Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Why did I need to tell you beforehand? I didn't tell you because I was afraid you'd overthink it.

Su Guifen pulled Xie Dajiao to sit down, held her hand, and kept scrutinizing her expression before asking:

"Hong, you look alright, but are you suffering during your pregnancy? Are you feeling nauseous? And that bastard Li Fu!"

Upon hearing the name Li Fu, Su Guifen's tone instantly turned cold, feeling indignant and frustrated on behalf of her younger sister.

Xie Dajiao gently shook her head, quickly interrupting this unpleasant topic:

"Sister-in-law, don't mention him. We broke up cleanly a long time ago and have no connection whatsoever. If I had listened to you two back then, none of this would have happened."

"I'm doing pretty well now. Xiaomei stays with me every day, and Lin Chen helps me out. I'm living a very comfortable life. You two, take a look at my supermarket. I'll keep adding more products in the future."

Her words were vague, but the reassuring look in her eyes spoke volumes.

Xie Baochang and his wife exchanged a glance and understood that the person who could take such good care of Xie Dajiao must be the one Xiaomei was dating. With that thought, their worries were completely relieved.

The group chatted for a while, talking about everyday things, from dietary restrictions during pregnancy to village gossip and trivial matters. The atmosphere in the room gradually relaxed, and Xie Dajiao's emotions completely calmed down.

Su Guifen suddenly remembered the important matter and asked with concern:

"By the way, Xiaohong, you're pregnant now, are you sleeping in the shop at night? It's so noisy and chaotic, it's not suitable for a pregnant woman to rest and recuperate."

"This room is habitable, and there's a kang (heated brick bed) in that room. Everything's been prepared, but they won't let us stay here."

Xie Dajiao smiled slightly and continued:

"Xiaomei and I are living at Lin Chen's house now. After he came back, he renovated the old house. There are two big rooms, east and west, and a big yard. The kang (heated brick bed) inside is warm every day, and it's so comfortable to spend the winter. You know, that guy bought four tons of coal, he really went all out."

"He's a young man who complained that the house was too empty, so it was perfect for the two of us to move in. He even made sure I ate properly and took care of me every day to ensure I had a healthy pregnancy. He was incredibly attentive."

Xie Baochang, holding his enamel teacup, slowly began to speak:

"Speaking of Lin Chen, he's actually a really nice person."

"Absolutely! This kid has impeccable character. He's steady, meticulous, and has taken care of everything from the renovation of my supermarket to the coal we use in winter and the nutritional supplements I need. I don't have to worry about a thing."

"He not only takes care of our family's affairs, but also lends a hand to any family in the village who encounters difficulties, such as lack of money or manpower. Everyone in the village praises him. As Xiaomei's aunt, I have complete peace of mind knowing that Xiaomei is dating him!"

Xie Xiaomei leaned against the sofa armrest, smiling with her lips pursed, though it was unclear what she was smiling about. She then chimed in with a comment:

"That's right, Mom and Dad. He doesn't like to show off, but he thinks things through carefully. Seeing that it's snowing today, he made arrangements early on. We'll be having copper hot pot at home tonight."

Su Guifen listened with increasing satisfaction, a smile playing on her lips as she nodded repeatedly.

Xie Baochang also gave a soft "hmm," feeling curious and eager to meet this seemingly perfect young man in person to see if he was really that good.

Xie Dajiao looked up and glanced out the window. The snow was falling heavier and heavier, and the sky was gray. It gets dark early in winter, so there probably wouldn't be many people coming into the store to buy things.

She simply stood up and said:

"Alright, no one's come to buy anything today, let's go back and chat slowly."

"Let's go straight home as a family. It'll be a good opportunity for you two to formally meet Lin Chen. You haven't eaten yet, have you? Let's go have hot pot; it's much more comfortable than sitting here in the supermarket!"

Xie Xiaomei got up to help gather the goods on the counter and lock the store door. The two of them finished tidying up the supermarket in two or three minutes.

The four people wrapped themselves tightly in scarves and cotton-padded coats, crunching through the snow on the ground, and drove towards Lin Chen's house.

The gate to Lin Chen's house was wide open. Only Lin Chen's car was inside; Xie Xiaomei's car was still at the breeding farm and hadn't been driven back.

Inside the pavilion, Lin Chen was squatting on the ground, busy with something. He was wearing a black down jacket and was bending over, using a stove hook to turn the charcoal in the basin.

He's having hot pot for dinner, but the open flame and charcoal fire are smoky, so he has to burn the charcoal thoroughly beforehand. If someone gets choked by the charcoal, it'll be a disaster, especially since his house is relatively well-sealed.

He had just finished calling Wang Xiaomeng and asked her to come over for dinner later, but the machine had arrived and he couldn't leave to debug it on-site. Wang Xiaomeng said she wouldn't be coming over for dinner tonight. Lin Chen gave her a few simple instructions, hung up the phone, and continued burning charcoal.

The charcoal was burning brightly when I caught a glimpse of a black car entering the yard.

People got out of the car, and Lin Chen looked up and recognized them at a glance. It was the middle-aged couple who had gotten stuck in the ditch in the car.

He straightened up, casually brushed the dust off his hands, and waved to us with a friendly smile:

"Oh, brother and sister-in-law! I already said it was nothing, just a small favor, but you two still came all the way here. It's really nothing!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Baochang and Su Guifen froze on the spot. After seeing Lin Chen's face clearly, they looked at each other and instantly understood!

The kind-hearted young man who stepped in to help on a snowy day, with a calm demeanor and efficient work style, is none other than Lin Chen, whom Xiao Mei talks about every day!

Su Guifen's eyes lit up instantly. She carefully examined Lin Chen from head to toe. The more the mother-in-law looked at her son-in-law, the more pleasing he became. She couldn't help but smile, feeling extremely satisfied.

Xie Xiaomei, supporting Xie Dajiao as they stood behind, couldn't help but burst out laughing. She stepped forward and began to introduce them:

"Brother Chen, why are you calling me 'Big Brother'? These are my parents!"

Lin Chen nearly dropped the stove hook from his hand, standing there stunned. His mind raced, reviewing the entire day's events. Had he said anything he shouldn't have? It seemed not. With that thought, Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

After calming down, he was both amused and exasperated. The coincidence was too much. He walked over to the group and said with a smile:

"Oh, Uncle and Aunt! I'm so sorry, I really didn't know you two were Xiaomei's parents! I was in a hurry to come back before, and when you said you were looking for your daughter, I never even thought of Xiaomei."

"It's alright, it's alright. We decided to come at the last minute without telling anyone."

Xie Baochang waved his hand, laughed heartily, and carefully looked the young man in front of him, becoming increasingly satisfied.

"Thanks to you for saving us today. Without your help, we don't know how long we would have been frozen."

Xie Xiaomei and Xie Dajiao were a little curious, wondering why there seemed to be a story behind their conversation. They quickly asked, and Xie Baochang then recounted what had happened that day.

"Wow, what a coincidence!" Xie Xiaomei felt that this was fate between Lin Chen and her family.

Su Guifen smiled and replied, her eyes fixed on Lin Chen, growing more and more satisfied with her gaze:

"That's right, this child has a kind heart. Xiaomei always praises you to us, and it's all true. You're even better in person than she says. Xiaohong, you don't know, Xiaolin dotes on Xiaomei. He says that if his woman wants to eat something, he'll go buy it even if it's snowing or if knives are falling."

Upon hearing this, Xie Dajiao's eyes softened to the point of almost overflowing with tears. She knew who the woman Lin Yi was talking about was. Yesterday, when Lin Chen asked her what she wanted to eat, she casually said hot pot.

Su Guifen, oblivious, smiled and said to Lin Chen:

"Xiao Lin, you can't spoil this girl too much when you're together. It's too dangerous for her to go out in this snowy weather."

Lin Chen nodded guiltily, quickly stepping aside and gesturing for everyone to enter, showing great consideration.

"It's snowing heavily outside, come inside and warm up! I just lit the charcoal and was about to start a hot pot. You've come at the perfect time, let's eat right away!"

As he spoke, he casually picked up the charcoal tongs, opened the courtyard gate completely, and let Xie Baochang drive the car in. He then stepped aside to lead the group into the courtyard.

As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, Xie Baochang parked the car, and the couple subconsciously slowed down, silently scanning the entire house and giving themselves a silent assessment.

Although the yard was covered with snow, its layout was still visible, with materials neatly stacked.

Once inside, the house was nothing like the messy mud-brick houses of ordinary farmers in Northeast China. The walls were snow-white, and the floor tiles were polished to a shine. They were embarrassed to step on them because their feet were covered in snow water.

Lin Chen understood their meaning and repeatedly invited them in:

"Uncle and Aunt, it's alright. We can clean it up again if it gets dirty. We don't have many fusses in the countryside. We just want to be comfortable."

"Okay, okay..."

After the two sat down, they looked around. It was warmer and more comfortable than living in an apartment building in the county town. The furniture was understated and unpretentious, and all the modern appliances were readily available. The house was spotless, with not a speck of dust or clutter. With the lights on, it looked spacious and bright, especially the large window, which immediately brightened one's mood.

Su Guifen couldn't help but praise from the bottom of her heart:

"Xiaolin, this house is so clean! It's rare to see a place like this in the countryside."

Lin Chen squatted in the outer room, putting charcoal into the copper pot while replying with a smile:

"I just tidy up a bit when I'm not busy, as long as it's clean and comfortable to live in. Uncle and Aunt, please sit down and have some water to warm up. The hot pot will be ready soon."

Xie Baochang leaned back on the sofa with a cup of hot tea in his hand, calmly surveying the layout and various details of the entire house.

This person is low-key, warm-hearted, considerate of elders, keeps his home clean and organized, and has a calm and composed personality.

With several things happening at once, he completely accepted this prospective son-in-law in his heart.

Xie Dajiao sat comfortably on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at her brother and sister-in-law's satisfied expressions, and then at Lin Chen, who was busy taking care of her and felt sorry for her. She couldn't hide the smile on her lips, and a huge weight was finally lifted off her shoulders.