Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 260, Section 261: Han Xixi, the Gambler

The day after "Confession Balloon" triggered a continuous earthquake.

Lin Xiao finally kept his promise, took a full seven days off, and drove with his wife to a resort located in the westernmost part of Yizhou City.

Accompanying him were his mother-in-law, Liu Liyun, and his parents, Lin Jianping and Zhou Xiumei.

Lin Xiao spent a lot of energy choosing this location and matching personnel. In short, he had already racked his brains to the point of exhaustion even before setting off.

At first, he wanted to take Xixi on a real trip.

But this seemingly simple task is fraught with obstacles.

First of all, she is now almost 6 months pregnant, her baby bump is obvious, and she is starting to have difficulty moving around.

Whether it's hiking or swimming, she can't do any activities that require physical strength, so it doesn't matter where she goes; at most, it's just a change of scenery for a walk.

Secondly, there's her celebrity status.

In particular, she didn't want the news of her pregnancy to leak out, so she couldn't take airplanes or high-speed trains.

Once she sits down, she will definitely be photographed and recognized by paparazzi or passersby, and then she will trend on social media that same day because of the news of her pregnancy.

Her only mode of transportation option was driving.

Then she became pregnant and couldn't travel for too long, so Lin Xiao had to ensure that the journey to the destination was within three hours.

This further reduces the range of options available.

He eventually decided on this resort, located in a small mountain town called Hongguang Town.

The town is rich in natural resources, with mountains, rivers and hot springs.

However, due to its mountainous location, inconvenient transportation, and the absence of major cities within a 200-kilometer radius, the development of tourism faces numerous limitations.

A few months ago, the leadership team of Hongguang Town even visited Chaobai Town to learn from their experience.

It was only then that Lin Xiao learned about this place.

When choosing a travel destination, Hongguang Town suddenly came to mind. I discovered that this inconvenient and off-the-beaten-path tourist spot is just right for my famous wife who doesn't want to be in the public eye.

So it was decided.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but then something went wrong with the people involved.

Liu Liyun was deeply worried when she learned that her son-in-law was going to take their six-month pregnant daughter to a remote mountain valley for seven days.

So, disregarding the potential dislike from her son-in-law, she was determined to go along.

Lin Xiao was very embarrassed.

Ever since Xixi and her husband got their marriage certificate, her mother-in-law has always been very "well-behaved." She has only supported the young couple's relationship and has never opposed it. She even often takes the initiative to create time and space for them to be alone.

This was the first time my mother-in-law had ever been a third wheel.

Lin Xiao put himself in her shoes. No matter how confident he was as a husband in taking good care of his pregnant wife, Liu Liyun, as a mother, would definitely still be worried.

He understands.

If she weren't truly worried, someone as intelligent as her wouldn't be so "insensitive."

So he agreed immediately.

That concludes the matter; we can now prepare to depart.

Suddenly, Xixi said, "If my mom is going too, why don't you bring your parents along? They probably haven't traveled before, have they?"

This suggestion surprised and surprised Lin Xiao.

But more than anything, I was moved.

Even he hadn't thought of his own parents, but Xixi, as his daughter-in-law, had.

This trip was especially meaningful, as it was the anniversary gift he had promised her.

Bringing her mother along was out of necessity.

But if you bring your parents-in-law along, it really becomes a chaotic family mess, and there's no romantic atmosphere left at all.

After hesitating for a moment, Lin Xiao said, "Let's not bring my parents. I took them on a trip before I met you, and they weren't very comfortable. Besides, your mother is coming this time. Although both sets of parents seem to get along well on the surface, conflicts are bound to arise if they stay together for too long. It would be a loss if everyone is unhappy..."

Xi Xi, however, didn't take it to heart.

"How could that be? My mom and your parents are both reasonable people; they won't argue. Besides, even if they do argue, it's no big deal. We can mediate; it's not a big deal!"

Xi Xi laughed and said, "Besides, it's two different things for you to take your parents on a trip alone and for the two of us to take them together. Even if we don't take them, they won't mind, but since we took my mom, they'll definitely feel a little uneasy... I don't want my parents to be unhappy, and I don't want your parents to be unhappy either. In my heart, they are all the same!"

His words were sincere.

Lin Xiao was deeply moved, and surprisingly, his eyes even welled up with tears.

At that moment, he felt that beauty, fame, fortune, and power—the things that troubled all living beings—had become nothing but fleeting clouds.

My wife is the best person in the world.

Although he rationally knew that every family has its own problems, Xixi's thoughts were perhaps too simplistic and emotional.

But seeing how enthusiastic she was...

Lin Xiao really didn't want to waste her good intentions, so he called his parents and told them about it.

Upon hearing this, Lin Jianping and Zhou Xiumei were both delighted and worried.

They were farmers who had become in-laws with a couple of city dwellers who were high-ranking officials, and they were already feeling extremely apprehensive.

She often wondered if she had done something wrong and would be blamed by her in-laws.

A son's marriage is a joyous occasion, but a daughter-in-law's pregnancy is an even greater joyous occasion.

But for parents who have little knowledge and ability, such a high social status is far beyond their capacity to bear, so they often feel worried and fearful.

Now they're even going on a trip together with her mother-in-law.

Zhou Xiuping felt scared just thinking about it, so she kept refusing on the phone.

Lin Xiao understood his parents' situation. He tried to persuade them, but they still refused, so he gave up.

As a result, Xixi was determined to fulfill her filial duty and personally called her mother-in-law again to persuade her.

Zhou Xiuping couldn't bear to disappoint her daughter-in-law, so she reluctantly agreed.

And so it all went on and on.

It took two whole days to finalize the itinerary.

Then, Lin Xiao drove one car with his parents, and his mother-in-law drove the other with Xixi, and they both headed to their destination.

On the way, Lin Jianping and Zhou Xiuping were filled with anxiety, asking each other what they should pay attention to in the next few days.

Lin Xiao was worried at first, but now he is very calm and tells his parents that it's not a big deal and that they should just have fun.

The couple nodded, still feeling uneasy.

At the resort, Lin Xiao booked a two-story villa with three rooms, which was just right for the five of them.

The two groups of people joined forces.

The mother-in-law was very easygoing and greeted her in-laws warmly, while Lin Jianping and Zhou Xiuping were a little reserved.

However, this awkwardness quickly dissipated at a magical square table.

"What is this?"

Xi Xi looked at a table in the living room with a curious expression.

Lin Xiao glanced at it: "Mahjong!"

Xi Xi exclaimed in surprise, "I've seen mahjong before! This isn't mahjong, it's just a table!"

Lin Xiao laughed and said, "This is an electric mahjong table!"

He plugged in the power and pressed a button, and the four mahjong tiles immediately came out.

Xixi found it all very fascinating, her eyes practically sparkling.

Lin Xiao was utterly helpless.

He would never have imagined that the first thing to attract his wife during their vacation wouldn't be the hot springs or the scenery, but the mahjong table in the villa.

"You know how to fight?" he asked.

"I don't know how... but I can learn!"

"..."

Lin Xiao almost burst out laughing. Looking at his wife's serious expression, he thought to himself, "Do you think this is a math class? You can't believe you're so serious about wanting to learn."

He certainly wouldn't let Xixi down.

When you go out to have fun, seeing mountains and rivers is fun, but playing mahjong isn't fun either.
Then when asked, both his parents and mother-in-law knew the answers.

They managed to fill a table, and Xixi was the only novice, so Lin Xiao sat next to her and gave her pointers.

So this group of card players played from noon until sunset.

Xixi finally learned it, and everyone was hungry, so they said they wanted to have dinner.

As a result, the newbie refused to leave the table and insisted on continuing to play.

So they could only order food from the front desk and come over, sitting at the table eating and playing games until 8 p.m.

Han Xixi was having a blast and couldn't have been happier.

The group of middle-aged people, plus Lin Xiao, were all speechless, thinking to themselves, "If you want to play this game, why spend so much money to come here for tourism?"

You can let her have her way, but you can't go along with her either.

After all, it had been six or seven hours since noon, and a pregnant woman couldn't sit for that long, so Liu Liyun abruptly ended the game.

Xi Xi's face showed she was still very much enjoying herself.

She slept well and ate well on her first night out.

Then, starting from the second day, Han Xixi would drag her mother and in-laws or Lin Xiao to play mahjong for three or four hours every day.

At first, it was just playing around, but later it became about playing for real money.

The newbie is a complete novice, but she's also addicted to playing it safe. She gets upset when everyone lets her have her way and insists on playing for real.

So he kept losing from the second day to the seventh day, losing a total of more than 700 yuan.

Lin Xiao was speechless: "You managed to lose over 700 when betting on a 1-yuan bet?"

Xi Xi was unconvinced and tried to save face: "I'm a newbie, okay? These days, you have to pay tuition for everything you do."

Lin Xiao: "..."

I was also defeated by my wife's logic, thinking: You know how to comfort yourself.

Although the itinerary of the past few days has been quite different from what Lin Xiao had expected.

But the atmosphere was surprisingly great!
Every day, I sleep in, climb mountains, enjoy the autumn scenery, and then play mahjong for a few hours. Life couldn't be more leisurely.

And the food was good.

Except for the first day when the food was ordered from the front desk, the family cooked for themselves in the villa for the next few days, with everyone except Xixi taking turns cooking.

The whole family chatted and laughed, and none of the expected estrangement or conflict occurred.

Around the third day, Lin Jianping and Zhou Xiuping finally relaxed completely and even had the leisure to go for a soak in a hot spring.

When Zhou Xiuping returned, she described her experience of soaking in the hot spring to Lin Xiao.

That was the first time Lin Xiao had ever seen such a completely relaxed and contented smile on his mother's face.

He was somewhat dazed and regretful.

Over the years, he has considered himself to be his parents' pride, and he has given them a lot of money, taken them on trips, and, more importantly, helped them completely escape their previous life of hardship.

He thought he had done enough as a son.

But now that I think about it...

My parents were never truly happy, or rather, their happiness was always limited.

For example, he was proud because he passed the civil service exam, but felt guilty for not being able to help him with anything at work.

For example, when traveling with him, I worry about spending a lot of money, and I dare not eat this or go that.

For example, even if he gave her a huge sum of money, she would just put it away for him in a different place and wouldn't spend a single penny on herself...

There are many more examples like this.

Lin Xiao hadn't thought so before, believing he was doing a great job as a son.

But at this moment, seeing his mother's completely enraptured smile, describing it to him like a little girl, "Xiaoxiao, let me tell you, that hot spring is so interesting! It's quite cold on the shore, but the water is so hot inside, it's amazing. You know, all the other pools are outside, so how come the water there is so hot..."

Lin Xiao was lost in thought for a long while.

Only then did he realize that he was a really bad son.

Fortunately, it's not too late.

On the last night of their vacation, Lin Xiao forcefully suppressed his gambling-addicted wife's suggestion to play a few more rounds of mahjong and dragged her out for a walk instead.

After a few laps, the two of them were slightly sweaty.

"Sigh, I really don't want to leave..." Lin Xiao suddenly sighed.

Xi Xi didn't say anything.

Lin Xiao was curious, expecting his exclamation to be echoed. "Why aren't you saying anything?" he asked.

"What did you say? I really want to leave!"

"Um?!"

Lin Xiao perked up. "What do you mean? You're not happy here? You're not satisfied with my vacation plans for this week?"

Xi Xi burst out laughing and quickly waved her hand.

"No, no, that's not what I meant. I'm very happy, I've been especially relaxed and enjoying myself these past few days!"

"Really?" Lin Xiao couldn't believe her.

"Of course it's true! I'd be a dog if I lied!"

As Xixi spoke, she solemnly raised her hand to swear an oath.

Lin Xiao thought about it and realized that his wife had been smiling most of the time these past few days, except when she lost money at the mahjong table and had a gloomy face. She was so happy that her gums were showing.

How could I not be happy?

"Then why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Lin Xiao asked, puzzled.

"I want to leave because..."

Before Xixi could finish speaking, she burst into laughter, and after a long pause, she said, "Because you, my mom, and your parents are all too good at mahjong, I'm no match for you! So I need to hurry back and call Xiaowei and Jiajia over, and we'll have our own game. Even if I can't beat you, can't I beat them? Hehe, I'll win back all the money I've lost these past few days!!!"

The pregnant woman was making a serious plan, and at the end she even clenched her fist to show her determination.

Lin Xiao...

He had originally thought that with the moon shining brightly and the atmosphere so pleasant tonight, he wanted to say something from the bottom of his heart and express his gratitude to his wife for insisting on taking his parents on this trip.

Now it seems that this woman is a complete gambler.

Why bother telling her the truth? Giving her a copy of "The Mahjong Bible" would be much more effective!
"Let's go, let's go back to our rooms!"

"Why are you going back to your room? Weren't you going for a walk?"

"Why take a stroll! I'm hungry, I'm going to get something to eat. I remember there are two packets of sesame noodles in the fridge..."

"Mahjong? Playing mahjong?!"

Xi Xi's eyes lit up.

Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes; at this moment, his native language was speechless.

It's over, it's over now!
He ruined his famous wife's life, turning her into a gambling addict. How is he going to explain this to her fans?!

……

Lin Xiao initially thought his wife was joking.

Unexpectedly, this woman was a woman of her word, and she set up a mahjong game on the very afternoon she returned to Ninghai.

The members are herself, her best friend Xie Xiaowei, Chen Jiajia, her agent and assistant who happened to come to Ninghai to talk to her about work, and Lin Xiao, who drove for three hours and wanted to go home to sleep but was dragged there by the third person.

Because Xie Xiaowei is disabled in both legs and cannot leave her home.

So the mahjong game is being held at her house right now, and Han Xixi even ordered the mahjong table online a few days in advance, which has now been delivered to her door.

Xixi went upstairs first.

Lin Xiao took the things he bought for Xie Xiaowei, went upstairs, knocked on the door, and saw three people smiling at him at the mahjong table in the small living room.

His testicles involuntarily shrank.

He realized then that he was likely to be drained dry by these three vixens that night—referring to his wallet, of course.

As expected, the afternoon passed.

Three people won, and he lost. He still managed to lose more than 300 yuan out of a base bet of one yuan.

It’s also absolutely amazing.

Of course, in terms of skill, Lin Xiao is definitely the strongest, no matter how much his three best friends share the same goals.

After all, playing mahjong isn't like tug-of-war; even if you work together, it won't work. If you're bad at it, no matter how many people come, it won't make a difference!

But Lin Xiao clearly underestimated the woman's competitive spirit.

They may be bad at the game, but they're shameless. They're so blatantly feeding the cards to each other, without any attempt to hide it.

"Oh dear, why isn't anyone letting me take a tile? If I take one more tile of the Wan suit, I'll be ready to win!"

"Really? Seventy thousand!"

"Oh dear, how did I become a young master?"

"No, young master, this card is yours. You just accidentally touched it!"

"Oh dear, when did this six-headed creature appear? I didn't even see it before!"

Six!

"..."

Lin Xiao was speechless: Okay, okay, so this is how you play it?!

At first, he was speechless and contemptuous of the three women's act of cheating together, wishing he could nail them to the pillar of shame of the Mahjong God.

Later I thought about it and decided to let it go.

After all, there were three of them, and he was no match for them.

So he had no choice but to give up and just consider it money spent to make his wife happy. Besides, not only was his wife happy, but her best friend was also very happy.

That 300 yuan was well spent.

After playing mahjong all afternoon, Xie Xiaowei's smile grew increasingly unrestrained; this was the first time Lin Xiao had ever seen such a carefree smile on her face.

He was a little dazed.

Although he had only met her twice, he had already heard about this younger sister's ordeal from Xixi: a fire ruined her youthful years, damaged her appearance, and left her with a disability in both legs.

This is not the most terrible thing.

The most terrifying thing is that this fire, which could have ruined her life, may not have been a natural disaster, but rather a man-made one.

The person who set the fire was likely one of her closest relatives.

No one could accept this; they would probably go insane or be driven mad.

But Xie Xiaowei managed to overcome the shadows and live alone in the small house her grandparents gave her, even earning a living on her own.

Life is a bit boring.

But in this internet age, they can barely make ends meet.

However, the disfigurement and disability ultimately robbed her of almost all color in her life, and every day seemed like she was just barely surviving.

Lin Xiao felt sorry for her, but there was nothing he could do.

As childhood friends, Han Xixi's mood was even more somber, which is why she would immediately bring out anything fun to share with Xie Xiaowei.

Lin Xiao understood his wife's intentions, which is why he let the three of them act like spoiled children and was willing to keep them entertained.

The four of them played until dark.

Xie Xiaowei said, "Xixi, your husband has to go to work tomorrow, so why don't we call it a day? We can play again next time!"

Xixi said it was still early, and suggested playing two more laps.

Finally, she was persuaded by her best friend to give up and said goodbye to Lin Xiao and Chen Jiajia.

Lin Xiao took Chen Jiajia home—ever since this woman became Xixi's manager, she has become incredibly professional. In order to make it easier to arrange work for her pregnant artist, she simply bought a large apartment in Ninghai!

Simply inhumane!
When Lin Xiao found out about this, he was so shocked that his jaw dropped. He asked Chen Jiajia if it was necessary.

The girl just shrugged and said, "Buy it, anyway, the housing prices in Ninghai are so cheap!"

Lin Xiao: "..."

Well, as expected, the difference between people is greater than the difference between people and pigs!

He accepted his fate.

At that moment, Xixi got out of the car and went home, leaving only the young couple in the car.

Han Xixi's expression immediately fell, her face filled with sadness, a stark contrast to her excitement at the card table.

Lin Xiao had by now understood what the little girl was thinking, but he pretended not to know.

"What's wrong? Weren't you having a good time playing mahjong just now?" he asked deliberately.

"Yes, I'm quite happy."

Xi Xi forced a smile, but sadness still filled the entire carriage.

Lin Xiao gripped the steering wheel with his left hand and used his right hand to grab her left palm, which was ice-cold.

"Are you saddened by Xie Xiaowei's ordeal?" he asked.

"..."

Xixi neither admitted nor denied it, and said with a disappointed smile, "I know I shouldn't be like this. Actually, Xiaowei has already moved on, but I can't. I have now realized my dream, met the person I love, and am living a very, very good life. I should be very content."

"But for some reason, the smoother things are for me, the more I feel sorry for Xiaowei! She could have had a wonderful life, with endless possibilities, but that fire back then..."

"Now she can only lock herself in that little house, her life seems to have no future, as if she has lost all happiness. When I think of her like that, I feel ashamed that I am happy... Brother, do you understand what I'm saying?"

Xixi was almost in tears.

Just a few minutes ago I was laughing heartily, but now, I can't suppress my sadness at all.

Lin Xiao nodded.

Pregnant women are prone to emotional fluctuations due to hormonal changes, especially someone as innocent and kind as her.

It's normal to feel happy and sad all the time.

"Hmm, how about we chip in and buy Xiaowei a bigger, nicer house?" Lin Xiao suggested.

Xixi shook her head: "I've thought about it, but Xiaowei is very strong-willed; she wouldn't accept it. Besides, she already lives alone, and the bigger the house, the emptier it feels, which would only make her feel worse..."

Lin Xiao nodded, "That makes sense."

"Then... shall we take her with us on our next trip?"

"Really?!" Xixi's eyes lit up.

"of course."

Lin Xiao touched her hair and smiled gently.

Xi Xi paused for a moment, then her sad expression turned into a sunny smile.

"But Xiaowei doesn't like going out, I'm afraid she won't want to go..."

"If you don't want to, then find a way!"

Lin Xiao said dismissively, "I don't think she's the kind of person who's unwilling to try new things. Didn't she learn very seriously and have a lot of fun playing mahjong today?"

Xi Xi thought about it and realized it was true, which made her feel much better.

"Thank you, brother~"

Her bright eyes sparkled as she smiled, her face as radiant as spring.

Lin Xiao felt a warm glow in his heart and smiled, "I should be thanking you!"

Xi Xi was taken aback.

"Thank me? What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you... a lot!"

"for example?"

"Thank you for being gentle, beautiful, kind, and generous. Thank you for being so good to my parents. Thank you for appearing in my life..."

Lin Xiao spoke emotionally, squeezing his wife's hand, which was slowly warming up. "What I want to thank you for most is that on October 8th a year ago, you shouted to me from downstairs in your building: 'Will you marry me?'"

Lin Xiao believed that his words were sincere and touching.

Xi Xi trembled as she listened.

"Ugh, so cheesy!"

"..."

Lin Xiao was speechless and said coldly, "Han Xixi, are you allergic to romance? I'm sincerely thanking you, and this is your reaction?"

Xi Xi laughed so hard she almost fell over.

"Look, you're still angry! Well then, I'll be serious—you're welcome, Mr. Lin!"

"……That's it?"

"Then what else do you want from me? You said thank you, of course I said you're welcome?"

"..."

Lin Xiao was speechless.

Okay, okay, I'll play by the rules with you, but you cheat me. I'll appeal to your emotions, but you'll try to reason with me, right?

Woman, when will you finally play by the rules?!
(End of this chapter)