Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Lin Chen tapped his finger twice on the edge of the table, pondered for a moment, then looked up at Chang Gui and said:

"Uncle Changgui, how about we do this: hold a New Year's sports meet! It'll be lively with lots of people, and the photos will look impressive. The whole town will be very happy with them."

Chang Gui pondered for a long time, then shook his head:

"It's fine, but in this freezing weather, everyone's shivering and wincing. Who wants to come out and go through all this trouble? Isn't it better to stay home, sit on a warm kang (heated brick bed), eat some sunflower seeds, and watch TV?"

"How about giving them a reward? A generous reward will surely bring forth brave men."

Lin Chen took out his phone:

"Wait a minute, let me make a call and see if we can beg for some of the prizes."

He dialed Liu Da Nao's number, put it on speakerphone, and placed it on the table.

The phone rang twice before connecting, and Liu Da Nao's voice came through clearly:

"Oh, Mr. Lin! What are your instructions?"

"Old Liu, does the resort have any ready-made souvenirs?"

Lin Chen leaned back in his chair and briefly recounted the events:

"The village is preparing to hold a New Year's sports meet, and I'm thinking of picking a few items as prizes. They don't need to be too expensive; just something meaningful will do."

"Yes, Mr. Lin! A batch just arrived!"

Liu Da Nao immediately chimed in:

"Our company recently ordered some new golden rat souvenirs, a zodiac-themed design. They can be worn as necklaces or bracelets with a red string; the craftsmanship is exquisite!"

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow:

"A little golden mouse? How big is it? Don't make it too big, don't waste my money, it's not worth making it too expensive."

Upon hearing the words "golden rat," Chang Gui's eyes lit up immediately. He leaned forward, sticking out his big buttocks, and stared at Lin Chen pleadingly, as if afraid that he would say he wouldn't do it anymore.

"It doesn't weigh much, it's hollow, it's just a souvenir, but it is indeed pure gold."

Liu Da Nao continued speaking on the other end:

"These were originally gifts for clients, and we ended up with quite a few left over."

"Alright, it's settled then."

"Leave me a few, I'll come pick them up tomorrow. Oh, and while you're at it, make two banners that say 'Xiangyashan Village New Year Sports Meet,' with our village's name at the bottom. Also, make another banner to give our village a shout-out, so we won't get the prize for nothing."

"Oh, okay, Mr. Lin! You can decide this little thing yourself, why are you being so polite?"

"That won't do. When it comes to money, we have to follow the rules." Lin Chen hung up the phone after saying that.

He put down his phone and turned to look at Chang Gui:

"Uncle Changgui, how about this? The champion will get the little golden mouse, and the runner-up and third place will get some gift boxes and gift bags from the mountain resort. We'll also have the village buy a few certificates, and then we'll invite Mayor Qi to come and present the awards. That'll be more than enough for the occasion."

"Wow! That's fantastic!"

Chang Gui lay sprawled on the table, his bottom swaying like a corgi's.

"Xiao Chen, you've been a huge help to your uncle! If this gets done, Mayor Qi will definitely be satisfied! I knew you were quick-witted!"

Zhao Si, standing to the side with his neck hunched, finally raised his hand after a long pause and blurted out:

"Um... I have a question, what events are there in the sports meet? My old arms and legs aren't strong enough to run very fast."

Chang Gui also realized what was happening and looked at Lin Chen, asking:

"Yeah, Chen, what kind of projects are you working on? Don't make it seem like our activities have a narrow scope."

Lin Chen thought for a moment, then counted on his fingers for them:

"Let's start with three suitable for all ages. The first is running, which is for those who can run fast and have good endurance. The second is long jump, which is for those with explosive power. The third is shot put, which is for those who are strong and have a good physique."

"These are all things that are often done at school sports meets. Everyone knows them, so there's no need to learn them. If you want to compete, then compete; if you don't want to compete, just watch and cheer from the sidelines. It's all about having fun."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately started discussing it amongst themselves.

"Sure, sure, no problem! I'm good at throwing the shot put; when I was young, I could throw it ten meters or more!"

"Running is fine too. My Yongqiang goes up the mountain every day, so it's a good opportunity for him to come and win a prize."

Liu Neng curled his lip and said sarcastically:

"Hey, didn't you and Yongqiang sever ties? What, you're back together now?"

Xie Guangkun was like an angry little rooster:

"Whether it's good or bad, what does it matter to you? I have a son no matter what!"

"So what if I have a son? Well... so what? I can do the long jump too. When I was young, I could jump really far. I have enough explosive power to fly five or six meters without any problem."

Xie Guangkun chuckled:

"Have you found the driver who caused the accident?"

"Hahaha……"

Overall, everyone thinks this is a good idea; it's fun, doesn't cost much, and the prizes are pretty good.

Seeing that everyone agreed, Chang Gui slammed his hand on the table and made the decision:

"Then it's settled! The New Year's sports meet will be held after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month! Let everyone have a peaceful New Year first, and then stretch their muscles before the New Year. Old Xu, go buy a few certificates tomorrow, buy some thick ones, so they don't break in the wind."

"Okay." Accountant Xu quickly took out her notebook from her pocket and wrote it down carefully, showing great diligence in her work.

……

Early on New Year's Eve, Lin Chen swept the yard with a bamboo broom, creating a crooked path leading directly to the gate. The snow piled up at the base of the wall, uneven in height.

He moved a ladder and leaned it against the eaves. Just as he stepped onto the first step, Li Qiuge ran out carrying two pairs of bright red Spring Festival couplets. Behind him, Chen Yannan carried a bowl of paste, and Xie Dajiao followed with a basin of paste.

"Brother Chen, slow down! The ladder is covered in frost, it's slippery!"

Li Qiuge rushed forward and grabbed the ladder leg, tilting her head back and shouting, her bangs blowing in the wind and blurring her vision.

"Here's the first line of the couplet. You measure it out first, then I'll hand you the brush."

Lin Chen squatted on the rung of the ladder to receive the Spring Festival couplets. Li Qiuge handed them forward a little more, and she even secretly touched Lin Chen's hand. Lin Chen looked down at her, and she quickly let go, smoothed her hair, and looked outside, pretending to look at the snow scene.

"You two be careful, don't be too rough."

Xie Dajiao stood below, hands on her hips, giving instructions:

"The first line is pasted on the east side, the second line on the west side, and the 'Fu' character on the main door is pasted upside down. This means 'Fu has arrived at your door!' Don't get them mixed up."

Just then, Wang Xiaomeng came in carrying some things:

"I'm late! Oh right, Bai Qingming flew back to Shanghai yesterday and said he'd be back after the fifteenth of the lunar new year."

She glanced at Li Qiuge and teased her with a smile:

"Qiuge, why don't you come back to Shanghai? Are you sure you can manage having President Yang spend the New Year alone in Shanghai?"

Li Qiuge was tiptoeing to hand something to Lin Chen when she heard this, she turned around and smiled:

"It doesn't matter where you spend it. It's so lively here. I've never spent Chinese New Year in Northeast China. It's quiet in Shanghai during Chinese New Year. There are even fewer people setting off firecrackers. It's not very interesting. I called my mom in advance."

After saying that, she lightly hooked Lin Chen's trouser leg with her fingertip. Lin Chen looked down and glared at her. She quickly brushed the stray hairs behind her ear and pretended to be casual.

At the doorway, Xie Xiaomei, wearing a thick woolen coat and a cashmere scarf, leaned against the doorframe and smiled.

"Come inside and have some hot water before you get back to work. It won't make a difference if you wait a little longer. Look how red your hands are from the cold. Don't let them get frostbite."

Lin Chen jumped down after putting up the last "Fu" character, and Li Qiuge followed him into the house. When no one was paying attention, she reached out and gently touched the back of his neck. Lin Chen jerked his neck back, and she had already skipped and run to open the front door, shouting, "Open the door and welcome good fortune!"

Xie Dajiao, wearing a dark blue apron, was in charge of cooking, preparing the main dishes that are traditionally served at the New Year's table in Northeast China.

Wang Xiaomeng was slicing pork belly into neat, square pieces, preparing to make braised pork. Chen Yannan and Li Qiuge were also busy at the cutting board, having just learned the cooking skills from Xie Dajiao.

Xie Xiaomei sat in the living room peeling garlic. She was an experienced craftswoman, and everyone told her not to touch cold water or do heavy work, but to help with light tasks.

She glanced into the kitchen every now and then, and seeing Li Qiuge always getting close to Lin Chen, she secretly smiled.

"In the past, every family would slaughter a pig for the New Year. The pig's blood would be used to make blood sausage, and the fat would be rendered into lard. The cracklings sprinkled with salt were the best snacks."

Xie Dajiao chatted with them while flipping the fried meatballs in the pot:

"Now that conditions are better and we can buy anything, nothing tastes as good as homemade food, and it has the feel of the New Year."

"The food we eat during Chinese New Year in Shanghai is completely different from what we eat here."

Li Qiuge finished her work, clapped her hands, and called towards the door:

"Brother Chen! Come in here for a second, the big plate is on the top shelf of the dish rack, I can't reach it!"

Lin Chen was just about to go upstairs when he heard this and came back, reaching out to grab it.

"He's short, isn't he?"

Li Qiuge stood behind him, almost pressed against his back, her voice still full of energy:

"Slow down, slow down, don't fall again."

The hot breath from the speaker hit Lin Chen's back, and Lin Chen quickly grabbed the plate and turned to the side.

"Alright, hurry up, take it away, take it away."