Chapter 136 (1/2)
Chapter 136: Your Family Name, My Name II
People walked past but few looked over .
Those who would come over would ask, ”70,000 only? Isn't that too cheap? Are you a fake?”
”I'm not a fake! That's how I guarantee that it's the nation's lowest price . Have a look at my ID if you don't believe me,” I said righteously, raising my card .
”Gou . . ?” they would usually mumble with a contemptuous look on their faces, before walking away .
I graduated last year and joined a clothes manufacturing factory that paid 3,000 a month .
My name instantly became a hot topic the moment I started work . After all, people with surnames that were not Li were extremely rare .
Within the next half a year, colleagues started asking if I was interested in becoming a surname changer .
”You're not a Li so why don't you do it? Gou aye, how unique! Surname changers can earn hundreds of thousands per order! It's much better than slogging away in here . ”
I kept their words in mind and left the factory after two months .
During my first month at this new job, I charged 150,000 for my surname .
That was the lowest market rate I saw at that point, but not a single grain was reaped that month .
In the second month, my teacher had me reduce the price to 70,000 .
Still no orders .
I shouted and promoted diligently, but I did not know that the problem lay in the surname itself .
I looked at my watch . 6 PM, time to knock off .
My teacher's name is Pang Dahai .
He opened a surname changing shop in the black market some time ago .
There were 13 surname changers then, including me .
Teacher was in charge of all procedures while all we did was to seek clients .
He would rightfully take a 5% procedure fee for each transaction .
Because of the law, surname changers were only able to make four deals a year .
Full timers had a five day work week .
They would have to clock in and out of the shop since Teacher gave them a basic salary .
During that time, I was the only full-timer and I earned 900 a month .
My seniors had long reached their quota and had no desire for the meager 900 dollars .
If surname changers had a good family name, clients would automatically go to them for help . There wasn't a need for them to advertise .
Senior Lu Qiao had the most wanted surname . Even at 4,000,000 a transaction, orders filled up within a month . When he raised his fees to 5,500,000, there were still couples who booked his service in advance and postponed their decision to have a baby .
Nevertheless, Senior Lu Qiao was kind enough to compile a list of good but unregistered names, like Lu Qiaofeng, Lu Qiaodan, Lu Qiaobusi and Lu Qiaorenliang, for his clients to choose from .
Teacher easily sold his surname for 400,000 as well .
Senior Li Xia and Han Dong were decent, too .
I was the only poor faring one .
Not a single deal despite my constant advertis.e.m.e.nt .
I got up and walked toward Teacher's shop .
He was looking at the computer when I entered .
I clocked with my thumbprint .
”Gou Dan is ending work,” the machine sounded .
Teacher turned to me and asked, ”Knocking off?”
I nodded .
”Come over here . ”
”Is anything the matter, Teacher?”
”Come take a seat first and we'll talk,” he said, smiling .
I walked uneasily to the sofa and sat down .
”Do you know how long you've been here?” he questioned .