I won the jackpot!

Chapter 7

After work, Jiang Sicheng took a taxi straight home, clutching her backpack tightly in her arms and checking the zipper from time to time to make sure it was closed properly. Although she hadn't yet confirmed whether her lottery ticket had really won the jackpot, all signs pointed to it. With so many lottery stations across the country, it just so happened to be the one downstairs where she had bought it, and given the timing, it should have been the same issue she had purchased. These coincidences alone were extraordinary, and the fact that the numbers matched five digits in a row…

　　She took several deep breaths and patted her chest. Even after entering her home and locking the door, Jiang Sicheng’s emotions hadn’t settled. She was eager to check the results on her computer immediately, but she was afraid she might have misread the numbers and gotten her hopes up for nothing, so she hesitated to look. Her hands were shaking as she held the lottery ticket. It was indeed the Double Color Ball lottery, and the issue number was indeed the one she had purchased. She checked the issue number several times to confirm it was correct. Then she looked at the prize table. If she had matched five red balls, this issue would have a prize of over 50,000 yuan. Jiang Sicheng swallowed nervously before flipping up to continue checking the winning numbers.

　　“This number… it’s correct… the blue one…” Jiang Sicheng felt her mind go blank, her body grew weak, and she nearly slid off the chair onto the floor. She quickly sat down on the bed, looked at the lottery ticket in her hand, then at the red and blue numbers on the computer screen, and muttered to herself, “Holy crap…” She still couldn’t believe it.

　　Goodness, two hundred million—how many zeros is that? Jiang Sicheng counted on her fingers, feeling like she couldn't count anymore.

Her heart was racing so fast, she wondered if she might actually have an undiagnosed heart condition. Lying on the bed, she kept thinking about how she would spend all that money! Goodness, she had never imagined having so much money. Jiang Sicheng’s excitement didn’t subside. She didn’t eat dinner and didn’t feel hungry. It was already past 1:00 a.m. when a phone call interrupted her.

Seeing Manager Li’s name on the screen, Jiang Sicheng frowned unconsciously. Why was her boss calling her in the middle of the night? She answered the call. “Xiao Jiang, did you finish the work I gave you before you left work? If you did, send it to me now.”

　　Jiang Sicheng’s eyebrows furrowed even more. “Manager, it’s one o’clock in the morning!”

“There’s no way around it. It’s a bit of a hassle, but you must submit it to me by six o’clock.”

　　“I'm sorry, I'm with my girlfriend!” Jiang Sicheng hung up the phone without thinking. She had seen online that someone had used this excuse to brush off their boss when they called in the middle of the night to assign work. Jiang Sicheng, who had always been known for her easygoing and soft-spoken personality, suddenly seemed to have become more assertive. What a bunch of capitalist scum! I'm going to become a capitalist myself!

　　Sure enough, after the call ended, Manager Li didn't bother her again. However, Jiang Sicheng suddenly realized that she hadn't received the bonus yet, and everything could still change. She couldn't quit yet; at least she had to wait until the bonus was deposited before she could quit this job.

　　Then she started searching online about how to claim the prize and how to deposit the bonus into the bank. Plus, she didn't want anyone around her to know she won so much money, or else who knows how many people would be eyeing her cash. She kept searching until dawn broke. As the time to go to work approached, Jiang Sicheng, though she hadn’t slept all night, felt not the least bit tired. She looked wide awake and energetic, a stark contrast to her usual reclusive persona.

　　Since the lottery center was closed on weekends, she could only claim the prize on a weekday. Jiang Sicheng needed to come up with an excuse to take a day off, but taking time off at work was no easy task. Fortunately, the redemption period was two months, so as long as she could take a day off within that timeframe, it should be manageable.

　　However, carrying the lottery ticket with her was risky in case it got lost, and leaving it at home wasn’t reassuring either—what if there was a fire?! Thinking about these possibilities, Jiang Sicheng became anxious again. Combined with the fact that she hadn’t slept all night, she had dark circles under her eyes and looked extremely haggard. The lottery ticket was temporarily left at home, but Jiang Sicheng felt like her heart was also left behind. When she arrived at the office, she seemed to be daydreaming.

　　As soon as she arrived at her desk, a colleague gently tapped her table and whispered, “Why are you on the ‘Chu Yu Appointment’ again?”

Jiang Sicheng scratched her head, still not fully present, “What?”

“Ms. Chu wants you to come to her office as soon as you arrive.” The colleague gave her a sympathetic look before returning to her own work.

　　“Oh.” Jiang Sicheng put down her bag and went to Chu Yu's office. She saw her on the phone and didn't dare knock, so she waited outside until she hung up before knocking and entering.

“Ms. Chu.” Although she had been thinking about quitting all night, upon seeing Chu Yu, Jiang Sicheng couldn't help but soften slightly and addressed her respectfully.