Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

They'd been arguing for almost an hour without reaching a conclusion, and Wang Changgui was getting impatient, pacing around in a panic.

Suddenly someone shouted:

"Go find Lin Chen! Isn't Lin Chen our deputy director? He came back from a big city, he definitely knows more than us. Ask him if he has any ideas!"

"Yes! Let's go find Lin Chen!"

"That's a big boss; he's seen this kind of thing before!"

These words were met with immediate agreement. The group turned and headed back towards the villa, even those who were crying uncontrollably wiped away their tears, clinging to their last hope that Lin Chen was capable and might be able to get their money back. At the villa's main entrance, Liu Da Nao was strolling around with his hands behind his back, his belly protruding as he pondered what to eat later.

A group of security guards were huddled together whispering something. After he walked over, they immediately fell silent.

"What are you doing here during working hours? You have no manners."

"Mr. Liu, we were talking about Black Ant Technology running away with the money..."

"What is it? Tell me quickly."

The security guards recounted the incident. After listening, Liu Da Nao felt a chill run down his spine, immediately recalling what had happened a while ago, and cold sweat broke out on his brow.

Fortunately, Wang Dana stopped them, and no one in the villa voted, not even the 20,000 yuan he wanted to vote for was stopped.

Just then, they saw a large group of people on the mountain road in the distance, all with livid faces, looking like they were up to no good.

Liu Da Nao panicked. The villagers were furious and he was afraid they would hold a grudge against him for his past speeches and come to settle scores with him.

His chubby face changed instantly. He turned and ran towards the office, panting heavily, his belly jiggling. He rushed into Lin Chen's office and said in a flustered voice:

"President Lin! Something terrible has happened! The villagers have all rushed up here, dozens of them in total, it must be about the black ant incident!"

Lin Chen looked up at him:

"What's the panic? It's almost certainly that thing, what are you afraid of?"

"Didn't I organize those presentations back then?"

Liu Da Nao was so anxious that sweat was dripping from his forehead:

"Even though the chairman ordered a halt, what if they think I misled them? I dare not go out to meet them; what if they get angry and beat me up!"

"Look at your pathetic self, a Sanda champion, huh?"

Liu Da Nao wiped his sweat and said:

"I made up a lie about being the runner-up. Besides, even a strong tiger can't withstand a pack of wolves."

Lin Chen stood up and gestured with his chin towards the inner room:

"Go hide in the inner room and don't make a sound. I'll ask them what's going on."

Liu Da Nao quickly crawled into the inner room, gently closed the door but left a crack, and peeked out through the crack. His heart was pounding and his palms were sweating.

Within two minutes, the office was packed with people, and the doorway and corridors were filled with a dense crowd.

Liu Neng led the way, his voice trembling with tears:

"Xiao Chen, no, Deputy Director Lin... have you heard about the Black Ant incident? We've invested all our money in it. You know the law and you know people in the city, can you give us some advice? Is it possible to get our money back? Is it possible to take legal action?"

The people behind them started shouting all at once, creating a chaotic scene.

Lin Chen waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet, then stood in front of his desk and spoke only the truth:

"Everyone, calm down and listen to me. This money is basically gone. Don't have too high hopes. Black Ant Technology isn't a small-time scammer; it's a scam that's been operating for years, robbing Peter to pay Paul. They've already emptied their pockets."

"The boss ran away with the money, leaving nothing in the company. Even if we catch him, the money will have already been spent or transferred. I've already contacted him. The province has set up a liquidation team, but after the liquidation, they'll pay the banks and big clients first. When it comes to the small investors, there will basically be nothing left."

"If you're lucky, you might get 10% or 20% back at the best; if you're unlucky, you won't get a single penny."

"ah?!"

Xie Guangkun let out a howl and swayed:

"Not a single penny will be returned? Then my ten thousand yuan was completely wasted? Xiao Chen, don't scare us!"

Why would I scare you?

Lin Chen shook his head and said helplessly:

"Some farmers in Shenyang have already protested, but it's no use. The company has no money. Even if you sue in court and win, you can't enforce the judgment. It's a waste of court fees."

"The only proper way now is to take the contract, receipts, and a copy of your ID card to the debt registration point at the town's judicial office and register for liquidation. But to be honest, don't have any hope. Just pretend the money is gone. If you can get some back, that would be a surprise. If you can't, don't get too upset."

"One more thing, don't believe anyone who claims to have connections to help collect debts. They're all scammers trying to make money off you desperate people. And don't organize people to surround the company; that's illegal and not worth it."

"So... so you just accept it? Ten thousand yuan gone just like that?"

"There's nothing we can do if we don't admit defeat. This is the price of greed for interest. They're after your principal, and you're after their small interest. Invest 10,000 and get 13,000 back—such high returns! If it were reliable, would it be your turn? The banks would have done it long ago."

Accountant Xu leaned against the door frame, feeling deeply regretful. If she hadn't told her relative that he was reliable, she wouldn't be in such a difficult situation now.

Xie Guangkun looked dejected, his stubbornness gone, and he muttered to himself:

"Ten thousand... ten thousand gone just like that... thank goodness I didn't add more, or it would have been even worse..."

After giving a few more instructions on registration, the group walked out dejectedly, like deflated balloons, no longer even bothering to argue.

The line stretched on and slowly made its way down the mountain; no one even knows how they got home.

Hearing the footsteps fade into the distance, Liu Da Tou finally emerged from the inner room, leaning against the wall. His legs were so weak he almost collapsed, and he gasped for breath as he said, "I'm so tired."

"Oh my god, they're finally gone! I was inside listening, my heart was in my throat, I was so afraid someone would shout that I tricked them into voting, then I'd be kicked out alive."

He said with lingering fear:

"Thanks to the chairman! If he hadn't stopped us, we would have made a huge mess of things. If dozens of households in the village had lost money, I would have lost my job as manager. The villagers would have smashed up the resort."

"Now you're scared? When you were organizing the presentation, didn't you say it was a sure thing?" Lin Chen ignored him, took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, but didn't light it.

"Isn't that just being bewitched?"

Lin Chen picked up the phone, scrolled through the numbers, and casually said:

"Alright, don't be scared anymore. I'll go home in a bit. Tomorrow I'll take Changgui and Accountant Xu to the town to register all the households in our village that invested money. Keep an eye on things if you can, and if there's any news about getting your money back, notify them immediately."

"But that's it. They definitely won't get much money back. Let them learn a lesson."

"Okay, I'll go with you!"

Liu Da Nao quickly said:

"I'll do my part, even if it's just driving for you, it'll be enough to make up for what I did wrong."

Lin Chen didn't speak, but looked out the window. On the road below the mountain, the figures of the villagers slowly shrank, each one looking as if they had lost their souls.

He sighed softly, lit a cigarette. This was all the money he had painstakingly saved up, and it was all gone just like that. But who could he blame?

……

In the inner room of Xie Guangkun's house, the walls were darkened by the smoke from the stove. Xie Guangkun leaned against the pile of quilts, staring blankly at the ceiling.

My ears were ringing, as if they were stuffed with cotton. I couldn't hear anything when I spoke softly; I had to shout at the top of my lungs to hear anything.

Xie Lan sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) with a bowl of millet porridge in her hand, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it to cool it, and then held it to his lips:

"Dad, have some porridge. You can't stand not eating."

Xie Guangkun didn't even lift his eyelids, as if he hadn't heard anything. Tears slowly streamed from the corners of his eyes, rolling down the wrinkles on his face and landing on his clothes.

Pi Changshan leaned closer and shouted loudly in his ear, making his own voice hoarse:

"Dad! Xie Lan is asking if you want some porridge! Answer her louder!"

Xie Guangkun then rolled his eyes, his voice hoarse as if it had been rubbed with sandpaper:

"What are you drinking... You've already lost ten thousand yuan... And you still have the nerve to drink porridge..."

After saying that, she turned her face to the wall, her shoulders trembling slightly, like a wronged old lady.