Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Wang Xiaomeng clapped her hands and smiled with relief:

"I thought it would take ten days or half a month to negotiate, but you agreed so readily. Okay, I'll start running the paperwork and looking at venues after the New Year."

Just then, footsteps came down the stairs. Lin Chen, wearing loose pajamas, came down from the second floor, rubbing his eyes, with a tuft of hair sticking up.

"What are you chatting about so excitedly? I could hear you laughing from far away."

"We're having a good time. Xiao Meng is going to build a branch factory here. The products are in high demand right now."

Lin Chen smiled, took out some ice water from the refrigerator, and took a big gulp:

"Sure, building a branch factory is a good thing. If there are any problems with the site or permits, just let me know and I'll coordinate with the town."

Wang Xiaomeng walked over and put her arm around Lin Chen's arm:

"Of course I won't stand on ceremony with you!"

……

The New Year celebrations continue until the first month of the lunar calendar. While other families in the village are still visiting relatives and friends every day, Old Zhao's family doesn't have that kind of leisure.

Zhao Si and his family of three, carrying hoes and baskets, started working early in the morning.

Liu Ying followed behind, carrying a tin bucket and a pair of pruning shears, keeping her head down and not saying a word.

The false pregnancy was like a stone weighing on the whole family's hearts. No one wanted to talk about it, but no one could avoid it. They couldn't even enjoy the New Year. They couldn't stay at home, so they simply came to work at the flower nursery.

The straw curtains in the greenhouse had just been removed, and it was still damp inside, with a muddy smell.

Liu Ying rolled up her sleeves and squatted down to move the flower seedlings. Just as she picked up a pot and put it aside, a small, tender seedling was knocked over by her feet. She heard footsteps behind her and Zhao Yutian came over with his hands behind his back and a frown on his face.

"What are you doing, moving around like that!"

He pointed at the flowerpot, his tone somewhat aggressive:

"Can you do it or not? If you can't, go home and stay here. You're just causing trouble."

Liu Ying looked down at the arranged flowers, then glanced at the fallen seedlings on the ground, and whispered:

"Oh, how did it get knocked over... I'll help it up, it's nothing serious."

As she spoke, she reached out to help him, but Zhao Yutian became even angrier and shoved her hand away with considerable force.

"Alright, alright, stop touching them! Can't you tell they're not the same breed? You're useless at everything, you just make things worse."

Liu Ying's hand froze in mid-air, her head lowered and lips pursed, unable to utter a word for a long time.

I originally wanted to do more work to make up for it, but the busier I got, the more chaotic things became, and I ended up being even more annoying to others.

Zhao Si pushed a wheelbarrow, and Yu Tian's mother followed behind, leveling the ground with a small shovel. Hearing them arguing inside, they both stopped what they were doing and listened intently.

Zhao Si threw down the handlebars and said to Yutian's mother:

"Don't you think Yutian is going a bit too far? It's such a small thing, why is he acting like he's on steroids every day?"

"Absolutely."

Yutian's mother sighed and shoveled into the ground:

"It's been like this for days. He always has a long face, like someone owes him eight hundred strings of cash."

"How could you give birth to such a thing? Its heart is smaller than the eye of a needle."

"Think about it, Liu Ying is just a young girl. She already feels uncomfortable knowing she's not pregnant, and he keeps giving her attitude every day."

"Now you're talking about this? When you found out you weren't pregnant, weren't you worried sick too?" Yutian's mother rolled her eyes at him.

"Is that the same thing?!"

Zhao Si waved his hand, tucking the cigarette between his fingers:

"We're talking about your son now. How could he treat people like this? No matter what, it was Liu Neng who caused this trouble. What does it have to do with Liu Ying?"

"Then tell us about him."

"Yutian, come out here!" Zhao Si shouted into the room.

Zhao Yutian was scolding Liu Ying when he heard the shout. He impatiently answered, turned around and walked out, flicking his sleeves as he reached the door.

"Dad, what's wrong now?"

"What's wrong? Let me ask you something."

Zhao Si stood up, pointed inside, and said:

"Liu Ying was already upset enough knowing she wasn't pregnant, you can't treat her like this, you know? If you're angry, keep it to yourself, why are you throwing your weight around with a young girl?"

"Then why didn't she do this sooner?"

Zhao Yutian looked indignant:

"Why didn't you say anything when the whole family was doting on her? Now you realize it's not working out?"

"Wasn't that Liu Neng's idea? How could a little girl like her possibly go against her father?"

Zhao Si glared at him:

"Don't bully her like this. Isn't it heartless of you to do this? She's been doing all the housework these past few days, even outside. Isn't she just feeling guilty? And you're still pushing her so hard."

Yutian's mother also chimed in from the side:

"That's right, Yutian. Be nicer to them. They're so young, there's no rush for children. It's the New Year, don't keep things awkward."

Zhao Yutian stood there for a long time without saying a word, glancing into the greenhouse. Liu Ying was squatting on the ground, carefully moving the flowers that had been moved incorrectly back. Her shoulders were hunched over, and her hair was hanging down, covering her face. She looked quite pitiful.

He didn't say a word, turned and walked into the greenhouse. Reaching Liu Ying, he said gruffly:

"Get up! I'll do it."

His attitude was still stiff, without a smile, but he reached out and moved the two heaviest pots over, arranging them neatly by variety.

At the entrance of the shed, Zhao Si watched the two figures disappear into the distance, sighed deeply, and squatted down to continue smoking.

"As long as you don't bully others..."

……

Chang Gui's family prepared a table full of delicious food. Liu Da Nao originally planned to go back to Benxi for the New Year, but unfortunately, the roads were blocked due to ice and snow. So he decided to stay in Xiangyashan and stayed with Wang Tianlai for almost half a month. The two saw each other every day and became very familiar with each other.

During the Chinese New Year, Wang Yun felt sorry for his nephew and thought it would be too lonely for the two grown men to cook for themselves, so he specially prepared a table of dishes and invited them to his house for a drink. It just so happened that Chang Gui was also at home.

The group raised their glasses and clinked them together. The hot liquor slid down their throats, warming them from head to toe.

Chang Gui picked up a piece of pork rib and chewed it with a crunching sound, then looked at Wang Tianlai and said with a smile:

"Oh my god, I heard from your aunt that the guy your Aunt Big Feet introduced you to didn't work out again?"

Wang Tianlai took a sip of wine, casually tossed a tuft of hair across his forehead, and pursed his lips:

"Absolutely! Height doesn't meet the standard. Height is a strict requirement for me. Not even a centimeter short is acceptable. It has to be at least 1.7 meters tall. Better to have none than to accept something substandard."

Wang Yun, who was shoveling rice into her mouth and making loud smacking noises, rolled her eyes when she heard this:

"You know, no matter what I say, it won't work. He insists on being over 1.7 meters tall. How many tall girls are there in our village? It's not that easy to find one. Just settle for someone decent. If you're too picky, you'll end up with nothing."

Wang Tianlai still looked unconvinced:

"Then I want to be 1.7 meters tall. I don't feel anything if I'm shorter, it's just annoying to look at someone shorter."

Chang Gui picked up a piece of cold dish, but before it even reached his mouth, his tongue was already sticking out. After finishing the dish, he took a sip of wine, put down his glass, wiped his mouth, and, adopting the demeanor of an elder, said earnestly:

"Oh my god, I have to tell you something, you might not like to hear it, but I have to. You've been traumatized by Chen Yannan, so now you insist on finding someone who's tall and has long hair, isn't that right?"

Wang Tianlai paused, a little embarrassed, scratched the back of his head, and lowered his voice:

"Ah... I like someone like Chen Yannan, tall and slender, she's pleasing to the eye."

"Huh? Good news?"

Chang Gui looked like someone who had been through it all:

"Based on my years of experience, hitting a wall won't break it; it will only leave you battered and bruised. No matter how strong I am, your uncle, I've remained chaste with Xiangxiu for decades, picking and choosing, but in the end, didn't I also fall for your aunt's tricks?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yun slammed his chopsticks on the table, making the peanuts jump and the chair shake.

"What do you mean, Changgui? You think marrying me is beneath you? You claim to be chaste? I bet you're unwanted by everyone else. You should be grateful you found me!"

Chang Gui quickly moved the chair forward and, with a smile, nudged her arm:

"What are you doing? I'm trying to talk to the child! Go reheat that stew, it's all cold. Let's talk about something else, do you want me to talk to you anymore? You're just interrupting."

Wang Yun snorted, glared at him fiercely, picked up the vegetable basin, got up and went to the outer room. The curtain was swung high, bringing in a gust of cold wind.

Liu Da Nao was suppressing a laugh, and only after Wang Yun had walked away did he whisper to Chang Gui:

"Your sister-in-law is pretty fierce, brother. You must have a lot of influence in your family. She's the one who has the final say. I'm so glad I didn't marry a wife like that, or I wouldn't be able to control her."