Chapter 164 Lottery Event

"Grand opening!"

The people around them shouted in unison.

Laughter, applause, and the sound of firecrackers mingled together.

Zhou Miaoling and Wen Shuli stood at the supermarket entrance early, their eyes fixed on the moment the ribbon hit the ground.

As soon as the ribbon-cutting was finished, the two immediately and tacitly opened the glass door.

"Hey neighbors, come on in! Everything's cheap today, and if you spend over fifty dollars, you can enter a lucky draw! Lots of prizes to be won, including soap, towels, and thermos flasks!"

The area in front of the shelves was quickly packed with people.

Seeing the warmth of the moment, Zhou Shufen felt a surge of heat in her heart and couldn't help but turn to smile at Guo Zhenyi.

"Look, this first shot really made a splash."

Guo Zhenyi stared at her silently.

"Not only will it make a sound, but there will also be a warehouse full of goods in the future."

"Thank you for your kind words! Go in and take a look, but don't let those two little devils tear up all the soaps."

As soon as the opera troupe began to perform, the sound of gongs and drums rang out, attracting passersby to stop and watch.

The Zhou family was extremely busy.

The lottery has begun.

After the host gave the instructions, it was Zhou Shufen's turn to go on stage.

She stood on the makeshift platform and patted the microphone.

"Listen up, everyone! Today, anyone who spends fifty dollars or more can enter a prize draw! Prizes include flashlights, washbasins, towels, soap, and we've also prepared some special enamel mugs—limited to twenty, first come, first served!"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately rushed forward, scrambling to get ahead.

"Ouch! I got it! A flashlight!"

"Me! Me! Me! A bag of rice!"

"I got a bar of soap!"

Prizes were drawn one after another.

Some people muttered to themselves while waiting in line.

"It was totally worth it! Coming to this supermarket was so worthwhile! The stuff is cheap, and I even got a free prize! This trip was definitely worthwhile!"

Those around him nodded in agreement, their faces beaming with satisfaction.

Zhou Shufen stood by the cashier, quietly watching the lively scene before her.

The opening is a sure thing.

She silently murmured to herself, her lips unconsciously curving into a wider smile.

Zhouji Convenience Supermarket is definitely going to be a hit in this area.

But good things always seem to be tripped up.

Just as everyone was immersed in a peaceful atmosphere, a panicked shout suddenly came from in front of the cashier.

"My wallet? Where's my wallet?"

A middle-aged man in a gray jacket suddenly slapped his forehead, his face changing instantly.

He frantically searched through all his pockets, sweating profusely with anxiety.

"That's impossible, it was just here a moment ago..."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shufen's heart sank.

She quickly composed herself and walked over.

"Don't worry, catch your breath first, we'll help you find it!"

Zhou Shufen quickly looked around and immediately called Jiang Nanzhi and Zhou Yujie.

"Nanzhi, Yujie, come quick! Let's find the wallet together!"

The three immediately split up and took action.

I searched for a full half hour, but couldn't find a trace of the wallet.

"Could someone have stolen my wallet?"

Zhou Shufen's heart skipped a beat, and she began to have some doubts.

She stared at the crowds coming and going, her mind racing with all sorts of possibilities, and the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt.

There aren't even any security cameras these days.

Even if you call the police, there's no evidence, so you can only worry helplessly.

At this moment, Yang Qingyan suddenly tilted her head and gently pointed to the male customer with bags full of bags.

"Auntie, I just saw him put his wallet in his bag!"

The male customer was startled, and his body suddenly stiffened.

He hesitated for a moment, then put the shopping basket on the ground.

Then he grabbed the bulging cloth bag with both hands and rummaged through it, making a clattering sound as he turned the contents inside.

"Found it!"

He suddenly shouted.

"I'm so sorry! I was so focused on buying things that I forgot about my wallet after putting it in. I'm completely baffled. This...this is so embarrassing."

Zhou Shufen felt relieved and gently waved her hand.

"It's good that you found it. With so many people involved, it's normal for people to mix things up. Don't blame yourself."

She took a deep breath and gently swept her gaze across the crowd.

"There are many people today, so please keep an eye on your belongings while shopping. Safety first."

She waved to Yang Qingyan, and the little girl immediately skipped and hopped over.

She gently pinched the child's round little face.

"Our Qingyan is such a smart and capable little helper! Her eyes are even sharper than those magnifying glasses in the store. She spotted the key point at a glance, and she's been a huge help!"

Yang Qingyan's cheeks immediately turned as red as ripe apples.

Wen Shuli stood to the side, still clutching the newly drawn replenishment order tightly in her hand.

"This girl is incredibly clever. Don't let her small size fool you; once she opens her eyes wide, she can see right through anything. She's sharp-eyed and never makes a mistake."

The crowd, who had been slightly tense, relaxed as the commotion subsided.

An elderly woman carrying a vegetable basket smiled so much that fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes.

"Zhouji's shop not only has a wide variety of products, but even the little toy they keep there is so smart and well-behaved. It's obvious that they have good upbringing and are well-mannered! From now on, whenever I need to buy daily necessities, this will definitely be the first place I think of without hesitation!"

As soon as he said that, someone nearby immediately chimed in.

"you do not say!"

"This child is so adorable!"

"This shop is spacious and bright, and the people here are also very open and welcoming!"

Everyone chimed in with their own comments.

Zhou Shufen had a sincere smile on her face.

She spoke gently to the man who had initially seemed somewhat embarrassed.

"Please pay the bill quickly. I'm really sorry to have kept you waiting while you were shopping. I'll round down the bill for you. It's just two cents, it's nothing, consider it my apology and a way to keep things peaceful."

Upon hearing this, the man became even more embarrassed.

"That won't do. It's not easy for you to do business. We can't let you suffer losses."

He insisted on adding another two cents to the counter, and the two of them pushed and shoved each other, neither willing to back down.

In the end, it was Jiangnan Zhi who stepped in with a smile to smooth things over.

She decisively accepted the money at the original price, then grabbed two fruit candies from the candy jar and casually stuffed them into the man's palm.

"Take this home for your child, let them soak up the festive atmosphere of our store's opening, and wish them good luck."

Once the shop quieted down again, Zhou Miaoling quietly leaned close to Zhou Shufen's ear.

"What I just witnessed really scared me so much that my heart almost stopped, and my palms were sweating. Luckily, Qingyan was there, otherwise I don't know what kind of misunderstanding would have occurred."

Zhou Shufen nodded slightly.

Qingyan was carefully arranging a row of toothpaste tubes neatly.

As Zhou Shufen watched, her gaze softened.

"This child is very thoughtful; he takes even the smallest things to heart."

"According to Yujie, she always got little red flowers in kindergarten, and she was a good student. Her teachers all praised her for being sensible. She should be starting elementary school next year... Sigh, but she is a child with a hard life. She lost her mother when she was young, and her family situation is complicated."

As soon as he finished speaking, Guo Zhenyi walked in from outside carrying an old enamel mug.

"I could hear the lively part of the performance on the stage outside, with the gongs and drums blaring."

"You've been busy all day, have some water first, sit down and rest for a while, don't tire yourself out."

He glanced at her and noticed that there were still fine beads of sweat on her forehead.

He then took out a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket and gently handed it over.

"I just heard it's a bit noisy here? What happened?"