After more than an hour's drive, Mr. Bai finally drove into Qixing City.
The Bai family had never been to Qixing City during the "Autumn Festival Holiday", so they had never imagined that there would be so many people here - the streets leading to Dadas Town were crowded with large and small out-of-town vehicles, and although there were traffic guards constantly directing and guiding, everyone's speed was still comparable to that of a snail.
"How many people have come here..." Mr. Bai was stunned.
"They are all heading for Brother Xiao Ke, right?" Bai Youyou had been to Xiao Ke's card pool once, and when she thought about the situation there, she couldn't help but look worried, "With so many people, can Brother Xiao Ke handle it..."
The car slowly drove into the checkpoint out of the city. Mr. Bai remembered that there was no service area here before, but now a temporary service station has been set up. Many staff members in uniform blue and green uniforms were busy near the service station. When the Bai family's car stopped, two staff members immediately came to greet them.
"Excuse me, are you guys going to Xiao Ke's snack card pool?" one of them asked politely.
"Yes." Mr. Bai nodded.
"In order to provide better service to everyone, Xiao Ke Snack Card Pool adopts a 'reservation system' card drawing mode during the Autumn Festival holiday. Please make a reservation here first." Another person took out a reminder sign with the "reservation rules" detailed on it. There was also a scannable code below. As long as it was scanned with a communicator, a reservation number would be automatically generated, and the communicator would vibrate to remind you when the reservation time is approaching, ensuring that tourists would not miss the time to draw the card.
The three members of the Bai family had already swiped their reservation numbers. Mother Bai took a closer look and was shocked - the card draw time was scheduled for 2pm! But it was only 9am!
"No wonder they have to have this reservation system. Otherwise, if we really go there to queue up, wouldn't we have to wait until two in the afternoon?" Mrs. Bai said in amazement.
"Yes." Mr. Bai also sighed, "It is very convenient to be able to make an appointment in advance. When we arrive in the town, we can go around first, instead of waiting in line all the time."
"But Dadas is a small town, and there isn't anything fun to do there." Bai Youyou recalled the last time she went to the town. "Even if we walk slowly from beginning to end, it would only take an hour at most, right?"
But Bai Youyou's worries completely disappeared when the family arrived at the town of Dadas.
No, to be specific, they haven't reached the town yet - in an open space outside the town, all visiting vehicles are parked in order under the guidance of the staff. Opposite this temporary parking lot, a lively card exhibition is being held!
The town of Dadas is not large, and the roads in the town are not suitable for traffic, but there are large tracts of green space outside the town. With the help of decorative cards and building cards, a large venue can be built overnight - all the card pool booths in Qixing City are gathered here, and many chain card stores are also involved. Even some card users from nearby cities are invited. Although the scale of the exhibition and the diversity of booths are far less than those in big cities, one can still get a glimpse of the shadow of the most glorious period of the card pool industry in Qixing City.
The Bai family walked into the venue and found that it was even more lively than it looked from the outside. Most of the local booths in Qixing City were selling cards. After all, only the card pool with card spirits could build a "temporary card pool" for everyone to draw cards at any time. Such card pools are currently very rare in Qixing City. Only card users from other cities can build such temporary card pools. However, this does not mean that the card users in this city have given up the competition - they have prepared many interesting activities and small games for their booths, and tried to show the characteristics of their card pools in various ways, attracting tourists from all over Chikongzhou.
At each booth, there is also a "Qixing City Cartoon Card Pool Map" produced and issued by the Card Pool Bureau. If tourists have a good impression of a booth, they can go to the city to draw cards according to the map, which is very convenient.
"It's so lively here." Bai Youyou said to her parents in surprise. In addition to the booths of the card envoys, there are also many local snack stalls here. They are gathered around a specially built small stage. Visitors can taste delicious snacks while watching the performances on the stage. "There are very few activities like this in Rainbow City."
"Yes." Father Bai said with emotion: "For this kind of exhibition, the more people there are, the more fun it is. However, unless there is a lot of publicity and huge investment in the early stage, Rainbow City will not be able to attract so many tourists. But Seven Star City...did it this time."
In the past, Qixing City, like Rainbow City, actually did not have such conditions. But after Ke Jin became popular, it happened to coincide with the autumn festival holiday when the travel flow was the highest, making the grand occasion before us possible!
"This is what we call the right time, right place, and right people." Mother Bai looked at the reporters busy shuttling around the venue, as well as the many young people who spontaneously broadcast live on the Internet platform, and couldn't help muttering, "Qixing City has been silent for so many years, and it is finally reaching a turning point..."
***
In a corner of the venue, Director Tai Zhaoji was looking at the bustling crowd in front of him and listening to the laughter that came into his ears from time to time. Even though he was calm, he could not hide the joy and excitement in his eyes.
"How is it?" He seemed to be ten years younger, radiant and energetic, looking at the people around him with a smile.
Standing next to Director Tai at this time was Chairman Sun of the Resource Exploration Committee, who had always been on bad terms with the Kachi Bureau. To be able to organize such an exhibition in a short period of time, the Kachi Bureau alone was far from enough to rely on its own strength. During this period, the Resource Committee also made a lot of efforts, such as the most important point - persuading the mayor to obtain the maximum support from the government.
"Just barely qualified." President Sun curled his lips. He was not used to chatting with the head of the Card Pool Bureau without any grudges. "But at least one thing is certain - you don't have to worry about the Card Pool Bureau's budget being cut again next year."
In fact, the new mayor cut the budget of the Card Pool Bureau not because he wanted to make things difficult for the Bureau, but because as a newcomer, he needed to urgently create his own political achievements. The decadent card pool industry was obviously not in his plan, and it was inevitable that it would become a discarded pawn.
But things are different now. After the birth of a star card pool in Qixing City that has attracted much attention in the entire Chikong Continent, the mayor's thoughts will naturally change. Next year... Oh no, maybe from now on, the development plan of the entire Qixing City will begin to change...
Looking at the bustling and prosperous scene before him, President Sun Xuan couldn't help but recall what Director Tai had said to him when he first stepped into the shabby Kachi courtyard.
——Why can't you believe that miracles really happen?
Actually... I already believed it a long time ago.
***
At around one o'clock in the afternoon, the three members of the Bai family received a vibration alert from their communicators at the same time - there was less than an hour left until the time they had scheduled to draw a card.
Due to traffic restrictions in the town and a section of mountain road, it was best to set off an hour in advance. So the three of them hurriedly left the exhibition and walked towards the town.
Today, the town of Dadas has been decorated to welcome tourists, with lights and decorations everywhere, exuding a festive atmosphere. Moreover, there are eye-catching arrow signs everywhere, pointing to the correct direction of the "Xiao Ke Snacks Pool", instead of the embarrassing situation that many people could not find the entrance to the Xiao Ke Snacks Pool after entering the town.
After all, they had been here once, so even without looking at the road signs, the Bai family and their group easily found the correct intersection.
At the intersection, there is also a temporary service desk and a gate that looks like a ticket gate. In front of it, there is a waiting line.
"Please show us your reservation number." When it was the Bai family's turn, the staff member said politely to the three of them.
Mr. Bai and his friends scanned the number on the communicator at the gate window, and the gate baffle was immediately retracted, indicating that they could pass smoothly.
"Happy card drawing, everyone." The staff member waved and smiled.
The Bai family understood the process at the intersection very well: the mountain road leading to Xiaokeka Pond is rugged and difficult to walk on, and too many people rushing in at once will lead to many uncontrollable risks, so setting limits directly at the entrance can effectively reduce the risks. On the way forward, they also saw some staff patrolling back and forth along the mountain road, which was very thoughtful and dedicated - after all, only by ensuring safety and order can tourists have a better and more pleasant card drawing experience.
***
After more than ten minutes of walking, the three members of the Bai family finally saw Ke Jin's Kachi courtyard.
The layout of the perimeter of the courtyard was the same as I remembered, a pastoral green style full of vitality. However, in order to accommodate this time's tourists, they had obviously purchased a lot of greening cards. Now the area within a few hundred meters around the courtyard was all green grass. Some people who had drawn the cards had a picnic and rested directly on the lawn.
When you enter the courtyard, you will see people queuing up to draw cards. However, although there are many people, the order is very orderly. In addition to drawing cards, many people also line up in front of the counter in the purchase area, waiting to buy ready-made cards.
The Bai family looked around the courtyard and soon saw Ke Jin, the owner of the card pool.
Because he has hired enough people, Ke Jin no longer has to do the hard work of maintaining order himself, but he is not much more relaxed than before - as a "celebrity", many enthusiastic tourists want to take photos with him, and some even ask him to sign their cards. Ke Jin did not take such requests seriously at first. After all, many people came from far away. If a little effort can make them happy, why not do it?
As a result, the trend of asking for photos and autographs became uncontrollable. As soon as the first few people left, a bunch of people were already waiting in line. Ke Jin inexplicably became the background board for taking photos. Many people even shook hands with him again and again before leaving, making Ke Jin feel like he had become the mascot of the European Emperor. Although his sudden popularity may be considered as a burst of luck in the eyes of many people, should he tell them that he is actually a perennial non-European...
After finally dealing with a wave of customers who wanted to take photos and shake hands, Ke Jin rubbed his stiff face and turned his gaze to meet the three people from the Bai family.
"Uncle Bai, Aunt Bai, Youyou?" Ke Jin was startled at first, then happily pushed through the crowd and ran over, "You guys are here too?"
"It's a rare holiday, and we live so close, so of course we have to come and patronize you." Father Bai said with a smile, "And Youyou really likes the snacks here, and she ate all the ones she drew last time, so now she's here to 'restock'."
"Just tell me what card you want." Ke Jin smiled and touched Bai Youyou's head, "I can draw one and send it to you."
In front of outsiders, Bai Youyou was still a little shy. She pulled her skirt awkwardly and whispered, "Thank you, Brother Ke Jin, but my brother said that your delivery probability... uh, it will be very embarrassing for you if I ask you to help draw the card. It's better for us to come here in person."
Ke Jin: “…”
Well, compared to someone like Bai Fan who can draw an SSR in one shot, my luck is just bad!
***
After chatting with the Bai family for a while and dealing with several waves of tourists who wanted to take photos with them, Ke Jin felt a little dry in the mouth and went back to the house to get some tea.
Ou Nuo has never liked crowded occasions, so today he stayed quietly in the house. When Ke Jin came in, he saw him teasing Xiao Ju.
"Ounuo, don't you want to go to the exhibition?" Ke Jin felt that Ounuo was lonely in the room, and he couldn't bear to see him. "I heard from Gu Qianqian that it's quite fun over there."
Oloy poked the quivering little jelly-like thing with his finger out of boredom. He wanted to say, "What's so fun about a place full of low-end cards?" But the words suddenly turned around when they reached his lips, and what he said turned into -
"What's the point of going alone if no one is with me?"
"Sister Qianqian happens to have a booth over there. I can talk to her and ask her to accompany you..."
"She can't." The boy interrupted immediately, "She talks too much and is very noisy."
Ke Jin thought for a moment and said, "You want me to go with you? But maybe I have to wait until tomorrow noon. Today is the first day after all, and I don't feel comfortable leaving for too long."
"Who said I wanted you to accompany me?" He still used that arrogant and contemptuous tone, but the smile in the boy's eyes could no longer be hidden. "Tomorrow at noon... then tomorrow at noon. You're so bored here, why don't you go out for a walk?"
Ke Jin stared at Ou Nuo for a while, then suddenly pulled out a chair and sat down next to him.
"Ounuo, I wanted to ask you this before." Ke Jin looked into the boy's eyes and said seriously, "Is the place where you live very far from the Azure Star? Do you have to earn 100 million to be able to afford a spaceship to go back?"
The smile on Oloy's lips froze for a moment: "What do you mean?"
"Actually, you don't need that much money to buy a spaceship. I checked and the most expensive one is only tens of millions. The farthest one can even jump to the Imperial System... No matter how far away your home is, it can't be farther than the Imperial System, right?"
At present, the income from Ke Jin's card pool is soaring that it is not an exaggeration to describe it as "crazy growth". Although he cannot collect 100 million immediately, it is still no problem to help Ounuo buy a spaceship to go home within a year. In fact, thinking that Ounuo will go home sooner or later, Ke Jin is a little reluctant, but he will become busier and busier in the future, and he will have less and less time to take care of Ounuo - for example, now, he can only let him stay alone in the room, but if Ounuo's real family is around at this time, he will not be so lonely.
"Have you checked?" The boy's face suddenly turned very ugly, and he glared at Ke Jin with a vicious look, "Why did you go all the way to check this? Are you so eager for me to leave?"
Ke Jin was stunned: "I, I didn't mean that, but this is a matter of time, so it's okay for me to prepare for you in advance... Of course, I don't mean to owe you money without paying it back. After you leave on the spaceship, I can continue to transfer money to your account, and I will definitely be able to pay you the full amount of 200 million... Ouch!!"
The boy suddenly stepped hard on Ke Jin, glared at him fiercely, then turned around and ran into the bedroom.
What's wrong with this kid being so mad? ? Ke Jin rubbed his foot that was stepped on, and was full of questions - was it wrong for him to try so hard to get him home earlier? Didn't he keep urging him to make money to raise money for his trip?
Alas, perhaps this is what they call "a child's heart is like a needle in the sea."
It’s too hard to understand!
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