Hard work after winning the lottery

Happy times are like sand slipping through your fingers; the tighter you grasp them, the faster they slip away.

The Zhou family, who originally only intended to stay a few more days, ended up staying for a whole week in Baixi Village, a place brimming with the warmth of everyday life.

During this week, the chairman of the Zhou Group learned how to feed sheep grass and how to roll up his trousers to his knees so as not to get splashed with mud.

During this week, the lady who always carried a glass of red wine learned how to use a traditional earthen stove to start a fire and how to identify which wild vegetables were the most tender.

But life is not a fairy tale, and the pull of reality always exists.

The secretary-general of the Zhou Group has been calling Zhou Yanjin's phone non-stop.

Separation became an unavoidable reality.

In preparation for the grand wedding three months later, and to bring this wonderful period to a temporary close, the Zhou family decided to return home the next day.

On the last night in Baixi Village, the night seemed exceptionally gentle.

The main room was brightly lit.

The children were fast asleep in their second-floor bedrooms, perhaps still dreaming of chasing after the butterfly they hadn't caught.

The adults sat around the octagonal table, which bore the marks of time.

On the table were several plates of leftover peanuts, and some aged liquor that Hua Mutou had specially brought out for the farewell.

Zhou Yinchuan sat at the head of the table, his pipe already extinguished, but he still habitually stroked its smooth surface.

The old man's gaze slowly swept over everyone present, finally settling on Zhou Yanjin and Hua Yun.

"Yan Jin, Yun Yatou."

An aged voice broke the silence of the night, carrying a unique solemnity.

Zhou Yanjin immediately sat up straight, her expression respectful.

Hua Yun also put down her teacup and looked at the kind old man with clear eyes.

Zhou Yinchuan looked at the perfect couple, and even the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to hide a smile.

"I've called you here because I have a few words to say to you."

He paused, his tone full of the expectations of an elder.

"The wedding is a major event for both our families, and for the entire surrounding area."

"You two don't need to worry about the wedding in City A."

The old man waved his hand, exuding an air of commanding authority.

"Your parents and I will handle everything in City A. Leave the invitations, venues, media, and security to us."

"The eldest grandson of the Zhou family is getting married, and it must be a grand and glorious affair, so that everyone knows that Yun'er is our Zhou family's lawfully wedded granddaughter-in-law!"

These words were resounding and seemed to reassure Hua Yun.

Hua Yun felt a warmth in her heart and was about to express her gratitude when Zhou Yinchuan changed the subject.

The old man's gaze softened, and when he looked at Hua Yun, it was filled with love and respect.

"But, Yun'er."

"The wedding in Baixi Village is what we commonly call the homecoming banquet or the continuous feast. You and your family will have to put in a lot of effort to arrange it."

Zhou Yinchuan has traveled all over the country in his life, and the word he understands best is respect.

He knew that the customs and sentiments here could not be simply built up with money.

"We will do it according to your local customs."

"There's no need to change anything just to accommodate the rules of the Zhou family."

"In City A, we follow the rules; here, we follow yours."

"If you need our cooperation in anything, whether it's money or effort, just let us know."

These words were spoken beautifully and were extremely heartwarming.

Hua Mutou listened from the side, puffing on his pipe, his eyes slightly red.

He was initially worried that his in-laws, being of such high social standing, might look down on the village's outdated and rustic rituals.

I never expected my old comrade to have thought of everything so thoroughly.

Hua Yun's nose tingled with emotion. She looked into Grandpa Zhou's wise eyes and nodded emphatically.

"Grandpa Zhou, don't worry."

Although her voice wasn't loud, it carried a strong sense of resilience.

"My parents and I are familiar with everything that happens in the village."

"My parents knew exactly which family knew how to butcher pigs, which family knew how to cook, and which family had the sturdiest tables and chairs."

"It will definitely be arranged properly, and it will not bring shame to either of our families."

"Silly child, what's there to be ashamed of?"

Lin Yi, who had been silent until now, suddenly reached out, crossed the corner of the table, and grabbed Hua Yun's hand.

That well-maintained hand tightly enveloped Hua Yun's slightly rough palm.

Lin Yi looked at her daughter-in-law, whom she both felt sorry for and proud of, her eyes filled with reluctance.

"Yunyun, the first thing Auntie will do when she gets back is to contact the designer I met in France."

"Mom will have the best of everything made for you: wedding dress, toast dress, and traditional Chinese wedding gown."

"Once the drawings are ready, I'll send them to you to choose from. If you don't like them, we'll revise them until you're satisfied."

At this point, Lin Yi seemed to remember something, and her tone became somewhat urgent.

"Also, don't just focus on work and village affairs."

"Look at you, you've gained a little weight these past few days, but you're still too thin."

"When you get back, eat on time and get plenty of rest so you can be the most beautiful bride."

This is no longer the aloof and wealthy socialite she once was; she's clearly a worried old mother whose daughter is about to get married.

Hua Yun felt the warmth from the back of her hand, tears welling up in her eyes, but she smiled and replied, "Auntie, I understand, I'll do whatever you say."

On the other side, the conversation between the two men sounded more composed and forceful.

Zhou Ye picked up his wine glass and clinked it against Zhou Yanjin's.

The crisp sound of the impact was particularly clear in the quiet main room.

"Yan Jin".

Zhou Ye took a sip of wine, the spicy liquid sliding down his throat, as if igniting a surge of heroic spirit within him.

"Go back and take care of the company's affairs."

"You have the talent and ability for this position, and Dad has never doubted that."

Zhou Yanjin listened quietly; this was a rare instance of her father's approval.

"But don't get involved in the wedding preparations. We old folks will handle it."

Zhou Ye looked at his son, his gaze becoming profound.

"Remember this: from today onwards, your status has changed."

"You are not just the current president of the Zhou Group, nor just that ruthless business elite."

"You are also Yunyun's husband and the father of three children."

"Work is for living, but life is more than just work."

"Family always comes first."

This is an insight that Zhou Ye gained after spending half his life and experiencing regrets.

He didn't want his son to repeat the same mistakes, didn't want him to miss out on his children's growth, and didn't want him to miss out on his wife's tenderness.

Zhou Yanjin's fingers tightened slightly as she held the wine glass.

Looking into his father's slightly moist eyes, he understood the heavy weight behind his words.

He turned to look at Hua Yun beside him, and met her gentle gaze.

At that moment, his heart had never been so resolute.

"Dad, I understand."

He tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.

Seeing this, Hua Mutou happily tapped his pipe on the sole of his shoe, making a "tap-tap" sound.

"Okay! Okay!"

The old man's face beamed with a smile.

He turned to look at his old comrade-in-arms Zhou Yinchuan, thumping his chest loudly.

"Old Zhou, since you've put it this way, we'll also make our stance clear!"

"You can go back now without worry!"

"We're here in the village!"

"Although our Hua family doesn't have much money, we still have good relationships in Baixi Village!"

"My old brothers, some slaughter pigs, some slaughter sheep."

"We guarantee this banquet will be a lively and successful event!"

"Let everyone in the surrounding villages know that Yunyun married into a good family, and let your in-laws see the warmth and hospitality of us country folk!"

Zhou Yinchuan laughed heartily and raised his glass: "Good! Old Hua, I've been waiting for you to say that!"

The two elderly men's glasses clinked together, splashing wine that reflected on their wrinkled, smiling faces.

night, deeper.

The lights in the main room remained warm, as if trying to stretch out this final moment of reunion indefinitely.

Li Guifen held Lin Yi's hand and talked on and on about traditional remedies for raising children. Lin Yi listened attentively and occasionally took out her phone to jot down notes.

Hua Shu, this honest and simple farmer, didn't know what to say. He just kept grabbing peanuts into the plate in front of Zhou Ye, muttering, "In-law, eat more. These are homegrown and delicious."

Zhou Ye didn't stand on ceremony, grabbing a few nuts and popping them into his mouth, chewing them with a crunchy sound, praising them as being better than imported nuts.

Hua Yun and Zhou Yanjin sat to the side, watching this harmonious scene, their hands tightly clasped under the table.

"Reluctant to part with it?"

Zhou Yanjin leaned close to her ear and whispered.

Hua Yun shook her head, then nodded.

"I can't bear to part with it."

Looking at the people she loved most in front of her, a happy smile curved her lips.

"Looking forward to the wedding in three months, looking forward to our future."

Zhou Yanjin gripped her hand even tighter, the warmth of his palm seeping through her skin and into her heart.

"Me too."