Hard work after winning the lottery

His voice was filled with barely suppressed pride and self-satisfaction.

Zhou Yinchuan looked in the direction he pointed.

On the distant hillside, lush green grass stretched as far as the eye could see, with hundreds and thousands of white sheep like pearls scattered on a green canvas, or like clouds drifting down from the sky.

They either lower their heads to nibble or chase and play, creating a spectacular and lively scene.

"See that? That entire hillside is now our sheep farm!"

"That's quite a large scale!"

A genuine sense of shock and amazement flashed in Zhou Yinchuan's eyes.

Having lived in the city for so long, and being accustomed to the jungle of steel and concrete, he had never seen such a vibrant pastoral scene.

"I never would have guessed, Lao Hua..." He shook his head with deep emotion, then turned to look at his old comrade-in-arms, his eyes full of admiration. "You lad, you were a daredevil in the army, but who would have thought that after retiring and going back home to farm, you'd become a sheep-gathering commander!"

The title "Commander Yang," which carries a strong military connotation, instantly struck a nerve with Hua Mutou.

He laughed heartily, his wrinkles smoothing out.

"Of course!"

"I not only do it myself, but I also get the villagers of Baixi Village involved!"

"Now, in our village, every household is raising sheep like me, and their lives are getting better and better every day!"

Zhou Yinchuan listened quietly, his smile growing increasingly gratified.

He knew that behind those seemingly casual words lay countless days and nights of hard work and sweat.

"Excellent! Excellent!" he exclaimed sincerely. "This is true service to the people, leading the entire village to prosperity. It's far more meaningful than me, a businessman who only knows how to make money!"

Not far away, on the carpet at the entrance to the living room.

The three little ones are completely immersed in the world of their new toys.

Those three intelligent robots were even cooler than they had imagined.

Not only can they sing and dance, but they can also have simple voice conversations and answer all sorts of whimsical questions.

"Robot, robot, how many suns are there in the sky?" Sanbao Huasi asked in a childish voice.

"Reporting to our little master, there is only one sun in the solar system," the robot announced in a standard synthesized electronic voice.

"Wow--"

The children cheered in amazement.

They were having a great time, but every now and then, they would raise their little heads and look curiously with their big, dark eyes at the new great-grandfather in the yard, who had white hair and looked just as kind as their own great-grandfather.

In their small world, they cannot yet understand what camaraderie in war means, or the passage of time.

All they knew was that this Great-Grandpa Zhou had brought them such a fun gift as soon as he arrived, and had even made the usually serious Great-Grandpa smile so happily.

Therefore, he must be a very, very good person.

The sunlight gradually began to set in the west.

Zhou Yinchuan looked at his old comrade's face, which was etched with the marks of time but still radiant with vitality.

The light in his eyes when he talked about his flock of sheep and the changes in the village was dazzling.

Then look at the three great-grandchildren not far away, laughing and playing around the robot, full of boundless vitality.

A tremendous, pure joy, like a warm current, enveloped Zhou Yinchuan.

He was genuinely happy for Hua Mutou.

This hothead who used to struggle in the mud with him is now surrounded by his children and grandchildren, with a thriving family business, living a fulfilling and wonderful life.

very nice.

This is more satisfying than any deal he closes that costs hundreds of millions.

This satisfaction was mixed with a hint of something indescribable...envy.

He thought of his grandson, Zhou Yanjin, a workaholic who was always busy and even had to be precise down to the minute when it came to having a meal with him.

I was reminded of my own huge but desolate villa.

He lacks nothing: money, status.

But this warm, homely happiness is something he can't buy with any amount of money.

Just then, Hua Yun quietly walked over with a cup of warm honey water.

She gently placed the water glass on the bamboo table next to Zhou Yinchuan.

Her gaze fell on Grandpa Zhou's face.

Although the old man was still smiling, a hint of weariness was hard to hide behind that smile.

After all, he was over seventy years old, and had experienced the hardships of a long journey and the great joy and sorrow of reunion.

His energy was already waning.

"Grandpa Zhou," Hua Yun's voice was soft and gentle, with just the right amount of concern, "you and Great-Grandpa have been chatting for so long, you must be tired."

She bent down slightly, her gaze level with Zhou Yinchuan, who was sitting down.

"I've prepared a room for you. Please go and rest for a while and recharge."

"Tonight, our whole family will host a welcome dinner for you. My dad and my uncle have prepared some fine wine to properly toast you, our distinguished guest!"

She spoke with great skill.

It was considerate of his exhaustion and gave him an irresistible and exciting reason to look forward to it.

Zhou Yinchuan felt a warmth in his heart.

He was indeed quite tired; his eyelids felt as heavy as if they were made of lead.

He looked at the pretty, thoughtful girl in front of him and nodded in satisfaction.

"well."

"Xiaoyun is such a thoughtful girl."

He did not refuse and, with Hua Yun's help, slowly stood up.

Hua Mutou also stood up and patted him on the back.

"Go on, get a good night's sleep. Tonight, we're going to drink until we drop!"

"Alright! Let's drink until we drop!"

Zhou Yinchuan smiled and agreed, and with Hua Yun's help, he walked step by step toward the guest room bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

His back was somewhat hunched, and his steps were somewhat unsteady.

When Zhou Yinchuan awoke to Hua Yun's soft call, dusk had already fallen outside the window, and wisps of smoke rose from chimneys.

I slept very soundly and peacefully that night.

There were no disturbing dreams, only the cool scent of the pine bed and the faint chirping of insects outside the window.

He felt that his old bones, which had been hollowed out by the hustle and bustle of the city, were being revitalized by the spiritual energy of the mountains.

"Grandpa Zhou, you're awake?"

When Hua Yun saw him open his eyes, she immediately handed him a cup of warm water at the perfect temperature, a faint smile on her face.

"Dinner is ready. Grandpa and Dad are waiting for you."

"Okay, okay."

Zhou Yinchuan took the water glass and drank it all in one gulp, feeling a warm sensation in his throat.

Supported by Hua Yun, he walked out of the guest room and through the courtyard, which still retained the warmth of the afternoon sun.

Before he even stepped into the main house, a strong and domineering fragrance immediately seized all his senses.

That's not the refined flavor you get in upscale city restaurants, where delicate spices are carefully piled up.

This aroma carries a primal, rugged, and irresistible vitality.

It's the aroma of charred meat, the warm fragrance of charcoal, and the wild energy that rises from the passionate collision of various natural spices and the natural umami of the ingredients.