Chapter 87: Xu Xuejun

Zhai Da saw the MP3 exposed and casually pinched it in his palm: "Does this also make furniture?"

"That’s not it, I’m preparing to fix it and give it to my grandson."

After chatting for a few sentences, Zhai Da learned what was going on. Xu Xuejun often went to that courtyard to find some materials. Besides the wooden products that no one cared about in the courtyard, some familiar sanitation workers would also collect some iron products for him.

Most of them didn't need money, because Xu Xuejun would help sanitation workers fix home appliances and such. More than half of the hundred or so sanitation workers owed him favors.

This old man seemed to have some skills. Besides being able to make all kinds of miscellaneous furniture, he could also fix some simple electronic equipment, which was also within his scope. He would sell them after fixing them or give them away. This MP3 was picked up for him by a sanitation worker.

Zhai Da thought that those square dance old ladies probably received quite a few gifts...

The courtyard behind the sanitation worker dormitory had two external "users," and they bumped into each other today.

Although the [Dynamic MP3] was already in his hand, its ownership hadn't changed, so he still had to talk about buying it.

"Sell this to me, I’ll pick some other things."

Xu Xuejun didn't answer immediately, but asked: "What do you want this thing for?"

Zhai Da said half-truthfully: "I have had the habit of collecting old things since I was a child. My friend also had one before, and I was always envious of it. This thing is not common now."

Maybe such a "hobby" was a bit niche for the sixty-year-old Xu Xuejun. This quite sturdy old man stared at Zhai Da for a while, seemingly confirming whether this little doll was joking.

In the end, he didn't make things difficult for him and opened a price: "I bought it for thirty, give me forty."

This price was quite honest. In comparison, the boss of "Cangzhen Pavilion" could be directly taken to be shot.

Zhai Da took out two twenty-yuan bills readily. After Xu Xuejun received the money, the system also prompted the change in ownership. The other party didn't play any tricks.

A precious and powerful green piece of equipment was officially collected.

Zhai Da tried to long-press the power button, but the MP3 didn't respond at all. Later, he remembered that this old MP3 should be using a No. 7 battery, which could be said to be a quite retro design. When he unscrewed the end, it was indeed an empty battery slot.

He would find a battery later to try. It shouldn't be broken, otherwise, the system should have a prompt.

However, he didn't forget that there were still good things in this cart. He put the MP3 in his pocket, but he didn't leave.

"What are you still doing?"

"I’ll see what else you have here."

Xu Xuejun was so angry he laughed: "Go, go, go, I have to work. This is not a store."

Zhai Da lingered and didn't move, but until Xu Xuejun finished packing all the sundries in the cart, Zhai Da didn't see the second piece of equipment before.

Zhai Da was very puzzled. Could it be that he saw it wrong because it flashed and disappeared? That shouldn't be...

He could only take a roundabout route and climb a relationship with this old man: "Master, you can also customize furniture here? What can you do?"

Xu Xuejun turned on the light on the workbench and packed up the tools on it, saying: "As long as you can name it, I can do it, as long as there is money."

Zhai Da casually said something.

"Can you make a refrigerator?"

He was actually just teasing.

Unexpectedly, Xu Xuejun directly agreed: "Yes, do you want a vertical one or a cabinet one?"

Zhai Da: Are you serious? Can this thing be hand-rubbed?

Seemingly seeing Zhai Da’s shock, Xu Xuejun laughed:

"You people who don't work, everything looks magical. A refrigerator is nothing more than an insulation layer, compressor, evaporator, condenser, control device... what’s difficult about it..."

"Students nowadays... what are they learning... when I was your age, I was already repairing trucks."

Zhai Da raised his eyebrows. Although he couldn't see what was special about this shop, the density of various tools and machinery inside far exceeded what it should be, and it was orderly in chaos. It was a bit of a hand-rubbing boss.

He suddenly remembered his maternal grandfather’s notebook.

Even if this old man was exaggerating, it was still a place to lay a foundation. See if he could learn an introduction to metalworking.

And the old man seemed to have long-term cooperation with the sanitation workers. This shop was also a place where equipment might appear.

"Grandpa is amazing. I have been interested in these things since I was a child..."

"You have quite a lot of things you are interested in since you were a child."

"Uh... I mean after a while, how about I come to you for further studies? I can pay tuition, you teach me metalworking."

Xu Xuejun just waved his hand: "Don't accept, don't accept. Accepting apprentices is the most troublesome. Teaching a body of skills, and causing trouble every day... hurry up and leave, I have to work."

Xu Xuejun waved his hand and drove Zhai Da out, patted the switch next to him, and lowered the rolling shutter door.

Zhai Da curled his lips. He would definitely have to come to this place in the future. He hadn't found one piece of equipment yet.

————

After Zhai Da left, Xu Xuejun changed into work clothes and sat in front of the workbench.

He took out a dust-covered pocket watch from his pocket.

The cover was silver-white, the watch body was brass-colored, and there were complex but almost worn-out patterns on the back.

Xu Xuejun’s fingers rubbed the patterns, his face carrying a thoughtful look.

Opening the watch cover, inside was a pearl-white dial with the words "SEA-GULL" in the center. Besides that, there were no other identifiers.

Although it was English letters, this was actually a pure domestic pocket watch, Sea-Gull.

It was also a domestic manufacture from decades ago, established in 1955 in Jinmen. It was the manufacturer of the first domestic mechanical watch and the first domestic self-developed movement, ending the century-long history of "only being able to repair watches, not being able to make watches." It was also one of the main forces during the export-earning period, so it used English as an identifier.

Of course, the current situation was that the glory was no longer there.

The one in Xu Xuejun’s hand had at least forty years of history...

His master once had an identical one. He once pestered him to buy it, but his master set a precision standard for him. If he could reach a precision of five silk threads, he would give it to him.

Unfortunately, he never reached it in the end, and he lost this opportunity forever.

Seeing it today, he didn't hesitate much and took it down... although he couldn't be sure if it was the one in his master’s hand.

In a small Dongyang County, there shouldn't be many of these things...

Ripples of memory rose in Xu Xuejun’s mind.

"Xuejun, you have talent. These hands are very steady, but not diligent enough. You must strive to arm yourself with knowledge..."

"If you can reach a precision of five silk threads, not only will I give you this pocket watch, but I will also recommend you to go outside for further studies... to see a broader world."

"Xuejun... Xuejun... wake up..."

Xu Xuejun sighed long:

"Sigh..."

After pondering for a moment, he took out a head-mounted magnifying glass, also called an inch mirror, and took out a set of fine repair tools. These tweezers and screws were as thin as toothpicks.

He really had everything here.

After dismantling the dial, the corrosion inside was serious. The balance wheel, power wheel, clutch wheel, escapement fork, balance bridge... there were many places that needed repair.

In a small pocket watch, the structure inside was very complex, and some structures were not much thicker than a strand of hair.

Xu Xuejun tried to dismantle the pocket watch movement, but his hands were constantly shaking.

This kind of shaking might not be very obvious on weekdays, nor did it affect anything, but under the magnifying glass, it was particularly intense.

After several consecutive attempts, he couldn't perform the repair safely. Xu Xuejun sighed and covered the watch body again.

The shop was in darkness, with only the workbench lit with bright light.

That back figure let out a long sigh:

"Sigh..."