Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Chen Guiying turned her gaze to Lin Chen, her tone still warm, but with a hint of unyielding authority.

"Brother Lin Chen, you see, there's nothing urgent going on up the mountain right now. The workers are all working diligently. With me here keeping an eye on things, nothing will go wrong."

"It's so hot and sunny today, you don't need to suffer on this mountain. Go back and rest. Yongqiang and I will keep watch here."

Lin Chen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, but quickly realized what he meant. He glanced at Xie Yongqiang and then at Chen Yannan.

He found it amusing but didn't expose it. Although he really wanted to watch the show, the other person had already spoken, and staying any longer would only hinder their performance.

He stood up calmly, brushed the dirt off his pants, and said with a smile:

"Okay, then I'll take advantage of Sister Guiying's help and slack off a bit. I'll leave it to you to keep an eye on things here. Yongqiang, call me anytime if anything happens."

Chen Guiying laughed even more heartily and quickly waved her hand:

"It's not hard at all, it's not hard at all, what could possibly happen?"

Lin Chen turned and chatted briefly with Xie Yongqiang, then politely nodded to Chen Yannan beside him before slowly walking down the dirt road.

Yongqiang jogged a couple of steps to catch up with Lin Chen and whispered:

"Brother Chen, are you really leaving? Stay here with me for a while, let's chat or something."

Lin Chen patted Yongqiang on the shoulder and gave him a look that said, "Good luck."

"If we don't leave soon, we'll become a nuisance. We don't need that many people. Contact us by phone if anything happens."

After saying that, Lin Chen left. He had only taken a few steps when Chen Guiying's clear voice came from behind him. She had already taken Xie Yongqiang's hand and was asking him something in detail. She was being proactive and attentive, afraid that something might go wrong.

Lin Chen shook his head slightly as he walked. It seemed that Chen Guiying had set her sights on Xie Yongqiang. She was taking the initiative to care for him and was very purposeful. She didn't hide anything. He just didn't know if Xie Yongqiang, who was so stubborn, could accept this enthusiasm.

Chen Yannan was slightly disappointed when she saw Lin Chenzhen leave, but the orchard was still her most important thing right now, and there would be opportunities to meet again in the future.

From now on, the orchards on Ivory Mountain are destined to become more and more lively, with one exciting show after another.

……

The midday sun was scorching, like a blazing fire, making Zhao Si's yard scorching hot. An old tree provided some shade, and a gentle breeze helped to alleviate some of the heat.

A table was set up under the tree, where the Zhao family of four were eating a simple home-cooked meal.

A group of people were eating quietly at the table, and the only sound they could hear was the chopsticks scraping against the bowls.

Zhao Yutian ate ravenously, finishing the bowl of rice in just a few bites.

He casually pushed the empty bowl to the side of the table without even raising his head, his eyelids drooping, and his pretentious attitude was extremely irritating.

Seeing this, Liu Ying didn't say a word. She immediately put down her bowl and chopsticks, put on a gentle smile, picked up the empty bowl and ran into the house, eagerly adding rice for him.

Zhao Si witnessed this scene clearly. Holding his wine glass, he smacked his lips, secretly glanced at Zhao Yutian, and lowered his voice, sounding both smug and boastful.

"Well done, Yutian, you've really made something of yourself now, better than your old man. You've got guts, you're a real man! This is how you heal your wife."

After being showered with praise by his father, Zhao Yutian got carried away, practically wagging his tail. He straightened his back, adopted a serious tone, and began to act all high and mighty:

"Absolutely! A man should act like a man! If he can't even establish these basic rules in the house, how can he be called the head of the household?"

Zhao Si listened with great pleasure, nodding repeatedly in agreement, as if he had found a soulmate.

"That's right, Dad always says that. As men, we have to stand firm at home and not let our wives control us, otherwise life will be unbearable!"

The father and son sang in unison, completely absorbed in their own world, radiating an air of smug male chauvinism.

Just as the two were chatting away, Yutian's mother slammed her chopsticks on the table and glared at the father and son, who then fell silent.

"You two, shut up already! All you do all day is think about this useless stuff! Is this all a man's skill is at managing his wife? Aren't you ashamed? You should use that energy to figure out how to make more money and how to make your life better! Why don't you teach the kids something useful instead of this useless stuff!"

One sentence silenced Zhao Si instantly. He immediately shut up, sheepishly ate his rice, and dared not say another word.

Just as things calmed down, Liu Ying returned with a full bowl of rice, gently placed it in front of Zhao Yutian, and sat back down to start eating.

Zhao Yutian didn't even look up, casually ordering people around in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Go wash two more scallions for me. It's too hot today, and I can't eat without scallions."

Normally, Liu Ying would have exchanged a few words with him, but today she was in a good mood and smiled in response:

"Yes, I'll be right there!"

Zhao Si couldn't stand his son's behavior any longer, so he picked up his chopsticks, tapped the rim of his bowl twice, and began to scold him.

"Yutian, that's enough! You get cocky after a few compliments? You're all smiles now, aren't you? Someone just served you rice, and you turn around and start causing trouble. Don't you have hands? Do you need someone to serve you even to wash a scallion? Rules aren't for bullying people!"

Yutian's mother quickly chimed in:

"Exactly! Liu Ying is such a virtuous girl. She's worked tirelessly since she married into our family, doing all sorts of chores in the flower garden and around the house without complaint. But you, on the other hand, are getting more and more arrogant, always bossing your wife around. We can't let this habit get to you!"

While the two were talking, Liu Ying returned with a bunch of scallions, placed them on the table, and sat down properly. She hesitated for a moment, looked at Zhao Si and his wife, and then at Zhao Yutian, her tone cautious.

"Yutian, can I talk to you about something?"

Zhao Yutian casually ate his rice.

"What's up? Tell me."

Liu Ying's eyes held a hint of envy and anticipation as she whispered:

"I want to buy a bicycle, the kind that city girls ride. They're really nice, and they're so easy to ride."

Everything was fine until the topic of buying a car came up, and Zhao Yutian's face immediately darkened, his tone becoming extremely impatient.

"Why did you buy that thing? It's a complete waste of money! You stay home all day tending to the flowerbeds, you never go far from home, what are you going to do with it? Just let it gather dust? Isn't this just squandering money!"

These words made Liu Ying feel wronged:

"How is that wasteful? I can easily ride my bike to town to buy something or go back to my parents' house. It's so convenient. I envy people who have bicycles, and I want to buy one too."

"Even if you're envious, you shouldn't waste money!"

Zhao Yutian stopped eating:

"Our family has made some money, but we haven't paid off our debts yet! We need to pay back the money we owe Brother Chen first, but you're thinking about buying useless things first."

"What do you mean by 'useless'?!"

Liu Ying became completely flustered, slammed down her chopsticks, her eyes red-rimmed, and she looked utterly aggrieved.

"Since I married into this family, have I ever slacked off? I take care of all the housework and garden work. I don't spend much money, and all I want is to buy a car. Does that make me wasteful? Zhao Yutian, have some conscience!"

Seeing that the young couple was about to have a fight, Zhao Si hurriedly tried to smooth things over, but his words were a bit slurred.

"Stop arguing, calm down! It's just a family meal; what kind of order is this, arguing like this? We all talk about harmony these days, and our family should be harmonious too! Let's talk things out calmly, don't fight!"

Liu Ying felt suffocated, aggrieved and upset. Without saying a word, she stood up angrily and left.

Zhao Si, in a hurry, immediately reached out and poked Zhao Yutian, urging him:

"Hurry up and chase after her! What are you standing there for? Do you think you'll feel better if you make her cry? Hurry up and comfort her!"

As a result, Zhao Yutian's stubbornness kicked in, and he stubbornly refused to back down.

"Don't chase after her! We can't let her get away with this. She throws a tantrum over the slightest thing, and the more we spoil her, the more arrogant she becomes. She needs to reflect on her behavior today, otherwise we won't be able to control her in the future!"

Zhao Si was so angry that his lips twitched, and he pointed at him for a long time without being able to say a word.

Yutian's mother sat to the side, sighing repeatedly. A perfectly good lunch had ended in complete discord, and she could only vent her anger on Zhao Si:

"Look how spoiled you are! You think you're so good at teaching? Come on, you teach properly!"

……

In the caretaker's hut of the orchard on the back hill—

Conditions on the mountain were basic, so the three of them huddled together in Yongqiang's caretaker's room for a simple meal.

On the folding table were steamed buns, pickled vegetables, a plate of scrambled eggs, and sliced ​​ham—simple yet hearty.

Chen Yannan bit into a steamed bun and looked around the small house. Although it was small, Xie Yongqiang had kept it clean and tidy, with a strong Northeastern style. Through the window, she could see the green mountains all around.

She watched for a while, then turned to Xie Yongqiang, who was engrossed in eating, and said with a smile:

"Yongqiang, your little house is really nice. I might as well stay here tonight."

"I run back and forth between the town and the village every day, which is too much of a hassle and also interferes with my work. If I live on the mountain, I can keep an eye on the orchard morning and night, and it will be more convenient to work."

Upon hearing this, Xie Yongqiang immediately looked up and waved his hand, shaking his head like a rattle drum:

"That won't do. This dilapidated house looks alright, but it's a nightmare to live in. I can't sleep well at all."

"I'm a tough guy, I can manage without any problems, but you're a delicate young lady, how can you endure this? Absolutely not!"

After speaking, he pondered for two seconds, then sincerely suggested:

"But it must be tiring for you to travel back and forth every day, and it's not safe either. Why don't you move to my place? My room is empty, and it's much more comfortable than up in the mountains. You won't have to go through all that trouble."