Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

After finishing their meal, the group played cards for a while, then rested for a bit, since they would be staying up late that night.

At eight o'clock in the evening, it was completely dark, and the sound of firecrackers popping and crackling could be heard in the distance.

A group of people sat around the worktable making dumplings to celebrate the New Year, watching the Spring Festival Gala. The TV was showing a skit called "Recruitment".

Wang Dana watched for a while and then said:

"It's alright, but not as funny as Feng Gong's."

Wang Musheng had just finished washing his hands and sat down when he pouted and said:

"Yes, if the two of us go on, they won't have a chance. You've already commented on it, so you should hurry up and make dumplings."

Xie Dajiao washed two one-cent coins clean with boiling water, wrapped them in dumplings, and said that whoever found the coin in their dumpling would have great fortune and good luck in the coming year. Of course, it was just a wishful thinking.

The group worked together seamlessly, with Lin Chen rolling out the dough quickly and perfectly round, while the others began wrapping the dumplings.

The dumplings Wang Musheng made were crooked and limp, lying on the board and unable to stand up at all; it was obvious at a glance that they were his "defective products".

Wang Dana glanced at him sideways, his face full of disdain:

"Get out of here and stop wasting the noodles! These lousy dumplings you made will fall apart in the pot, turning into a bowl of dumpling soup. Who would eat that?"

Wang Musheng was very stubborn and muttered defiantly:

"This is a unique style, one of a kind, and it looks great!"

He tried to wrap another one while he was talking, but he accidentally broke it. He gave an awkward laugh and went to watch TV instead of getting involved.

Soon, two pots of dumplings were cooked and served, steaming hot and plump.

Wang Musheng couldn't wait to pick one up, blow on it twice, and put it in his mouth. He had only chewed a couple of times when his teeth suddenly bit into something hard. He immediately spat it out, and a coin rolled onto the table.

"Money! I found money in my food!"

Wang Musheng's eyes lit up, and he excitedly shouted, holding up the coin:

"I always said I'd be lucky this year; I'm sure I'll find someone!"

Wang Dana rolled his eyes at him:

"Look at you, so pathetic! Looking for a partner? I bet you'll still be single next year. You're too stubborn, and too sharp-tongued!"

Wang Musheng said with dissatisfaction:

"You can't find it either, and you're criticizing me? You're so soft-hearted!"

Wang Dana put down his chopsticks and looked at him:

"Don't you believe me? If I wanted to find someone, it would be a piece of cake. I'm just waiting for you. If you don't get married, what's the point of me, the old man, getting married?"

"Hey, stop bringing this up. If you can't find someone, just say so. We're not strangers here. If you find someone suitable, don't wait for me. Let's split up and do it together!"

"Let's eat!" Wang Dana was at his wit's end with his son.

Wang Musheng completely ignored his father's complaints, quickly moved closer to Lin Chen, lowered his voice, and said earnestly:

"Brother, did you do what I asked you to do? Are there any suitable girls around who could help me set them up?"

Lin Chen paused, his hand holding the chopsticks still; he had long forgotten about the matter.

Looking at Wang Musheng's expectant and simple-minded expression, he couldn't bear to disappoint him, so he smiled and casually said:

"I did inquire for you; there's a girl who seems like a good fit, and she's quite pretty too."

Wang Musheng instantly perked up and excitedly said:

"Really? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Too late."

Lin Chen suppressed a laugh and said slowly:

"They just started dating, so I was too embarrassed to ask them out."

"Oh my god!"

Wang Musheng slapped his thigh, lamenting his loss and feeling extremely annoyed:

"What a pity! Why is my life so unlucky! I finally met someone suitable, and I missed out!"

His pitiful and silly look was so funny and amusing that Xie Xiaomei couldn't help but laugh so hard that her shoulders shook and she almost spat out the dumplings in her mouth.

Fireworks flashed and firecrackers crackled outside the window, while inside, the Spring Festival Gala was in full swing, filled with laughter and joy. This was a Spring Festival that Lin Chen hadn't experienced in many years, and he was thoroughly enjoying his life.

There were no fancy displays, no empty formalities, just family members sitting together, steaming dumplings, and the warm, noisy atmosphere of the New Year—a long-lasting, comforting, and heartwarming experience…

……

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, in Xiangyashan, every household had their gates wide open, and firecracker debris covered the ground in a crimson blanket, filling the entire village with the festive spirit.

Last night, Xie Dajiao and Xie Xiaomei went back to the shop to stay. Lin Chen stayed in one room by himself, and the father and son stayed in another room.

Lin Chen went to the toilet early in the morning. He had just returned when the door was pushed open.

Wang Musheng emerged from inside, sporting dark circles under his eyes, his hair a messy, frizzy mess, his eyebrows and eyes puffy from sleep, looking listless and unsteady on his feet, staggering as he walked.

He shuffled to the threshold, dragged his shoes, plopped down on it, let out a long, old-fashioned sigh, and looked utterly dejected and frustrated.

Lin Chen glanced at him sideways and immediately burst out laughing, his tone teasing:

"What's wrong, bro? Didn't you sleep all night? You look a bit pale."

Wang Musheng raised his hand and rubbed his eyes hard, his voice filled with exhaustion, still bearing his signature slurred speech, and his words were full of grievances:

"Slept well? I didn't close my eyes at all last night! I'm completely exhausted!"

He pointed towards the inner room, becoming increasingly aggrieved as he spoke:

"You wouldn't believe how loud my dad's snoring is! One minute it's like thunder, the next it's like an old tractor plowing a field. When I'm lying on the kang (heated brick bed), I can feel the dirt falling from the roof!"

"I couldn't stay awake any longer in the middle of the night, so I figured that sleeping under the covers would block out the sound."

Wang Musheng frowned, gesturing exaggeratedly, his face full of pain:

"And then it got even worse. The noise, muffled under the covers, was a constant buzzing, like me sleeping next to a train track. I'm over thirty, and I've never heard such domineering snoring before. It was torture!"

Just then, Wang Dana also got up, wearing a coat, with his hands behind his back. He looked energetic, with a rosy complexion and no signs of fatigue.

As soon as he came out and turned his head, he saw Wang Musheng standing dejectedly on the threshold. He immediately frowned and spoke with disdain:

"What's wrong with you, kid? It's the first day of the Lunar New Year, and you're all gloomy. Who owes you money? The New Year should be a time of joy and celebration, not this dejected look on you!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Musheng was instantly overwhelmed with grievance, pouted, and immediately started speaking on the phone:

"What else could it be! It's all your fault! Your snoring was deafening, I didn't sleep a wink all night, I forced myself to stay up until dawn. If I stayed with you for another two days, I'd definitely have a nervous breakdown, my head would ache!"

After listening, Wang Dana looked unconvinced and waved his hand, saying:

"It's just that young people have too many quirks. They're fussy and can't handle any hardship. When I was your age, I could fall asleep standing up after a day of heavy work. I didn't have to be so picky. Go wash your face and tidy yourself up. If anyone comes to visit later, don't let them see you looking like this. It'll be embarrassing!"

After saying that, he completely ignored Wang Musheng, put his hands behind his back, and went out for a stroll, looking incredibly carefree.

Wang Musheng sat on the threshold, baring his teeth at his father's back, feeling a tightness in his chest from resentment.

Around nine o'clock in the morning, the gate to Lin Chen's house was pushed open, followed by a cheerful greeting.

"Xiao Chen, are you home?"

Chang Gui led Wang Yun and Xiang Xiu into the courtyard, carrying two boxes of beautifully packaged pastries. They were clean and tidy from head to toe, and their clothes were clearly new.

Chang Gui entered with a broad smile and a loud, clear voice:

"Big Brother, Happy New Year! I heard you came to Ivory Mountain yesterday to celebrate the New Year, so I had to come and wish you a Happy New Year as soon as possible!"

Before the Lunar New Year, Mayor Qi had privately instructed him to cultivate a good relationship with Wang Dana. If he could attract this big boss's investment to the town, develop industries, and revitalize the economy, that would be a truly significant achievement.

These things can't be rushed, and you can't just talk about money directly. You can only take advantage of the New Year to visit relatives and friends, build relationships first, and then slowly and gradually get closer.

Upon hearing the sound, Wang Dana immediately got up from the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), quickly went out to greet Chang Gui, and shook hands with him with a smile.

"Changgui, Happy New Year! Come sit on the kang (heated brick bed), it's chilly outside, don't catch a cold."

As the group entered the house one after another, the scene became exceptionally lively. Wang Yun, with his cheerful and outgoing personality, immediately started chatting with Xie Dajiao about this and that, engaging in lively conversation.

"Sis, how was yesterday?"

"It's great, so lively! Did you spend the New Year at the director's house?"

"That's right, I didn't go back to my sister's. There's no point in going back anyway, I'd rather spend time with Changgui."

Xiangxiu stood quietly to the side, greeting people in a natural and generous manner.

But those bright eyes quietly swept around the yard, caught sight of the Tiger Head Ben parked outside, and silently sized up Wang Dana's clothes and demeanor. In an instant, he knew that this was the Wang Dana his father had mentioned.

Chang Gui sat down comfortably on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), first chatting about everyday things, expressing his gratitude for the good harvest and favorable weather this year, and then laughingly talking about the great news of the abolition of agricultural tax.

As they chatted, the conversation naturally turned to the village's development, with everyone praising Lin Chen for being young, capable, and reliable.

"Big shot, it's such a waste of Xiao Chen's talent to just sit around like this. You should persuade him to do something. Isn't all his skills going to waste?"

Wang Dana said with a smile:

"Young people have their own ideas, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"You're his boss, so you can't control him? If all else fails, you can just invest a little money here and make him do something. It's that simple for you."

His words implied that the village had room for development and had idle projects, and that he especially welcomed outside entrepreneurs to come and invest.