Chapter 31

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Mu Anan accidentally overheard Chen Hua talking on the phone from the balcony of the on-call room.

Although she did not understand the conversation, she could vaguely hear Chen Hua sob, so she chose to stay on the balcony and put her phone on silent.

Not long after, she received a WeChat message from Chen Hua.

“Anan, where are you?”

Mu Anan replied, “I went out to buy something. Are you back? Go to the classroom first, I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay.”

After sending the WeChat message, Mu Anan heard small noises in the on-call room, followed by the sound of the door closing.

After making sure that Chen Hua had left, she walked in from the balcony.

As she left the on-call room, she remembered that Chen Hua had asked her to go to the old street with her after work.

Mu Anan sent a message to Zong Zhengyu, “Seventh Master, I’m going shopping with Huahua tonight. I’ll be home late. Love you. Mwah.”

Zong Zhengyu replied immediately with an okay.

Zong Zhengyu’s instant reply made Mu Anan very happy.

Although his reply was direct and cold.

…

At 4:30 p.m., the orientation classes at the mental hospital ended. Mu Anan and Chen Hua went to the old street together.

The old street was a very unique street in Jianglan City.

It was a historical street, and the city tried to preserve the ancient architecture unique to the city.

There weren’t many people on the street, but the shops were compact and squeezed together. These shops mostly sold rare but inexpensive trinkets and knickknacks from the old days.

Unless it was something of historical significance or something that some so-called “experts” thought was valuable.

When one stepped past the road sign for the old street, they would feel as if they had been transported back in time.

“The gift for your mom, do you have a general idea?” Mu Anan felt disoriented looking at the variety of shops on both sides of the street.

Chen Hua thought for a moment before she said, “Lately, my mom has been obsessed with all kinds of pocket watches.”

“A watch as a birthday gift? Not so good, right?”

“We don’t have this taboo in our family. It will be fine.” Chen Hua said casually.

Mu Anan nodded and did not say anything else. She scanned the street and saw an antique watch shop. She dragged Chen Hua there.

The two of them entered the watch shop and looked around, but they didn’t see anything they liked.

Hence, they went to another shop.

However, they still couldn’t find anything.

The two of them visited three or four shops. The boss of the fourth shop was especially chatty. He chatted with them until they felt thirsty.

When they passed by a convenience store, Chen Hua went in to buy water while Mu Anan waited by the street.

“Anan, here.”

Chen Hua passed a bottle of water to Mu Anan.

Mu Anan took it and realized that the bottle cap had been screwed open.

“I screwed it open for you when I came out just now.”

Mu Anan did not think much of it and gulped down half a bottle of water.

Chen Hua then said, “Anan, see that shop? Let’s go and take a look.”

Mu Anan nodded and followed Chen Hua.

This watch shop was smaller than the previous ones they visited. The boss was chatting with his friend casually, “Sigh, if we don’t open this year, we’ll… Hey, I can’t talk anymore. A couple of little lambs have arrived.”

“Hi, what are you two girls looking for?”

The boss put away his phone and walked over enthusiastically.

“We’re just browsing.” As Chen Hua spoke, she pulled Mu Anan to look at the display window.

Her eyes were drawn to a pocket watch.

The entire watch was gold and there was a mysterious totem on the watch face.

But there were no hands on the watch.

Chen Hua stared at the pocket watch and couldn’t look away.

Seeing this, the boss immediately walked up and said, “Young lady, you have good taste. This pocket watch is the treasure of our shop. I usually don’t promote it to those who don’t appreciate it. I can tell that you appreciate nice things. If you want it, I’ll immediately get someone to send the hands over and install them for you.”

The boss said enthusiastically and told them about the materials and history of the pocket watch.

Chen Hua was fascinated by what she heard.

Mu Anan, on the other hand, asked a very realistic question after the boss’ extravagant bragging. “How much is it?”

The boss didn’t expect to meet someone so direct. He was a little stunned and immediately said, “Young lady, the price is negotiable. Didn’t this young lady say that she wanted to buy it for her mother? Since it’s for her mom…”

“How much?” Mu Anan didn’t listen to the boss’ nonsense.

The boss had no choice but to quote a price. “Two thousand yuan.”

Chen Hua instantly felt like someone tossed her a hot potato.

The boss continued, “Young lady, this is actually a very good price. It’s worth it. Think about it, you are spending 2,000 yuan to make your mother happy for a long time. Your filial thoughts are worth more than that.”

Chen Hua really liked it. She held the pocket watch, but the price was too high.

She whispered to Mu Anan, “Anan, I only have a budget of 1,000 yuan, but this pocket watch…”

Mu Anan glanced at Chen Hua. “Are you sure you want this?”

Chen Hua nodded.

Mu Anan didn’t say more. She just looked up and met the boss’ gaze. She said coldly, “800 yuan.”

“What did you say?” The boss’ eyes widened.

“Eight hundred. We’ll buy this watch, including the watch hands which you will install for us.”

The boss almost jumped up when he heard this. “Young lady, you can’t bargain like this. My item costs 2,000 yuan, and you’re offering me 800 yuan? This is daylight robbery!”

“Then we don’t want it.” As Mu Anan spoke, she took the pocket watch from Chen Hua’s hand and returned it to the boss. She then pulled the still confused Chen Hua to leave.

However, just as Mu Anan was about to open the door and walk out, the boss’ exasperated voice rang out. “Nine hundred! That’s my final price. Take it or leave it!”

Mu Anan immediately smiled triumphantly.

Chen Hua was dumbfounded by Mu Anan’s hardcore bargaining.

Mu Anan pulled Chen Hua back into the shop. The boss was furious. “Miss, I’ve been running this shop for so long, but I’ve never seen anyone haggle like this.”

Mu Anan only smiled and got back to business. “What about the watch hands?”

“The watch hands are in another shop, but you see, I’m all alone here. Why don’t you take this receipt and go get it yourself? I’ll install them for you.”

Mu Anan felt that something was amiss.

He said just now that he would get someone to bring them over.

But before Mu Anan could say anything, Chen Hua agreed, “Sure, we’ll go get it.”

The boss wrote a receipt. “It’s just two streets ahead. Go right out the door, then cross the road and go through the alley.”

“Okay, thank you, boss. We’ll go get them now.” Chen Hua took the receipt and said happily.

Mu Anan wanted to say something, but when she saw that Chen Hua was immersed in the joy of getting a good deal on the pocket watch she wanted, she did not say anything.

The two of them left the watch shop and went to the other shop to get the hands.

Chen Hua was still immersed in her excitement when she grabbed Mu Anan’s arm and said, “Anan, you’re too cool. This is the first time I’ve seen someone haggle like that and succeeded! I was just thinking about borrowing money from you to buy it.”

“That shop hasn’t had any business for a long time. Moreover, shops like that quote prices only when they see people. These things aren’t that expensive to make.”

“How did you know that the shop hasn’t had business for a long time?”

“When we walked in, the boss was watching TV to kill time. He was also sending a voice message to someone saying that if they don’t open the restaurant now, they’ll starve. ‘Open the restaurant’ is code word for having no customers.”

Chen Hua was stunned when she heard Mu Anan’s words. She did not remember any of the details.

Just as Chen Hua was about to speak, her phone rang.

The two of them stopped in front of the alley that the boss mentioned.

Chen Hua answered the call.

Mu Anan stared at the alley in front of them. It was just a gap between two houses. It was very damp, dark, full of rubbish and smelly.

“What did you say? I, I’ll go back immediately!”

Chen Hua’s scream interrupted Mu Anan’s thoughts.