Ever heard the saying, “When you’re broke, even gold turns to copper in your hands; when you’re blessed, even scrap paper becomes silk”? Life’s successes and riches often come down to timing and fate. Remember this, though: What’s meant to be yours will never slip away. Let’s dive into a story about how one unlucky guy managed to flip the script and become loaded, all thanks to destiny’s mysterious ways.
A rough start and a fantastic failure
Back in the Ming Dynasty, there was a guy named Wen Ruoxu living in Suzhou. He was a jack of all trades — music, chess, calligraphy, painting — you name it. His family had some cash, and people predicted he’d be rolling in it one day. But Wen got cocky, neglected the family business, and before he knew it, he was scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Desperate for a win, Wen heard that fans were selling like hotcakes in Beijing. So he loaded up on some fancy folding fans and headed north. But Murphy’s Law hit hard — it rained non-stop all summer. When the weather finally cleared up, Wen opened his stash only to find the fans were a soggy, ruined mess. Talk about a face-palm moment!
The ‘unlucky guy’ label sticks
For years after that epic fail, everything Wen touched turned to dust. He couldn’t even land a wife! Soon, everyone started calling him the “unlucky guy” behind his back. Ouch.
A risky voyage and an accidental win
One day, Wen heard about a group of merchants setting sail for some overseas trading. He thought, “Why not? I’ve got nothing to lose.” His buddy Zhang helped him tag along, even spotting him some cash for snacks.
Wen, being Wen, used the money to buy a bunch of oranges, thinking he’d share them with his shipmates. Cue more eye-rolling from the merchants.
After what felt like forever at sea, they landed in a place called Jiling. The locals were all about that barter life, and the profit margins were insane. While everyone else was wheeling and dealing on shore, Wen stayed back to watch the ship.
Bored out of his mind, he started drying out his oranges on deck. The locals went nuts over these bright orange “fire fruits” they’d never seen before. Long story short, The “unlucky guy” accidentally sold all his oranges for a small fortune in silver.
When in doubt, stick to your gut
The other merchants were shaken. They urged Wen to reinvest his windfall, but our boy had learned his lesson. He was like: “Nah, I’m good. I’ll quit while I’m ahead, thanks.”
A turtle shell jackpot
On the way back, they got caught in a storm and had to chill on a deserted island for a bit. Wen, being the curious person he was, went exploring and found a massive turtle shell. He lugged it back to the ship, much to everyone’s amusement.
Fast-forward to their next stop in Fujian, where they met this Persian trader named Maboha. He took one look at the unlucky guy’s “trash” turtle shell and dropped 50,000 taels of silver on it. Everyone’s jaws hit the ground.
Turns out, the shell was from a mythical dragon-turtle, and it was packed with priceless pearls. Talk about a come-up!
The moral of the story
After Maboha left with his prized turtle shell, one of the sailors couldn’t help but comment: “That merchant totally got off too easy. Wen, you should’ve squeezed more cash out of him!”
But our boy Wen, now wiser than ever, simply shook his head and said: “Nah, I’m good with what I’ve got. Look, I’ve been that ‘unlucky guy’ forever, always watching my money vanish into thin air. To suddenly score this fortune out of nowhere? That’s the universe throwing me a bone. It’s crystal clear that our paths are already laid out for us. Why get greedy? If Maboha hadn’t recognized the shell’s true value, we’d still think it was junk. How could I even think about haggling after that?”
The crew nodded, impressed by Wen’s perspective. “You’re onto something,” they agreed. “It’s that honest, humble vibe you’ve got going on. That’s what brought you this epic windfall.”
From that day forward, the “unlucky guy” became known as the “lucky guy.” He settled down, started a family, and lived the good life. His story serves as a reminder that sometimes, your big break is just around the corner — even if it comes in the form of a giant turtle shell!
So next time life’s got you down, remember Wen Ruoxu. Your destiny might be predetermined, but that doesn’t mean it can’t surprise you. Keep your heart open, stay humble, and who knows? Fortune might decide it’s your turn to shine.
Translated by Eva
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