Apocalyptic Hoarding Diary

Chapter 273 The Car Shop Encounters a Cold Reception

Looking inside, about seven or eight vehicles were parked at different workstations, undergoing modifications.

Some were lifted high by several huge jacks, their wheels removed, exposing bare brake discs and suspension.

Some engines had their hoods wide open, revealing the intricate network of pipes inside, covered in dust and sludge.

Further inside, there was even a car that had been almost completely dismantled into a skeleton, with only the main frame and part of the car body remaining.

The ground was black in varying shades, and in some places you could even see a patch of dark oil that hadn't completely dried; you might slip if you stepped on it.

There were about seven or eight employees wearing matching dark blue "Honghu" uniforms scattered throughout the store.

Some were squatting beside a wheel that had been propped up, intently tightening huge bolts.

The muscles in his arms and shoulders bulged as he exerted force, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Some wore heavy, dark protective masks and held sizzling welding torches.

The gun barrel burst forth with dazzling white-blue flames and scattered orange sparks, emitting a teeth-grinding "sizzle" noise, and the air was filled with an even stronger smell of burning metal.

There were also two or three people who seemed to have no tasks for the time being, gathered in a corner of a relatively clean small office.

Leaning against a tool cabinet covered in scratches and stains, with lit cigarettes between their fingers, they huddled together, whispering something, occasionally letting out rough, masculine laughter.

The "Honghu" employees reacted almost identically to the arrival of Xu Xiaoyan, a complete stranger, forming a silent understanding:

The worker who was tightening screws was closer to the entrance.

As she walked in, he briefly lifted his oil-stained eyelids and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

Then he immediately lowered his eyelids and continued to focus on the wrench in his hand.

As if to emphasize his "focus," he tightened the wrench even more, the friction between the wrench and the nut producing an even more piercing "squeak."

The welder was completely absorbed in his own world of sparks, not even turning his head slightly. His gaze behind the mask was probably focused solely on the weld.

Among the group of people smoking and chatting in the corner, one of them happened to be facing the door and saw Xu Xiaoyan.

His gaze lingered on her for half a second before shifting away without a trace of emotion.

He slowly exhaled a large, round smoke ring, his gaze drifting towards the ceiling, as if he had suddenly developed a strong interest in the silver-gray roof panels.

The other two didn't even turn their heads, continuing their whispers and chuckles.

She was collectively ignored.

Xu Xiaoyan stood in the relatively open area by the door, letting her eyes and nose adjust to the harsh environment for a few seconds.

She didn't blindly try to strike up a conversation with someone who seemed "easy to talk to"—that would likely result in being rebuffed and would make her appear eager and cheap.

Her gaze began to sweep across the store, searching for a possible breakthrough.

She recalled that the base management regulations seemed to include a clause requiring officially authorized service providers to prominently display their main services and pricing standards at their business premises.

Although in such a monopolistic environment where there is only one company, the so-called "clearly marked price" is likely to be a mere formality.

It's full of fluff and unfair terms like "the final interpretation right belongs to this store," and it's practically just a decoration to pass inspections.

Regardless, the existence of such a public notice at least gives her a preliminary understanding of "Honghu's" business scope and project names.

Perhaps we can also glean some "benchmarks" for pricing and vague tier classifications from this, so we know where to begin and avoid being overcharged without any knowledge.

Soon, her gaze settled on the side of the shop's cluttered long table, piled high with various tools, parts, lunchboxes, and miscellaneous items.

On that wall, several sheets of plastic wrap were crookedly pasted on with transparent tape.

She stepped forward, leaned closer, squinted slightly, and carefully examined it.

The title of the top image is indeed "Reference Price List of Some Routine Services and Parts of Honghu Motor Vehicle Repair and Modification Company".

Below the title is a red, somewhat blurry, circular official seal, which is the seal of "Honghu Company".

The table was indeed very detailed, even to the point of being tedious, with items densely packed together, almost taking up the entire page.

From the most basic tasks like "inflating tires", "replacing wiper blades", and "replenishing various fluids".

From intermediate level, services include "four-wheel alignment and dynamic balancing", "comprehensive inspection and replacement of the braking system", and "battery testing and replacement".

Then there are the more complex procedures such as "engine overhaul", "comprehensive chassis reinforcement and rust prevention", "complete vehicle electrical system inspection and upgrade", "body panel repair and painting", and "addition of special equipment"...

It covers almost all the common and uncommon problems that civilian vehicles may encounter, as well as various popular modification projects.

Each item is followed by a string of numbers, which may be short or long; those are clearly the points that need to be paid.

Some items are followed by small print notes, such as "material costs not included", "labor costs to be calculated separately", "complex cases require on-site assessment and additional charges", etc.

However, these densely packed tables also contained a large number of technical terms and abbreviations that she couldn't understand at all, like a foreign language:

"ECU data flashing and optimization", "Turbocharger inspection and replacement", "Suspension system reinforcement kit installation", "Differential lock installation", "Intake and exhaust system upgrade", "Audio system soundproofing and amplifier modification"...

These words were completely foreign to her; after looking at them for a while, she felt dizzy and couldn't understand their specific meanings or actual value.

She tried to find entries related to "vehicle interior modification", "addition of control panel", and "installation of catering equipment".

After looking for a while, I only saw some vague terms like "customized car interior" and "addition of functional areas," without any specific details or clear pricing.

Clearly, what she needs is a modification that is more functional and practical, rather than one that is "performance" or "entertainment" oriented towards.

This might fall under the category of "non-standard customization," where the price is entirely determined by the store, or an "on-site assessment" may be required.

"Never mind..." She gently rubbed her throbbing temples and decisively gave up the idea of ​​continuing to delve into these price lists that might be full of traps and professional barriers.

The saying "a trade is like a mountain" applies here; the asymmetry of expertise and information is itself a source of power and profit.

She needs someone she can talk to, someone who can at least understand her needs, instead of burying herself in a bunch of potentially inaccurate numbers and jargon, searching for answers in vain.

She turned around and faced the shop, a small world that seemed to exist in its own right, made up of noise, sparks, oil stains, and indifference.

She cleared her throat and raised her voice slightly to make sure it could drown out the constant metallic noise and chatter and reach most people's ears.

"Masters, excuse me."

The noise in the workshop seemed to decrease for a moment; at least the few people smoking in the corner stopped talking and turned their gazes to her, either directly or indirectly.

The mechanic tightening the screws seemed to pause for a moment.

Facing those indifferent, curious, or scrutinizing gazes, she continued, "I have a car outside that I want to modify and add some things to."

She paused briefly, her gaze sweeping over the figures with their varied expressions:

"I don't know... Is there any mechanic who's a little free right now who can go out and take a look at the car and give some preliminary suggestions? Even just a rough estimate of the workload would be helpful."

However, all that answered her was silence.

The man tightening the screw seemed to be suddenly drawn to the bolt in his hand. Instead of looking up, he tightened the wrench with even more "focus" and almost theatrically.

The metallic friction produced a piercing, increasingly loud "crunching" sound, which stood out starkly against the quiet backdrop.

The sparks from the welding torch continued to fly tirelessly, the sizzling sound persisted, and the operator did not even change his body posture.

In the corner, the man who had been examining the stains on the ceiling turned his gaze to the wall, as if something there was attracting his attention.

The other two lowered their heads again, moved even closer, and continued their whispers in barely audible breaths, completely ignoring Xu Xiaoyan.

Xu Xiaoyan stood there, trying her best to keep her face calm, but her heart sank slightly.

Is it really impossible to find even one person willing to say a word?

Is she really expected to act like a salesperson, trying to use the cigarettes, betel nuts, and liquor in her backpack to knock on these faces that seem welded to their respective posts?

is this necessary?

Perhaps she should adjust her strategy and go directly to the boss that the tall man had previously described as "not caring about the fight when he speaks"?

Just as her mind raced, thinking that this probing call had completely failed and she needed to immediately consider a more direct or indirect plan—

"I'm free! What do you want to modify?"

A voice, clear and bright like that of a young person, suddenly came from behind the small car that had been dismantled and reduced to just a skeleton at the very back of the shop.

Xu Xiaoyan immediately looked in the direction of the sound and saw a very young-looking waiter leaning out with some difficulty, looking in her direction.

He looked to be in his early twenties at most, with a face still bearing the roundness and childishness of his adolescence.

My skin looked a bit pale from being indoors for long periods without sunlight, and I could even see faint dark circles under my eyes from staying up late.

But his eyes were exceptionally bright and clear, and he was looking at Xu Xiaoyan with a gaze that lacked the coldness often seen in the veteran craftsmen around him.

It's more of a positive feeling of "finally, there's something I can do."

He was also holding a wrench covered in black grease.

The uniform dark blue "Honghu" work clothes he was wearing were clearly ill-fitting, appearing loose and baggy on his thin frame.

His shoulders were sunken, and his sleeves were rolled up several times for convenience while working, revealing his thin but well-defined wrists and forearms stained with oil.