After discussing the gourd's material, Chu Chen went on to explain the other two factors used to judge the quality of pyrography gourds: the pyrography technique, and the composition and content of the design. In both respects, Wang Ruyang's pyrography gourd was outstanding.
After hearing Chu Chen's explanation, Wang Ruyang was quite pleased. Zhou Wenping turned to him with a smile and asked, "Old Wang, when did you become interested in holding and playing with gourds?"
Wang Ruyang smiled. "I was influenced by my father-in-law. Some time ago, he saw a friend playing with palm-sized gourds, so he bought a few to play with himself. He became completely obsessed and even urged me to play with them too. But you know that I've always liked calligraphy and paintings. I don't understand palm-sized gourds at all, so I've never bought one."
"I happened to see this gourd at a small stall when I came over after watching the commotion just now. I thought it looked pretty good, and the price was cheap, so I bought it. I never expected to receive Teacher Chu's approval. What a pleasant surprise!"
Actually, aside from genuinely liking the look of the pyrography gourd, Wang Ruyang had mainly bought it because whenever he visited his father-in-law, the older man always asked whether he had bought any palm-sized gourds. This had made him somewhat impatient, so he had simply bought one to make up the numbers. He had never expected it to receive Chu Chen's approval, which delighted him.
Many people's love of antiques began with obtaining a decent collectible. Wang Ruyang was just like that now. He also liked to let things take their natural course. The palm-sized gourd he had bought on a whim had unexpectedly turned out to be a fine piece, making him