Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Wang Musheng, who had been dawdling and reluctant to get on the bus, had been listening intently to the two men's conversation. Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, he immediately leaned forward, grinning broadly, and said:

"Dad, how about I don't go back to Benxi with you yet? I'll stay in the village for a couple more days to properly investigate Xiaomeng's bean product factory, see how their workers are producing, and also prepare a feasibility report for the resort's supporting deep processing. That's a serious matter..."

Wang Dana saw through his little scheme at a glance and gave him no face at all, immediately giving him a severe scolding.

"Give me a break! You think you can do a feasibility study? I know you too well. Get on the bus now. Once the resort officially starts construction, you'll be busy. You won't be able to slack off. If you dare to talk nonsense again, you can forget about ever getting involved in this project again!"

Wang Musheng was furious after being scolded, and he slunk out of the car and got in.

He peered out the car window, muttering to himself, "I just wanted to spend a couple more days in the village, why is it so difficult?"

Back in the car, the father and son started arguing again:

"I can't find a partner, so I'll blame it all on you! I'll blame it all on you!"

"Get lost, and stop dawdling."

"So what if you're being slow? My brother wants to introduce me to a bunch of girls, and you're just going to try to stop him. I don't think you want to have grandchildren."

"Look at yourself! Focus on building your career first!"

The car slowly started and drove away from the village committee entrance. Wang Dana waved goodbye to everyone through the car window. Lin Chen, Qi Santai and his group stood there watching until the car was completely out of sight before they dispersed.

……

At nine o'clock that evening, the master bedroom on the second floor of Lin Chen's house was bathed in spring sunshine. The warm yellow bedside lamp was very gentle, and fine snowflakes were falling outside the window, constantly hitting the window. The room was very warm and cozy, without any winter chill, and the temperature was very even.

Lin Chen had just worked up a sweat, and after washing up with Xie Xiaomei, they lay in bed. Xie Xiaomei didn't want to move a single finger.

Lin Chen turned to the side, gently twirling Xie Xiaomei's soft hair with his fingers, and quietly watched her for a long time before suddenly speaking softly.

"Xiaomei, let's get married."

Xie Xiaomei, who had been lying in Lin Chen's arms with her eyes closed, opened them instantly upon hearing these words. She looked up at Lin Chen with bright eyes and her eyelashes fluttered slightly.

"Brother Chen, what...what did you say?"

I said, let's get our marriage certificate.

Lin Chen smiled, reached out and pulled the person back into his arms, saying in a low voice:

"At this rate, we might get pregnant any day now. Let's get married sooner rather than later. That way, if you get pregnant, you can focus on your pregnancy without people gossiping."

Xie Xiaomei buried her face in his chest, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

She had been waiting for these words for a long time, hoping for them countless times, but she was always afraid that she was being pressured into marriage, so she never dared to bring it up herself.

Hearing Lin Chen say it himself filled her with sweetness; it was so heartwarming.

"I thought... you would wait another two years before considering marriage."

"Silly girl."

Lin Chen gently stroked the tip of her nose, his tone indulgent:

"I can't wait to marry you. Let's get our marriage certificate first, and then we can have the wedding after the New Year, once the construction of the resort is stable and the weather is a bit warmer. There's no rush."

Xie Xiaomei nodded obediently, her slender fingers gently tracing circles on his chest, and said softly:

"Okay, whatever you say. Getting a marriage certificate is simple. Just pick a good day. No need for a big fuss."

"That won't do."

Lin Chen said seriously:

"Marriage is a major life event, and I absolutely cannot let you suffer. I'll go to the city and buy you a big apartment, so it will be convenient for us to move back to the city or run errands in the future."

Xie Xiaomei immediately shook her head and refused:

"No need to buy it, why waste that money? We only go back a few times a year anyway. Our villa is great, it's spacious, the air is fresh, and it's comfortable to live in. It's a hundred times better than the cramped city. I'd rather stay here."

Lin Chen smiled and ruffled her hair:

"Okay, whatever you say. I'll prepare a larger dowry."

"What do you need a bride price for? Not a single penny."

"My parents have already said that they don't care about your dowry. They only have one daughter, so they'll give you a bigger dowry. I heard them mention before that they want to buy us a car."

"Why buy a car? Aren't our two cars enough?"

"We can't just leave without giving anything in return, can we?"

Lin Chen didn't refuse anymore, and after thinking for a moment, he said:

"Alright, the new dowry car has arrived. You can give the car you're driving now to Xiaomeng. It will be much more convenient for her to have a car."

"That won't do."

Xie Xiaomei immediately shook her head and said seriously:

"That's the car you gave me back then. I'll let Xiaomeng drive the new car, and I'll just drive the old one. I like this one."

Lin Chen pinched her cheek with a mixture of helplessness and affection:

"You have a new car but you don't drive it. What's so great about my old clunker?"

"Because it was a gift from you, I really like it..."

Xie Xiaomei smiled and snuggled closer to him, remaining obedient and silent. The room was filled with warmth, and fine snowflakes drifted gently down outside the window, creating a quiet and gentle atmosphere.

The next morning, the living room was bathed in sunlight, and there was clean fruit on the coffee table.

Xie Dajiao was playing with the child on the sofa, and Wang Xiaomeng and Chen Yannan also sat down to play with the child. The group sat together and chatted about everyday things.

Lin Chen slowly walked downstairs, sat on the sofa, and smiled at everyone, saying:

"I have something to tell you. Xiaomei and I have discussed it and decided to pick an auspicious day in a couple of days to get our marriage certificate."

Upon hearing this, Xie Dajiao burst into laughter and excitedly exclaimed:

"Oh my god! This is such wonderful news! I've been hoping you two would settle down soon! Once you're registered, everything will be so much more peaceful! After that, let's get right to the wedding preparations—buy what we need, order what we need, we can't afford to be careless at any step!"

Wang Xiaomeng also had a sincere smile on her face, not jealous at all, because Lin Chen had already told her his future plans. She would work hard for a few years first, and after having a child, she would become Mrs. Lin.

"You two should have gotten your marriage certificate a long time ago, this is great news."

Only Chen Yannan, standing to the side, froze on her smile and turned several shades paler.

She kept her head down silently, feeling a tightness in her chest and an indescribable bitterness in her heart.

She had long since convinced herself not to care about titles or status, but when she actually heard the news that Lin Chen and Xie Xiaomei were going to get their marriage certificate, she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

For a moment, she felt like an unwanted outsider, silently taking up favoritism, her heart filled with guilt and unease.

Xie Xiaomei saw through Chen Yannan's inner turmoil at a glance, and immediately reached out and gently patted the back of Chen Yannan's hand, then turned to give Lin Chen a wink.

"Why don't you go out for a walk and come back for lunch?"

Lin Chen knew they were staying to comfort Chen Yannan and help her resolve her inner turmoil.

Without further ado, he stood up with a smile:

"Okay, I'm going out for a walk. You guys can chat at home. I'll be back for lunch on time."

After saying that, he picked up the car keys, gently opened the door and went out, leaving the women alone.

The orchard on the back hill was bustling with activity, mainly involving winter pruning, cleaning the orchard, and protecting the tree trunks from the cold.

Xie Yongqiang was leading several workers in a busy work session, full of energy and his eyes were shining. He looked much more energetic than before when he was listless.

Upon seeing Lin Chen approaching, Xie Yongqiang quickly put down his work, wiped the dirt off his hands, and warmly greeted him.

"Brother Chen, what brings you here? It's so cold outside, come inside and have some hot water to warm up."

"I had nothing to do at home, so I came up here to take a look."

Lin Chen smiled and nodded. Just as he was about to step into the nursing room, he saw Chen Guiying carrying hot water out of the room.

Lin Chen was stunned for a moment and almost didn't recognize him.

Chen Guiying shaved all the hair on both sides of her temples short, shaving it clean close to her scalp, leaving the hair on top untouched. She looked exceptionally energetic, like a man.

Lin Chen couldn't help but laugh and joke:

"Your new hairstyle looks great! Why did you suddenly cut it so short? I almost didn't recognize you."