Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 262, Section 263: The Uninvited Guest

Although Han Xixi really likes the name "Xiaoxi".

But after Lin Xiao's persuasion, she gave her father a chance to see what kind of name he could come up with.

If it really sounds too awful, then you can use "Xiaoxi" later.

The South Korean Navy readily agreed.

But for half a month, there was no news, and he didn't even go home.

Lin Xiao and Liu Liyun were very understanding. After all, it was mid-November, the year was coming to an end, and it was time to wrap up all the work and especially to push for the economic data.

After a busy year, with grand plans and slogans at the beginning of the year, it's time to take stock at the end of the year.

Especially in recent years, making money has become the most important and legitimate task. Whether inside or outside the "besieged city" (a metaphor for a place where money is highly sought after), everyone is busy with this glittering word.

Compared to the busy schedule of the top official of a prefecture-level city like South Korea's Navy.

Lin Xiao, upon assuming his new post, was unusually relaxed, behaving in a way that seemed completely out of character.

In the full week since he took office as deputy director of the Anyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau, he has not worked a single day overtime. He arrives and leaves on time every day without wasting a single second.

Of course, this was not a special treatment given to this specially recruited high-level talent by Director Fang Danian.

Lin Xiao witnessed firsthand that this was the work rhythm throughout the entire organization.

It's understandable if you think about it.

The main task of cultural tourism is to develop tourism projects and increase publicity to attract tourists to spend money... oh no, to come for sightseeing.

Tourism development is a major undertaking that cannot be accomplished overnight. Projects that have already been decided to be developed can proceed steadily, while undeveloped attractions need to be planned gradually.

So, the daily work of the Culture and Tourism Bureau can be summed up in two words: publicity and hospitality.

These two things are essentially the same thing.

But it is now mid-November.

The National Day holiday has just ended, and the New Year's Day holiday is yet to come.

The current timing is awkward, stuck in the middle, neither quite right nor wrong.

In addition, the weather turned cold early this year. It's not even December yet and the cold wind is blowing every day. I don't even want to go out for work. I have to mentally prepare myself several times before I get up in the morning.

Going on vacation at this time of year is just plain crazy.

Because of this special background, the work pace of the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau in the fourth quarter became completely relaxed. It wasn't that they didn't want to work hard, but rather that they simply couldn't make bricks without straw.

of course.

As the fourth quarter draws to a close, whether a unit or department is busy or not often has little to do with whether there is any work to be done.

The less work I have, the busier I am.

Because the plans made at the beginning of the year are there, and at the end of the year, you have to write a summary and settle accounts. Failing to complete them is no laughing matter.

They could all be punished if things go wrong.

This explains why Mayor Han Haijun was so busy in the last month and a half – the year-end sprint was no joke!

However, the Anyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau does not need to make a rush.

The tourism revenue of Chaobai Town during the National Day holiday alone successfully achieved the work target set at the beginning of the year.

Not to mention, the song "Love Like a Tide" has attracted tourists not only to Chaobai Town, but also to various scenic spots throughout Anyang County.

To date, the Anyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau has exceeded its annual performance target.

Fang Danian looked at the data in his hand and felt dazed. After all, Anyang County does not have abundant tourism resources. At the beginning of the year, when he set the annual target for the cultural and tourism industry, he had to grit his teeth and write down the current figures.

He had long been prepared to be criticized at the year-end summary meeting if he failed to meet the targets.

Unexpectedly, Lin Xiao descended from the sky, set off a rocket right under his buttocks, and sent him straight to the Western Paradise.

That feeling was absolutely amazing!
Fang Danian is now the most leisurely person in charge of all departments in Anyang County.

What he needs to worry about now is not whether he can deliver on his promises by the end of the year, but how to compress this year's achievements so that he won't be under too much pressure to meet his targets next year.

Other leaders, seeing him arrive at get off work on time every day and live a leisurely life, were so angry they wanted to deflate his tires, but could only lament that different people have different fates.

Against this backdrop.

Lin Xiao may not have the will to strive for anything for the time being, but even if he wanted to, Fang Danian might forcibly suppress him.

After all, this year's performance data cannot be allowed to rise any further.

If the quota is raised again, the year-end commendation will be prestigious, but next year's targets will also rise accordingly, which will put a lot of pressure on us.

Everyone in the organization understands this principle.

So since Fang Danian, all 23 staff members of the bureau are now openly lying down, waiting for the New Year's Day holiday and the Spring Festival.

Lin Xiao naturally felt at ease following the crowd.

I leave work on time every day, go home to have dinner, take a walk, chat, and go to sleep with my wife.

Entering December, Xixi's pregnancy has entered the later stages.

My belly is getting bigger and bigger, my movements are getting slower and slower, I'm having more and more trouble sleeping, and I'm getting more and more irritable.

Lin Xiao deeply understands the difficulties of pregnancy, so when his wife occasionally throws a tantrum or picks a fight, he just goes along with it and tries to appease her.

However, because Lin Xiao was reassigned, he was able to ensure that he would arrive at get off work on time every day and have plenty of time to spend with Xi Xi.

He would take leave whenever he had a prenatal checkup, running around the hospital so that Xixi wouldn't have to worry about anything.

This gave her a strong sense of security and reliance.

So during this period, Xixi's emotions were generally very stable. Most of the time she was gentle, sensible, and affectionate... ah, now she's a chubby, affectionate girl.

Lin Xiao knew that transferring to the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau was the right decision.

However, this may not be the case for him, but it's not necessarily the case within the Bureau of Culture and Tourism.

The fact that rural tourism in Chaobai Town was booming during the National Day holiday was known to everyone in the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau, after all, they had been working on the front lines for seven whole days as volunteers.

Everyone in the department now knows about Deputy Mayor Lin's abilities.

However, they only saw the results and not the process, so they simply couldn't believe that a deputy mayor who was not even 30 years old could achieve such great results in just one year in office.

Therefore, after learning that Lin Xiao had been transferred to the Bureau of Culture and Tourism as deputy director.

While everyone expressed their anticipation, they also harbored a certain curiosity—I wanted to see just what this famous and well-known Deputy Mayor Lin was capable of.

For the past month, although the staff of the bureau have had nothing to do, their eyes have not been idle, constantly glancing at Deputy Director Lin's office.

Everyone wants to see how long it will take him to come up with some groundbreaking ideas, plans, and reforms for the Culture and Tourism Bureau, as well as how to increase publicity during the upcoming New Year's Day and Spring Festival holidays to bring a new wave of popularity to the culture and tourism industry in Anyang County.

I waited for one day, two days, three days...

Half a month has passed, and Deputy Director Lin has not made a move.

The officials expressed their understanding, after all, he was a genius of his time, and the solutions he proposed were bound to be revolutionary, so it would naturally take some time.

We can wait a little longer, just a little longer.

Then another half month passed, then a month passed.

Deputy Director Lin still hasn't made a move. Every day after get off work, he's the first one to rush out of his office. He always greets people in the hallway with a smile, just like those old hands.

The officials couldn't sit still any longer.

Whispers began to circulate in the offices.

"Is this Deputy Director Lin... really capable?"

"I don't think so. Really capable people wouldn't be so laid-back. They leave work on time every day!"

"I've always suspected that he was the one who started up the cultural tourism industry in Chaobai Town!"

"How could it be false? Everyone in town is saying it!"

"Some things can be faked! No matter how capable a person is, it's impossible to make an unknown town achieve such a huge leap in just one year, from nothing to something, and even become famous throughout the country through rural tourism, right?"

"But the facts speak for themselves: Chaobai Town has become incredibly popular!"

"You need to think about what the source of the fire in Chaobai Town was. Wasn't it because Han Xixi went to Laoyashan to check in before May Day?"

"Hey, have you heard? Everyone's saying that Han Xixi's husband, that mysterious musician Ma Yao, is actually Lin Xiao!"

"You actually believe that! Such a talented musician, even big stars are devoted to him, would he really be a deputy town mayor in this remote, impoverished place? Don't tell me he's an idiot!"

"What's the story behind Han Xixi and Jiang Xueying visiting Chaobai Town one after another, and the song 'Love Like a Tide'?"

"That means Ma Yao lives in Chaobai Town! Great talents usually prefer to find a quiet place to live in seclusion, which helps them to inspire their creativity! Chaobai Town just happened to be very lucky; such an extraordinary person just happened to live there, allowing our Deputy Director Lin to get such a great achievement for free! Now that he's soared to great heights, he's running away and no longer wants to stay in the township. What does that mean?"

"What does it mean?"

"So you're saying they went to the townships just to get a gilded resume? You really thought they were there to build up the grassroots? Now that they're all gilded up, who would want to suffer there? They're rushing to our Culture and Tourism Bureau to escape the grind. But don't be fooled by their current inaction; they'll be promoted soon, humph!"

"Sigh, that's just their luck, we can't compare!"

"It's not just luck, it's connections too. Don't forget, he's a promising young talent from the provincial capital—he's no ordinary person."

"Alright, stop being so sour! Everyone has their own unique abilities, what's the big deal!"

"Too!"

"I do believe that Lin Xiao is Ma Yao, and Han Xixi's husband."

"..."

The discussion within the bureau grew louder and louder, eventually reaching Lin Xiao's ears.

He didn't find it strange, nor did he take it to heart.

The conclusion is: it seems the bureau is quite idle lately, with everyone doing nothing but gossiping!
……

The north wind grew increasingly fierce, and winter officially arrived.

Before the New Year's Day holiday, Xixi had just finished her prenatal checkup, so she took the initiative to suggest staying at her husband's family home in Anyang County for a while.

The main issue is that as her pregnancy progresses, her emotions start to fluctuate greatly due to the influence of pregnancy hormones. She often experiences inexplicable joy or loss, and more often than not, she becomes inexplicably irritable.

Xi Xi analyzed that the tall buildings in the city were affecting her mood, so she decided to go to the countryside to experience nature and calm her emotions.

Lin Xiao didn't understand his wife's thought process at first, but he thought that changing the environment might change her mood.

Unexpectedly, Han Xixi's mood improved a lot after she arrived at her husband's family home.

My daily routine hasn't changed much, but I can bask in the sun in the morning and afternoon, and occasionally go to the fields with my parents-in-law, where I'm in contact with the most basic natural environment.

When one's eyes are nourished by greenery, one's mood blossoms like flowers.

When Lin Xiao came home from get off work every day, he could clearly feel that his wife had become much calmer, and her irritability had vanished.

Only then did he believe that natural therapies were truly effective.

However, Lin Jianping and Zhou Xiuping were much busier, getting up before dawn every day and working until it was completely dark.

It's not that Xixi is fussy and makes demands all the time.

In fact, Xixi has never asked for anything since she came back, which is completely different from those young wives in the countryside who take advantage of their pregnancy to act arrogantly.

But Lin Jianping and Zhou Xiuping were immersed in the joy and anticipation of having their first grandson. In addition, Xixi had taken them out to play recently, and her gentleness and filial piety had fulfilled all their expectations of their daughter-in-law.

The elderly couple loved her from the bottom of their hearts, so naturally they wanted to devote all their energy to taking good care of her and the baby in her womb.

So they worked from morning till night, meticulously attending to every detail, afraid that Xixi might not adapt in the slightest.

This made Xixi very embarrassed. She didn't dare to eat too much of a dish she liked, because if she ate it, she would have that dish at every meal.

Xixi also told her in-laws, "Dad, Mom, you don't need to cook so much for every meal, I can't eat it all... Besides, the doctor said that as long as I get normal nutrition, I don't need to take any special supplements. You don't need to be so busy and tired every day..."

This has been said many times.

Zhou Xiuping would always agree with a smile, and then get up at five o'clock the next morning to cook a pot of thick and tender lean meat porridge over a wood fire.

Because my daughter-in-law likes it.

Xi Xi felt really bad about it and talked to Lin Xiao about it that night.

Lin Xiao just smiled and said, "Forget it, let them go. Some hardships are forced by the need to make a living, but some hardships are happy and sweet, and they do them willingly. My parents are happy and willing to do these things. If you don't let them do them, they will feel uncomfortable!" Han Xixi thought about it and realized that it made sense.

So although she still felt embarrassed, she no longer went against the parents' good intentions and began to accept their care without feeling guilty.

The family is developing in a harmonious and happy direction.

The chickens, ducks, geese, and cows at home suffered.

It is clear that human joys and sorrows cannot be understood by domestic animals.

Within the poultry industry, there has always been a tradition that the period around the Lunar New Year is the most dangerous, as various species will face a wave of frenzied slaughter.

But except for the two weeks before and after the Lunar New Year, it is generally safe at other times.

Lin Xiao's poultry also believed in this principle, and although the weather was getting colder, they continued to live a carefree and happy life.

After all, there are still two months until the Chinese New Year, and those with chicken heads and duck heads can't plan that far ahead.

As a result, an unexpected event occurred, and a massacre ensued.

The couple who owned the house were like madmen, indiscriminately capturing chickens or ducks in cages at a rate of one per day, then slaughtering and plucking them by hand... their methods were extremely cruel.

This bloody storm instantly turned this once happy and harmonious family into a precarious and fearful place.

Soon, the tragedies that occurred at the east end of the village spread throughout the poultry pens of Linjia Village.

Under the warm winter sun, a somber and bleak atmosphere permeated the poultry pens.

The chickens, ducks, geese, and cattle in the whole village didn't know what had happened, but they all smelled that aroma... it was the smell of blood. They all drooped their heads as if they had contracted a plague.

They worried that the disaster might spread and arrive before the end of the year.

The butcher's knife fell on his own body, blood splattering throughout the courtyard...

The concerns of the poultry industry soon became a reality.

One evening, the smallest and most self-important family of white geese in the village strolled along the ridges of the fields in search of food.

They have always disdained associating with such stupid and vulgar birds as chickens and ducks. Each of them has a loud voice and a proud neck, as arrogant as swans. Being arrogant is both a description and a fact.

As the white goose walked along, it noticed a young human couple approaching. The man was tall and imposing, while the woman was graceful and beautiful, with a large pregnant belly. They smiled gently and happily at each other.

"Wow, is that a goose?" the woman asked in a sweet, coquettish voice.

"Yes." The man's voice was quite indulgent.

"I never knew geese were this big! I always thought they were about the same size as chickens or ducks. They're so beautiful and cute!"

The man didn't say anything, he just smiled.

The white goose family cannot understand human speech, but they can sense the woman's joy and realize that they have been praised.

So their proud necks stood even higher, and they walked with a majestic and imposing air.

then……

That evening, a large white goose was suddenly slaughtered, and the tragic incident quickly spread throughout the bird world, causing another uproar.

The second day of New Year's Day, at noon.

Han Xixi saw a pot of stewed goose on the dining table, a whole pot full of it.

She was dumbfounded.

Lin Xiao chuckled maliciously, "Is this the goose you saw yesterday evening? Isn't it cute!"

Han Xixi: "???"

Lin Yu was on holiday at home, gnawing on a stewed goose that was cooked until tender, looking on incredulously. He thought to himself, "My sister-in-law is indeed a city person. Even her adjectives are so cute. She thinks the stewed goose is adorable."

I don't know if it's cute, but it smells pretty good!
"Um...where did this goose come from? I don't remember my parents raising geese," Xixi asked, puzzled.

"It was caught by my uncle's family!"

Lin Xiao remained calm. "They keep six. Eating one is fine. If you want more after you've eaten one, go catch another..."

Xi Xi waved her hands in fright, "No need, no need, one is enough, we can't finish them all..."

She clutched her stomach, feeling extremely guilty.

In my heart, I silently said to the sacrificed comrade, the white goose: I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to...

I ate a piece, and it was quite delicious!
"Lin Yu, did you have your monthly exam this holiday?" Lin Xiao suddenly asked his younger brother.

"Ah."

"The results haven't come out yet?"

"No."

"What was your total score on the last midterm exam?"

"511."

"How many?!"

Lin Xiao suddenly stopped gnawing on the goose neck, completely incredulous. Even the stewed goose didn't taste good anymore.

Lin Yu, however, still wore that half-dead expression: "511."

Lin Xiao still refused to believe it, feeling that something was wrong.

"Were the questions easy this time?"

"Maybe."

What's your ranking in your class?

"seventh."

"Huh?! What about the whole grade?"

"I forgot, it was over a hundred!"

"!!!"

Lin Xiao was completely stunned. Looking at the boy in front of him earnestly gnawing on goose meat, he could hardly believe that this was his academically challenged younger brother.

Of course, calling him a poor student isn't accurate, since Lin Yu's grades weren't that bad.

But it's far from good.

From the moment he entered Anyang No. 1 High School, he was placed in the most ordinary class, and his grades were only average.

After the division of arts and sciences in the second year of high school, my total score in every major exam hovered around 400 points, which was far from meeting the threshold for university.

But this time, it jumped by more than 100 points.

This score, while still far from qualifying for 985 or 211 universities, at least guarantees admission to a university.

How could Lin Xiao not be shocked?

What shocked him even more was that Lin Yu had made such great progress but never mentioned it, as if he took it for granted.

Lin Xiao has been living in Ninghai lately, his mind is all on his wife and children, so he naturally has no time to pay attention to him.

Unexpectedly, in just three months after the start of his senior year of high school, his grades improved by leaps and bounds, as if he had taken a magic pill.

Lin Xiao could hardly believe it, and subconsciously pondered various reasons.

But found nothing.

Han Xixi then laughed and said, "Xiaoyu is great! You've made such great progress. If you keep this up, you'll definitely get into university! If you continue to improve, you might even get into a top university... Then, your sister-in-law will buy you a whole set of the latest electronic gadgets as a reward, okay?"

Lin Xiao looked at his wife.

Although she was more than seven months pregnant, she was becoming more and more adept at acting coquettishly in front of him, so in his mind, his wife was still like a little girl who hadn't grown up.

But at this moment, he listened to his wife gently and kindly encouraging his younger brother.

He then realized that Xixi was indeed adapting to her various roles after marriage, and was becoming more and more adept at it.

Lin Xiao felt very emotional.

Standing before his sister-in-law, Lin Yu remained calm and composed, more mature than the adults at the table.

"Thank you, sister-in-law."

He said calmly.

Xi Xi smiled gently and asked, "Xiao Yu, have you thought about which university you want to apply to?"

Lin Yu's expression, which had remained calm all afternoon, finally showed a slight change, and his eyes began to flicker.

He clearly had something on his mind, but he said, "I haven't thought about it."

"You can think about it now. Do you want to study in Nanzhou or go somewhere else?" Xixi asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah, everything is fine."

Do you have a favorite city?

"Um……"

Lin Yu hesitated for a long time, and several times he had the urge to say something but held back. In the end, he said nothing and shook his head.

Xi Xi was somewhat disappointed, but wanted to continue analyzing.

Lin Yu suddenly stood up: "Brother, sister-in-law, I'm full. I'm going back to do my homework. You two can continue eating."

After saying that, he left, leaving behind a clean bowl and a pile of bones that looked like a small hill on the table.

Zhou Xiuping couldn't help but feel annoyed and scolded her youngest son who had just left.

Then he said to Xixi, "Xixi, don't mind him. He's just like his dad, you can't get him to say a word. Luckily, Lin Xiao is like me, not so quiet... You should eat your food, I stewed this goose for over two hours, it smells delicious!!"

Xixi accepted her mother-in-law's deep affection and began to eat heartily.

Mmm, it smells so good!

After dinner, I took a nap and then strolled in the sunset.

Lin Xiao suddenly felt that life was unbelievably wonderful these days.

My wife is happy, sweet, and in great health; I'm about to become a father; my new job is easy and comfortable; my parents are enjoying a leisurely life; even my usually troublesome younger brother has suddenly started studying hard and his grades are improving by leaps and bounds…

This scene of happiness, reunion, and family joy inexplicably gave Lin Xiao a feeling that the story was about to end.

He knew that happiness was hard-won, so he cherished it all the more and treated it well, while at the same time inexplicably activating his vigilance radar.

Perhaps this is why it is difficult for Chinese people to enjoy life: the idea of ​​being prepared for danger in times of peace is ingrained in their bones, and the happier and more fulfilled they are, the more they must guard against turning joy into sorrow.

The New Year's Day holiday is over.

Xixi stayed at her in-laws' house for two more days before her next prenatal checkup.

She returned to Ninghai accompanied by Lin Xiao.

As soon as I entered the house, I heard a boy making a racket, his voice thick with a northern accent.

The two stood facing each other at the doorway.

Xi Xi's brows were already furrowed, as if she had already guessed something.

Lin Xiao opened the door with a puzzled look, only to find that the living room, which should have been neat and familiar, had been turned upside down—three little boys were screaming and playing around, the older one about ten years old, and the two younger ones were twins, about seven or eight years old.

The house was filled with smoke and fumes after the three boys' vandalism, a truly shocking sight.

There were two other people sitting on the sofa.

One of them was his mother-in-law, Liu Liyun, whose face was unusually tense and impatient, something Lin Xiao had almost never seen before.

The other one, whose head was only visible from the back, had gray hair and was an elderly person.

Lin Xiao was puzzled.

Xi Xi, however, had already changed her expression and, like her mother, became nervous and impatient.

(End of this chapter)