Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

That night, Chen Yannan completely shed her girlish naiveté and truly became a woman.

I felt guilty and tormented, but more than anything, I felt an unprecedented, overwhelming sense of happiness.

It turns out that being held and cherished by someone you love feels so reassuring and fulfilling.

She became dependent on this feeling, even if it was stolen, even if it was something that couldn't be brought to light, she was willing to accept it.

……

The rain stopped in the early morning, the sky was bright, and the power had been restored to the house long ago.

Chen Yannan woke up very early, lying with her back to Lin Chen, her mind unusually clear.

She had no regrets, not even a little bit.

Even though it was against the rules, even though she felt guilty towards Xie Xiaomei, she did not regret her indulgence last night.

After holding onto these feelings for so long, they have finally come to fruition, and my heart is filled with happiness.

When Lin Chen woke up, he subconsciously reached out to hug her, but Chen Yannan gently turned away, sat up, pulled the blanket up to cover herself, and the panic from last night disappeared from her face.

"Brother Chen, I don't regret what happened last night."

She looked at Lin Chen, her eyes no longer darting away:

"But I have to say this first."

Lin Chen leaned against the headboard, lit a cigarette, and listened quietly.

"I'm very tight-lipped. I won't say a word about what's going on between us, and I certainly won't let Xiaomei notice anything amiss. I don't want to hurt her."

"Work is work, and personal matters are personal matters. I keep them very separate. I will still do my best in the orchard work. You don't need to ask me for special treatment, and you don't need to feel indebted to me."

"It's my own choice, I'm willing to let it be this way, I won't force you, I won't make trouble for you, I don't want anything in return."

She was sensible, clear-headed, and humble; she preserved her last shred of dignity and also this clandestine affair.

Lin Chen stubbed out his cigarette, reached out and gently pulled her into his arms, his voice full of tenderness:

"I'm sorry to have troubled you."

Chen Yannan buried her head in his chest, gently shook her head, and whispered in reply:

"I'm not wronged, really not wronged. I'm quite content with this."

During the day, the two of them returned to their usual selves, talking and interacting just as they always had. But only they knew that everything had changed.

The unspoken understanding when their eyes meet, the tender reliance they share when no one is around, and the secret they hold deep in their hearts—these are what bind the two of them together.

A thunderstorm, a night of passion—she cherished a heart full of tenderness and a unique sense of happiness, willingly guarding this secret affair, asking nothing of the future, seeking no recognition...

Around noon, Chen Yannan finally got up, exhausted, and started making arrangements to cook for Lin Chen.

Lin Chen looked at her like this, shook his head and said:

"Never mind, I'll go cook some instant noodles. You should get some more rest."

"No, no, I'm really fine... Okay, it seems like something's wrong..." Chen Yannan blushed, and indeed, walking wasn't very comfortable.

Lin Chen finished dressing and gave the instructions before going downstairs:

"Tell the people at the orchard not to go today."

"No, no, I can manage. It's not that bad. Just now, I was just feeling weak all over. I'll feel better after a while."

Lin Chen didn't insist any further. After the two finished eating instant noodles, Chen Yannan changed into camouflage clothing, kissed Lin Chen on the cheek, and then hurriedly went to the orchard.

As soon as Chen Yannan left, Lin Chen's phone rang. It was Xie Xiaomei calling.

"Hey, Xiaomei, are you getting used to living at home? When are you coming back? I miss you so much."

"Hehe, you really missed me? I thought you were having too much fun to remember me. How did it go? Did you succeed?"

"Absolutely, it'll be a piece of cake. But she's a little shy and feels guilty towards you. She even asked me to keep it from you, saying she doesn't want to hurt you..."

Lin Chen repeated what Chen Yannan had said to Xie Xiaomei, which made Xie Xiaomei sigh deeply.

"I knew I wasn't wrong about her. So, what should I do?"

"Just pretend you don't know anything about it, and gradually let her accept it."

Xie Xiaomei teased:

"Huh? Do I have to play the role of an incompetent wife? How exciting!"

"Get lost!" Lin Chen said with a laugh.

"Hehe, I can't wait to go back. I really want to see Yan Nan pretending in front of me. I'm sure her expression will be very interesting when she finds out the truth. Just thinking about it is hilarious."

A sound came from the front door. Lin Chen glanced outside and whispered into the phone:

"I'll stop here for now, Yannan's back!"

After hanging up the phone, Chen Yannan opened the door and came inside, walking straight towards Lin Chen.

"Why are you back so soon...?"

Before Lin Chen could finish speaking, Chen Yannan had already kissed him, and he didn't get to say the rest of his words.

"I told Yongqiang I wasn't feeling well and need to take two days off. I miss you so much!"

Chen Yannan took off her camouflage jacket and put her arm around Lin Chen's waist. She wanted to cherish every moment she spent alone with Lin Chen.

……

It was past 8 p.m., and the lights were still on in Xie Guangkun's house. There were still quite a few people inside, and the shadows on the wall were crooked and uneven.

Xie Guangkun felt suffocated after not being elected as deputy director. He barely ate a few bites of dinner before putting down his chopsticks. After lying down for a while, he felt his head was heavy, his chest was tight, and he couldn't breathe properly.

He lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed), rolling around and groaning. Yongqiang's mother was so frightened that her heart pounded. She was afraid that he would suffer some internal injury from holding it in, so she quickly called the village clinic and asked Xiangxiu to come and take a look.

Before long, Xie Lan and Pi Changshan heard that Xie Guangkun had fallen ill and rushed over.

Xiangxiu carried the first-aid kit into the room, her movements incredibly swift.

She was very skilled at taking blood pressure, listening to the heart and lungs, preparing medication, administering injections, and hanging IV drips.

Xie Lan sat anxiously on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) and hurriedly asked:

"Xiangxiu, what's wrong with my father? He was fine during the day, how did he suddenly fall ill? Is it anything serious?"

While adjusting the drip rate, Xiangxiu casually remarked:

"It's okay, sis. Don't panic. It's just a sudden rush of anger and you couldn't catch your breath. Rest for a couple of days and you'll feel better. It's nothing serious."

Xie Guangkun, lying on the kang (a heated brick bed), closed his eyes, pressed his hand tightly to his chest, and deliberately made a lot of noise, groaning and moaning incessantly.

"Ouch...it hurts so much, I can't even breathe, it's so painful..."

Just then, Xie Yongqiang returned from the orchard on the mountain. He pushed open the door and saw a room full of people. Then he noticed his father with an IV drip in his hand and was immediately stunned.

"Dad, what are you doing? Why are you on an IV drip? How did you suddenly get sick?"

Yongqiang's mother sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), glared at Xie Guangkun, and said helplessly:

"What else could it be? He didn't get elected as deputy director. He's petty and just brooding at home! Is it really worth getting sick over such a trivial matter? He's just asking for trouble and adding to his children's burden! He's as petty as a pinhole."

After listening, Xie Yongqiang shook his head and leaned closer to the edge of the kang (heated brick bed) to persuade him:

"Dad, you're so old, why are you still so serious? If you don't want to be a deputy director, just quit. You can stay home, eat and drink well, and live a peaceful life. It's not worth making a fuss about."

This one sentence hit Xie Guangkun where it hurt. He glared at Xie Yongqiang and spoke in a very aggressive voice.

"So what if I'm old? Does being old mean I should step aside? Does it mean I'm not fit to manage things? As the old saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Lin Chen is just a greenhorn, inexperienced and clueless. What does he know about village affairs or social etiquette?"

"Xie Yongqiang, I think you're the most unfilial one! Your father has been wronged, and not only do you not stand up for me, but you also make sarcastic remarks, boosting the morale of outsiders while diminishing your own. What are you up to!"

Yongqiang's mother quickly patted his arm to stop him:

"You're so sick, just lie down and relax. Why are you always yelling at the kids? Go and get your IV drip done!"

Xie Guangkun completely ignored the advice and continued to argue with Xie Yongqiang, asking in a sarcastic tone:

"Tell me, does that widow still come up the mountain every day to help you with the orchard?"

Xie Yongqiang said helplessly:

"Dad, how can you talk like that? What widow? That's an awful thing to say. She's my friend, she came to lend a hand. Don't make up stories about her."

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

Xie Guangkun got more and more excited as he spoke:

"With her whole family in tow, a whole group together, and you won't even let us talk about it? Let me tell you the truth, that woman is a real scoundrel, and incredibly cunning!"

"You'd better cut ties with her as soon as possible! Is being a stepfather so easy? She'll cling to you and our family, and you won't be able to shake her off. You'll have your day!"

Xie Yongqiang turned his head and immediately retorted:

"She did me a huge favor by working for me for free, and you're just thinking dirty thoughts. If you really care about me, give me 100,000 yuan, and I'll pay her back immediately. She won't need to come over starting tomorrow."

Xie Guangkun turned his head and shouted in a shameless manner:

"I don't have any money. Aren't you and Lin Chen very close? Go find him! Ten thousand yuan is nothing to him; he can just pull it out with a flick of his finger!"

"Why should I always bother people?"

Xie Yongqiang became increasingly angry as he listened:

"I always rely on Brother Chen for everything. Is he my dad? Why should he keep helping me endlessly!"

This sentence completely enraged Xie Guangkun.

He yelled and pulled out the IV needle from the back of his hand. He struggled to sit up, wanting to get off the bed and beat someone.

"You little brat! You've really gone too far! I'm going to teach you a lesson today and show you what it means to respect your elders!"