Wen Dongrong rubbed his eyes again and again. The gold-stamped number on the inside cover could not fake.
Before new year, when “Searching for Yong” launched, Wen Dongrong bought a copy casual on his commute to work. Once in office, he even skipped first read. “Searching for Yong” lay lone in his desk drawer for days good.
Who could think, he proved so lucky. He bought the “No.000600” numbered copy?!
“I won…”
Huge joy dazed Wen Dongrong true.
Saw the prize for six lucky readers. Wen Dongrong shot up from his seat at once.
Luxury cruise seven-day tour!
Ha ha ha ha.
He sure heaven’s chosen.
“Zhiyin” invited him not yet to “overseas travel writers’ meet”. Yet he drew first by luck the “luxury cruise seven-day tour”.
Home’s rouge tiger already said. No want him spend on car buy. Just keen rely his fees to abroad travel.
Wen Dongrong quick tallied in heart. Drew one overseas tour by luck. He just needed buy one same product himself. Then whole family could abroad travel, right?
Oh, no. This lucky big prize claim held time limit. Destination fixed to Japan too. “Zhiyin”‘s “overseas travel writers’ meet” might not go Japan.
To hitch the lucky prize’s free ride, he still needed buy two same products himself.
One luxury cruise seven-day tour cost how much?
At least ten or twenty thousand, right.
If twenty thousand, meant he forked forty thousand.
Leave aside if by July this year Wen Dongrong could save forty thousand in fees. Even if could, spend all that hard-earned write coin in one go, Wen Dongrong felt deep ache.
That was forty thousand. Not four hundred. Not four thousand!
Plus this big prize, seemed he could not claim it.
Wen Dongrong knew he bought the “No.000600” “Searching for Yong” by luck true. Issue was, would others believe?
He was black-hearted cotton’s blood dad after all!
Wen Dongrong’s mood swung high then low. Like a roller coaster ride.
Big prize sat before eyes yet unclaimable ache. Words failed to tell full. Best if others bought this numbered book instead.
Wen Dongrong depressed deep.
So depressed, he told Chen Ru not even after work home on the win from book buy.
Till two days later. Except “No.600000” and the “No.000600” in Wen Dongrong’s hand, the other four winning lucky readers all contacted the press already.
Wen Dongrong won but could not claim.
The “No.600000” numbered “Searching for Yong”, who knew if it sat unsold in some shop stock. Or the buyer missed the notice?
None knew.
Anyway before July first this year, winning readers could all find press to claim. No real rush.
What surprised Wen Dongrong, he felt fork another forty thousand to full family abroad travel too dear. Someone else felt forty thousand mere drizzle.
In Wen Ying’s reader group, one non-winner reader offered fifty thousand RMB high price. Keen to buy the “No.600000” and “No.000600” two numbered “Searching for Yong”!
Those who contacted press already counted as claim confirmed. No way swap claim folk.
Only these two uncontacted lucky numbers could claim still.
The reader spoke straight. Abroad trips grew stale already. Japan alone played five or six times. Held no interest in “luxury cruise seven-day tour”. Aim to buy these two numbered “Searching for Yong” lay in the small meet before cruise depart.
“I went every Xiaoyu sign event.”
The reader sunned in QQ group signed edition books of “Boy Idol” and “With the Galaxy”. Others might hold one signed each. This reader held several!
“I truly like Xiaoyu so much. I keen join Xiaoyu’s small meet. Beg all forward and spread for me!”
Fifty thousand RMB, just to meet Xiaoyu with other winners?
True tycoon reader this!
News spread swift between QQ groups. Soon hit the forums. Site caught it at once. Portal net’s editor scarce confirmed truth or fake. Posted news first.
Press and Yuan Fenghui both glad to see such news.
This non-winner reader aimed loophole. Keen buy slot from others’ hands. Meant Wen Ying’s pull too strong!
Stars’ fans proved craziest.
If fifty thousand let alone meet with favoured star, many rich fans willing sure.
Even bids climbed to one hundred thousand, two hundred thousand still folk keen.
But normal readers seldom spent so much on favoured writers.
Fans chased stars. They poured heaps of feels on stars… Some readers chased Wen Ying this writer as a star. Did this not show full how welcome Wen Ying proved?
Anyway this news out, the few brand sides who talked ad promo with Yuan Fenghui grew more active a touch.
Brand sides deep down acknowledged Wen Ying’s trade worth.
One brand side felt unsatisfied with blog promo alone. Felt Wen Ying held not just talent. Personal image fine too. Full qualities outmatched stars none. Why not try direct on-camera ad shoots?
Long as Wen Ying agreed, ad fee no issue. Sure outpaced fifty thousand. And sure pleased Wen Ying full!
Yuan Fenghui called to tease Wen Ying. “Want hear the on-camera ad shoot quote?”
Wen Ying eyed Xie Qian by her side. Shook her head like rattle. “No hear. No interest. I go read now!”
No hear no hear. Turtle chants sutra.
Knew not the quote, no tempt.
Before Xie Qian, Wen Ying held head high chest out.
She refused the sugar-coated cannonball rot!
Wen Ying turned down the brand side’s ad shoot invite. Shoot ad or not, she held plenty coin anyway.
One man failed to refuse fifty thousand tempt though.
To turn his unclaimable big prize to fifty thousand cash. This tempt Wen Dongrong truly hard to refuse!
Sell off this “Searching for Yong” in hand. Wen Dongrong could buy a fresh one.
With fifty thousand plus his saved fees. Wait till Wen Ying’s college exam end. He could take wife and daughter abroad travel then.
Heavens in end still favoured him true. Wen Dongrong near keen howl to sky.
Wen Dongrong sought not the fifty thousand bidder tycoon reader himself. If that side wired to his account. Saw his surname Wen. Might guess something. Mull and mull. Wen Dongrong chose find an in-between man to handle for him.
First thought Deng Shangwei. Then nixed quick.
In-between man best held no ties to home.
In end, Wen Dongrong found old Li!
Before old Li, Wen Dongrong told the full before and after. And hinted could give old Li some benefit fee. Let old Li front for him to sell the win slot.
Old Li eyed him up and down. Wen Dongrong frowned. “What mean you? Think I cheated? Truth I drew it myself. Though not rich, my wife and daughter both earn. Our home takes not press’s small cheap!”
“I doubt you not… Fine. I can handle it for you. Benefit fee I want not. You just help me one thing!”
Old Li’s eyes flickered. Wen Dongrong feared old Li’s big lion mouth. Could not help regret picking old Li.
Never dreamed old Li’s thing held no work shift.
“You come with me to lottery shop. Help me pick one set numbers. I stuck buy lottery years good. Top prize two hundred yuan. I keen borrow your luck!”
Wen Dongrong: …!
