Chapter 40: Target Locked on Ma Dongmei!

Jiang Tao had a clear objective. The moment he stepped into the car, he opened the glove compartment. His gaze instantly locked onto the owner's manual, which shimmered with a faint glow in his vision.

Although the car was a six- or seven-year-old used vehicle, the manual looked brand new. Usually, no one ever bothers to look at these things. Who would have guessed that some genius would tuck a lottery ticket inside? What was even more bizarre was that the ticket had actually won! And even more bizarre than that, the original owner seemed completely unaware, selling it along with the car!

"The 'System' is truly a lifesaver! Otherwise, this lottery ticket would have just been scrap paper." Jiang Tao couldn't help but offer another silent word of praise to the System. He glanced through the windshield and saw Tian Zhipeng and his young assistant chatting and eating their breakfast pancakes, paying him no mind.

*Rustle, rustle, rustle.*

Jiang Tao shook the manual vigorously. Sure enough, a thin lottery ticket fluttered out!

"Found it!"

Jiang Tao bent down to retrieve the fallen ticket, returned the manual to its place, and clicked the glove compartment shut. The entire sequence of movements was fluid and efficient; not a single motion was wasted. Without taking the time to check how the ticket had won, he stuffed it directly into the inner pocket of his down jacket.

With the ticket secured, Jiang Tao let out a long breath. He pretended to inspect the car's interior for a while longer before pushing the door open and stepping out. Only after lighting a cigarette and taking a few puffs to calm his nerves did he walk with a confident stride toward Tian Zhipeng.

"How about it, Master Jiang? The car's in good shape, isn't it? Next time you see something suitable, you’d better act fast—good cars get snatched up quickly." Tian Zhipeng didn't notice anything unusual and joked with him, smiling.

Jiang Tao laughed. "Next time you get a high-quality used car like this, send me a message on WeChat first. It’s a pity this time; I actually quite liked this one."

Tian Zhipeng nodded with a grin. "Sure, sure, definitely next time."

"I'll be going then. I won't hold you up from making money." After waving goodbye to Tian Zhipeng, Jiang Tao turned and headed toward the bus stop not far from the repair shop.

***

Arriving at the bus stop, Jiang Tao lit a cigarette, seeing that the bus hadn't arrived yet. He had only taken two puffs when the 463 bus pulled up. It seemed the "bus stop cigarette law" had been verified once again!

Casually stubbing out his cigarette and tossing it into the ashtray atop the trash can, Jiang Tao pulled out his transit card and boarded the bus. It being a Sunday, the bus was packed, and Jiang Tao barely managed to find a spot to stand.

The lottery center was closed today, so he couldn't claim the prize. Jiang Tao decided to head over to the Red Star Used Furniture Wholesale Market to check on the landlord's romantic prospects. After all, if he could help the old man find love, the reward of 88,888 would be worth far more than this lottery ticket!

The bus rattled along for seven or eight stops before Jiang Tao got off at the Red Star market. Once off the bus, he strode quickly away from the crowd. Only after walking a significant distance did he impatiently pull out the winning ticket.

"Damn, what kind of insane luck is this!" Seeing that the ticket was a single, randomly selected entry, Jiang Tao couldn't help but marvel at the original owner's fortune.

Two yuan to win 68,996—this must be a second-prize win, right? If you called the original owner lucky, it wasn't actually *that* lucky. To finally hit a second prize, only to have the payout be around 60,000 to 70,000 yuan, meant there were likely many winners that period, diluting the individual prize money.

"Nearly 70,000 yuan is nothing to sneeze at. Many people buy lottery tickets their whole lives and never win anything this big!" Jiang Tao didn't bother looking up which specific draw the ticket was from; knowing that wouldn't change anything. Since the System said it was worth 68,996, it was definitely worth that much!

After checking the ticket, he carefully tucked it into his wallet, planning to claim the prize tomorrow. As for asking for another day off, he doubted Liu Zhiyuan and the others would have any complaints. Who would object to making an extra 1,000 yuan a day? Their stock of sugar mandarins was small and easy to sell; the three of them would probably be thrilled if Jiang Tao took time off every day so they could sell more and make an extra 2,000 yuan themselves!

Thinking about whether he should wear an Ultraman mask or a Bear Brothers mask when he went to claim the prize, Jiang Tao soon found himself at the familiar entrance of the Red Star Used Furniture Wholesale Market.

On both sides of the gate were numerous street vendors selling fried skewers, grilled gluten, pancakes, scallion crepes, and roasted sweet potatoes. In Jiang Tao's vision, a faint beam of light shimmered over an auntie roasting sweet potatoes on the west side of the gate.

From a distance, he couldn't see the woman's face clearly, but he could tell she was tall and slender, standing out significantly from the rough-and-tumble crowd of vendors around her.

As he approached, Jiang Tao was surprised to find that this woman—who he was fairly certain was Ma Dongmei—was unexpectedly young. He had assumed the landlord's match would be a lady of similar age, but Ma Dongmei looked to be only in her fifties at most.

Although time had left many marks on her face, such as crow's feet and forehead wrinkles, one could tell that she must have been a beauty in her youth. She possessed a unique, elegant air that felt completely out of place among the boisterous vendors around her. Yes, Jiang Tao saw a hint of grace in her, much like the refined ladies of ancient times.

While other merchants chatted loudly or scrolled through their phones on small stools during lulls in business, Ma Dongmei stood quietly, her posture perfectly straight. Her hands were crossed over her abdomen, her gaze resting gently on the oven as she waited for customers. She wore a red checkered apron, but on her, it looked like a professional model’s display, whereas on the other women nearby, it looked like a "buyer's remorse" fashion disaster. The contrast was stark.

Soon, Ma Dongmei noticed Jiang Tao approaching. She looked at him, the corners of her mouth curving into a very friendly smile, but she didn't speak. Even when Jiang Tao stopped in front of her stall, she remained silent. She simply looked at him with gentle eyes and made a few subtle gestures with her hands.

Seeing this, Jiang Tao understood immediately, and his heart was touched. It turned out this Auntie Ma Dongmei was deaf and mute. Perhaps it was because she had lived her entire life in a world of silence that she appeared so quiet.