Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 261, Section 262: The South Korean Navy's Selfish Motives
Lin Xiao took leave in October and didn't return to work until November.

A week apart, the temperature was completely different.

It was still autumn, with abundant harvests and falling yellow leaves.

At this moment, the north wind is howling and the air is bitterly cold.

The early arrival of this cold air suggests that this year will be a harsh winter.

I start work on Monday.

At the leadership meeting, Tu Hui announced two personnel changes, each more dramatic than the last.

The first town, Chaobai, officially launched the process of promoting two deputy town heads.

This news had been circulating in the town since National Day, but because it was so outrageous and had no basis in fact, the officials dared not believe it.

After all, the deputy mayor is only a deputy section chief, which is not a high rank.

But even at the most basic level of the township, they are still respectable leaders.

Generally speaking, the appointment of town mayors and deputy town mayors is coordinated at the county level, and they are usually parachuted in rather than promoted from their original units.

For example, Qiao Xuyang, who was recently punished for dereliction of duty in flood prevention, was sent down from above after there was a vacancy in the leadership of Chaobai Town.

In view of this principle.

When people heard the news that Chaobai Town was going to promote two deputy town heads, they simply didn't believe it.

It's rare enough to promote someone from their current position, but to promote two at once is simply outrageous.

Even though Chaobai Town's economic development data has skyrocketed this year, and its rural tourism industry has sprung up and become famous throughout the province and even the country, the officials could not have imagined that the rewards for their contributions would come so quickly.

Today, Tu Hui brought good news at the leadership meeting, confirming the matter.

Jia Minglu was stunned.

Lin Xiao remained relatively calm.

There was no one else... no one else.

With Qin Zhenggang transferred and Qiao Xuyang disciplined, the leadership team of Chaobai Town was left with only three people, and it operated like this for more than two months.

Some time ago, Jia Minglu complained a lot about this, after all, there were two fewer deputy mayors, but the workload did not decrease. In fact, the workload of him and Lin Xiao increased by a full 100%.

Especially with the town's tourism industry booming, this workload has arisen out of nowhere.

This calculation shows that the total workload for the two deputy town mayors has more than tripled.

Although Jia Minglu could feel the vitality of the whole town and the long-lost passion for starting businesses, he still complained occasionally while working overtime until late at night every day—why hasn't the Organization Department arranged for a new deputy mayor yet?
Only now has he realized this, belatedly.

It's not that the higher-ups didn't make arrangements; rather, starting from the flood prevention efforts, the county had already prepared to promote cadres to positions in Chaobai Town. These two months were essentially a period of "assessing cadres through practical work."

Now that the National Day test is over, the town's development is taking off again.

This round of inspections was very successful.

There are more than just two outstanding talents emerging from the rural tourism industry in Chaobai Town; all of them are talents worthy of cultivation.

After organizational consideration and town recommendations, Zhou Baoping, the propaganda officer, and another cadre nearing 40 years old were selected as candidates for promotion to deputy town mayor, and the formal promotion process will begin soon.

Upon hearing this news, Jia Minglu immediately felt that all his hard work and effort over the past period had not been in vain.

He has worked in Chaobai Town for so many years and has a deep affection for every inch of the town and every colleague.

Even though I'm not doing very well myself, I still emotionally hope that everyone can have a bright future, but rationally I know that's difficult.

so now.

Upon hearing the news, Jia Minglu clapped his hands excitedly, even happier than if he himself were about to be promoted.

After a moment of excitement, he suddenly turned to Lin Xiao and said with emotion, "Old Lin, if this promotion goes through... Baoping and Old Sun will have to thank you properly!"

Hearing this, Lin Xiao frowned and stared wide-eyed, not knowing where to begin with his shock.

Ultimately, they settled on this title.

"No, Ming-ge, I'm only 28. I mean, I'm far from being 'old,' right?"

Lin Xiao was taking this matter very seriously.

Jia Minglu waved his hand dismissively: "Oh, 28, 38, no matter how old you are, you'll get old eventually. Men don't care about that!"

Lin Xiao was both amused and exasperated, but after thinking about it, he agreed.

Men can use various terms of address, but once they start calling each other "Old X," it means that a revolutionary friendship has been established.

Therefore, "Old X" is, to some extent, equivalent to a term of endearment for "brother".

After all, calling him "brother" all the time feels awkward; it's not as genuine as calling him "Old X."

Although Lin Xiao was surprised to receive this title so many years ahead of schedule, he quickly and smoothly accepted it.

After all, this is Jia Minglu's recognition and affirmation of his work over the past year.

You should know that when he first came to Chaobai Town, Deputy Mayor Jia openly disliked him, regarding him as one of those pretty boys who had come to the countryside to gain experience.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but sigh inwardly: From now on, my identity is clear!

Tu Hui continued to announce the second piece of news: "Last night, Deputy County Chief Han called me and said that Lin Xiao's transfer letter was coming through soon, and he had to report to the Culture and Tourism Bureau by next Monday at the latest!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Minglu, who had just been in high spirits and full of energy, immediately froze on his face with a smile.

"Lin Xiao is being transferred?" He was shocked, even more so than the person involved.

"Correct!"

Tu Hui remained calm, whether he had known about it beforehand or had anticipated this day would come was unclear.

Jia Minglu was still shocked when he received a positive reply.

There was even a hint of disappointment and anger in his eyes.

"This...you've only been here for a year, why are you being transferred so soon?" Jia Minglu asked Lin Xiao directly.

"This one……"

Lin Xiao actually wanted to admit that he was the one who approached Fang Danian, the director of the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau, but Lao Jia's reaction was truly unexpected.

He didn't dare to say it anymore.

It's as if revealing the truth would make them a traitor who deserted the battlefield, a scoundrel who abandoned his brothers.

As he hesitated, Tu Hui came to his rescue, saying, "Lin Xiao came down from the province's 'Young Talent Program,' and is a key talent that the organization is cultivating. He certainly can't stay in one place forever; he needs to gain experience in various positions."

"Moreover, his work performance in Chaobai Town during that year was so outstanding that he could handle any department independently. It would be a waste to keep such a talent in the town. Transferring him away is a good thing and it was only a matter of time!"

Hearing Tu Hui's words, Jia Minglu slowly recovered from his shock and realized that he had overreacted.

His expression was a little awkward.

After reluctantly accepting the offer, he asked in bewilderment, "Why the Bureau of Culture and Tourism, and why the county level instead of the city? With Lao Lin's outstanding abilities, isn't there anyone in higher-level government who wants to poach him?"

Tu Hui was also puzzled by this.

He expected Lin Xiao to stay in Chaobai Town for a short time, but he didn't expect that although he was transferred, he would not be promoted as he had anticipated.

The title of deputy director of the county culture and tourism bureau sounds more prestigious than that of deputy mayor of Chaobai town, but in reality, it is still a deputy section chief position, at most a lateral transfer.

Tu Hui and Jia Minglu were both puzzled by this.

Lin Xiao couldn't explain much, he just smiled and said, "No matter what, I've only been a deputy section chief for a year, and I was just officially promoted last month. Whether it's work or promotion, you can't get fat in one bite. Take it slow!"

The two nodded, thinking that it made sense.

Regardless, Lin Xiao's transfer is a good thing. After all, a tree dies when transplanted, but a person thrives. His abilities are undeniable, and a promotion is only a matter of time.

Once they understood this, Tu Hui and Jia Minglu stopped worrying about him and were left only with the reluctance and regret of parting with their comrades.

That night.

The three of them found a restaurant in town and even called back Qin Zhenggang and Jia Bo, who had been promoted, to give Lin Xiao a farewell dinner.

As the protagonist, Lin Xiao naturally couldn't escape being forced to drink, and ended up completely drunk.

They stayed in Linjia Village that night.

When Lin Xiao woke up in the morning, he found that his wife had sent him several WeChat messages the night before, so he quickly called her back.

Xi Xi said angrily, "Mom called me last night. I know you came home drunk... I'm waiting for you to call me back. I won't get any sleep last night, hmph!"

Lin Xiao grinned and quickly apologized, "Honey, don't be angry! I originally wanted to tell you, but I didn't expect those older guys to drink so much. They got me drunk in no time, and I didn't even have a chance to react... I'm sorry for making you worry. I promise I won't do it again next time!"

Xixi wasn't really angry with him, and the couple quickly resumed their playful banter.

After chatting for a while, I hung up the phone.

Lin Xiao drank a glass of water, went to the bathroom to take a shower, and prepared to go to work.

While washing, I thought of something.

That is, he was transferred from Chaobai Town to the County Culture and Tourism Bureau. Although it was just a lateral transfer, the county leaders could make the decision based on procedure. However, while others might not know his identity, County Head Liu Wang certainly did. Regarding his job transfer, Liu Wang couldn't possibly approve it without consulting Han Haijun and based solely on the statement of Fang Danian, the director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau.

In addition, he was originally selected through the provincial "Young Talents Program," and his appointment as deputy mayor of Chaobai Town was assigned by the city. He was also personally escorted to his post by Zhang Deqing, the head of the city's Organization Department.

Both logically and emotionally, his job transfer should be reported to the city government, and at the very least, it should be approved by Zhang Deqing.

When Zhang Deqing found out, his father-in-law, Han Haijun, also found out.

But now that the transfer has been finalized, why hasn't my father-in-law said a single word of "no," or even called to ask me anything?

It's worth noting that Han Haijun didn't have this attitude at his mother-in-law's birthday banquet on National Day.

He strongly urged Lin Xiao to take advantage of the booming tourism industry in Chaobai Town, return to Ninghai, and enter a core provincial department.

He did not express his opinion at the time.

Now, without saying a word, he went directly to the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau. This is not just disrespecting his father-in-law, but a blatant slap in his face.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but worry: His father-in-law was angry and was waiting for him to come and apologize.
He pondered that Han Haijun wasn't that kind of person, and remained noncommittal for the time being.

After taking a shower, Lin Xiao made a decision—since Han Haijun hadn't called to inquire, he would pretend he knew nothing and settle for the job transfer.

……

Two days later, on Wednesday.

The county organization department has issued a transfer order. Lin Xiao will hand over his work and take up the post of deputy director of the county culture and tourism bureau next Monday.

The announcement caused an uproar throughout Chaobai Town.

This uproar was not one of shock or joy, but rather a panic as if facing a formidable enemy.

The door to Deputy Mayor Lin's office was constantly open all morning.

Leng Tao, Sun Simiao, and Zhou Baoping, who worked with him in cultural tourism and publicity, came and went many times, each one looking like they had lost their parents and with a sorrowful expression. The young girl, Sun Simiao, was even on the verge of tears.

However, the group also knew that Lin Zhen's job transfer was not only a good thing, but also a decision made after careful consideration by the organization, and it was a done deal that could not be changed by anyone's will.

Since things have come to this, we have no choice but to accept it.

They could only process the emotions of this revolutionary friendship coming to an end on their own.

Lin Xiao was afraid of facing this kind of scene, so he simply took the afternoon off and rushed back to Ninghai to be with his wife without even having lunch.

That evening, Han Haijun suddenly returned home, saying that he had attended a meeting in the province that afternoon.

At the dinner table, the mother and daughter were in a normal mood, but the father-in-law and son-in-law were somewhat embarrassed.

Liu Liyun already knew about Lin Xiao's job transfer and knew that the father and son were somewhat upset, especially her husband Han Haijun.

Liu Liyun is a straightforward person. She felt that since they were all family, this boil would be punctured sooner or later.

So she went straight to the point: "Xiaoxiao, have you reported your transfer to the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau to your father?"

Lin Xiao paused for a moment, then immediately realized that this was his mother-in-law giving him a chance to confess and receive leniency.

He quickly smiled and said, "Dad should know, right..."

Han Haijun said coldly, "I don't know! Do you think I need to approve the transfer of a mere deputy section chief like you?"

Lin Xiao's face turned embarrassed by those words.

Han Xixi immediately became unhappy when she saw her father belittling her husband.

"Oh my, so what if you're the mayor? You look down on grassroots cadres, don't you?" she said exaggeratedly, her pregnant belly protruding.

"Hey, you girl!"

Han Haijun's eyebrows immediately furrowed. This sounded like a joke, but outside, it could be considered a very serious matter.

The South Korean Navy, having risen to its current position, is naturally sensitive to this matter.

He glanced at his daughter with displeasure, thinking to himself that girls are indeed hard to raise. When she was little, she was his little cotton-padded jacket, but once she grew up and got married, she turned into a black-hearted cotton-padded jacket in no time!
Han Haijun said angrily, "As the father-in-law, I paved the way and planned a future for my son-in-law, but he doesn't like it and insists on suffering at the grassroots level. What can I do?"

Upon hearing this, the three people at the table were somewhat stunned.

Old Han's words seemed angry, but his tone was actually full of helplessness, like a tough guy being coquettish.

Lin Xiao had prepared himself to be scolded by his father-in-law.

However, despite this, he didn't think he was wrong at all and remained steadfast from beginning to end.

But hearing his father-in-law's helpless and disappointed tone, he felt a pang of heartache and realized that he had let down the mayor's good intentions.

He immediately felt ashamed.

At this point, the mother-in-law had to step in to smooth things over. She glanced at her husband and smiled, "Alright! Lin Xiao was assigned to the Green Seedling Program. His job transfer isn't just a matter for Anyang County. The report and request for instructions definitely need to be submitted to your desk. Now that the transfer order has been issued, it means you've definitely signed and approved it. You've already signed it, so is it really necessary to say these things here and make everyone uncomfortable?"

As she spoke, Liu Liyun placed a piece of green bean into Han Haijun's bowl with her chopsticks, smiling gently and affectionately.

"Don't be disappointed! I know you've worried yourself sick over your daughter and son-in-law. Your daughter doesn't appreciate it, but I'll thank you on her behalf. Have some green beans as a reward!"

"..."

Han Haijun was left both amused and exasperated by his wife's antics.

"My reward is just some green beans, not even a piece of meat!"

“If you’re not afraid that your high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar will get worse, then go ahead and eat it!” Liu Liyun’s tone became stern.

"..."

Han Haijun swallowed hard, not daring to say a word, and obediently put the green beans his wife had given him into his mouth.

When Lin Xiao and Xi Xi saw this, they immediately pursed their lips, trying not to laugh out loud.

Seeing her father being scolded again, Xixi, as his daughter, couldn't bear it.

So he changed the subject and asked, "Dad, what do you think of the name you chose for the baby?"

Upon hearing this, Han Haijun's listless eyes immediately lit up, and he instantly looked ten years younger.

It was agreed beforehand that the first child would take Han Haijun's surname.

Since the surnames are taken from both the mother and the maternal grandfather, it is only natural for the maternal grandfather to name the child.

The South Korean Navy readily agreed.

However, this matter was agreed upon when Xixi was three months pregnant, and now she is six months pregnant, but there is still no news about the name Lao Han.

When asked, he simply says it's not quite right, not quite right.

Lin Xiao understood. His father-in-law had been hoping for the continuation of his surname for half his life, and he was so nervous and excited that he wanted a name that was both catchy and auspicious.

Because my expectations were too high, I held back for three months before I finally managed to produce it.

Now that Xixi asked, he finally slammed his hand on the table excitedly, his face beaming, and said, "I've got it! Let's call him—Han Zhiyuan!"

The three of them were stunned.

When he started talking about it, everyone was initially full of anticipation, waiting for a pleasant surprise.

The result...is this?
"Which 'ambition' is it, and which 'far'?" Han Xixi asked, unwilling to give up.

"It's the 'zhiyuan' in 'having lofty aspirations'!"

Han Haijun, a shrewd official, completely lost his ability to read people at this moment, utterly ignoring the disappointment and disdain in his daughter's eyes.

He explained with great enthusiasm: "At first, I wanted to come up with a name that was both catchy and unique. I looked through many dictionaries, but I never felt it was right. The more I tried, the more obscure the characters became, and the more strokes they had. I thought, this won't do. If there's an exam later, other kids will have already finished the first question, and my grandson won't even have finished writing his name. Wouldn't that be a disservice to the child?"
"So I changed course and went back to basics, focusing on something simple, grand, catchy, and auspicious. Look at 'Zhiyuan' (志远), it's simple, easy to remember, has a good meaning, sounds good, and doesn't have many strokes, right? What's more, coincidentally, in my hometown, this generation still uses the character 'Zhi' (志) in their name, isn't that a coincidence! I'm quite satisfied with this name, what do you think?"

The South Korean navy officer, his eyes sharp, awaited the three men's response.

Three people: "..."

Looking at each other.

I have so much to complain about, but I don't even know where to begin!
"Alright... what's the girl's name?" Seeing her father's enthusiastic expression, Xixi couldn't bear to discourage him and could only pin her hopes on the next one.

However, upon hearing her question, Han Haijun blurted out, "What girl?"

Xi Xi was taken aback: "It's a girl's name. We don't know the gender yet, so we need to come up with two names. We can't name a girl Han Zhiyuan, can we?"

The South Korean Navy was taken aback by the question.

Such a high-ranking leader, yet at this moment, he was like a primary school student being called on in class, stammering and unable to answer.

Han Xixi understood immediately upon seeing this.

The next second, his temper flared up instantly, and he stood up from the chair.

"Dad, so you spent three months thinking about this name, 'Han Zhiyuan,' and you didn't even think of a name for a girl?" Xixi questioned.

"Uh... I've thought about it, I've thought about it!"

The South Korean navy, realizing it was in the wrong, quickly agreed to give a perfunctory response.

Xixi persisted, "What are you calling me?"

Han Haijun paused for a moment, then quickly came up with a solution and sighed, "I've thought of several, but none of them are satisfactory... I need to think about it some more. It has to be as simple and elegant as 'Zhiyuan' before I can offer it to my daughter to decide. Don't you think so?"

The old father looked ingratiating.

Hearing this, Han Xixi's anger subsided, and she let her father off the hook.

Lin Xiao and Liu Liyun quickly smoothed things over, managing to defuse the awkward situation.

After dinner, the young couple went downstairs for a walk.

Xi Xi seemed a little heavy-hearted.

Lin Xiao knew that she was still angry about her father-in-law's choice of name, so he didn't try to persuade her further.

After all, they are father and daughter by blood, and I am, to some extent, an outsider. It's best to refrain from interfering in such matters as much as possible.

The two walked for a while in the thin frost of late autumn.

“Brother, I’m sorry…” Xixi suddenly said.

"Ok?"

Lin Xiao asked in surprise, "Apologize for what?"

Xi Xi said with a dejected look, "My dad...sigh, I'm realizing I understand him less and less. I always thought he wasn't sexist at all, but last time he suddenly said he wanted a child to have my surname Han and take my surname, and this time he's only naming a boy, not a girl..."

“All these signs indicate that he prefers boys; he didn’t have a son back then, and now he wants a grandson. I even suspect that if we hadn’t gotten our marriage certificate so suddenly, he might have made me find a son-in-law to live with him…”

Xixi's voice grew lower and lower as she spoke, her little face looking wronged.

Lin Xiao smiled reassuringly and said, "You feel that your dad doesn't love you as much as you think, that he wants a boy more, and that being good to you, his daughter, is just a second-best option because his long-cherished wish couldn't be fulfilled, right?"

Han Xixi didn't answer, she just sighed.

"You're wrong to think that way!"

Lin Xiao said seriously, "There's a saying: 'Judging by actions, not intentions, for no one is perfect.' Whether your father loves you or not isn't about whether he prefers boys or girls, but about how he's treated you all these years. You're the best person to say that. In these 23 years, do you think your father has loved you?"

This time, Han Xixi nodded without hesitation.

"That's it!"

Lin Xiao laughed, "Men, especially men of their generation, it's perfectly normal for them to like boys. But your dad clearly likes boys, yet he still treats you, his daughter, so well and doesn't look down on you at all. That's enough to prove how precious and jeweled you are to him, right? You can't use a hypothetical older or younger brother to prove that your dad loves him more than you love him. That's meaningless!"

After listening, Xixi pondered for a while before a smile finally reappeared on her face.

"Okay, I understand, thank you, brother~"

"You're welcome~"

Lin Xiao gently pinched her pert nose, and the two of them laughed affectionately.

Continue walking.

"But brother, I'm very unhappy with the name my dad gave me—Han Zhiyuan, it sounds awful!"

Han Xixi looked troubled. "With this name, it's hard for me to have any expectations for a girl's name he chose... Sigh, what should I do!"

Xixi stroked her belly, her face full of worry.

Lin Xiao was so charmed by her appearance that he wanted to laugh, but he tried his best to hold it back.

“I’ve thought of a girl’s name,” he said.

"Huh? Really?"

Xi Xi's eyes lit up with anticipation. "What's the name?"

Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment, then solemnly said, "—Xiao Xi!"

Xi Xi tilted her head.

Is it the 'stream' in the context of a small, flowing stream?

"No, the 'xiao' in 'chunxiao' and the 'xi' in 'xirang'."

Lin Xiao's expression softened as he explained, "These two characters are homophones from our names. My 'Xiao' and your 'Xi,' which happens to be the same character in your stage name, 'Xi.' Also, 'Xiao Xi' sounds like 'little stream,' which I think perfectly suits a gentle and quiet little girl... What do you think?"

Xi Xi listened intently, then pondered the two words.

"Xiaoxi, Han Xiaoxi, Lin Xiaoxi... they all sound good together! I love this name, I love it so much!!"

Shouting, he suddenly jumped up and reached out to grab Lin Xiao's neck.

The noise startled him.

"My stomach! My stomach! I thought I was all alone!"

Lin Xiao was so angry that he flicked her forehead.

Xi Xi cried out in pain, but didn't feel any pain at all. She continued to smile brightly and cheerfully.

"I've decided, if it's a girl, I'll name her Xiaoxi!"

"Sigh, isn't that a bad idea?"

"What's wrong with it? This name sounds really nice!!"

"What I mean by 'not good' is, didn't we agree that your dad would name it?"

"But he hasn't taken it yet!"

Xi Xi, with a serious expression, made the decision immediately, "For the boy, we'll call him that... sigh, never mind, I don't even want to say it. For the girl, we'll call her Xiao Xi~ Xiao Xi~~"

As she spoke, she gently and lovingly stroked her belly, murmuring, "Baby, you must be a girl. If you're a girl, you'll have a beautiful name. If you're a boy... that's terrible!!"

Lin Xiao was completely charmed by her serious expression and quickly shushed her.

"what's wrong?"

"Don't let your dad hear you say that, or he'll beat you up!"

"He dares! He thinks he's justified in favoring sons over daughters?"

Xixi stuck out her belly, looking like a shameless rascal who feared nothing.

Lin Xiao was speechless.

I always thought my wife was sweet, cute, and understanding, but now that we're married and she's pregnant, she seems to have completely changed.

Although this approach is only used on my father-in-law now, and not on him.

But Lin Xiao dared not let his guard down in the slightest.

After all, the one who will spend his life with this woman is not Han Haijun, but Lin Xiao.

My wife's temper and personality...

If things continue like this, or even become more unrestrained, then ultimately only you will bear the consequences.

Oh, and Han Zhiyuan too.

From this perspective, Lin Xiao inexplicably felt that... it would be better to have a boy.

"At least my name sounds pretty good. If a wife dislikes her son, she can't dislike her husband too!"

(End of this chapter)