Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

"Of course I know them, how could I not? They're all pretty good kids, what's wrong?" Xie Dajiao looked up at him.

Li Daguo chuckled and spoke the truth:

"Work isn't so busy now, I want to ask him if the farm needs a vehicle, so I can earn some extra money."

Just then, Lin Chen pushed open the door and walked in, smiling as he spoke:

"Auntie, get me a pack of cigarettes."

"Take whatever you want to draw," Xie Dajiao said casually.

Lin Chen nodded, took out a cigarette, opened it, and lit one.

Xie Dajiao immediately chimed in:

"Xiao Chen, you've come at the right time. Da Guo is looking for work. Ask Yi Shui if he needs a car. You're on good terms with Yi Shui, so put in a good word for him."

Lin Chen took a drag of his cigarette and casually said to Li Daguo:

"Don't bother looking for Yishui anymore. He called me and said he went to the county town to buy me home appliances. Now Xiaomei manages the farm."

After saying that, he immediately took out his phone and dialed Xie Xiaomei's number:

"Xiaomei, this is Lin Chen. Li Daguo has a half-truck and wants to take on some jobs. Does your farm need a truck?"

Upon hearing that it was Lin Chen, Xie Xiaomei's tone immediately brightened on the other end of the phone:

"Yes, we need a car. The yard is short of vehicles. Have him come over now, and I'll talk to him."

"Okay, I'll have him go over right away."

Lin Chen hung up the phone and turned to Li Daguo, saying:

"Alright, just go directly to the farm and talk to Xiaomei. Don't make up any nonsense. When you get there, just say you're looking for Farm Manager Xie."

Li Daguo was overjoyed and quickly pulled Lin Chen back:

"Brother, you're such a good friend! Come with me, and put in a good word for me."

"I'm not going, I have something to do," Lin Chen waved his hand and declined.

"No, brother! Please!"

Li Daguo held on tightly to him, refusing to let go:

"Just help me this once, and I'll treat you to dinner afterwards, whatever's expensive!"

Xie Dajiao also chimed in from the side:

"Xiao Chen, why don't you go with him? You don't have anything urgent anyway. Da Guo is a hard-working kid, and he's not easy to get along with."

Lin Chen, worn down by the two of them, sighed helplessly:

"Fine, fine, I give up, I'll go with you."

Li Daguo grinned from ear to ear, his smile resembling that of a skeleton come to life, and kept thanking him:

"Thank you, Brother Lin!"

……

The two went to the farm office together, but no one was there. Lin Chen then took him to Xie Xiaomei's place, and that's when the scene from before happened.

Wang Xiaomeng was sitting on the sofa eating a pear, while Xie Xiaomei sat next to her chatting.

Upon hearing the knock, the two looked up simultaneously.

When Wang Xiaomeng saw Lin Chen, her face flushed red instantly. She stood up in a panic, dropping the pear on the ground.

She quickly bent down to pick it up, not daring to look at Lin Chen, and greeted him softly:

"Brother Chen, you're here."

Lin Chen looked at her flustered appearance and nodded with a smile:

"Hmm, you came over here to deliver tofu?"

"Yes, just delivered it."

Wang Xiaomeng's heart was pounding. Xie Xiaomei's question was still ringing in her ears, making her feel uneasy. She just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

She said hastily:

"Xiaomei, I still have chores to do at home, so I'll head back now."

"Sit a little longer, Xiao Meng," Xie Xiaomei said, reaching out to persuade him to stay.

"No, no, it's too late."

Wang Xiaomeng didn't dare to stay any longer. After saying that, she quickly ran out, as if she were running away.

Li Daguo stood there, his eyes fixed on Wang Xiaomeng's back until she was out of sight. He swallowed hard, looking completely infatuated.

Xie Xiaomei couldn't help but laugh when she saw Li Daguo's expression.

"What, you two know each other? You're staring at me like that."

Li Daguo smiled sheepishly:

"Yes, of course we know each other. We almost got together before..."

"What, almost got together...?"

Lin Chen, standing to the side, irritably exposed his mistake:

"Xiao Meng didn't even like you. You're just deluding yourself. You're like a toad trying to play with a frog. You're ugly and you still want to play with flowers. Can't you have some self-respect? Your eyes are practically glued to her."

Xie Xiaomei was amused and burst into laughter:

"Brother Chen, your words are so sarcastic, so funny!"

Li Daguo wasn't angry even after being lectured:

"I just genuinely like her."

Lin Chen rolled his eyes at him, not wanting to argue with him any further.

"Stop with the small talk, let's get down to business!"

Li Daguo immediately and earnestly discussed the price with Xie Xiaomei. The two quickly settled on the wages and work. Li Daguo was very pleased and said he would come over first thing the next morning. Then he left happily.

Only Lin Chen and Xie Xiaomei remained in the office. Xie Xiaomei stared at Lin Chen with bright eyes and teased him with a smile:

"Brother Chen, you came all this way today, did you miss me?"

Lin Chen smiled and shook his head, then pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Stop messing around. Li Daguo dragged me here. By the way, has Yishui written to me yet? When will the appliances he bought for me arrive?"

"He just called me. He's bought all the appliances and will deliver them to you later."

Xie Xiaomei got up to pour him a glass of water, sat down opposite him, and said gently:

"I'll go to your new house this afternoon to help with the tidying up. More people working together will make the job easier and save you the trouble of doing it all by yourself."

Lin Chen nodded:

"Fine, I won't stand on ceremony. I really can't handle it myself."

In the afternoon, when the sun is at its strongest, the air is hot and dry, and you'll be sweating all over if you stay outside for a while.

The courtyard of Lin Chen's house was unusually lively. There were three cars parked in the yard, one of which belonged to Liu Yishui, and the other was the air conditioner installer's car.

Before the pickup truck had even come to a complete stop and the engine was off, Lin Chen quickly walked over and greeted it with a smile:

"Finally back! Why did it take so long?"

Liu Yishui pushed open the car door and jumped out, wiping the sweat from his brow with a helpless expression.

"Don't even mention it. I don't know what happened today, but the appliance market in the county town was packed with people. I waited in line to load my truck for two hours, which wasted most of the day. But don't worry, I bought everything you wanted, nothing was left out."

At this moment, Xie Dajiao and Xie Xiaomei also ran over quickly and, without saying a word, started moving the appliances.

Several people got to work quickly and efficiently.

A brand-new large color TV, refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioner, as well as BBK DVD player and microwave oven were all moved into the house, filling the entire room in the blink of an eye, with a thick stack of cardboard boxes.

The air conditioner installer who came with me went inside, looked around the house, and praised it with a smile:

"Young man, your house is really spacious and elegant. You're the first person in this village to install air conditioning. I've never been here before. I must say, you have excellent taste; you're destined for a life of luxury!"

Since the man was so eloquent, Lin Chen quickly offered him a cigarette.

Without delay, the craftsman took out his tools and quickly got to work, drilling holes, fixing the bracket, and connecting the wires—a series of actions that were smooth and efficient.

Taking advantage of a lull in his master's work, Liu Yishui quietly approached Lin Chen, winked at him, and chuckled mischievously in a low voice:

"Brother Chen, the private matter you secretly entrusted to me, I've taken care of it for you."

Lin Chen asked in confusion:

"What's up?"

"Oh, I mean those DVDs with two actors. I picked out a whole stack for you. I don't really know much about them, but they're all the latest ones."

Lin Chen smiled and patted his shoulder:

"Great job, Yishui. You're really reliable. Once I've tidied up the house, I'll invite you over for a bit of fun. Isn't it fine to have a barbecue in this big yard?"

"That's definitely no problem!"

Liu Yishui readily agreed, glanced down at his watch, and said somewhat anxiously:

"I can't help you pack today. I have to go back to the farm first. There's something I can't delay."

"Okay, okay, thank you for your help all day. Go back and get busy. I'll call you beforehand if I need to eat."

"Okay!"

Liu Yishui drove away in a hurry, while Xie Dajiao and Xie Xiaomei stayed behind to help Lin Chen tidy up the house.

The two had a clear division of labor: one wiped the table and mopped the floor, while the other organized the placement of the appliances. They were busy and working hard, not slacking off at all.

After working for more than an hour, the entire house was completely cleaned and looked brand new.

The color TV is placed upright in front of the background wall, the refrigerator stands in the corner without taking up much space, the brand-new air conditioner is hung on the wall, and every piece of furniture and appliance is arranged neatly.

The house is spacious, bright, clean, and comfortable, much more pleasant and comfortable than living in an apartment building in the city.

After the air conditioner was set up, as the technician pressed the switch, a cool breeze instantly filled the entire room, sweeping away the heat and making it so comfortable that one couldn't help but hum in satisfaction. This money was definitely well spent.

Xie Xiaomei leaned back on the brand-new fabric sofa, which had been delivered from the county furniture store. She stretched her limbs and yawned contentedly, revealing her perfect curves.

"Wow! It's so cool and comfortable, I don't want to leave."

Xie Dajiao sat on the chair next to her, enjoying the cool breeze, and nodded repeatedly:

"Absolutely! Xiao Chen, you're living such a comfortable life! This house has all the appliances you need; it could be a new house! Even the average family in the county can't compare to your new house, let alone in Ivory Mountain!"

Lin Chen lay on his side on the kang (a heated brick bed) and said with a smile:

"This is nothing. Once the village gets running water, I'll tear this house down and rebuild a small two-story house. Then I'll install a toilet and a shower."

Xie Dajiao rested for two minutes, then got up, dusted herself off, and said:

"I can't stay any longer. My grocery store is unattended. There are always a few people buying things in the village in the afternoon, so I can't leave it unattended. I have to hurry back and keep an eye on it."

Lin Chen nodded with a smile:

"Thank you for your hard work, Auntie. You should go back and get busy; don't let this interfere with your business."

"Don't mention it, we're neighbors, it's only right."

Xie Dajiao glared at him, knowing he was just teasing her in front of her niece. She gave them a few instructions and told them to take their time packing before leaving in a hurry.

Only Lin Chen and Xie Xiaomei remained in the room, quiet and peaceful, with only the slight hum of the air conditioner.

After a busy afternoon, Lin Chen was a little tired. He casually pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then grabbed a roll of toilet paper and said to Xie Xiaomei casually:

"Xiaomei, help yourself to whatever you want to eat or drink. Don't be shy, just make yourself at home. I'm going to the restroom to relieve my stomach. I'll fry some eggplant fritters."

Xie Xiaomei nodded obediently:

"Okay, Brother Chen, go ahead. I won't stand on ceremony with you."

Xie Xiaomei was alone in the room. With nothing to do, her gaze fell on the pile of unorganized DVD cases in the corner. There were TV series and movies inside, as well as a stack of DVDs. She wondered why the cases were so bare, without any patterns or writing, making it impossible to tell what was inside.

Xie Xiaomei thought to herself that it was probably just a regular recording of Errenzhuan (a traditional Chinese folk art form). Errenzhuan is so funny, and since she was bored anyway, she might as well play a video to relieve her boredom.

(Two more chapters will be released at noon)