Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

This is the largest town in the surrounding area, with a permanent population of 30,000 and a town area population of over 10,000. It is a veritable commercial and transportation hub in the south, and the town also has a huge open-air market.

The market was bustling with noise, shouts, and bargaining. Lin Chen drove around slowly, silently noting that this was the place with the most complete selection of goods, and that it would be the most convenient place to shop in the future.

He then drove to Chaihebao Township, where the terrain is mostly small hills and the scenery is decent, but it is particularly deserted. He said he could drive here if he wanted to try something different in the future.

The entire township has only one main street, which takes less than ten minutes to walk from one end to the other. The street has only a dozen or so small shops with basic facilities, including only a health clinic, a primary school, an old credit union, and a small gas station with peeling paint.

After a thorough investigation, Lin Chen had a complete understanding of the situation.

Zhonggu Town has the most complete and convenient selection, Songshan Town is closest to the village and suitable for daily shopping, while Chaihebao Township is too remote and there's no need to come here unless there's a specific reason.

Lin Chen walked very carefully, until he reached the outskirts of Kaiyuan County, where he learned what was nearby.

He turned his car around to head back to the village. As he passed the Kaiyuan East Exit, he decided to park his car next to a PetroChina gas station and buy a bottle of water to quench his thirst.

As soon as I got out of the car, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure anxiously looking around at the gas station across from me.

The dilapidated bus stop sign stood alone by the roadside, and the people waiting for the bus all crowded in the shade to avoid the sun, including Wang Xiaomeng.

She carried her schoolbag on her back and a plastic bag in her hand, standing on tiptoe and constantly looking towards the county town. Her face was flushed red from the scorching sun, and her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat. She looked tired and anxious.

Lin Chen recognized her at a glance and immediately shouted:

"Xiao Meng! Wang Xiao Meng!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Wang Xiaomeng turned her head sharply and saw Lin Chen. Her eyes lit up instantly, and the anxiety on her face vanished, replaced by joy.

"Brother Chen? What are you doing here? What a coincidence!"

"I'm fine, I'm just taking a stroll!"

Lin Chen waved to her:

"Are you waiting here for a bus back to the village? Come over quickly, I'm heading back just in time."

Wang Xiaomeng was overjoyed. She quickly grabbed what she was carrying and ran over, opened the car door, got in, and let out a long sigh of relief as the air conditioning blew into her.

"Thank you so much, Brother Chen. I've been waiting here for almost an hour. There are so few buses back to the village and they're so crowded. I was almost overwhelmed by the sun."

Lin Chen casually handed over a bottle of chilled mineral water, smiling as he said:

"Drink slowly, you're sweating buckets. What brings you here? Did you go to town on business?"

Wang Xiaomeng unscrewed the bottle cap and took a big gulp, feeling much of the heat dissipate. She then sighed, her tone tinged with disappointment:

"I've come to find Wang Bing, who is Xie Xiaomei's best friend's boyfriend. I heard that he opened a specialty store for bean products in the county town, specializing in all kinds of tofu and dried bean products, and his sales channels are very wide. I was thinking of cooperating with him to supply goods."

We were having a good chat, and he liked the taste of my tofu. But then he said my production was too low, only a hundred or two hundred catties a day, which wasn't enough to support his shop's sales. He told me to increase production and expand the business before discussing cooperation.

She hung her head, looking utterly dejected.

"I also want to work hard and produce more goods, but my family has always used a stone mill, which relies entirely on manpower. It's tiring and slow, and even after working ourselves to the bone all day, we only get this little output."

I'd like to switch to a different battery. It's not expensive, saves time and effort, and grinds the metal more finely. After switching, my output could increase several times over. But I need to go home and discuss it with my dad.

Lin Chen nodded after listening and smiled as he comforted her:

"You absolutely have to replace it. The old stone mill is outdated. This amount of money is nothing, and it's a sure thing for your tofu shop."

Wang Bing specializes in selling bean products. He focuses on long-term, bulk sales and prioritizes stable production. If you cling to old techniques and don't upgrade your equipment, even the best taste won't be enough to secure his large orders.

Wang Xiaomeng looked up at him, her eyes filled with conflict:

"That's what I think too, but I'm not sure and I'm a little hesitant."

"What's there to be unsure about?"

As Lin Chen drove, he spoke slowly:

"Your tofu tastes authentic, that's your biggest advantage. If you switch to an electric grinder and increase production capacity, you can not only connect with Wang Bing's specialty store, but also open up sales channels in surrounding towns and villages. Just go for it! Young people are meant to build their careers, don't hesitate about such a small thing."

Hearing these words, Wang Xiaomeng's inner turmoil instantly dissipated, her worries vanished, and her eyes brightened considerably. She sincerely said:

"Brother Chen, hearing what you said immediately gives me confidence. I'll go back and discuss it with my dad, and we'll go buy the machine in the next couple of days!"

"That's right. It's lunchtime. Let me treat you to a meal, and after you finish, I'll take you back to your village. Then you can focus on getting the job done."

"I...I'm not hungry..."

"Will you eat with me?"

The car pulled up to a small restaurant, which was full of customers, and the aroma of food wafted through the air.

Wang Xiaomeng kept declining, feeling embarrassed to let Lin Chen spend money, but Lin Chen insisted on pulling her in.

Authentic Northeastern dishes were served right away, and the two of them enjoyed a hearty meal. Lin Chen also packed two home-style dishes to eat by himself that evening.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Lin Chen drove Wang Xiaomeng back to the village. After parking, Wang Xiaomeng kept thanking him before getting out of the car, still thinking about the machine.

Lin Chen interrupted her with a smile:

"Stop saying it all the time. Uncle Qi understands. If you need anything, just come to me anytime."

Wang Xiaomeng nodded emphatically, picked up her things, and quickly walked into the yard.

Lin Chen watched her retreating figure, smiled faintly, then turned the car around and headed home to rest!

Back in the courtyard, Lin Chen placed the packed food on the stone table, took out a bottle of white wine and a wine glass, and poured himself a drink in the pavilion.

A sip of strong liquor down my throat, the fiery warmth dispelling the fatigue of a long day.

Looking at the newly renovated courtyard, I felt exceptionally good. Although the system restrictions prevented me from entering the county town, which was a bit of a regret, living a peaceful and comfortable life in Xiangyashan and taking care of my little home was actually quite reassuring.

A slow-paced, wealthy, and womanly rural life—this kind of life isn't necessarily a bad one.

……

Qi Santai sat on the sofa at home, leisurely sipping tea and watching TV.

Just then, footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard, along with the clucking of chickens flapping their wings. Without a doubt, it was Xie Guangkun who had arrived.

The courtyard gate was gently pushed open, and Xie Guangkun appeared with a smile on his face, a bag slung over his shoulder containing two chickens that Qi Santai was practically feeding into weasels.

Xie Yongqiang followed behind, and the father and son quickly walked in.

As soon as he entered, he raised his voice and became incredibly enthusiastic:

"Mayor, are you busy? I hope I haven't disturbed your rest?"

Qi Santai put down his teacup, his brows furrowing slightly, his tone tinged with helplessness:

"Guangkun, I've told you so many times, we're really relatives, why are you being so formal? You didn't even eat the chicken you brought last time."

Xie Guangkun didn't care about Qi Santai's refusal at all, and happily put the two chickens in the corner.

"It's nothing valuable. If you really can't eat it all, you can raise it for a while and eat it during the New Year. Please don't be shy!"

Qi Santai was both amused and exasperated, and helplessly waved his hand:

"You, you're just a heretic. Alright, hurry up and come inside and sit down. Yongqiang, sit down too, have some watermelon to cool off."

Xie Guangkun immediately pulled the gloomy Xie Yongqiang to sit down. The moment his bottom touched the sofa, he shifted closer to Qi Santai, his face full of anxiety, and said:

"Mayor, the main reason I came here today is about Yongqiang's job. You have no idea how much gossip there is in the village, always talking behind my back. I'm really worried about things!"

Qi Santai sighed softly, his tone tinged with helplessness:

"I've been keeping this in mind. We agreed that Yongqiang would be able to start work in the next couple of days. Yesterday, I made a special trip to the county education commission, but it turned out that Director Xu had gone for further training and I don't know when he will be back. We'll just have to wait."

Upon hearing this, Xie Guangkun's brows furrowed into a knot:

"Sigh... what a mess this is. Why did he suddenly have to go for training? He should at least finish his business before leaving. Mayor, is there any other way?"

Xie Yongqiang also said from the side:

"Uncle, I'm so tired of staying at home, it's so boring."

"I'm even more anxious than you are. Yongqiang is a reliable and steady kid, and we're practically family. I definitely have to make sure things are arranged properly for him."

Qi Santai pondered for a moment, then came up with a compromise and said:

"How about this? Let Yongqiang go to the town's education committee for an internship first. Let him get familiar with the work process and interpersonal relationships of the unit in advance, and become a familiar face. I'll be in charge of that place. We'll get things done as soon as Director Xu comes back. It won't delay anything, and it's better than him being idle at home."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Yongqiang was somewhat reluctant. He knew in his heart that this kind of temporary internship was unpaid and was purely unpaid work.

But the person opposite him was his own cousin, an elder who had helped him with the matter, so he didn't dare refuse outright. He could only ask in a low, muffled voice:

"Uncle, you're doing an internship in town... won't you get paid?"

"Internships don't come with a salary, kid."

Qi Santai spoke truthfully, in a gentle tone:

"The company only provides one meal, nothing else. Don't just focus on this small benefit. Internships are for gaining experience and paving the way. It's a short time."

After hearing this, Xie Yongqiang just lowered his head and ate watermelon. He was extremely unwilling. Going to the town for an unpaid internship, working for nothing every day, and getting no benefit at all was really not worth it.

While others couldn't discern his thoughts, Xie Guangkun immediately understood his son's meaning and became anxious, lowering his voice to scold him with exasperation:

"Why are you looking so down? Your uncle is kindly paving the way for you, and you're not happy about it? So what if it's the town's education committee? It's a good place."

He turned to Qi Santai with a forced smile and quickly explained:

"Mayor, don't overthink it. This child understands that you're doing this for his own good; he's just not good with words."