NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4:
Chapter 4: Chen Fan’s Plan:
Chen Fan didn’t know who bought the winning lottery ticket at Lottery Station No. 332, nor did he know the exact numbers. But that didn’t matter; he had his own approach.
Early on Saturday morning, with 2,000 yuan in hand, Chen Fan headed straight to the lottery station on Changle Street. While it was technically illegal for minors to purchase lottery tickets, enforcement was lax at many locations. As long as one didn’t look like a schoolkid, most lottery vendors were happy to sell.
Chen Fan, not wearing his school uniform and looking mature enough, could easily pass as a college student. At the station, he approached the owner.
“Boss, I’d like to buy some lottery tickets.”
“Sure. Which numbers do you want? Do you want a machine-generated selection or your own choice?”
Chen Fan considered this for a moment. “Boss, I plan to buy a lot of tickets, and machine selection would be too much trouble. Here’s what I want: whenever someone buys a ticket today, give me the exact same numbers they choose.”
“I’ll come back in the afternoon to pick them up. How does that sound?”
The owner blinked, taken aback.
While people had their unique ways of picking numbers—some used fixed numbers, others chose randomly, some even performed rituals—this request was new.
He’d never seen someone copy every single ticket sold in a day.
Still, money was money, and he wasn’t about to refuse a paying customer. The owner nodded but added, “Alright, but I’ll need a deposit. I can’t risk printing tickets and you not showing up.”
“Fair enough. How about 500 yuan as a deposit?”
“That won’t cut it. I’d need at least 1,000 yuan. Today’s total sales might go up to around 1,200 yuan. If you don’t show, I’d be in trouble.”
“Deal. 1,000 yuan it is.”
Chen Fan handed over the money, and the owner assured him, “I’ll copy every ticket purchased today. Come back before six to pick them up.”
“Got it.”
With that settled, Chen Fan left the shop. He wasn’t sure if this would work, but copying each ticket was his best shot without changing the odds. It was just a gamble, an attempt. Winning would be great, but losing wasn’t the end of the world; he could still find other ways to raise capital—it would just take more time.
Once home, Chen Fan turned his thoughts to business.
What type of venture could provide a fast return in 2010’s market? He pondered this seriously when his phone suddenly lit up. A message on Penguin appeared.
[Don’t Talk to Strangers]: “Hey, classmate, why so quiet today? Did you give up on chasing Yan Xinran already?”
“I haven’t given up. Just been busy!”
“Busy? Busy playing games, I bet.”
“Nope, not games. I’m working on making money.”
“Making money? That’s a bit hard to believe coming from you. Shouldn’t you be focusing on your studies instead?”
Chen Fan paused, reflecting on her words.
Studying. A nostalgic thought. Many believed that studying was all about making money, and while there was truth to that, Chen Fan, with his experiences, saw a deeper meaning. Learning was about personal growth, broadening horizons, and self-improvement. In his past life, lack of a good education had caused him pain. But when he turned his life around, he discovered that learning offered more than just financial gain—it enriched life itself.
After some thought, he replied, “You’re right. Studying is important.”
“But it can wait a bit.”
“By the way, what are you up to? Studying, I assume?”
“I was reading earlier, but I got tired and needed a break. I’m planning to go shopping with my friends and pick up some new clothes!”