Chapter 55 Buying a TV

  Xiao Hei Pao left early in the morning, and his mother saw him off at the station before going to open the shop.

  Gu Xiang went to her mother's store, where her mother was sitting and knitting a sweater.

  "It's so hot in summer, how can you knit a sweater? Just looking at it makes me feel hot."

  Mom said: "I have nothing to do in the store either."

  In the past when I was at Jiefang Road Shopping Mall, all the shops were semi-enclosed and next to or opposite us were Auntie's friends.

  When there's no business, they can still go and chat, have some tea.

  Although there is a shop next door now, the two shops on either side are a grain and oil store and a fruit store. The owners of both shops are also old ladies in their sixties.

  Gu Xiang said: "Otherwise, let's buy a computer or TV, you're always so bored in the store."

  "Why spend that money? I can just knit a sweater and crochet some slippers."

  "Buying a second-hand small TV won't be expensive. I remember when we moved, it seemed like there was a TV cable, so just go and connect it later."

  "Everything requires money here, what's the point of buying a TV? It's just a waste of money. But a computer is necessary, you're already in second grade and we don't have one at home. Otherwise, I'll ask your uncle tomorrow to help pick one out for you."

  Gu Xiang quickly said no, her mother was very frugal with herself, but she was particularly willing to spend money on her.

  In the afternoon, Gu Xiang told her mother that she wanted to go home and do her homework, then sent a text message to ask several friends if they knew where the second-hand market was nearby.

  Lin Jiahuan said she knew, and then the two of them made an appointment for that afternoon to go together.

  Gu Xiang still had several hundred yuan of private money on her body, all of which she carried with her. She also thought that the TV was too heavy for her to move, so she called out Chen Wu.

  Chen Wu is now also 1.7 meters tall and still a bit chubby, looking like a kid.

  Gu Xiang and Lin Jiahuan made an appointment to meet at the intersection, Chen Wu had no mobile phone, Gu Xiang made a phone call with him, at this time two people were waiting for him under the shade of the tree.

  The two of them finished eating a bag of Doritos each before Chen Wu arrived.

  Because they might need to move things later, all three of them came on foot.

  Gu Xiang saw that he was also sweating profusely and felt embarrassed to say anything, so she invited him under the shade of a tree and bought him a can of ice-cold Coke.

  Gu Xiang was visiting the second-hand market for the first time.

  It's actually similar to an ordinary mall, but most of what they sell are electronics and stuff.

  Moreover, there are many things in the store, and the shelves are all filled up row by row.

  They could tell at a glance that they were just kids, so the boss wasn't very enthusiastic about serving them.

  Gu Xiang and they turned several houses, found that what they saw were all those very large TVs, and the prices were not cheap either, the expensive ones cost thousands.

  Later, the sky didn't create anymore, so Gu Xiang let Lin Jiahuan go back first, and she continued to stroll with Chen Wu.

  Two people strolled around until after four o'clock and really found a small shop in the corner.

  The boss is very old and doesn't have the energy to haggle with customers, so everything in the store is clearly priced.

  Gu Xiang found a 15-inch small TV, which looked like it was 70-80% new, priced at 350.

  Gu Xiang was a bit embarrassed, she only had less than 300 yuan on her, then asked Chen Wu if he had any money, Chen Wu handed over a crumpled twenty yuan bill. The difference was quite large, so Gu Xiang thought about coming back the next day.

  The boss watched the two kids talk for a while, looked at the TV several times and was about to leave, then came over to ask: "What's wrong? Don't you like this TV? It's quite small, it would be just right in your room. Where are your parents?"

  The boss thought they were kids following their parents out shopping.

  After touching the TV, Gu Xiang suddenly found her hand was covered in dust.

  But it's also true that in this kind of second-hand store, there are very few people who wipe them every day like they're new.

  "Gu Xiang said: 'This TV looks pretty good, boss, can you give us a discount?'"

  The boss looked at her and smiled, "I'll give you a discount of five yuan to take the bus home."

  She counted the money on her body, a total of 323 yuan. "You see, I only have this much money on me. Can you sell it?"

  The boss pointed at the "No haggling" sign on the counter and said, "Small business, no discounts."

  Gu Xiang said: "I see that the TV here is all dusty, but the ones on display are spotless. Probably can't sell them either. And the price tags on top have turned yellow, you can tell at a glance how long they've been there. Why not just lower the price by twenty or thirty yuan and sell it to us?"

  What she said is actually true, this TV has been placed here for a year or two.

  It's still Song Xiaodong's. It seems like a rich family had it for their kids to play with, and then they sold it when they were moving away.

  But nowadays TVs are getting bigger and bigger, these small ones just can't be sold.

  Few families specifically come to the second-hand market to buy a TV for their children.

  The boss was still worried that Gu Xiang couldn't make decisions: "Where are your parents? Call them over, or else you'll pay and then they'll come back to ask for a refund."

  Gu Xiang said firmly: "I can take charge of it myself. You see, 220 yuan, if we can sell it, we'll move out directly."

  The boss smiled and said: "Don't you still have three hundred on you? Why are you only giving me two hundred twenty?"

  "We'll keep this money for renting a tricycle, just the two of us can't even lift it."

  The boss finally sold it to them, and also told Gu Xiang: "Little kid, go home early, it's dark here and it's chaotic. At the market entrance, rent that black rain canopy tricycle, the owner is honest and won't cheat you."

  Gu Xiang thanked the boss and left with Chen Wu carrying the TV set.

  Chen Wugang didn't say another word and said to Gu Xiang, "Why don't we not call a car? We'll walk back, I can carry it by myself."

  Gu Xiang shook his head: "It's not about the three dollars, and carrying this all the way will definitely make your arms ache tomorrow."

  Gu Xiang found the three-wheeled vehicle that Boss had mentioned. The man was indeed very honest and did not randomly raise the price when he saw the two children.

  The tricycle had just arrived at the entrance of the store and hadn't even come to a complete stop when Mrs. Gu spotted them.

  "Is Little Wu here?" Mrs. Gu saw Chen Wu and was quite happy, "You two go out and play now?"

  Then Mrs. Gu saw a small TV placed beside their feet and knew whose idea it was without thinking.

  Gu's mother was slightly angry, but thinking of Chen Wu being there, she didn't show it.

  This is also the reason why Gu Xiang brought Chen Wu over.

  Chen Wu was visiting Mrs. Gu's store for the first time and stood between the shelves looking around.

  "Help yourself to whatever you want to eat, take the outermost ones and then push the inner ones forward."

  "Where did you get the money from? I told you not to buy it, but you still did! You're getting disobedient now, aren't you?"

  Just then, Chen Wu picked up a drumstick and asked: "Auntie, can I eat this?"

  "Go ahead and eat, think about what you want to eat and take it yourself, just like at your own home."

  Chen Wu muttered under his breath: "If it were really our own family's, my mom would definitely not let me eat casually."

  "Also don't eat too much, we're about to have dinner soon." Then she went into the small kitchen to heat up the meal.

  Chen Wu had a good relationship with Gu's mother. At this time, Gu's mother pointed to several more expensive items in the store and said: "Do you want to drink Wang Zai milk? Later I'll let your sister bring a box home for you."

  Chen Wu shook his head: "Too sweet, I don't like drinking it."

  His mother then pulled him over and asked him how school was going, whether his studies were intense or not, and if he could keep up with everything.

  Chen Wu didn't feel annoyed either, and he answered whatever his mother asked him.

  Then his mother suddenly thought of something and asked him: "You went out with your sister this afternoon, did you tell the family?"

  Chen Wu shook his head and said, "My sister told me to come out and help, so I came out."

  Gu's mother, still fuming from giving birth to Gu Xiang, scolded Chen Wu together with her, "You didn't even ask anything and just followed her blindly, she sold you out and you're still helping her count the money."

  Chen Wu used to call Gu Xiang by her name, but over the past year, people at home have been saying that Gu Xiang has matured a lot. Sometimes he feels that Gu Xiang is being weird with him, speaking in a tone as if coaxing a child. Now he's even embarrassed to call her directly.

  "My sister even bought me Coke," he said.

  Gu's mom was amused, "You got cheated with just a can of Coke, are you stupid or what?"

  He then called his family first to express his feelings.

  Gu Xiang's uncle and aunt were having dinner at the store, then they would bring food back for Chen Wu to eat.

  Two people still haven't realized their son has been missing for an entire afternoon.

  After Gu's mother finished the phone call, Gu Xiang also quickly prepared the meal.

  "Xiao Wu, come and eat, there's nothing special at home, just eat whatever you like." Gu Xiang said while serving the dishes.

  Chen Wu said in surprise: "You still cook? Last time I boiled instant noodles, my mom was scared to death."

  "Hey, you kids shouldn't play with gas. Come and eat quickly."

  Because it was hot outside, she warmed up her meal a bit.

  Boiled a pot of tomato and egg soup, cold rice poured into hot soup just right.

  Gu Xiang opened a vacuum-packed sauce chicken leg for Chen Wu to eat with vegetables, she herself was sweating profusely, sitting next to the electric fan blowing air, and let them eat first.

  "Mom, our store is too hot, otherwise install a... install a ceiling fan." Gu Xiang originally wanted to say install an air conditioner, but the words reached her lips and she felt that her mother would not agree.

  Gu's mother handed her a towel to wipe her face. "I've already arranged for someone to come and install it, they'll be here the day after tomorrow."

  Gu Xiang wiped herself with a towel: "You eat, I'll cool off for a bit."

  At this time, Gu's mother didn't have any energy left, no matter how she looked at Gu Xiang, her daughter was always considerate.