Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

The work on the mountain was in full swing, and the news had already spread throughout the village's Big Foot Grocery Store.

The sun was casting its rays into the room from the west, and a cool autumn breeze was blowing. There weren't many people in the shop; it was the usual time for the village women to gather and gossip.

Xie Dajiao sat cross-legged on the kang (heated brick bed) in the inner room, her back against the floral quilt. She sewed clothes while listening to the old women chatting outside. Her movements were slow, skillful, and experienced.

Wang Yun sat casually on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), grabbed a handful of melon seeds, and ate them lazily. She wouldn't let Xie Dajiao do any heavy work now, for fear that something might happen.

Three or four middle-aged women from the village sat on small stools outside, chatting and helping Xie Dajiao watch her stall. They would occasionally glance towards the back mountain, chattering about the interesting things happening there.

A round-faced woman squinted at the figures heading up the mountain, shook her head, and said:

"I've never seen anything like this before in all my years! I really didn't see it coming! Xie Yongqiang actually managed to pull it off?"

"I used to say he was just putting on an act, that he wouldn't be able to endure the hardship for ten days or half a month, and would definitely slink home and listen to his father's arrangements. But look at him now, the fruit trees all over the mountain are almost planted!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Dajiao quickly stood up to speak in defense of her husband:

"Hey, do you guys know why Xie Yongqiang was able to succeed?"

"Why?"

"Lin Chen helped him! He put in both money and effort. Do you think it was that easy to do?"

Another short-haired older woman next to her chimed in, slapping her thigh in sudden realization, and said:

"I was saying that all the young people in the village have been flocking up the mountain these past few days. Usually, when we ask these kids to help with odd jobs in the fields, they all make excuses and are too lazy to go out. But lately, they've all been volunteering to come up the mountain and lend a hand. Isn't that all to curry favor with Xie Yongqiang?"

"That's not true at all."

Xie Dajiao stopped her needlework and lowered her voice to say:

"You think these people are doing this to save face for the Xie family? With Xie Guangkun's temper, he's utterly unpopular in the village. Who wants to bother with his family's business?"

"It's all because of Lin Chen. These past few days, Lin Chen has been coming up the mountain every day to oversee the progress. Everyone is doing this out of kindness for Lin Chen, and they're all volunteering to lend a hand. The bulldozer, the labor costs, and a whole truckload of fruit seedlings were all provided by Lin Chen. Without him, could Xie Yongqiang's orchard have been completed so quickly?"

Wang Yun cracked open the melon seeds in his hand, tossed the shells into the wooden basket, and nodded and sighed with deep feeling:

"That's absolutely true. I always thought Xie Yongqiang was so quiet and reserved, where did he get such a big influence? In the end, it's Lin Chen who's in charge. Now in Ivory Mountain, if Lin Chen says something, it's more effective than Chang Gui. Nobody in the village dares to disrespect him."

The group chatted casually for a bit, and somehow the conversation veered off to Wang Yun and Chang Gui.

Xie Dajiao scooted closer to Wang Yun, nudged her arm lightly with her elbow, and winked mischievously.

"Hey Yun, stop gossiping about others, tell me how things are going between you and Changgui?"

"You two have been together for so long, eating and drinking together, and your relationship has really developed, so why haven't you settled on a formal commitment yet? Haven't you won over this old man yet?"

The moment Wang Changgui was mentioned, the relaxed smile on Wang Yun's face vanished instantly.

He sighed deeply, tossed the remaining sunflower seeds back into the winnowing basket, his face full of helplessness.

"Don't even mention it, it's upsetting."

Wang Yun's face fell, and his tone was aggrieved:

"That old man is a coward, so timid. He's very polite and warm when he talks to me during the day. He's honest and reliable in his words and deeds. I know he's a good person, and I like him. It doesn't matter that he's a little older."

"But he avoids me at night. He either sneaks into his daughter Xiangxiu's room and stays there, or he makes up excuses to go out for a stroll. If Xiangxiu is at home, he goes to stay at the village committee and refuses to talk to me about getting a marriage certificate and living together."

She clenched her fists, finally making up her mind:

"Sis, I've figured it out. I can't keep wasting my time arguing with him like this. Tonight, I'm going to confront him face-to-face!"

"If he continues to be vague and refuses to get a marriage certificate and start living together, I'll pack my bags and go back to town. I won't waste my time here with him. To be honest... I'm just a little reluctant to leave. Changgui is an honest and reliable person, and there's nothing wrong with him when it comes to living together."

Xie Dajiao glanced around at the acquaintances visiting the room, then leaned forward and whispered a terrible suggestion, her tone confident and experienced:

"Why go back to town? My grocery store will be deserted after you leave. Who will keep me company and chat with me? Listen to me, we Northeastern women are not coy when it comes to doing things."

"At your age, why are you still acting all shy and coy like young people? There's no need! He's a grown man, easily embarrassed and prone to putting on airs. Just take the initiative and finalize things tonight. Once it's done, even if he wants to back out, the village's social customs and traditions will hold him back!"

Wang Yun paused for a moment, pondered for half a minute, then gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

"Fine! I'll do as you say, sis! I'll use force tonight! If he doesn't give in and comply, I'll just carry him to the bed!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Dajiao was taken aback, then burst into laughter, scattering melon seed shells all over the kang mat. Wang Yun, worried that she might strain herself, quickly stepped forward to support her.

Meanwhile, the work on the mountain was coming to an end. The sun was shining warmly on the back slope of the mountain, making people's backs feel hot, while the autumn wind in the mountains brought coolness. It was just the right temperature to work.

A bustling scene unfolded on the barren mountain, with a group of villagers scattered across the terraced slopes, working with great enthusiasm.

Some people bent down to straighten the saplings, an aunt squatted on the side and used a shovel to backfill and loosen the soil, and an old man carried a bucket to water each sapling. Mud covered their trouser legs with mud on their feet, and no one was lazy or trying to slack off.

The late autumn weather was dry and windy, but everyone worked hard, their foreheads covered in fine beads of sweat that trickled down their cheeks.

Lin Chen also brought the young people from the village, and Liu Yishui and the others came to help on their own initiative. Li Daguo had recently had a falling out with Xiangxiu, and thought this was a good opportunity to ease tensions. At this moment, he was also wearing a straw hat and working hard with his bare chest.

Lin Chen leaned casually against a large, flat stone at the entrance of the shack, holding a large palm-leaf fan in his hand and slowly fanning himself.

His eyes swept across the entire area, giving him complete control. He had the air of a mastermind on site, making anyone who didn't know better think that the orchard belonged to him.

Zhao Yutian was so busy running around that he barely had time to breathe. He kept counting the remaining fruit trees, handing shovels and buckets to the workers. He wasn't even this attentive when he was busy with his own flower garden.

Xie Yongqiang walked over and said apologetically:

"Yutian, I'm so sorry to trouble you. You're getting married soon, and you still come to help me. I've caused you so much trouble."

"What are you saying? Don't say that, Yongqiang. You don't know how troublesome marriage is. Liu Ying and I are already slacking off by coming here to work for you. It's even more troublesome at home."

Li Daguo carried two buckets of water and climbed up, panting heavily.

Seeing Lin Chen comfortably sitting on a rock fanning himself, he grinned and approached him, his eyes crinkling with laughter.

"Hey Chen, look at us soldiers, we're all sweating buckets and barely touching the ground, and you're just sitting here leisurely in the sun, fanning yourself? Come down and lend a hand!"

Lin Chen gave him a disdainful look and pointed towards the hillside with his palm-leaf fan, looking annoyed.

"Are you blind, kid? Can't you see me sitting here overseeing the whole situation and directing things? You wouldn't believe it if I weren't here setting the standards."

As he spoke, he suddenly raised his voice and shouted at the two lazy men planting trees crookedly in the middle of the slope:

"Hey you two over there! What are you doing, slacking off? I can see from miles away that the saplings are planted crookedly! Yes, straighten them up! Yes, yes, align them horizontally and vertically!"

The two young men immediately stood up straight, chuckled foolishly, and quickly straightened the leaning fruit seedlings and mounded soil around them.

The young people from the surrounding villages all laughed, making the atmosphere even more relaxed and lively. In such an atmosphere, it wasn't actually that tiring.

Li Daguo laughed and waved his hand:

"Alright, alright, we give up! Brother Chen, you're the boss, you're the commander-in-chief, sit tight and don't move, we'll get to work!"

Lin Chen smiled, stood up, walked to their side, and said in a voice only they could hear:

"Let's all give it our all and finish cleaning up this mess completely, then we'll call it a day!"

"I've got the arrangements for tonight! We'll set up a big iron pot right here, slaughter a fat sheep, and roast a whole lamb! We'll also make a huge pot of hot lamb offal soup, and there's plenty of baijiu and beer—everyone can eat as much as they want!"

The moment those words were spoken, a burst of cheers erupted from the surrounding area.

"Brother Chen is so generous!"

"We'll get roasted lamb! Let's get to work! Give it our all!"

Everyone's enthusiasm for work instantly doubled, their movements became much more efficient, and no one complained of being tired.

Xie Yongqiang carried a bundle of remaining fruit seedlings up the slope. He scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed, and quickly walked to Lin Chen's side, saying gratefully:

"Brother Chen, this won't do. Everyone came here to help me, how can I let you pay for the meal? I'll pay for it, I can't let you spend the money."

Lin Chen raised his hand and patted him:

"Why are you putting on this act with me? There's no need."

"Keep your money safe. You'll have plenty of other expenses in the future, so this meal won't make a difference. When your orchard becomes profitable, give me a bigger share of the profits. It'll be better than treating me to ten roast lambs."

Xie Yongqiang looked up at Lin Chen, his eyes unusually serious:

"Absolutely! Don't worry, Brother Chen, you'll definitely have a share in this orchard from now on!"

As the sun slowly sank behind the western mountains, its warm yellow afterglow blanketed the barren hills.

The shadows of rows of newly grown fruit trees stretched long, and the sounds of young people talking and laughing, shoveling soil, shaking buckets, and shouts from the distant mountains mingled together, floating in the empty, barren sky.

The barren, rocky mountain that no one believed in was slowly sprouting real hope in the hands of a group of young people during the prime autumn planting season.