"Hmm..."
The mechanic from Central Headquarters' equipment division crouched on the floor, looked at the car parked over the inspection pit, then turned to look at Li Jie crouching beside him.
"Sir, let me get this straight. You're saying... you drove out today, felt the car was getting worse, and brought it in for an inspection?"
"Exactly." Li Jie nodded, his arms wrapped around his knees. "I noticed the brakes were getting softer while I was driving. Stomping on them didn't fix it, so I brought it over for someone to take a look."
"...Whew..."
The mechanic let out a long breath and stood up. "Let me explain the situation, sir. Someone cut this car's brake hose. Normally, the brake fluid would leak out slowly, and if it ran dry on a busy street or a highway, you'd have a serious accident. But..."
He paused with his mouth open for several seconds, apparently unsure how to put it. "The brake master cylinder was already leaking, and the wheel cylinders are almost rusted through. He cut your brake line, but your braking system was already so far gone that one more leak made no noticeable difference. Also, someone jammed metal fragments into the steering linkage. That should have caused the steering to seize, but the play in your steering..."
Seeing Li Jie's bewildered expression, he knew the jargon was going over his head. He walked over, opened the driver's door, and turned the steering wheel a couple of times.
"Sir, normally, when you turn the steering wheel, the tires turn with it. But in your car..."
He turned it twice more. "The tires can't keep up with the steering wheel. I checked earlier, and the ball joints are badly worn. Haven't you noticed anything wrong with the steering?"
"Oh... I dunno.