Siheyuan: A warm home with wife and children

The telegraph building at the intersection was particularly eye-catching, with clocks hanging on all four sides of the roof, their black dials solemn and imposing.

Ahead, I saw the Hengdeli Watch Shop, its lights were on.

The two glass windows were filled with all kinds of clocks, and the lights were dazzling.

Right now, there's a foreigner inside talking to the waiter; it looks like he's making a sale.

Upon seeing the watch shop, Yingzi's expression shifted. "Jianguo, shall we go in and take a look?"

With money in your pocket, you won't panic!

Yingzi had always wanted to buy him a watch, but Yang Jianguo always made excuses about being busy.

This has been dragging on for almost two months.

Yingzi thought he should go in and take a look since we happened to be here today.

I took this opportunity to buy him a watch.

Yang Jianguo thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Okay, let's go in and take a look."

He really should buy a watch; it's such a hassle to ask the time every day.

Also, buy a grandfather clock for the house.

Without a watch, relying on the weather to get by, you really don't know how troublesome it is until you've experienced it.

The main problem is that Yang Jianguo wasn't always like this.

If it has never happened before, then I won't even think about it anymore.

But 'in the past', we didn't even talk about cell phones anymore; we just talked about having something to tell the time wherever we went.

I'm really not used to it!

Ding bell~

As they entered Hengdeli Watch Shop, another clerk who was idle behind the counter greeted them, "Hello, gentlemen, what would you like to see?"

“A watch, a men’s watch,” Yingzi said to the other person.

"This way, please." The clerk led the two to the counter, which was filled with men's watches.

"Look at this May Day brand, it's only seventy yuan."

"They also have the Shanghai brand here, it's a bit more expensive, 120 yuan, but the quality is definitely better."

“We have even better ones here, the red-headed watch with gold hands and gold lettering. This one is a limited production, only one is made for every thousand watches.”

"They might stop selling them any day; every one you buy is one less available."

The guy was pushing domestically made watches, which is normal.

Unless they are foreigners and have explicitly stated that they want a foreign watch, they should mainly recommend domestically produced watches.

To paraphrase a joke: "If you're not a capitalist, who can afford a foreign watch?"

This is called having the right mindset and being aware of one's values!

See those gold lettering and gold hands, with a red mark in front of the second hand.

Yingzi pointed and asked, "Master, how much is this?"

"This is more expensive than the others, it costs 170."

Hearing him say that, Yingzi felt more confident: "Master, can we take a look?"

"Okay, don't touch it, let me show you." The shop assistant opened the cabinet, took out the watch, and held it in his hand.

The watch strap runs along the wrist, with one end on each side. The watch face is placed in the palm of the hand, spread out in front of her so she can see it clearly.

Under the lights, four gilded characters read "Dragon... Country Demon... Capital," with a touch of red in front of the rotating golden pointer.

Each one bears the imprint of its time.

"Jianguo, what do you think?" Yingzi looked up at him, her eyes filled with undisguised affection.

Yang Jianguo liked it too and nodded, saying, "This is it."

The shop assistant chuckled and asked, "Should I wrap it up for you, or should I just put it on?"

Yingzi said first, "No need for a bag, just wear it."

After she finished, she looked at him and said, "I'm going to pay."

Seeing her pull a handkerchief from the inner pocket she had sewn herself in her cotton-padded jacket, Yang Jianguo thought to himself, "This was premeditated."

While Yingzi was paying, Yang Jianguo idly strolled around in front of the counter.

Soon, he set his sights on a grandfather clock.

The brown wooden frame and overall shape resemble an upright rocket nose cone, with a square dial below.

White background, copper needles, ordinary yet exquisite.

"Master, could you please take a look at that clock?"

Without saying a word, the craftsman put the watch back in the cabinet and came over to get him the clock.

If you haven't paid for the ticket, the form definitely can't be handed over.

"You have excellent taste, sir. This Sanwu brand square clock is the only one left."

"Because production has stopped, every one sold is one less available."

Yang Jianguo chuckled, “You guys specialize in buying rare items here; no matter what you ask, they’re all unique.”

The waiter smiled wryly and said, "Would I lie to you? If I did, you would come looking for trouble with me if you asked."

Yang Jianguo nodded with a smile, saying he was just saying it for fun and didn't mean anything by it.

Today, he has spent almost half a year in Beijing.

This is also a bad habit of the men in Beijing, who love to talk big.

"Alright, name your price!"

Upon hearing his question, the waiter held up two fingers: "Two hundred exactly, not more, not less."

Two hundred dollars, to buy a clock?

If an ordinary person heard this, they would definitely turn around and leave.

Are you kidding me?

How much does a red-handed watch from Shanghai cost? You dare to ask me for two hundred for this clock?

But Yang Jianguo knew that the prices of these things weren't calculated that way.

Sanwu brand is also a big brand.

In addition, square frames are rare, and people prefer to buy round frames, so the production volume is naturally low.

With production halted again, its price will rise due to its scarcity.

However, Yang Jianguo could not possibly buy it for two hundred yuan.

The principle of scarcity making things valuable doesn't apply to things in this way.

“A proper Sanwu brand, round frame, would only cost seventy or eighty yuan a unit, but I'll give you this one for ninety-nine.”

Seeing that the shop assistant was getting anxious, Yang Jianguo raised his hand and said, "Whether it can be sold or not, ask the boss and then get back to me."

The owner probably bought this clock just for novelty.

When I got back, I realized it was a useless thing.

If you can afford it, you don't care about it; just buy foreign brands. There are more choices, the quality is better, and it's more prestigious.

Those that look good but can't afford them, but that round frame symbolizes family reunion, such a wonderful meaning, and it only costs seventy or eighty yuan a unit.

Even more ordinary, off-brand products are available for twenty or thirty yuan.

Two hundred dollars, to buy a clock?

Are you crazy, or am I stupid?!

So, he's probably stuck with this clock and doesn't know what to do with it.

If it weren't for him today, the boss would have had to offer discounts in just a few days.

At the very least, we need to get this book back.

Otherwise, he'll be in for a rough time when the accounts are reconciled.

The waiter glanced awkwardly across the street. The waiter he had seen talking to the foreigner earlier turned out to be the boss.

The foreigners haven't finished talking yet.

Seeing the state of his staff, the boss said something to the foreigner and came around the counter.

He greeted Yang Jianguo first, then asked the man what was wrong.

At the same time, Yingzi returned with the receipts.

Seeing the clock on the counter, he asked curiously, "Jianguo, are you buying this for the family?"

"Yeah, I don't have time at home, it's too much trouble," Yang Jianguo replied with a smile.

Yingzi nodded and said, "How much? I'll go pay."

"Two hundred for me." Before the words even finished, Yingzi, who was about to take out her money, froze.

What?! They're asking for two hundred right off the bat.

It's more expensive than a bicycle! Are you robbing me?!

Yingzi stopped taking the money and pulled him aside to quietly dissuade him.

"Jianguo, this is too expensive. Where can you find a clock this expensive?"

"It's definitely a scam, no way, we have to report it, we can't let this kind of unscrupulous merchant live."

Yingzi has a strong sense of justice; who knows how many people this unscrupulous merchant has cheated?

We must find him, severely criticize and punish him, and make him return his ill-gotten gains to compensate the victims.

Look at her angry and serious expression.

Yang Jianguo gently stroked her nose with his hand and said with a smile, "I'm not haggling here, it's ninety-nine."

"..." Yingzi was even more confused.

Are you sure you're trying to negotiate the price?

It doesn't sound like that at all; it sounds more like they're about to fight, deliberately picking a fight!

Before she could even understand what was happening, the shop owner behind the counter spoke up, "Sir, I heard you offer ninety-nine yuan, are you sure you want it?"

Yang Jianguo winked at Yingzi, then turned and stepped forward, saying, "It's really necessary. Ninety-nine, issue the ticket now."

"Alright, I'll sell it to you, consider it making friends." The shopkeeper replied with a pained expression but a hearty tone.

Look at his acting skills and his rhetoric!

Yang Jianguo watched and exclaimed, "Good buddy!"

I didn't expect this tradition to have been passed down for so many years.

Amazing, truly amazing!

"Done, let's issue the invoice!" As soon as he finished speaking, Yingzi tugged at him from behind.

Seeing Yang Jianguo turn around, Yingzi whispered, "Jianguo, I don't have enough money with me."

Chapter 156 The Assessment Team Arrives, a Name That Resounds Through the Earns (Please Subscribe to the Full Chapter)

When Yang Jianguo and Yingzi came out of Hengdeli Watch Shop.

Not only did she wear a red needle on her wrist, but she was also carrying a box in her arms.

He did buy the clock after all.

Yingzi was planning to buy him a watch. She had two hundred yuan with her, but after buying the red watch, it wasn't enough to cover the cost.

But Yang Jianguo has money on him!