Legacy Zeroing Plan

Old Wang died, on the winter solstice night, as silently as the withered green ivy on his bedside, frozen and lifeless. No one knows the exact cause of his death, just as no one knows if he ever loved anyone in his life. All he left behind were the cold numbers in his bank account: four million three hundred thousand yuan, and a thirty-square-meter old apartment in the city center.

As usual, Old Wang's "estate" was put on public notice. The notice board was covered with dense small print, like a giant spiderweb, trying to capture anyone related to Old Wang. However, a month passed, then two, then half a year, and apart from a few routine inquiries, no one came forward to claim this “windfall.”

"It's really strange," said Auntie Li from the community, shaking her head. "In this day and age, does anyone not want money?"

In fact, what Auntie Li doesn't know is that Old Wang's estate was no longer a secret. In a hidden internet forum, it was codenamed "Legacy Zeroing Plan."

The organizer of the "plan", codenamed "Zero", is a mysterious programmer. He was like an invisible ghost, controlling everything. He recruited a group of volunteers, all young people dissatisfied with the status quo and eager for change. Their task was simple: to conceal their family relationship with Old Wang and, in public, express "contempt" for this inheritance.

"That old man was so stingy when he was alive, definitely a miser!" one young volunteer said in an exaggerated tone when interviewed by a reporter. "Who wants his stinky money!"

"We young people have to create value with our own hands!" another volunteer wrote on social media, along with a photo of themselves working hard, with piles of delivery packages in the background.

These comments sparked a heated discussion online. People began to reflect on why people in modern society are so indifferent to inheritance. Is it the alienation of money? Or the estrangement between people? Or is there something wrong with the social rules themselves?

"Zero" watched the growing discussion on the forum, a subtle smile appearing on the corner of his mouth. He knew the "plan" had entered a critical stage.

A year after Old Wang's death, the community organized a special "estate auction". What was auctioned was not Old Wang's house and money, but his "story."

"Now we begin to auction Old Wang's story, starting price: one yuan," announced the auctioneer, with a hint of irony in his voice.

The people below looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

A young girl raised her hand: "I bid ten yuan, I want to know what Old Wang was thinking before he died?"

"I bid one hundred yuan! I want to know if he ever loved anyone in his life?" a bespectacled man followed immediately.

The prices began to soar, like invisible flames, igniting people's curiosity. In the end, Old Wang's "story" was bought by a mysterious buyer for one million yuan.

"Zero" looked at the auction results and closed his computer with satisfaction. He knew that this "Legacy Zeroing Plan" was completely done. Old Wang's legacy had not disappeared, but had been transformed into something more precious: a reflection on human nature and a questioning of social rules.

And the mysterious buyer sat in an empty room, looking at the piece of paper bought for a million yuan, on which were only four words: "Everything is possible."