Hard work after winning the lottery

But as she passed a camera, she seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up.

It was in that instant.

Zhou Yanjin could see her face clearly.

What a face it was!

It was completely bloodless, as pale as paper.

His eyes were red and swollen, as if he had just been crying.

There was no smugness in his eyes, no shrewdness in his calculated success.

Only overwhelming...

terror, shame, and despair.

It was as if she hadn't escaped from a romantic encounter, but rather miraculously survived a death sentence in hell.

She was so flustered that she tripped over the threshold when she went out and fell forward in a disheveled state.

His knees slammed heavily onto the cold cement floor.

Even through the screen, Zhou Yanjin could almost hear that dull, painful thud.

But she gritted her teeth, quickly got up, and rushed into the faint light of dawn without looking back.

Like a fugitive being hunted by the whole world.

This concludes the video.

Zhou Yanjin's brows furrowed tightly into a deep frown.

This demeanor doesn't resemble that of a seasoned strategist at all.

instead……

More like a fool who played with fire and got burned, then became terrified.

But why did she run away?

Guilty?

Or... am I afraid he'll pursue the matter?

Whatever the reason, this woman successfully piqued his complete interest.

He wanted to see where she could run to.

"President Zhou?"

On the other end of the line, Ying Zhiyao tentatively inquired.

Zhou Yanjin's thoughts were interrupted. He turned off the video, and his eyes returned to their usual deep expression.

"Pass down the order: this matter is closed. No further investigation is permitted."

"……yes."

Although Yao was puzzled, he did not ask any further questions.

Before hanging up the phone, Zhou Yanjin added one more sentence, her voice low and commanding.

"Keep an eye on her movements in private."

Report any clues to me immediately.

He needed to know what secret this seemingly harmless little rabbit was hiding.

……

Three days later, in Baixi Village, Hangzhou.

A dilapidated green minibus came to an abrupt stop on a dusty country road.

"We've arrived at Baixi Village. Those getting off, hurry up!"

The driver shouted at the top of his lungs.

Hua Yun dragged her suitcase and staggered as she got off the bus.

A rush of air, carrying the scent of earth and grass, instantly filled my nostrils.

The familiar yet unfamiliar taste brought tears to her eyes.

She's back.

She returned to the small mountain village where she was born and raised.

In the distance are rolling green hills, and nearby are golden rice paddies.

The noisy chirping of cicadas and the shouts of villagers intertwine to create a simple and rustic symphony.

There are no towering skyscrapers here, no cold steel forests, and no man she loves to the core, yet fears to the very bone.

Hua Yun took a deep breath, pulled her suitcase, and walked along the path she remembered towards home.

Before I even reached my front door, I saw a familiar figure bending over and busy at work by the fence in my yard.

"mom!"

Hua Yun's voice carried a barely perceptible sob.

Li Guifen, who was weeding in the vegetable garden, suddenly sat up when she heard the sound. When she saw her daughter, her expression first turned to surprise and doubt.

"Yunyun? You silly child, why did you just come back like that? You didn't even call ahead!"

Li Guifen strode forward, brushing the dirt off her hands as she looked her daughter up and down.

With just one glance, her heart clenched.

Thin.

How did you get so thin after only a year away?

His cheeks were sunken, his complexion was sallow, and there were dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well for several days.

"What's wrong? Did you get upset at work? Or were you bullied?"

Li Guifen asked a barrage of questions, her tone filled with barely concealed worry.

"No, Mom, I'm just... I'm too tired from work and want to go home and rest for a few days."

Hua Yun forced a smile, not wanting her family to worry.

"Come back when you're tired, it's good to be back!"

An old but gentle voice came from the inner room. Then, Grandma, leaning on a cane, slowly walked out with the help of Dad Huashu.

Hua Shu was an honest and simple farmer, not good with words. When he saw his daughter, he just smiled kindly, silently stepped forward, and took the heavy suitcase from her hands.

"It's good to be back. Come inside, dinner will be ready soon."

"grandmother!"

The moment Hua Yun saw her grandmother, all the strength she had been holding onto for the past few days crumbled instantly.

She rushed over and, just like when she was a child, buried her head in her grandmother's arms, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh dear, my darling granddaughter, what's wrong?"

Grandma's wrinkled hands gently patted Huayun's back, as if comforting a wounded kitten.

"Why are you crying? Who upset Yunyun? Tell Grandma, and Grandma will get revenge for you!"

"No...no one bullied me...I just missed you..."

Hua Yun wept uncontrollably.

Grandma sighed, her cloudy yet still wise eyes seeming to see through everything.

She stopped asking questions and simply stroked her granddaughter's hair again and again with her rough yet warm hands.

"Silly child."

"Big cities outside are not easy to stay in."

"If we get tired, we won't stay any longer."

"Come home, huh? Our family may be poor, but we can still afford to feed you."

"Grandma will take care of you."

A simple sentence, yet like a warm torrent, instantly broke down the last line of defense in Hua Yun's heart.

Yes.

She still has a home.

No matter how much she suffered or how many storms she weathered outside.

As long as she returns here, she will always have a safe haven.

The long-lost aroma of food wafted from the kitchen.

In the yard, her father was quietly wiping the dust off her suitcase.

In her arms, I felt my grandmother's warmest body temperature.

Hua Yun's crying gradually subsided.

She looked up at the concerned faces of her family members, and the panic and despair in her heart seemed to be blown away by the mountain breeze.

Everything in City A, everything about Zhou Yanjin, felt like a distant and absurd nightmare.

That heart-wrenching cry seemed to have released all the grievances and tears that Hua Yun had accumulated for so long.

After crying, it seemed as if a corner of the boulder blocking my heart had been lifted, allowing a faint glimmer of light to shine through.

Everything in City A, everything about Zhou Yanjin, felt like a distant and absurd nightmare.

Now, it's time to wake up from the dream.