NFBE Chapter 561 The Fragrance of Osmanthus Sweeps Away the Auspicious Time
Chapter 561 The Fragrance of Osmanthus Sweeps Away the Auspicious Time
As autumn deepens, the osmanthus flowers in Qinglongpo bloom as scheduled.
Golden petals adorn the branches, and when the wind blows, they fall in a flurry, carpeting the ground like scattered gold. The sweet fragrance permeates the kiln site, around the kiln sheds, and soaks into every inch of the land.
Pei Luonan stood in the woods, stepping on the soft fallen petals, the refreshing fragrance of osmanthus lingering around his nose, and couldn't help but smile—the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.
"President Pei, the display case has been installed. Look at the effect."
Ling Jiu'er jogged over, holding up the photos. "The raw wood material matches the style of the base perfectly. I've also tested the load-bearing capacity; it's just right for storing ceramic shard specimens." Pei Luonan nodded in satisfaction after looking at it, then took out a celadon ring box from his inner pocket and opened it.
"The ring is finished. Can you take a look and see if Fanxing will like it? I'm worried that the color of the jadeite and the glaze of the Qingning kiln are not close enough."
Ling Jiu'er peeked out and exclaimed in amazement, "Brother Luo Nan put so much effort into this! The ring holder mimics the curve of a kiln wall, and it's smooth and doesn't hurt your hands."
The light blue jade has a warm and smooth texture, almost identical to the celadon porcelain fired by Master Chen. It also has pine needle patterns on the edges, understated yet containing elements of Qingning kiln. Xingxing will definitely like it.
The porcelain box containing the characters "星" and "南" is just the right shade, exuding a sense of exclusivity.
She added earnestly, "Sister Fanxing used to be concerned about the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage. Now that intangible cultural heritage has been implemented, cultural and creative products are selling well, and Lin Xiao can stand on her own, she has no more worries in her heart. She must be looking forward to the future with you."
Pei Luonan carefully put the ring box away: "That's good. Please keep an eye on things tomorrow and make sure Fanxing doesn't notice anything amiss."
Ling Jiu'er patted her chest and guaranteed.
"Don't worry! Aunt Zhang will invite her to dinner to celebrate the osmanthus harvest. We'll take the opportunity to lead her to the prepared venue and give her a big surprise."
The next morning, Pei Luonan asked Gu Fanxing to go to the base to inspect the display cases.
Gu Fanxing ran her fingertips across the countertop, her eyes filled with satisfaction.
"This cabinet has a warm and smooth texture, which matches the style of the pottery shards and celadon perfectly. I didn't expect you to be so detail-oriented."
Pei Luonan helped her brush the osmanthus blossoms off her shoulder.
“I will take your concerns to heart. Aunt Zhang said she’s having a small gathering at the Osmanthus Grove tonight to celebrate the osmanthus harvest, and she even made your favorite osmanthus cake. Shall we go together?”
Gu Fanxing's eyes lit up.
"Great! I've been craving Aunt Zhang's osmanthus cake for so long. It's sweet but not cloying and has a wonderful osmanthus fragrance. The last time I had it was after I successfully tried making it last year."
In the afternoon, Kong Haoyu and Xiao Fangfei arrived as promised.
Kong Haoyu carried a portable projector and a laptop, while Xiao Fangfei held a carefully arranged bouquet of flowers.
The white lilies are elegant, the pale green bellflowers are gentle, and the small osmanthus flowers are added as decoration. The simple celadon kiln pattern is printed on the wood-colored wrapping paper, which echoes the style of the ring.
"Boss, everything is ready!"
Kong Haoyu put down the equipment. "The blessing video from the motorcycle community can be played normally. We also brought the motorcycle model ornaments. We'll place them around the venue as you suggested. They won't look out of place and will even echo our experiences."
Xiao Fangfei looked at the marriage proposal note.
"These lyrics are well written. They include your specific memories of staying up all night guarding the kiln and revising the intangible cultural heritage application materials together. They are all heartfelt words and will definitely move Xingxing."
Pei Luonan read the note word by word, his eyes slightly moist.
The words on the note evoked countless memories: when they first met, she fearlessly helped him chase away the thugs; when they met again, she said she wanted to repay him with her body; when they encountered setbacks in applying for intangible cultural heritage status, the two stayed up all night in the kiln shed researching materials and encouraging each other; on the day the new porcelain was successfully fired, she held the celadon cup and smiled with stars in her eyes... These small but precious moments were the foundation of his confidence in proposing.
The three carefully checked the arrangement details: twenty celadon lanterns were evenly hung on the branches, each lantern was handmade by Master Chen and engraved with fine kiln patterns, and the light shone through the porcelain surface, casting a soft blue shadow.
The photo panels are arranged chronologically, showcasing key moments from their first meeting to their joint efforts in protecting the Qingning Kiln. The ground is covered with fresh pine needles, which are both slip-resistant and emit a natural fragrance.
The bouquet was placed on the central stone table, with motorcycle figurines placed next to it, and the projector was hidden behind the bushes to ensure a clear playback.
In the evening, Aunt Zhang invited Gu Fanxing: "Fanxing, hurry to the osmanthus grove. I made your favorite osmanthus cake and brewed osmanthus rice wine. Lin Xiao specially made you a small celadon cup and also scented tea with osmanthus flowers so you can try it."
Gu Fanxing took the osmanthus cake, took a bite, and nodded with satisfaction.
"It's so delicious! Let's go now, I can't wait to try the osmanthus-scented tea."
On the way, Gu Fanxing chatted with Aunt Zhang about the uses of osmanthus: "The osmanthus is growing well this year. Besides making cakes and wine, we can also make osmanthus jam, right? When tourists come to experience porcelain making, we can let them try it. It will definitely be popular."
Aunt Zhang nodded with a smile: "I've picked quite a lot. I plan to make some osmanthus jam and put it in small celadon jars as cultural and creative gifts, so that everyone can take the taste of Qinglongpo home. I also want to teach Lin Xiao how to make it, so that she can teach tourists at the experience store in the future, which will both pass on the craft and add fun."
Pei Luonan followed behind, his palms slightly sweaty, feeling both nervous and expectant. When they were almost at the osmanthus grove, he secretly sent a message to Ling Jiu'er: "They're here, get ready."
The moment Gu Fanxing stepped into the osmanthus grove, she was completely stunned.
The celadon lanterns hanging from the branches cast a pale blue glow, illuminating the pine needles scattered on the ground. Familiar scenes appeared one after another on the photo display boards by the roadside.
On the stone table, bouquets and motorcycle ornaments complement each other, and the air is filled with the mixed fragrance of osmanthus, pine needles and grass.
As she watched all this, her eyes instantly welled up with tears: "What... is going on?"
Pei Luonan took a deep breath, walked slowly to her, and gently opened the ring box.
"Starry Night, the first time I met you, I was moved by your courage and persistence. I'm now fulfilling the promise we made together: you marry me, and I'll marry you. Will you marry me? Last time I proposed, you were afraid I was just acting on impulse, not truly sincere, and only trying to fulfill the agreement, so you rejected me. We've been through so much together lately; can you feel my sincerity now?" His gaze was burning with sincerity. "I not only like you, but I also admire you. I want to stay with you at Qinglongpo, to continue telling the story of Qingning Kiln; to face the storms together, and share every moment of life."
Live each ordinary day as warm and precious as the celadon of Qingning Kiln.
Gu Fanxing, will you marry me? Let the kiln fire witness our love, and let the legacy accompany us throughout our lives.
As soon as the words were spoken, the projector lit up, and a video of blessings played on the tree trunk—friends from the motorcycle community, villagers from Qinglongpo, craftsman Chen, Lin Xiao, and Ling Jiu'er, each of them offered their most sincere blessings to the camera.
Aunt Zhang laughed and teased, "Fanxing, Luonan is reliable and treats you well. You two are a match made in heaven. Say yes!"
Lin Xiao chimed in, "Sister Fanxing, Brother Pei has been preparing for this proposal for a long time. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could work together in Qinglongpo to pass on the tradition of porcelain making?"
Looking at the sincerity and expectation in Pei Luonan's eyes, listening to the blessings around her, Gu Fanxing recalled the countless nights they fought side by side, his unwavering companionship and support, and his meticulous care. Tears welled up in her eyes.
She sniffed, wiped away her tears, smiled and nodded, her voice choked with emotion but incredibly firm: "I do."
Pei Luonan was overjoyed and carefully slipped the ring onto her ring finger. The ring fit perfectly; the pale blue jadeite complemented the light earthy gray of her hand, creating a harmonious effect.
He hugged her tightly: "Thank you, Fanxing, thank you for being willing to marry me."
Gu Fanxing leaned against him, inhaling the mixed fragrance of pine resin and osmanthus, her heart filled with happiness.
In the osmanthus grove, applause and cheers rose and fell. Ling Jiu'er held up her camera to capture happy moments; Kong Haoyu and Xiao Fangfei looked at each other and smiled, clapping vigorously; Aunt Zhang wiped away tears of relief, muttering "So good, so good"; Craftsman Chen stood in the distance, a gratified smile on his face.
As night deepened, the lights in the osmanthus grove remained bright, their glow reflecting off the distant kiln fires, creating a warm and beautiful scene. The promise made by this couple was frozen in time amidst the fragrance of osmanthus and the kiln fires of Qinglongpo, foreshadowing a future for them and Qingning Kiln that will forever be bright and full of hope.