Lost and Found: Return of My Mysterious Fiancee

Mr. Johnson was utterly stunned. He hadn't expected Natalie's ability to quickly scan lines of information to be anything but a gimmick. Yet, here she was, effortlessly sketching out data charts as if it were second nature. What kind of terrifying genius was this? Natalie didn't seem to notice his astonished gaze. She casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and said, "This is all I can tell you. For now, this problem remains unsolved by anyone in the world."noveldrama

Mr. Johnson abruptly stood up and bowed deeply to Natalie. "The value of having a researcher like you in this world is immeasurable."

The guests present were profoundly moved by his words. Their admiration for Natalie grew exponentially, and they erupted into thunderous applause.

The third person to approach was a kind elderly woman. Her white eyebrows framed high cheekbones and a low nose bridge, and her gentle smile revealed her amiable nature.

She walked up slowly, wearing glasses with white-rimmed frames. Natalie rose to her feet and helped the elderly woman to her seat, receiving yet another warm and benevolent smile in return.

"Natalie, you're incredible! Watching you solve the challenges of the last two people, I can't help but think that brilliance and radiance are your trademarks," the woman said warmly. "But the favor I need might not be possible to achieve here. I wonder if you'd be willing to accompany me somewhere?"

Natalie raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on her lips, as her fingers tapped lightly on the table. "Ma'am, you'll have to tell me what it is first before I agree."

The elderly woman's face lit up with joy. "I need your help restoring a relic-a porcelain piece. However, we'll need to go to the restoration facility, where our professionals are stationed."

Artifacts preserved for millennia have extremely stringent environmental requirements. A mere gust of wind or even a soft breath could potentially damage them. Destruction is easy, but restoration is painstaking-requiring immense effort, time, and expertise. Sometimes, repairs are impossible to complete to perfection or even at all.

Natalie thought for a moment and asked, "Where is the restoration facility located?"

"Conveniently, it's just ten minutes away by car from the Pace family estate. If you're concerned, your husband can accompany us," the elderly woman replied with a smile.

Natalie's gaze swept the room and landed on Ruud, who stood close by. "Alright. My husband will come with me. But what about the guests here?"

The woman had already prepared for this. "We have custom-made glass enclosures and specialized cameras that can capture the restoration process and project it onto large screens. Sometimes, even students need to observe and learn from this."

Reassured, Natalie nodded. She didn't want the guests to feel neglected, as that might reflect poorly on the Pace family's hospitality.

With that settled, Natalie promptly boarded the car with the elderly woman. Ruud, acting as her bodyguard, accompanied her as well. The guests had no objections and, feeling entertained enough, began to leave the banquet of their own accord.

Just as the elderly woman had mentioned, it took only ten minutes to reach the restoration facility.

The group entered the facility in an impressive procession.

Ruud held Natalie's hand, pride evident in his expression. "Natalie, why didn't you ever tell me you could restore artifacts?"

Natalie raised an eyebrow casually. "I have a keen interest in antiques. I like to study them in my free time-porcelain, ancient scripts, appraisal techniques, and even carvings and paintings of ancient patterns. I dabble in them all." Ruud's smile widened as he gripped her hand tighter. "Natalie, you're so talented. Teach me someday. Now that I don't need to be on the front lines, I could get into this and have more to talk about with you."

"If you're interested, I'll teach you everything I know," Natalie replied with a faint smile.

Inside the museum's restricted area was an enclosed space where the restoration work took place. The room was occupied by a group of restoration professionals, each dressed plainly. Some sat diligently at desks, carefully working on artifacts while others sat on the floor, choosing comfort over formality.

The elderly woman led Natalie in, arranging for the relevant personnel to film Natalie's restoration process. Ruud waited outside the room. The restorers glanced briefly at Natalie before quickly returning to their work. After all, time flies when restoring artifacts.

The room maintained strict environmental controls, with air conditioning set between 64°F and 73°F (18°C to 23°C) and humidity regulated at 55% to 60%. The precision and rigor of the environment were palpable.

Natalie donned a mask and special gloves. Her smooth forehead and bright, clear eyes were visible, her long lashes trembling slightly as she prepared.

She approached the shattered late-Qing Dynasty porcelain piece she was to restore. What lay before her were scattered shards, broken to varying degrees with no discernible pattern or shape. There wasn't a single large piece to indicate which part it belonged to.

Natalie's expression remained calm. She sat silently for a few seconds, her mind quickly constructing a plan.

Once she had a solution, she began working with practiced ease.

She gently picked up the shards, which had lost all semblance of their original form, and performed a 3D scan. The original appearance of the porcelain was reconstructed through the scan, and a complete model was printed. Next, she took a bag of cotton swabs, dipped them in water, and meticulously cleaned away dirt and impurities. Finally, she used adhesive to carefully piece the fragments back together.

Her movements were smooth and precise, flowing like water. There was no hesitation, yet every action was deliberate and thorough. Under her skilled hands, the late-Qing porcelain seemed to be reborn. It sat there quietly, as though it had traveled through time, freshly emerged from the kiln.

The elderly woman's eyes reddened as tears welled up. She gazed at the restored porcelain, her voice trembling with emotion. "This piece was a gift from a dear friend who has since passed. Its significance to me is beyond words. I consulted every expert I could find to restore it, but they all told me it was too damaged to repair. Yet, you succeeded."

Hearing this, the other restorers in the room finally looked up from their work. Curious, they gathered around Natalie to inspect her work.

They gasped in amazement, their eyes wide with disbelief. "Incredible! Absolutely incredible!" they exclaimed repeatedly.

Having fulfilled the elderly woman's wish, Natalie returned to the Pace family banquet hall by car.

Back in the banquet hall, Natalie sat calmly at the table. Her serene expression never wavered as she poured herself a few cups of water and drank deeply. The day's events had left her exhausted. In hindsight, she thought she should have reduced the number of guests. She was worn out.

The fourth person to approach her was a striking woman. She wore a red qipao embroidered with golden threads in intricate floral patterns, accentuating her graceful curves. She carried an object wrapped in red cloth, adding an air of mystery to her presence.

Natalie raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued, and offered a charming smile. "Miss, what can I help you with?"

"Hello, my name is Ava. I come from the south and have a deep passion for antique appraisal. The item I'm holding is an antique. I'd like you to help me determine whether it's genuine or not."