Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

The two locked the shop door and walked along the village path toward the east end of the village, chatting idly along the way.

When they stood at Lin Chen's door, their eyes lit up.

If this courtyard had been in Xiangyashan in 05, it would definitely have been the most respectable and spacious farmhouse in the whole village. It perfectly blended trendy urban design with the spaciousness of a rural courtyard, without being ostentatious at all, and looked both warm and impressive.

The two-meter-high blue brick courtyard wall is clean and tidy, without the mottled cracks of the old earthen walls in the village. The entire courtyard is paved with cement, so it doesn't get dusty on sunny days and doesn't get muddy on rainy days.

On the west side of the courtyard, there is a wooden pavilion, the kind you only see in the city, with temporary tables and chairs. It seems they plan to install stone tables and chairs so people can sit, cool off, and drink tea.

The exterior walls were painted off-white, replacing the bare mud walls that were common in the village. Large sliding glass windows were installed throughout the house, providing excellent natural light and making the interior bright and airy.

Several potted plants were planted in the corner of the yard. It was clean and tidy, without any piles of firewood or clutter. It had the spaciousness and grandeur of a rural yard, as well as the simple and clean style that Lin Chen liked. It was pleasing to the eye and easy on the eyes.

Lin Chen was squatting down washing clothes by the hand pump in the yard. He was wearing a gray cotton vest, which looked neat and casual. His firm chest and arm muscles were clearly visible. Fine beads of sweat were hanging on his forehead. The sunlight shone on him, giving him a more rugged masculine look that was particularly attractive.

Hearing footsteps, Lin Chen stood up, wiped the water off his hands, turned to the two of them, and smiled as he spoke:

"Auntie, Xiaomei, what brings you two here for a visit?"

Xie Xiaomei's face flushed instantly, though not noticeably. Her heart raced, and she dared not look him in the eye. She quickly stepped forward, taking an unusually proactive step.

"It's nothing. I have to go to work tomorrow, and I was free at noon, so I came over to see how your house renovation is going. Why are you washing your clothes by yourself? This isn't a man's job. Let me help you. I'm very efficient at it."

Lin Chen smiled and waved his hand in refusal:

"No need, no need. I only have two changes of clothes. I can wash them myself."

Xie Dajiao chimed in with a smile, deliberately helping her niece:

"Why don't you let Xiaomei help you with the laundry? She's been diligent since she was little, and she's good at everything from laundry to cooking. She washes clothes really well; you'd probably just do a shoddy job if you did it yourself. You can take a break, and I'll chat with you about the renovations and see if there's anything else you need help with."

With her aunt's help, Xie Xiaomei took the washbasin and went to the well to wash her clothes. She would occasionally steal glances at Lin Chen, her eyes glued to him.

Xie Dajiao and Lin Chen sat down under the pergola. Looking at Xie Xiaomei washing clothes across the table, and making sure the girl couldn't hear them, Lin Chen leaned closer to Xie Dajiao's ear, lowered his voice, and said with a mischievous grin:

"Have you missed me these past two days?"

Xie Dajiao secretly pinched his arm under the table, her eyes filled with a mix of panic and coquettishness, and she muttered a complaint in a low voice:

"Don't be so frivolous. Xiaomei is washing clothes right next to us. It would be so embarrassing if she heard us. Speak properly."

Lin Chen chuckled, lit a cigarette, and continued to whisper in her ear:

"Once my house is completely renovated, I plan to install a hammock inside. When no one's around, I'll let you lie in the hammock with your feet dangling in the air, gently swaying..."

Hearing these whispered words, Xie Dajiao's heart pounded. She felt both panicked and expectant. City people really knew how to have fun. She never even dared to dream of such a thing. This was like flying to the heavens!

Xie Dajiao deliberately glared at him, but couldn't help but smile, muttering under her breath:

"You're always coming up with these crooked ideas, you're never honest. If you're going to do something, do something solid."

"You don't even need to tell me, it'll just fall right off the rails, don't break it."

The two stood very close, whispering secrets that no one else could understand. Their eyes met with an ambiguous look. The wind blew through the pavilion, creating a pleasant atmosphere. There was no one around, so the pavilion might even be a good place to stay in the future.

Xie Xiaomei, who was washing clothes not far away, couldn't hear the specifics of their conversation, but assumed that her aunt was speaking up for her, and felt very sweet inside.

Xie Xiaomei was quick and efficient, and finished washing in no time. She then helped Lin Chen hang up his clothes to dry, as they dried quickly in the hot weather.

"You've worked hard, Xiaomei. Come on, let me show you around the house."

Xie Xiaomei looked at the interior of the house with great interest. This was no rural area; even city homes weren't decorated this neatly.

"Brother Chen, this place is decorated so nicely, how much did it cost?"

"It's not much, just small change. We'll live here for a few years after the renovation, and maybe we'll tear it down and rebuild it later."

Xie Dajiao said in surprise:

"Xiao Chen, why did they tear down such a nice house?"

"This is nothing. There isn't even a toilet in the house. In a few years, when the village gets running water and the drainage pipes are laid, I'll fix it up again. It's so hard to even go to the toilet in the dead of winter."

Xie Xiaomei covered her mouth and chuckled, while Xie Dajiao slapped Lin Chen's arm.

"You silly child, you can't spend money like this. We've always used the outhouse, you'll get used to it."

The two sat for a while longer, growing more and more fond of each other. Before they knew it, it was afternoon. They invited Lin Chen to come back for dinner to celebrate Xie Xiaomei's arrival. However, Lin Chen didn't really want to go this time, saying he wanted to visit Zhao Yutian instead.

Xie Dajiao whispered in his ear:

"When I went to the hospital, I stopped by the mall. Didn't you say you like stockings? I bought a few pairs..."

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow:

"I'm not happy about the old lady wearing those thick stockings."

"What?! Super thin..."

After hearing this, Lin Chen immediately said to Xie Xiaomei:

"Xiaomei, well, your work is a big deal, even if I have something else to do, I have to put it off. You guys go back and cook, I'll be there in a bit!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaomei immediately beamed with joy.

……

Early in the morning, just as dawn broke, every household in Xiangyashan was quiet except for Pi Changshan's house, where the noise of things being smashed and thrown was so loud it almost lifted the roof off. Luckily, the door was closed, otherwise all the neighbors would have heard it clearly.

Xie Lan stood in the middle of the room, hands on her hips, her chest heaving as she breathed heavily, as if it were about to burst. Her eyes were red from crying, and her face was still streaked with wet tears.

In a fit of anger, she swept the thermos, rice bowl, and vegetable plate off the table, leaving shards of porcelain scattered everywhere and soup spilled all over the floor, creating a complete mess.

The man opposite Changshan hunched over, his shirt stained with vegetable soup, his glasses askew on his nose, and two red scratches on his face. He looked utterly disheveled and didn't dare lift his head, afraid that Xie Lan would rush up and scratch him again.

"Pi Changshan, you shameless bastard, are you even a man?"

Xie Lan pointed at his nose and cursed, her voice loud and sharp:

"I take care of you at home every day, feeding you, drinking you, playing with you, doing your laundry, cleaning the house—I handle everything inside and out. How have I ever wronged you? And what do you do? Stay up late at night, talking on the phone with other female teachers for half an hour!"

"I already told you, that teacher had a stomachache in the middle of the night. I'm the principal, who else could she turn to but me?"

"Someone has a stomachache and is feeling unwell, but instead of going to the doctor, they choose to chat with you in the middle of the night? Do you think I'm stupid enough to fool you? If there wasn't something going on between you two, would you be talking for so long?"