The Great Ming in the Box-Chapter 56: Customizing the Little Mans Face
The silver ring with a diameter taller than a person was obviously unusable for Thirty-Two and his companions.
Li Daoxuan had put it in just to show off, but after showing off, he had to process it into a size they could handle normally. He took out the silver ring, pulled out his household toolbox that was always ready, found a pair of pliers, snapped off a very tiny grain, and placed it into the box.
It then appeared in front of Thirty-Two as a silver lump big fist size, extremely heavy.
Thirty-Two held the huge silver lump in both hands with a regretful expression: “Such a wonderful magical ring, cut into such a small piece—what a pity!”
Li Daoxuan laughed and scolded: “If not cut, could you even move it?”
“Oh… this… it still feels so regrettable.”
Li Daoxuan: “After you escort the lady back to the county town, no need to rush back. Take silver with you, find a teacher to bring back. If he refuses to come, hit him with a silver lump big fist size. If he still refuses, hit him twice.”
After speaking, he put another piece of silver into the box: “If he still refuses to come…”
Thirty-Two understood now: “I’ll hit him twice more!”
“No, if he doesn’t come after the second hit, stop.” Li Daoxuan: “Directly take the silver lumps and leave. Make him regret missing the chance for wealth—he’ll then chase after you, apologizing all along the way, humbling himself to beg you to hire him.”
Thirty-Two: “…”
The Deity occasionally teased people!
Thirty-Two bowed deeply toward the air: “Thank you, Deity. For my daughter to learn reading and writing, you even cut the magical ring. This great kindness, I’ll never forget.”
Li Daoxuan said leisurely: “It’s not just for your daughter—I want that teacher in Gaojia Village to teach all people reading and writing. Whether male or female, old or young, as long as they’re willing to learn, all should be taught.”
Thirty-Two froze for a moment, then immediately understood. He bowed deeply to the ground: “This humble one will fulfill the mission without dishonor.”
“Ding ding ding!” Li Daoxuan’s phone suddenly rang.
He pulled his attention back from the box and answered the call, hearing Cai Xinzi’s frantic voice: “Daoxuan, you’re not replying to QQ or WeChat, never seen in person all day. Must contacting you always be a call? I detest calling most.”
Li Daoxuan: “Ah, I’ve been addicted to ‘SimCity 1627’ recently, so no time for QQ and WeChat. What’s up? Why so urgent?”
“‘SimCity 1627’? What the hell? I’ve only heard of ‘SimCity 2000,’ never of 1627.”
“A niche mod.”
“Oh oh, okay, that’s not important—business now.” Cai Xinzi said: “I have a strange customer here who placed an order to torment me. After much thought, only you can help.”
Li Daoxuan: “Tell me.”
Cai Xinzi said: “That customer ordered a custom robot from me, extremely complex, precise, and impressive—every armor piece must detach and combine.”
Li Daoxuan: “Oh, what’s that got to do with me?”
Cai Xinzi: “He made a perverse demand: He wants the robot’s cockpit hatch to open, with a pilot seated inside. This pilot must be made in his likeness—facial features exactly like his own, detailed down to clear eyebrows, eyes, nose, everything.”
Li Daoxuan understood now: “You want me to make this little man?”
Cai Xinzi: “Yes, a pilot one centimeter tall—dammit, he wants the face like his. How could I manage? But if I say I can’t, he won’t give me the robot order at all.”
Li Daoxuan chuckled: “Fine, I can take this order. What material this time?”
Cai Xinzi: “Plastic, of course! I made most of the pilot body, only the face left. You handle its face. We’re old friends—none of the fuss. The robot total is twenty thousand yuan; he paid extra two thousand just for the pilot’s face. So if you help, I keep the robot money, the two thousand fully yours.”
“Two thousand yuan.” Li Daoxuan’s first reaction was it’s too cheap. Still, after careful thought, the Pearl Saint Statue cost too much—sales limited, few orders feasible. Then those two sculptors would idle, and just feeding them might turn them useless.
The real way to help was to give them long-term, stable work. Even more sculptors coming to Gaojia Village should find tasks—best for them.
Some old state-owned enterprises took unprofitable orders—why? Just so workers could labor.
Cai Xinzi: “I know two thousand isn’t much—just help as a brother.”
Li Daoxuan laughed: “Last time, didn’t you call me generous? Less profit isn’t no profit—of course I’ll help. I take this order.”
Cai Xinzi was overjoyed: “Good buddy.”
Li Daoxuan: “Your customer’s idea is actually fun—carving one’s own face onto a small toy man. This market has potential. Promote custom little man faces in your shop—many might be interested. Prices lower are fine—small profits, high turnover. Also, microscopic details on models—if anyone wants customization, we accept all.”
Cai Xinzi considered: Indeed! Customizing miniature model parts might sell—worth trying. After all, no effort needed—just toss orders to Li Daoxuan and take a cut.
“Then it’s settled.”
The call ended. Shortly after, Cai Xinzi drove over and gave Li Daoxuan a plastic little man.
This little man sat in posture, clad in a tech-style military uniform—details messily made, too intricate for Cai Xinzi’s craft at that scale.
Its face was a flat plate without any features.
“Handed this face to you. Here—customer’s photos: front, both profiles.”
“Got it, no worries.”
After seeing Cai Xinzi off, Li Daoxuan started his color printer, printed the customer’s face onto a photo paper corner, cut it out with scissors. He raised the box lid and called: “Yiye, go fetch the two sculptors.”
Soon, Gao Yiye brought the two sculptors, set to listen reverently for the Deity’s command.
Li Daoxuan gently placed the seated plastic little man before the sculptors, adding the photo: “See? Carve this face look like the picture.”
Of course, the sculptors knew their task at first glance—but…
One sculptor couldn’t help asking: “Deity, what strange material is this? Not metal, wood, or stone… What tools must this humble one use to carve?”
“Tools for carving jade will chip it.” Li Daoxuan: “Carve carefully—don’t ruin it. Unlike a clay prototype that can be patched, once broken, it’s irreparable.”
The sculptors were startled: Understood! This was celestial rare material—breaking it wouldn’t be repaid even by their heads. They must tread extremely carefully—only fine work produced exquisite results.
Chapter 56: Customizing the Little Mans Face
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