Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 243, Section 242: Love Like a Tide
Upon hearing Sun Simiao's suggestion to write a theme song for Chaobai Town.

Lin Xiao's eyes lit up.

After a little thought, I realized that this method was feasible.

After getting off work, he drove directly from the town compound to the newly opened highway entrance, taking a shortcut onto the Ningyi Expressway. The journey was at least 40 minutes faster than before when he took a big turn from Anyang County.

The car sped along the highway, and after a few steps, the winding Chaoshui River appeared in the distance.

It was 5:40 PM.

In early autumn, the southern regions are still under the scorching heat of late summer. It's still a long time before the sun sets, and the intense sunlight hanging in the west is so sharp it hurts your back.

The car's air conditioning was just turned on, but even at the highest setting, it only blew hot air for the first five minutes.

With the sun blazing down, Lin Xiao was already drenched in sweat.

However, at this moment, they are completely unaware.

He looked at the distant Tide River, its waters meandering and tranquil, a stark contrast to the devastating floods that had raged just over a month earlier.

At this moment, the water reflects golden light under the sunlight, like a little dragon that has run away from home, lying there fast asleep.

Lin Xiao's mind raced, and he suddenly had an idea for the theme song of Chaobai Town.

Back in Ninghai.

After entering the house, he unusually didn't immediately kiss and cuddle with his wife. Instead, he went into the room and started writing and drawing on Xixi's dressing table.

Han Xixi wasn't surprised at all.

She poured a glass of lemonade for her husband, glanced at the paper on the table, and was surprised to see that it was a sheet of music.

"Love is like a tide?!"

Looking at the title, Xixi was a little curious.

She knew her husband was creating something again, and she couldn't help but stand beside him and watch.

Then the more I looked, the more engrossed I became, and the more confused I became.

"This song... is so sad!"

After humming along to the melody, Xixi was certain that this was another masterpiece destined to become a classic.

But at the same time, it's clear that this song wasn't written for her, because it's not a female key and it's completely unsuitable for her to sing.

Lin Xiao has already written six or seven songs for her. Some are light and sweet like "Warm" and "The Magic of Love," which suit her age and emotional state; others are like "Keep Walking in the Rain," which conveys a stubborn attitude; and still others are like "Legend" and "Human World," which match the characteristics of her voice.

The only slightly melancholic song, "Darkness Falls," was written for my grandmother's passing, and it's not entirely about love.

Overall, the songs her husband wrote for her were basically in line with her emotional state and mood. Because of this high degree of relevance, they resonated strongly with her, which enabled her to deliver powerful and exceptional performances each time, creating many phenomenal live shows.

For example, songs like "Darkness Falls" and "Keep Walking in the Rain" are widely recognized online as sounding better on stage than in the official release.

Regarding this.

Xi Xi immediately realized that the song "Love Like a Tide" was not written for her.

The melodious and somber tone of the music is secondary.

The main problem is that the lyrics are too sad, even... too humble, which doesn't match her attitude towards relationships at all, nor does it fit her current sweet, happy, and perfect life.

Of course, these are just Han Xixi's feelings.

The most direct evidence is the line in the lyrics: "I never want to see you drunk in the middle of the night again, I never want other men to witness your allure..."

A definite male perspective.

This isn't about singing ability anymore; it's about the fact that only men can sing this kind of song. If it's not a man, it just doesn't make sense and seems out of place.

Therefore, Han Xixi concluded that the song was written for men!
Then her eyes narrowed solemnly.

This attitude, of course, is not an overbearing assertion that my husband can only write songs for me.

In fact, she is now five months pregnant.

Influenced by pregnancy hormones, all she wanted to do at this moment was to be a good mother in peace and contentment. All her previous dreams of music and becoming a singer were now forgotten.

Ideals? Go play!

So Xixi's current thought is that she doesn't want to work at all, she just wants to be a housewife!

That's why she's so serious.

Based on the lyrics, one can't help but wonder if Lin Xiao, the lyricist and composer, is now using the song to express his feelings and longing for his ex-girlfriend or a close female friend.

It's hard for Xixi not to think that way.

After all, while creative works can be imaginative, they are ultimately based on reality or triggered by real-world situations.

It's impossible for someone to lose their parents on one side and still be able to write sweet love songs on the other.

That's not genius, that's insane.

Moreover, Lin Xiao's previous songs all followed this logic: "Warm" was written when they were at their most ambiguous, and "The Magic of Love" was written when they were at their sweetest.

And now.

When he came home, his wife ignored him. He went into his room and buried himself in his work, his brow furrowed and his face grave, as if his beloved had leukemia...

Xi Xi thought the guess was a bit far-fetched.

But now that she's pregnant, her thought process is so peculiar that even she can't control it.

So they waited there patiently until Lin Xiao finished drawing the score.

He put down his pen, stretched, tilted his head back, and saw his wife reflected upside down in his pupils, her features cool and aloof.

Lin Xiao was startled.

"Hey... honey, what are you still doing here?"

"Hmph, of course you'd love for me to leave!!"

Xi Xi was annoyed.

Lin Xiao looked completely bewildered, sat up straight, and reached out to pull his wife over.

Xi Xi didn't push him away.

She was led by his hands and sat on his lap.

Lin Xiao grinned and held up the result of his half-hour composition, showing it to his wife: "My new song, my dear wife, please give it your feedback!"

Han Xixi glanced at his expression.

Seeing his cheerful expression and the lack of any guilt, she realized that her earlier wild thoughts were just her overthinking.

But then I thought about it again and it made sense. My husband spends all his time at home with me, working non-stop like a spinning top. He doesn't have the time or energy to find a female confidante. How could that be possible?
The more Xixi thought about it, the more outrageous she felt she was, and she couldn't help but laugh.

Lin Xiao looked completely bewildered: "What do you mean? Is my song that ridiculous?"

Han Xixi waved her hands repeatedly.

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"Then what do you mean?"

"..."

Xi Xi didn't answer, pursed her lips, and patiently looked at the sheet music.

I was already amazed by the fleeting glimpse I took earlier, but now, after humming the whole song, I'm even more astonished.

The whole thing was simply breathtaking.

"Honey, did you really write this song in just half an hour?"

Han Xixi asked in disbelief.

After all, she graduated with a professional music degree and had tried writing songs in private, so she knows how difficult and agonizing it is to write songs.

Even those students in university who are considered exceptionally talented by their professors, if they can write one catchy pop song in a year, are considered exceptional talents and can be repeatedly used as role models in class.

even so.

More than a year after she graduated, most of her classmates have faded into obscurity, but she is the only one who has become famous.

He became famous primarily for his songwriting and composition.

Xi Xi then realized how difficult songwriting was, and that it was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

But she also had doubts.

Perhaps she felt it was difficult because she lacked talent, while her husband, who was truly talented, could write whenever inspiration struck and finish a piece in half an hour.

Xixi had no experience, so she didn't dare to doubt or deny it easily. She could only stare with her big, confused and horrified eyes, like a little fool.

Lin Xiao felt a little uneasy under the gaze of his wife's dark, big eyes.

"Forehead……"

He trailed off, hesitatingly saying, "I've been brainstorming for a while now, and I already have a foundation in my mind, which is why I was able to write it all out in one go!"

Xi Xi believed him wholeheartedly.

After all, this explanation is much more plausible than writing a song in one go.

"How is this song?" Lin Xiao asked again.

"awesome!"

Xi Xi's eyes flickered, her face filled with shock, "I just hummed it casually, and I felt it was better than most sad love songs on the market, and not just a little bit better, but so much better..."

As she spoke, Xixi's eyes were filled with tenderness, and she naturally wrapped her arms around Lin Xiao's neck.

"Honey, you're sooooo amazing!!" Xixi said sincerely.

"If you're so great, why are you stuttering?" Lin Xiao laughed.

Xixi was still immersed in admiration for her husband's outstanding qualities, but when she heard him being irresponsible, she immediately became annoyed and pulled her hand away to leave.

"Hey, hey, don't go, I was wrong, I was wrong..."

Lin Xiao quickly begged for mercy, hugging his wife's not-so-slender waist and grinning with his white teeth showing.

"What do you think about using this song as the theme song for our Chaobai Town?"

"Theme song?!"

Han Xixi was taken aback, but when she looked at the title of the sheet music, "Love Like a Tide," she suddenly realized what it meant.

"So that's why she chose such a name... Oh, I see!" Xixi belatedly chuckled to herself.

Lin Xiao, however, was puzzled and playfully flicked her nose: "So what do you think it is?"

Xi Xi was embarrassed to admit that she had been jealous just now, so she grinned and laughed awkwardly.

Lin Xiao had guessed most of it, but he was too lazy to bother with it.

But let's get back to the main topic.

"Honestly, what do you think of this as the theme song for Chaobai Town's external promotion?"

"The song is definitely a good song!"

Xi Xi frowned slightly and hesitated, "But if we use it as a promotional theme song... wouldn't it be too sad? After all, it's a theme song, so it would be better if it were more cheerful. Besides, the lyrics of your song are all about love and romance. Although the word 'tide' is related to the theme of the Tide River, the lyrics are about a man's infatuation with a woman, which has nothing to do with Chaobai Town."

Lin Xiao burst out laughing: "You just don't understand, that's exactly the kind of contrast I'm looking for!"

Xi Xi looked puzzled, tilting her head with a confused expression.

Lin Xiao explained, "This song will only be used as background music for our external promotions. It will definitely be released in conjunction with a video. Whether the lyrics are suitable or not doesn't matter. The less suitable they are, the more interesting and attractive they will be!"

Xi Xi was still puzzled.

Lin Xiao then asked, "Have you seen those kinds of bizarre videos online?"

Xi Xi nodded: "I've seen it a few times... but I don't really like it!"

Lin Xiao laughed: "My wife is so cute, of course she wouldn't like that kind of messy stuff!"

Xi Xi was speechless.

She loves her husband too much and takes every opportunity to praise him.

Lin Xiao continued, “You may not like it, but many people do! Think about it, it’s clearly a sad love song, but it’s paired with a promotional video for rural tourism. Moreover, the lyrics and the scene are well-matched. For example, when it sings ‘My love is like a tide,’ it’s paired with a picture of the Tide River; when it sings ‘Drunk in the middle of the night,’ it’s paired with a picture of our rice wine workshop; when it sings ‘Traveled through thousands of mountains and rivers,’ it’s paired with a picture of Laoya Mountain and hot springs… Who can say that my lyrics don’t match the theme or the picture doesn’t match the music?”

Han Xixi finally understood, feeling both enlightened and completely bewildered.

She never imagined that sad love songs could be used in this way.

The key is.

She couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong, and even felt a tiny bit of anticipation.

"Um... this... um... will it really work?!"

"You think it won't work?"

Lin Xiao was puzzled and earnestly asked for the opinions of the crowd, "Do you think the music is bad, or the idea is bad?"

Xi Xi quickly shook her head: "No, no, no, I just think I'm not good enough. My brother is the best. It's just that my thinking is too rigid and I can't keep up with your thinking!"

The young woman spoke with utmost seriousness, without the slightest hint of flattery.

Lin Xiao burst into laughter upon hearing this.

He adjusted his wife's position, who was sitting sideways on his lap, and sat facing him with her legs apart, his hands loosely around her slightly rounded waist.

He tilted his head back and gently touched Xixi's moist lips.

"My wife is just being supportive; she even praised me for this!"

"They're serious!!" Xixi said earnestly.

"Okay, okay, I believe you!"

Lin Xiao was in a very good mood and said with a smile, "With my wife's support, I feel confident. Let's use this song as the theme song for our Chaobai Town!"

Han Xixi grinned, then frowned in confusion.

"What's wrong?" Lin Xiao asked. "Well... the song is settled, but who's going to sing it?"

Xi Xi asked seriously, "This song is from a male perspective, so it's definitely not suitable for me to sing it, and I can't capture the profound feeling of 'high mountains and flowing water'... Should I find you a reliable male singer at the company?"

Lin Xiao was stumped by the question.

He was only thinking about writing songs and making videos for promotion; he approached the issue from a promotional perspective from beginning to end.

But they completely forgot the most important part—who sings.

Now, thanks to his wife's prompting, he realized that this was indeed a tricky problem.

First of all, as Xixi said, it was indeed inappropriate for her to sing it.

The original singer of this song was a male singer, and he was known as the Prince of Love Songs. His charming and magnetic voice is something that not everyone can imitate, let alone female singers.

Even if Xixi reluctantly agreed, Lin Xiao was still unwilling.

The main issue is that her belly is getting bigger and bigger.

It's rare that the company felt guilty towards her because of her agent's betrayal, so they let her rest for a while, which suited her desire to stay home and prepare for childbirth.

Now, for the sake of Chaobai Town, he's making his wife come back to record songs?

Lin Xiao strongly disagreed.

His sense of responsibility and love for this job is far from enough to sacrifice his entire family. To be honest, using his special skills to write songs to support the job is already an extraordinary effort and he's brought his own resources. He can't let his famous wife be sacrificed as well.

But if Xixi isn't allowed to sing, who can take on this heavy responsibility?
Just picking anyone won't work.

If you can't capture the feel of the original love song prince, it's better not to use this song at all; otherwise, it would be a waste.

Lin Xiao is not very familiar with the current music scene.

But when I casually thought about all the male singers I could name, I realized that none of them were suitable for this song.

Not to mention Fei Hong Entertainment, where Han Xixi works.

This company isn't a professional music producer; it has few big-name singers, and apart from Han Xixi, the current main artists are mostly idols.

Those effeminate men with slicked-back hair, even calling them "male singers" is a misnomer, Lin Xiao thinks it's unfair, and they even made them sing "Love Like a Tide".
"Love Like Saliva" is more like it!
"Forget it, I've thought about it, and none of the male singers in our company can carry this song..."

Xi Xi shook her head and denied it.

After thinking it over, he suddenly turned his gaze to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao felt a little uneasy under his wife's gaze: "What?"

A strange light flashed in Xi Xi's eyes, then she looked sly, covered his cheeks with both hands, squeezed his mouth into a goldfish shape, and then raised her whole face.

“Honey, since it’s the theme song for your Chaobai Town… you can do it yourself!” Xixi exclaimed in delight.

Lin Xiao's eyes widened.

After a long pause, the goldfish managed to squeeze out a single word from its mouth: "Me?!"

Han Xixi said excitedly, "That's right! You write such good songs, play the guitar so well, and even just humming a few lines at home sounds really good. Your voice is also very deep and magnetic... I think you are the perfect person to sing this song!"

Lin Xiao: "..."

Xi Xi said, "Don't worry about the production. I've talked to the company and arranged for you to go to the recording studio. Although Brother Cao has left, I know the rest of the music department very well, so helping out shouldn't be a problem..."

Xi Xi got more and more excited as she talked, feeling that this matter was inevitable and even unstoppable.

Lin Xiao overheard a crucial piece of information.

"Wait a minute... Brother Cao?"

"That's right, Cao Yuanzhi, the deputy director of the music department! Isn't he your senior?"

"He resigned?!"

Lin Xiao was very surprised. He clearly remembered that Cao Yuanzhi had only been with Feihong for half a year, so how could he have left the company so inexplicably?

Han Xixi was puzzled by his reaction.

"He resigned last month, didn't you know?"

"I do not know!"

"Forehead……"

Xi Xi was surprised and explained seriously, "I heard about this from Jia Jia. I haven't been to work lately either. But I don't know the specific reason why Brother Cao resigned. That was when you were busy with flood prevention and control at work, so I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would be distracted. Later I forgot... I thought Brother Cao would tell you, but he didn't!"

Lin Xiao nodded, his surprise undiminished.

After questioning Xixi for a long time, he could confirm that Cao Yuanzhi's departure was definitely not due to Fei Hong's coercion, but entirely due to his own personal reasons.

Lin Xiao figured that the higher-ups at Fei Hong Entertainment weren't that stupid.

Although they now know that the mysterious teacher Ma Yao is the husband of Han Xixi, one of their artists, as long as Han Xixi is around, Ma Yao will not defect to another entertainment company.

But as the saying goes, more relationships mean more protection.

Ma Yao is not only Han Xixi's husband, but also an old acquaintance of Cao Yuanzhi, a fact known throughout the music industry.

After all, this was before Ma Yao and Han Xixi's marital relationship was "exposed".

The songs he wrote all entered the music industry through Cao Yuanzhi.

This also includes the song "Later," which became a huge hit seven years ago.

In the entertainment industry, marital relationships are the least stable; many loving couples end up becoming enemies.

Anyone with common sense would know that to keep a genius like Ma Yao under control, they absolutely cannot rely on Han Xixi alone.

This was also the main reason why Feihong was willing to spend a lot of money to poach Cao Yuanzhi from the company.

And what about Cao Yuanzhi?

Previously, he worked as a music manager at Tiansheng Entertainment, and his future seemed bright. However, as Ma Yao's songs were all given to Han Xixi, an artist at Feihong Entertainment, through him, a lot of money was forcibly sent to the rival company.

This made it impossible for Tiansheng's boss to sit still.

So he privately talked to Cao Yuanzhi quite a few times, trying to use him to trick Teacher Ma Yao into coming to Tiansheng.

It failed every time.

Of course, the main reason is that Cao Yuanzhi never mentioned it to Lin Xiao, which is also what makes Lin Xiao feel that his senior is particularly righteous.

She clearly had difficulties, but she never mentioned them to him.

Despite the fact that his requests were all very difficult to fulfill, the senior student, disregarding the pressure of professional ethics, managed to accomplish them time and time again.

The end result was that Han Xixi became a huge hit with those songs, gradually solidifying her position as the most popular newcomer in the entertainment industry, while Cao Yuanzhi offended all the company's top executives and ended up resigning.

Fortunately, Tiansheng couldn't tolerate Cao Yuanzhi, but Feihong was eager for him to join and even gave him a higher position.

This also prevented Lin Xiao from feeling guilty towards his senior.

He originally thought that with his own works and Han Xixi as a pillar, Cao Yuanzhi's position in the Feihong Music Department would be as stable as Mount Tai.

But I never expected that we would not have been in contact for just over two months.

Upon further inquiry, it was discovered that Cao Yuanzhi had already resigned.

This shocked Lin Xiao, and he felt confused and couldn't figure out the reason.

He immediately called Cao Yuanzhi, but the phone was switched off. He tried calling several times in a row, but the result was the same.

"Still can't get through?" Xixi asked.

"no!"

Lin Xiao became increasingly suspicious, even wondering if something had happened to his senior.

Xi Xi hurriedly said, "I just asked Jiajia, and she said that Brother Cao resigned on his own initiative, not because of any conflict with the company. The company tried to persuade him to stay, but he insisted on leaving. Nobody knows the specifics. However, Jiajia also said that Brother Cao was in a very bad state before he resigned; he seemed completely lost and dejected. He might have encountered some difficulties..."

Hearing Xixi say that made Lin Xiao even more worried; he was extremely anxious.

The members of the university guitar club all went on to work in fields unrelated to music after graduation, and they basically lost contact with Cao Yuanzhi.

As a result, there are now no other channels to contact him.

Fortunately, Lin Xiao had visited Cao Yuanzhi's home in Haicheng before and knew his address.

If he still can't get in touch with him after a while, he'll have no choice but to go to his house and knock on the door—don't die at home and no one will know!

"Brother, don't worry!"

Xi Xi calmly said, "Today is Thursday. I have a new product launch event for Kalia in Haicheng on Saturday, which I have to attend. I have to go to Haicheng tomorrow. Try contacting Brother Cao again tonight. If you can't get through, you can come to Haicheng with me tomorrow... Is that okay?"

At this point, this is the only way.

Lin Xiao nodded: "Okay, let's go together tomorrow!"

After making their decision, the young couple smiled at each other.

Lin Xiao then realized: "You're going to participate in Kalia's event?"

Xi Xi said, "Yes, this is the launch event for the new products of the Kalia Magic series. I'm the spokesperson, so of course I have to attend—this isn't just an internal company job, since I have a signed endorsement contract. No matter what my situation is, I definitely have to go!"

Lin Xiao nodded; of course he understood that principle.

What he was worried about was that his wife was five months pregnant and her baby bump was already showing.

Even though choosing the right clothes can help conceal it, Ms. Han has been staying at home and eating excessively lately, and her weight has increased by nearly 20 pounds compared to two months ago, making her noticeably rounder.

Although her weight is considered thin by the average person.

However, if she were to don an elegant gown and return to the glamorous entertainment industry, her figure would be noticeably overweight, making it difficult for her not to be ridiculed and questioned by netizens.

Lin Xiao certainly doesn't mind that his wife is fat.

But he couldn't bear to see his little darling being ridiculed by the entire internet, so his eyes showed some worry.

Xi Xi also looked worried and depressed.

Lin Xiao assumed his wife was also troubled by her figure, so he quickly comforted her, "Oh, you can just announce that you're pregnant. Anyway, everyone on the internet knows you're married, so getting pregnant after marriage is a natural and reasonable thing, isn't it?"

Upon hearing this, Han Xixi's eyes lit up.

"Whether to go public or keep it a secret, I know what I'm doing... and I'm not worried about appearing on camera!"

"Not that? Then what is it?" Lin Xiao asked, puzzled.

"Yes……"

Xi Xi hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "It's because another spokesperson for the Kalia Magic series will be attending the new product launch the day after tomorrow!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao knew that this person was someone important, and might even have a deep connection with his wife.

"Who?"

“…Zhong Jiawen!”

"Who?!"

Lin Xiao raised his voice, and as he asked the question, he had already matched the name with a specific person.

"Is that the sassy, ​​shameless guy who conspired with the production team and Zhou Hui to set you up in the last episode of 'The Voice' and sang 'The Magic of Love' to go viral?"

"Um...don't say that about me!"

Xi Xi felt a little reluctant.

Lin Xiao, however, was annoyed.

He witnessed the whole thing backstage at the time, and knew how his wife had been tricked by her agent and the production team without her knowledge.

Lin Xiao witnessed his wife's surprise and grievance.

Therefore, he exposed Zhou Hui's insidious sophistry and false accusations on the spot, revealing to Xi Xi that she was clear-headed and honest.

That was the end of it.

Lin Xiao is not without ways to fight back against the production team and Zhong Jiawen, after all, he is one of the creators of the song "The Magic of Love".

No matter how popular the duet version by Chung Ka-man and Dong Li is.

As long as he comes forward and declares that he does not approve of Chung Ka-man's singing and that he knew nothing about the copyright negotiations.

This way, while protecting Han Xixi, they can also deliver a heavy blow to Zhong Jiawen and Hunan TV, at least preventing them from suffering this injustice in silence.

But he didn't do that.

Doing so would only increase Chung Chia-wen's popularity, thus helping her gain wider recognition by riding the wave of popularity.

Xi Xi didn't want him to be like this either.

So the young couple discussed it and decided to downplay the matter, which was the best outcome for Xixi.

Lin Xiao swallowed his anger.

Unexpectedly, not taking action at the time only emboldened Chung Ka-man to become more and more addicted to riding on his wife's popularity.

Now she has actually found a way and secured an endorsement deal for the Kalia Magic series.

It seems like this time I'll be performing "The Magic of Love" on stage with Han Xixi.

Lin Xiao became anxious upon hearing this, but forced himself to remain calm.

He touched his wife's belly and swallowed back the words "slutty and shameless".

"Prenatal education! Calm down, calm down!!"

This devout posture made Han Xixi burst out laughing.

Xi Xi laughed and said, "Oh, it's okay, I'm not angry, why are you angry?"

Lin Xiao also smiled.

His eyes darted around, and a plan formed in his mind.

Although his wife is very understanding, Lin Xiao felt that if he didn't fight back for his wife, he would be a useless husband and father-to-be, and he would have wasted all his time on this planet.

"So you love to rub things, huh... Just wait till I break your tools this time!!"

(End of this chapter)