Chapter 737 — Won the Grand Prize

"Well, then, thank you," Tang Yun said to Fatso Lai.

"Thank me? It was nothing at all -- a small effort, that's all. Besides, if it hadn't been for you lot just now, I couldn't have made that extra two hundred and fifty thousand!" Fatso Lai shook his head with a smile. "I'd say your mother's luck is running hot. She might just walk off with the grand prize!"

Even as they were speaking, Mother Tang had reached the prize-draw counter. She drew a card first, glanced at it, and saw the words "electric water heater" written across it. Mother Tang was overjoyed on the spot -- an electric water heater cost a thousand or two yuan, and she had just won one for nothing. Now that really was something!

"Congratulations, Ms. Wang -- one electric water heater, drawn and won!" The host flung the card back into the draw box, then handed Mother Tang a small prize-claim slip and bellowed out his congratulations.

The draw cards were recycled rather than issued in a limited batch, which meant that everyone might have a chance of taking the top prize or the first prize. The only difference was that there was more than one card marked "electric water heater," while a single card each was marked "grand prize" and "first prize" -- that was all!

Even so, it did wonders for the buyers' enthusiasm: everyone had a chance, and winning once did not bar you from trying again. So a great many customers who had already bought their apartments stood there rubbing their fists and flexing their hands, waiting for the goddess of fortune to descend.

Mother Tang drew another card, on which was written "one induction cooker." It was not worth much -- a thing of a hundred or two hundred yuan -- but Mother Tang was not discouraged; she was just as pleased as before. Free things: who ever complained of having too many?

That Mother Tang drew again and again aroused no suspicion from anyone; after all, some people had bought several apartments at a stroke, and garages and parking spaces besides, each of which entitled them to another draw.

The host congratulated Mother Tang once more and handed her yet another claim voucher.

With her last chance at the draw, Mother Tang grew a little anxious. Having put her hand into the box, she was loath to pull it out again. In truth, she longed in her heart to win the grand prize or the first prize; she knew the odds were slim, but who does not hope to hit the jackpot?

What is more, should she win the grand prize, the money for the renovation -- and a good bit besides -- would all be saved. That was no small sum: a hundred thousand yuan at the very least!

But there were people waiting behind her; she could hardly keep her hand in the box forever. At that thought Mother Tang gritted her teeth and pulled out a ticket. She scarcely dared look at it, and stole only a sidelong glance out of the corner of her eye -- and it was an electric kettle!

Mother Tang's heart sank, and the color visibly drained from her face. Within her grasp, and she had let it slip away! Within her grasp, and she had let it slip away!

But before Mother Tang could pick the ticket up and hand it to the host, Manager Wang snatched it out of her fingers. He took one look and exclaimed in astonishment, "Well, I never! The grand prize! The first grand prize of the day has been drawn! Congratulations, Ms. Wang!"

With that, Manager Wang tossed the ticket back into the draw box, then gave the box a deliberate shake, as though he were afraid somebody might go fishing it out!

Mother Tang's head went off like a bomb. The grand prize? How could that be? She had seen it perfectly plainly: the words written on it were "electric kettle" -- nothing whatsoever to do with the grand prize!

How had it become the grand prize? If she herself had not seen clearly, had Manager Wang failed to see clearly too? He had even flung the ticket back into the draw box before she had had time to confirm it. What on earth was going on?

Mother Tang stood on the stage, her expression frozen, stock-still as a wooden chicken -- which, as it happened, made her look exactly like someone who had just won the grand prize. The customers below suspected nothing; they only thought that this Mother Tang's luck was altogether too good, to have won the grand prize just like that!

The host was slightly taken aback as well, but since Manager Wang had announced it in person he naturally would not say anything more, and happily offered his congratulations: "Congratulations to you! You've given us all a wonderful omen, taking the very first grand prize. The first and second prizes had already gone, but the grand prize had yet to appear -- and who would have thought the winner was going to be you!"

Mother Tang was somewhat at a loss, yet in her heart she had no wish to expose the truth -- just think how much money it would save! So, bewildered though she was, she played along and nodded. "I never expected it! That I could win a prize? How incredibly lucky of me!"

"Ha ha, Ms. Wang, here is your claim voucher -- keep it safe. In a little while you need only go and complete the renovation formalities, tell our renovation company what you have in mind, and they can start work in due course!" the host said with a laugh.

"Yes, yes!" Mother Tang took the voucher, beaming.

Manager Wang then escorted Mother Tang to collect her prize, and again no one thought anything of it; after all, the earlier winners of the first and second prizes had been seen through the process by Manager Wang in person as well.

Of course, those first- and second-prize winners had been entirely genuine, whereas this grand prize was a fraud!

Still, since the grand prize carried no limit on numbers either, no one would suspect the sales office of rigging the draw. And even if it were rigged, what of it? They would still have their own chance at the grand prize.

Down below the stage, Tang Yun was somewhat stunned as well. Her mother had won the grand prize? Real or not? One look at her mother's expression, and Tang Yun began to have her doubts. If other people did not know her mother, surely she did? Was that the face of a winner? It was plainly, unmistakably the face of someone disappointed at losing!

Of course, some people, on winning, do go happy and numb with shock; but Tang Yun knew her mother never would. Recalling how her mother's face had beamed yesterday when she came into three million, Tang Yun was certain of it: her mother had not won a thing.

Then this grand prize... Tang Yun could not help glancing towards Fatso Lai, only to find him sitting there talking with Wei Zhao about the pharmaceutical company, for all the world as if he knew nothing at all. Tang Yun sighed to herself. Poor Wei Zhao, to have thought up so many ways to help her family, all because he dreaded putting her in a difficult position...

She was so useless. If only she were like Gu Mengyao and the rest of them, Wei Zhao would never have to go to such trouble... Judging by this, Wei Zhao and the young lady were a well-matched pair after all; perhaps her own appearance in his life had been nothing but a mistake...

But the mistake had already been made, and Tang Yun felt she had sunk too deep to pull herself out. She did not want to leave Wei Zhao -- but what on earth was she to do?

While Tang Yun was still lost in thought, her mother came back, this time absolutely radiant with delight. "Yun, your old mother won too -- the grand prize!"

Fatso Lai nodded approvingly at Manager Wang. It seemed this Manager Wang had a fine eye for things after all.

Catching the approving gleam in Fatso Lai's eyes, Manager Wang's face broke into a beam of its own. It seemed he had not bungled the matter after all!