Hard work after winning the lottery

The air in the study seemed to have solidified into solid ice.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely the moment Zhou Yanjin's fingertips touched the cold tabletop.

That overwhelming tidal wave, powerful enough to shatter reason, raged within his chest for an unknown period of time before finally showing signs of receding.

He slowly, inch by inch, lowered the arm that was covering his eyes.

The lights flooded his field of vision again, stinging his eyes and causing a physiological soreness.

However, in those deep, icy eyes, the storm and astonishment that had been there had been replaced by something far more terrifying.

It was absolute, cold, and devoid of any temperature.

Shock was my first reaction.

Now is the time to solve the problem.

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning.

The first thing that was rejected was to immediately call the woman named Hua Yun.

He could even vividly rehearse every detail of that phone call in his mind.

What kind of cold voice would he use to question her?

"Was it you that night six years ago?"

"Whose children are those three?"

And what about her?

How would that woman, whose ID photo exudes a stubbornness, answer?

A panicked confession?

Or will they vehemently deny it, then quickly hang up the phone and disappear without a trace?

Zhou Yanjin's thin lips curled into a mocking smile.

Either way, it's the most foolish approach.

That would only alert the enemy and hand over all the initiative.

He never fights a battle he is unprepared for.

The second idea that was rejected was to send someone to conduct a paternity test.

This thought only lasted for a moment before he completely crushed it.

With his abilities, obtaining hair samples from the children would be a piece of cake.

But this is an insult to his own bloodline.

It is also disrespectful to the old man who cherishes the children and lives a fulfilling life in Baixi Village.

He knew Zhou Yinchuan's temperament better than anyone else.

If the old man found out that he had sent people to investigate his beloved little one and questioned the character of the Hua family, the consequences would be...

He can't take that risk.

This matter is too personal and too complicated.

It's like a tangled mess of spikes; any rough pulling will leave everyone bleeding.

Therefore, Chen Xu cannot handle this.

It cannot be handled by Ying Zhiyao.

It must, and can only, be handled by him personally.

Moreover, we must be extremely cautious.

Zhou Yanjin's fingertips unconsciously traced the enlarged photo of Hua Si'an on the table.

The child's focused expression in the photo was like a fine needle piercing the softest part of his heart.

His son.

This realization was no longer just a shock, but carried a strange, heavy sense of reality.

He wanted to see them with his own eyes.

Look at their smiles, look at their running, listen to the way they call out "Mom."

I also want to ask that woman.

The woman who slept with him, stole his child, and then vanished for six years.

Huayun.

He chewed on the name, tasting a faint, complex flavor that was a mixture of anger and interest.

What did she take him for?

A gene provider?

A one-night stand that can be discarded at will?

What makes her think she can have his child all to herself?

Why should he be absent from their lives for five whole years?

A cold flame silently ignited within his veins.

well.

She lives such a wonderful and fulfilling life.

That made things much simpler.

Zhou Yanjin leaned forward slightly, his hands clasped together and resting on his chin, adopting a posture he only adopted when presiding over the highest-level board meetings.

His gaze fell upon the huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the study.

Outside the window was the dazzling night view of City A, with thousands of lights shining brightly, all within his commanding gaze.

A silent game of chess had already unfolded in his mind.

And on the other side of the chessboard lies Baixi Village, a place that can only be found by zooming in several times on the map.

The old man was the best starting point for him.

A most natural and unquestionable excuse.

This presented him with a perfect opportunity to openly and legitimately step into that unfamiliar land.

The plan took shape in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Yanjin picked up his phone again, this time with unwavering composure, without the slightest tremor.

He found the pinned number in his contacts and dialed it.

The phone rang twice before being answered.

Through the receiver came the old man Zhou Yinchuan's strong, clear voice, tinged with obvious laughter.

"Hey? Yan Jin! Why are you calling Grandpa at this hour? Are you trying to urge me to go back again? Let me tell you, I'm doing great here, I don't want to leave!"

There was a lot of background noise on the other end of the phone.

There were a few clear croaks of frogs, the gentle laughter of women, and even the childish, off-key singing of children.

It was a vibrant world full of everyday life.

His cold, empty study seemed to belong to a different dimension.

The icy coldness in Zhou Yanjin's eyes melted slightly the moment she heard her grandfather's voice, replaced by a layer of warm pretense.

His voice sounded no different from that of his dutiful grandson.

"Grandpa, I didn't mean to urge you to come back."

He paused, softening his tone and adding just the right amount of concern.

"Judging from your voice, I know you're having a great time over there."

"That's right!" Zhou Yinchuan's voice was full of pride. "You have no idea how clever your Grandpa Hua's three great-grandchildren are! They even taught me how to play with those magnetic building blocks today, they're really amazing!"

Zhou Yanjin unconsciously tightened her grip on the phone.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

He steadied himself and, following the old man's words, subtly revealed his true intentions.

"Since you're comfortable there, stay a few more days. There's nothing urgent here in City A."

"My current project has just come to an end, so I'm not too busy."

He tilted his head slightly, looking at the night outside the window, as if he were simply stating a casual thought.

"I might find some time in a few days to visit you."

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Yinchuan was clearly stunned for a moment, then burst into even greater joy.

"Really? You're coming over?"

"Hmm." Zhou Yanjin responded, then immediately cloaked his actions in an impeccable business guise, "By the way... I'll also check out the local investment environment."

"I've looked at the information my assistant gave me. The 'Xishan Muyun' brand in Baixi Village has great potential, and there might be a possibility of cooperation."

This reason is flawless.

This not only suits his status as the president of the Zhou Group, but also reflects his concern for the place where his grandfather lived.

As expected, Zhou Yinchuan had no doubts whatsoever; instead, he burst into laughter with joy.

"Alright, alright! Come and see for yourself! You'll see for yourself! The mountains, the water, the air here are all so fresh—it's so much better than your concrete jungle! That 'Xishan Muyun' place you're talking about, that girl Xiaoyun ran it, and it's really great! Now that you're here, I'll have her give you a proper introduction!"

"it is good."

Zhou Yanjin's voice was calm and undisturbed.

Only he knew that when he heard the words "that girl Xiaoyun," his heart felt as if it had been squeezed hard by an invisible hand.

hang up the phone.

The study fell silent once again, a suffocating stillness.

Zhou Yanjin casually tossed her phone onto the table, making a soft "thud" sound.

He slowly stood up, walked to the giant screen, and once again looked at the faces of the three children in the photo.

Hua Si'an's calmness.

Hua Sitao's cunning.

Hua Sile's naiveté.

Each of their young faces bore the indelible mark of his bloodline.

His sons.

Zhou Yanjin reached out her hand, her icy fingertips gently, in the air, tracing Hua Si'an's outline.

His eyes were deeper than ever before.