Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapters 266 and 267: The Last Time for Two
Go to work the next day.

As soon as Lin Xiao arrived at his workplace, he ran into Director Fang Danian, who had come to see him. Lin Xiao was so excited that his face lit up with excitement.

"Lin Xiao, my little brother, you're truly my lucky star! How can I possibly thank you enough?!"

Fang Danian said excitedly.

This inexplicable joy left Lin Xiao bewildered. He smiled and asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Fang Danian said excitedly, "Didn't we agree that the famous singer Cao Yuanzhi would participate in the 'Chaoshui River Cultural Festival' during the Spring Festival?"

Lin Xiao nodded: "Wasn't this decided a week ago? I saw that our bureau's account has officially announced it. You can't still be so happy now, can you?"

Fang Danian gave him a reproachful look.

"Tsk! Let me finish. I'm saying you're my lucky star, not referring to Cao Yuanzhi's matter!"

"Oh?!" Lin Xiao became genuinely curious.

"Cao Yuanzhi joining the cultural festival is definitely a done deal. Our bureau has been coordinating very well with Cao Yuanzhi's side, and the official announcement has generated a great response, with over 10,000 likes and comments, which is quite an achievement for our bureau's account."

Fang Danian was speaking with great enthusiasm when he realized that the topic had gone astray, so he quickly waved his hand.

"Hey, what are you talking about? I'm so excited today because another famous singer has contacted us to join our Anyang County 'Chaoshui River Culture Festival' performance. How could I not be excited!"

Old Fang was overjoyed, his face flushed, but Lin Xiao frowned upon hearing this.

This news is quite unusual.

Anyang County is, after all, just an obscure little county. No matter how popular it was during last year's National Day holiday, it was only a temporary phenomenon.

It cooled down quickly afterwards.

Moreover, the town that's booming is Chaobai Town, not Anyang County.

Anyang County remains largely unknown, which is the main reason why the Chaoshuihe Cultural Festival's first event on New Year's Day was met with a lukewarm reception.

Cao Yuanzhi's joining was only achieved through Lin Xiao's use of personal connections.

This involves both brotherly loyalty and Lao Cao's desire to "repay a debt of gratitude."

If this relationship did not exist.

Given Cao Yuanzhi's current fame and status, let alone Anyang County being unable to afford the invitation fee, even if they could, Cao Yuanzhi's agent would never agree to a performance of this caliber.

Because it's so low-class, it's a completely self-degrading act.

Lin Xiao and Cao Yuanzhi know the logic behind how celebrities accept endorsements, and it's impossible for other artists not to know it.

Therefore, it is simply impossible for a big star to take the initiative to contact them and want to join the Anyang County Chaoshuihe Cultural Festival.

Even with Cao Yuanzhi as the vanguard, it was impossible.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation!
Lin Xiao had to be on guard, completely unlike Fang Danian who was excited and joyful upon learning the news.

"Who?!" he asked with a serious expression.

"What...what was it again? Look at my head, the name is right on the tip of my tongue, but I just can't remember..."

Fang Danian racked his brains for a long time, but finally gave up and decided to call the cadre in charge of the office to come over.

However, before he could even make the call, he slapped his forehead, his eyes lighting up.

"Zhong Jiawen! I remember now!"

Old Fang said excitedly, "It's a female singer. Although she's very young, I specifically asked a few young cadres in the unit, and they said she's quite popular now, her fame is no less than Cao Yuanzhi's. If we're talking about different tiers, she's at least a second-tier singer, but second-tier is more than enough for our Anyang County..."

Fang Danian was in a state of excitement, talking incessantly and unable to stop.

Upon hearing the name "Zhong Jiawen," Lin Xiao felt a sudden alarm bell ring in his mind, and in an instant, he understood all the key points.

He was speechless for a moment.

"Lin Xiao, Lin Xiao, what are you daydreaming about?"

"Oh, it's nothing... You just said that Zhong Jiawen's team took the initiative to contact our bureau?"

"Yup!"

Fang Danian was both excited and surprised. "When I first heard the news, I found it strange. Why would such a big star think of participating in a cultural and tourism event in our small county? But then I thought about it, and it makes sense, since even Cao Yuanzhi, a newly popular singer, participated!"

"Moreover, Chaobai Town's tourism industry was booming during last year's National Day holiday. Other singers must have thought that our cultural festival was going to be a hit and that participating in the event would make them famous... There's a term on the internet, oh, 'riding the coattails' of popularity, is that what it means?"

Lin Xiao was momentarily speechless and could only nod with a smile.

Although he was certain that Chung Ka-man's initiative to participate in the cultural festival was definitely malicious.

But at this point, he still couldn't be sure what Zhong Jiawen's purpose was.

This woman has a relationship with Cao Yuanzhi.

So, was her sudden action aimed at Lao Cao, or was there something else going on?

Lin Xiao couldn't make a judgment and had to ask Lao Cao before he could confirm it.

Moreover, Lin Xiao couldn't tell Fang Danian that Zhong Jiawen shouldn't participate in the event.

On the one hand, he had no conclusive evidence to prove that Chung Ka-man had ulterior motives.

Moreover, the cost of trying to prove this point is also very high.

After all, it's absurd for a second-tier singer to be so high-profile and glamorous to actively promote a cultural and tourism festival in a small county. It's a clear case of "downward manipulation" and "conformity with a lower level."

Why doesn't the county capitalize on this trend and take good care of the big singer to prevent him from leaving? What are they thinking?

On the other hand, even if Lin Xiao managed to persuade Fang Danian, he still couldn't refuse Zhong Jiawen.

This woman is ruthless; Lin Xiao has met her before.

In her quest for fame, she orchestrated a pig-butchering scam specifically for Cao Yuanzhi, attempting to connect with "Ma Yao," and also colluded with Hunan TV, successfully turning Han Xixi's agent into an inside agent to help her achieve instant fame on the final stage of "The Voice of China."

She was doing these two things simultaneously; if one path was blocked, there was another.

After reviewing the entire situation, Lin Xiao couldn't help but feel terrified by the woman's cunning and ruthlessness.

He even felt that a woman whose entire being exudes ambition deserves to be famous!

Putting aside his likes and dislikes, he genuinely admires Chung Ka-man.

This woman has always been ruthless in achieving her goals.

Although Lin Xiao still didn't know what her purpose was this time, since she had already contacted the bureau, she had obviously made a decision and even made ample preparations.

The Anyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau refused her every time.

Lin Xiao didn't even need to think; soon, this woman would expose the matter on her personal social media platform, stating that her good intentions had been rejected by Anyang County.

Although Chung Ka-man's popularity has recently plummeted, she was still a sensation at the time, and even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse.

In this era where the star power has not yet faded.

To some extent, celebrities have the power to manipulate public opinion.

What was clearly a normal collaboration that failed to materialize quickly became, under Zhong Jiawen's influence on public opinion, a case of Anyang County being ungrateful and refusing to let a well-known singer join the cultural festival.

Anyang County could provide a legitimate reason, but the problem is they can't.

Then they'll only get criticized, and the publicity will backfire. All the hard work they put into the cultural festival, which they planned for over a month, will probably go down the drain.

Zhong Jiawen only needed one Weibo post to achieve this result.

It's just so scary.

Lin Xiao saw the outcome at a glance, knowing that as long as Zhong Jiawen made a move, she would naturally gain the upper hand in this game, and a significant one at that.

Lin Xiao hesitated about how to proceed with the next move.

We must be extremely cautious at every step.

He now only hopes that Zhong Jiawen's target is Cao Yuanzhi, not him, the deputy director of the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau, Han Xixi's husband, and the mysterious musician Ma Yao.

……

After dealing with Fang Danian, Lin Xiao immediately called Cao Yuanzhi.

No one answered.

More than an hour later, Lao Cao finally called back.

"I was just rushing to finish a schedule, what's up, junior?" Cao Yuanzhi asked in a normal tone.

"Old Cao, what's your relationship with Zhong Jiawen now?" Lin Xiao asked bluntly.

"what?!"

The sudden question left Cao Yuanzhi completely bewildered, and he didn't come to his senses for a long time.

"She and I... ever since the official release of 'Confession Balloon,' she called and yelled at me, and we haven't been in contact since..."

In front of Lin Xiao, an insider, Lao Cao no longer hid anything, speaking in an awkward but very frank tone.

Lin Xiao believed he was telling the truth.

My mood didn't lighten at all; instead, it became even more somber.

Because of Lao Cao and Zhong Jiawen's situation, it's clear that Zhong Jiawen's actions were definitely not directed at him.

After all, given the success of her recent "pig butchering scam," she could easily manipulate Lao Cao like she was playing with a dog.

Even though a good scolding exposed her true colors.

But if she wants to win him back, it's as easy as pie; it all depends on whether she's willing or not.

According to Cao Yuanzhi, Zhong Jiawen has completely given up on this scoundrel ever since the official version of "Confession Balloon" was released.

Three months have passed, and there hasn't even been a phone call.

Why would she suddenly join in just because he participated in an event organized by the Anyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau?

Is she chasing after her husband for thousands of miles?
That's not how Chung Ka-man behaves, and she doesn't need to do that at all.

More importantly, based on Lin Xiao's understanding of this enemy she had never met but had fought many times, she looked down on Cao Yuanzhi at all.

Moreover, she has a sugar daddy and doesn't dare to expose her relationship with Lao Cao.

Therefore, after the official version of "Confession Balloon" was released.

She realized that Lao Cao, the man who claimed to love her so much, would neither betray his brothers for her nor give her a new song; instead, he would keep one or two songs for himself to release.

So he slept with her and didn't get any benefit from it.

Why risk being discovered by her sugar daddy and keep wasting time with Cao Yuanzhi? Cutting off contact and minimizing losses would have been the best option.

Old Cao's answer just now also confirms this.

That is, Zhong Jiawen and he have no connection now, so her sudden contact with the county culture and tourism bureau could not possibly be for Lao Cao.

Then there's only one purpose—Ma Yao!
Upon confirming this, Lin Xiao couldn't help but feel a little panicked, wondering if Zhong Jiawen had already discovered his identity.

After all, it's been over a year since I made my wife, Han Xixi, famous.

The fact that he is Ma Yao has been revealed to too many people, both openly and secretly. The young cadres of the Chaobai Town Tourism Development Task Force have all guessed it, and some leaders in the city and county have also learned about the situation. Even Fang Danian doesn't know how he confirmed this.

It's not surprising that Chung Ka-man was able to target him through her strong network of connections.

Of course, there are barriers between those inside and outside the system, and information doesn't easily get mixed up.

Therefore, Lin Xiao was still somewhat confident. Zhong Jiawen was unaware that the mysterious musician Ma Yao, whom she was so eager to target, was none other than Lin Xiao, the former deputy mayor of Chaobai Town and now the deputy director of the Anyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau.

After all, online, netizens only guessed that Ma Yao was living in seclusion in Chaobai Town, but did not suspect that he was working within the system.

But even so.

Cao Yuanzhi's joining the Anyang County "Chaoshuihe Culture Festival" provided Zhong Jiawen with a clue.

Cao Yuanzhi became famous because of "Love Like a Tide".

This song, written by Ma Yao, brought a tourism boom to Chaobai Town during last year's National Day holiday.

Outsiders were unaware that Ma Yao was the deputy mayor.

The relationship between Cao Yuanzhi and Chaobai Town is a win-win situation; there is no question of either party owing the other, nor is there any need for a deep entanglement.

I'll say it again: It's cheap!

But Cao Yuanzhi then went on to participate in a cultural festival in Anyang County.

This outrageous news story is something that anyone with a discerning eye will quickly notice is amiss.

If this event was organized by Chaobai Town, Cao Yuanzhi's participation would be reasonable. Whether it's due to a deep connection or his not forgetting his roots, it can be explained.

Unfortunately, this event was organized by Anyang County.

How much do you, Cao Yuanzhi, love Ma Yao to the point that you're willing to lower yourself to participate in this incredibly low-class local cultural festival, even outside of Chaobai Town, the place where the hype started?

Chung Chia-wen clearly wouldn't believe such idiotic logic.

On second thought, although the song "Love Like a Tide" made Cao Yuanzhi a successful debut and an overnight sensation, it was originally intended as the official promotional song for Chaobai Town. The song propelled the town's popularity to soar and made it a hit across the country.

Now, Cao Yuanzhi is once again contributing to the development of the cultural tourism industry in Anyang County.

Both events have strangely led to a boost in local tourism, making it hard not to wonder whether Ma Yao is truly living in seclusion in the town, or whether he is the mastermind behind all of this.

Once suspicion arises, it must be investigated thoroughly.

Chung Chia-wen's popularity has declined, and without any hit works to her name, participating in a county-level cultural festival doesn't diminish her value much. In fact, she can gain a good reputation for "supporting local cultural tourism."

She didn't have much of a psychological burden.

Since that's the case, why not take this trip and verify whether my guess is true, and see who this Teacher Ma Yao really is!
That explains Fang Danian's enthusiastic remarks just now.

Of course, these are just Lin Xiao's guesses at the moment.

But he felt it was almost certain.

After all, Chung Ka-man has wanted him for quite some time now.

This woman had a sharp eye; she was clearly not the type to give up easily.

Lin Xiao felt no pride at being targeted; instead, he felt depressed and had a sense of urgency that he might be violated by bad guys at any moment.

Especially now, with his wife about to give birth, he can't afford to be distracted at all.

This was definitely not a good time to engage the enemy. Lin Xiao's expression turned serious, and he was at a loss for what to do.

On the other end of the phone, Cao Yuanzhi was still confused. After a long while, he asked, "Lin Xiao, what do you mean by suddenly asking Zhong Jiawen? What happened to her?"

There was no doubt about his worry.

Lin Xiao rolled his eyes in anger!

My brother is a playboy who has seen countless beauties, so how could he be so devoted to a woman? Even after all that happened in the second half of last year, he still refuses to give up and continues to hold onto hope.

Last year, Lin Xiao was still in the mood to strategize behind the scenes, using two songs to drive Cao Yuanzhi and Zhong Jiawen apart.

He simply doesn't have the leisure or inclination for that now.

Hearing that Lao Cao was starting to act like a sycophant, he bluntly said, "She wants to participate in our bureau's Chaoshuihe Cultural Festival. It's obvious she's trying to get back together with you!"

Cao Yuanzhi was stunned when he heard this.

"Really...really?"

"Of course it's fake!"

"Um... I knew it! Why would she come to a cultural festival in a small county town!"

"Um?!"

Lin Xiao was furious and shouted, "It's true she came to the cultural festival, but it's a lie that she came to get back together with you! Brother, wake up!!"

Cao Yuanzhi: "..."

Although Lao Cao is a sycophant, he's not stupid.

After everything that happened last year, he had finally come to his senses and realized that Zhong Jiawen only used and pretended to be nice to him, and had no genuine feelings for him at all.

But he still couldn't get over it.

Having navigated the dating scene for so many years, this is the first time he's been so captivated by a woman that he can't move. Even now, though he's mostly awake, he still can't let go of his obsession with having her completely.

This is a man's inherent weakness.

Those who have never been a jerk always want to be one to prove their charm; those who have been jerks too many times try to prove they can turn over a new leaf through a passionate romance.

They're all just walls around the wall.

Hearing Lin Xiao's anger, Lao Cao shrank back and hurriedly said, "I know, I shouldn't have any illusions about this woman... But why does she suddenly want to participate in your bureau's activities? I never mentioned your identity, let alone that you were transferred to the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau."

Hearing this, Lin Xiao's anger subsided by half.

"I know!"

"Then...did she find out about you through other channels?"

"So, you also think that her sudden stunt was aimed at Ma Yao, which is me?"

Lin Xiao countered with a question.

Cao Yuanzhi had no doubt about this and sneered, "Is there any need to say more? She has been coveting you, Teacher Ma Yao, for a long time!"

These words were spoken with a hint of gritted teeth, but not out of jealousy; rather, they were the open truth revealed after a moment of realization.

Lin Xiao was speechless for a moment.

I'm speechless.

"Brother, what are you planning to do now? This woman is really difficult to deal with!"

"I know...it's giving me a headache!"

Lin Xiao hesitated for a long time, then sighed and said, "Forget it, I can just take leave. My wife is about to give birth anyway. If I don't contact her, she won't find out my true identity, right?"

Cao Yuanzhi nodded: "Looking at the current situation, this is the only way!"

Lin Xiao then said seriously, "And you! You'll be on stage with her too. Don't try to pull that old flame reunion act. Control yourself, control your tongue and your zipper!"

Cao Yuanzhi rolled his eyes so hard they almost reached the sky.

"Okay, okay, I'm a super popular male singer now, give me some face!"

"Take him aside! I'm hanging up now!"

"Hey, wait a minute, when is your wife giving birth? I've already prepared the red envelope!"

"It'll be soon, the due date is just over a week away!"

"That's perfect timing for the cultural festival performance..."

"So I can hide away with a perfectly legitimate excuse."

"Wow, that actually works!"

Old Cao laughed heartily, chatted for a bit more, and then the two hung up the phone.

……

Lin Xiao spent the entire day pondering the sudden emergence of Zhong Jiawen.

He ultimately decided that he could not preemptively refuse Zhong Jiawen's invitation to participate in the cultural festival.

One aspect is that they are easily attacked by public opinion.

More importantly, the bureau's refusal further confirmed that Ma Yao was indeed there.

Chung Chia-man initially only had suspicions, but now she can confirm it directly.

Otherwise, a county-level cultural and tourism bureau would have absolutely no reason to refuse a well-known singer's offer to join.

Even though Cao Yuanzhi was already in charge of the event.

There's only one possibility that the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau would refuse her: someone in the bureau must dislike her.

And this person can only be Ma Yao.

If Lin Xiao really does this, it may seem like he's striking first, but in reality, he's making a mistake.

Therefore, the best strategy is to remain unchanged in the face of all changes.

It's impossible for Chung Chia-wen to investigate every single cadre in the entire bureau to verify who Ma Yao really is, is it?

Not to mention that the workload is too large to be practically feasible.

Even a big star like her doesn't have the time, energy, or opportunity for that.

After all, participating in the cultural festival performance limited her contact with the bureau's officials; they couldn't be together all the time.

Take ten thousand steps back.

Even if Zhong Jiawen really discovers that Deputy Director Lin Xiao is Ma Yao.

Lin Xiao wouldn't lose anything either.

Anyway, I have nothing to hide, and I haven't done anything wrong, so how could I be blackmailed or manipulated by her?
The song is in my head!
She can't just kidnap herself and copy the song directly by plugging in a wire.

Even if she wanted to use the same trick on herself as she did on Cao Yuanzhi, she was not Cao Yuanzhi after all, and she was not so easily fooled.

After much deliberation, Lin Xiao became certain that the initiative was still in his hands.

This woman is dangerous, but manageable.

Right now, his mind is focused entirely on his wife and the baby who is about to be born.

They put Zhong Jiawen's matter out of their minds.

Lin Xiao quickly switched to a "wife comes first, everything else takes a backseat" mode. Work was for rest, and after get off work was for battle, always ready to be deployed by his wife.

Five more days passed.

The 2th day of the twelfth lunar month, a Saturday, is Valentine's Day, February 14th.

At this point, there was only one week left until Xixi's due date.

Today is the last weekend before the Lunar New Year, but it's not quite a weekend because we still have to work tomorrow, Sunday, to make up for lost time.

Monday was Lunar New Year's Eve, and the holiday officially began.

Han Xixi's due date is February 21st, the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Logically, there should still be a week left.

But because first pregnancies are prone to early labor, the whole family was very nervous and had no mood to prepare for the New Year. Seven or eight pairs of eyes were fixed on Xixi's belly.

Xixi is under a lot of psychological and physical stress.

During the later stages of her pregnancy, she had a very good appetite and couldn't control it. Now her weight has soared to nearly 140 pounds.

This weight is not high for a pregnant woman, especially considering she is 167 cm tall.

But compared to before she got pregnant, she weighed less than 100 pounds.

This increase of over 40 kilograms is already quite dramatic.

After all, the baby only weighs six or seven pounds.

Xixi is heavily pregnant now, and it's very inconvenient for her to sit, lie down, or walk. She's in a lot of pain.

My aunt, Liu Lixia, originally suggested that we just move into the hospital. It was a high-end private hospital that we had booked in advance, with a luxurious single room. We could move in anytime as long as we paid.

With medical staff on duty around the clock, the family feels at ease.

But Lin Xiao rejected the suggestion.

He knew his wife had been feeling very bored and unwell lately, and that being hospitalized would only increase her psychological stress.

No matter how good the hospital environment is, or how considerate the medical staff are.

It was, after all, a hospital, a maternity hospital, and everywhere you looked there were signs saying "Come here to give birth."

Xixi will inevitably become more nervous and fearful.

Since the husband has spoken, no one else can really say anything.

Fortunately, Xixi's due date was just in time. Around the Lunar New Year, the number of people in the city decreased significantly, and the roads were visibly much clearer.

Start the machine anytime, go to the hospital anytime.

It will take at most ten minutes, no problem at all.

Lin Xiao had been reading experience posts online for several months before he could remain so calm, though of course, 90% of that was just an act.

If you're going to pretend, you have to pretend completely.

It's a rare Saturday, and it happens to be Valentine's Day.

Lin Xiao decided to enjoy one last time as a couple with his wife—by this time next year, there will be a little one running around calling for mom and dad, so the couple's time together will theoretically be impossible to continue, since once the baby is born, you can't put the baby back in.

Considering that Xixi's belly is too big now, it's inconvenient for her to go out, and she doesn't have the stamina to keep up.

Lin Xiao reversed his thinking and turned into an ingrate, kicking out his mother-in-law, aunt, and cousin who were diligently taking care of his wife in their new villa home.

The three women reacted differently.

Liu Liyun remained the most composed: "Make sure to keep a close eye on Xixi and don't let her get too tired. Call us anytime if anything happens!"

Liu Lixia, the most filthy old woman: "Xiaolin, I know you and Xixi have a good relationship, but it's been more than nine months... There will be more after Valentine's Day, one more won't make a difference. If you really can't hold it in, go to the toilet yourself, okay?"

Liang Tian was the most furious: "Brother-in-law, you've crossed the river and burned the bridge! I despise you, I despise you, I despise you!"

Regardless of what the others said, Lin Xiao remained calm and escorted them to the door.

Close the door.

Xi Xi stood in the living room, supporting her back, her whole body round and chubby, grinning foolishly at Lin Xiao.

"Brother, you're so naughty... but I like it!"

"Hahaha……"

Lin Xiao laughed and stepped forward to try to hug his wife, but her big belly made it impossible for him to hug her.

Then, on a whim, he went around behind his wife, hugged her, and gently kissed her cheek.

Happy Valentine's Day, honey!

"Hehe, I'm very happy, thank you, husband."

The two smiled at each other, savoring the warmth they hadn't felt in so long.

It suddenly started snowing outside the window, and snowflakes fluttered down in the yard.

The snow fell heavily, and soon everything was covered in white, turning chairs, blue bricks, flowers, and plants white.

The two stood by the window.

They reacted very differently to the sudden heavy snowfall.

Xi Xi was overjoyed; the hard work and tension of the past few days vanished.

She originally wanted to jump up and cheer, but she was too heavy to jump, so she could only clap her hands to convey the special emotion of this special Valentine's Day.

Lin Xiao was a little worried—snow is romantic, but if his wife suddenly went into labor, going to the hospital would be a hassle!

However, judging from Xixi's condition, it shouldn't be this sudden.

He gradually relaxed.

I stood by the window, hand in hand with her. Turning my head, I saw my wife smiling brightly and gently.

He also felt a sense of peace and sweetness.

Although this Valentine's Day was spent perfunctorily, with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and only able to watch the snow from inside the house, even the atmosphere of a romantic getaway for two was something we had to force ourselves to create.

But it seems that as long as he's with Xixi, nothing else matters.

She thought the same thing.

Regardless, this was the most special, meaningful, and unforgettable Valentine's Day of their lives.

For the rest of my life, I will be a family of three, four, or even five.

But at this moment, it was just the two of them.

(End of this chapter)