The city was busy and full of movement. Miss Shu's small world stayed quiet as she worked late into the night, saving every coin. But outside her family's struggles, life carried on with richer families who never worried about money.
One day, a new job offered Miss Shu a chance to work in an expensive jewelry and watch store downtown. She was excited and nervous—the store was bright, clean, and smelled like flowers and new cloth. Its display windows sparkled with diamonds, gold, and silver. Even walking in made Miss Shu feel out of place.
She wore her plain clothes and tried to look neat. The manager, Mr. Pang, showed her around. "We keep everything perfect here. No fingerprints on the glass, nothing out of order," he told her quickly.
Miss Shu nodded, taking careful notes in her mind. She knew she had to do well—each shift paid more than her usual cleaning jobs.
On her first day, Miss Shu watched well-dressed customers walk in and out, looking at expensive watches, buying gifts for birthdays and special occasions. One young man came in, arguing loudly with his girlfriend. "Why don't you appreciate fine things?" he said, holding a sparkling blue watch in his hand.
The girl rolled her eyes. "It's just a watch. There's more to love than showing off."
Miss Shu wiped the counter near them quietly. She remembered her own wedding ring—the small diamond that meant so much though it barely had value to others.
Suddenly, the argument grew worse. The young man threw the watch onto the counter. "If you don't want it, I'll buy it for someone who does!" he shouted.
The manager rushed over, calming both sides. The customer finally paid for the watch but left in anger, slamming the door so hard the glass rattled. Miss Shu hurried to clean the mess, finding fingerprints everywhere and a scratch on the counter.
Later, an older woman entered the store, wearing expensive shoes and a fur coat. She looked at Miss Shu with cold eyes. "You—a simple worker—be careful with these!" She pointed at the shoes and demanded they be cleaned at once.
Miss Shu apologized and began wiping the shoes gently. The woman complained about every step, threatening to report her for poor service. Miss Shu kept calm, remembering her family's needs. She thought, "If I lose this job, we're back at the beginning."
Just then, Goo stopped by on his way from a delivery job downtown. He saw the argument and even tried to help his mother. The other shop workers were nervous, whispering about losing business over such a small matter.
"Let it go," Goo told Miss Shu quietly as the manager appeared, asking if everything was solved. The older woman cooled down, but with a warning: "Next time, I won't be so kind."
As soon as she left, the store grew peaceful again. Miss Shu finished her shift, grateful for the money and thankful Goo had appeared when she needed someone.
That afternoon, Goo and Yang waited for their mother at the park nearby. As families played around them, Goo told Yang about the shoe incident. "People with money think we're nothing," he said. "But Mom is stronger than all of them."
Yang nodded. "Mom works for us. She believes in us."
Goo had saved a little money from his own jobs and gave it to his mother later, saying, "Add this to your jar. It's not much, but it helps."
Miss Shu hugged him. "Every coin means hope."
The next day at the store, a big problem appeared. A customer's expensive watch—a symbol of love, according to its label—was found broken, the glass cracked and the hands stopped. The customer was furious, yelling for the manager.
Miss Shu, who had cleaned the counter, was blamed for letting the watch fall. The manager spoke with her in private, uncertain if the store would pay for repairs or demand compensation. Miss Shu felt responsible, knowing she couldn't possibly replace something so valuable.
Workers took sides—some said it wasn't her fault; others, jealous of her careful work, blamed her quietly behind her back.
The argument became the talk of the street. Even Goo heard about it while making deliveries. He hurried to the store, hoping to protect his mother.
Miss Shu faced the angry customer, trying to apologize. "Please let me make this right," she said softly.
The customer threatened to call the owner and said, "People like you should stick to kitchen floors, not touch fine things."
Goo stepped forward, defending his mother. "She is careful, honest, the hardest worker here. The mistake could have happened to anyone."
The manager listened and finally made a decision—the store would cover half the cost, and Miss Shu would work extra shifts to pay for the rest. It would take months, but Miss Shu accepted. She told the manager, "Thank you for believing in me."
That night, she went home exhausted, her heart heavy with guilt but grateful she had not been fired.
Over the next weeks, Miss Shu worked longer hours at the watch shop, cleaning, learning new skills, and helping customers quietly. Sometimes, the same customer would return, this time more polite. Other times, families came to buy gifts, and Miss Shu helped them pick bracelets or necklaces. Slowly, she grew more confident.
Goo and Yang noticed their mother's tiredness but praised her every night. Yang brought her a new drawing—a picture of the family holding hands, with bright colors and big smiles.
One evening, the manager called Miss Shu into the office. "You have proved yourself. No one works harder. You have paid off your debt for the watch repairs. We want you to stay with us."
Miss Shu smiled, nearly crying. She felt proud—her sacrifices had paid off.
But behind everything, Miss Shu kept her pain hidden. She missed her old ring, her days before so much hardship. She worried for Yang and Goo, especially when she overheard the doctors say their health was not improving fast enough.
She wondered: "All these expensive things—why do some people have so much and others so little?"
She promised herself, "If my boys are saved, I will help those who suffer like us."
Late at night, Goo lay awake, remembering how people had treated his mother. He made a silent vow: "When I have money, I will never treat people this way. I will give to those who work hard."
Yang, quiet but wise, tucked his drawing under his pillow and whispered, "Mom's love is worth more than any watch or diamond."
Through hardship and pain, the family held onto each other. Miss Shu's job in the watch shop taught her about trust, forgiveness, and quiet strength. Goo's courage in defending her proved to Yang that love meant standing up for family, no matter who you face.
The broken watch, once a sign of pride and loss, became a symbol: that what matters most cannot be lost or destroyed—love, kindness, and hope survive even the hardest times.
As spring neared, Miss Shu finished her shifts at the shop. The broken watch was fixed and returned, its hands ticking softly again. The manager gave her a small bonus, saying, "You are the strongest worker I have met."