Hard work after winning the lottery

The night, like an overturned inkstone, thickly blanketed the entire valley.

Every household in Baixi Village was lit up with warm orange lights, like scattered gold dust on black velvet.

After dinner, no one left the Hua family's courtyard.

Li Guifen efficiently cleared away the dishes, while Hua Shu squatted at the gate of the courtyard, puffing on his pipe, his eyes occasionally glancing into the house.

Old Master Hua Mutou.

He sat upright at the eight-immortal table in the center of the main room.

On the table was a landline phone.

That was the home phone, which was rarely used.

The old man had changed into a clean and neat Zhongshan suit, and his gray hair had been carefully combed with water.

He took a deep breath, and his weathered hands, trembling slightly, reached for the phone.

His knuckles, thickened from years of farm work, appeared unusually solemn, even reverent, as he turned the old number dial.

"Clunk...tap...clunk...tap..."

The mechanical sound of the telephone, amplified infinitely in the silent main room, struck a chord in everyone's heart.

One, two... eleven.

After dialing the number, the old man unconsciously tightened his grip on the receiver, and a thin layer of sweat had already seeped into his palm.

"Beep...beep...beep..."

The long, rhythmic busy tone was like the resounding beat of a war drum.

Hua Mutou's heart also jumped up and down.

Suddenly, there was a "click".

The call went through.

Before Hua Mutou could speak, a loud, clear voice burst out from the receiver.

"Feed?! Who is it?!"

It was that familiar tone, with a touch of unreasonable domineering.

Hua Mutou's tense nerves relaxed instantly.

His serious face suddenly relaxed, revealing a genuine smile.

"Me! Your Grandpa Hua!"

The old man roared back with a strong voice, his tone filled with the joy of a long-awaited reunion.

The person on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback for a moment, then burst into an extremely hearty laugh.

"Hahaha! You blockhead! I thought you were some clueless brat!"

Even through the electric current, Zhou Yinchuan's voice still made people's ears ring.

"What's this, you old codger, finally remembered me? Are you out of food at home and trying to beg me for some?"

"Get lost!"

Hua Mutou chuckled and cursed, but his heart was warmed.

"I'm living a great life! You think I'm still like you, getting on in years and having to live at the mercy of my grandchildren?"

"Hey! You old codger, looking for trouble, huh?"

Zhou Yinchuan, on the other end of the line, puffed out his beard and glared, "My grandson is so filial! He even got me the best abalone the other day!"

"abalone?"

Hua Mutou curled his lip, his tone full of smugness that I looked down on.

"What's so great about that stuff? Can it compare to the aroma of a whole roasted lamb made by my granddaughter?"

The two elderly people, whose combined age is nearly 150, were like two bickering children, "comparing" each other back and forth over the telephone line.

From physical health to the filial piety of their children and grandchildren, no one wants to be outdone.

Hua Shu in the yard, hearing the commotion inside the house, smiled憨厚ly, tapped his pipe on the sole of his shoe, his eyes full of warmth.

After a lively and engaging banter, Hua Mutou cleared his throat and steered the conversation back on track.

"Old Zhou, I'm not going to waste time with your nonsense, I'm going to get serious."

"explain!"

"Do you remember the Baixi River in our village that I mentioned to you?"

"I remember you said that river is crystal clear during the dry season, but becomes as muddy as the Yellow River during the rainy season?"

"That was before!"

Hua Mutou immediately retorted, raising his voice several notches.

"Things are different now! Now we call it Baixi Lake! The water is so clear it's like a mirror, you can see your reflection in it! Every weekend, people from the city drive here to fish!"

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Yinchuan said "Oh?", seemingly showing some interest.

Hua Mutou was encouraged and became even more enthusiastic.

It was as if he wanted to pack up all the beauty he saw before him and send it over through that thin telephone line.

"And the roads in our village have all been paved with cement. At night, with the streetlights on, it's as bright as day!"

"Several guesthouses have opened in the village, the kind you city people talk about—clean and beautiful, and you can't book a room on weekends!"

"Most importantly," he paused deliberately, keeping everyone in suspense, "is my granddaughter, Hua Yun, that girl, who opened a sheep farm and a whole roasted lamb restaurant in Xishan!"

"Let me tell you, the taste is absolutely amazing! The skin is roasted to a golden brown and crispy perfection, crumbling with every bite, while the meat inside is tender and juicy, sprinkled with our unique local spices..."

He smacked his lips, as if he could already smell the aroma of the roasted food.

Through the receiver, Zhou Yinchuan could be heard swallowing clearly.

"You old codger, bringing this up so late at night, are you just trying to tempt me?"

"I just want you!"

Hua Mutou laughed triumphantly, as if he had won a battle.

He felt the time was right and played his trump card.

"That's nothing."

His voice, at this moment, became incredibly gentle, filled with an unconcealable love and pride.

"You haven't met my three great-grandchildren yet!"

"He has a chubby face and can eat a whole bowl of rice by himself!"

As he spoke, the pride in his voice almost overflowed from the receiver.

There was complete silence on the other end of the phone.

After a long while, Zhou Yinchuan finally let out a long sigh.

In that sigh, there was envy,感慨, and a hint of barely perceptible loneliness.

Hua Mutou understood.

He knew that this old comrade-in-arms lacked nothing except the warmth of family life, surrounded by children and grandchildren.

The time has come.

Hua Mutou took a deep breath and solemnly voiced the thought that had been lingering in his mind all afternoon.

"Old Zhou, my life is getting more and more comfortable and I have more and more hope for the future."

"I was just thinking...how wonderful it would be if you could come and see for yourself, and stay with me for a few days!"

His voice was sincere and earnest.

Every word seemed to have been plucked from the heart.

"Come and see our mountains, see our waters, and try my granddaughter's cooking."

"Most importantly, I've come to see my precious children, so you can also share in the blessings of my four generations living together!"

The invitation was sent, and Hua Mutou's heart was in his throat once again.

He held his breath and waited quietly for the other person's reply.

This time, there was no silence on the other end of the phone.

"Hahahaha!"

A burst of laughter, louder and more hearty than ever before, suddenly came from the receiver.

The laughter was filled with surprise and undisguised longing.

"You blockhead Hua! You're trying to sweet-talk me!"

Zhou Yinchuan's voice carried a hint of embarrassment and anger at having his secret exposed.

"Hearing you say that makes my heart fly all the way to your remote mountain village!"

"Your Baixi Village sounds...it sounds like a paradise on earth!"

Hua Mutou grinned and smiled silently, his eyes and brows brimming with joy.

"Are you coming or not? Give me a straight answer!" he pressed.