No strange things are allowed to evolve!

"Does he really want to see me whenever he wants?" Jiang Shu leaned back, crossed her arms, and asked curiously, "Do I look like the type who's always available?"

Although she engages in a business that skirts the edges of pleasing wealthy women, Jiang Shu still has her pride.

Do you have an appointment?

But unexpectedly...

“Of course I know proper etiquette. I personally brought your friend to you, and I also visited the workshop and learned about your deeds from the craftsmen. Furthermore, I witnessed your renovation of that person's residence.”

The white-bearded doll always had a smile on its face, speaking slowly and deliberately:

"I don't know if this counts as respect for you, or as an appointment."

"They came prepared."

Jiang Shu clapped his hands: "Well, since you're so sincere, I'll give you face. But this is a one-time exception. Remember to talk to me in person next time you make an appointment. My fieldwork is very expensive."

After saying that, Jiang Shu got up and walked out of the carriage.

"I would be very grateful." The white-bearded doll remained unperturbed by Jiang Shu's provocative words: "Then, please follow me."

Jiang Shu glanced at him, but didn't see the reaction she wanted on his face.

"He's got a tough customer..." he thought.

So he nodded and said nothing more.

Soon, led by the white-bearded doll, Jiang Shu entered the magnificent palace.

To his surprise, the furnishings here were exactly the same as those in the creative workshop.

The only difference was that the warehouse, with its doors wide open, was not filled with corpses, and there were far fewer of the strange tools and utensils used to dispose of them.

A slender figure wrapped in a long robe was busy at a spinning machine. Her long white hair trailed on the ground. In her hands, the spindle danced like a sprite, spinning out exquisite yarn in the blink of an eye.

"Is the creative artisan a woman?"

Jiang Shu was slightly surprised.

"They didn't tell you anything about me?" A hoarse voice came from in front of the spinning machine.

"They" naturally refers to the artisans in the workshop.

"Oh! Still that husky voice?" Jiang Shu teased, then replied, "When they mention you, they either call you the creative craftsman, the master, or 'him.' They pronounce 'him' for men and 'she' for women as 'ta.' There's no portrait of you in the workshop, so how would I know if you're a man or a woman?"

"Is that so..." The creative craftsman's tone was tinged with sadness: "Is everything gone?"

“There used to be life-size portraits of adults in the workshop’s main hall, but they were gone when I went to see them this time.”

The white-bearded doll explained with a smile, then asked Jiang Shu:

"What would you like to drink? We have tea, coffee, or would you like to try some honey water?"

"I want to drink Coke."

The white-bearded doll's smile froze: "I've never heard of this drink."

“A remote and impoverished place…” Jiang Shu muttered, “Then let’s have tea, strong, and a second infusion.”

The white-bearded doll's smile became a little stiff, but it still patiently said, "Okay, I'm really sorry to have troubled you. Next time you come, I will definitely prepare a Coke for you."

Jiang Shu nodded and patted the other person hard on the back: "Take this seriously."

The white-bearded doll stumbled slightly before quickly walking away.

A moment of silence.

Jiang Shu found a chair and sat down, playing with the small figurines she had casually picked up from the workbench. She asked the creative craftsman, "Are you planning to keep your back to me? That doesn't seem very polite."

"On the contrary."

The creative artisan's spinning hands stopped:

"I am ugly, and turning my back to you is the greatest courtesy I can show you."

Jiang Shu disagreed: "Whether it's ugly or not is not for you to decide."

"Is that so?"

The creative craftsman slowly stood up and then turned to Jiang Shu.

Jiang Shu's eyes widened suddenly, and the doll in her hand fell to the ground.

Her hands, holding the spindle, were covered in sores and uneven patches that covered all the skin exposed outside her robe. Half of her face was burned away, her left lip was unrecognizable, and although her nose was intact, she was missing an eye.

The skin around the left eye socket was completely adhered, leaving only a depression and spiderweb-like growths.

Only the right side of her face remains intact, and only that remaining part of her face, along with her weathered right eye, proves that she once possessed beauty.

Half angel, half devil.

She saw Jiang Shu's reaction with her only remaining eye and gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"So, do you regret it...?"

He only said half of what he meant.

"What a nice view."

"What?" The creative craftsman was stunned.

“I said you’re very beautiful.” Jiang Shu swallowed. “This sense of imperfection reminds me of the Venus de Milo.”

"Uh..."

"So, could you let me see what's underneath?"

"..."

"If it hadn't been burned."

"?"

Chapter Thirty: The Request of the Creative Craftsman

Inside the tea room.

The white-bearded doll elegantly prepared tea and snacks.

For a very long time, he had forgotten exactly how long, and he and the creative craftsman lived together in the palace, relying on each other for survival.

As a doll who never participates in the workshop's production, he devotes all his energy to housework, and every day he is dedicated to serving the creative artisans.

He is a family doctor, a mental health representative, a chef, a housekeeper, and a family member of creative artisans.

With just one doll, he could arrange the space, which was the size of the creative workshop, and every corner of the palace outside of it, in perfect order.

In fact, he was not incapable of leaving the palace; the fact that he was able to invite Jiang Shu from outside was proof enough of that.

However, due to certain special reasons, the creative artisans cannot leave this place.

She thought life would continue like this, but a while ago, or more precisely, yesterday, the creative artisan had a dream in which her workshop had a new owner.

She couldn't remember what the person looked like, but she was certain that he had the support of all the craftsmen and had even moved into her former residence and slept in her bed.

This has caused great concern among creative artisans.

So, the white-bearded doll left the palace early this morning to go to the Creative Workshop to investigate the situation.

Surprisingly, the dream came true; a young doll actually replaced the creative craftsman and took over the creative workshop.

But what puzzled him was that, after a whole morning, he hadn't seen anything special about the young doll, that is, Jiang Shu—

He just sat there, lost in thought with a melancholy expression, as if he had lost something, and then asked the hammer doll some strange questions: Why didn't the creative craftsman design a reproductive system for the doll?

I find myself laughing whenever I think about it.

Dolls are born with a mission; they must be like a nail, firmly and forever fixed in one place.

What promotion? What promotion system?

However, unsure of the creative craftsman's intentions, the white-bearded doll did not alert the enemy but returned to the palace first.

It wasn't until he sensed the creative craftsman's curiosity about him and his apparent desire to meet him that he set off again, this time encountering Jiang Shu's companions.

He had planned to invite Jiang Shu over when he was alone, but he suddenly realized that trouble was approaching Jiang Shu and his group.

Left with no other choice, he had to act ahead of schedule...

Cut the cake that the creative artisans enjoy as a snack every afternoon, set it with knives and forks, and place it on a tray along with the prepared teapot and teacups.

The white-bearded doll picked up the tray, walked proudly through the corridor, and headed towards the workshop.

He still had a smile on his face, even though he was about to see that guy he found somewhat annoying again.

"Phew... There's no need to make things difficult for someone who's about to die."

He comforted himself with this thought, trying to stay calm and not lose his composure in front of others.

Then, he lost his composure.

As soon as he arrived at the workshop gate, before he even entered, he heard a soft, seductive sound.

His heavy breathing and muffled groans nearly caused him to drop the tea set and snacks in his hands.

Without thinking twice, he pushed the door open abruptly.

The creative craftsman lay face down on the tool table, as if sunbathing.

Her long robe had been used as a beach blanket and placed under her.

As for what one wears without the robe, that goes without saying.

Jiang Shu stood beside her, his right hand gently holding a weaving needle, his left hand holding a candlestick. He heated the needle until it was red-hot, blew on it, and then pierced the naked skin of the creative craftsman.

With each needle inserted, the creative craftsman, in pain, would let out a soft groan, and that's the sound the white-bearded doll heard outside the door.

I don’t know when they started, but now creative artisans look like a hedgehog.

"Let's do cupping again later. It would be a shame not to cup your back," Jiang Shu said gently.

"Um...yes...I'll listen to you..." The creative craftsman said, his head bowed and his voice muffled.

"What are you doing?!" the white-bearded doll screamed in despair.

The creative craftsman looked up at the sound, then stared blankly at the white-bearded doll, as if he had just woken up and was still a little dazed: "You're back?"

"What did you do to her?!" Seeing her like this, the white-bearded doll naturally assumed that Jiang Shu had done something terrible.

Jiang Shu remained silent, looking down at him arrogantly.

He no longer needed to consider the Whitebeard doll's opinion, even though he had never actually seen it before.

And that was indeed the case. He didn't need to explain anything; the creative craftsman, having come to his senses, took the initiative to defend him.

“This is called acupuncture.” The creative craftsman propped himself up, grabbed his robe to cover his chest, and explained somewhat embarrassedly, “You know, I was almost burned to death once. Mr. Darwin said I had too much internal heat, and this helps me to cool down.”

The white-bearded doll was greatly shocked and questioned Jiang Shu: "You call being burned 'having too much internal heat'?"

"Or is it because of excessive cold?"

"It wasn't you..."

Disturbed by the sudden appearance of the white-bearded doll, Jiang Shu lost interest.

"Never mind, I'll skip cupping for now. Maybe next time."

"But we just agreed on that..."

"Next time."

"All right..."

With his back covered in needles, the creative craftsman knelt down, clutching his robe.

Her gaze never left Jiang Shu.

Taking a deep breath, the white-bearded doll placed the tea set on the table and then served her some snacks.

But she didn't start tasting it immediately as she usually did.

"Mr. Darwin, would you like to try some? It tastes very good."

"Then try it." Jiang Shu didn't stand on ceremony, picked up the bowl and started eating, asking as she ate, "If I eat, what will you eat?"

"It's okay for me, I can eat it every day."

"That's good."