Mama's Princess is Daddy's Beloved

Little Li Wei blinked her eyes as she stared at her mother. "Mama, does that mean I will not be able to do the pottery?" She asked, her eyes showing the saddened expression of her heart. 

Usually, the little girl has never been such an emotional one but seeing her today like this, Li Xue knew the reason for it. Though the girl was not probing on the piano topic too much, in her heart she was still trying to find if she should go out with her friend to learn it or not. 

"Who says so?" Li Xue asked. Her fingers, moving to comb-caress her daughter's hair. "Mama can always teach you. Come, just choose the pattern you want to create and we will make it together". She said before pulling the girl to the gallery section to have a watch on the designs. 

The little girl looked around until her eyes caught onto something. Pulling hands up to point at it, she said, "Mama, that one looks simple and Daddy Angel says that starting should always be kept simple and easy". 

Li Xue's eyes darted to look at the vase her princess's fingers gestured to. Nodding, she agreed, "Okay, then we will begin with that simple one".  She said before walking to get an instruction manual to that design. 

"Mama, will we also be painting it?" the little girl asked again curiously while her eyes stared at the different colors on the vase. 

"We can if you want. But painting will come after, so we will think about it later, okay?" Li Xue said before guiding the girl in the corner they have reserved for their fun. 

"Mama, we will paint it in the shade of black, then it can match with our home décor" The little one chimed while walking all joyfully on her way. 

Soon the mother-daughter duo got themselves settled near the wheel. Li Xue turned the little one around to wrap an apron around her and then wrapped it around herself as well. "So here we are ready. We can start it now". She said once she was sure of all the initials. 

Little Li Wei's eyes also darted to look around, being curious about almost everything. "Mama, what is this small stage here given for. It's free and will rotate every time we touch it" She asked looking at the raised wheel provided on the table. Her eyes were already busy examining its depth, weight, and size. 

Li Xue almost chuckled, hearing her daughter's understanding. "WeiWei, that's not some stage. It's called a potter's wheel that is used to carve the clay into the shapes of pots and vases you want. That's a very essential need of any potter, do you know? Without it, you won't be able to carve the clay in the round shapes". She informed, giving the basics of the art to her daughter. 

"So, we are also going to become potters now?" the little girl asked vaguely before turning to look more properly at the wheel. "Mama, this looks so solid. Can I touch it once?" She asked but before Li Xue could even give her permission, her hands were already onto it. 

Li Xue shook her head, before walking to take a seat on the stool near. "Mhmm. We are going to use it as well. Without it how do you think we are going to shape the vase you have chosen?" She said before pulling the girl to make her sit in the front. 

"Mama, I am excited. This looks so fun. Can we begin it now?" Li Wei asked, looking over her shoulders, and for the first moment in the all-time, it felt like she had forgotten her thoughts from before. The cheerfulness on her expression was back and seeing her like that the mother was happy. 

"Mm-hmm … We will begin it soon. But before that will you tell me, do you know what's the four elements of pottery?" 

WeiWei shook her head. "What is it, Mama? You have not taught me yet" She said honestly, looking at the materials provided at her front before looking back at her mother. 

"The four elements are the four important things used in the art. They are Earth which is represented by clay here; water, which we will use to bring the shape to the clay; air, which will provide room for shape to take form and the last is fire, which will solidify the form. Only with all these four elements together, you will be able to make a good vase. If even one of them is missing, your vase will not be possible". 

Li Xue explained in detail while the little girl also focused well to keep everything in her mind. 

"Mama, those four are the most important ones then what about the potter's wheel? Is it not important? You said without it we won't be able to give the right circular shape to our vase." Obviously, when focused, there were bound to come questions to ask. And being a curious kid always, Li Xue was not surprised with her daughter. 

Li Xue smiled as she nodded. "It's important as well. But that's in another way. Let me explain while we start pottering the vase" She said as she cuddled the little one from behind before making her lean forward to start the work on the wheel. Her hands taking the little's hands into hers before making it feel the stickiness of the clay. 

"WeiWei, hear Mama carefully. She is going to explain something really important to you, okay?" Li Xue said and felt her princess nodding her head with much eagerness while her eyes staring all concentratedly at the clay and the potter's wheel as if even if she misses a blink, she will miss the whole plot. 

Li Xue smiled looking at her that way as she began. "WeiWei, while carving we can see this as carving a life if we take it as an example."

"How so, Mama? Aren't we just carving a vase? Will magic also become an element in it?" the little girl asked, frowning a little. 

Li Xue almost chuckled before shaking her head. "No, sweetheart. We will just take an analogical example. If you do not hear me, how will you understand? Let me explain and you will understand it". 

She said and being an understanding child to her mother, WeiWei nodded, waiting to hear her Mama all patiently.