Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 255, Section 256: The Suspended Heart Finally Died
During the last two days of the National Day holiday, the number of tourists in Chaobai Town finally began to decrease slowly.

This is undoubtedly good news for a rural tourist attraction that has suddenly become popular.

Because all the cadres and volunteers had exhausted their energy.

If the tourist crowds surge and the area becomes overcrowded like it was in the first few days of the holiday, even if nothing serious happens in the scenic area, the volunteers who are working overtime for free and sticking to their posts will probably collapse one after another.

I'm so tired!
A dual test of physical and mental strength.

Only those who have experienced it know that the hardship is no less than the arduous all-night battles during the flood season and flood disasters.

Over the past few days, all the cadres have lost their voices.

Back in town, we greeted each other, and everyone's voices were incredibly magnetic; you'd think we were at a Donald Duck theme park.

Besides losing their voices, the cadres also had various other symptoms.

Some got sunburned and their skin peeled, some suffered from heatstroke, some sprained their ankles, some had cramps... In short, no one was unharmed.

Lunch time.

Looking out from the cafeteria, wow, the Donald Duck theme park has instantly transformed into a wounded soldier cosplay scene.

Two words: Exciting!

After several days of torment, everyone was exhausted, both physically and mentally.

I am genuinely happy. Seeing so many tourists visiting Chaobai Town shows that all the careful planning and hard work in the early stages have paid off.

But it was really tiring.

Therefore, starting from the 6th, the number of tourists dropped significantly.

All the cadres who were sticking to the front line of the scenic area breathed a sigh of relief, and under the command of the headquarters, the volunteers began to take turns to rest.

However, at that moment, an accident occurred.

First, a conflict broke out among tourists on Laoyashan Mountain. Volunteers who went to mediate the fight ended up saying things that were not properly trained, which instead aroused the dissatisfaction of both sides.

As a result, the anger was directed at the volunteers, and things escalated into a physical altercation.

Lin Xiao rushed over as soon as he received the news.

The unruly tourists and volunteers were separated, and after a combination of reassurance and intimidation, the tourists, who had started the fight, began to feel fear and finally calmed down.

The volunteers were injured in the conflict, mainly due to emotional distress.

Lin Xiao comforted him for a while, and then took the initiative to grant him a few days off. In the evening, he even bought some gifts and visited him at his home. This finally put the cadre at ease, and he even took the initiative to admit that he had not persuaded him properly. Instead of resolving the conflict, he had exacerbated it.

Lin Xiao waved his hand, telling him not to take it to heart.

After all, this was the first time I'd encountered such a situation, and those two groups of tourists were using foul language. Anyone would be furious in this situation.

It's fortunate that nothing serious has happened yet.

This matter was barely resolved.

Then, the very next morning, something else happened.

It was the last day of the holiday, and the number of tourists at Laoyashan had decreased sharply, but the number of visitors to other attractions had increased instead of decreased.

This is mainly reflected in some parent-child activities, such as the pottery studio in Xiaguan Village and the chestnut picking garden in Zhoujia Village.

Lin Xiao thought about it for a while and then understood.

Visitors to Laoyashan come from all over the country, mostly drawn by the popularity of the TV series "Love Like a Tide".

Because the journey is long.

Tourists naturally schedule their trips for the first few days of the holiday, and return home in the last day or two.

Therefore, the number of tourists has decreased significantly.

However, the logic is the opposite for some family-friendly tourist attractions: the number of people is not high in the first few days of the holiday, but it explodes in the last two days.

That's because these tourists mostly come from the surrounding areas, such as Ninghai, Yizhou, and some nearby small towns.

These families were either just returning from a trip elsewhere and taking advantage of the remaining days of their holiday to casually explore the surrounding area and relax.

Then Chaobai Town, which has recently become very popular, is naturally the best choice.

Either they're afraid of traffic jams during the holiday and have been staying home these past few days.

I was fine for the first few days, but I started to get anxious in the last two days. With the holiday coming to an end, I felt it would be a shame not to go out and have some fun.

So they brought their child to Chaobai Town.

Both of these types of travelers are focused on their children, so they have no interest in things like mountain climbing, but instead flock to parent-child activities.

This is also the underlying logic behind Lin Xiao's planning for the rural tourism industry in Chaobai Town.

The infrastructure of Chaobai Town is what it is.
Apart from Laoyashan, the rest is unremarkable, and no matter how much planning is done, it will not be able to create a 5A-level scenic area or a well-known cultural attraction.

So from the very beginning, he never intended to plan towards popular tourist attractions.

Because I know that's impossible.

What he has always wanted to create is a place suitable for short trips and weekend getaways for local residents, a place for office workers to relax in the countryside, and a place for families with children to take a break.

A day or two is just right for eating, drinking, and having fun in Chaobai Town.

If it goes on for too long, it will be harder to sustain.

Today, thanks to the "renowned reputation" of Laoyashan, projects such as a distinctive pottery museum, a chestnut picking garden, a stargazing campsite, and a tidal river rafting area have been established.

These key projects are primarily aimed at families with children and young people.

As Lin Xiao had expected, these target groups arrived on the last two days of the National Day holiday.

At first glance, it still looks like a "weekend getaway".

People have been attracted, but these projects are still in their early stages of construction and operation, and some infrastructure and security measures are not yet fully in place.

Lin Xiao had been on tenterhooks these past few days, fearing that something might happen.

Although there were many people a few days ago, everything was calm and peaceful, and he thought he was just being paranoid.

But I never expected it to be the last day of the holiday.

Just as the challenge was about to end and he was about to get a perfect score, an Olympiad-level problem suddenly appeared out of nowhere—early on the 7th, Lin Xiao received a call that a little girl had been pricked by chestnut thorns at the chestnut picking garden!

What's worse is that the injury is to the eyes!
The situation is extremely dangerous and could very likely result in blindness.

Because of the conflict at Laoyashan yesterday, Lin Xiao did not return to Ninghai and stayed in the town's dormitory.

His heart skipped a beat when he received the call.

In an instant, I thought of all the possible consequences of this matter, and then in the next instant, a sense of relief, like "getting what you ask for," popped out from my panicked emotions.

I was worried something bad would happen, and sure enough, it happened.

My heart finally died!

There was no time to sigh; the severity of the situation and the terrible consequences weighed heavily on me, making it almost impossible to breathe.

He forced himself to remain calm.

He instructed the person on the other end to call emergency services immediately and get the patient to the hospital, and to stabilize the situation at the scene.

After making these arrangements, he quickly drove off.

Five minutes later, Lin Xiao arrived at Chestnut Mountain in Zhoujia Village, and the ambulance arrived at the same time.

He was relieved that the emergency plan prepared before the holiday was adequate.

In the past few days, the county has specially coordinated an ambulance and a team of medical personnel to be on standby in the town throughout the day.

That's why ambulances can arrive so quickly now.

Lin Xiao pushed through the crowd, and the doctor was already treating and bandaging the injured child's wounds.

Inside, the child was crying, the mother was crying, and outside, a group of tourists were gathered, discussing the situation.

Lin Xiao put on his red vest and began directing traffic: "Dear tourists, please make way so as not to obstruct the medical staff's rescue efforts. Thank you for your cooperation. Dear tourists..."

After the ordeal of the past few days, Lin Xiao's voice had actually become hoarse.

But at this moment, he still shouted with all his might, using all his strength to disperse the crowd of onlookers.

Other volunteers at the scene also quickly got to work.

It took a long time for the onlookers to slowly disperse, but they didn't go far. Instead, they looked at the rescue scene with lingering fear.

Lin Xiao knew this matter wasn't over, but he couldn't worry about it right now.

Not long.

The emergency medical staff had completed the initial treatment of the injured little girl and were transferring her to the ambulance.

Taking advantage of the moment, Lin Xiao asked, "Doctor, how's the wound? Is your eye alright?"

Even with a mask on, the doctor's serious expression was evident: "It's not optimistic! The injury is near the corner of the eye. The sharp thorns of the chestnut shell are hard and dense. This child clearly fell from a tree, and the entire thorn is embedded in the skin. We can't determine if the cornea has been damaged yet; further examination at the hospital is needed to confirm!"

Lin Xiao felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

But she could only force herself to remain calm: "Okay, thank you, doctor, thank you for your help!"

There's no need to say more; we both understand.

The doctor nodded and got into the car with a serious expression.

The ambulance drove away with its siren blaring.

However, there was still a mess to clean up at the scene.

"Refund! Refund!!"

“I told you that chestnut picking is dangerous. How can you make a picking project out of this kind of thing?”

"They're so heartless! They'll do anything to make money!"

"The protective measures are far too inadequate; it's too dangerous!!"

"Refund, refund!"

"..."

The tourists surrounded the contractor of the orchard, shouting and yelling, their faces contorted with rage, as if they wanted to devour the staff alive.

Seeing this, Lin Xiao quickly stepped forward: "Everyone, calm down! Everyone, calm down! This project has undergone strict safety testing in the early stages, and we will absolutely guarantee the safety of our visitors."

"We are deeply saddened by this accident and understand everyone's feelings. We will definitely upgrade the safety measures for this picking project in the future to ensure absolute safety."

"I now guarantee that all tourists will receive a full refund, regardless of whether they have completed ticket inspection. Please maintain order, take good care of your children, and prevent any further accidents due to overcrowding..."

After a series of promises, explanations, and apologies, the tourists' agitated emotions were finally calmed down.

Refunds were processed in an orderly manner on site.

After completing these tasks, Lin Xiao rushed to the hospital, where the injured child was still undergoing further examination in the emergency room.

The parents waited anxiously at the door.

As soon as Lin Xiao appeared in his red vest, his excited parents pounced on him, looking like they were ready to fight him to the death.

Lin Xiao could only endure it, taking several blows to his body.

After the heartbroken young parents were pulled away by others, Lin Xiao spoke up, promising to cover all of the child's medical expenses.

This promise works for tourists who haven't been hurt yet, but it's completely useless for young parents who have already suffered harm.

At this moment.

The only thing that can save both sides is good news coming from the operating room.

Lin Xiao waited anxiously outside the operating room.

They waited for half an hour.

Finally, the doctor came out with a relieved expression and announced that although the injury to the corner of the eye was dangerous, fortunately the cornea was not damaged, and the sharp objects embedded in the skin had been removed. He only needed to take precautions during this period.

These words brought tears of joy to the young couple and also gave Lin Xiao a long sigh of relief.

The young couple insisted on returning to Ninghai General Hospital for a comprehensive check-up and refused Lin Xiao's offer to accompany them throughout the process. Of course, their anger had not subsided.

Before leaving, he specifically asked Lin Xiao's name and position, indicating that he would absolutely not let this matter rest.

Spit almost landed on his face.

Faced with the tourists' fury, Lin Xiao could only nod, apologize repeatedly, and promise to cover all of the child's medical expenses.

Such a sincere attitude made the couple feel embarrassed to continue their anger, and they looked at each other somewhat awkwardly.

At that moment, the child in the car, whose eye had been bandaged up, suddenly rolled down the window.

"Big brother, I'm fine now, you don't need to worry..." the little girl said sweetly.

Before she could finish speaking, her parents forcibly intimidated her.

Lin Xiao was taken aback: Big brother?!

He was both amused and exasperated. He looked to be about the same age as the young couple, so he should at least call them "uncle," right?
It seems that he won the little girl's forgiveness not because of his sincerity, but because of his good looks!

He could not laugh or cry.

That's when I noticed that she was a very pretty and cute little girl.

If this accident really hurts your eyes, or leaves a scar that won't heal.

For Lin Xiao, it wasn't a matter of how much compensation he received, but rather a regret that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Fortunately, it was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.

"Little one, no matter what, you still need to cooperate with the treatment and listen to what the doctor and your parents say..."

He gave some instructions.

"Yes, I will, big brother!"

The little girl in the car nodded earnestly and gave a sweet smile.

This attitude left the angry parents speechless and embarrassed. They wanted to vent their anger, but could only walk away with their heads held high.

Back in town.

During lunch, Leng Tao came over to report on the investigation of the whole matter.

It turns out that the orchard had a clear requirement to purchase protective clothing, and the online ticketing page also had a prominent reminder.

The couple, however, bought their protective suits online.

When checking tickets at the site, the staff informed us that the protective suits were of substandard quality and could not guarantee safety, and that we needed to purchase new ones.

The couple, however, felt that this was just an excuse from the staff to charge extra fees, and they refused to listen, even causing a scene at the entrance.

There were many people checking tickets at the time, and the staff had no choice but to let them in in order not to disrupt the order.

I was hoping for the best.

Unexpectedly, an accident really did happen...

After saying this, Leng Tao said indignantly, "Mayor Lin, that couple should take responsibility for this. We clearly informed them of the danger, and the organizers also asked them to purchase protective equipment, but they didn't listen. Now that something has happened, they're blaming the park and us... If you ask me, the town shouldn't be responsible for this, and it's even less likely that we should have refunded the other tourists. This is a huge loss, and we can't explain it to General Manager Zhang either..."

The Mr. Zhang that Leng Tao mentioned is the contractor for the chestnut orchard picking project.

After hearing his words, Lin Xiao shook his head and smiled wryly, then continued eating.

Leng Tao had been working under him for a while now.

Knowing that his reaction meant he had said something wrong again, she couldn't help but feel puzzled.

"Lin Zhen, am I wrong?"

"What do you think?"

"I think it's right, but your reaction tells me I'm wrong!"

"..."

Lin Xiao was speechless. This kid is quite good at playing the general now.

He finished the last two bites of rice on his plate, wiped his mouth, and then said, "Even if that couple broke the rules first, even if they were negligent and didn't supervise their child properly while picking fruit in the park, I ask you, how did they get in?"

One sentence stumped Leng Tao.

After a long pause, he finally said, "Lin Zhen, I understand what you mean... but the situation was that the couple was shouting and making a scene at the door, and they wouldn't let us in! There was such a long queue outside, the staff couldn't do anything about it..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Xiao waved his hand to interrupt him.

"Even if we have many reasons, they didn't just barge in; they went through the normal verification process by the staff, right?"

"Uh... yes!"

"If this is true, then the park must bear full responsibility for the child's injury!"

Lin Xiao said with a serious expression, "The ticket inspectors didn't stick to their principles and let them in, that's a fact! Regardless of whether any accidents happened, this is a loophole in their management and a manifestation of their irresponsibility towards tourist safety! Do you think they should compensate us?"

Leng Tao was defeated and sighed.

"That's true, but the orchard has only just opened. Mr. Zhang has invested over a million yuan, including rent and building protective fences. He's only just started to see some returns, and it's still a long way from breaking even!"

Leng Tao said helplessly, "We haven't made any money yet, and we've already lost a lot. And after what happened today, I guess no one will come to the chestnut picking garden for a while! This project is different from other projects. It can only operate during the few months when the chestnuts are ripe. If no tourists come, and Mr. Zhang is about to lose everything, do you think he'll obediently pay this medical bill?"

Lin Xiao said with a serious expression, "We have to pay even if we can't. There's no such thing as a sure thing in business. If we want to ride the wave of tourism development in Chaobai Town, we have to take the risks. We can't let them have all the good things!"

Leng Tao was stunned for a moment before realizing that this made sense.

Lately, he has been dealing with businesses more, and his perspective on issues has subtly changed. He unconsciously starts to think about problems from the perspective of businesses.

After all, from the perspective of economic development, only when enterprises make money will the town's work report look impressive.

However, Leng Tao overlooked one thing: only when tourists have fun can the rural tourism industry in Chaobai Town be sustainable.

As for businesses.

If this company quits, another one will naturally come along!
As long as the reputation of Chaobai Town as a rural tourism destination remains, and as long as tourists continue to come, there will be no shortage of businesses and a stable livelihood.

Leng Tao belatedly came to his senses and nodded vigorously, "I understand, Lin Zhen!"

Lin Xiao smiled but didn't say anything more.

Leng Tao is a college graduate serving as a village official. After completing his service period in Chaobai Town, he will eventually move to a higher platform to make his mark.

Lin Xiao had no intention of imparting any experience to him, after all, he himself had been feeling his way across the river by feeling for stones.

But all he can teach is an impartial and selfless heart.

……

After lunch, Lin Xiao planned to take a nap in his office.

This morning's ordeal was more intense than running a marathon; he was completely exhausted, both physically and mentally.

However, just as he lay down, an unexpected phone call came in—from Cao Yuanzhi!

Lin Xiao stared blankly at the caller ID.

"Hey, Senior."

"Junior, are you in town?" Cao Yuanzhi's voice was very cheerful on the other end, completely different from his previous dejected and melancholy.

Lin Xiao was somewhat taken aback; his brain cells couldn't keep up.

Old Cao's question seems ordinary, but it's actually quite absurd.

After all, he lives in Haicheng, and it's hard for him to say the word "town".

If you're going to ask a question, you should ask: Are you working overtime? Or, are you in Chaobai Town?

Lin Xiao instantly had a guess, and blurted it out the next second.

"You've come to Chaobai Town?"

"Hey!"

Cao Yuanzhi was astonished and exclaimed with delight, "Junior, you're amazing! You could even guess that?"

Lin Xiao, however, was not pleased; instead, he was taken aback.

"Why are you here?"

"I came to visit you, is that not allowed? What are you saying, is it that you don't welcome me or something...?"

On the other end of the phone, Old Cao was quite resentful.

Lin Xiao hurriedly said, "Welcome, of course you're welcome! I just don't see it. You're not the same person you were before. You're not working behind the scenes anymore, but a big star who's officially debuted. With such fame, instead of keeping a low profile during the holidays, you're out showing your face in public... It's simply against all reason!"

Cao Yuanzhi laughed loudly on the other end of the phone.

"Lin Xiao, stop badmouthing me!"

"How can it be!"

"I'm no celebrity what I am!"

Cao Yuanzhi complained and laughed at the same time, "Although 'Love Like a Tide' is very popular online during the National Day holiday, and my name is also very popular! But in the end, this popularity comes from your video. I am still a newbie online. Apart from the side profile on the poster, there is no trace of me at all."

"I'm telling you now that I'm not an ordinary person, but if I walked down the street, no one would recognize me! To be honest, I came here by high-speed rail alone, hoping to get autographs from my fans, but nobody paid any attention to me the whole time, so all my excitement was for nothing..."

Listening to Lao Cao's complaints, Lin Xiao laughed rather unkindly.

"Where are you?"

"Your county's high-speed rail station is right there; we just exited!"

"Okay, stay there and don't move, I'll come get you!"

"Got it!"

The two agreed.

Lin Xiao immediately set off, driving towards the county town.

On the way, he gradually calmed down.

He realized that Cao Yuanzhi must have something to say when he suddenly came to see him.

Although Lao Cao is a free spirit with no ties, he often takes a spontaneous trip by himself.

But he is currently in a special period.

After years of pursuing her dream of becoming a singer, her debut single has become a viral sensation online.

Before National Day, the official version of "Love Like a Tide" was released on Tencent Music and immediately sparked a frenzy of collecting.

In just seven days, the number of favorites has exceeded 600 million, directly dominating various music charts.

For a time, Cao Yuanzhi's name was unparalleled in the music industry.

Such popularity is an amazing achievement that even if the original singer traveled from Earth, they might not be able to achieve.

Of course, Lao Cao also knew that he benefited from the favorable timing, location, and people of the short video era, and even more so from the lyricist and composer Lin Xiao.

The contrast between his current state and his current state of despair just a month ago, when he was living in a cheap rental apartment, is like night and day.

Lin Xiao could figure it out even with his toes.

Feihong Entertainment must be busy getting him all sorts of commercial performances, advertisements, and charity projects, developing a comprehensive star-making plan to make him the next Han Xixi!

Logically speaking, Cao Yuanzhi will be busy for at least six months.

But now, without a word, he has gone straight to Anyang County.

Even if Lin Xiao was slow to realize, he knew something was wrong, and it was something serious.

He had a vague suspicion in his mind, and his mood became somewhat solemn.

However, at this point, all we can do is deal with things as they come and respond accordingly.

Lin Xiao sat in the car and sighed repeatedly.

"It's the last day of the holiday, why can't I just have a break..."

(End of this chapter)