Hard work after winning the lottery

"Ah!" Hua Yun exclaimed in surprise.

Zhou Yanjin reacted extremely quickly, grabbing a thicker branch next to her with her other hand in a flash, and steadied herself.

But his left palm had been badly cut by the rough bark and sharp broken branches, leaving a long gash.

He groaned, but didn't bother to look.

After regaining his balance, he reached out again, grabbed the kite, and pulled hard.

The blue eagle finally broke free and floated down gently.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief and slowly slid down the tree trunk.

"Got it."

He landed steadily, handed the kite to Si'an, and had a relaxed smile on his face.

But Si'an's gaze was fixed on his outstretched left hand.

The wound was deep and long, with the flesh torn open, and bright red blood was seeping out one drop at a time, a shocking sight.

Si'an's face instantly tensed up.

He did not go to retrieve the kite that had been lost and then found.

Instead, she took a small step forward, reached out her little hand, and carefully tugged at Zhou Yanjin's sleeve.

The force was very light, like a feather landing on my body.

Zhou Yanjin's heart felt as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

He looked down at his son.

Si'an looked up, her large, dark eyes brimming with tears, her voice trembling slightly as she whispered:

"...Does it hurt?"

These two words, like a thunderclap, exploded in Zhou Yanjin's mind.

All sounds—the sound of the wind, the rustling of grass, the laughter of my younger siblings in the distance—vanished at that moment.

In his world, all that remained were his son's worried eyes and that weak, tearful question.

He felt his heart being tightly gripped by a warm little hand, and a mixture of bittersweet emotions and ecstasy instantly swept over his entire chest.

Zhou Yanjin slowly squatted down so that she could look her son in the eye.

He looked into Si'an's eyes, shook his head solemnly, and his voice was terribly hoarse.

"It doesn't hurt."

He tried to make his smile look more genuine.

"Helping An'an get the kite back didn't hurt at all."

Si'an just looked at him, at the blood in his palm, and at his gentle yet firm eyes.

For a long, long time.

It was as if they had made some extremely important decision.

Si'an's lips moved slightly.

He called out softly, in a voice so soft it was almost audible, so soft it could be carried away by the wind, a voice only the two of them could hear:

"……dad."

That one word, "Dad," was like heavenly music, instantly shattering all of Zhou Yanjin's defenses.

He felt his eyes burning hot in an instant, and his vision blurred.

This upright and indomitable man, the ruthless and decisive CEO of the Zhou Group, almost crumbled at this moment because of his son's innocent call.

He suppressed his surging emotions, his Adam's apple bobbed violently, and from deep within his throat he uttered a heavy, nasal syllable.

"Um."

The next second, he stretched out his uninjured arm and pulled Si'an's small body into his arms tightly.

The little body in his arms stiffened for a moment, then reached out its little hands and hugged his neck.

Sunlight fell on the backs of the father and son as they embraced, casting long shadows.

Hua Yun, who was standing not far away, was already in tears as she watched this scene.

The wind dried the tear stains on her cheeks, but it couldn't dry the bitterness of the past five years in her eyes, and the warmth that was breaking through the ice at this moment.

She raised her hand and covered her mouth to stop herself from sobbing.

She thought that perhaps, it wasn't too late for everything.

For Si'an and Si'le, Si'an's acceptance was like opening the floodgates of happiness.

The two little ones already had a strong liking for Zhou Yanjin, who was tall, handsome, knew how to buy toys, and could tell stories.

Their brother's approval was their last and only concern.

Now, that concern has vanished.

The next morning, when Zhou Yanjin was repairing the swing in the yard, Si Tao rushed over like a small cannonball and grabbed his leg.

"Daddy! Daddy! I want to play on the swing!"

The voice was crisp and loud, as sweet as honey.

Zhou Yanjin's hand, which was tightening the screws, suddenly stopped.

He looked down at his son, who was standing at his feet with his little face upturned and his eyes sparkling, and his heart was struck hard in the softest part.

He put down the wrench, picked up Sitao, and lifted him high above his head.

"Okay, Dad will build you the sturdiest swing that can swing all the way up to the sky."

Sile also ran out of the house, holding a new dinosaur picture book in her hand, and handed it to him with an expectant look on her face.

"Dad, is this...is this a Tyrannosaurus Rex?"

Zhou Yanjin's heart was filled to the brim by the two children's repeated calls of "Dad." The emptiness and regret left over from the past five years seemed to be healed by the sweet children's voices.

This family has also begun to undergo subtle yet profound changes.

Zhou Yanjin was no longer a guest who needed to be treated with extreme care.

He became part of the family.

A true family, intertwined with the mundane details of daily life, from dawn till dusk.

In the early morning, he no longer just peels eggs for the children.

He would follow Hua Shu, roll up the sleeves of his expensive shirt, and walk into the sheepfold filled with the scent of grass and earth.

Hua Shu was initially hesitant and didn't want him to do any rough work.

"You're a big boss from the city, how would you know how to do this?"

Zhou Yanjin didn't argue, but silently picked up the feed pitcher and, imitating Hua Shu, added the mixed feed into the trough one pitcher at a time.

His movements went from clumsy to skillful, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, clinging to his well-defined profile.

Under the sunlight, the hands that usually sign contracts worth hundreds of millions are now firmly gripping farm tools.

Hua Shu looked at him, saying nothing, but the wariness and scrutiny in her eyes faded day by day.

In the afternoon, under the old locust tree in the courtyard.

Hua Mutou set up the chessboard.

Zhou Yanjin would then move a small stool, sit opposite the old man, and play a game of cards with him.

Hua Mutou's chess style is just like his personality: bold and expansive, with the fierce courage of a soldier.

Zhou Yanjin's chess strategy, on the other hand, is meticulous, steady, and methodical, leaving no room for error.

The old man and the young man often fought fiercely on the chessboard.

"You little rascal, you're too cunning!" Hua Mutou said, blowing his beard and glaring as he took back his move.

Zhou Yanjin just smiled, not exposing him, and silently put the chess piece back, letting him make another move.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows that fell on the chessboard and on the focused faces of the two players.

Evening, in the kitchen.

Grandma Hua and Li Guifen are preparing dinner.

Zhou Yanjin would walk in, naturally take the vegetable basket, sit on the small stool, and help pick the vegetables.

His long, slender fingers, with distinct knuckles, were deftly pinching off both ends of the green beans.