Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

A few days later, around 10 p.m., the light was still on in Lin Chen's study.

Lin Chen sat at the table, casually flipping through the hot spring geological data on his computer. Just as he finished sorting out the data, his phone on the table suddenly rang. Looking down, he saw it was Wang Dana calling.

He answered the phone, smiling, and said:

"Grandpa, why aren't you resting so late? Is something the matter?"

Wang Dana's signature voice, accompanied by a hearty laugh, rang out from the other end of the phone immediately:

"Oh, Xiao Chen, what else could it be? It's about that hot spring thing!"

"Ever since you called me, I've had my people go to Ivory Mountain these past two days and do a thorough check. The water quality, location, reserves—everything's perfect, not a single problem. It's a treasure trove! You're incredibly lucky, everything you do goes smoothly!"

After a brief chat, Wang Dana cut to the chase and said:

"Xiao Chen, let's not get into that nonsense, I'll tell you the truth."

"I'm thinking of building a hot spring resort here, with an investment of over ten million. The group will fully fund it, so you won't have to put in a single penny. Once the resort is built, you'll be in charge of everything—personnel, construction, accounting—you'll have complete authority. I have complete confidence in you handling this!"

Lin Chen chuckled after hearing this, leaned back lazily, and said:

"Sir, everything else is fine, but I really can't do this job of being in charge."

"You don't know me. I'm lazy and hate worrying. I can't stand sitting in an office all day, managing people and things."

"You can develop the hot spring however you like. This hot spring will belong to your group from now on, and I have no objection to how you do it."

"That won't do!"

Wang Dana immediately became agitated, and his voice rose considerably:

"The land is yours, the hot spring is yours, and the roots are all in your Ivory Mountain! Do you think I'd take your things for nothing? I've already given you the boss's seat, and you're turning it away? If you don't want to do it, I'm not investing in Ivory Mountain anymore. You can manage the hot spring yourself from now on."

"No way, where am I supposed to get that much money? Investing in this isn't a small amount. Besides, the town and village are all waiting for it, sir. I just have one idea: I don't care about anything else, just give me some shares and dividends. I'll just get my share at the end of the year and have some peace and quiet. Is that alright?"

Wang Dana hesitated, but Lin Chen remained confident, smiling as he said:

"Sir, I'm not being polite, but I'm just not cut out for this. I'm constantly bogged down by these trivial matters, it's driving me crazy. Just let me make money without worry, I won't get involved in anything else."

On the other end of the phone, Wang Dana tried his best to persuade Lin Chen, but Lin Chen just wouldn't take over the management rights and only wanted to receive dividends.

Wang Dana was at his wit's end and sighed helplessly:

"You kid, why don't you have any drive? Fine, I'll go along with you for now, and we'll talk about the details when I get there."

"I'll take Musheng and Da Nao over the day after tomorrow to check it out on-site and finalize everything. It's almost New Year's Day, so it'll be a good opportunity to join in the fun and have a get-together."

"Okay, I'll tell Uncle Changgui in a bit."

They chatted casually for a couple more minutes before hanging up.

Lin Chen looked at the light snowflakes drifting outside the window, melting as soon as they landed, quietly.

He smirked. No need to worry or exert himself, and he could steadily earn his share of the money. This was the life he called comfortable.

The next morning, at the Benxi Wang's Group office.

Wang Musheng was lounging on the sofa with his legs crossed, playing on his phone, acting all nonchalant and unprofessional, while Liu Da Nao and Wang Dana were tidying up at their desks.

Wang Dana slammed a stack of documents on the table and called out to the two men:

"Stop playing around, come over to the meeting, do something serious! You two are coming with me to Ivory Mountain the day after tomorrow."

"The hot spring resort project is finalized. From now on, Big Head will be stationed in the village to oversee the construction. Do you two have any objections?"

Wang Musheng quickly stuffed his phone into his pocket, sat up straight, his eyes shining, and said excitedly:

"Dad! Really...really? Then it absolutely...it must be fine!"

Wang Dana glared at him, not believing a word he said, and looked at Liu Danao, giving him a serious warning:

"Let me be frank from the start: Xiao Chen doesn't like to get involved in things, but the resort is based on his territory, the hot springs belong to him, and he's the one who manages all the affairs of the village and the interpersonal relationships. We have a cooperative relationship."

"You used to be just a gofer and do odd jobs. You just need to keep a close eye on two things: project quality and accounts. Do your job properly and don't cause any trouble or mess things up."

"Also, don't act arrogantly and give orders just because you're in charge. Listen to Xiao Chen more often; he's more reliable than you. Learn from him in everything you do. If I find out you're throwing a tantrum or arguing with him, I'll definitely deal with you when we get back!"

"Oh, Chairman! You can rest assured!"

Liu Da Nao patted his chest and guaranteed:

"He says what to do, and I do it without question. I will definitely listen to him."

Liu Da Nao said it all, but he was secretly overjoyed. He muttered to himself, "If Lin Chen doesn't care about things, then this huge manor is mine to manage! I'll be the head of the manor from now on, how prestigious!"

……

Soon, early the next morning, Wang Dana drove to Ivory Mountain with Wang Musheng and Liu Danao. Lin Chen, along with Xie Yongqiang, led the group directly to the hot spring construction site on the back mountain.

The mountain winds are strong, whipping the withered grass and leaves around in a frenzy. Only the hot spring well emits billowing white steam, the clash of hot and cold creating a misty, uniquely beautiful scene.

Technician Wang followed beside them, reporting along the way, explaining the water temperature, water output, and water quality indicators clearly.

Wang Dana squatted by the well, tested the water temperature with his hand, scooped up a handful of water, smelled it, and nodded repeatedly:

"Great! Excellent! A truly wonderful hot spring, far superior to the ones I checked out before!"

He stood up, patted the water off his hands, and made the decision on the spot:

"That's it! The 30 million investment will be approved immediately. I'll have someone expedite the paperwork so we can start construction right away. Don't delay anything; time is money."

After saying that, he looked at Lin Chen again, still unwilling to give up:

"Xiao Chen, what we said on the phone doesn't count. This resort is still yours, and you have full responsibility. You're a local, and everyone in the village respects you. We're afraid an outsider wouldn't be able to keep things in order!"

"Sir, really, no need. I'm lazy and can't handle these chores."

"I'll leave the daily operations and site management to my older brother and Assistant Liu. They're fine. I'll only step in if there's a major issue they can't handle. I won't get involved in minor matters."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Musheng straightened his back, deliberately cleared his throat, and tried hard to appear composed, but when he opened his mouth, he still slurred:

"Yes! I'm making sure you keep a close eye on things!"

"Can you even understand the six of coins?"

Wang Dana glanced at him sideways, too lazy to reply. He knew his son's character best: all talk and no action, completely incapable of handling important matters. It seemed that Liu Danao would have to take charge.

Lin Chen seized the opportunity to recommend:

"Sir, I recommend someone to you, he'll definitely be a good fit."

He pulled Yongqiang aside and said:

"Yongqiang has been staying on the mountain every day for the past two months. He understands everything about the construction site. He is a reliable and hardworking person, and he is also a college student from the village. He is the most convenient person to coordinate things. In the future, when the mountain resort starts construction, the village will coordinate, the construction site will be monitored, and agricultural linkage will be handled by him. This orchard belongs to him, and he will have no problem managing it."

Wang Dana sized up Xie Yongqiang and readily agreed.

"No problem! The person Xiao Chen has chosen can't be bad!"

"Yongqiang, let me observe you first. If you perform well, I'll appoint you as the deputy general manager of the hot spring resort. You'll currently be in charge of project coordination and agricultural support. Keep up the good work, and the group will definitely reward you handsomely with an annual salary!"

Xie Yongqiang was stunned on the spot, never expecting such good fortune to fall upon him. After a few seconds of stunned silence, he excitedly stepped forward to express his gratitude.

"Thank you, Chairman Wang! Thank you, Brother Chen! I will definitely work hard and live up to your trust!"

Chen Guiying, who was standing to the side, saw this and felt a mix of emotions, her face burning with embarrassment.

A few days ago, she acted impulsively and blurted out that she wanted to share the hot spring with Lin Chen in public.

But instead of holding a grudge, they took the initiative to find Yongqiang such a good job, one that was both lucrative and prestigious.

In comparison, she seemed narrow-minded and immature, and I felt ashamed.

After inspecting the construction site, the group walked down the mountain one after another. They walked slowly, and Chen Guiying deliberately slowed down and lagged behind to catch up with Lin Chen.