很久以前，在彰化縣有一位老實又喜歡幫助人的雜貨店老闆，在過年這天早晨，他正要燒香拜拜時，傳來敲門的聲音。老闆問：「是誰？」門外人說：「我是進財」老闆趕緊開門把這個叫進財的人請了進來。果然，就好像財神爺來一樣，這一年老闆的生意比過去更好，還發了大財，這個消息立刻傳遍全城。
附近還有一家雜貨店，店老闆由於吝嗇又刻薄，所以不太有人喜歡來跟他買東西，生意也就冷冷清清。他也聽到這個消息，就四處打聽進財的住處，最後終於找到了。剛好過兩天就要過年了，他就帶禮物和銀兩去拜訪進財說：「進財兄，請你在正月初一清晨時，到我店裡來敲門，不要忘了說你是進財！」進財收了禮物後高興的說：「簡單，我一定會做到的。」
到了初一這天，老闆一大早就坐著等進財來敲門。一會兒果然有人來敲門，老闆高興地說：「你是誰呀！」進財回答：「是我啦！」老闆心裡覺得奇怪，於是又問：「你到底是誰？」進財回答：「老闆，你貴人多忘事，前幾天你不是送錢給我嗎？」老闆再問：「你是不是進財？」進財回答：「不是我會是誰？難道是鬼嗎？」也不知道是不是這句不吉利的話，結果老闆這一年不但沒有發財，說也奇怪家人還一個個都病倒了。
聽到這消息的人都覺得可笑，大家都說好運是上蒼賜給好心人，貪得無厭的人，怎麼可能求得到。
Once upon a time in Changhua County, there was an honest and helpful man that was the owner of a grocery store. On the morning of the new year, the honest man was just about to pray for good fortune, when he heard someone knocking on his door. The honest man asked, “Who is it?” The stranger replied, “I am Jin-chai (Fortune).” The honest man quickly opened the door and welcomed Jin-chai in.
As if by magic, the honest man's business prospered that year and he became very rich. News of this spread throughout the city.
There was another grocery store nearby whose owner was stingy and mean. No one liked to buy things from him, and he had no customers. When he heard the story about Jin-chai, the stingy man tried to find out where Jin-chai lived. Finally, he found Jin-chai. As the new year was almost here, the stingy man brought gifts and money to visit Jin-chai. He told Jin-chai, “Dear Brother, please knock on my shop door on the morning of the new year, and do not forget to say that you are Jin-chai!” Upon receiving the gifts and money, Jin-chai said happily, “That is easy! I will be there.”
On the morning of the new year, the stingy man woke up very early to wait for Jin-chai's arrival. After a while, he heard someone knocking at his door. The stingy man asked excitedly, “Who is it?” Jin-chai replied, “It's me!” The stingy man wanted Jin-chai to say his name, so, he asked again, “Who are you?” Jin-chai replied, “Dear sir, how could you forget? You gave me gifts and money a few days ago!” The stingy man asked again, “Are you Jin-chai?” Jin-chai replied, “Who else would I be? The devil?” Perhaps it was due to this unlucky reply, the stingy man's business suffered that year, and his family members fell sick one by one.
Those who heard the story felt amused. Everyone said that good fortune was heaven's blessing to good people, and stingy people would not be given the same blessing.
