Chapter 3: Unexpected Joy

  A group of people swarmed into Chinatown, the square was very lively, there were many people selling lottery tickets and even more buying them, while on stage various prizes were displayed, tempting people's desire to buy!

  "So many people! Let's go take a look too!" Si Tu Hao rushed into the crowd first, this guy is indeed interested in this!

  In 1992, Huaxia Country began to have lottery tickets, which were simple draws similar to later scratch-off cards, with prizes such as bicycles, washing machines, and electric rice cookers, which were considered very generous at the time, attracting many people to try their luck.

  Lottery tickets are issued by the state, and the government recruits people to sell lottery tickets. One ticket costs 2 yuan, and a box of 50 tickets is sold for 90 yuan. The seller buys the tickets from the person in charge of distributing lottery tickets organized by the government, and makes a profit of 10 yuan per box, which is a good income, so there are many people selling lottery tickets!

  At the first sight of the lottery scene, everyone was curious and a few people wandered off. Tang Ling also became interested, not because of the lottery, but because she seemed to see that some lottery tickets were a bit strange. Some lottery tickets were just simple paper tickets, while others had a faint golden mist on them.

  Tang Ling observed several lottery tickets in the hands of vendors, all were like this! Thinking that she had 2 yuan in her hand, she wanted to try it out!

  Tang Ling pulled out a ticket from a woman in her 30s, took out the 2 yuan given by her mother, and was about to pay when a hand stopped her.

  "Tang Ling, don't waste your money, I see many people buying but none of them have won a big prize!"

  Tang Ling turned her head and was surprised to find that it was Zhou Yi. With so many people scattered around, she didn't expect him to still be following her.

  Tang Ling smiled at Zhou Yi and shook off his hand, "It's okay, just consider it a form of entertainment!"

  Tang Ling peeled off the scratch-off area of the lottery ticket with a flourish, and was taken aback for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat as she indeed found something unexpected!

  "How's it? Did I win?" Zhou Yi stretched his head over and leaned in close to Tang Ling, actually he was also a bit curious about the lottery!

  Tang Ling smiled and her eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, "I've got it!"

  "Really won! What prize? What's the award?"

  Zhou Yi excitedly took the lottery ticket from Tang Ling's hand, hastily looked at the prize scratch-off area, and after a few seconds, he said in a daze, "Really won! Haha! Tang Ling, you're really lucky! It's the first prize! The first prize! Haha! Come on, let's go see what the first prize is!"

  Looking at Zhou Yi's silly expression, Tang Ling couldn't help but laugh, and she was also very happy to have won the prize. However, what concerned her more now was whether this "special ability" of hers was really that accurate!

  "Don't look anymore, it's the washing machine!"

  Tang Ling had just taken a look at the prizes, and the first prize was a washing machine worth 1000 yuan, the second prize was a bicycle worth 300 yuan, the third prize was an electric rice cooker worth 200 yuan, the fourth prize was a set of four cooking utensils worth 60 yuan, the fifth prize was an electric iron worth 20 yuan, and the commemorative prize was a packet of Dove washing powder worth 2 yuan.

  The prize is very generous! Tang Ling's mother earns less than 400 yuan a month, and in this era, someone with a bit of money is called a "ten-thousand-yuan household"!

  Starting from 1992, the national reform policy led to many people starting their own businesses. Although some private small enterprises developed well, most people's living standards were still limited.

  "Don't just stand there, let's go collect the prize!" Zhou Yi excitedly pulled Tang Ling to leave. Tang Ling was really lucky, buying one ticket and winning a washing machine! Should he buy one too?

  "Wow! Little girl, you actually won first prize!"

  The lottery ticket vendor let out an exaggerated cry, then looked a bit ugly, and said with envy and regret, "I knew I should have kept this box of lottery tickets for myself! Oh no! Why am I so unlucky? A first prize slipped away from me! That was a washing machine!"

  Looking at the lottery sister who was regretful beside her, Tang Ling's mind turned around and said with a difficult and depressed tone, "Oh no, if my mom finds out that I came here, she will definitely scold me! What can I do now?!"

  The lottery sister looked up and down at Tang Ling, seeing that she was just a 10-year-old girl, her eyes sparkled, and with a smile, she ran to Tang Ling's side, revealing a kind smile. "Little girl, you came secretly, didn't you? Your family doesn't know, does it?"

  Tang Ling's eyebrows were tightly furrowed, as if she had been struck by a truth. Her hand holding the lottery ticket tightened slightly. The lottery sister knew she had hit the nail on the head and continued, "If you didn't go to school and came here to buy lottery tickets, your family would beat you up if they found out!"

  Tang Ling nodded dully and muttered softly, "Yes, what can we do?" This lottery sister is quite experienced!

  The lottery sister saw that there was a play and advised, "How about this? Auntie thinks you and my daughter are almost the same age, so I'll help you out. Auntie will give you 300 yuan, and you sell the lottery ticket to Auntie!"

  "Three hundred yuan?" Tang Ling sneered in her heart, really trying to cheat her like a child! A thousand-yuan item, exchanged for three hundred yuan!

  "That's not okay! Tang Ling, you can't sell it to her! This prize is worth a thousand yuan!" Zhou Yi was afraid that Tang Ling would be cheated by this lottery sister, so he quickly pulled Tang Ling behind him.

  "Hey, let's talk business!"

  The lottery sister quickly moved to Zhou Yi's back, gritted her teeth, seemingly making a big decision. "This way, Auntie won't take advantage of you either. Sell this lottery ticket to me, and I'll give you 500 yuan! Auntie is telling you the truth, our family just happens to need a washing machine, so sell it to Auntie!"

  Tang Ling smiled secretly in her heart, but didn't show any expression on her face. She seemed to have hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, "If it's 600 yuan, I'll sell it to Auntie!"

  Lottery sister heard that, Zhang mouth still wanted to say something, Tang Ling interrupted, "If not, I'll go ask other people, maybe someone else wants it!"

  "Alright!" Lottery sister said hastily, stamping her foot, "Deal! Six hundred is six hundred!" Six hundred yuan is much cheaper than the mall!

  Tang Ling's mouth slightly curved, her eyes smiled into a crescent shape. Although the washing machine was worth 1,000 yuan, it was just its value, and the actual price wasn't that high. So selling it for 600 yuan could be said to be a win-win situation - Tang Ling earned some money, while Lottery Sister bought the washing machine at a low price!

  Tang Ling sold lottery tickets because she was short of money. The only 2 yuan on her body bought lottery tickets, and she really couldn't afford to test her "special function"!

  She took 600 yuan from the lottery sister's hand, and her heart was eager to try. If this "special function" is true, it would be the biggest surprise for her after rebirth!

  Tang Ling and Zhou Yi walked around in the crowd, and bought ten lottery tickets from several people. Six of them had a golden mist on them, while four did not. Zhou Yi also bought over ten, but unfortunately his luck was not good, and he only drew two bags of laundry detergent. This tragic guy held one bag in each hand, looking left and right, unsure of what to do.

  "Tang Ling, did you win the lottery?"

  Tang Ling tore open the lottery redemption area, took a glance, and handed it to Zhou Yi on the side. A meaningful smile spread from the corner of her mouth, and a sharp light flashed in her eyes. It's said that people who have died can see things that others can't, that's called yin-yang eyes!

  What's this called? Ghost eye?

  Zhou Yi slowly picked up the lottery tickets, from initial disappointment to despair, then exaggeratedly widened his eyes, his hand trembling slightly as he held the ticket, unable to utter a word for half a beat.

  "Tang Ling! You're amazing!" Zhou Yi came back to his senses, suddenly picked up Tang Ling and burst out laughing.

  "Oh no! You've been hit again! Hit again!"

  "Let me go first!" Tang Ling was dizzy from being hugged and was speechless, indeed one cannot overestimate the EQ of a teenager!

  Zhou Yisong let go of his hand, walked around Tang Ling in a circle, rubbed his chin with his right hand, and frowned as he looked her up and down! He said thoughtfully with profound meaning.

  "Should I go lie down in a trash can for a while before coming back to draw lots?"

  What is she thinking?! This guy is a two-faced beast!

  Afterwards, the two of them went to the prize redemption counter and received their prizes: 1 washing machine, 2 bicycles, and 3 electric rice cookers. She had won all the first, second, and third prizes, but Tang Ling only kept the 2 bicycles and sold the washing machine and electric rice cookers on the spot. The washing machine was sold for 600 yuan, and each electric rice cooker was sold for 100 yuan. Several people were eager to buy them, almost causing a fight, until the staff at the prize redemption counter intervened and coordinated the situation, preventing chaos from erupting on site.

  Tang Ling and Zhou Yi were pushing a bicycle together, with 1,480 yuan in Tang Ling's pocket from selling the prize, looking at the blue sky, as if being reborn wouldn't be bad!

  Digression

  Three little words just started writing, fewer words are inevitable!

  But San Shao hopes that passing by sisters can give some strength, hold on first, don't miss it!

  Next chapter: Little abuse girl cannon fodder!