Both of them were too impatient, and their fingers inevitably touched each other. Before Xu Siqi could react, the hand retracted as if he was electrocuted.
Xu Siqi looked up and saw that the person competing with him for the book turned out to be a young woman in her twenties.
After a brief moment of panic, the woman quickly regained her composure and said to Xu Siqi calmly, "I got this book first."
He came over solemnly, took a look at the book in Xu Siqi's hand, and said, "Miss, the book fell from above. You saw it, and my friend also saw it. How can we say you got it first?"
The woman explained: "The book was on the top floor. I reached out to pick it up, but I couldn't hold it, so it fell..."
He solemnly interrupted the woman's words and said without saying anything: "What you said is not what you imagined, is it?"
The woman was stunned: "Imagine?"
He said solemnly and seriously: "Yes, otherwise who can prove what you said?"
"You, you are unreasonable!" The woman glared at Xu Siqi angrily and started to walk out.
"Miss, my friend is joking with you, don't take it seriously." Xu Siqi handed the book over.
Books don't fall for no reason. What the woman said must be true. Moreover, it is surprising that a young woman can like such old books.
In Xu Siqi's heart, there was a sense of sympathy.
But the woman didn't appreciate it and said with a straight face: "I'm sorry, I never joke with strangers, please get out of the way!"
Watching the woman leave the bookstore, he shook his head with a solemn smile and said, "This little girl has quite a temper. I didn't say anything, so why did she fall out?"
Xu Siqi said: "The perspective of understanding the problem is different. In her opinion, the few words you just said seemed to be deliberately teasing..."
The boss walked over and said politely: "Two gentlemen, this manuscript of "The Story of the Stone" is divided into two volumes. Unfortunately, the store only has the upper volume and the second volume is temporarily out of stock. If you really want to buy it,
, I can give you a preferential price.”
"What's the discounted price?" Zheng Zheng asked from the side.
"Seven dollars."
“What if it’s not a discounted price?”
"Normally, if the upper and lower volumes are complete, even if the quality is a little different, it will cost at least twenty yuan."
“That much money for a bad book?”
"Sir, not to mention that this book is an unique copy, there are not many copies that have been circulated in the world, so..."
Xu Siqi took over the conversation and said with a smile: "So, things are more valuable when they are rare."
The boss nodded repeatedly: "That's the truth."
Xu Siqi said: "I'm sorry, it's too expensive and we can't afford it. You should sell it to that lady."
The boss slapped his thigh and said angrily: "You can't afford it, so why are you still fighting with that lady? Isn't this delaying my business?"
Xu Siqi pointed out the window and said, "It's not too late for you to ask her to come back."
At this time, the woman stood at the door of the bookstore, leaning over and looking to one side from time to time, as if she was waiting for someone.
Before the boss could react, a black car slowly stopped at the door. The woman opened the door and got in, and the car sped away.
"Hey, it's totally hopeless..." The boss frowned and sighed.
Xu Siqi thought for a moment, took out 7 silver dollars from his pocket, put them on the counter, and said to the boss: "Wrap it up, I bought it."
The boss immediately turned his worries into joy, quickly wrapped the books, put them into a delicate paper bag, and respectfully sent Xu Siqi and Zheng Zheng out of the bookstore.
"A shabby book cost 7 yuan! Siqi, you can't be taken advantage of like this. You are losing money faster than smoking cigarettes." He complained solemnly.
Xu Siqi said: "The price is quite reasonable. If I can find the second volume, I can sell it for at least 25 yuan."
"Go ahead and dream! There are no bookstores, so where can you find the next volume?"
"This kind of thing depends on luck..."
Not far from the Golden Theater, there was a Chunlai Teahouse. The two of them went in and ordered a pot of Dianhong, then sat down to drink tea and rest for a while.
Suddenly, I heard the door of the teahouse rang, and two people came in from the outside. One of them was a guy with acne on his face, Amao from Fuxi Road, and the other was his subordinate named Shengzi.
There were many guests in the teahouse, and Amao didn't notice Xu Siqi, sitting nearby at the table behind Xu Siqi.
"Wait a minute, the show starts at six o'clock. We can just go in at half past five." This was Amao's voice.
"There's still half an hour..."
Shengzi hesitated for a while and said worriedly: "Amao, you said...if something happens, the boss won't leave us alone, right?"
Amao's eyes widened: "Let me tell you, this kind of talk is just talking to me. If it reaches the ears of the boss, do you still want to live in Shanghai?"
"The problem is, this is not a small matter..."
"The sky is falling. There is a big one holding it up. What are you afraid of? This is the key to the power distribution room. Put it away."
"Where did you get the key?"
"Given by the boss."
"Tell me, what is the boss doing this for?"
"I know his manna."
"What if..."
"Okay, okay, don't go on and on, just do the work and collect the money, why are you asking so many questions!"
…………
Afternoon, five forty.
At the entrance of the Golden Theater, the audience began to enter one after another. Amao and Shengzi walked in tandem, sneaking towards the dark place.
The theater's power distribution room is on the west side of the bathroom. The door is locked and an eye-catching warning sign stands at the door: Electricity Danger, Customers Stopped.
Amao observed for a while and said to Shengzi: "We can't do it now. There are too many people. We can wait until the performance starts."
Shengzi said: "Amao, you have to look out for me. Don't run away like last time before I came out."
"Last time, last time I had diarrhea..."
"You always have a reason."
The show hasn't officially started yet, but the lights in the theater are bright,
"Siqi, where have you been? I can't find you anywhere."
"Going to the bathroom."
After sitting down, he said solemnly and proudly: "How about it? Our seats are good, right?"
Xu Siqi nodded: "It's indeed very good..."
"Linglong, this way!" A slightly plump young woman wearing a Western-style hat and holding up two ticket stubs walked over happily.
"Yu Rong, why are you walking so fast? Wait for me." The person named Linglong followed closely behind.
"My darling, it's true that we meet on the same road... Siqi, look, who's coming." He smiled solemnly and reached out to touch Xu Siqi.
Looking over with solemn eyes, Xu Siqi couldn't help but laugh. The person named Linglong turned out to be the young woman he met at Songzhuzhai Secondhand Bookstore.