Country Love: Xie Dajiao, 37, is pregnant!

"How did I brush you off? I've already apologized, what more do you want?"

Xie Yongqiang was taken aback by her retort and, feeling a bit embarrassed, said with a gloomy face:

"Ever since I lost my job, you've been giving me the cold shoulder every day. Who's really giving whom the cold shoulder? Can you please stop harping on this? Just say you don't like me!"

"I just don't like you, so what!"

Xiangxiu, young and impetuous, was completely reckless:

"Now that you've lost your job, you've lost all your spirit. Where did your old self go? You're listless all day long, and you have no sense of responsibility when things go wrong. Why should I go out of my way to be good to you? If you're so capable, why don't you just call off the engagement? Do you dare? To put it bluntly, you're just afraid of your father. Don't think I can't live without you!"

The long-simmering conflict between the two erupted again, and they argued heatedly over just a few words, neither willing to back down, and each sentence hitting the other's sore spot.

Xie Yongqiang was humiliated and, in a fit of stubbornness, he grabbed the money from the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), turned around and walked out. He slammed the door shut as he left, and walked away without looking back.

Xiangxiu was the only one left in the room. She sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), feeling increasingly frustrated. She had been dating Xie Yongqiang for so long, but she had never been treated well. He was cowardly, petty, and most importantly, he was always thinking about Wang Xiaomeng.

Now that he's down on his luck, he's constantly arguing with himself and nitpicking over every little thing. In contrast, Lin Chen is mature, steady, gentle, and considerate. Compared to Lin Chen, Xie Yongqiang is utterly pathetic.

Xiangxiu gritted her teeth and stood up, determined that rather than suffer at Xie Yongqiang's hands, she would rather go to Lin Chen, where at least she could feel at ease and be hurt a few times.

She felt no guilt towards Xie Yongqiang at all; on the contrary, she became even more insightful.

Ever since her intimate moment with Lin Chen, she couldn't let go of him. Lin Chen gave her a feeling she had never experienced before. She wasn't simply upset about the argument; she was just using it as an excuse to find a legitimate reason to see Lin Chen.

This time, she didn't change into her usual clothes; she was still wearing the nurse's uniform from the clinic. The uniform accentuated her neat figure, and the neat neckline had a touch of charm. Wearing the nurse's cap, she exuded a lively and deliberately feminine air, carrying a lingering, worldly charm.

Along the scorching village road, Xiangxiu walked briskly straight to Lin Chen's house.

At this time, no one was wandering around the village, and Lin Chen's house was quiet. Xie Dajiao and Xie Xiaomei were not there, so it was a perfect time for him to be alone and have some privacy.

She didn't knock; she simply pushed the door open gently and walked in. Inside, a sheer curtain blocked the harsh sunlight, and the air conditioning provided a cool, quiet, and private atmosphere.

Lin Chen was resting with his eyes closed, preparing for his afternoon nap, when he heard a noise and looked up to see Wang Xiangxiu, dressed in a nurse's uniform, standing at the door.

Unlike her usual coquettish sulking, Xiangxiu's eyes now held no trace of the grievances from arguing with Xie Yongqiang, only an undisguised hope and initiative, carrying a knowing ambiguity.

She gently closed the door behind her with a soft click, locking it from the inside.

Before Lin Chen could speak, she moved lightly and went straight to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). Before Lin Chen could get up, she leaned down and threw herself into his arms. Her soft body pressed firmly against him, and the fabric of her nurse's uniform mixed with her cheap fragrance was particularly alluring.

She didn't cry or make a scene like before; she just sullenly rubbed against me, her voice lazy and deliberately coquettish, full of ambiguity.

"Brother Chen, I had another fight with Xie Yongqiang. That guy is such a coward, I don't want to be with him for even a minute longer."

These words were just an excuse, but her true feelings were clear. Lin Chen instantly understood what she was thinking. It wasn't that she felt wronged after the argument; she was obviously thinking about him again and was looking for an excuse to come over for comfort.

He gently put his arm around her waist, brushing against the fabric of her clothes, a knowing chuckle playing on his lips.

"Are you angry with him again? Or did you come here specifically to see me?"

Having her thoughts exposed, Xiangxiu showed no shame or hesitation. She took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang (heated brick bed), her eyes glistening with tears, carrying a hint of longing and a seductive, worldly air. Even her voice softened.

"Both. Arguing with him is really annoying, and I really miss you too. Ever since last time, I haven't been able to sleep or calm down, I just keep thinking..."

She openly expressed her feelings, without the shyness of a young girl.

The room was quiet. The two embraced silently, without any unnecessary words, only an ambiguous understanding between them. The lingering tenderness from their last encounter slowly fermented and spread. All the excuses were just illusions; the unforgettable longing was the real thing.

……

Around three o'clock in the afternoon, when it was the hottest time, Xiangxiu shuffled home step by step. Lin Chen didn't pay any attention to her. After tidying himself up and the house, he turned off the air conditioner and opened the windows to let in some fresh air.

Then he deliberately drove his new car to Xie Guangkun's house. He had to persuade Xie Yongqiang, "You can't do this. Every time you quarrel with Xiangxiu, Xiangxiu comes over. It's fine for a day or two, but aren't you two arguing too often? Are you tiring out this silly boy?"

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw Xie Yongqiang squatting on the threshold, looking like a wilted eggplant, his face full of depression, not saying a word.

Lin Chen walked over and gently patted his shoulder, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for Xie Guangkun inside the room to hear clearly. He spoke earnestly:

"Yongqiang, I already know what happened. I'm not trying to criticize you, but you two did the wrong thing. When a couple is dating, how can they not argue and bicker? Every couple has its disagreements. But arguing is one thing, but you can't always hold grudges and keep giving each other the cold shoulder. That's how you slowly wear down your relationship."

He sighed, took out a cigarette, lit it for himself, and offered one to Xie Yongqiang. Xie Yongqiang waved his hand, indicating he didn't want one. Lin Chen continued to persuade him:

"You're a man, so you have to be more generous and give in to Xiangxiu. Xiangxiu is a good person; she'll do whatever you ask. She's practical, sensible, and sometimes she'll even think of things that I haven't considered. She's not fake; she's very understanding and accepting of things that I can't bring myself to say."

"She's straightforward and doesn't have any bad intentions, but she gets easily irritated and argumentative. You don't know, I've worried a lot about you two behind your backs, especially these past few days. I've been trying to persuade Xiangxiu for you, and she's gotten upset too. Her voice was hoarse after I finished talking to her just now!"

"Stop messing around. If you keep causing trouble, you'll ruin a perfectly good relationship. You'll regret it then. If you really can't help arguing, can't we at least do it once every three days?"

Xie Guangkun, who was still sulking about his son's argument inside the house, immediately lifted the curtain and hurried out when he heard Lin Chen's heartfelt words outside.

He looked Lin Chen up and down, and seeing the young man's sincere face and concern for Yongqiang, his heart warmed instantly, and his opinion of Lin Chen completely changed.

He had genuinely looked down on Lin Chen before, and soon after returning to the village, he had even insulted himself. In the entire Ivory Mountain Village, how many people dared to speak of him like that?

To my utter surprise, not only did he not mind what happened before, but he also cared about Yongqiang's marriage in every way and sincerely helped to mediate the conflict. His character and his vision are truly rare. No wonder he is so successful.

Xie Guangkun immediately strode forward, grabbed Lin Chen's hand, his face beaming with smiles, his head gleaming with light, and he was incredibly enthusiastic:

"Oh, Xiao Chen, thank you so much! You know, we're not related, and we even had a little conflict before. I really feel bad that you're so genuinely worried about Yongqiang and taking care of our families."

"You are a fine young man, kind-hearted, sensible and generous. You are truly one in a hundred. I apologize for what happened before."

He then turned and glared at Xie Yongqiang, who was squatting on the ground, and scolded him with a look of disappointment:

"Look at you, and then look at Lin Chen. I used to dislike hearing this, but looking at you today, you two are worlds apart. Even between classes of the same grade, the difference between you is enormous!"

"You're so immature and useless, always causing trouble and making Xiaochen worry about you. I'm going to teach you a lesson later!"

After scolding his son, Xie Guangkun held Lin Chen's hand tightly, refusing to let go and eagerly trying to persuade him to stay.

"Xiao Chen, you absolutely can't leave today. You have to come inside and sit down. Tell your aunt to hurry up and cook a few dishes. We two have to have a good drink together today. I really want to thank you. It's all thanks to you speaking up for Yongqiang. If anything happens in the future, you, as his older brother, should teach him a lesson. This kid's been studying himself silly!"

Lin Chen declined, waving his hand with a smile:

"No need, no need to be so polite. I just happened to be passing by and wanted to give Yongqiang a few words of advice. We're all from the same village, brothers who grew up together. This is what I should do. There's no need for special treatment."

"That won't do, absolutely not!"

"I've already eaten lunch, and besides, it's not lunchtime yet."

"My family has two meals a day, and it's almost time anyway, so a little longer won't make a difference."

Xie Guangkun's attitude was exceptionally firm, giving him no chance to refuse, and he turned around and shouted loudly into the house:

"Hurry, hurry! Put on your apron and get in the kitchen! Stew chicken, scramble eggs, make cold dishes, and prepare a couple more hearty dishes. Get out that bottle of good wine from my cupboard! I have to have a good drink with Xiaochen today to properly thank this good kid!"

Yongqiang's mother immediately agreed, hurriedly put on her apron, and rushed into the outer room to start working enthusiastically.

Xie Yongqiang remained squatting on the threshold, ignoring everyone. He looked up at the warm and polite Lin Chen, his lips moving slightly. He felt something was off, a vague unease creeping into his heart, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He could only keep his head down and remain silent.