The Plating Master's Bride

When autumn came, a small sign appeared at the entrance of Liangxian Electroplating Workshop: Tank No. 3 Process Demonstration, open every Wednesday afternoon. Not many people came to see it, but Andy personally explained to each visitor. He talked about pre-treatment, current density, the process records left by his father, and why Tank No. 3 could not be moved. Lily brewed tea nearby and occasionally added, "He got it wrong—that batch of buttons was barrel-plated, not rack-plated." A Yin's jewelry box was placed in a glass cabinet in the reception room. The silver layer on the lid was quiet, only revealing a faint blue when the afternoon sunlight shone in. Grandma Lin visited several times, each time bringing some homemade pastries. She no longer asked where Lin Xiu had gone; she just sat in front of the cabinet and talked to the box for a while. Lily's health improved. She had a real pulse, and her hands and feet were no longer cold in winter. She still cooked, and her skill progressed from "barely edible" to "A Jie is willing to have a second bowl." She occasionally stood by Tank No. 3, listened to the current for a while, and then said, "The sound today is steadier than yesterday." On their second wedding anniversary, Andy closed the workshop early. He set up a small table by Tank No. 3, cooked two dishes, and opened a bottle of cheap soda. Lily looked at the dishes on the table and smiled. "You've even learned to save money on your wedding anniversary now?" "Money is for buying you a new pot," Andy said. "The bottom of the old pot is burnt." Lily's eyes curved into a smile. She held out her hand and showed Andy her palm. There was a faint silver pattern on it, like a ring that had not completely melted. "Andy," she said, "if one day Tank No. 3 is really gone, will you forget me?" Andy thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll just keep the power on." "Electricity is expensive." "I can afford it." Suddenly, a young girl's voice came from outside the door: "Excuse me, are you hiring apprentices here?" Lily looked up and saw a girl soaked by the rain standing at the door, clutching an old canvas bag, her eyes very bright. She smiled. "Yes," she said. "Come in first and dry off the rain."