You're just a locksmith! What are you doing catching swindlers at the start?

The room was quiet for a while.

The proprietress squatted next to the safe without moving, tapping her fingers lightly on her knees twice.

Then she stood up.

The velvet skirt slid across the carpet, making a soft rustling sound.

She walked behind the desk and sat down in the leather swivel chair.

"Would you like to work for me?"

Lin Zhou raised his head.

The proprietress leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed.

The light from the table lamp cast a light brown hue on her pupils.

"With your looks, you'd make a great male billboard."

Lin Zhou zipped up his tool bag. "What kind of image?"

Good-looking. Steady hands. Quiet.

She counted three points, her tone as if she were assessing the quality of a product.

"Most importantly—it looks good."

The live chat exploded instantly.

"She's poaching people."

"The boss wants to poach the 'Three-Second King' as her male advertising spot."

"Boss lady: What's wrong with locksmiths? You can do it part-time."

"The Three-Second King: I pick locks by day, and serve as a signboard by night."

Hahahahahaha

"Lock-picking king, say something!"

Lin Zhou slung the tool bag over his shoulder.

"No."

The proprietress tilted her head slightly.

"Salary is negotiable."

"It's not about the money."

Lin Zhou stood up and patted the dust off his knees.

"I like picking locks."

He said it in a very flat tone, as if he were just saying the weather was nice today. But the viewers in the live chat noticed something different.

"The Three-Second King: My profession is lock picking, my hobby is lock picking, my life is lock picking."

"He lingered for so long yesterday not to look at my sister's legs, but because he was really studying the lock."

"Upstairs, do you have a guilty conscience about what you're saying?"

"He really did look at the legs."

The proprietress looked at him.

I glanced at it for about two seconds.

Then she smiled—not the professional smile she usually wore, nor a smile that came from being amused.

She opened the drawer, counted out three hundred yuan, and handed it over.

"Lock cylinder fee".

Lin Zhou took it, folded it twice, and put it in his pocket.

He picked up the old lock cylinder from the ground, wrapped it in oil paper, and put it in a compartment of his tool bag.

Several pins inside the old lock cylinder are deformed, so there's no point in keeping them.

But this was something he had taken off; taking it with him was a habit.

He walked toward the stairs.

The proprietress was still sitting in her leather swivel chair.

Lin Zhou walked out of the hidden door.

The full-length mirror closed behind him with a soft click.

Old Zhou was still sitting on the sofa in the lobby.

The enamel mug rested on my lap, the lid unscrewed, and the tea inside had completely cooled down, with a single tea leaf floating on the surface.

He sat very upright, his back ramrod straight, like a ruler stuck in the sofa.

The woman in the white tank top was still sitting on the sofa opposite, holding her phone.

The screen was already lit—but I don't know when she turned it on again.

But she wasn't looking.

Her gaze darted past the edge of her phone and stole a glance at Lao Zhou.

Old Zhou's gaze happened to shift over, and the two men's eyes met briefly in the air.

The woman in the white tank top immediately lowered her head, her fingers flying across the screen, seemingly swiping at something.

Lin Zhou walked down the stairs.

When Old Zhou saw him, he stood up, holding his enamel mug in his hand.

"Is it fixed?"

"It's fixed."

Old Zhou nodded.

He glanced at the white tank top.

The woman in the white tank top had her face buried behind her phone screen, and the tips of her ears were still red.

Then he took the enamel mug, pushed open the door, and went out.

Lin Zhou followed behind.

The sunlight streaming in from outside the door shone down on him, and Lin Zhou squinted.

Old Zhou stood on the curb, holding an enamel mug, looking at his old black sedan.

The car is still the same car.

But there's an extra lock on the left front wheel.

The lock body was very large and got stuck in the tire.

There was a laminated QR code on the lock, next to which was a handwritten phone number.

Old Zhou held his enamel mug and looked down at the lock.

I watched it for about three seconds.

Then he put the enamel mug on the roof of the car and squatted down.

I leaned closer to look at the QR code.

It took me a while to realize it was a WeChat payment QR code.

Lin Zhou stood to the side, his hands in his pockets.

He looked at the lock, then at Old Zhou's back as he squatted on the ground.

"police officer,"

He spoke.

"Is this correct?"

Old Zhou didn't turn around.

But his lips twitched slightly.

The live chat exploded.

Hahahahahaha

"The police car was locked."

"Although it's not a police car, the owner is a police officer."

"Old Zhou's car has been locked."

"Three-Second King: Officer, is this right? Old Zhou: ..."

"Zhou Ge's lonely figure squatting on the ground."

Old Zhou ignored Lin Zhou.

Instead, he took out his phone from his pocket.

He squatted on the ground, staring at the handwritten number on the lock.

Press the numbers one by one.

After pressing the button, put the phone to your ear.

It rang about three times before being answered.

Before Lao Zhou could speak, the other person spoke first.

The sound was very loud and could be heard clearly on the quiet curb.

"You'll be fined 500 for unlocking! Scan the QR code on the sticker! Come back within five minutes after you scan it, or I won't open it!"

Old Zhou's mouth opened slightly.

"I'm a police officer—"

"Beep beep beep".

It's over.

Old Zhou squatted on the ground, his phone still pressed against his ear.

Lin Zhou stood to the side, having heard those words clearly.

Pay the fine of 500 yuan for unlocking; pay by scanning the QR code.

Lin Zhou did indeed do the math in his head.

This morning, the drug addict charged 1,050 yuan for unlocking and replacing the lock cylinder, of which the cost of the lock cylinder was 150 yuan.

This tan crab-shaped lock—he glanced at the keyhole, the most ordinary pin tumbler lock, four pins, not even a fake slot.

five hundred?

I can drive it when I'm fifty!

The viewers in the live chat couldn't hold back their laughter when they saw this.

"Five hundred"

"The opening for this car lock costs five hundred."

"The Locksmith's Inner Thoughts: More Expensive Than Me"

Lin Zhou: My lock-picking skill only costs 200 yuan in three seconds, but your tan crab lock costs 500 yuan.

"The 'Three-Second King's' expression—he's doing mental arithmetic."

"Locksmith King: This price is unreasonable, I want to report this market price gouging."

Old Zhou dialed again.

This time he put the phone on speakerphone and held it in his hand.

connected.

"I am a police officer."

Old Zhou's voice was very calm, as if he were interrogating someone in an interrogation room.

"You'd better come over and unlock it. This is illegal."

There was a brief silence on the other end for about half a second.

Then he laughed.

"police?"

The voice came through the speakerphone, carrying a hint of disdain.

"Officer, why did you park your car in front of the clubhouse?"

Old Zhou's neck stiffened slightly.

"hehe."

The person on the other side was still laughing.

"If you don't pay, I'll report you for soliciting prostitution."

It's over.

The busy signal came through the speakerphone, beeping continuously.

Old Zhou squatted on the ground, and the call interface on his phone screen automatically switched back to the dial pad.

He looked at the number, and his Adam's apple bobbed.

The comments section was filled with laughter.

Hahahahahaha

He smiled, he really smiled.

"Officer, why did you park your car in front of the clubhouse?"

"I'm also going to report you for soliciting prostitution."

"This person doesn't know whose passenger seat he locked."

"Brother Zhou got himself into trouble with someone who locked his car."

"In my 20 years in the industry, this is the first time I've been threatened by a suspect."

"Brother Zhou: I've been cracking down on prostitution for twenty years, and today someone said they're going to report me for soliciting prostitution."

Old Zhou slowly stood up.