Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

These words immediately displeased Liu Neng, who retorted on the spot, his little mouth chattering incessantly:

"What kind of talk is that! Just because we're not going far doesn't mean we can't buy a car! All the young women and wives around the village are riding their new bikes all over the place, why can't Yingzi buy one?"

"It's fine to be frugal, but letting your wife be the only one who's stingy? Is that what you call living together? That's bullying!"

Liu Yingniang rolled her eyes at him and said irritably:

"Don't meddle. You just love stirring things up. If you're so capable of fixing things after you've stirred things up, fine. It's normal for young couples to have a little argument and then make up quickly. Your interference turns a small matter into a big one. Would you be happy if you really ruined their relationship?"

After saying that, she turned and patted Liu Ying's head, soothingly saying in a soft voice:

"Listen to Yingzi, when you get back later, have a good talk with Yutian. If he really won't buy it for you, we'll pay for it ourselves. It's not a big deal, don't hurt your relationship."

Upon hearing that he would have to pay out of his own pocket, Liu Neng immediately froze, his stuttering habit kicking in, and his previous arrogance vanished instantly.

"Hey...no, no, no! That...that won't do! How can we buy it? Wouldn't that let Old Zhao's family get a freebie? That would be such a loss!"

He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back:

"You can't go back! Absolutely not! Zhao Yutian won't come to our house to apologize or personally pick you up. You absolutely mustn't go back. You have to keep your composure! Let's see how long he can keep up this act!"

Liu Ying wiped away her tears and nodded firmly:

"Yes, I'll listen to Dad. If he doesn't come to pick me up, I'll never go back!"

……

On the other side, Zhao Si's family—

Zhao Si squatted on the threshold, his arms resting on his knees, and had been nagging and complaining to Zhao Yutian in the yard for half an hour without stopping.

"Look at you, you're really getting carried away. You've only been living for a couple of days, you've only just saved up a little money, and you're already showing off!"

"Liu Ying is such a good girl! She's worked tirelessly since she married into our family, doing all sorts of chores in the fields and at home without complaint. All she wants is a bicycle. Who goes broke because of buying a bicycle? I think you're just being nosy!"

Yutian's mother sat on a small stool and began to scold:

"That's for sure! If we can't even grant Yingzi such a small wish, won't the villagers laugh at our family to death? They'll say our Zhao family is mean-spirited and only bullies our daughter-in-law. We can't stand that kind of gossip!"

Caught between his parents, Zhao Yutian's head was spinning, and he was incredibly annoyed.

Actually, he had already regretted it after calming down. It wasn't that he was unwilling to spend the money; it was just that he was stubborn, concerned about his image, and wanted to put on airs at home, refusing to admit defeat.

Unable to bear the scolding any longer, he waved his hand impatiently in acquiescence.

"Okay, okay, I was wrong, I'll buy it! I'll definitely buy it! I'll arrange it for her as soon as she gets back! I just blurted out that the car was useless and a waste of money, but since she likes it, let's buy it!"

Seeing that his son had finally given in, Zhao Si calmed down, stood up, dusted himself off, and immediately stood up, hands behind his back, leaning forward to begin a long and earnest lecture:

"That's right! The rules men set for you at home are to teach you reason and responsibility, not to let you bully your wife and show off!"

"A couple needs to be considerate of each other to make their life together. If you really drive such a good wife away, where will you find another virtuous one like her?"

……

After retrieving her luggage from town, Chen Yannan stood outside the gate of Lin Chen's villa, pushing her mountain bike, and was stunned, unable to come to her senses for a long time.

Chen Yannan clicked her tongue inwardly in amazement.

This is hardly the courtyard of a rural family. Not to mention the entire village of Xiangyashan can't compare, even the residential complexes in Kaiyuan County might not have this grandeur.

She couldn't help but wonder to herself, Lin Chen's conditions were too outrageous, and she became more and more curious about this man.

Calming herself down, she took a deep breath and gently pressed the doorbell.

Before long, the heavy iron gate creaked and slowly slid open to both sides, revealing a girl standing at the door that caught Chen Yannan's eye.

She wore an elegant moon-white short-sleeved shirt and trousers, her short hair gave her a particularly sophisticated look, she wore light makeup, her eyes were gentle and clear, and she had a quiet and generous demeanor. She also had dimples when she smiled.

Chen Yannan paused for a moment, instinctively assuming it was Lin Chen's sister or another relative, and spoke softly and politely:

"Hello, is Brother Chen home? I'm Chen Yannan. Yongqiang should have informed him in advance. I'm coming to stay for a few days."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Chen walked out of the pavilion in the courtyard.

Lin Chen strolled over slowly, naturally placing his hand on Xie Xiaomei's waist with a casual smile, and introduced the two to each other.

"Xiaomei, this is Chen Yannan, whom I told you about this morning. She's a top student from Lin University and a technician who came here specifically to help Yongqiang manage his orchard."

He then turned his head to look at Chen Yannan, who looked slightly stunned, and was very frank, without any attempt to hide anything.

"Yannan, let me introduce you. This is Xie Xiaomei, my girlfriend."

That one sentence, though seemingly casual, struck Chen Yannan like a blow to the heart.

The polite smile on her face froze for half a second, visibly pausing.

She lowered her head, forcibly suppressing the sudden sense of loss in her heart.

In just two seconds, she hid all her little emotions, and when she looked up again, all that remained on her face was a polite and considerate smile.

"Hello, I'm Chen Yannan. I'm really sorry to bother you for the next few days."

They spoke politely and impeccably, but their hearts were already ice-cold.

From the moment she first saw Lin Chen, she secretly harbored feelings for him, and Lin Chen would always unconsciously come to mind.

She secretly hoped that she could move into his house, get to know him better, and become more familiar with him.

But to my utter surprise, she already had a boyfriend. I blame myself for not asking her clearly.

That budding goodwill was instantly extinguished by her.

What was originally a sense of anticipation suddenly turned into restraint and unease, as if I was being superfluous and disturbing the young couple's life.

Just as the three of them stepped into the courtyard, the gate made a sound again.

Wang Xiaomeng held the keys in one hand and carried two large bags of bean products in the other. A thin layer of sweat covered her forehead, indicating that she had just finished working at the factory and rushed over.

As soon as she entered the gate and saw someone in the yard, she immediately showed a gentle smile.

Seeing this, Lin Chen casually took the heavy bag from Wang Xiaomeng's hand and introduced it to her:

"You've come at the perfect time, Xiao Meng. Let me introduce you. This is Chen Yannan, the orchard technician Yongqiang hired. He'll be staying at our house from now on."

After saying that, he turned to look at Chen Yannan:

"This is Wang Xiaomeng, a family member. Have you heard of the bean product factory in our village? She started it up single-handedly."

Chen Yannan's eyes darted back and forth unconsciously, first looking at the gentle and generous Xie Xiaomei, then at the simple and capable Wang Xiaomeng.

The two girls smiled at each other, their expressions natural and intimate, like family, without any awkwardness or unfamiliarity.

Chen Yannan immediately felt uneasy, sensing that something was amiss.

She was filled with doubts, but dared not ask any more questions, nor was she in a position to inquire. She could only extend her hand and gently shake hands with Wang Xiaomeng, her tone extremely polite:

"Hello Xiaomeng, I've heard about you before. The mayor even praised you for being so capable. Your bean product factory is doing very well. You're amazing."

At that moment, she deliberately shifted her body to the side, subtly creating distance between herself and Lin Chen.

The last glimmer of hope she had was completely shattered, replaced by overwhelming embarrassment. She suddenly felt as if she had accidentally stumbled into someone else's warm and private little circle while staying here.

Upon entering the spacious and bright living room, Xie Xiaomei thoughtfully turned around and went to the kitchen to get a drink.

Chen Yannan sat properly on the sofa, carefully examining the room's decor. It was simple and clean, and the furniture had a high-quality feel. Was this still the countryside?

As she was secretly observing, the door to the master bedroom was gently pushed open.

Xie Dajiao carried Lin Jing'an and slowly walked out, wearing loose pajamas and her hair simply tied back.

Seeing strangers sitting in the living room, she immediately smiled and spoke:

"Oh, we have guests?"

Lin Chen looked up and smiled, saying:

"This is Chen Yannan, the college student I mentioned. Yannan, this is Xiaomei's aunt. She's still in her postpartum period and is recuperating here. You can call her Aunt Big Foot."

Xie Dajiao immediately nodded warmly, her tone simple and sincere, showing no sign of awkwardness.

"Oh, I know, please sit down, please sit down. Don't be shy, young lady. Make yourself at home. It's been hot these past few days. If you need anything while you're staying here, just tell Xiaomei or Xiaomeng. Don't be shy, don't stand on ceremony."

Chen Yannan quickly stood up and greeted them politely, but her doubts only grew stronger.

Why are there so many women living in this house?

Xie Dajiao seemed to read her mind, and, holding the child, sat down and slowly began to explain:

"I just gave birth a while ago, and there was no one at home to take care of me, so I moved here to live with them. It's more convenient for me to have postpartum care. Xiaomeng is my goddaughter. She comes over to help out when she's done at the factory. Our whole family is together, so it's lively and not lonely."

After hearing these words, Chen Yannan finally understood, and the awkwardness and restraint in her heart dissipated considerably.

What she was most afraid of was being stuck between the young couple as an unwanted third wheel.

Now that I understand, and with more people living with me, I feel much more at ease.

Despite feeling reassured, a faint sense of disappointment still crept into her heart when she caught a glimpse of Lin Chen out of the corner of her eye.

No matter how outstanding or captivating someone is, they ultimately belong to someone else and have nothing to do with you...