The young man surnamed Liu, who was at the centre of a lottery scandal in March, is still fresh in our memories. The 18-year-old from a farming family made himself famous overnight by climbing onto a billboard and threatening to jump off in order to claim top prize in a sports lottery. By resorting to such a foolhardy extremes, he also wanted to clear his name from any lottery wrong-doing.

The happy ending is that not long after Liu's fantastically risky act, the truth about the forged lottery tickets was revealed. Those involved in the scam were arrested, and Liu finally got what he deserved - a BMW and 120,000 yuan (US$14,450) in cash, along with an apology from the local sports lottery centre for being a victim of the swindle. And so the curtain fell on the lottery drama, with the young man who had enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame fading from the public eye.

But now it seems there are yet more chapters. Liu is back in the headlines, this time for being recruited as an image ambassador for an automobile company in neighbouring Zhejiang Province. According to the report, the company is going to invest huge sums of money in an unprecedented remoulding project for the young man, in which he is supposed to take a refresher course in college and then serve in the army. The whole remodeling process is to last a few years before he is reborn smart, accomplished, and qualified for his post as a corporate spokesperson.

Doesn't this seem more than a little ridiculous? What caught the car company's attention was clearly Liu's lottery stunt and the resultant media focus. While he should be praised for determination to go after what was his, he was still violating public order when he climbed atop that advertising board sparking uproar from the crowd below.

It is not at all unusual these days to hear about someone taking reckless action in order to get back what they think they deserve, rightly or wrongly. And in most cases, climbing on top of a tall building or electrical pole in defiance of public order seems a great way of going about it. So what kind of image does the company wish to promote by employing as its brand ambassador a guy famous for such a stunt? In a society based on the rule of law, what message does the company wish to send to the general public? Media stars such as Liu not only get the public's attention, but can have a great impact on society, for good or for evil.

Besides, I am afraid this simple lad from the countryside may have some hurdles to clear before bringing the grand blueprint from the drawing table to reality. Firstly, he is set to stay in college for a couple of months and take 12 courses which take a normal college student three years to complete. Despite his solemn vow to dedicate one hundred per cent to repay the kindness of the company and his family, on the basis of his previous schooling, the academic challenge may prove to be too much.

Also, physically speaking, it is reported that his eyesight is not so good, which can pose a barrier to his entering the military. And who knows if he's qualified in other aspects? You can strike a bargain with a school for special arrangements to be made for the good of any particular newcomer. But to enlist in the army is something different. There is nothing to haggle over here.

The situation makes me think of the Chinese fable about the man who, impatient with the slow growth of his grain seedlings, pulls them up bit by bit to encourage them to grow. Ultimately all his seedlings die.

Nowadays, the mentality of seeking instant success and reward seems rampant in our society. Ads can be seen posted everywhere, or lurking in your mailbox, hawking myriad get-there-faster classes, many of which are illegal. But all these are groundless, making people believe talent can be cultivated overnight. And just like pop stars, common folk, too, can have their character "facelifted" or "packaged."

I don't think it's a good idea to try to turn a farm worker like Liu into a popular figure through a short intensified grooming process. As for Liu himself, I definitely bear him no ill will. The longest journey begins with a single step. Since he has made the first step, I hope he never gives up. The ordeal may turn out to his advantage if he can invest the valour and fortitude displayed in former days in the current training and prove himself worthy of all the help and care bestowed upon him. Young people are highly malleable. Let's hope that Liu will make the best use of the golden opportunity to refine himself and reappear as a well-tempered star. Only, I would like to give him a piece of advice: remain vigilant against being used as a puppet and falling victim again, not to lottery fraud, but commercial machinations.