Zhu Zijun staggered out of Wufu’s workshop, a shell of his former self, while Wufu looked on coldly and shook her head.
"I’ve said enough," she thought. "Whether he grasps it is up to him. As Mr. Lin’s disciple, seeing how finely the lotus pedestal is carved, he must have some skills, right?"
Yet, what a pity, his vision was too limited. If he continued to be so shortsighted, she guessed he would never become a master.
"How can a person limit themselves to just one thing?"
Wufu picked up her charcoal pencil and continued to work on her drawings, making many marks on that piece of stone.
The door was pushed open forcefully. Wufu jumped, then looked up to see Zhu Zijun returning.
Now, Wufu was truly angry and said coldly, "Craftsman Zhu, I respected you as a fellow craftsman, but don’t push your luck. Get out, or don’t blame me for being rude!"
Did he think she was a sick cat when she was not angry?
Zhu Zijun approached and said, "Lady Wu, you, let me help you, can I?"
Zhu Zijun pointed at the Chicken Blood Stone and said, "I don’t know how you plan to carve it, but may I assist you on the side? I, I want to watch..."
"You think I need your help?" Wufu mocked. Pointing to the chipped part of the stone, she asked, "For you to make things worse?"
A trace of embarrassment crossed Zhu Zijun’s face. He bit his tongue and said, "I know my skills are not fine enough, but..."
"No need, I can complete it myself. Get out!" Wufu chased him off, clearly annoyed.
"Then, can I just watch from the side, only watch, is that okay?" Zhu Zijun pleaded.
Wufu scowled, "You mean to be in the same room with me? Are you trying to ruin my reputation?"
She didn’t care about others’ opinions, but that didn’t mean she didn’t value her reputation. A man and a woman alone in a room, what would people think?
Wufu was not foolish enough to allow herself to fall into such a troublesome situation when it could be avoided. Sorry, but she had no desire to torture herself.
"I, I didn’t mean that." Zhu Zijun’s face turned red as he said, "I am already in my thirties, with a wife and son at home, and a daughter of thirteen."
Meaning he was old enough to be her father.
"Craftsman Zhu, do you not know that repeated slander makes truth, three people make a tiger?" Wufu glared at him coldly, "As a man, you naturally don’t care, but I, a maiden, just you entering my room twice is enough to drown me in spittle."
Zhu Zijun faltered, "Right, I’m sorry, it’s just that I can’t accept this!" He stared at the piece of Chicken Blood Stone and said, "This is the first time I’ve encountered such a fine Chicken Blood Stone since I began practicing. I was confident I would carve the best, just didn’t expect, didn’t expect... So, I beg you."
"Oh, is that so." Wufu raised an eyebrow, her mouth curling slightly in response to his hopeful gaze, "You do seem quite pitiable. But sorry, I’m not a particularly sympathetic person!"
"You..." Zhu Zijun, his face flushed with anger, thought, how could such a young girl be so merciless with her words?
"Furthermore, you’re a disciple of Mr. Lin’s, right? Do you not consider where this leaves your master with such pleading?" Wufu added with a sneer.
Didn’t the ancients value respect for one’s teacher above all? Zhu Zijun’s persistent requests were enough to disgrace his own master.
Zhu Zijun’s expression darkened, "Since the piece of Chicken Blood Stone was ruined, the master said I wasn’t cut out for this line of work and that he had nothing left to teach me. He’s already expelled me from his school, and I am no longer his disciple. Our master-disciple relationship is over!"
Wufu was stunned, thinking to herself, this old man really knew how to avoid trouble, washing his hands off matters very quickly!