Chapter Sixteen: A Sister’s Sacrifice?

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That’s a relief!
Yan Xuan let out a long breath.
Under the video, many people were discussing the matter.
Some expressed admiration, some felt regret. But most were rational.
“Lottery tickets aren’t registered and can’t be reissued. If you lose it, you can’t blame anyone else.”
“Who could know it was worth five million before the draw? If this guy wants to investigate, he should look into people around him. Otherwise, who could know he hit the jackpot?”
“That comment above isn’t logical. He said he realized he’d won only after seeing the winning numbers and then went looking for the ticket. By the time he discovered it was missing, the prize had already been claimed. If he didn’t know, how could anyone else? Looks like he’s just fishing for attention! Trying to go viral, maybe?”
“I think it’s just hype. He claims he lost the ticket, but who can prove he bought it? Jealous of someone else’s win, probably making it up.”
“So much malice in the comments above. What if he really lost it? Winning the lottery once in a lifetime and having someone else claim it—can you imagine how that feels? I think we should help him out with crowdfunding.”
“Saint upstairs, why don’t you give him five million? If he bought it and lost it himself, who else is to blame?”
“By the way, the winner this round looks pretty young.”
“Seems quite handsome, too. Rich and good-looking, the envy of us all!”
The later comments gradually veered off topic. Yan Xuan glanced at his one-second appearance at the end of the video—he hardly recognized himself, so others probably wouldn’t, either.
Besides, he was wearing a mask and a hat; how did these people decide he was handsome?
Still, he thought he’d better not wear that jacket again anytime soon—or maybe, for safety’s sake, just destroy it.
He drifted off on the sofa for a nap, and when he woke up, his parents were sitting nearby, startling him into alertness.
“What’s wrong?”
“Come here, let’s talk about what you said before. Were you drunk?”
Yan Xuan grinned and called Gu Ming over, then explained everything in detail.
After dinner at home, Yan Xuan took a taxi back to his place. He and Gu Ming had agreed that she’d go with him tomorrow to buy a car.

The prize money—his parents had no intention of taking any, but Yan Xuan spent the whole afternoon persuading them.
Three million, a round sum; in their city, it could buy not just any house, but a good, spacious one in a desirable area.
But Yan Xuan suggested they buy two places. One larger one for the elderly couple and Gu Lan, preferably near key schools.
The other could be smaller—a two-bedroom or even a one-bedroom, for Gu Ming.
As for Yan Xuan himself, with his golden finger, his future would only get better—there was no need to worry about such a small amount. He just needed a nicer apartment and a car for commuting.
After all, money earned through his own efforts felt more satisfying to spend.
Yan Xuan’s company used to have a single rest day; Saturday or Sunday, staff would choose one to work overtime.
After his performance on Friday, many thought he’d resign on Monday, so no one scheduled him for a shift.
Yan Xuan happily played dumb, and if anyone notified him about overtime, he’d refuse—the director was still waiting for him to submit his designs on Monday.
After a busy evening, he met his sister Gu Ming the next morning at their agreed spot.
Gu Ming had dressed up quite elegantly today, clearly having shaken off yesterday’s shadow.
The two of them—a tall, handsome man and a bright, poised woman—looked quite well-matched; at least, that’s what the sales consultant thought when they entered the dealership.
Although Yan Xuan had kept fifty thousand for himself, he wasn’t planning to buy a very expensive car.
He needed a car, a new laptop, and had several expenses in mind, so their target was a vehicle around two hundred thousand.
As they listened to the sales consultant’s introduction, a couple walked by.
To call them a couple was a stretch; they didn’t seem well-matched.
The man was somewhat attractive, but the woman was clearly several years older, dressed extravagantly and exuding confidence—she looked very wealthy.
The four of them met eyes, all stunned—or rather, three of them were.
“How can you afford a car?” Song Yang asked incredulously, then quickly realized, “Oh, you’re here for the free coffee and lunch, right?”
Yan Xuan glanced at Gu Ming: Is this your taste?
Gu Ming silently replied: I was blind before, but now I see clearly.
The siblings ignored him, motioning the sales consultant to continue.

But Song Yang wouldn’t let it go. “Miss, don’t waste your time. Don’t be fooled by their fancy clothes—they’re imposters, penniless.”
The consultant smiled, undeterred by his provocation. These days, looking down on others often backfires.
“Song Yang, do you know them?” the woman suddenly asked.
“Know these two paupers? Not at all. No blood relation, just a burdensome stepchild, yet she treats him as her real brother. Probably more than siblings, I’d guess?”
Though Song Yang had gotten money out of Gu Ming yesterday, he still felt dissatisfied.
He’d thought, based on Gu Ming’s demeanor, that her family was well-off, but their tiny apartment proved otherwise—clearly poor.
The family had not only a sister but also a brother, brought in by the stepmother.
He’d immediately scratched Gu Ming off his marriage list, but still tried to stir up trouble for her with her family, hoping to get half the apartment—converted to cash, of course.
But Gu Ming not only ignored him, she slapped him in the face.
Song Yang rambled on, while the woman beside him smiled playfully.
So they weren’t a couple—they were siblings?
She looked at Yan Xuan with a smile: “How should I address you, young man?”
Yan Xuan and Gu Ming both shuddered, exchanging a look of sudden understanding.
So this guy was cozying up to a wealthy woman?
Gu Ming felt especially disgusted, rubbing her arms at the thought she’d once dated such a person. Thank goodness they broke up; if she’d married him and found out, she’d be sick.
Yan Xuan, meanwhile, was angered by the way the wealthy woman looked at him—almost identical to the way she looked at Song Yang, only more intense. How could he stand it?
Song Yang noticed, too—the rich woman was flirting with another handsome guy right in front of him.
Song Yang was quite the oddball; unable to confront the wealthy woman, he turned his ire to Gu Ming: “Gu Ming, did you pay for your brother’s car? Didn’t expect you to be such a martyr for your brother.”
Gu Ming sneered: “I don’t have that much money. It’s my brother’s own.”
“Impossible. He just started working; how can he afford a car? Or did your dad give him money? Your family sure favors sons over daughters—buying a car for the stepchild while you, the biological daughter, still take the bus. If that’s not being a martyr, what is? Lucky I didn’t marry you, or I’d be ruined!”