Chapter 87 First Prize

Congratulations to “Leng” for becoming the first “disciple” of this book, and thanks also to the other readers who have given rewards. Thank you all for your support.

The people waiting to draw prizes lined up in a long queue. Zhang Wei waited several minutes before it was his turn. He walked over to the booth, presented his ID to an attendant for verification, and then stepped up onto the platform where the prize-drawing box was placed.

The drawing box sat atop a wooden table. It appeared to be made of plastic, standing about sixty or seventy centimeters tall. On its front was a circular opening, just larger than a fist, through which participants would reach in to draw their tickets.

Standing before the box, Zhang Wei took a deep breath and extended his hand into the opening. Unlike most people, who would instinctively reach downward to grab a ticket, he instead followed the information gleaned from his mind-reading ability, turning his palm upward and searching along the upper wall inside the box.

Gently feeling along the upper wall, Zhang Wei soon discovered a ticket stuck to the edge. It was affixed to the wall, but not firmly glued; with careful fingers, he peeled it off.

He withdrew the ticket from the box and glanced down. As expected, three characters in red declared “First Prize,” while the back still bore traces of adhesive. Suppressing the surge of excitement within him, Zhang Wei turned the ticket over, showing the back to two staff members standing nearby as proof that he had indeed drawn a ticket. Only then did he stride off the platform.

After leaving the stage, Zhang Wei’s heart was still pounding. This was his first time using mind-reading to acquire such ill-gotten gains, and he had to admit the feeling was exhilarating.

“Zhang Wei, you look absolutely thrilled. Did you win something?” Yang Guang approached, noticing his obvious excitement and nudged his arm, curiosity in his voice.

“Yes, I was lucky enough to win a prize,” Zhang Wei replied, pulling himself together.

“Which prize did you get? Was it the second prize, the computer, or the third prize, the mobile phone?” Yang Guang clutched his arm, eager for the answer.

“Neither the second nor the third,” Zhang Wei replied with a mysterious smile.

“Well, if it’s not the second or third, then there’s nothing to tell me. Prizes from fourth to seventh aren’t worth much; even winning them isn’t anything special,” Yang Guang said, his initial excitement fading away.

Many people believe that holding a prize drawing requires considerable funds, but that’s an illusion. Aside from the BMW, the combined value of the second through seventh prizes barely exceeded ten thousand yuan.

Among those drawing prizes were both old customers and strangers. Allowing strangers to participate might seem unprofitable, but if even one of them ended up buying a car from the dealership, the event costs would be covered.

As a dealership employee, Yang Guang was well aware of the value of the prizes. So, when he heard that Zhang Wei hadn’t won the second or third prize, his interest immediately waned—he never considered the possibility of Zhang Wei winning the first prize.

“What if I got the first prize?” Zhang Wei asked with a grin.

“In broad daylight? Even if there is a first prize in the box, with all these people present, there’s no way it would go to you,” Yang Guang retorted, rolling his eyes, clearly not believing a word.

“Well, if you don’t believe me, that’s your choice,” Zhang Wei shrugged. He’d told Yang Guang, and it wasn’t his fault if the other didn’t believe him.

The prize draw lasted nearly half an hour. Once everyone had taken their tickets, Wu Yong once again ascended the stage, microphone in hand, and announced, “Dear customers, many of you have drawn tickets. Now, would those who have won please come up to the stage. We will present the prizes together.”

The reason for having all winners receive their prizes together was twofold: to reassure those who hadn’t won that the tickets were indeed in the box and they merely lacked the luck to find them, and to create a more exciting atmosphere—a clever tactic.

“Wait a moment. Before distributing the prizes, let’s check the remaining tickets in the box, just to make sure no one tampers with anything during the ceremony.”

“That’s right. If we didn’t win the first prize and there isn’t a first prize ticket left in the box, then this whole draw is a sham.”

“Yes, let’s not rush the awards. Let’s check the tickets first!”

With a few shills from rival dealerships stirring up the crowd, other customers also voiced their support. No one present was a fool; the first, second, and third prizes were the most valuable, and their numbers were limited—only six tickets in total. Checking the tickets would quickly reveal any trickery.

“Our dealership has always operated with integrity and would never deceive our customers. Since some of you have doubts, let’s check the tickets now. As I said before, if the total number of prize tickets in the box plus those in your hands doesn’t add up, I’ll close the dealership today.” Wu Yong spoke confidently, waving his right hand impressively as he addressed the crowd.

His words were met with applause and even admiration from some of the female staff.

After making his declaration, Wu Yong sealed the circular opening, then instructed two attendants to turn the box upside down and open the bottom. In this way, all the tickets were overturned, with the stack now pressing against what had originally been the top wall.

Seeing this, Zhang Wei’s eyes sparkled with understanding. He finally realized how Wu Yong hid the first prize ticket along the upper wall. Had Zhang Wei not found it, when the box was overturned, the other tickets would cover the first prize, making it impossible to notice it was originally stuck to the top. During the check, Wu Yong could simply remove it from below without anyone suspecting a thing. The tickets were smooth and sturdy, so there would be no visible damage, and any glue residue would go unnoticed.

This method was, in hindsight, not difficult to figure out, but as the saying goes, “Those in the game are lost, while onlookers see clearly.” Who would think to feel along the upper wall instead of reaching down for tickets? Likely, not a single person.

As for turning the box upside down, Wu Yong could simply claim it was by design, and no one would question it, since it seemed trivial.

Wu Yong’s scheme was nearly flawless. Time and again, he had successfully fooled everyone, which gave him the confidence to gradually raise the stakes, from a BMW 1 Series to a luxury 7 Series as the grand prize. Unfortunately for him, this time he encountered Zhang Wei, who possessed the power of mind-reading!