Pei Manning turned around and saw an old lady with gray hair and wrinkles on her face. However, the old lady's eyes were a little sunken, but her eyes were clear, and her hair was combed meticulously, which showed her elegance.

"Grandma, what can I do for you?"

The old lady nodded and said in a hoarse voice, "Little girl, do you want to buy a watch? I just saw you go to the watch counter."

The old lady has lived for so many years and has read a lot of experiences. She thinks she has a pretty good ability in judging people.

Although Pei Manning didn't buy a watch, her skin was fair and she didn't look skinny and pale due to hunger. Her temperament was also very calm. Although she didn't speak Shanghainese, she wasn't timid at all, so she must be from a good family.

Besides, the little girl has gentle features and is young, so she should not be a bad person.

So, she mustered up the courage to catch up and start a conversation.

She had been watching here for a long time over the past two days, and had seen all kinds of people coming and going, but she didn't dare to take any risks. She thought Pei Manning was from another place, and she thought she wouldn't dare to bully a local like her, so she felt much more relieved about her.

"Yes, what's the matter?" Pei Manning looked at her puzzledly.

"Little girl, I don't have a watch. Do you want a pocket watch? It's not broken, just a little old." asked the old lady.

Pei Manning just needs something to tell time. It doesn't matter what it is, a watch, a desk clock, or a pocket watch will do, and it doesn't matter if it's old.

She looked around and then walked into the side alley.

When the old lady saw the door, she breathed a sigh of relief and followed him in.

"Little girl, this is what I am telling you. I have used this pocket watch for a long time, so I will not charge you a high price. You can take a look at this pocket watch first."

The old lady took out a tulip-shaped pocket watch made of gold, enamel and inlaid with pearls and showed it to Pei Manning carefully.

She bought this watch when she was studying abroad. The whole watch is like a tulip bud about to bloom. Twist the golden leaves and branches on the surface, and all the petals will open, revealing the dial hidden in the center of the flower.

Later I didn’t dare wear it and kept it hidden away, so it wasn’t seriously worn out. Thirty years have passed and it still keeps accurate time.

She has always been reluctant to sell such a good pocket watch, but her husband's illness can no longer delay treatment.

"Look, the hands and dial are fine, but the necklace is missing."

Pei Manning liked the watch as soon as she saw it. The flower shape was very unique and different from the watches she saw at the watch counter. "Grandma, how are you going to sell it?"

"Girl, I don't want a ticket, how about fifty bucks?" I spent a lot of pounds when I bought it, but after so many years, times have changed and it is no longer worth the price.

But at least it was made of gold, enamel, and pearls, and it didn’t cost a watch or ticket. Even if it was a little old, the girl wouldn’t be at a loss if she bought it.

Pei Manning hesitated for a moment. After hearing what the old lady said, she thought it could be bought for about ten yuan.

But if she had to use fifty, she wouldn't be able to pay Han Jingchen back for the time being.

Seeing how exquisite and beautiful this watch is, even if it is old, it is probably worth every penny. She couldn't bargain for it, so she said, "Grandma, I'm sorry, I don't have that much money right now..."

"Forty, how about forty?" the old lady said hurriedly, her eyes almost pleading.

"That's not what I meant. This watch looks quite expensive. In fact, you can look for someone else who can afford a higher price." Pei Manning reminded the old lady.

How could the old lady not know? But people were watching our house all day long, suspecting that we were hiding something, and she didn't dare to interact with those people she knew before.

She had tried to try her luck in places far away from home these days, but when those people saw that she was an old woman, they bargained for her severely.

The price can’t be any lower. My wife’s illness may not be cured until she’s 40.

Seeing that Pei Manning was indeed not going to buy it, the old lady looked at him for a while with a dim look in her eyes, but she didn't bother him too much. "Well, little girl, I'm sorry to bother you. I'll take a look."

Having said that, the old lady turned around and left with her pocket watch.

Pei Manning took a few steps forward, thinking of the old lady's almost pleading and anxious look.

Normally, no one would be so anxious to voluntarily lower the price, let alone by such a large amount. Asking for a sky-high price and bargaining does not look like bargaining, unless the person is in urgent need of money.

Looking at the old lady's attire, although her clothes were old, they were cleaned and smelled of soapberries. They were neatly tidied, and she had a dignified temperament, with an elegance that came from the passage of time.

She must have lived a good life before, and her fall to the point of having to sell all her belongings must have touched her a bit.

"Wait a minute," Pei Manning turned around and stopped the old lady: "Grandma, are you in urgent need of money? Or can you exchange something else?"

"Money, I want money."

Pei Manning thought about the money from Xumijie, which was ill-gotten gains, and took the initiative to offer it: "Okay, fifty, I'll exchange with you, but you have to wait for me for a while."

The situation took a turn for the better. The old lady, who had been a little depressed, suddenly became excited with tears in her eyes and nodded quickly. She thought Pei Manning was going to get the money. After all, no one would carry fifty yuan on them.

"I'll wait for you here."

Pei Manning left for a while, and then she came back and quietly handed her a few big banknotes: "Grandma, this is fifty, please count."

All five watches were in good condition and looked quite new. The old lady stroked the pocket watch and handed it to her: "Little girl, this watch will be yours from now on. You can keep it. The workmanship is good. If you take good care of it, it will run for another ten years without any problems."

There weren't many people in the alley, but it wasn't a good idea to stay there for too long, or else you'd get discovered and reported, which would be troublesome.