Chapter 100 Repairing Watches in a State-Run Hotel
Xu Zhili smiled and gently stroked Xu Zhian's nose, saying softly, "Silly little brother, my stomach is growling with hunger. Can't I eat something?"
Xu Zhian looked up with her innocent little face and said with concern, "Sister is hungry, then let's quickly buy something to eat."
Xu Zhili deliberately hesitated for a moment and asked, "An'an, if I go to buy something to eat, do you think the price is expensive?"
Xu Zhian blinked her big eyes and answered seriously, "No, it doesn't count. I'm hungry. As long as I can fill my stomach, no amount of money is too expensive."
Xu Zhili was secretly delighted. She hadn't expected that Xu Zhian, who was so young, would have such clear logical thinking and know how to be considerate of others at such a young age.
Her eyes crinkled into a smile as she nodded and said, "Okay, then we'll do as An'an says. Come on, let's go to the state-run restaurant and have your favorite braised pork, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Zhian's eyes lit up like stars, and he excitedly exclaimed, "Meat! Wow, there's meat to eat!" As soon as he finished speaking, his stomach rumbled twice in agreement.
Xu Zhili looked at her adorable younger brother, smiled without saying a word, gently patted Xu Zhian's head, then lightly took his little hand and walked briskly towards the state-run restaurant.
Along the way, Xu Zhian skipped and hopped, constantly muttering about braised pork, looking incredibly excited.
The state-run restaurant was bustling with noise.
Xu Zhili ordered a braised pork, steamed egg custard, stir-fried shredded potatoes with vinegar, and two bowls of beef noodles. Xu Zhian's eyes lit up. He picked up a piece of braised pork, put it in his mouth, and ate it with relish.
Just then, an extremely subtle "sound," completely out of place with the surrounding noise, suddenly entered her senses.
Click...click...click...click...
It wasn't a human voice, but a kind of rhythmic, stagnant mechanical noise.
Xu Zhili's sensitivity to machinery far exceeds that of ordinary people; this sound was like a fine needle, precisely piercing her auditory nerve.
A middle-aged man dressed like an official, looking anxious, hurried past Xu Zhili's dining table. He suddenly stopped, looked down, and vigorously patted and shook his wrist, exclaiming in frustration, "Oh dear! Why did this watch suddenly stop working!"
The watch looked quite exquisite and was obviously very valuable.
He frowned, tenderly stroking the watch face, and sighed softly, "Not only did it cost a fortune, but this is... a token of our love from my sweetheart, how could it be broken..."
Xiao Li, who was following closely behind Director Zhang and seemed very attentive, quickly leaned closer and asked, "Director Zhang, don't worry, what's wrong with your watch?"
Director Zhang spread his wrists in frustration: "Look, it was fine just now, but suddenly it stopped. No matter how I shake it, it doesn't work. It's so frustrating!"
Xiao Li immediately suggested, "Director, don't worry. After we finish eating, I'll go with you to find an experienced mechanic to fix it. I guarantee it will be fixed for you."
"Well, that's all we can do. Let's eat first."
Director Zhang reluctantly touched the stopped watch face again, sighed heavily, and carefully took the watch off his wrist, holding it in his hand.
Xu Zhili clearly caught Director Zhang's mutterings and the subtle mechanical noise.
A thought struck her, and she put down her chopsticks, instinctively saying, "Director Zhang, excuse me, I know a bit about mechanical things, this watch of yours... how about I take a look at it for you?"
Director Zhang, who was frowning with worry, suddenly had a glimmer of hope in his eyes upon hearing this, as if he had grasped a lifeline, and immediately handed the form to Xu Zhili.
"Really? That's great, young man, thank you so much! This watch is really important to me, please make sure you fix it."
However, before Xu Zhili's hand could even touch the watch, a well-maintained hand wearing a watch suddenly reached out and blocked the way.
It was a well-dressed, concerned middle-aged woman at the next table.
Her tone carried obvious worry and a hint of disapproval: "Oh dear, comrade, please don't be impulsive. Such a valuable item, a token of love, how can you just hand it over to a young girl?"
"What if... what if it gets broken? Who can take responsibility for that? The young lady can't afford to pay for it either. It's better to listen to this comrade and find a proper watch repairman after dinner."
As soon as she finished speaking, another woman at the same table immediately echoed her, her voice not loud but loud enough for people at several other tables around to hear.
"Yes, yes, this lady is right. Repairing watches is no joke. The parts inside are very delicate, and if you don't do it right, you can ruin it completely."
"This young girl looks very refined and is quite young. How could she possibly understand these things? Don't try anything rashly in your desperation."
They exchanged glances, clearly thinking Xu Zhili was too reckless and worried that she, a young girl, would get into trouble, and that Director Zhang would suffer a loss.
Director Zhang's outstretched hand paused, and the surprise on his face was replaced by hesitation.
He looked at the watch he cherished, then at the young Xu Zhili in front of him, and then at the two women who looked at him with "I'm thinking of you" on their faces, and was speechless for a moment.
Xu Zhili was slightly taken aback, but then she understood the two women's intentions. They were afraid that she was young and inexperienced and would rashly take on the responsibility of repairing the watch. If she couldn't repair it or broke it, not only would she be embarrassed, but she might also be extorted.
She appreciated the good intentions, but her confidence in her own abilities made her unwilling to back down.
She met Director Zhang's hesitant gaze, her tone calm yet carrying a convincing certainty.
“I understand your kindness, aunties, but please rest assured, I do have some knowledge of this kind of machinery. I have disassembled and reassembled many small items and repaired several old watches. I will be very, very careful. If you and Director Zhang are worried, you can watch from the side, and I will explain each step to you.”
The presentable middle-aged woman became even more anxious, raising her voice slightly: "Young comrade, this isn't a matter of being careful or not; the responsibility is too great."
"What if... I mean, what if you're not careful and a part suddenly breaks? How can a young girl like you bear the loss? This isn't just a matter of a few dollars."
Just as things were at a stalemate, Xiao Li, who had been standing behind Director Zhang, saw Xu Zhili's persistence and Director Zhang's apparent wavering. A sour feeling of displeasure welled up in his heart. How could this opportunity to shine be snatched away by a little girl who suddenly appeared out of nowhere?
He crossed his arms, pursed his lips, and interjected in a slightly sarcastic tone: "Oh, young comrade, you're all talk, but if this 'what if' really happens, and you just walk away, where will our Director Zhang go to cry?"
"The sentiment behind this watch is more precious than gold. Can you, a young girl, afford to repay such a sentiment?" He deliberately emphasized the words "afford to repay".
Xiao Li's words were like a needle, precisely hitting the spot that Director Zhang cared about most.
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement, agreeing with what Xiao Li had said.
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