Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

Lin Chen was afraid that he would hurt her or injure her if he struggled too hard, so he didn't dare to break free. He could only sit up and reach for the thin blanket next to him to cover her up tightly.

He leaned against the wall, reached out and took out a cigarette and lighter, lit a cigarette, and the embers flickered in the dark room.

Lin Chen took a drag of his cigarette, looked at Xie Xiaomei, and spoke frankly and sincerely:

"Xiaomei, things are already like this, I won't argue with you. I was drunk just now and confused, I mistook you for Xie Dajiao."

Xie Xiaomei's body trembled violently, and she looked up in disbelief, staring straight at him.

Lin Chen took a deep drag on his cigarette and decided to say everything at once:

"I won't hide anything from you about my relationship with Xie Dajiao. You know better than anyone what kind of bastard Li Fu is. He's a piece of trash, a gambler and womanizer, irresponsible, and never home. He's really ruined your aunt's life."

"She's a woman living a life of widowhood, enduring so much heartache and grievance. She's in her thirties, the age when she should be in need of a man, yet she's endured so many years of hardship. I can't give her anything in terms of status, that's the truth, but she's my woman, and I will take care of her for the rest of my life, ensuring she has enough to eat and wear for the rest of her life, and I will never let her suffer any more grievances."

"You know best how hard Xie Dajiao has gone through all these years. I can't let her down, and I can't abandon her just because I'm with you."

Lin Chen paused, looking frankly at Xie Xiaomei, whose eyes were red-rimmed, his tone almost too sincere:

"There's something else I want to make clear to you: I can't hold you back, I can't lie to you. I'm not the kind of person who's devoted or infatuated. I'll definitely have no shortage of women in the future. And the money I have isn't what you see on the surface. My family's wealth is much greater than that. I can completely support you and protect you."

"Right now, I have no plans to get married. I'm not settled, I haven't had enough fun, and I don't want to be tied down by family or marriage."

"But then again, if one day I really want to settle down and start a family, the person I'll marry will definitely be you."

He raised his hand and gently flicked off the ash from his cigarette, clearly handing the choice to Xie Xiaomei:

"I've been pretending to be clueless and deliberately keeping my distance from you because of these things. I didn't want to hold you back or make you feel wronged. If you mind, feel wronged, or can't accept this kind of relationship, then let's pretend this never happened tonight. I'll give you some money, enough for you to live a stable life from now on. You can find a partner or get married as you wish, and we can still be normal friends."

"If you don't mind and are willing to follow me, I will definitely treat you well in the future, just like I treated your aunt, or even better. Think it over carefully and make your own decision."

Xie Xiaomei lay quietly in bed, not saying a word for a long time. Hot tears streamed silently down her cheeks, each drop landing on the pillow and leaving small wet stains.

Her mind was in turmoil, a mixture of shyness, grievance, panic, and bitterness, but not much anger or resentment.

She was closest to Xie Dajiao since childhood, and witnessed firsthand the life Xie Dajiao had led, being gossiped about behind her back by the villagers, enduring year after year of hardship in an empty house, bearing all the bitterness and difficulties on her own. It was truly remarkable.

Now, hearing Lin Chen genuinely care about her difficulties and wholeheartedly protect her, her heart softened completely.

Moreover, she had secretly fallen for Lin Chen from the very first day she saw him, and tonight's absurd encounter, though accidental, was her willing destination.

She bit her reddened lips, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly raised her head. Her eyes were red and wet as she looked at Lin Chen. Her voice was soft and not loud, but it was firm:

"Brother Chen... I don't mind. My aunt has suffered so much in her life. It's better for you to treat her well than anything else. I just want to ask you one question: will you truly treat me well in the future? You won't abandon me once you find someone else, will you?"

Looking at her stubborn yet aggrieved expression, Lin Chen's heart softened slightly. He gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks, his tone resolute:

"Don't worry, I mean what I say. With me around, you won't suffer any losses. I will never be biased or let you down."

Xiaomei pursed her lips, nodded gently, and all the grievances in her eyes disappeared, leaving only a heart full of peace and joy.

She quietly moved closer to him, her soft arms encircling him again, burying her flushed face deep in his chest. Now that things had come to this, she was willing and had no regrets whatsoever.

A mixture of shyness, the effects of the alcohol, and a fluttering heart surged up, completely washing away the awkwardness and bitterness from before, leaving only a mix of panic and sweet joy.

She didn't dare look up at Lin Chen, but stayed close to him, her soft voice carrying a slight nasal tone from the alcohol:

"Brother Chen, I have no regrets. I'll follow you for the rest of my life."

Lin Chen's cigarette burned to the end. He raised his hand and stubbed it out in the ashtray beside the kang (a heated brick bed). He looked down at the gentle, obedient, and courageous girl in his arms and smiled softly.

He thought that Xie Xiaomei would probably feel ashamed and aggrieved after hearing his words, and would run away crying. He never expected her to treat him like this.

He reached out and pulled the person into a tight embrace, whispering a word of advice:

"Once you've thought it through, don't go back on your word."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Chen leaned down, and Xiao Mei nodded vigorously with her eyes closed.

……

The Legend of the White Snake was still playing on TV, and the volume was very loud.

At the foot of the blue stone steps in front of Jinshan Temple, Fahai stood on a high place, holding his nine-ringed Zen staff horizontally. Suddenly, his wrist sank, and the Zen staff slammed heavily onto the blue stone.

With a light tap of his toes, he swept his body and staff straight down, the staff tip swirling in the wind as he cleaved down at Bai Suzhen's head.

Bai Suzhen's white dress fluttered as she staggered backward to defend herself, her waist leaning back. The staff slammed down with a muffled "thud." Before she could straighten up, Fahai flicked his wrist and swept the staff out horizontally!

She reacted hastily, and the staff slammed into her body with a dull thud. She was swept away and flew backward, her toes tumbling several steps on the stone surface before she regained her balance. Her body was numb and almost devoid of feeling. A sweet taste rose in her throat, which she forcefully suppressed as her blood surged.

Without pausing, Fahai spun around with his staff and advanced again. The tip of the staff was like a spear, poking and prodding, the golden rings jingling, each move aimed directly at her vital acupoints.

Bai Suzhen dodged and weaved, sometimes sidestepping, sometimes deflecting the force with her palms. Every time she brushed against the cold staff, her meridians ached from the powerful Buddhist energy.

Fahai strode forward with a series of powerful steps, his staff dancing faster and faster. Golden light flowed along the staff as he chopped, smashed, swept, flicked, and stabbed, each move faster than the last, the heavy shadow of the staff completely sealing her off.

"Bang bang bang!"

"Clap clap clap!"

The clanging of iron rings and the dull thud of a cane striking bluestone blended together, making it hard to breathe.

Although Bai Suzhen was agile, she was constantly forced to retreat by the force of the monk's staff, without even a chance to catch her breath.

After only a few dozen moves, she was already on the verge of collapse. Her hair was disheveled, her breathing became increasingly rapid, and she had to exert all her strength to parry each time.

Fahai's moves became increasingly powerful and fierce, his staff swinging in a rounded motion with the force to split mountains and shatter rocks, each strike heavier than the last.

She groaned and finally retreated to the Yangtze River bank at the foot of Jinshan Mountain, with the surging river behind her and no way to retreat.

Bai Suzhen clutched her chest and pressed her palms into the river. The river water suddenly surged, and waves several meters high rose from the ground. The white waves were towering and the water mist filled the air, just like the flood that engulfed Jinshan Temple!

Fahai stood before the waves, his expression changing. He withdrew his staff to barely dodge the attack. The mist gradually dissipated, the river receded, leaving only a mess of water stains on the shore.

Bai Suzhen lay on the ground, too weak to get up. Only her shoulders swayed slightly, and blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, spreading dark red spots on the ground.

Seeing this, Lin Chen turned off the TV. Outside the window, the night breeze was gentle, the moonlight was tranquil, and inside the room, soft breaths mingled together.

"Brother Chen, am I particularly useless?" Xie Xiaomei said, feeling somewhat aggrieved.

Lin Chen shook his head and pulled her into his arms:

"Silly girl, it's okay."

Xie Xiaomei looked up at Lin Chen, her eyes sparkling, and asked:

"Brother Chen, have you had quite a few relationships? What was the longest one?"

Lin Chen thought for a moment and said:

"The longest one... lasted about two hours, I was exhausted." (pounding the pestle)

Xie Xiaomei tilted her head, not understanding, but later realized what she meant and angrily bit Lin Chen.

……

The next morning, around 5 a.m., Xie Dajiao, who was an early riser all year round, had a biological clock that was more accurate than an alarm clock.

When I opened my eyes this morning, I instinctively reached out to touch the bed beside me, only to find it empty; Xiaomei wasn't in bed at all.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she instantly understood. She remained calm, only feeling a sense of resignation, as if the cabbage had finally been eaten by a pig.

She quietly put on her clothes, slipped on her slippers, and tried to walk as quietly as possible towards the house.

Lin Chen's room was unlocked. Xie Dajiao opened a small crack and peeked inside. The two people on the kang (a heated brick bed) were fast asleep.

Lin Chen's arm rested securely on Xiao Mei, who nestled in his warm embrace, her face slightly upturned with a faint smile on her lips. She seemed to be having a sweet dream and was sleeping soundly.

Xie Dajiao stood at the door for a few seconds, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

There was relief, bitterness, and comfort, as well as a vague sense of emptiness. She understood all too well the little thoughts her niece kept hidden in her heart.

She dared not make a sound to disturb the girl, fearing that she would be embarrassed and unable to save face if she woke up. She quietly took half a step back, intending to turn around and go back to the outer room to cook, as if nothing had happened last night.

But just as she lifted her foot, Lin Chen's voice came from inside the room, his voice hoarse from just waking up:

"Come in, don't stand at the door."

Xie Dajiao stiffened slightly. Since Lin Chen had already said that, it would be pretentious and unnecessary for her to keep hiding.

She coughed lightly, opened the door, lifted the curtain and went inside. She then turned back and closed the door tightly, feigning confusion to smooth things over and cover her embarrassment.

"I woke up looking for Xiaomei, but I couldn't find her anywhere this morning. Turns out she sneaked into your room to sleep."

As soon as these words were spoken, Xie Xiaomei, who was on the kang (a heated brick bed), was also awakened by the sound of voices. She rubbed her eyes and opened them groggily.

Looking up, he saw Xie Dajiao standing by the kang (a heated brick bed). Looking down at himself, all the scenes from last night flooded his mind.

In an instant, her entire face turned completely red, burning hot, so ashamed she wished she could disappear into the ground and quickly shrank into the blankets.