Hard work after winning the lottery

The lunch table was set up under the old locust tree in the yard.

An eight-immortal table that has been used for decades, its tabletop worn smooth and shiny by time, with rounded edges.

Several of the most ordinary farm dishes were laid out on the table.

The water spinach with garlic sauce, freshly picked from the field, is so vibrantly green it's almost dazzling.

The mushroom soup, made with free-range chicken from their own farm, had golden chicken fat floating on the surface, and its aroma powerfully filled everyone's nostrils.

There was also a plate of steamed lake fish, seasoned only with shredded ginger and a little homemade rice wine, which brought out the best flavor.

Huasile and Huastao were having a contest to see who could finish their rice faster, their little mouths stuffed full, like two little hamsters hoarding food.

Hua Si'an was the most well-behaved, sitting in the baby chair that Hua Yun had specially prepared for her, being fed egg custard spoonful by spoonful by Li Guifen.

Zhou Yinchuan and Hua Mutou sat side by side, each with a small cup of rice wine in front of them. They would clink the cups together from time to time, making a crisp sound, and then take a satisfying sip.

After spending nearly half a month together, they have become completely at ease with each other, as if they were old brothers who have known each other for a lifetime.

Zhou Yinchuan picked up a piece of water spinach with his chopsticks. It was crisp and refreshing, and he squinted his eyes in satisfaction.

As his gaze swept over Hua Yun, who was gently wiping Si An's mouth, the old man's tender emotions welled up once again.

He put down his chopsticks, picked up his wine cup, faced Hua Mutou, but was looking in Hua Yun's direction, and sighed heavily.

"Old Hua."

"Hmm?" Hua Mutou was concentrating on picking fish bones from his grandson's fish when he heard this, so he looked up.

"I think I understand now." Zhou Yinchuan's tone was seven parts emotion and three parts disappointment.

"If my grandson were half as sensible as Yun'er, I'd have so much less to worry about!"

This wasn't the first time he'd said this.

Almost every day at the dinner table, he would find a way to praise Hua Yun while simultaneously putting down his grandson who lived far away.

Upon hearing this, Li Guifen's face lit up with joy, but she modestly said, "Oh, brother, don't say that. Yunyun is just a worrier by nature; she doesn't have the same abilities as your grandson."

Hua Yun was holding a wet wipe and carefully wiping the rice grains stuck to the corner of Hua Sile's mouth.

The little guy was restless, twisting his head back and forth like a fluttering sparrow.

Her entire focus was on the struggle with the grains of rice.

In response to Zhou Yinchuan's praise, she merely raised her eyes subconsciously, a gentle smile curving her lips, as if she were used to the polite words of an elder.

"Grandpa Zhou, you're joking with me again."

Her voice was soft, with the patience and gentleness one would use to soothe a child.

I didn't think much of it.

I just assumed it was an old lady who had lived there for a long time and was simply making a casual remark while watching her busy herself every day.

Just like Grandma always talks about her younger brother Hua'an, saying that if he were half as good as her, he would be so much less of a worry.

It's ordinary, nothing out of the ordinary.

Zhou Yinchuan looked at her nonchalant demeanor, shook his head, and said nothing more.

Some things, that kid will only know when he comes here himself.

He took another sip of wine, his heart filled with anticipation, and a cunning glint, like that of an old fox, flashed in his weathered eyes.

Halfway through the meal, Zhou Yinchuan seemed to suddenly remember something, and his smile deepened.

He put down his chopsticks, cleared his throat, and looked like a child about to announce some great news.

"Old Hua, Yun'er, I need to tell you something!"

His loud voice immediately drew everyone's attention.

Even the two boys who were engrossed in eating looked up curiously.

Hua Mutou took a sip of his drink and looked at him with a grin: "What's up, Lao Zhou? You seem quite pleased with yourself."

Zhou Yinchuan raised his eyebrows smugly, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes smoothed out.

"My grandson is coming to see me in a couple of days!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the courtyard instantly became lively.

Hua Mutou immediately put down his wine cup, wiped his hands on his coarse cloth trousers, and greeted him with a simple and sincere expression.

"OK!"

He nodded emphatically, his voice conveying a sense of sincerity.

"Let him come, let him come! Let us see what kind of person this precious grandson you keep talking about is all he is!"

Li Guifen chimed in, "Yes, yes, he should come! You've lived here for so long, it's only right that his grandson comes to see you!"

Hua Yun finally wiped Sile's dirty face clean and fed him a small bite of fish.

Hearing this, she smiled and looked up, her gaze falling on Zhou Yinchuan's joyful face.

She could tell that the old man was genuinely happy.

That heartfelt anticipation for the arrival of loved ones is something that nothing can replace.

"Yes, Grandpa Zhou."

Her voice remained gentle and soft, like a mountain breeze.

"You'll be even happier if your grandson can come."

As she spoke, she lowered her head again and continued to focus intently on feeding the children, as if it were just a trivial matter.

"Of course!" Zhou Yinchuan was even more excited by everyone's praise, and when he talked about his grandson, his tone was full of pride.

"That kid's name is Yan Jin. He's always busy with work. His company is getting bigger and bigger, but he's becoming harder and harder to find."

He sounded like he was complaining, but also like he was showing off.

"If I hadn't stayed here and refused to leave, he probably wouldn't even remember he had a grandfather like me!"

Yan Jin.

These two words, like the gentlest breeze, brushed past Hua Yun's ears.

Her hand paused slightly.

It was a pause of only a fraction of a second.

Then, she resumed her natural movements, using a small spoon to scrape the steamed egg custard from the edge of the bowl to the center.

In her mind, that lofty name, that name she had looked up to for so long and that name that had also caused her so much pain, flashed by.

Zhou Yanjin.

And then, nothing more was said.

She gave a self-deprecating smile.

How could that be?

City A is so big, with a population of tens of millions. There must be at least a thousand, if not ten thousand, people named Yan Jin.

Moreover, he is the president of the Zhou Group, a man standing at the top of the pyramid.

How could he have a grandfather who was a soldier?

How could they possibly condescend to come to this little-known mountain village?

She's obsessed.

That inappropriate encounter six years ago is like a deeply buried thorn, occasionally reminding her how presumptuous she had been.

However, it was only a momentary daze.

Her world is already filled with diapers, milk powder, lamb orders, and the laughter of children.

Those distant people and things are no longer relevant to her.

Thoughts flow in the blink of an eye.

She looked up, a polite and gentle smile on her face, as if her momentary lapse in concentration had never happened.

"Grandpa Zhou, your grandson is so filial. No matter how busy he is with work, he still remembers you."

Her words were perfectly tactful, both soothing the elderly woman and expressing the host's welcome.

"We'll definitely treat him well then."

Her tone was sincere, and her eyes were clear.

There wasn't a ripple inside, as clean as the azure sky above Baixi Village.