Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

In the afternoon, the chickens in Old Xie's yard kept crowing, which was quite annoying. There was a half-sack of mountain produce on the table in the inner room, but nothing else.

Pi Changshan was preoccupied with the matter of transferring jobs, so he grabbed Xie Lan, grabbed two bottles of wine, and headed to his father-in-law's house.

As soon as I entered, I rushed forward and asked:

"Dad, I heard you went to town to see Mayor Qi? How's my job situation going?"

Xie Lan laughed along:

"Look at Old Pi, how much your father cares about this. He even made a special trip to town. Dad, what did Mayor Qi say? Is there any hope?"

Xie Guangkun said slowly:

"I went, I went specifically for your work. How could I not take your affairs seriously? But Mayor Qi said you can't go."

Pi Changshan's expression immediately changed, and he quickly asked:

"Dad, did Mayor Qi say why? Why can't we go now?"

Xie Guangkun stared at him with a half-smile:

"He didn't tell me why, he just told me to figure it out myself. I've thought about it for ages and still can't figure it out. Why don't you remind me? Tell me why I can't go?"

Pi Changshan's heart skipped a beat. He wondered when he had offended Mayor Qi, but he couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he tried.

"How would I know why?"

Xie Lan didn't realize anything was wrong and even chimed in from the side:

"Dad, why don't you call Mayor Qi again and ask him what's wrong? That way we can figure out a solution."

Xie Guangkun glared at her and said irritably:

"He's the town mayor, he's so busy! How can you just make a phone call like that? That's inconsiderate!"

Xie Lan was inexplicably scolded and was very puzzled. Pi Changshan kept thinking about what he had done wrong, but he couldn't figure it out. After sitting for a while, he pulled Xie Lan away quickly.

After the two left, Yongqiang's mother wiped her hands and asked:

"I was completely confused by your conversation. Why doesn't Third Aunt let Changshan go to the central school?"

Xie Guangkun put down his teacup and snorted coldly:

"Why? For our own good! Some things are better left unsaid, so don't ask."

Yongqiang's mother became more and more confused as she listened, and wanted to ask more questions, but Xie Guangkun simply shut down and said nothing more.

……

It was past seven o'clock in the evening, and the lights in the clinic were very bright. There was an unfinished sweater on the table.

Li Daguo spent the whole afternoon pondering things. In the end, he was afraid of falling out with Xiangxiu. After thinking it over, he realized that things couldn't continue like this, so he quickly came to find Xiangxiu.

As soon as Li Daguo entered the gate, Xiangxiu's face fell, and she turned and walked into the house, completely ignoring him.

Li Daguo quickly followed him into the house, smiling ingratiatingly as he said:

"Hey, are you still angry? I know I was wrong. I bought you a hair clip today, look at it, they said it's the most popular style."

Xiangxiu had her back to him, her tone cold:

"I don't want to. Li Daguo, you're really something. You fought with someone as honest as Wang Tianlai and pushed him into the river. How can you be so amazing? I'd be ashamed if word got out."

"I was just annoyed by his gossipy nature!"

Li Daguo leaned closer to pull her up, then quickly apologized:

"I promise I won't cause trouble again, okay? I'll apologize to Wang Tianlai tomorrow, please don't be angry."

"No need."

Xiangxiu flung him away:

"Are you picking on him? You're just doubting me! You're so petty and suspicious. Wang Tianlai and I are colleagues, we see each other every day. If you keep acting like this, how am I supposed to go to work?"

Li Daguo tried everything to persuade her, from pleading and making promises to swearing oaths and guarantees, but Xiangxiu just wouldn't budge.

Finally, she got impatient with his nagging and pushed him out.

"Go away, I don't want to talk to you anymore!"

With a "bang," the door slammed shut.

Standing outside the door, Li Daguo grew angrier the more he thought about it. He didn't think he was wrong at all; it was all Wang Tianlai's fault. Otherwise, he and Xiangxiu would never have started arguing.

The next morning, Wang Tianlai squatted on the ground arranging medicine bottles, working quite honestly.

Li Daguo arrived early and went straight into the house.

When Wang Tianlai looked up and saw him, he was so frightened that he trembled and quickly lowered his head, pretending to be busy, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Xiangxiu glanced at him and said irritably:

"Why are you here again? I don't want to talk to you."

"I didn't come here to see you."

Li Daguo stared at Wang Tianlai:

"Wang Tianlai, come out here for a moment, I need to talk to you about something."

Wang Tianlai shrank back and whispered his refusal:

"W-what's up? Just say it here..."

"Stop pretending to be confused! I told you to come out! I need to talk to you!"

Xiangxiu spoke softly from the side:

"It's okay, go ahead. Let's see what he can do. He can't eat you, can he?"

"Xiangxiu, why don't you come with me..."

"Go away, let's see if he dares to touch you!"

Wang Tianlai, with a bitter face, slowly stood up and followed Li Daguo out, his legs trembling slightly.

The two arrived at a secluded spot, where no one was around. Wang Tianlai said tremblingly:

"B-Big Brother, what's wrong? Just tell me, I'm busy right now."

"Don't call me 'brother,' I'll call you 'brother.'"

Li Daguo's tone softened considerably:

"Regardless of age, I respect you. I want to discuss something with you. Isn't your uncle Mayor Qi? He has connections. Why don't you ask him to transfer you to the city? What's the point of staying in this village? A big hospital in the city would be much better."

Wang Tianlai was stunned on the spot, and quickly waved his hand to explain:

"Hey brother, I don't want to work here either, but I really have no choice! I went through so much trouble to get this job, and if I go back after two and a half days, I'll be letting down my aunt and uncle. It'll be so embarrassing! Just let me make a living here, I promise I'll be honest and hardworking."

"You might be able to make a living, but what about my wife? She'll be left without a job!"

Li Daguo's face immediately darkened:

"Don't you understand? You spend more time in the same room with Xiangxiu than we do together. We've been arguing a lot lately because of you. What are we going to do?"

Wang Tianlai was so frightened that he quickly waved his hands, almost crying:

"Brother, I swear, I really have no feelings for Xiangxiu! That's just the kind of person she is, and I'm not!"

"What do you mean!" Li Daguo's eyes widened, and he took a step forward.

Wang Tianlai was so frightened that he stepped back and hurriedly explained:

"Oh, that's not what I meant! I just wanted to prove my innocence; I really didn't do anything!"

"Don't try to talk to me about whether you're innocent or not."

Li Daguo interrupted him impatiently:

"I'm just asking you, is it possible to transfer him?"

Wang Tianlai lowered his head and said hesitantly:

"I'm sorry... I really can't do it..."

"Alright, you just wait!"

After Li Daguo finished speaking, he turned and left, his face ashen.

Wang Tianlai stood there alone for a while before slowly making his way back into the house.

Xiangxiu came over and asked:

"Tianlai, what did you two say?"

"They didn't say anything, just whether I could be transferred. I don't have that ability. It wasn't easy for me to even get here."

"It's alright, just keep doing your job. Li Daguo won't dare to do anything to you."

Wang Tianlai nodded with a bitter face, thinking to himself, "What kind of mess is this...?"

……

Pi Changshan was preoccupied with the matter of transferring jobs. After get off work, he pushed his bicycle home, feeling restless and anxious.

He hung his head, his lips turned down, his face was longer than a donkey's, and he had nowhere to vent his anger. He pushed the cart and crashed into the yard with a bang.

Xie Lan was busy in the outer room when she heard the noise. She wiped her hands and came out to greet him, taking the bag from his hand.

"You're back? You're late today. Have you eaten?"

Pi Changshan spoke angrily:

"I've eaten. A few guests from the central school came over, and I drank a lot of alcohol with them. I'm so angry I'm full. Hey, let me ask you, did you ask Dad why he wouldn't let me be the principal of the central school?"

Xie Lan was startled by his sudden outburst of anger, and her face immediately flushed with embarrassment.

"I asked, and Dad said he didn't know what happened either. Mayor Qi just said we weren't allowed to go, and when I asked any further, he wouldn't say anything more. He just said there must be a reason why we weren't allowed to go, and that we should just stay here and do our job."

"What's the point? I don't think he even asked me properly!"

Pi Changshan immediately exploded, grabbed the bag on the table, and slammed it to the ground:

"Mayor Qi is on good terms with him, so he definitely didn't take what I said to heart. He's just giving me the runaround! He thinks I'm useless as his son-in-law and not worth the trip!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

Xie Lan also got anxious, and her voice suddenly rose:

"My father went to great lengths to plead with people in town because of this! And in the end, you're the one complaining? Pi Changshan, do you have any conscience?!"

"He went there and didn't even know why it wouldn't work? Are you kidding me?"

Pi Changshan's face turned bright red:

"I think he just doesn't want me to advance in my career. After all these years, don't I know what he's thinking? He's only after your brother!"

"You know nothing!"

Xie Lan angrily pointed her finger at his nose and cursed:

"You're busy at school every day, how can I count on you for anything at home? Every time, it's my dad who helps us out! You're not only ungrateful, but you're also making wild guesses! Do you have any conscience? I think you're just obsessed with becoming an official, you're crazy about it!"

"Didn't I want to become an official for the sake of my family?"

Pi Changshan yelled at her, refusing to give an inch:

"If I become the principal of the central school, won't you also enjoy the benefits? It's better than spending your whole life in this run-down village! You can't help at all, and you just join your father in fooling me!"