casually.

Chen Shixin shook his head. "My family is small and of modest means. Where would we find wealthy relatives? We can only watch others take this path to riches. Besides, I must avoid any appearance of impropriety."

"That's true enough."

Seeing Sister Guo about to speak again, Chen Shixin worried she might say something startling. He steered the conversation away from the photo studio and back to fashion design, complimenting the ingenuity of their work. Then, shifting the subject once more, he turned to the topic of fabrics.

"Looking at Lingao Spring, whether it's Wanzi Pavilion or other clothing societies, they carry garments in all manner of fabrics—yet they rarely make fur apparel."

"There's no market for it." He Xiaoyue shook her head. "In Lingao, the coldest it gets is five or six degrees, and only for a few days each year. Wool is more than sufficient for elegance. Wearing fur would be unbearably hot."

"But across the strait, there's real demand in Guangzhou. Winters there are much colder than here!"

Both Guo and He had experienced winters in Guangzhou and knew he spoke the truth. In the seventeenth century, winter temperatures in Guangzhou often dropped below freezing, with ice and snow every year. The need for cold protection far exceeded that of Hainan.

Compared to cotton-padded jackets and wool, fur offered superior warmth and was both moisture-proof and waterproof. For this reason, dignitaries during the Qing Dynasty...

"We've seen many Australian fur clothing designs in the reference materials, but they simply don't sell locally. We'd like to make them, but we lack the means."

"I heard in Guangzhou," Chen Shixin said thoughtfully, "that Wanzi Pavilion plans to expand there in the future and open a branch..."

"Right, right, right, I heard that too!" Guo Xi'er nodded eagerly.

He Xiaoyue hesitated before speaking. "There is such a rumor."

"Once you're established in Guangzhou, won't there be a market for fur clothing?" Chen Shixin continued. "You could plan ahead and start making pieces now."

"Making them is certainly possible," He Xiaoyue said. "Last time, the Director mentioned we could design some fur garments first and have the factory produce patterns and samples. But right now, we don't even have the raw materials..."

"Yes, I saw in the reference materials that there are dozens of types of fur. Mink alone has many distinctions based on body parts—it made my eyes blur. I don't even know what they look like or how they feel. The Director said the finest mink fur is called soft gold, extremely precious..."

Chen Shixin smiled. "Speaking of which, Brother Ziyu has a distant relative. His family was originally from Jiangnan and had been processing fur for generations. When the business couldn't sustain itself, they moved to Guangdong. Now they're preparing to open a factory in Hainan. If you're interested, I could ask him to send over some samples."

"That would be wonderful, of course—though we can't afford to pay for the goods..."

"Since they're samples, naturally no payment is needed. You can try working with them first. And should you decide to make fur clothing in the future, you'll already have a connection." Chen Shixin added, "I heard from Trini that wearing fur is quite fashionable in Europe these days. Dignitaries almost all purchase it. And the styles change very quickly..."

Chen Shixin spoke expansively, and Guo Xi'er listened with keen interest. He Xiaoyue, with her greater experience, recognized that Chen Shixin's words were bridging a gap—laying the groundwork for future cooperation. Yet she found nothing objectionable in what he was doing. After all, this could be a new avenue for growth. Moreover, this Huang He was said to be Li Ziyu's relative... She responded immediately, "We can certainly give it a try. How do we contact him?"

"Here is his calling card." Chen Shixin produced a small plum-red card from his pocket. It read: "Huang He, New Jiangnan Leather Company."

(End of Chapter)