# Chapter 043: Formatting
In January 2014, the old buyer carried that computer back to Xinyu. Xiaoyezi pulled the note she’d written in December out from behind the failure records and set it within reach.
The missing panel on the front of the case still hadn’t been replaced, and there were a few more dents along the edge. After setting it down, he first let out a breath, then looked inside the counter and asked whether the shallow case had been touched. Only then did he get to the reason he’d come today: the machine was getting slower and slower, and he wanted it reinstalled. He’d still take it back once it was done.
Junzi quoted him forty yuan. He didn’t bring up the sixty from back then again. Instead, he pointed at the case and said the drive inside was one he’d brought in and had installed himself. He’d take out anything he wanted to keep first.
Ye Yan had checked the drive; it read steadily, so this time they could proceed with a regular reinstall. He turned the machine toward Xiao Yezi and checked the connections from the other side. Wu Chunhua moved the shallow tray from the edge of the workbench back to the inside of the counter, leaving the anti-static bag and the failure log inside.
“The one in the tray isn’t part of today’s job.” With that, she cleared the workbench.
The customer took the USB drive he’d brought with him from his coat pocket, sat down, and picked out some files. He chose a few he used regularly and copied them. Then he opened a spreadsheet and a document from the USB drive and looked them over before pulling out the drive and putting it away.
While the machine was still on, Xiao Yezi picked up the paper beside her and asked whether he’d seen any files the shop had saved separately when he picked up the computer in 2010.
“I used my own laptop when I took those twenty from you. Later, when I bought this case, I brought the drive in myself. They installed it here, and then I took it home.” He patted the computer case. “I never looked through whatever you’d saved before selling it. And if you’re asking about 2009, I wasn’t here then.”
Xiao Yezi added “laptop” to his line. When she asked where the files had been saved separately, he could only remember copying things later himself; he hadn’t handled anything the shop had saved.
When Ye Yan heard “saved separately,” he stopped reaching for the cable.
“I also used a work USB drive for some old files from home and the shop.” He thought for a moment. “Not the one in the drawer that I update regularly. I remember keeping a set of old folders on it. Later I used something else and didn’t add anything more to it.”
“Where is it?” Xiao Yezi turned to him at once.
“I’ll have to look. It might still be in the old toolbox.” Ye Yan put the cable away. “I’ll find it today. First, let’s finish the machine in front of us.”
The customer heard them and still told them to let him know when they had an answer; he didn’t want them to look it over and then just leave it at that. He didn’t say that whole matter had nothing to do with him. He glanced once more inside the counter, then pushed the mouse toward Xiao Yezi.
“Keep the stuff you took. I don’t want the rest of what’s on the drive. Reinstall the system for me.”
“The old software and desktop settings can’t be restored either. We’ll have to reinstall everything,” Xiao Yezi said.
He pointed at the screen, seeming a little reluctant, but finally nodded. “Just redo it. Don’t let it stay this slow when you’re done.”
Junzi stood beside the computer case and recognized the drive that had gone home with this machine back then. Ye Yan confirmed that it was the one connected for this job, opened the maintenance environment, and let Xiao Yezi choose the target.
She pointed out the final prompt to the customer and asked if he wanted to continue. He looked it over and said yes.
Xiao Yezi pressed the button.
The formatting finished, and the old folders disappeared from the list. She began the installation. A few years earlier, she had sat in front of this same old computer, staring at prompts to delete and format, her hand frozen for ages. Now the case was still missing that cover plate, but the person behind her was already asking when he could pick it up.
“We still have to test it after the installation,” she replied, staying in her chair.
Wu Chunhua led the child out from the back room. She wanted to find her dad and show him her drawing. Ye Yan was checking the ports on another machine and told her to wait a moment. Holding the paper, she stood beside his leg. When she saw the screen change over here, she craned her neck and asked where the little squares from before had gone.
Junzi passed by with a cup and said with a casual laugh, “This time Xiao Yezi pressed it.”
The child heard Xiao Yezi, then looked at Aunt Lan and pointed at the screen. “Aunt Lan pressed it. Daddy’s computer is gone.”
“It’s Uncle’s machine.” Ye Yan freed one hand and moved the drawing she was holding to a clean spot. “The computer’s still here. It’ll turn on in a moment.”
She was still thinking about her drawing. Tugging at his sleeve, she wanted him to at least look at this corner first. Ye Yan bent down to look and told her he recognized the circle, then went back to checking the ports. Somewhat satisfied, the child held the drawing up against his trouser leg and didn’t move away.
Sitting in front of the screen, Xiao Yezi could still recall those two fragments from long ago: Aunt Lan had come by, and Dad had formatted the hard drive.
As a child, she couldn’t recognize the original drive in the bag, nor could she ask what had later been replaced inside the computer case. Who had arranged it, who had chosen which files to keep—in her telling, all that remained was Daddy’s computer and Aunt Lan’s hand. She had spent all these days wanting to stop that very moment, but now the button had already been pressed, while the faulty drive inside the counter hadn’t even been plugged in.