Chapter 37 Watch
"Huamao Women's Clothing Store" is very close to the Henry Watch and Glasses Store in Wangfujing. Wang Deming just changed a few hundred yuan today and was itching to go there, so he strolled over to see if there were any watches worth buying recently.

"Hey, Comrade Wang, you're here?"

"It's been a while since I last saw you!"

When the Hendry's clerk saw Wang Deming, he immediately came out of the store and greeted him warmly.

The decoration of Henry Watch and Glasses Store is quite Western and unique in the whole Wangfujing Street: the overall building is in European style, with an oval facade and a high roof; there are several large transparent floor-to-ceiling windows, with a few watches sparsely placed on the red velvet cloth; the double-opening door is also made of a silver alloy steel frame with a whole piece of glass in between.

Most people would unconsciously belittle themselves when seeing such a fancy decoration. Little do they know that this is the purpose of Hendry's decoration, so that he can sell Swiss watches at a high price.
But for Wang Deming it was just a small case. In the future, any shop decoration would be better than this.

Wang Deming looked at the watches in the window and shook his head regretfully. There was no Vacheron Constantin, Patek Philippe, Rolex or Jaeger-LeCoultre that he wanted. There were also no Grand Engelhard watches or Longines. Their collection value was too low.

"Comrade Liu, your store hasn't had any new products recently?"

"Are you still using these old watches?"

Clerk Liu leaned forward slightly, his words full of affirmation: "Comrade Wang, please don't just look at the watches in the window!"

"Please go into the store. There are several watches on the counter that are in very good condition. Do you think there is anything you like?"

"Well, OK!" Wang Deming followed the clerk Liu into the Henry Optical Store. Looking at the glass counter, he casually asked the clerk Liu: "Aren't these the ones I returned? Why haven't you received any new watches yet?"

"No Patek Philippe or Vacheron Constantin?"

Liu, the shop assistant, showed a bitter face and said, "Comrade Wang, please don't mention it. Henry's has been visited by thieves."

"In addition to the watches worth dozens of dollars, the cash in the safe was also taken away."

"Ah, a thief?" Wang Deming asked again in disbelief! What a coincidence! I just talked to my sister about the thief in the latest news today.

"That's right!" Shop assistant Liu cursed, pointing at the ceiling window: "When the police came and took a look, they were shocked. It was a thief who came down from such a high roof."

Wang Deming looked up at the skylight on the roof following the finger of the shop assistant Liu. It was indeed true. One of the glass pieces of the skylight was obviously newly installed. But this thief was really amazing. According to the height of later generations, this ceiling window should be at least as high as 4 or 5 floors, at least 10 meters.
"This thief is too good, isn't he? How did he climb up there? Is he really good at Qinggong? Like Swallow Li San from the late Qing Dynasty?"

"Where?" When mentioning this, the shop assistant Liu's voice was full of regret: "Isn't the government renovating the houses behind Wangfujing Street? There are a lot of bamboo racks outside, and the thief climbed up along the bamboo racks outside!"

"How come we don't think of this when we work here every day?"

I can only say that only thieves are so discerning. Wang Deming just strolled over from the street. Although he saw bamboo racks behind the houses along the street, he never thought that he could climb to the roof of Henry.
But, weren't there a lot of watches that were stolen by thieves? Why did the shop assistant Liu let me into the store? Did Boss Zhou take out the best thing he had hidden away?

Wang Deming immediately asked the shop assistant Liu in confusion: "Comrade Liu, didn't you say that the watch was stolen by a thief? How come it was still stolen?"

Shop assistant Liu continued to lead Wang Deming up to the second floor: "We have to eat!"

"This time, several dozen watches were stolen. Mr. Zhou reluctantly took out a Qianlong cloisonné enamel clock that he treasured."

"Comrade Wang, do you think you have a crush on me?"

At this point, Wang Deming lost interest. I bought watches for collection, small and easy to store, and I am not worried about movement after ten years. Oh, if I buy an antique clock and someone reports it, I will smash mine too, even if others don't.
"Comrade Liu, I know that Mr. Zhou's collection must be extraordinary, but I have no interest in this kind of antique clock, so there is no need to look at it." Wang Deming stopped on the stairs, bowed to the clerk Liu, and turned to go downstairs.

"Comrade Wang, please stay!" Shop clerk Liu suddenly became anxious and hurried downstairs. He had finally met a customer and couldn't let him run away like that.

Now that there is no channel for purchasing Swiss watches, "Hendry" can only rely on watches that cannot be repaired elsewhere. Only "Hendry" can repair them with super high skills, and it can make a little profit by buying old watches back. But now dozens of watches have been stolen, and the supply is completely gone. The entire Hendry can hardly pay the wages.
Liu, the shop assistant, pleaded anxiously, "Comrade Wang, why don't you come with me and take a look? Just one look!"

Wang Deming was also helpless. Just by hearing the name of this antique clock, he knew that it must be extremely beautiful. If he had the chance to buy it, he would definitely not lose out in the future. But there was a period in the middle when he could only find an excuse: "Comrade Liu, you see, at my age, I really can't like clocks."

Clerk Liu gritted his teeth, thought for a moment, and stomped his feet hard, "Comrade Wang, please wait for me for a moment." He shouted to the other people on the first floor, "Serve tea to our distinguished guest Comrade Wang! Good tea!" Then he turned around and went upstairs.

Wang Deming had just sat down for a few minutes when he picked up the teacup, smelled it and took a sip. Hmm, it was good, refreshing and fragrant. He glanced down at the teacup and saw that the double buds of tea leaves were slender and tender green, rising and falling in the tea soup. It was the best West Lake Longjing.

Clerk Liu came running back, not even taking a breath, and invited Wang Deming upstairs again: "Comrade Wang, please come upstairs. I'm sure you'll be satisfied this time!"

Wang Deming immediately became interested and stopped drinking the tea. He followed Liu upstairs. Another clerk beside him quickly put Wang Deming's teacup on the wooden tray and followed him.
In a private room on the second floor, clerk Liu carefully brought a watch on a tray covered with red velvet and gently placed it in front of Wang Deming. He breathed a sigh of relief, "Comrade Wang, I just finally convinced Boss Zhou to take it out."

Wang Deming did not try it out directly, but first observed the watch carefully: the dial of this watch is silver, with double windows for the day of the week and month at the 12 o'clock position, a timing circle at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions, and a moon phase and circular date display at the 6 o'clock position.

The tachymeter scale, silver day of the week and month discs are all decorated with enamel, and the moon phase disc is also inlaid with blue enamel and gold stars and moons.

Wang Deming was delighted. He carefully took the watch in his hand and looked at the back of the dial. At the 6 o'clock position, there was a string of tiny words and numbers engraved. This was the movement number, Caliber 13-130.

Wang Deming remained calm, gently placed the watch back on the velvet tray, picked up the teacup beside him, took a sip, and the tea aroma became stronger. He extended his hand and said, "Comrade Liu, could you please give me a price?"

As soon as clerk Liu saw Wang Deming's attitude, he knew that the deal was done. The more he acted as if he didn't care, the more it showed that the customer actually liked it. "Comrade Wang, to be honest, this watch is absolutely the favorite of our boss Zhou."

"When he bought it in 45, he spent more than 3000 yuan."

"Hendry is having a tough time, and it's rare to find someone who shares the same passion, so I reluctantly gave it up."

Upon hearing this, Wang Deming felt a chill in his heart. He had never expected that Patek Philippe would be so expensive at this time. It was not that he could not afford it, but was this goal too big?

This is somewhat inconsistent with his usual caution.
The clerk Liu paused for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said the final price: "We at Hendry are really in trouble! Comrade Wang, if you like it, just take it for 500 yuan!"

The final quote from clerk Liu was full of emotion and reluctance.
"Uh." Wang Deming was also shocked by the huge drop in the price. He asked cautiously, "500 RMB?"

Clerk Liu's eyes widened as if he was frightened, and he said in disbelief: "How is it possible? Comrade Wang, 500 yuan!"

"500 RMB is not enough to pay the salaries of all the people at Hendry next month."

What a pity! Wang Deming smiled awkwardly, and secretly calculated in his heart that 500 yuan would only be worth 10 yuan in the future New Century, while a Patek Philippe like this would be worth at least tens of millions, right? After all, it is a Patek Philippe.

If the Shan Ji in "Young and Dangerous" wore a Patek Philippe when he was on the run, would that be the peak of his life? Yes, no, yes!

"What about this watch?" Wang Deming suddenly heard someone talking in the stairwell. "We came to re-survey the scene this time in order to solve the case for you, Henry, as soon as possible!"

"After all, it has been confirmed that this person was sent by someone to cause trouble. We have already obtained certain clues and the top leaders are also paying attention."

WTF! The police! Wang Deming was shocked, and immediately changed his mind. He pretended to sigh and clasped his fists in shame: "Comrade Liu, I have to go back and ask my brother-in-law about the price. After all, you know it, right?"

Originally, when the shop assistant Liu saw Wang Deming's expression, he thought that this deal was definitely in his hands.

The result is that this is not the Republic of China, where are there so many prodigals? Not many people are willing to spend 500 yuan to buy a watch.
In fact, Boss Zhou didn't buy this Patek Philippe watch for 3000 yuan. He only spent 400 yuan on it and bought it from the son of a warlord.

If Henry's watch had not been stolen, Mr. Zhou would never have sold it. Unfortunately, there are too few people who can afford it now.
But listening to the tone of Comrade Wang.
If there is still no news from the police after a few days, I will have to go there in person.
(End of this chapter)