Hard work after winning the lottery

The path from the village entrance to the doorstep is not long.

Every bluestone slab and every corner fence is so familiar that it brings tears to my eyes.

But at this moment, Hua'an had no heart to feel this long-lost homesickness.

The anger that had been building up on the train for a day and a night did not die down when they got home; on the contrary, it burned even more intensely as they got closer to the "truth."

He stood at the door and heard the cheerful laughter coming from the courtyard.

That was the long-lost sound of home.

There were the cheerful sounds of children playing, the chattering of mothers and grandmothers, and the dull thud of fathers banging on farm tools.

This scene should have been the heartwarming picture he had been dreaming of.

But now, to his ears, it sounded like a cruel mockery.

They were laughing.

They are celebrating.

Only he was kept in the dark, like a fool.

"Bang--!"

Without any hesitation, Hua An raised his hand and, with all his might, pushed open the half-closed courtyard gate.

The door hinges let out a groan of unbearable strain, which sounded particularly jarring in the quiet afternoon.

The door slammed heavily against the wall, sending up a cloud of dust.

The loud bang, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, abruptly cut off all other sounds in the courtyard.

Time seemed to have been paused at that moment.

The air, which had been filled with warm sunshine and laughter, suddenly froze.

Under the locust tree, dappled sunlight and shadows still flickered slightly.

Hua Yun was bending over, holding a small ball in her hand. The gentle smile on her face hadn't even faded before it froze on her lips.

Beside her, three little dumplings, Sitao, Sile, and Si'an, were laughing together, with Sitao's little hand still tugging at Huayun's clothes.

Not far away, at a low table, Grandma was pinching a handful of tender green vegetables with her wrinkled hands, the dew on the leaves glistening in the sunlight.

The mother, Li Guifen, froze in mid-air, her mouth slightly agape, her eyes filled with astonishment.

Under the eaves, Grandpa Hua was tapping the ash from his pipe on the sole of his shoe.

Father Hua Shu held a hammer in his hand, with a half-finished hoe in front of him. The hammer hung in mid-air, not falling for a long time.

In that instant, everyone's eyes turned to the uninvited guest at the door.

Hua An stood there at the door, backlit.

His windbreaker was covered in dust and wrinkles.

His hair was a mess, like a bird's nest, with a few strands stuck to his forehead by sweat.

Those bloodshot eyes were fixed on the people in the courtyard, and his chest heaved violently with each heavy breath.

The oppressive feeling that hit us made the temperature in the courtyard seem to drop a few degrees.

Hua Yun was the first to react.

She stared at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure at the door, her pupils suddenly contracting.

Hua Yun's heart skipped a beat.

She put down the small ball in her hand, hurriedly wiped her hands, and tried to force a natural smile, only to find that her facial muscles were extremely stiff.

"Xiao...Xiao An?"

She stood up in surprise and took two steps forward, but was forced to stop by the cold aura emanating from Hua An.

"Why did you suddenly come back? You didn't even tell the family beforehand so that Dad could pick you up."

He didn't answer his sister's question, nor did he even glance at her.

Those sharp, knife-like eyes passed over Hua Yun's shoulder and began to scan the courtyard frantically.

He's looking for someone.

He's looking for the culprit.

He was looking for the so-called "President of the Zhou Group" who had his sister completely infatuated with him.

His gaze was like a high-precision radar, sweeping across every corner.

No.

Apart from their own family members, there was no one in the courtyard who was that well-dressed, respectable man.

There was no such cold, indifferent face as seen in news photos.

This did not quell Hua An's anger; instead, it made him even more agitated.

It was like punching cotton; the unreleased energy was trapped in his chest, almost making him explode.

Did that man know he was coming back, so he ran away beforehand?

Or perhaps the man simply disdained staying in this remote, impoverished place, and only wanted to enjoy himself in the city afterward?

His face grew increasingly pale, and his already bloodshot eyes became frighteningly red.

"What about that guy surnamed Zhou?"

Hua An finally spoke.

His voice was hoarse and rough, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.

"Hide? Or did they run away a long time ago?"

He took a step forward, and the heavy sound of his footsteps seemed to pound on everyone's hearts.

"Didn't you say you were getting married? Didn't you say you were some big CEO? What's wrong? You don't even dare to show your face?"

A barrage of questions, each word sharp and venomous, showed no mercy.

The atmosphere in the courtyard instantly plummeted to freezing point.

The triplets, who were playing around, were terrified by their uncle, who suddenly turned into a fierce-looking man.

In their memories, although their uncle was always busy, he would always make them laugh and tease them during video calls, and he would also buy them toys.

That gentle uncle and this monster in front of me, who looks like he's about to eat people, are not the same person at all.

Sile was the most timid. She was about to burst into tears, so she quickly hid behind Huayun with her short legs, only daring to peek out half of her little head and look at Huaan timidly.

Si Tao dropped the toy in her hand, her little mouth trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes, but she dared not make a sound.

Even the usually composed Si'an's face tightened at this moment, looking at this unfamiliar uncle with a helpless expression, her little hands clenched into fists.

The children's fear was like a bucket of cold water poured over Hua An's heart.

His heart suddenly ached.

Those were his nephews, his precious nephews whom he had sworn to protect.

But now, he has become the source of their fear.

"Xiao An! What nonsense are you spouting!"

A loud shout interrupted Hua An's reverie.

Hua Shu, who had been silent all along, finally couldn't hold back any longer.

He slammed the hammer in his hand heavily onto the ground, making a crisp "clang".

Hua Shu was an honest and simple farmer who never argued with anyone in his life.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't have a temper.

In his view, this is a joyous occasion for the family, and his future son-in-law's family is very kind and respectful to them.

This brat went crazy as soon as he came back; he's a disgrace to the Hua family!

Hua Shu, his face dark, strode to the middle of the courtyard, pointed at Hua An's nose, and cursed:

"How dare you talk like that? That's your brother-in-law! What kind of 'Zhou' or 'Li' are you? Have you wasted your education? You have no manners at all!"

"He came back yelling and screaming, scaring your grandma and mom. Look what he's done to your nephew!"

The father's reprimand had no deterrent effect.

Instead, it was like pouring a bucket of oil on Hua An's already raging anger.

Brother-in-law?

It's my brother-in-law again!

This is still far from over, and you're already calling him brother-in-law?

It's only been a few days? And he's already been bribed by that rich guy?

Did Zhou Yanjin give the family some kind of benefit?

A hint of sorrow flashed in Hua An's eyes, followed by a deeper anger.

He acted as if he hadn't heard his father's scolding, completely ignoring the honest man whose finger was trembling as he held up his hand.

He turned his head abruptly and walked a few steps to Hua Yun.

His bloodshot eyes were fixed on the older sister who had raised him since he was a child.

"sister!"