Hard work after winning the lottery

The old man's enthusiasm for showing off his great-grandson lasted for several days and spread throughout almost his entire circle of old friends.

In stark contrast, the Zhou couple, far away in Paris, were completely unaware of this.

After ending the call with Hua Yun, Zhou Yanjin sat quietly on the sofa for a long time.

He swiped his finger across the screen, and there were the peaceful and beautiful profiles of the children sleeping soundly.

He suddenly realized that some things could not wait any longer.

Zhou Yanjin dialed the transoceanic phone number.

The phone rang three times before being answered. His mother, Lin Yi, spoke in a somewhat languid and elegant voice, with melodious classical music playing in the background.

"Yan Jin? It should be late at night in City A, right? Why aren't you resting yet?"

"Mom," Zhou Yanjin's voice was calm and composed, devoid of any emotion, "Is Dad with you?"

"Yes, I'm here with you at a preview of an art exhibition," Lin Yi said, her tone carrying a hint of poise characteristic of a wealthy woman. "Is there something urgent?"

Zhou Yanjin didn't beat around the bush. He took a deep breath and, in the calmest tone he had ever used, dropped a bombshell that was enough to shake the entire Zhou family.

"I'm getting married."

There was an instant, deathly silence on the other end of the phone.

Even the melodious classical music seemed to pause for a second.

A few seconds later, Lin Yi’s high-pitched, incredulous voice almost pierced Zhou Yanjin’s eardrums.

"What did you say?! Marriage?! To whom?! Which family's daughter? How come I didn't hear a word about this?"

A barrage of questions came at me like a machine gun.

Zhou Yanjin could even picture his mother's eyes widening as she suddenly stood up from the sofa.

"Yan Jin, don't scare your mother! This is not something to joke about!"

"I'm not joking."

Zhou Yanjin's gaze returned to the photo on her phone screen, and her voice unconsciously softened.

"Her name is Hua Yun. She's not from the socialite circle in City A. She's a very, very good girl."

"and……"

He paused, giving the other party some time to process the attack, and then threw out a second bomb, even more powerful.

"You and Dad have grandchildren. Three, triplets, they're five years old this year."

"..."

This time, there was a suffocating silence on the other end of the phone for more than ten seconds.

Then came a loud, clanging, and rattling noise, as if something had been overturned.

Immediately afterwards, his father Zhou Ye's panicked voice came through.

"Honey! Honey, how are you? Don't get so worked up!"

"Old Zhou! Pinch me! Am I dreaming? Am I hallucinating?!" Lin Yi's voice was choked with sobs, and she was so excited that she couldn't speak coherently.

"Three! Grandsons! My God! I suddenly have three grandsons!"

Zhou Yanjin moved her phone a little further away, but couldn't help but smile with a helpless yet warm expression.

"Honey, calm down and listen to the rest of the call!" Zhou Ye urged on the other end, but the ecstasy in his voice was equally undisguised.

The phone seemed to have been snatched away, and Lin Yi's voice, thick with a nasal tone, rang out again.

"Yan Jin! Is what you're saying true? Photos! Show me the photos!"

"Mom, please calm down."

"I can't calm down!" Lin Yi almost screamed. "I've waited all these years, I almost thought you were going to spend your life with the company! And then you suddenly gave me this huge surprise! No, it's a shock!"

She was rambling incoherently.

"No! Lao Zhou! Book the tickets! We need to go back to China right now!"

"Cancel all art exhibitions and fashion weeks! Is anything more important than seeing my grandson?!"

"Okay, okay, I'll order right away! Right away!" Zhou Ye agreed repeatedly, revealing his henpecked nature.

As Zhou Yanjin listened to the chaotic commotion on the other end of the phone, the smile in her eyes deepened.

He knew that Hua Yun and the children would receive the warmest welcome from his parents.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the smooth floor, Zhou Yanjin was already sitting at her desk.

At 9:00 AM sharp, all the core executives of the Zhou Group were summoned to the top-floor conference room.

Everyone speculated that something serious had happened in the company, which was why the president was making such a serious show of force.

Zhou Yanjin sat in the main seat, her slender fingers tapping lightly on the table, making a rhythmic "tap, tap" sound.

Each sound seemed to strike the hearts of everyone present.

He looked around, his deep gaze sweeping over every tense face.

"Starting today, the group's operating model needs to be adjusted."

His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.

Everyone felt a chill and pricked up their ears.

"I will delegate some decision-making authority."

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur of gasps filled the conference room.

Decentralize decision-making power?

This was simply a pipe dream for Zhou Yanjin, who was a hands-on and extremely controlling person!

"For projects in the Marketing Department that are rated A or below, the Director will approve them directly; there is no need to report them to me."

"For projects in the Technology R&D Department with a budget of less than 50 million, the decision is made by the department's internal review committee. I only look at the final result."

"Overseas Business Division..."

He announced each point clearly and decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

This is not just about granting authority, but a well-thought-out restructuring of the power structure.

He is forcibly carving out personal time for himself from this vast business empire.

He needs freedom.

He needs to be able to leave at any time and return to Baixi Village, back to that little courtyard.

After the meeting ended, the executives left the conference room with unsteady steps, filled with doubt and speculation.

Zhou Yanjin called out to his personal assistant, Chen Xu.

"Chen Xu, come in for a moment."

Chen Xu pushed open the door and entered, standing respectfully in front of the desk.

"President Zhou."

Zhou Yanjin didn't look up; his gaze was fixed on the phone screen.

That was a photo Hua Yun sent late last night. It showed the triplets in the yard, surrounding a newborn lamb and curiously poking at its snow-white fur.

Just looking at him, his sharp eyebrows and eyes softened unconsciously, as if covered with a layer of warm light.

"Let's go check out the Yunxi Mountain Residence and Jingyuan villa areas in City A."

Chen Xu was taken aback for a moment. These were the two most prestigious wealthy districts in City A, but he immediately regained his professional composure.

"Okay, Mr. Zhou, what are your specific requirements?"

Zhou Yanjin raised his head. This time, his eyes no longer held the sharpness he had when facing work, but rather a warm and meticulous consideration.

"The environment must be quiet, the landscaping must be lush, and the security system must be world-class."

"The most important thing," he emphasized, "is to have a large enough garden that faces south and gets plenty of sunlight."

A picture had already formed in his mind.

"It should allow children to run freely, have a sturdy swing that can fit them, and ideally, have a small sandpit nearby."

"Inside the villa, there need to be three children's rooms with good layout, lighting, and ventilation. In addition, there should be a separate playroom and two study rooms that can accommodate a full wall of bookshelves."

These are all prepared for Si'an, Si'le, and Si'tao.

"Keep another large south-facing bedroom with a terrace, so you can see the stars at night."

Chen Xu lowered his head and wrote down all the requirements one by one, but his heart was already in turmoil.

"In addition," Zhou Yanjin added, "look into the best international schools and kindergartens in the area, and compile a list of information for me."

"Also, the drive from the villa to the company cannot exceed half an hour."

He did not intend to forcibly separate Hua Yun and the children from their familiar environment, but rather to build a warm and loving nest in advance.

Then he will wait patiently.

Once she's ready, she'll have a house where she and her children can move in anytime.

"Go ahead and do it," Zhou Yanjin waved his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Zhou."

Chen Xu left and gently closed the door behind him.

Silence returned to the office.

Zhou Yanjin slowly stood up and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.

At this moment, his heart had already soared over thousands of mountains and rivers.

It flew back to the Hua family's courtyard, where wisps of smoke rose from chimneys, streams babbled, grapevines grew in abundance, and laughter filled the air.