Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Lin Chen didn't open the door; a lazy voice came from inside:

"Okay, you guys go ahead, I'll get up right away, don't forget to come back to work early."

"knew!"

Xie Xiaomei didn't drive; she left the car at home. After stepping outside, she stretched and took a breath of fresh air.

Lin Chen's house is nestled against a mountain, with lush, verdant trees that rustle in the wind, creating a cool and refreshing atmosphere.

A stream flows gently past the door, its water crystal clear. The place is open, well-ventilated, and neither damp nor stuffy. You won't find another place like this in the whole village.

"I really want to live here forever..." Xie Xiaomei sighed, then closed the door and went to work.

……

Two hours later, Lin Chen got up, got ready, and drove to town.

We've been back in the village for so long and haven't had a proper get-together yet. It's perfect timing, with the good weather, so let's get together for some skewers and drinks, catch up with each other, and most importantly, he just wants to have some fun.

The town market was bustling with activity. Lin Chen strolled around casually. Fresh beef and mutton were around eight yuan per jin (500g), fatty and lean lamb chops were ten yuan, pork belly was six yuan, and ham sausages were one yuan. Buying a whole box was even more cost-effective and a great deal.

Lin Chen wasn't stingy at all. After browsing around, he had a clear idea of ​​what to buy and went all out, purchasing all the most popular ingredients available for barbecue in the rural Northeast.

Fresh beef and mutton, fatty and lean lamb chops, pork belly, kidneys, chicken heads, and chicken wings.

The street food stall also features a variety of vegetarian options, including ham sausages, bean curd sheets, and bean curd sticks, all of which are top-tier street barbecue items.

There's no need to buy vegetables; everyone has them in their gardens. I put the last bread slices and steamed buns into the trunk, which was almost full, and it was a struggle to squeeze them in.

Lin Chen stood by the car, pondering what he might have forgotten. He slapped his thigh and quickly bought two large bags of charcoal, a grill, barbecue seasoning, and dipping sauce. Seeing that the back seat was almost full, he nodded in satisfaction.

Get on the bus, back to the village!

Lin Chen drove slowly back to the village. He knew tonight was going to be a lively party, so he had to make a big fuss.

As soon as we parked at Big Foot Grocery Store, Liu Neng came over with a waddling gait, his face full of wrinkles when he smiled.

When I got to the car, I saw that it was full of barbecue supplies, and my eyes lit up.

"Little...Little Chen, what's up? Any plans for tonight?"

Before Lin Chen could even speak, Xie Dajiao came out, fan in hand, swaying her hips.

"Liu Neng, you're everywhere! Lin Chen is treating the younger generation to barbecue tonight, but you're not getting any!"

Liu Neng wasn't angry. He blinked his small eyes and said with a hint of regret:

"Well... there's so much food... we can't possibly finish it all..."

"You won't get any of it, whether you finish it or not. You always try to take advantage of everything."

Lin Chen said with a smile:

"Uncle Neng, go back and tell Yingzi to come and help as soon as possible. Xiaomeng and Xiaomei should be back soon. I'll have them go find Yingzi."

"Okay, okay, don't worry, I... I'll go home now. Um, if you've finished eating and there's anything left, don't waste it. Have Liu Ying bring it back to me; I'll have it with my drinks."

Lin Chen got out of the car and lit a Zhonghua cigarette. Liu Neng's eyes widened when he saw it; such a good cigarette.

He had been hoping Lin Chen would offer him a cigarette, but Lin Chen simply put the cigarette in his pocket.

"Uncle Neng, what are we going to do with the leftovers? Look, how much we've eaten? If it's about the same, I'll bake you some fresh food before Liu Ying leaves, okay?"

"Okay, okay, that's great, that's why I say Xiao Chen, you're the most particular."

Xie Dajiao smiled and tapped Liu Neng with her fan:

"Alright, just get going, this is never going to end."

Liu Neng scurried away, and Lin Chen blew a puff of smoke into Xie Dajiao's face.

"How was last night?"

Xie Dajiao glared at him with a smile:

"What else could it be? Mei flew away! She almost scared me to death! You're so mean, knowing Xiaomei was in that room..."

"Who told you to leave early during dinner? You didn't even help me."

"How can I help? How am I supposed to know what you mean?"

Lin Chen stubbed out his cigarette, glanced at the beer, and said:

"Let's not talk about this anymore. Give me two chilled beers, and I'll have Yutian come and pick them up when it's almost time to eat."

"Okay, I'll head to town now, but two cases are a bit too much, this beer is strong."

"It's alright, it's better than drinking half and then having no wine left."

"Okay, whatever you say."

……

After arriving home, Lin Chen quickly tidied up the ingredients, cleaned the yard thoroughly, set up the long table in advance, and called everyone, waiting for them to arrive.

After watching TV for a while, people started arriving here one after another.

The first to arrive were the women: Wang Xiaomeng, Xie Xiaomei, Wang Xiangxiu, and Liu Ying. The four girls came together, carrying some of their own vegetables and seasonings, showing no signs of being strangers.

Before they even reached the courtyard, Lin Chen could hear their laughter and chatter. It was true that three women were like a hundred ducks. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they put down their things and immediately started helping out without Lin Chen having to give them any instructions.

Wang Xiangxiu was the quickest, grabbing the mutton and chopping it up with swift, precise movements, chattering as she cut, her eyes occasionally glancing at Lin Chen:

"Brother Chen, you're such a great landscaping designer! Your little courtyard is so lovely, the breeze is so refreshing, it would be perfect for enjoying some skewers!"

Wang Xiaomeng deftly skewered the pork belly with bamboo sticks:

"That's right. We're all busy with our own things, and it's impossible to get everyone together. Only Brother Chen has the ability to rally us all together."

As she spoke, she subtly moved closer to Lin Chen.

Liu Ying, clutching the sausage packaging, plopped down casually and smiled at those around her, saying:

"I've been craving these kebabs for ages! The stalls in town are such a rip-off, and the price is ridiculous too. They're nothing compared to the quality of our own homemade ones. I'm definitely going to eat my fill today. Thanks, Brother Chen! By the way, why hasn't Yutian arrived yet?"

Xie Xiaomei was slicing potatoes by the stove when she slowly struck up a conversation:

"They'll just be watching anyway, it's fine if they come later. We're all exhausted every day, it's rare for us to relax, so today we can finally get together properly."

The group chatted animatedly as they skewered the food, their eyes lighting up at the sight of the table piled high with ingredients. Everyone was full of energy.

Liu Ying held the thin bean curd sheet and skewered it onto a stick, clicking her tongue in amazement:

"Oh my god, Brother Chen really knows his stuff! He even bought the bean curd sheets and tendons. I like them grilled a little dry; it's the most satisfying, even better than meat!"

Wang Xiangxiu chimed in from the other end:

"Hey? Xiao Meng? When can you make bean curd sheets or bean curd sticks at your place?"

Wang Xiaomeng shook her head:

"I'm not that capable. I'm already too busy supplying tofu every day."

At this moment, Lin Chen walked over and said:

"Xiao Meng, you know what, Xiang Xiu's suggestion is actually quite good. We can expand the scale of development in the future if there's an opportunity."

Wang Xiaomeng thought for a moment and said:

"Brother Chen, let's talk about this later. I'm quite satisfied with my current life. Adding more projects would require investment, and besides, we don't have enough manpower."

As they were talking, footsteps came from outside the courtyard. Xie Yongqiang, Zhao Yutian, and Liu Yishui entered one after another, and the lively voices instantly filled the entire courtyard.

Once everyone arrived, the division of labor was immediately clear, and no one was idle. Lin Chen assigned tasks to each person.

Zhao Yutian was quick and efficient, and took the initiative to do the work of burning charcoal. He squatted next to the grill, fanning the fire, and was sweating profusely.

Liu Yishui stood directly in front of the grill, becoming the personal barbecue chef.

Before starting work, he put on a pair of cotton gloves, which made him look like an experienced worker. If you didn't know better, you would think he had worked at a barbecue restaurant.

He has completely adjusted his mindset now and has completely gotten over his previous worries. He doesn't feel awkward at all when looking at Wang Xiaomeng and is chatting and laughing with everyone.

Xie Yongqiang was no longer the quiet and withdrawn person he used to be, because there were no outsiders around.

They were all childhood friends who grew up together, and knew each other inside and out. There was no need for formalities. They took the initiative to move chairs, set the table, and busied themselves with helping out. They blended in very naturally.

"Yutian, drive my car to Aunt Big Foot's place and pick up the beer I ordered. Oh, and the drinks too."

"You want me to drive? Great! I'll go right now!"

Zhao Yutian was eager to try it out; he could finally drive the car and get a feel for it. Lin Chen handed him the car keys and money, and Zhao Yutian shouted towards the group of women:

"Are you guys drinking soft drinks? Or maybe you should all have some beer!"

Xie Xiaomei said directly:

"Okay, let's all have some drinks, otherwise this barbecue will be a waste."

Even Wang Xiaomeng, who doesn't drink, didn't object this time. Zhao Yutian pushed the money back, grabbed his car keys, and left.

Gradually, the sunlight slowly descended, no longer so intense, and shimmered on the surface of the stream. The evening breeze blew down the mountain valley, making one feel comfortable and relaxed.

This is the best time of day; it's not hot, and it's still quite a while before it gets dark, so it's still bright.

The charcoal fire gradually glowed red-hot, then turned white. The grill was piled high with skewers of beef, mutton, chicken wings, kidneys, bean curd sheets, bean curd sticks, potato slices, and so on. As soon as they were put on the fire, they sizzled and oozed oil, and the aroma of cumin and chili exploded in the air.

Especially the bean curd sheets and bean curd sticks, roasted until slightly charred and curled at the edges, mixed with the aroma of garlic water, filled the whole yard with fragrance, making people swallow their saliva.

Liu Yishui stood guard in front of the grill, sweating profusely. He first grilled a batch of bean curd sheets and potato slices, flipping the skewers and cheerfully calling out:

"Let me show you my cooking today, see if it's authentic! I'm just benefiting from Brother Chen's cooking today. Hey? Brother Chen, what are you doing squatting there?"

Lin Chen sat on a small stool, his hands still moving, and said without turning his head:

"I'm preparing lamb chops, you do yours. Grill a lot more first, mine will be ready soon."

The lamb chops today were specially selected, with a perfect balance of fat and lean meat. They were laid out flat on the iron griddle, each one connected to the rib. We definitely made the right choice with this wire mesh rack.

"Sizzle... sizzle..."

As soon as the lamb chops were placed on the stove, the commotion began. The layer of white lamb fat melted immediately upon contact with the heat, dripping down the bone and onto the glowing charcoal, creating a cloud of smoke carrying the aroma of meat.

Lin Chen held a tattered palm-leaf fan in his hand, fanning himself incessantly. He wasn't in a hurry, watching the pinkish flesh gradually deepen in color, finally settling on a caramel-like golden hue.

The grease was still seeping out, and as the steamer swayed, the oil droplets gathered into thin streams, leaving glossy streaks on the surface of the lamb chops.

The aroma is irresistible. First comes the pure fragrance after the gamey smell fades, followed by the domineering aroma of cumin and chili powder released by the hot oil.

Several young people in the courtyard couldn't sit still any longer and were wandering around the grill. When the lamb chops were cooked to about 80% done, the oil was sizzling and popping. With each burst of oil, the aroma in the air intensified, making everyone's insides itch with anticipation.