789 The Electrician and the Welder (1/2)
Subconsciously, everyone in the store turned to look at the door when they heard the knock.
What a coincidence––it was another person that they knew.
Electrician Wu stood by the door and stuck his head inside to take a look. There was another old man of a similar age who was on an electric bicycle waiting by the sidewalk.
”Wu, is this the place?” the latter asked, his voice loud and sonorous.
The outside was bright and the inside was dark, so Electrician Wu squinted his eyes and swept his gaze across the faces of the people. His gaze soon fell on Zhang Zian and he said with surprise, ”Yi, it's you?”
”Master Wu, you're here! Quick, come in… is that your friend outside?” Zhang Zian walked over to welcome them in.
Electrician Wu hesitated for a moment before he nodded. ”He's also a retiree from our factory. His surname is Zhao and he's a welder.”
Following after them, Electrician Wu waved his hands to the person outside. ”Come in. Lock the bicycle well; don't let it get stolen.”
Welder Zhao was a thin old man, his teeth were black and yellow from years of smoking, and he had a strong smell of smoke on him. He pushed open the door. The moment he entered, he started making a lot of noise. ”This is the place? Wu, are you kidding me? Isn't this a newly-opened store? The stuff isn't even set up yet! Let's go… let's go look for an old store. I can't trust a new store! It could close down in just a few days!”
After he said that, he went over to pull on Electrician Wu.
Electrician Wu was also hesitating, but Zhang Zian had helped him with his problem in the fish market, so he felt bad if he were to just take his leave.
”Master Zhao, right? I agree with whatever you say—but, my shop has been running on this street for more than ten years. It's not a new shop!” Zhang Zian interrupted.
”Not a new shop?” Welder Zhao sneered. He pointed at the walls and the floor with his finger. ”The smell of this new latex paint isn't even gone yet. It hasn't even been a month since he renovated this place, right? And you're telling me it's not a new shop?”
”Great observation! You can even notice all that! This shop is indeed new, but the shop beside it is also mine. It has been running on this street for ten over years. You can ask around if you don't believe me.”
Zhang Zian was able to understand his thoughts on looking for an old shop. Even for the almighty Taobao, everyone would still look for the oldest shop with the highest sales so that they can be relieved. It was better to be ripped off with everyone than alone…
Welder Zhao walked out of the shop, suspicious. He came back moments later, nodded, and said, ”Okay, I said the wrong thing.”
It was not okay to leave the pet shop alone with no one to look after it, so Zhang Zian sent Lu Yiyun back. He then asked, ”Master Wu, are you here for the 24V heating rod?”
Electrician Wu nodded. His gaze uncontrollably drifted to the aquatic creatures that Zhang Zian had brought back.
”I will look at the heating rod, then also look at the fish,” he said.
Welder Zhao complained. ”Wu, I'm telling you not to waste that money. Isn't a twenty to thirty dollar heating rod just the same? A heating rod that costs a few hundred dollars can help you raise better fish? I don't believe it!”
Electrician Wu waved his hands. ”Zhao, stop trying to persuade me in this matter. I have made up my mind so you're just wasting your breath—the problem isn't with the fish, but the safety. You're not an electrician, so you don't understand how dangerous electricity can be.”