Faced with the crude taunts from the man nearby, Xiao Rou furrowed her delicate brows.
Her slender frame crouched beside her modest stall, radiating a sense of helplessness. Biting her soft, pink lips, she murmured, "No, thank you. I'm not short on money right now."
Her words ignited fury in Da Han, the burly stall owner.
"What a pretentious little brat! I'm offering you a kind deal, and you're playing pure?" he snarled. "Fine, keep your pathetic stall. Let's see if you get a single customer today. If you do, I'll eat my words!"
With a sneer, Da Han strutted back to his own stall and bellowed, "Step right up, don't miss out!"
"New event at my stall! On top of a desktop computer, the grand prize now includes the latest Fruit smartphone!"
"Come try your luck! You could be the next Child of Fortune!"
His announcement drew a crowd instantly, swarming his stall like moths to a flame.
Da Han grinned ear to ear as he pocketed their money. He loved setting up near the university—college kids were the easiest to scam.
Desktop computer? Fruit smartphone? Pure nonsense. His lottery had no such prizes. If they existed, he'd go bankrupt the moment someone won!
That naive girl, Xiao Rou, was too foolish. She knew the tricks of the trade but refused to play dirty. No wonder her stall was deserted!
---
On the other side, Xiao Rou watched the lively scene at Da Han's stall with a wry smile. She stood, ready to pack up her things and leave.
But at that moment, a familiar figure appeared before her.
Xiao Rou froze, her small hands flying to her mouth in disbelief. Her eyes widened as she stammered, "M-Mr. Lin!"
Lin Fan smiled warmly, reaching out to ruffle her hair playfully. Pretending to be upset, he said, "What's this 'Mr. Lin' nonsense? Didn't we agree you'd call me Xiao Fan? It hasn't been *that* long, has it?"
Xiao Rou shook her head vigorously, her voice soft but earnest. "I didn't forget… Xiao Fan!"
Satisfied, Lin Fan nodded, his gaze softening as he looked at her. The sight of her timid expression brought back memories of that night at the hotel.
It had been his first time.
And he knew it had been hers, too.
Noticing Lin Fan's lingering stare, Xiao Rou's cheeks flushed crimson, and she lowered her head shyly.
That night, her decision to be with Lin Fan wasn't just about money. There was something else—a feeling she couldn't quite name. All she knew was that, for him, she'd been willing to give everything.
Lin Fan glanced at Da Han's bustling stall and asked with a smile, "You're not still working at the hotel? I gave you a million last time. That should've covered any troubles you had, right?"
Xiao Rou bowed her head, a gentle smile on her lips. "Thanks to your million, Xiao Fan, my father's surgery and our debts are all paid off."
"But I couldn't just take that money for nothing. So, I picked up a few part-time jobs afterward. This stall is one of them."
This kind-hearted girl refused to accept Lin Fan's money without earning it. A million yuan! She'd never seen such a sum in her life. Even if she worked for thirty years, she doubted she could earn that much. Yet, for one night with Lin Fan, he'd given her a fortune. To her, it felt far too generous.
Lin Fan couldn't help but find her innocence endearing. He'd never met such a pure-hearted girl before and was momentarily at a loss for words.
Pointing to Da Han's stall, he grinned. "You don't like that guy, do you?"
Xiao Rou stole a glance at Da Han and nodded, her smile tinged with resignation. "I am upset with him, but what can I do?"
Lin Fan cut her off, standing up with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Good. If he's making you unhappy, just watch. I'll take care of him for you."
With that, he turned and plunged into the crowd surrounding Da Han's stall.
Xiao Rou blinked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes as she watched Lin Fan, wondering what he had planned.
---
The stalls here were undeniably popular. It took Lin Fan a good while to squeeze through the throng.
Once he reached the front, he waved a hand and called out boldly, "Boss, give me three hundred yuan's worth of lottery draws!"
Three hundred yuan meant three chances. While the grand prizes like computers or phones were out of reach, there were still decent rewards to be had. Otherwise, no one would bother shelling out so much for a gamble.
Da Han eagerly snatched the three hundred yuan, flashing a toothy grin. "Three hundred for three draws, sir. Go ahead and pick. You get whatever you pull!"
Lin Fan nodded, eyeing the lottery wheel. It was one of those cheap setups, like the kind sold outside schools when he was a kid—a board covered with paper squares hiding small prizes.
His hand hovered over one square.
**[Item: Paper Box 1]**
**[Cost: 100 yuan]**
**[Value: 30 yuan]**
Lin Fan's eyes gleamed. Three hundred yuan for three draws meant each draw cost a hundred. This box's prize was worth only thirty yuan—a loss!
He moved his hand to another square.
**[Item: Paper Box 3]**
**[Cost: 100 yuan]**
**[Value: 200 yuan]**
A wicked grin spread across Lin Fan's face. *Gotcha.*
So, you want to scam people with your fake lottery? And you dare mess with Xiao Rou? Today, I'll play you to ruin!
Pointing at the square, Lin Fan declared, "This one. Open it!"
Da Han nodded and tore open the paper, revealing a slip inside.
**One PSP game console!**
Da Han's face darkened instantly. A hundred-yuan draw had landed a prize worth two hundred yuan. He was already in the red!
Gasps and murmurs of envy rippled through the crowd.
Lin Fan smirked and continued, his fingers gliding over the boxes, searching for high-value prizes with the help of his System.
But after checking every square, he frowned. This guy was shadier than he'd thought. There were no computers or smartphones to be found. The best prize was worth only five hundred yuan.
Still, that was enough.
With his System's guidance, Lin Fan could ensure every draw hit a high-value prize. One loss might sting. Two might hurt. But four? Forty? He'd bleed Da Han dry.
With a sinister chuckle, Lin Fan pointed to two more boxes. "Boss, open these!"
The squares were torn open, revealing more valuable prizes. The crowd erupted in excitement.
"This guy's luck is insane! Did he step in gold or what?"
"I'm so jealous! I'm definitely trying again later!"
Da Han stared at Lin Fan, dumbfounded. Did this kid have x-ray vision? Every draw was a high-value prize! It wasn't normal, but he had no proof of cheating. Maybe it was just dumb luck.
His heart ached as his profits dwindled.
But Lin Fan wasn't done. These wins weren't enough to cripple Da Han's scam. Pulling out ten crisp hundred-yuan bills, he declared, "Boss, give me another thousand yuan's worth!"
The crowd gasped. This guy was relentless!
As the philosopher Gorky Thomas once said: *When dealing with enemies, crush them until they're broken, then grind them into dust!*
Lin Fan wasn't playing for small stakes. He wanted Da Han ruined.
Da Han hesitated, eyeing the stack of bills. "Alright," he said finally. "A thousand yuan gets you ten draws, plus one free. Go ahead."
He refused to believe Lin Fan was cheating. No one's luck could be *that* good. If this kid kept going, he'd surely lose everything he'd won.
*You think you can outsmart me?* Da Han thought. *Even the heavens can't save you now!*
---