Chapter Eighty-Five: The Lottery

The BMW 4S dealership's showroom spanned over a thousand square meters, displaying twelve different models. Among them were the sedan series: Series 1, 3, 5, 6, and 7; SUVs: X3, X5, X6; the convertible sports car series: Z4; and the M sports models: M3, M5, M6.

The moment Zhang Wei stepped into the showroom, his eyes were immediately drawn to the dazzling array of cars, each with its own unique charm and exquisite design. To him, they shone like a constellation of stars, but the ones that captivated him most were the Series 7 sedan, the X6 SUV, and the Z4 convertible sports car.

The only regret was that the legendary supercar, the Z8, was not on display. Yet even if it were, it was far beyond Zhang Wei’s current means. In the end, he had to content himself with checking out the Series 3, as it was the only model and price range suitable for him at this stage.

Although the Series 1 was the most affordable, it was a compact hatchback—ideal for family use but not quite fitting for business purposes. The Series 7, which Zhang Wei favored most, was simply too expensive. Thus, he settled on the more moderately priced Series 3.

The Series 3 was BMW’s best-selling model. Zhang Wei was particularly interested in a version with an 8-speed semi-automatic transmission, a sleek black body, wing-shaped fog lights, and streamlined contours—a true blend of power and beauty.

Yang Guang accompanied Zhang Wei as he examined the cars for an hour. During this time, Yang Guang shed his usual carefree demeanor and presented himself with a professionalism and eloquence that made Zhang Wei see him in a new light. As the showroom filled with more and more people, the "Qixi Festival Lucky Draw and Special Promotion" was about to begin.

Zhang Wei genuinely loved the BMW brand. After seeing so many models, the thought of settling for a less expensive, practical Passat seemed almost impossible. It was, as the saying goes, “easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to return from luxury to frugality.”

Just as Zhang Wei was about to suggest a test drive, a voice sounded over the microphone: “Ahem... Welcome, all our customers, to the BMW 4S dealership and our ‘Qixi Festival Lucky Draw and Special Promotion’. The event is about to begin, so for those who are not yet in the showroom, don’t miss this chance.”

“So, your Manager Wu is personally hosting this event?” Zhang Wei glanced at Wu Yong on the stage, somewhat surprised.

With the lucky draw about to start, Zhang Wei put his idea of a test drive on hold. If he had a chance to win a Series 7, it would be far better than paying for a Series 3 out of his own pocket.

Though the Series 3 was already a beautiful car, it simply couldn’t compare to the Series 7. In terms of appearance, interior, design, and performance, the Series 7 was leagues ahead. If its price tag in the millions didn’t exceed Zhang Wei’s means, he would have bought it without hesitation.

“Not only is he hosting the event, but Manager Wu personally arranged every detail and aspect of the venue. If there’s anything suspicious about this lucky draw, he’s probably the only one who knows,” Yang Guang said, his tone light, but with a touch of admiration for Wu Yong.

“Let’s go and check it out. If I’m lucky enough to win the grand prize, I might not have to spend money on a car after all.” Zhang Wei patted Yang Guang on the shoulder with a smile, though inwardly he thought, “I only hope there is something fishy going on, otherwise, where would my mind-reading ability be of use?”

“Everyone here is thinking the same as you, but it all ends in disappointment. Don’t get your hopes up,” Yang Guang said, gesturing at the crowd around them.

This kind of event had already been held four or five times that year. Each time, the grand prize was a car—starting with the Series 1, then the Series 3, the Series 5, and now the Series 7. Each prize was more luxurious and beautiful than the last, but no one had ever actually won the grand prize. So Yang Guang had little hope for this event.

After the announcement over the microphone, many customers swarmed into the showroom. Some were old customers who had received messages from the dealership, some were newcomers drawn by the event, and some were simply passersby curious to join the crowd. In any case, the BMW 4S dealership had succeeded in attracting a huge number of people.

Humans are social creatures, and most enjoy a lively scene. When people saw the growing crowd at the BMW dealership, even more gathered to see what was happening. Even if Zhang Wei and Wu Yong didn’t see eye to eye, Zhang Wei had to admit that Wu Yong’s strategy for attracting customers had worked brilliantly.

With the hall now filled with people, Wu Yong cleared his throat into the microphone and spoke again: “Ahem... Among you are our loyal customers and some new faces, but as long as you enter our dealership, you are all our honored guests. Everyone has a chance to participate in the lucky draw, and everyone will receive our sincerest service.”

“Is this event ever going to start? I’ve been waiting for almost an hour!” someone in the crowd complained impatiently.

“Yeah, stop dragging it out—just get on with it!” As soon as Wu Yong finished, some began to shout from the audience.

Hearing the voices from below, Wu Yong’s expression did not betray any displeasure. He simply smiled and replied, “Since everyone is so eager, let me first explain the rules and the prizes of the lucky draw.”

“All customers present can draw a ticket from the red box on the stage. The seventh prize is a car keychain, the sixth prize... the third prize is a Nokia mobile phone, the second prize is a laptop, and the grand prize is a Series 7 BMW.” Wu Yong spoke with the cadence and flair of a seasoned host, deliberately raising his voice when he announced the Series 7, igniting cheers and applause from the audience.

In the early 2000s, the Series 7 BMW was an undisputed luxury car in the country. Not only in Baosheng City—a second-tier city—but even in the capital, it was a symbol of status. Few in Baosheng City could afford to drive one, so it was no surprise that the crowd was so enthusiastic.

“Heh, you make it sound nice, but who knows if there’s even a grand prize ticket in that box?” someone called out.

“Yeah! If nobody wins the grand prize, you’d better have an explanation!” another chimed in.

“These lucky draws are all fake. For all we know, the box is filled with blank tickets that just say ‘Thank you for participating.’”

At this, discordant voices rose from the crowd, dousing the audience’s excitement like a bucket of cold water and causing many to doubt the fairness of the event. The atmosphere in the showroom cooled considerably.

“Yang Guang, do you think those people are here just to cause trouble?” Zhang Wei observed that the ones making the scene all looked young and unlikely to be real car buyers.

“It’s not the first time. Most likely, they’re shills hired by rival dealerships,” Yang Guang replied with a dismissive curl of his lip.

“Doesn’t that ruin your event?” Zhang Wei asked, puzzled.

“Just watch. If Wu Yong couldn’t handle them, he wouldn’t be able to hold ten events a year,” Yang Guang responded nonchalantly.

The BMW 4S dealership had become the most successful among its peers by attracting customers through such promotions. Other dealerships had tried hiring shills to disrupt their events, but Wu Yong had always managed to handle them. Other dealerships tried to imitate his approach but could never match his success.

“We understand some customers’ concerns. That’s why, after the lucky draw, we’ll have a ticket inspection. If no one in attendance wins the grand prize and there’s no grand prize ticket in the box, our dealership will close immediately. How does that sound?” Wu Yong’s voice was firm and resolute.

“Good! In that case, I have no objection.”

“Exactly—under everyone’s supervision, the draw will be completely fair,” someone else agreed as soon as Wu Yong finished speaking.

“See? They have their shills, and we have ours. Those two who just cheered were planted by Manager Wu,” Yang Guang said with a sly grin.

“Yang Guang, if Wu Yong dares to have the tickets inspected in public, doesn’t that mean the draw is legitimate?” Zhang Wei asked, gazing at the red box on the stage.

“Wu Yong is tight-lipped. Only he knows the answer to that. Besides, he handles the inspection himself—who knows what tricks he might have up his sleeve!” Yang Guang replied, shaking his head.

“Now this is interesting,” Zhang Wei mused, his eyes flashing with a keen light as he watched Wu Yong on the stage. No matter how cunning Wu Yong was, he would not escape Zhang Wei’s discerning gaze.