Hard work after winning the lottery

at last.

It's unclear who put down their chopsticks first, but this dinner, which was akin to torture for Hua Yun, finally came to an end with the two old gentlemen clinking glasses in high spirits.

"I...I'll go tidy up."

Hua Yun almost immediately jumped up from her chair, her voice slightly hoarse from the urgency.

She dared not look at anyone, especially the man sitting in the main seat whose presence was so overwhelming it was suffocating.

Like a startled rabbit, she quickly cleared the table of dishes, her movements so fast they were almost frantic, the porcelain clinking together with a few crisp sounds.

"Hey, Yunyun, let me do it."

Li Guifen felt sorry for her daughter and wanted to reach out to take her.

"No need, Mom, I can do it."

Hua Yun refused without turning her head, and almost fled in panic, carrying a stack of bowls and plates, and plunged into the kitchen.

boom.

She gently closed the wooden door to the kitchen with her back.

It isolated all sounds from the courtyard.

It also blocked that ever-present gaze that was driving her to the brink of collapse.

At this moment, the world was finally quiet.

Hua Yun leaned against the cold door, as if all her strength had been instantly drained away.

She was gasping for breath, her chest heaving violently, like a drowning person who had just struggled to the shore from deep water.

Her legs were so weak that she could barely support her body, and she slowly slid down the door panel to the ground.

She buried her face deeply in her arms, and her shoulders began to tremble slightly uncontrollably.

It’s over.

He must know.

Or rather, he must have started to have doubts.

From the moment he stepped into the courtyard, from the moment he saw the three children, everything was already out of her control.

Si'an's clear "Mom" was like a heavy hammer, shattering the peaceful life she had painstakingly built over the past six years.

What should we do next?

recognition?

No, absolutely not!

She absolutely cannot let him take the children away from her!

For the past six years, she has raised them all by herself, day after day, night after night, with every little thing she did.

They were her life, her everything.

But, deny it?

How could she deny that the eyebrows and eyes were almost identical?

Especially in front of this man, all her lies would probably seem pale and laughable.

Hua Yun's heart was in complete turmoil.

Fear was like a giant net, enveloping her completely.

She didn't even dare to think about it. If Zhou Yanjin really wanted to take the child from her, what could a powerless country girl like her do to fight against the president of the Zhou Group?

The outcome was almost inevitable.

The thought of this possibility made her heart feel like it was being gripped by an icy hand, causing her unbearable pain.

yard.

The night grew darker.

A bright, clear moon hung on the branches of the old locust tree, its cool moonlight spilling like mercury across the entire courtyard.

A gentle evening breeze carries the unique fragrance of wild grass and trees from the mountains.

Li Guifen and Grandma Hua had already taken the three energetic little ones inside to wash up and tell them stories.

The octagonal table was cleaned up and replaced with a set of antique purple clay teaware.

Zhou Yinchuan and Hua Mutou, two old comrades-in-arms, were chatting enthusiastically about old times over a pot of freshly brewed pre-Qingming Longjing tea.

Zhou Yanjin sat next to her grandfather.

He shifted to a more relaxed posture, leaning back comfortably in his chair, one long leg casually crossed.

The moonlight outlined his deep, three-dimensional features, half hidden in the shadows and half bathed in its gentle glow, making him appear even more handsome and aloof.

He held a cup of tea in his hand, the rising steam blurring the expression in his eyes.

He would occasionally echo his grandfather's words, his voice deep and his manners impeccable.

But his mind was clearly not on the tea or the nostalgic conversation.

His gaze would always drift uncontrollably toward the kitchen window not far away, which was lit by a dim yellow light.

A thin layer of condensation covered the windowpane.

A slender, busy figure was vaguely reflected on it.

They walked back and forth, bowing their heads and bending over.

Like a silent shadow puppet show.

He watched quietly.

In my mind, I kept replaying her every reaction during dinner.

The shock and panic that flashed across her eyes when he appeared.

When she served the tea, her fingertips trembled slightly, and her eyes deliberately avoided his gaze.

At the dinner table, she remained stiff and silent throughout, almost burying her head in her bowl.

That wasn't shyness or timidity.

It was a deep-seated resistance and fear, a desire to escape.

She was afraid of him.

Why?

Zhou Yanjin's fingertips unconsciously caressed the warm cup.

The answer seems self-evident.

He thought of the three children again.

Especially that child named Si'an.

That little face that looked so much like his childhood photo, those deep phoenix eyes that were exactly like his.

And then there was that "Mom," the sudden, strange throbbing in his heart when he uttered it.

Bloodline.

It's a very mysterious thing.

Even after six years and never having met, the pull from the depths of his genes remained so strong that he couldn't ignore it.

Six years ago, on that chaotic night, there was a girl crying and begging for mercy beneath him...

Zhou Yanjin's eyes gradually darkened, becoming unfathomable, like the midnight sea.

I don't know how much time passed.

The kitchen light was off.

The old wooden door creaked open and was gently pulled open from the inside.

Hua Yun walked out from inside with her head down.

She seemed to have composed herself, and there was nothing unusual about her face, but the paleness had not yet faded.

She probably wanted to go straight back to her room in the east wing, so she deliberately walked around the edge of the courtyard, her steps light and quick, trying her best to minimize her presence.

Like a small animal trying to sneak silently back to its den.

She thought no one would notice her.

However, just as she was about to cross the moonlit courtyard and step onto the corridor...

A clear, emotionless voice sounded behind her, neither too loud nor too soft.

"Miss Hua."

Three words.

Like three invisible nails, they instantly pinned Hua Yun to the spot.

Her steps came to an abrupt halt.

In an instant, his entire body stiffened like a stone sculpture.

The evening breeze blew by, lifting the hem of her faded skirt and bringing with it a suffocating chill.

All the sounds around seemed to have been muted at that moment.

The sound of Grandpa and Grandpa Hua chatting and laughing.

The chirping of unidentified insects in the distance.

The rustling sound of the wind blowing through the leaves.

They've all disappeared.

In her world, all that remained was her own heartbeat, growing louder and louder, almost leaping out of her throat.

He called out to her.

In the end, he called out to her.

What's meant to happen, can't be avoided.

Hua Yun gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, her nails digging deep into the fabric.

She used all her strength to restrain herself from turning and running away.

She didn't turn around.

She didn't dare to turn around.

She feared that if she turned around, her carefully maintained facade would completely crumble in his all-seeing eyes.

Time seemed to stretch out endlessly at that moment.

Every second was torture.

The two elderly people drinking tea in the courtyard seemed to sense the unusual atmosphere and stopped talking at the same time, looking over.

Hua Yun felt that the two questioning gazes, along with the probing gaze behind her, were like three mountains, pressing heavily on her back, making it hard for her to breathe.

She took a deep breath, her throat feeling like it was stuffed with sand, extremely dry.

Finally, she spoke, her voice hoarse and almost unlike her own.

"Mr. Zhou, is there anything I can help you with?"