Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

On the way back to Xiangyashan from Xie Xiaomei's parents' house, Xie Xiaomei sat in the passenger seat with a smile on her face, chatting non-stop with Xie Dajiao in the back seat.

Weddings in the countryside have many customs. Normal families start preparing at least three months in advance, choosing a date, finding a cook, setting up a tent, and visiting relatives. There's no time to rush it.

But Xie Xiaomei was pregnant, and this matter couldn't be delayed.

If we wait another two months until my belly shows, not only will I not look good in a wedding dress, but the villagers will also gossip. Rather than dragging it out, we might as well speed things up. That's what I was saying to Xie Baochang earlier.

As they approached the village, Lin Chen's phone rang. He picked it up casually, glanced at it, and handed it to Xie Xiaomei to answer. It was Xie Baochang calling. Xie Xiaomei took the phone and put it on speakerphone.

"Xiao Chen, Xiao Mei, your mother and I have asked around and picked a good date. Let's set it for a month from now. You two can just stay home and prepare. You don't need to worry about things here."

Lin Chen immediately replied:

"Old Xie, you can decide. I'll take care of everything here in Ivory Mountain. You don't need to help or spend any money. Just wait for me to bring Xiaomei over on the wedding day."

They gave the young man a few more words of advice: don't spend money recklessly, and be practical in daily life. Lin Chen agreed.

After hanging up the phone, Xie Xiaomei turned to look at Lin Chen, her face flushed. She was finally getting married; she had been waiting for this day for so long.

Lin Chen already had a preliminary plan in mind: the wedding must be a grand affair a month from now.

He took care of everything – money, people, venue – ensuring Xie Xiaomei had a grand and glamorous wedding. Xie Xiaomei was already doing him a disservice by marrying him, so the wedding had to be as perfect as possible.

After returning home, Lin Chen pulled her to sit on the sofa, opened the window to let the room air out, and Wang Xiaomeng and Chen Yannan also came over. They had already learned about Xiaomei's pregnancy from the phone call earlier.

Lin Chen took out a pen and paper and began to write down the wedding checklist item by item, reading it aloud to Xie Xiaomei as he wrote.

"First of all, let's do it the way your parents said, a month from now, before your pregnancy shows, and then no one can find fault with it."

"I've already planned the banquet. Our main relatives will be inside, and we'll just tidy up the yard a bit. Setting up ten tables shouldn't be a problem. We'll specifically seat the villagers who are on good terms with us."

"The main banquet is held outside, with three wedding tents set up. Everyone in the village, young and old, is invited; no one is left out."

"For the wedding banquet, we'll hire the most popular banquet troupe in Kaiyuan, a master chef who specializes in serving our Liaobei-style banquet. We'll prepare all the main dishes, and use only the best tobacco and alcohol. I want to make sure that no one in the village can compare to us when it comes to weddings."

Chen Yannan poured Lin Chen a glass of water, as Lin Chen had mentioned that he was a little thirsty.

He took a sip of water and continued:

"We'll go check out the wedding procession later. Don't make it too tacky. I'll pick you up from Xiangyashan in Kaiyuan, drive around the main roads of the city, and then go back to the village. I'll make sure you have a good time."

"The master bedroom on the second floor will be converted into a new room. You women can figure out how to do it yourselves. Lay a red carpet from the front door all the way to the door, and I'll have someone decorate the path. It must be all red from beginning to end."

Xie Xiaomei was speechless with astonishment, and gently pinched his arm:

"Brother Chen, you're being too extravagant. In our village, who holds so many tables for a celebration? This is too ostentatious."

Lin Chen waved his hand and said seriously:

"What's all this fuss about? You've had a tough time following me, I can't let you just settle for a simple marriage. When I, Lin Chen, hold my wedding in Ivory Mountain, it has to be the first in the whole village."

After saying that, Lin Chen thought of something, put down his pen, took out his phone and called Wang Dana.

The phone was answered after two rings, and Wang Dana's distinctive accent came through immediately; it was unmistakably him.

"What's wrong, nephew? Missing your grandpa or something?"

Lin Chen said with a smile:

"Uncle, I have some good news to share. Xiaomei and I are engaged. We'll be having our wedding in a month, right here in the village. If you and your brother don't have anything else planned, come over and stay for a couple of days to join the fun."

Wang Dana's voice instantly rose significantly:

"Marriage? So soon? Why didn't you give me a heads-up? I'm not prepared at all!"

"I originally wanted to do it later..."

Lin Chen glanced at Xie Xiaomei beside him:

"Xiaomei is pregnant, and she's worried that her belly will become too big and she'll look unattractive, and she'll also be very tired, so she's been moving up the days."

"She's pregnant?!"

Wang Dana's voice trembled, and he said "good" several times in a row, his voice choked with emotion:

"Good, good! The Lin family finally has an heir!"

Lin Chen knew immediately that Wang Dana was thinking of his deceased parents, and quickly advised him:

"Sir, don't get excited. Take care of yourself. This is a joyous occasion. Just come over early."

"Go! We have to go!"

Wang Dana quickly composed himself. Wang Musheng, who was looking at himself in a small mirror, also heard the noise and came over, repeatedly asking in a low voice what was wrong.

"I'll arrive in three days! Such a joyous occasion, I absolutely have to personally arrange everything for you! If your parents were watching from heaven, they'd be able to rest in peace!"

The two chatted for a few more minutes. Wang Dana repeatedly told them to let him know if they needed money or manpower, and not to hesitate to ask. Only then did he hang up the phone.

"Dad, what's wrong? Why are you so agitated?"

"Your brother's getting married, let's go early!"

"Oh my god, she's getting married!"

Wang Musheng slapped his thigh:

"Then I must write two poems for my younger brother."

"You're kidding me, nobody wants to read that stuff!"

Wang Musheng pursed his lips, muttered something unintelligible, and returned to his desk to start writing poetry, ignoring what Wang Dana was saying.

The news of the wedding spread throughout Ivory Mountain in just one day.

The whole village was amazed and genuinely happy for Lin Chen.

There have been many weddings in the village in recent years, but I've never seen one with such a grand scale.

The villagers are simple and honest. They know that Lin Chen is righteous and generous. Without anyone asking, every household will come to help him whenever they have free time.

After finishing their meal, the young people rushed to the villa to set up sheds, lay wires, erect poles, and hang colorful flags. They were so busy that they were covered in sweat but didn't complain of being tired.

A red carpet stretched from the villa's main gate all the way to the village's main road, with strings of red lanterns lining the roadside. When the spring breeze blew, colorful flags fluttered in the wind, and half the village was bathed in red, creating a festive atmosphere. Even the big trees were decorated with the character for "happiness."

Inside the Big Foot Supermarket, Xie Dajiao and Wang Yun led several aunties and older women from the village to sit cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed) and busily sew new quilts.

It has a bright red satin surface with a dragon and phoenix pattern, and is filled with freshly fluffed cotton, which is soft and thick.

As they sewed, several people chanted auspicious phrases:

"A handful of chestnuts and a handful of dates, may you have a big, healthy baby next year!"

Xie Dajiao was the fastest, his stitches were fine and even, and he kept laughing:

"Look at this, Lin Chen is really straightforward. This wedding is something our village won't be able to do for ten or eight years. Xiao Mei is lucky to have found such a caring and thoughtful man."

Wang Yun nodded repeatedly from the side:

"Absolutely! Not only are they rich, but they're also a good person, so genuine!"

Xie Xiaomei had Wang Xiaomeng and Chen Yannan be her bridesmaids, and during this period she spent almost every day at the villa.

The two of them helped fold the "double happiness" characters, pack wedding candies, divide red envelopes, and tidy up the bridal chamber, working in an orderly manner.

When he had free time, he would accompany Xie Xiaomei to look at wedding dresses and choose a dress for the toast.

Chen Yannan held up the wedding photos, comparing them over and over, praising them incessantly:

"Sister Xiaomei, you'll look stunning in this! On your wedding day, Brother Chen will be absolutely blown away!"

Wang Xiaomeng said gently:

"It'll be crowded and chaotic that day. We'll stay with you the whole time. Please walk slowly. If you need anything, just let us know. The first three months are the most precious, so please don't overwork yourself."

Lin Chen came in at this moment and said helplessly:

"Sigh, I was originally planning to hire a professional emcee from the city, but Qi Santai just called me and offered to host for the two of us. I didn't want to refuse, so I agreed."

Xie Xiaomei said with a smile:

"What's with that expression? The town mayor is officiating our wedding, it's such an honor, why are you looking so gloomy?"

"I'm afraid he'll bring his meeting-style approach to our wedding. Oh well, since it's already decided, let's just leave it at that. I'll go talk to my groomsmen."

The best men were Liu Yishui, Xie Yongqiang, and Zhao Yutian, all of whom were young people in the village with whom he had a good relationship.

The three of them got together to discuss the routines for the wedding procession, fearing they would be put in a difficult position by the bridesmaids on the day.

Zhao Yutian patted his chest and said:

"Don't worry, Brother Chen! We've got you covered for blocking the door and getting through the obstacles. We guarantee we'll bring the bride back smoothly and without delaying the auspicious time!"

Liu Yishui laughed and teased him:

"Don't brag. Your sister-in-law's best friend in the city is shrewd and has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. Your little bit of cleverness might not be enough."

"If that doesn't work, I'll just take the door off the door!"

Lin Chen agreed, saying:

"Good brother!"

Zhao Yutian tossed his hair and said smugly:

"Brother Chen, there's no use saying anything now. We'll see how things go later."

For a whole month, the entire village worked together to help Lin Chen.

The villa has been completely renovated inside and out, with red "double happiness" characters, red lanterns, and red carpets everywhere, creating a festive atmosphere.

The village dogs and cats would squat at the door every day to watch the excitement, and the whole village was filled with a lively atmosphere.