Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Xie Xiaomei pushed open the door and entered the house. She immediately saw Wang Xiaomeng busy at the stove, and then looked at the steaming food on the table. Her alarm bells went off instantly.

She knew perfectly well that Wang Xiaomeng was using cooking as an excuse to get closer to Lin Chen and curry favor with him.

Although she was wary, it wasn't showing on her face. She still wore a gentle smile, greeted him warmly, and grabbed Wang Xiaomeng's arm.

"Oh my, Xiao Meng is here too! What a coincidence! I was just saying I was coming back to cook for Brother Chen, but I didn't expect you to have already made it. You're so diligent!"

Wang Xiaomeng turned around and responded with a smile, her tone very polite:

"It wasn't anything special, just things I did on the spur of the moment. Chen is home alone, and I was worried he'd just make do with whatever he could, so I cooked a few simple dishes and brought them all out with me."

"That's wonderful! I'm so lucky to have such a delicious meal!"

Xie Xiaomei served Lin Chen a bowl of rice, then sat down with a smile and said:

"Chen used to live alone. I was always worried that he ate irregularly and had no one to take care of him. So I would come over to check on him every few days, afraid that he would suffer."

Wang Xiaomeng, holding her chopsticks, smiled faintly and calmly replied:

"It's only right. We neighbors should look out for each other. But Brother Chen doesn't need much help. It's you, Xiao Mei, who is so busy at the farm, yet you always think of Brother Chen. You're so thoughtful."

The two sentences of dialogue, seemingly mild and polite, actually revealed an undercurrent of tension, with neither side wanting to lose face.

At the dinner table, the two greeted each other with smiles and appeared amicable, but every word they uttered was a subtle test and a silent competition, with neither willing to give in.

Wang Xiaomeng placed a piece of green vegetable in Lin Chen's bowl with her chopsticks, her tone gentle and considerate:

"Brother Chen, eat more vegetables. They're light and refreshing, good for your health. You've been working hard outside, so you probably haven't been eating on time. You need to take good care of yourself. If I have time in the future, I'll come over every day to cook for you and make sure you get a balanced diet."

Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaomei immediately smiled and placed a piece of meat into Lin Chen's bowl:

"A vegetarian diet won't do. Brother Chen is a picky eater and only likes to eat meat and vegetables. He can't eat too much bland food. Anyway, now that I've moved in, I'll cook different dishes for him so he won't get tired of it."

Wang Xiaomeng's smile remained unchanged as she spoke softly:

"It's good to try different dishes, but home-cooked meals from the countryside are the best for the stomach. Brother Chen should avoid eating anything too oily right now. Light and simple food is best. Since he's already back, it means he prefers the simple, rustic flavors of the countryside."

"Even a light meal should be enjoyable. Eating is like living life. You live life, not just endure it. I've been studying recipes and figuring out how to cook. I know best how to balance nutrition so that Brother Chen can eat comfortably and live a peaceful life."

Lin Chen sat in the middle, listening to the two people's gentle yet sharp conversation, and couldn't help but laugh and cry throughout.

One sentence on the left is considerate, another on the right is thoughtful; every sentence is a declaration of their own existence. Caught in the middle, he feels uncomfortable and is truly exhausted.

In this delicate atmosphere, there was movement again at the courtyard gate. Xie Dajiao returned, swaying her hips and fanning herself.

As soon as she entered the house, she saw the three people at the dining table. Looking at Wang Xiaomeng and Xie Xiaomei, who seemed friendly but were actually tense, she could see through the two girls' thoughts at a glance, even though she was so old.

A hint of a smile flashed in Xie Dajiao's eyes, but she didn't expose it, and greeted him with a generous smile:

"Hey, the three of you are eating. It's quite a lively scene."

Upon seeing this, Wang Xiaomeng and Xie Xiaomei instantly suppressed their subtle rivalry and turned around in unison, smiling as they responded.

"Aunt Big Foot is back? Sit down and have something to eat. I'll get you some chopsticks." Wang Xiaomeng moved very quickly.

"Yes, Auntie, we have some leftover food. Xiao Meng cooked it very well. Let's eat together." Xie Xiaomei chimed in, not wanting to be left behind.

Xie Dajiao smiled and nodded, then pulled up a chair and sat down without any hesitation, as if she knew her place well.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony. Please try Xiao Meng's cooking. I've been staying here these past few days and I'm so grateful for your help."

As she slowly shoveled rice into her mouth, her eyes subtly swept back and forth between Wang Xiaomeng and Xie Xiaomei's faces, her mind perfectly clear.

She didn't expose them, but sat quietly watching the show and listening to their back-and-forth conversation.

With Xie Dajiao sitting in the middle to keep things in check, Wang Xiaomeng and Xie Xiaomei toned down their bluntness, but their rivalry remained as intense as ever, and they spoke with even greater discretion.

Xie Xiaomei was the first to pick up a piece of green vegetable with her chopsticks and place it steadily into Wang Xiaomeng's bowl. Her smile was gentle and polite, but her words carried weight:

"Xiao Meng, did Liu Yishui buy you clothes? He asked me what size you wear, and how it is, whether you like the style?"

Wang Xiaomeng paused with her chopsticks, then reached out and placed a piece of lean meat on Xie Xiaomei's plate, her tone gentle yet determined not to yield an inch.

"I didn't accept it. I've always treated Yishui as a brother. What kind of behavior is it to accept his clothes? He's not my boyfriend. I think you two are quite suitable. You can help him at the farm and it will be helpful to his business."

Xie Xiaomei's smile froze for a moment, not expecting Wang Xiaomeng to retaliate like that, but she quickly regained her composure.

"Xiao Meng, if you consider Liu Yishui your brother, then we're just friends at most, a superior-subordinate relationship. We're not as close as you two. So you didn't collect the clothes? No wonder Liu Yishui is so distraught. Sigh, he's really deeply in love with you."

Wang Xiaomeng glanced at Lin Chen's expression and, seeing that Lin Chen was acting normally, breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Xiaomei, what do you mean by being deeply in love? You can't force matters of the heart. It's better to talk it out. Brother Yishui isn't that kind of person."

Xie Dajiao gently kicked Lin Chen under the table and winked at him. Lin Chen understood and smiled, saying:

"Don't just chat, come on, eat some more food."

After saying that, he kept putting food on the two women's plates.

Xie Xiaomei thanked her and said with a smile:

"Brother Chen thinks we're too noisy. That makes sense. Brother Chen likes quiet. We're not usually this noisy at home. It's only lively when Xiao Meng comes over."

Wang Xiaomeng ate the food Lin Chen had put on her plate before saying:

"It's good to like quiet, I like quiet too, but it can't be too bland. People should live comfortably and freely. A flavorful life is good for people. My tofu shop is stable now, and I have flexible hours. I don't have to go out to sell tofu anymore. I can come over anytime to chat with Brother Chen and relax. It's much better than being alone."

Xie Xiaomei's smile remained unchanged as she softly replied:

"Xiao Meng, you're busy with your business, so you should focus on taking care of your tofu shop. As for Brother Chen, there are daily chores to deal with, so I won't trouble you with personal care. I live here every day and can be there whenever you need me, which is more convenient than anyone else."

"Convenience is not enough; thoughtfulness is the most important. Not only does he need someone to take care of his daily life, but he also needs someone to keep him company, relieve his boredom, and cheer him up. I have a steady personality and can patiently take things slowly with him."

"Personalized care is the real deal."

Xie Xiaomei put down her chopsticks and wouldn't budge an inch:

"I live in the courtyard. If Brother Chen has any urgent matters or needs anything at night, I can be there in no time. No one is closer than me."

Wang Xiaomeng also gently put down her chopsticks, her eyes softening:

"Being close is one thing, understanding is another. Living together isn't about physical distance, it's about mutual understanding."

The two of them exchanged words, each sentence a polite and casual conversation, yet every word held a competitive edge. Neither was willing to back down an inch, and neither was determined to let go of Lin Chen.

A harmonious atmosphere prevailed at the dinner table, but undercurrents surged beneath.

Xie Dajiao silently ate her meal the whole time, seemingly eating obediently, but in reality, she kept glancing at the two girls out of the corner of her eye.

Seeing that the atmosphere had almost reached its peak, she slowly put down her chopsticks, clapped her hands lightly, and said with a smile:

"Oh dear, you three take your time eating. My brain is getting worse and worse. I just remembered that the grocery store is delivering food later, and it can't be left unattended. I have to hurry back and keep an eye on it."

After saying that, she stood up, waved to the three of them, and was about to leave. Lin Chen's eyes widened. "You're going to run away? Do you think that's okay?!"

"Oh dear, the delivery's so late? Let me go with you, lend a hand!"

"No need, no need, it's not much, just eat your food."

After saying that, Xie Dajiao gave Lin Chen a look that said "good luck" before hurriedly leaving.

Lin Chen was so angry that his teeth itched. He thought to himself, "Just you wait until tonight, I'll see how I deal with you."

Seeing that the two women were about to continue chatting, Lin Yi put his chopsticks on the table, looked at them from left to right, and said:

Are you two still going to eat?

Seeing that Lin Chen was unhappy, the two women stopped talking and returned to their previous state. Overall, the atmosphere was still quite good.

After dinner, Lin Chen lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) watching TV, while Wang Xiaomeng cleaned up the dishes outside, and Xie Xiaomei swept the floor in circles. The cool air from the air conditioner blew by from time to time.

"Hey? Xiaomei, how about we have barbecue tomorrow?" Lin Chen suggested.

Xie Xiaomei looked up at Lin Chen:

"How about some barbecue?"

Lin Chen sat up, slapped his thigh, and said:

"Yeah, let's have a barbecue. Let's invite all the young people in the village over and have some fun. It won't be convenient to eat this when it gets cold."

"Okay, there's not much going on at the farm tomorrow, I can come back in the afternoon to help you."

Lin Chen shouted outside:

"Xiao Meng, we're having a barbecue tomorrow, come early."

Wang Xiaomeng wiped her hands as she entered the room, smiling as she said:

"Okay, I'll come over after I finish delivering the goods tomorrow. I should be done by noon."

Upon hearing this, Xie Xiaomei immediately changed her mind:

"I'll be back around noon, Xiaomeng. Let's come together then."

"OK……"

……

The next morning, after Xie Xiaomei got up, she saw that Xie Dajiao's mouth was red, and she could barely make out that it was a handprint.

"Auntie, wake up! What happened to your face?"

Xie Dajiao yawned. She had just fallen asleep when Lin Chen retaliated against her for a whole night.

She got out of bed and looked in the mirror, seeing clear fingerprints. She cursed under her breath, thinking that Lin Chen's actions last night were blatant revenge. If she hadn't covered her mouth tightly, Xie Xiaomei would definitely have heard it.

"Oh, it's nothing. There were mosquitoes in the room. I was half asleep and accidentally slapped myself on the mouth."

Xie Xiaomei looked at her with a puzzled expression:

"real?"

"Of course it's on vacation! You kid, hurry up and get ready for work, I need to get up too."

Xie Xiaomei didn't think much of it; she couldn't possibly connect it to the crazy scene from last night.

"Knock knock knock..."

Xie Xiaomei knocked on Lin Chen's door:

"Brother Chen, we're leaving now. Get up early, didn't we say we were going to town to buy some things?"