Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

The next day, Wang Xiaomeng went to the county to consult with professionals about these matters.

When designing the workshop layout, Wang Xiaomeng had a little something in mind. She specifically instructed the construction workers to partition off a small room of about ten square meters in a corner of the workshop.

The construction worker said no problem, just pay up, who cares what you want to do? Both parties agreed that the work would start in May.

Wang Xiaomeng was delighted on her way back. She imagined that the room would simply have a single bed and a small table, just like an ordinary duty room.

When she went back to explain to Wang Laoqi, her reasons were perfectly plausible and flawless, leaving no room for criticism.

"Dad, these new machines are very expensive and very sophisticated. I'm worried about them since they've just started production. I'll have to keep an eye on them every day. I'll sleep in this duty room every few days and keep an eye on the machine temperature and operation at night. If there's a small problem, I can fix it on the spot, so that no one is watching over them at night and the machines don't cause problems and delay production the next day."

Wang Laoqi didn't think much of it at all. He was just pleased that his daughter was sensible, capable, and responsible, and he nodded in agreement on the spot.

No one knew better than Wang Xiaomeng that this small room was not just for guard duty; it was a private little nest she had secretly reserved for herself and Lin Chen.

Wang Laoqi's house has a back door, which is usually locked with a bolt and only opened when goods are being brought in or out. Outside the door is a large dirt road through the fields, and no one walks around there normally.

The duty room is right next to the back door, separated from the main building in the front yard by an entire production workshop and a pile of firewood. The distance is so great that the noise from talking and walking in the front yard cannot reach this side.

At worst, we can just cover our mouths, which is better than not touching each other for months at a time. Besides, the workshop makes a slight buzzing sound at night, which can just cover up the noise. It's soundproof and secluded, making it the perfect place for a secret rendezvous.

Wang Xiaomeng excitedly found Lin Chen and told him her idea. Lin Chen even praised her for her quick thinking. So the two secretly made an agreement that whenever she was on night duty, she would call in advance, and after the whole village was asleep at night, Lin Chen would take a detour to come over, and then return quietly by the same route after he finished.

……

In May, the weather turned extremely hot, and the renovation project at Wang Laoqi's house officially began.

The old woodsheds and storage rooms were demolished one by one, and the ground was re-poured with cement. The originally messy backyard took shape in just a few days, but this was only the beginning.

On the day the semi-automatic production line machine, customized from Shenyang, was brought into the village, Wang Laoqi specially bought a string of small red firecrackers and set them off at the gate of his courtyard, hoping for good luck in his business.

During the days when the machine was being installed and debugged, Wang Xiaomeng used the excuse of keeping an eye on the equipment to stay overnight in the duty room.

Wang Laoqi didn't notice anything unusual. He just thought his daughter was working hard for the family business and felt sorry for her. Every night, he would bring her hot meals and clean bedding, and repeatedly tell her not to stay up too late and to take care of her health.

To outsiders, she appears to be a diligent and hardworking girl who diligently guards the factory, but only in the night shift room does she reveal a tender side that no one knows about.

Every night when all was quiet and the whole village was silent, Lin Chen would sneak over.

The motors in the workshop hummed softly, the sound gentle and steady, drowning out the noises inside the room.

The windows in the duty room were closed, but the small space was filled with warmth.

Outside were dark fields, a gentle evening breeze blowing, and even the distant barking of dogs sounded unusually faint; it was eerily quiet.

Wang Xiaomeng leaned against the bedside, looking at Lin Chen sitting beside her, her eyes filled with undisguised tenderness, and whispered:

"Now I can finally relax. I don't have to suffer from not being able to see you anymore. I missed you so much. What would I do without you?"

Lin Chen looked at everything she had carefully arranged, raised his hand and gently ruffled her hair, his tone full of affection:

"Your little brain is quite clever; you've arranged everything so clearly."

Wang Xiaomeng smiled, pursing her lips, and leaned closer to him.

"Of course! I don't want to wait until July. Being able to see you every night is better than anything else."

"See me every day? Are you sure you can manage?"

"I...I'll try my best..."

……

The spring breeze in the latter half of the night crashed against the corrugated steel roof, producing a muffled, continuous buzzing sound.

Wang Xiaomeng worked very hard, even in the middle of the night, to figure out how to debug the machines, with Lin Chen helping her.

The crusher woke up first, its shaft spinning from slow to fast, emitting a dull "rumbling" sound, like an old ox panting in the distance.

Immediately afterwards, the metal scraper began to move, "clang, clang," scraping against the tank wall, sending the soaked soybeans into the machine cavity.

The meshing of the water-grinding wheels inside the machine chamber produced a continuous, moist "gurgling" sound, the sticky sound of the beans being crushed mingling with the water flow, like someone stirring a pot of thick, unyielding paste.

The conveyor belt was pulled forward by the motor, and the belt made a noise by rubbing against the pulley. Every few seconds, it would creak and vibrate, making the cement ground underfoot feel slightly numb.

The filter screen began to vibrate at a high frequency, "da da da da" as fast as a sudden rain, and the soybean residue was thrown onto the metal baffle, making a "plop plop" sound.

The high-pressure pump suddenly started, and the airflow crashed through the pipe, making a sharp whistling sound. This was followed by the "whoosh" sound of soy milk flowing through the stainless steel pipe, with the liquid hitting the pipe wall and making a hollow echo.

Finally, the steam drum exhaust valve opened at the set time, and white steam gushed out, instantly overwhelming all the mechanical noise. After a few seconds, it quickly faded away, giving way again to the dull "rumbling" sound of the tireless crusher.

Wang Xiaomeng smiled and wiped the sweat from her brow:

"Brother Chen, the machine has been tested and works fine. I'm planning to open in July. What do you think?"

Lin Chen nodded, looking at this hardworking girl with great satisfaction. She could learn anything she didn't know, and she was diligent in her studies.

……

Days passed by, and before we knew it, it was July. Lin Chen had been back for almost a year.

At 8:30 in the morning, the sun had just peeked over the treetops when the ground began to get hot. If you stood in the sun for a while, your back would immediately be covered in sweat.

Wang Laoqi's house was very lively today, and no one cared about the heat.

The brand-new soy product factory has been completed, all the machines have been tested and debugged, and the female workers are all working properly after training.

Red ribbons were tied to both sides of the gate, fluttering in the wind, and the newly installed factory sign was dazzlingly bright.

The six large characters of "Xiao Meng Bean Products Factory" look particularly respectable.

The courtyard was packed with people, young and old, men and women from the village. Almost everyone who could come was there. They stood in small groups chatting and watching the excitement, all there to support and congratulate Wang Xiaomeng.

Wang Laoqi had dressed up specially today, always holding a pack of cigarettes in his hand, offering them to anyone who came, and his smile never stopped. The wrinkles around his eyes had also increased considerably.

Having lived most of his life, he had never been as excited as he was today, and he felt proud of his daughter.

"Hey bro, you're here!"

"You've come all this way, thank you for your hard work!"

He was busy greeting guests, barely having time to breathe, and while he kept exchanging pleasantries, he was secretly delighted.

Xiao Meng's mother, along with several quick-witted aunties from the village, busied themselves around two large iron pots preparing lunch, the rich aroma wafting far and wide.

At this moment, Wang Changgui strolled into the courtyard with his hands behind his back.

He glanced at the words "Xiaomeng Bean Products Factory," nodded in satisfaction, and smiled. These were all his achievements.

Upon spotting Wang Laoqi, he immediately strode forward, grasped the man's hand, and spoke in a loud and cheerful voice.

"Seventh Brother, congratulations!"

"Your little Mengtai has really made something of herself! What started as a small family workshop has been transformed into a bean product factory! This is unprecedented in our Ivory Mountain! From now on, this factory will be the face of our village!"

He patted Wang Laoqi's arm and said sincerely:

"You two work hard. If there are any support policies or good projects in town, I'll think of your family first. If you really encounter difficulties, don't hesitate to tell me, and I'll definitely help you find a solution."

Wang Laoqi was flattered by the praise and quickly replied with a smile and a cupped-hand salute:

"Changgui, it's too much trouble for you to make this special trip. There's no need to worry about saving face. It's just that the kid is hardworking and willing to do this little business. Come in and sit down, the tea is ready."

"No need, no need, I'll just stand outside and enjoy the fun."

Wang Xiaomeng, standing to the side, wore a clean short-sleeved shirt and had her hair neatly braided. She smiled and said:

"Uncle Changgui, this is just a small-scale operation, not worth praising so much. Brother Yishui's breeding farm, Yutian's flower base, and Yongqiang's orchard are all developing better than mine. I'm just following everyone else and slowly moving forward."

Chang Gui nodded repeatedly as he listened:

"You're just being modest, kid. If everyone were as hardworking and down-to-earth as you, my job as village chief would be so much easier."

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of dragging footsteps came from behind him, accompanied by soft panting.

Zhao Si followed behind, carefully carrying two potted plants in his arms. He walked as usual, his body swaying and bobbing, his back slightly bent, and his lips twitching from time to time.

"Seventh Brother, congratulations... Congratulations on your grand opening! I've brought you two bonsai trees, symbolizing continuous growth and prosperity."

Wang Laoqi quickly stepped forward to express his gratitude:

"Fourth brother, you're so thoughtful! You even brought flowers over to show your support. These flowers look so vibrant. Your Yutian is really capable! Why didn't Yutian Liu Ying come?"

"They'll be busy at home for a while, and then they'll come over and take a look."