Siheyuan: Big City, Small Love

"Old man, we didn't find anything good. Do you have anything? Can we keep our eyes open?" He Lai asked tentatively.

"What do you want to see? The old man has a lot of stuff."

“Do you have bicycles?”

"No, if this thing gets here, someone will buy it. Don't even think about it."

He Lai thought about it and realized that bicycles were now rare and large items. If he hadn't come to the Siheyuan, he probably wouldn't have even one. Even if a broken bicycle was sold here, there would still be people who wanted to take it over to repair it or remove useful parts.

"Um, there's a watch, right?"

"There are a few pieces, all of them are broken, do you want them?"

"Can I take a look first?"

The old man went back to the room, pulled out a drawer and put it on the table. Sure enough, there were six watches. I didn't know what brand they were, and only the watch heads were left.

He Lai picked up the slightly better pocket watch. He looked at the watch and saw that there was no major damage on the watch. He was a little tempted.

"Is there anything I can do to repair it?"

"Walk two miles ahead and there is a master craftsman who can repair it, but there is no guarantee that he can fix it." The old man seemed to have seen this kind of thing many times.

"How much is this watch?"

"20."

He Lai thought it was okay, so he gave it a try, just in case it was fixed.

So he took out 20 yuan, took his pocket watch and went out in the rain.

The old man smiled slowly. After all, watches are basically difficult to repair. It's too difficult.

"Brother Damao, have you found anything good?" He Lai looked at Damao with anticipation.

Xu Damao shook his head, threw away the iron lump in his hand and said, "Alas, they are all useless rubbish."

He Lai took out the pocket watch he had just bought from his pocket and said, "I just bought a pocket watch from an old man. It's pretty nice, but it's a little broken. I thought I could take it to the repair shop in front to see if it can be fixed."

Damao nodded in agreement, and the three of them rode their bicycles towards the repair shop.

Soon, they arrived at the door of the repair shop. He Lai looked around the shop, which was full of age. He saw that the doors and windows of the shop were made of transparent glass. The sunlight shone through the windows onto the ground, forming patches of mottled light and shadow.

He Lai walked forward and knocked gently on the door. After a moment, the door slowly opened and an old man wearing glasses appeared in front of them. The old man was short, with gray hair and wrinkles on his face, but his eyes were particularly bright and energetic. "Hello, grandpa, I bought a pocket watch at the purchase station in front. He said you can repair it, so I came here." He Lai bowed and stated his purpose.

"Come in." The old man took a look at the three people and let them in.

He Lai walked in and saw all kinds of clocks. He thought it would be great to just buy them here!

"Bring it here, and see what the old man uses to trick the children."

The old man had no scruples at all, so He Lai had to take out his pocket watch.

"Well, it looks good on the surface. Pocket watches are much harder to repair than wristwatches. You have to be prepared. Let me take a look inside."

The old man opened the bottom cover and fiddled with the small eyepiece.

He Lai also found it interesting.

After a long while, the old man took off the small eyepiece. "The spring inside is broken and needs to be replaced. The other things look fine, but you have to try them to know. You are lucky to have found a bargain." The old man smiled.

He Lai laughed as soon as he heard it.

"Then grandpa, please help me fix it."

"Okay, let's give it 15 for the spring and repairs. Come pick it up the day after tomorrow. If there are any other problems, you'll need to pay extra."

He Lai immediately took out the money and gave it to the old man. The old man took the money, waved to the three people, lowered his head and started repairing.

He Lai and the other two left tactfully.

"Hey, this old man has a weird temper." Xu Damao didn't dare to breathe inside. It was too quiet. The only sound he could hear was the swinging sound of the pendulum.

"I guess all old masters do this." He Lai noted the location, hoping it could be fixed, otherwise he would lose a lot of money. This old man was so happy to sell it to him that he really had no good intentions.

……

"Grandpa, are you there?" He Lai poked his head into the store and knocked on the door.

"come in."

"Grandpa, is it repaired?" He Lai asked directly.

"Okay, take it." The old man glanced at He Lai, took out the pocket watch from the drawer and placed it on the table, pushed it towards He Lai, and then continued to repair it with his head down, as if He Lai had nothing to do.

He Lai didn't pretend to be pretentious. He took it and looked at it. It had indeed turned. He checked the time on the watches around him and it was just right. He Lai bowed to the old man and left.

Xu Damao didn't even come in. It was too quiet to bear.

"How is it? Is it fixed?"

He Lai shook the watch in his hand. Oh, I forgot to fix the chain. Never mind. It won't break if I put it in the space.

"Let's go, it's too cold." Xu Damao quickly got in the car and took He Lai back.

……

"Yushui, start timing now and read for 10 minutes. Come, your brother will watch it for you." He Lai showed off his pocket watch.

Yu Shui looked at He Lai speechlessly, picked up the book and started reading, but thought to herself, "Now my brother wants to time everything he does, I have to find a way to get the watch. Well, only my mother can cure He Lai."

……

"Mom." Yu Shui rushed over to her as soon as he saw Wu Juan coming back.

"What's wrong, little Yu Shui? Tell mother and I'll take care of it for you." Wu Juan saw that Yu Shui looked aggrieved.

The rain whispered a few words in Wu Juan's ear.

Wu Juan understood immediately and went to He Lai's room. "Xiao Lai, I heard from Yu Shui that you bought a watch. I need to check the time at work. Give it to me."

"Ah, can you not give it to me? I..."

"Ok!"

"I'll give it to you, I'll give it to you." He Lai had no choice but to take out his watch. Yu Shui laughed secretly beside him, asking you to time everything you do! That's it.

He Lai saw Yu Shui taking the watch from Wu Juan and laughing at the side, and he understood everything. It seems that he has to find a way to make Yu Shui happy, and the watch should be returned. He has to make a good plan.

Chinese New Year is the day after tomorrow, and Wu Juan and her classmates still have to go to work. Growing up in this era, you have to just go to work, go to work, and sometimes you even have to work overtime on a voluntary basis on weekends. It's too difficult.

The family has already bought a lot of New Year's goods. Every time He Lai and Xu Damao go out, they will bring some, and He Lai will also buy some more and hide them in the space. It seems that I can only take Yu Shui to buy clothes and school supplies.

"Yu Shui, how about I take you to the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow?" He Lai saw Yu Shui doing homework at the desk and immediately went up to talk to him.

Seeing Yu Shui not saying anything, this little girl is very alert!

"I heard that Xiaohu and Chun'er are going too. Go ahead, go ahead. I'll buy you whatever you want!"

"Really?"

"real."

"Then brother, don't use that watch to keep track of my time anymore."

"Okay, I won't remember it."

"I want a hairpin."

"purchase."

"I want new clothes, pants, and shoes."

"Buy them all."

……