Hard work after winning the lottery

The moment the vehicle entered City A, he transformed back into the decisive and ruthless president of the Zhou Group.

Back in his top-floor office, the familiar cool decor and the towering skyscrapers outside the window signaled his return to his own battlefield.

It should be known that Yao, along with a group of senior executives, was already waiting outside the office.

"President Zhou."

Zhou Yanjin nodded slightly, unbuttoned his suit jacket, and strode towards the desk that symbolized absolute power.

"The meeting will begin in twenty minutes. Bring all the important documents that have been piling up for the past two weeks to the meeting room."

His voice regained its usual coldness and authority, without a trace of the warmth he had shown in the Hua family.

"Yes, Mr. Zhou."

One high-intensity meeting after another, one urgent document after another requiring his personal approval, almost instantly devoured all of his time.

Although the Zhou family sailed smoothly during the two weeks he was away, a mountain of important decisions piled up.

He was like a wound-up top, spinning at high speed, precise and efficient.

However, everyone keenly noticed something different about the president.

For example, during breaks in meetings, he would unconsciously stroke his phone, his eyes drifting to the upper right corner of the screen.

There, the time is displayed.

He would end all meetings promptly at 5 p.m., regardless of whether the topics had been discussed.

"We'll talk about the rest tomorrow."

After saying that, he picked up his suit jacket and left the conference room amidst the astonished gazes of everyone.

He is no longer the workaholic who dedicates all his time to work as he used to be.

His life was clearly divided in two by a precise point in time.

8 PM.

This is a time that belongs to Baixi Village, to Huayun and the children.

At 7:55, Zhou Yanjin finished processing the last document and pushed open the bedroom door.

He changed out of his sharp suit and into a soft, comfortable loungewear set.

His sharp aura softened instantly.

He sat on the sofa, propped his phone on a stand, and adjusted the angle, as if waiting for a crucial video conference.

The second hand ticked away.

The video call request was sent precisely at the exact moment the screen displayed 20:00.

It was answered almost instantly.

The screen lit up, first showing the shaking ceiling, and then three furry little heads squeezed in, like three baby birds crying for food.

"dad!"

Three soft, sweet children's voices rushed through the electricity, instantly striking the softest spot in Zhou Yanjin's heart.

The frost in his eyes melted completely at that moment, turning into a pool of gentle spring water.

"Dad's here."

He responded softly, a smile unconsciously playing on his lips.

"Si'an, Si'le, Si'tao, were you good today?"

"Good girl!" Sisi answered eagerly, her little voice exceptionally loud, "I received a little red flower as a reward from my teacher at kindergarten today!"

"Sitao's a good girl!" Sitao held up a robot she had just assembled. "Daddy, look! Optimus Prime!"

Zhou Yanjin looked at the menacing robot on the screen and praised it lavishly without reservation.

"Wow, that's so cool! It's even better than what Dad saw last time! Sitao is such a little genius!"

Si Tao blushed with pride after being praised, and proudly puffed out her little chest.

Zhou Yanjin's gaze finally fell on her eldest son, who was the most composed.

"Where's Si'an? Show her math homework to her dad today."

Si'an sensibly made way for the camera and neatly placed her workbook in front of the lens.

Zhou Yanjin's gaze immediately became focused and serious.

He looked at each question one by one through the screen.

"Yes, the solution to this problem is very clear."

"This word problem is well-formed and the calculation is correct. Excellent."

"Wait a minute, this question..." He frowned slightly, "Would it be easier to draw the auxiliary lines here from a different angle?"

He didn't directly say whether it was right or wrong, but instead guided the conversation patiently.

Si'an looked at her father's enlarged, handsome face on the screen, listened attentively, her little brows furrowing as she began to think.

Hua Yun sat to the side, quietly watching this scene.

Watching Zhou Yanjin patiently and meticulously working on a math problem for a seven-year-old child, it was quite a sight.

Her heart was filled with a warm emotion.

After checking the homework, it was time for Sile's story time again.

The little one hugged a plush doll and vividly recounted the exciting things that happened at kindergarten: who argued with whom, who got a new hair clip, his story was incoherent but full of childlike charm.

Zhou Yanjin listened with great interest, occasionally letting out a gasp of surprise, making him the most qualified listener in the world.

Finally, it was time for SiTao's results showcase.

The little guy brought out all his toys and showed them to his dad one by one.

Zhou Yanjin also gave him a lot of face, praising and affirming him to the highest degree.

At nine o'clock sharp, it was time for the children to go to bed.

"Alright, my darlings, it's time to wash up and go to bed," Hua Yun gently urged.

The three little ones were clearly still enjoying themselves, clinging to their phones reluctantly.

Goodnight, Dad!

"Dad, you should go to bed early!"

"Dad, I'll show you the new robot tomorrow!"

Zhou Yanjin responded gently to each one.

Goodnight, Si'an.

Goodnight, Sile.

Goodnight, Sitao, Dad is waiting for your new work.

Only after Hua Yun had lured all the children away did she finally appear alone in the shot.

She sat cross-legged on a small stool, her hair casually tied up, revealing a section of her fair and slender neck, with the familiar Hua family courtyard in the background.

Zhou Yanjin looked at her with tender eyes.

"Are you tired?" he asked.

Hua Yun shook her head, a faint smile spreading across her lips.

"Not tired, I'm used to it."

The two didn't talk about anything earth-shattering; they just chatted about their daily lives like any ordinary couple.

"Our online store received several large orders today."

"DunDun from Aunt Li's family insisted on coming to play with SiTao today, and ended up taking apart SiTao's robot. The two little ones cried for a long time."

"The pasture grass over there in the west is growing very well. In a while, the sheep will be able to eat it."

Zhou Yanjin listened quietly as she recounted these trivial, everyday matters.

But it made him feel a sense of peace he had never felt before.

"And you?" Hua Yun asked. "Are you busy today?"

"It's alright," Zhou Yanjin said casually. "Just some backlogged work."

He didn't tell her that he had pushed himself to the limit in order to free up his evenings.

He just wanted her to see his most relaxed side.

"Get some rest early, don't overwork yourself," Hua Yun advised, a hint of concern in her eyes.

"Yes." Zhou Yanjin nodded. "You too."

The two gazed at each other silently for a while, a thousand words unspoken in their unspoken exchange.

Finally, Zhou Yanjin whispered a sentence.

"Good night."

"Good night."

The video call ended, and silence returned to the bedroom.

Zhou Yanjin leaned back on the sofa, closed her eyes, but a smile that had not yet faded remained on her lips.

The air seemed to still carry the soft, sweet voices of children and her gentle admonitions.

This feeling of being cared for and needed filled the last void in his heart.

Meanwhile, on the other side, at the Zhou family's old residence.

Since returning, Grandpa Zhou Yinchuan has been going to the park every morning with his cane to play chess and drink tea with his old comrades and friends.

"Old Zhou, you've been in the countryside for quite a while now. You look pretty good," joked Old Li, a chess player.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yinchuan immediately slammed his cane on the ground, glared, and spoke with great force.

"What do you mean by 'countryside'? That's called a paradise! What do you know!"

"The mountains there are green! The water there is sweet! The air there, just one breath can add two years to your life!"

He slapped his thigh, his face beaming with undisguised pride and smugness.

"Let me tell you, that's not the most important thing!"

He lowered his voice and leaned closer mysteriously.

"I've found my great-grandchildren! Three! Triplets!"

"Whoa!"

The surrounding old men were all surprised and gathered around.

"Really?"

"You old codger, when did you secretly pull off this big thing?"

Zhou Yinchuan stood up straight, his face beaming with pride.

"Look at this photo. This is my great-grandson, Si'an. He's as composed as a little adult. Even at such a young age, he plays chess with such skill!"

"My second great-grandson, named Sile, is clever and mischievous, with a sweet tongue that's as sweet as honey. He calls me 'Great-Grandpa' all the time, it melts my heart!"

"And then there's my great-grandson, Sitao, the third child. He's got amazing hands-on skills! The robots he assembled are more complex than those sold in stores!"

He counted on his fingers, recounting his three children with great pride, his eyes shining as he spoke, making the group of old friends who hadn't yet held their great-grandchildren green with envy.

Talking isn't enough.

The old man also makes sure to video call the three little ones almost every day at the right time.

He just loves watching children run and jump around.

When he heard "Great-Grandpa" coming from the other end of the screen, the old man's wrinkles could be turned into a chrysanthemum with a smile.

"Oh, my dear great-grandchildren!"

"Have you missed your great-grandfather?"

"Great-Grandpa sent you some fun things; they should arrive tomorrow!"

He smiled broadly at the screen, as if this could slightly alleviate the deep-seated pain of longing.