Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 257 & 258. Lin Xiao's One-Year Anniversary Gift
It was almost 2 p.m. when I finished lunch with Cao Yuanzhi.

Old Cao came all this way, so it was a bit awkward for him to just have a meal and leave.

After all, Lin Xiao had been working in Chaobai Town for a year, and he hadn't even mentioned visiting his brother at his workplace. Now, he came for a woman, and he just made a brief appearance, achieved his goal, and left.

Even Lao Cao himself felt that his prioritization of women over friends had reached an outrageous level.

After the meal, he insisted that Lin Xiao take him to visit Chaobai Town and experience the results of his rural tourism business.

Lin Xiao was disrespectful.

Since the holiday was coming to an end, he, as the person in charge, planned to spend an afternoon visiting all the attractions in his jurisdiction.

Bringing Lao Cao along was just a convenient thing to do.

So, for an entire afternoon, the two grown men drove around the whole town of Chaobai in one car.

Cao Yuanzhi's mood gradually calmed down, and the anxiety and arrogance on his face were gone. It was a kind of materialistic vortex unique to big cities and the world of fame and fortune, an ambition that no one could cover up with words like "hard work" or "ambition".

“Phew, it feels so good!”

At a lakeside guesthouse in Dengjia Village, Cao Yuanzhi sat on the newly built viewing platform on the shore, gazing at the shimmering lake in the golden autumn and letting out a relaxed sigh.

Lin Xiao sat down next to him and stared at the lake for a while.

It was almost 5 p.m. by then.

The sun was still high in the sky, and it looked like it would be a long time before it set, much like the time when a person in their thirties thinks they are still young.

The temperature is just right, neither too hot nor too cold, and it only gets a little warm and dry after being in the sun for a while.

The sunlight changed from bright white to brilliant yellow, looming high above, arrogant and domineering, generously scattering shimmering gold across the water's surface.

The two brothers remained silent for a long time, simply staring ahead.

A long time passed.

“Junior, I think I understand why you insisted on coming to the countryside!” Cao Yuanzhi suddenly said.

"Oh? You understand?"

Lin Xiao responded with a smile, thinking to himself that even he himself didn't understand!

Cao Yuanzhi smiled calmly: "It is indeed very quiet and peaceful here. There are no neon lights of big cities, no backstabbing between people, no pressure from success studies or exploitation by capital. People can finally return to their true selves and have the time and opportunity to question their inner selves and have a dialogue with themselves... It's really not bad!"

Lin Xiao: "???"

He stared at the lake for a long time, his eyes squinting.

I didn't realize that this shabby, neither-big-nor-small, neither-grand-grand nor-beautiful ditch could evoke so many feelings from producer Cao and up-and-coming singer.

Lin Xiao was somewhat troubled, then turned to self-deprecation.

It seems I'm doing quite well in my role as deputy town mayor. Now, my first thought when I see the mountains and rivers is whether they can be developed, how to quickly monetize them, and how to get the surrounding villagers involved and benefit from them.

As for whether the scenery is beautiful or not, whether it can cleanse the soul and provide emotional value...

I never thought about it, I didn't know!
Can that thing be exchanged for money?

Lin Xiao grinned awkwardly, showing his big teeth. At this moment, he seemed to be the ordinary person who was immersed in a materialistic world.

"Old Cao, let me ask you this: if I gave you a small house by the lake, and asked you to give up everything you have right now... would you be willing?"

Lin Xiao suddenly asked.

You want to be sincere? I'll make you suffer!
Cao Yuanzhi was stunned for a moment, then looked at him, and laughed loudly in embarrassment.

He didn't answer, but that was enough.

Cao Yuanzhi: Are you kidding me? I've just become famous, my future in the entertainment industry is limitless, okay?

The two continued to change positions.

Soon, the sun fell from the high sky to below the mountain peaks, its speed so rapid it was terrifying, more unexpected than a man's aging.

Cao Yuanzhi's unexpected visit came at the appointed time, and it was time to say goodbye.

Lin Xiao took him to the high-speed rail station.

"Thanks a lot, brother!" Old Cao said sincerely.

"No need to thank me. You've come to my turf, so it's only right that I show you around. Besides, it was just something I did on the side!"

Lin Xiao laughed heartily.

Cao Yuanzhi's expression flickered, and he looked somewhat ashamed: "I wasn't talking about what happened this afternoon... I was talking about 'Confession Balloon'!"

Lin Xiao was in a daze and had completely forgotten about this.

"To be honest, I'm really a jerk. You just gave me a huge opportunity, helping me go from an unknown nobody to a rising star overnight. I haven't even properly thanked you yet, and you shamelessly ask me for songs again... I feel so ashamed of myself, I can't be a brother like that!"

Old Cao looked ashamed; these words were not just perfunctory politeness.

Lin Xiao smiled.

Actually, between brothers, many things don't need to be said; they understand each other perfectly.

If you have to apologize when you're wrong and surrender when you lose, that's just too boring.

"Old Cao, do you want me to praise your singing skills again before saying those empty words about how I'm willing to write songs for you?"

"Haha, no need, no need!"

"That's it..."

"Wait a minute!"

Old Cao suddenly became serious. "So you're saying I sing well and that you're willing to write songs for me, is that just polite talk?"

Lin Xiao's eyes widened: "Uh... guess?"

Cao Yuanzhi narrowed his eyes.

"Screw you!! I'm leaving!"

"Hey, let's go! Let's chat a little longer!"

"Screw you, I'm going to miss my high-speed train!"

"..."

Cao Yuanzhi left without looking back, like a scumbag who comes and goes quickly and decisively.

Lin Xiao had been joking around, but now, looking at his brother's retreating figure, he was filled with emotion.

That's all.

He wasn't entirely sure that Lao Cao would make the right choice, not waste the great song "Confession Balloon," and more importantly, not waste his good intentions as a brother.

But that was all he could do.

Lin Xiao had considered sitting down with Cao Yuanzhi and calmly analyzing Zhong Jiawen for him, step by step.

Then tell him the truth: This woman is a total green tea b*tch, a master of seduction, she has no feelings for you at all, she's just playing with you, and you're no match for her!

But he held back.

Because it's like telling an addict that drug use is harmful and that they need to quit immediately.

It's not that I don't want to, but that I simply can't!
After much deliberation, Lin Xiao had no choice but to abandon the frontal breakout and instead adopt a flanking maneuver.

"Love Like a Tide" was the first step, and "Confession Balloon" was the second.

There is no third step.

If Lao Cao makes the right choices in both of these moves, then even if Zhong Jiawen is very shrewd, she will definitely be driven crazy by this man. She will feel that he pretends to be infatuated with her on the surface, but he is actually very clear-headed. Otherwise, how could he take all the benefits and not leave her with even a scrap?

Chung Chia-wen might think that Tsao Yuan-chi is the real king of the sea, and that she is no match for him!

Of course, even if Chung Chia-wen is still not giving up, Tsao Yuan-chi should come to his senses by now.

This realization doesn't mean he discovered Chung Ka-man's true colors and quickly distanced himself from her.

Instead, he chose to keep both of his two opportunities to become a sensation for himself, rather than giving them to his sweetheart, Chung Ka-man.

For Lao Cao, this was a relationship he considered true love.

His behavior amounted to emotional infidelity, which he certainly couldn't accept.

That relationship is bound to end, even if it doesn't end.

Of course, there is another possibility.

That is, love defeated human nature. Lao Cao gave up the temptation of "Confession Balloon" and gave the song to Zhong Jiawen.

Then he was true to his heart and true to his love.

Lin Xiao will no longer write any songs for him, nor will he care about this incredibly stupid brother anymore. He will only show respect, offer blessings, and lock up the scumbag boyfriend and girlfriend!
Lin Xiao certainly didn't want things to come to this.

So now, looking at Cao Yuanzhi's desolate figure in the autumn wind, he was filled with emotion.

However, he didn't linger, as he still had many things to do.

He drove away from the high-speed rail station.

.........

It was nearly six o'clock by then.

Lin Xiao originally planned to go directly back to Ninghai, but he received two phone calls in succession. First, the Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism wanted to come down for inspection and research, and then Zhang Dongping, the owner of the chestnut picking garden, wanted to come over for a face-to-face meeting with the leaders.

Lin Xiao anticipated the ending but not the beginning.

However, it seems that the cultural tourism industry in Chaobai Town developed well during the National Day holiday, with the number of tourists passing through reaching more than 30 according to preliminary statistics.

This is a truly alarming statistic.

It's important to know that Chaobai Town has a registered population of only 50,000, but at most 20,000 to 30,000 people actually live there, with the majority working away from home year-round.

And this is a little-known town with scarce tourism resources.

Yet, through a series of bizarre maneuvers, the number of tourists reached six or seven times the registered population within seven days, and no worrying accidents occurred.

It must be said that this is a typical development case that deserves to be recorded in the history of Yizhou's tourism industry.

The Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism has been busy these days, touring and inspecting tourist attractions throughout the city.

Fearing it would disrupt the work in Chaobai Town, they delayed until the evening of the last day before finally driving over to catch a glimpse of its splendor.

Although Lin Xiao was unwilling, he had no choice but to join the county leaders, Fang Danian, and the town leadership in welcoming the inspection team from higher authorities.

This whole ordeal lasted until after eight o'clock.

The meeting finally ended, but Zhang Dongping was still waiting outside, determined not to leave until he got an explanation.

Zhang Dongping's arrival was naturally for the purpose of the morning's collective ticket refund at the chestnut orchard, and the compensation for the injured little girl.

Although Lin Xiao agreed to meet, his attitude was not good, and there was no room for negotiation.

"Mr. Zhang, you don't need to complain to me about being poor and aggrieved!"

Lin Xiao's tone was stern, showing no mercy, "Today is the last day of the National Day holiday. Tourists have refunded their tickets, but you must have collected a lot of ticket revenue over the past six days, right? There are risks in doing business, do I need to tell you that? Don't act like you're going to die over a little loss!"

"As for compensation! I've said it before, you're running a business, and if your security isn't up to par, who will? Luckily, the little girl wasn't injured in the eye, so you can just pay for the external injuries and emotional distress. You should be grateful for that. If she had really been injured in the eye, you'd have to sell everything you own to cover the subsequent costs, and even the King of Heaven couldn't help you..."

Balabala, a lot of output.

Zhang Dongping originally came to demand an explanation, but from the moment he entered Lin Xiao's office, he barely uttered five sentences in total.

For the rest of the time, it was all Deputy Mayor Lin's one-sided output.

Mr. Zhang had no way to express his suffering, so he kept it to himself and could only accept his bad luck in the end.

It was nearly 9 p.m. when Zhang Dongping was dismissed.

Lin Xiao then drove towards Ninghai.

He remembered that tomorrow was the first anniversary of his marriage registration with his wife, and he had promised Xixi that he would take time off work to take her out for a trip as soon as the holiday was over.

But now it seems I have no choice but to break my promise.

In the afternoon, leaders from the Municipal Bureau came to conduct research and were very satisfied with the development of the cultural and tourism industry in Chaobai Town. They said that a city-wide summary meeting and symposium on cultural and tourism work would be held in the next two days, and the Director of the Municipal Bureau personally selected Lin Xiao to attend and make a typical speech.

If this task had been issued in the form of a document, Lin Xiao could have asked for leave to avoid it, and let Tu Hui or Fang Danian speak on his behalf.

But now it was the bureau chief himself who made the request, his round, smiling face and eyes looking at him, waiting for his answer.

In front of leaders at the city, county, and town levels.

No matter what, Lin Xiao couldn't bring himself to refuse; that would be too disrespectful to his superior.

Besides, when a leader asks you to speak, it's not an order for you to refuse.

Lin Xiao had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree.

Then there was the accident that happened at the chestnut picking garden this morning. The little girl was taken back to Ninghai for examination, and the outcome of the follow-up treatment is still unclear.

Before this matter is settled.

Lin Xiao definitely can't leave, after all, he promised the child's parents that he would take full responsibility.

Before the inspection was finished and the compensation was determined, the deputy mayor took leave to go out and have fun. If the young parents found out, they would be furious even if they weren't angry before, and they would make a scene even if they didn't want to!
Therefore, Lin Xiao definitely cannot leave.

With all these issues piling up, Lin Xiao had no choice but to feel sorry for his wife and call her to file a report in advance.

The phone rang once and was answered instantly.

"Brother, are you back?"

Xi Xi's voice came through, and even through the signal, her boundless joy and excitement were palpable; she was clearly eagerly anticipating her anniversary trip.

Lin Xiao felt increasingly guilty and laughed, "On my way... I'm sorry, honey, I had a lot to do today, I just finished..."

Xi Xi didn't take it to heart and just smiled foolishly.

"Hehe, it's nothing, I'm just packing my luggage!"

"..."

"Brother, have you taken leave yet? What time are we leaving tomorrow? Are we leaving first thing in the morning?"

"Uh... um..."

"And another thing, where are we going? You've kept this a secret for so long, it's time to reveal the answer! I'm so excited!"

"..."

"Oh, and my mom's a little unhappy about you taking me on a trip! She thinks I should stay home right now and that going out is dangerous. I spent the whole afternoon trying to persuade her, making promises and swearing oaths, before she finally agreed... It exhausted me!!"

"Forehead……"

Lin Xiao agreed while trying to sound tough, his embarrassment practically dripping with guilt. "Um... thank you for your hard work, my wife."

"It's not hard work for me, it's my husband who's working hard!"

Xi Xi's voice was sweet and charming, completely oblivious to Lin Xiao's unease. She said with a mix of emotion and longing, "You have to work overtime, plan the trip, and think about how to take care of me, a pregnant woman... You're the one who works the hardest. I'll definitely repay you properly in the future!!"

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow.

"Beat me up? Why are you beating me up!"

"It's a reward, not a beating!!" Xi Xi whistled happily.

"Oh...you're going to beat me up in a minute!"

"I wouldn't, I would never hit you..." Before she could finish speaking.

On the other end of the phone, Lin Xiao suddenly said, "Honey, we might not be able to leave tomorrow... How about in a couple of days?"

Xi Xi's smile froze on her face. The anticipation she had been building for days came to an abrupt end.

"Huh? Why?"

She asked in a low voice, "Are you still expecting this? This is just a ploy by Lin Xiao to surprise you."

Then I heard Lin Xiao explain everything over the phone, from beginning to end.

After listening, Xixi expressed her understanding.

But the disappointment in one's heart cannot be hidden.

"OK then……"

"Honey, don't be angry."

Lin Xiao's words lacked confidence, so he quickly added a series of assurances that he would finish his work in the next few days and then fulfill his promise to take her on a trip to relax.

Han Xixi quickly composed herself and cheerfully replied, "Okay~"

But Lin Xiao could clearly tell that his wife was still not in a good mood.

He felt even more guilty.

"Honey, you're at your parents' house right now, right?"

"Yes, I came back to pack my bags, planning to go on a trip with you..."

Xi Xi stopped abruptly, clearly not wanting to bring up the matter again, lest Lin Xiao feel guilty.

However, the more careful she was, the more guilty Lin Xiao felt.

"Have you packed your luggage yet?" he asked.

"Uh...more or less..."

Actually, I finished packing at noon, filling two large boxes.

Lin Xiao guessed as much as he had, and said with a smile, "I'll be there in fifteen minutes. Get ready, I'll come pick you up!"

Xi Xi was stunned for a moment.

"Pick me up? Where to...travel?"

"Uh, no."

"Where to go?"

"secret!"

Lin Xiao said mysteriously, "Anyway, it's a great place, I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

Upon hearing this, Xixi's spirits instantly lifted, and the disappointment of her travel plans being temporarily thwarted vanished.

"Um!!"

She responded sweetly and loudly.

Lin Xiao felt a sweet emotion as he broke through the signal barrier, and only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

I hung up the phone, stepped on the gas, and sped towards Ninghai at 144 km/h.

Fifteen minutes later, he arrived at Jili Gardens on time.

Under the watchful gaze of his mother-in-law, Liu Liyun, who seemed to ask, "Where are you two going in the middle of the night?", Lin Xiao took his wife's hand and led her away from her parents' home.

The young couple got into the car and drove into the night.

"Brother, where are you taking me?" Xixi asked curiously.

"secret!"

"Forehead……"

Xi Xi looked worried. "You're not going to sell me out, are you?"

Lin Xiao laughed loudly: "Even if I sold you, someone would still want you!"

Xi Xi got angry and put her hands on her hips!
"Hey! What? Am I that bad? You're a big star, okay? You're so beautiful, you could sell for a lot of money by weight!"

"Hahaha……"

Lin Xiao was absolutely charmed by the girl's serious demeanor. Who would be so eager to be sold?

He turned his gaze to his wife's belly: "That's right, it's buy one get one free! People can become fathers right after buying her, what a great deal!"

Xi Xi looked embarrassed and said, "Uh..."

After dragging out the last words for a while, he finally admitted the fact that he was now "worthless," and scratched his head and laughed to himself.

Let's move on.

She pressed Lin Xiao for details about his secret, but he refused to tell her.

Then she guessed the whole way.

Shortly after, the car stopped in front of a livehouse bar called "SHADOW" on Shengli Road.

The store's entrance was exquisitely decorated, but the door was closed and the lights were off, making it stand out from the other entrances on the bar street with their flickering lights.

Han Xixi looked on curiously: Could this be the reason it's called "Shadow"?

However, she wasn't in the mood to dwell on why the store wasn't lit up; instead, she was wondering why her husband had brought her here in the first place.

Before she could ask any further questions...

Lin Xiao had already gotten out of the car, so he went around to the other side of the car door, helped her out, and led her to the store entrance.

A trendy young man stood at the entrance and greeted Lin Xiao.

"Brother Lin, right?" the young man asked with a smile.

"Lin Xiao! Is this President Fang?"

"No, no, no, just call me Xiao Fang!"

The young man bowed and shook hands with Lin Xiao respectfully, "Brother Cao gave me a strict order: I must take good care of you and your wife. Please don't be shy. All the equipment inside is set up, and drinks and fruit are provided. Please have fun, and just send me a WeChat message when you're done..."

Xi Xi hid behind Lin Xiao, head down, listening without saying a word.

She became increasingly curious about what surprise Lin Xiao had prepared for her.

A short while later, Lin Xiao led her inside, while the young man did not go in.

"Brother, can we reveal the answer now?"

Han Xixi looked at the luxuriously decorated but empty store. The area of ​​more than 100 square meters was not large, but the performance stage alone took up nearly 1/3 of it. All the tables, chairs, wall lamps and other items inside were brand new.

Xixi had never been to a place like this before.

But even from what you see, you know this is a place where youth is spent and life is lived to the fullest.

Lin Xiao kept everyone in suspense until now, then smiled and said, "Do you remember when I decided to give the song 'Love Like a Tide' to Lao Cao last time, you felt very disappointed and said you wanted to hear me sing this song?"

"I remember... So you brought me here to sing this song for me?" Xi Xi's eyes lit up.

"Yes, and that's not all!"

"More than? What do you mean?"

"What I promised you last time was to hold a solo concert just for you!"

As Lin Xiao spoke, he stepped onto the stage, slung his prepared guitar over his shoulder, and gripped the microphone, saying, "Tonight, you are my VVVIP, my exclusive queen! I'll sing whatever you want to hear, and I'll be at your service all night long, OK?"

The volume of this declaration steadily increased, culminating in a very loud and assertive final inquiry.

Xi Xi's expression also became excited, her eyes filled with shock and excitement.

This surprise was indeed far beyond her expectations; how could she possibly have guessed it!
"Is this a one-year anniversary gift from you?"

"Hmm...is that okay?"

"That's amazing!!!"

Xi Xi shouted excitedly, immediately getting into character, and sat down in the sofa booth facing the stage. On the table was a large spread of drinks and food prepared in advance by President Fang.

Behind the sofa, there were all sorts of balloons, making it look like a birthday party.

This scene is completely out of place with the style of a livehouse, which is supposed to be festive.

Xi Xi was very satisfied with the overall style; sitting there was incredibly smooth and comfortable.

"Handsome lead singer, let's begin!"

"Hold on!"

Lin Xiao gave a wicked smile, went offstage and started fiddling with things backstage.

Two minutes later, he returned to the stage, looking completely different – ​​sunglasses, a silver necklace, skinny jeans, and studded boots, emphasizing a cool and stylish look.

"Hoohoho!!!"

Xi Xi looked at the man on the stage and almost didn't recognize him as her husband. Her face was practically contorted with laughter.

"Am I handsome?" Lin Xiao asked vainly while smoothing his hair back.

"So handsome! Big sister will reward you later!" Xixi was also very into the role, with the expression of a rich lady seeking pleasure.

"elder sister?"

"VVVVIP, well, she must be a rich lady..."

She touched her belly, a sly and mischievous smile creeping across her face. "Still a carefree, elegant lady during pregnancy, hahaha..."

Lin Xiao was speechless.

This girl is playing even more skillfully than I am; she gets into character way too quickly!

"Sing it out, handsome!"

"Alright, alright!"

Lin Xiao quickly got into character, "A passionate version of 'Love Like a Tide' is dedicated to the only goddess of this event, Ms. Han Xixi!"

Xi Xi cheered enthusiastically.

The stage fell silent for a few seconds before the crisp sound of a guitar rang out.

I won't ask why you're crying.

I don't care who else is in your heart

Let me comfort you.

Regardless of whether the outcome is joy or sorrow...

The tender lyrics flowed from the stage.

Han Xixi was immediately drawn in, and then she understood what the handsome guy on stage meant by the "passionate version".

She had, of course, heard Cao Yuanzhi's original version.

After all, it's a song written by my own husband, so I have to appreciate it properly.

But it was only after listening to it many times that she realized the song's tone was melancholic, depressing, and even sad, and that its core message wasn't very healthy.

Although she really wanted to hear Lin Xiao sing, she felt that the song had absolutely nothing to do with their relationship.

Naturally, it's difficult to feel any sense of identification with the character.

But now, Lin Xiao's version has completely exceeded her expectations.

It was affectionate but not hurtful; rather, it carried a hint of secret joy and delight.

The voice was not deep; the ending notes rose and became high-pitched.

If the lyrics describe the struggle of falling into a relationship, then what Lin Xiao is singing now is the happiness and joy of overcoming difficulties and winning the heart of his lover.

Same lyrics, completely different feeling.

Han Xixi, a professional singer, was also shocked at this moment, never expecting that this song could be sung in this way.

She quickly became addicted to it.

On stage, Lin Xiao sang "Love Like a Tide" with the same mindset of singing a sad love song as a sweet one.

This song is so classic in the original that there has never been a good cover version, let alone one that directly subverts the emotional tone of the original.

Lin Xiao's singing now is entirely his own interpretation, a song born from his heart.

This method of adaptation is not unusual.

There's a song on Earth called "He Doesn't Love Me," originally sung by Karen Mok. It's a very melancholic song, and also a classic.

This song has a very popular cover version – the one performed by Chen Chusheng and several others on the stage of "Pi Ge".

Not a single word of the lyrics was changed.

But he managed to sing "He Doesn't Love Me" as "Damn it, why don't you love me?", completely changing the mood, and it sounded really good!

Lin Xiao's current cover songs are similar in style.

On stage, he sang the song with a smile throughout.

He transformed "My love is like a tide, but why doesn't she love me?" into "My love is the tide, but she loves me more than the tide." The intensity of his emotions moved Han Xixi to tears, which welled up in her eyes, overflowing with happiness.

The song is over.

Xixi's eyes sparkled, and she excitedly stood up.

"Wow, that sounds great! One more song!"

Seeing his wife's reaction, Lin Xiao knew that his anniversary gift had touched her heart.

"Rich lady, what else would you like to hear?"

"Hmm...anything is fine?" A hint of cunning flashed in Xixi's eyes.

Lin Xiao had a bad feeling.

But the words have already been spoken, and there's no going back now.

"Of course!"

"I want to hear... 'The Magic of Love,' the dance version, please!" Xixi said excitedly.

"..."

Lin Xiao almost fainted and collapsed on the stage.

This song, told entirely from a female perspective, is already difficult enough for a grown man to sing, let alone have to sing a dance version!

Only at this moment did Lin Xiao realize.

What does it mean to lift a rock only to drop it on your own foot?

(End of this chapter)