Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

"Everyone at the banquet today was focused on Lin Chen, even the town mayor thought highly of him. He was the center of attention. Xie Yongqiang felt inferior and resentful, like he had lost face and felt invisible. Instead of reflecting on his own shortcomings, he took it out on me!"

"He kept his head down and sullen throughout the entire banquet. When no one paid attention to him, he hid in his room and secretly wiped away his tears. I kindly went in to say a few words to him, afraid that he would get stuck in a rut, but instead, he started to be sarcastic and mean-spirited towards me!"

"He asked me if I looked down on him for being incompetent, if I regretted getting engaged to him! He even said I was only after his respectable government job and that I thought he was useless. He went even further, telling me to leave if I was dissatisfied and find someone else. Dad, what kind of talk is that?!"

"If I truly disliked him, I would never have agreed to this marriage in the first place! I poured my heart and soul into this relationship, and he treats me like this on our wedding day!"

After hearing these words, Wang Changgui's temples throbbed with anger, and his temper flared up to the point of exploding on the spot.

He suddenly stood up, turned around, grabbed the thick wooden stick that was propping up the door from behind, and slammed it hard on the ground. The dull thud made the ground thud loudly.

"Xie Yongqiang has gone too far! He's really defied the heavens!"

"We just got engaged, the wedding was barely over, and he dares to bully and mistreat me like this! If you two really get married, how can you live together? Does he want to control you for the rest of your life?"

"I have to talk to him today! I want to ask Xie Guangkun how he raised his son! How did he teach him manners! Bullying his own wife on such a joyous occasion, his character is completely rotten!"

After saying that, Wang Changgui gripped the wooden stick and was about to rush out. His steps were hurried and heavy, showing that he was truly furious and not just trying to scare people.

When Xiangxiu saw that her father was really going to come and cause trouble, she was so frightened that she jumped off the kang (a heated brick bed). She didn't even have time to put on her shoes properly, and with her bare feet on the ground, she grabbed Wang Changgui's arm tightly and pulled him back with all her might.

"Father! Please don't go, please don't go!"

Xiangxiu was so anxious that tears streamed down her face again, and she gripped his arm tightly with both hands, refusing to let go.

"This really can't be blown out of proportion. We just got engaged, and the whole village is watching. If you come over and start a fight, our families will completely fall out, and the whole village will gossip and laugh at me. How will I ever face anyone then!"

Wang Changgui's chest heaved with anger, he gasped for breath, and turned to glare at his daughter, his face filled with resentment.

"We can't let this go. My daughter has been humiliated for no reason, and he's been belittling her like this. I'm so upset, I can't stand it!"

"I know you feel sorry for me, and I feel wronged too!"

Xiangxiu pleaded with him earnestly;

"But he drank a lot today, he's not thinking straight, and he's talking nonsense! He's not usually like this!"

"What drunken talk! It's just an excuse!"

Wang Changgui completely ignored him, slammed the stick on the ground again, and said angrily:

"Did he drink the alcohol down to his stomach or a dog's? If he was really drunk, he'd be paralyzed by now. How could he be taking it out on you? I think he's just using the alcohol as an excuse to tell the truth and deliberately bully you!"

The father and daughter were locked in a tug-of-war, one desperately wanting to go out and demand an explanation, while the other was pulling at him with all her might to stop him. Just as they were struggling and at an impasse, the gate to the courtyard was gently pushed open.

Lin Chen walked in slowly.

He had just come out of Xie Guangkun's house, with half a cigarette dangling from his mouth and his hands casually in his pockets.

Upon entering, he witnessed a commotion in the courtyard. Seeing Xiangxiu's tear-streaked face, he immediately raised an eyebrow and asked:

"What's going on? We just finished a wedding banquet, why are they crying? And the director is even carrying a weapon, who are they going to fight? I've come at the perfect time."

When Wang Changgui saw that the person who came was Lin Chen, he immediately suppressed his anger.

The fierce look on his face instantly subsided by most of it. He quickly threw the wooden stick into the corner, patted the dust off his clothes, and forced a smile.

He said he was fine, but he couldn't hide his anger at all. He plopped down on a small stool in the yard, his chest still heaving slightly, his anger still burning inside.

Lin Chen stepped forward, offered him a cigarette, and said with a smile:

"What's the big deal? Why are you so angry, Uncle?"

When asked this, Wang Changgui started rambling on and on, pouring out all his grievances and dissatisfaction:

"Xiao Chen, you have no idea how frustrated I am today!"

"Today was supposed to be the day the two kids got engaged, a joyous and lively occasion with lots of guests! But Xie Yongqiang, that kid, is so immature and inconsiderate!"

Lin Chen listened quietly without interrupting, a knowing smile hidden in his eyes.

He had long understood Xie Yongqiang's insecure, proud, and fragile nature, so he wasn't surprised at all.

Just as Wang Changgui was getting most worked up about his complaints, the phone in the inner room suddenly rang, its ringtone urgent and crisp.

Wang Changgui frowned, temporarily suppressing his anger, and stood up to wave his hand:

"You two chat for a bit, it's definitely a work call from the town. I need to answer it quickly so as not to delay important business."

After saying that, he quickly went into the inner room, pulled the curtain closed, and left the two young people alone.

The courtyard fell silent instantly, with only the soft rustling of the wind through the treetops.

Xiangxiu quickly raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face, sniffed her red nose, and asked softly:

"Brother Chen, what brings you here? Is there something you need to see my dad about?"

Lin Chen lowered his head, spat out the cigarette butt from his mouth, rubbed it a few times with his foot, a smile playing on his lips, and said in a gentle tone:

"Nothing official, nothing urgent."

"There were too many people at the wedding banquet, and it was inconvenient to take out anything. I was also worried that you might feel embarrassed to accept it in front of so many relatives. So I waited until after the banquet to take some time to bring you something."

As he spoke, he took out a delicate little red velvet box and handed it to Xiangxiu.

"This is a small token of my appreciation for your engagement."

Xiangxiu paused for a moment, her eyes full of doubt, and carefully reached out to open the box.

On a red velvet background, a brand-new Seagull mechanical women's watch lay quietly.

The white dial is clean and bright, the fine metal strap is exquisite and elegant, and the design is generous and pleasing to the eye. You can tell at a glance that it is a genuine and high-quality item, which is rarely seen in the village.

Xiangxiu's eyes widened instantly, and she instinctively covered her mouth, almost gasping out. (You haven't eaten any good pork either, have you?)

The grievances that had been building up were instantly washed away, and her eyes were filled with surprise and joy.

"My God... is this a Seagull watch?!"

Lin Chen nodded indifferently, his tone casual, not treating it as anything valuable at all.

"Yes, I specifically asked someone to pick it out at the department store in the county town."

"It's only a little over 700 yuan, which isn't very expensive, but I heard that everyone in the surrounding villages recognizes this brand. You can wear it when you go out to visit relatives, go to work, or run errands. It will make you look presentable and not make you look bad."

These few simple words struck a chord with Xiangxiu.

Holding the watch box, she felt both warm and bittersweet. Throughout the banquet, everyone was watching the excitement, but Lin Chen silently remembered her happy occasion and cared about her dignity.

The pent-up grievances and heartache from the morning suddenly broke down, and tears welled up again.

"Brother Chen...this is far too valuable...I really can't accept it..."

Xiangxiu's voice trembled:

"I'm getting engaged today, and you've already given a generous gift. How can I let you spend even more money on something so nice..."

Lin Chen looked at her tear-streaked face, his tone calm and without the slightest air of superiority:

"Silly girl, a person only gets engaged and married once in their life. On this joyous occasion, it's no trouble for me to add to the celebration."

"I don't mean anything by it, I just sincerely hope that you can live a peaceful and happy life in the future, and that you and Yongqiang can make your life prosperous and stable."

These words sounded like a sincere blessing, but to Xiangxiu, they only made her feel more and more bitter.

She bit her lower lip, suppressing the sobs in her throat. After holding it in for a long time, she finally mustered all her courage, raised her red eyes, looked straight at Lin Chen, and told him all the truths she had never dared to tell outsiders.

"Brother Chen, let me tell you the truth from the bottom of my heart, the person I truly have in my heart has always been you."

Her voice was thick with nasal tone, full of helplessness and regret:

"I know I'm not good enough for you, and I know there's absolutely no way we can be together. I've never dared to ask for any recognition or a future."

"But I just can't let go. Even if I really marry Xie Yongqiang and live a stable life in the future, as long as you don't dislike me or get annoyed with me... I'm willing to be with you anytime."

"Whether you're happy, upset, or just want to chat with someone and clear your head, just let me know anytime. I promise I won't hold you up or cause you any trouble; I'll just quietly stay by your side."

Lin Chen looked at her quietly, seeing the pure sincerity and grievance in her eyes, without agreeing or directly refusing.

He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and left just the right amount of room for maneuver in his words:

"Don't talk nonsense. It's your life. Just live a stable and peaceful life with Yongqiang. That's better than anything else."

He paused, then lightly tapped the exquisite watch box with his fingertips, his tone slow and intriguing:

"But in life, nothing ever goes perfectly smoothly."

"If you ever feel wronged in the future, or if you feel frustrated and no one understands, or if you just want to talk to someone, feel free to come to me."

"This door will always be open for you, brother. You can come anytime."

These words sound like the caring concern of an older brother, but upon closer examination, they leave room for interpretation; they don't make definitive statements or push the issue away completely.

Xiangxiu was quick-witted and immediately understood the deeper meaning behind it.

The heavy, stifling feeling vanished instantly, and she immediately stopped crying and smiled, nodding heavily with a flushed face.

"Okay! I understand, Brother Chen."

"But you should call ahead, your brother is a bit busy."

"Okay!"

As soon as the two finished speaking, the sound of the phone being hung up came from the inner room. Then the curtain moved and Wang Changgui stepped out.

At this moment, the anger on his face completely subsided, his brows furrowed slightly, and he was thinking about work matters, his expression becoming much more serious.

Xiangxiu pretended that nothing had happened and asked softly:

"Dad, what's wrong? Is it urgent?"

"Yes, it's business."

Wang Changgui waved his hand:

"The town just notified us that county leaders will be coming to our village to inspect family planning work the day after tomorrow. They told me to prepare all the materials in advance, and to make sure everything is in order and not to be careless."