When installing a new bearing, he first carefully wiped off the dirt and rust on the shaft with a clean cloth, then evenly applied a little butter he brought, then aligned the new bearing in position, supported it with a steel pipe of appropriate thickness, and hammered it in steadily.
The whole process was smooth and flowing, without any unnecessary movements, and the eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses were focused and calm.
Chen Yanbai was in charge of the brake cables and tires. He neatly cut the frayed old brake cables and threaded the new ones through the intricate guide grooves.
His fingers were extremely flexible, able to move freely in tight spaces and tie knots quickly and firmly.
Replacing the tire was even more rough and direct. He easily removed the old tire with a crowbar, put on the old outer tire that was removed from Lao Wang's tricycle and still had deep tread, and then quickly pumped up the air with a pump.
The young man held onto the wheelchair frame and watched like an outsider.
The afternoon sun shone warmly on the two brothers through the glass door.
Fine beads of sweat oozed out of Chen Yanxiu's forehead and slid down his stern profile. He didn't care at all and just focused on adjusting the position of the bearing.
Chen Yanbai's silver hair looked like flowing platinum in the sunlight, with a few strands of hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. He was tightening the last screw that fixed the brake cable with force, and his knuckles turned slightly white due to the force.
Neither of them spoke. Only the crisp sound of tools colliding with metal and the "puffing" sound of tires being inflated echoed in the quiet shop.
The young man looked at their profiles, which were stained with oil but still focused, and at the worn-out wheelchair that had accompanied him for many years and was now undergoing a "transformation". An indescribable emotion blocked his chest, sour and warm.
He never thought that in this cold corner of the city, in this eerily quiet noodle shop, he would receive such silent and clumsy, yet real help in this way.
Especially the silver-haired young man, who was clearly doing something to help others, but he acted as if he was disgusted by the trouble and was mean and picky.
When Chen Yanxiu firmly installed the last drive wheel back into place and turned it by hand to test the smoothness of the bearing.
When Chen Yanbai squeezed the brake handle hard, heard the crisp "click" sound from the new brake cable pulling mechanism, and saw the brake pads firmly clamped the wheel hub, the two brothers stopped almost at the same time.
Chen Yanxiu stood up, wiped the oil off his hands with the clean cloth, and walked to the sink to wash his hands.
Chen Yanbai shook his sore wrist, looked at the brand new drive wheels and deep-tread tires, and raised his eyebrows with some satisfaction.
He walked to the back of the wheelchair, grabbed the handles with both hands, and tried to push it forward.
The wheelchair slid out smoothly, quietly and steadily. The sticky feeling and squeaking noise caused by the rusted bearings and deformed wheels completely disappeared.
The brakes are very responsive and can stop the car steadily with just a light squeeze.
Chen Yanbai tried a few more times and confirmed that it was correct. He let go of his hand and walked to the young man, still with that impatient expression, pointing at the wheelchair: "Try it."
The young man could no longer hold back. He let go of the frame, gripped the drive ring with both hands, and pushed forward with force.
An unprecedented silky smooth feeling came from my palm! The heavy wheelchair seemed to have been relieved of a huge burden, and it could be easily driven with only a little effort.
He tried to squeeze the brakes, and they felt firm and powerful, with quick response. He then tried to turn a small circle, and the flexibility was much better than before.
This old wheelchair seemed to have suddenly become several years younger.
"How is it?" Chen Yanbai asked with his arms folded, his tone hard, as if questioning.
"That's great! It's really great!" A surprised smile broke out on the young man's face. All the previous awkwardness and embarrassment disappeared, leaving only pure gratitude and excitement.
"It's so easy to push! The brakes are so effective! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
He thanked her repeatedly, his voice trembling with excitement.
Chen Yanbai curled his lips, seeming to disapprove of his excitement: "So that you don't end up blackmailing our noodle shop if you fall apart one day."
He threw down these harsh words, turned and walked to the sink, and began to wash his hands.
Chen Yanxiu washed his hands, dried them, and walked back to the kitchen counter.
He looked at the young man who was excitedly maneuvering the wheelchair to turn a small circle in the limited space of the store, his face still expressionless.
He picked up the young man's empty bowl and soup bowl after finishing his noodles and walked towards the sink.
When he passed by the young man's table, he paused and his eyes fell on the table - there was the wallet that the young man had just taken out, with a few neatly stacked coins in it.
Chen Yanxiu's gaze stayed on the change for less than a second, then moved away, as if it was just a casual glance.
He said nothing and continued walking towards the sink with the bowl.
The young man was immersed in the joy of his new wheelchair, and it took him a while to remember that he had not paid for the noodles.
He quickly maneuvered his wheelchair back to the table, picked up his wallet, pulled out a few banknotes, and asked somewhat embarrassedly, "Boss, how much is the noodles and...this repair bill?"
He looked at the brand new bearings and tires and felt a little hesitant. He wondered how much these parts would cost and whether what he brought with him would be enough.
Chen Yanxiu, who was washing dishes, did not even turn his head, and the sound of running water was loud.
Chen Yanbai, who was scrubbing the grease off his hands vigorously, didn't even look up. He said impatiently, "A bowl of plain noodles, eight yuan. The spare parts are just rusted junk piled up in the warehouse, taking up space. It's just right to clear them out."
The meaning is obvious - no repair fees.
The young man froze, his hand holding the money frozen in mid-air. He stared at the two figures by the pool, their backs to him. Chen Yanxiu stood tall and composed, while Chen Yan's silver hair shone brightly, yet he exuded a cold, unapproachable air.
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