The old factory village in Jingdezhen carries the mingling scent of kiln fire and soil in the air.
Li Younan and Zhu Qingyue are seated on small stools in a shabby workshop, facing plain white ceramic blanks and blue-and-white materials.
At this moment, Zhu Qingyue is meticulously sketching some pattern on a cup with a thin brush, utterly focused.
The one teaching them to paint the blanks is Sister Chen from the workshop.
She doesn't speak much, always standing behind them with a gentle smile.
Qingyue paints cautiously, while Li Younan casually dabs a few strokes of landscape lines.
Occasionally, Sister Chen gently advises, "Keep your hand steady, use less material on the brush tip, go slowly… you can add a little branch here…"
Her voice is soft, tinged with a local accent.
