Hard work after winning the lottery

Everyone in the family seems to have found their place, working busily and fulfillingly for the sake of the family and those three little lives.

The most relaxed and happiest person in the family was undoubtedly Grandpa Hua Mutou.

Every afternoon, when the sun is no longer so scorching.

His favorite thing to do is to "snatch" a great-grandson from his grandmother, hold him in his arms, and sit on a small stool under the grape trellis in the yard.

Today, he was holding his second child, Sile, who loves to laugh the most.

The little one had just finished eating and wasn't crying or fussing. He opened his big, dark, bright eyes and curiously looked around at the world.

The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the gaps in the grape leaves, casting dappled light and shadow.

The rocking chair made a long, creaking sound, like the sound of time flowing by.

Grandpa Hua patted Sile's back gently with his calloused yet exceptionally soft hands.

He muttered to himself.

"That year, on the front lines, it was so cold that it could freeze your bones into ice blocks."

"Your great-grandfather broke off most of the last roasted potato and gave it to him..."

He was telling stories of war that only he and his old comrades-in-arms understood.

His audience was a little baby who could only grin and chuckle foolishly with his toothless mouth.

Sile seemed to understand something, and suddenly gave her great-grandfather a bright smile that could melt away all the ice in the world.

The old man was taken aback for a moment, then smiled, his wrinkles smoothing out into a warm chrysanthemum.

He lowered his head and gently rubbed his rough stubble against his great-grandson's delicate face.

"You little rascal, be a good soldier someday."

As summer draws to a close, the cicadas' chirping gradually fades, and the autumn wind brings the first hint of coolness.

Three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

The grapevines in the yard were laden with clusters of dark purple grapes, their sweet fragrance filling the entire courtyard.

Those three wrinkled, red little things have now grown up completely, as if by magic.

They've gained a lot of weight, looking like a fully inflated balloon, chubby and incredibly cute.

Her skin was as tender as a freshly peeled lychee, so delicate it seemed like it could be broken with a touch.

A pair of big, dark eyes were set in their faces, turning curiously as if they contained an entire starry sky.

Unfortunately, the uncle was unable to witness the growth of his three children, as he returned to school at a young age.

Before leaving home, Hua An's gaze remained fixed on the three little dumplings lined up on the living room floor mat, filled with reluctance.

"Sister, I'm leaving."

He walked over to Hua Yun, his voice muffled.

"Call home to let us know you're safe once you get to school," Hua Yun patted his shoulder, her eyes glistening with tears.

"understood."

Hua An squatted down, stretched out his fingers, and carefully poked each of his three nephews' cheeks.

"Si'an, Si'le, Si'tao, your uncle is going to school. Be good, and when your uncle comes back from his holiday, he will buy you lots and lots of fun toys."

The three little ones seemed to understand the farewell, and they all pouted.

Especially Sile, who loves to laugh the most, suddenly burst into tears with tears welling up in her eyes.

As if a switch had been flipped, Si'an and Si'tao also started crying loudly, and a trio of loud sobs suddenly filled the living room.

Hua An was instantly at a loss, his handsome face turning bright red.

"Oh dear, you three little rascals, are you reluctant to part with your uncle?"

He frantically tried to hug them, but didn't know which one to hug first.

Hua Yun looked at her younger brother's disheveled yet touched appearance and burst out laughing, but tears also welled up in her eyes.

After my younger brother left, the house suddenly seemed much quieter.

But this quiet atmosphere was soon completely broken by the growing energy of the three little ones.

They learned to roll over.

This new skill seemed to have opened the door to a new world for them.

Their big bed at home has become their personal playground.

Often, just as Grandma straightens the little guy who was lying on his back, he will suddenly flip over and start doing push-ups.

Sometimes, Hua Yun would only go to the kitchen to get a glass of water, and when she came back, the three little ones who were originally sleeping side by side in the middle of the bed would have rolled to the three corners of the bed, like three lost little turtles.

"Oh my little darlings! We can't put them on the same bed anymore, what if they fall off!"

Every time Li Guifen saw this scene, she was terrified.

So, Hua Shu and Grandpa Hua Mutou started working on it again, adding a high guardrail around the bed with wooden planks, which finally solved the safety hazard.

Of the three babies, the eldest, Hua Si'an, was the first to bring the adults peace of mind.

He inherited a certain calm temperament, rarely cried or made a fuss, and always quietly observed the world with his big eyes wide open.

At night, as long as he has had his fill of milk and is put in his crib, he can suck his little fists, hum a few times, and then fall asleep peacefully.

This made Hua Yun and Li Guifen, who were suffering from the torment of "waking up after landing," regard him as an angel baby.

The second child, Hua Sile, is the one who keeps the atmosphere lively in the family.

He began to utter some indistinct monosyllables.

"ah--"

"oh--"

"Eeya—"

Whenever Hua Yun holds him, he opens his smiling eyes and babbles to his mother, his little mouth opening and closing as if he is having a very important conversation.

Hua Yun was happy to cooperate with him.

"Oh? What does the baby want to tell Mommy?"

"Yes, Mommy knows. Baby drank a lot of milk today. You're a good baby."

"Isn't that right? Aren't you happy?"

Sile would then grin, revealing her toothless mouth and making a "hoho" sound, showing her pink gums, looking as happy as a little fool.

The third son, Hua Sitao, lived up to his "mischievous" name to the fullest.

His athletic talent was unmatched among the three children.

Turning things around was already a piece of cake for him.

Recently, he has become obsessed with a new sport – crawling.

He was lying on the bed, his little belly pushing against the surface, his two short, lotus-root-like legs kicking wildly behind him, his head held high, like a little frog trying to take flight.

Although he only moved a few centimeters in place each time, he enjoyed it immensely and often worked up a sweat and his face turned red.