Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 267-268. A Direct Confrontation with the Femme fatale

Lin Xiao and Han Xixi's Valentine's Day lunch was a hot pot meal in front of the floor-to-ceiling window on the first floor of their house.

Lin Xiao prepared all the hot pot himself.

His wife was very eager to help, but he was so frightened that she screamed with her face contorted in terror. Only then did Xixi put down the kettle in a panic.

Preparations began at 11:30.

At exactly 12 o'clock, the two finally enjoyed a steaming hot pot feast.

The snow was still falling heavily outside the window, with white goose feathers flying everywhere, which reminded Xixi of the stewed goose in an iron pot she had at her mother-in-law's house in the countryside a while ago.

Oh, my sins.

"Puch~"

Xi Xi couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Seeing that his wife was in a better mood, Lin Xiao's own tension instantly eased, and he smiled.

"What are you laughing at? You're so happy celebrating Valentine's Day with your husband?" he asked.

"No no."

Xi Xi waved her hand subconsciously.

Lin Xiao immediately frowned and said in a deep voice, "No?!"

Xi Xi quickly corrected herself, "Oh dear, that's not what I meant... I'm happy, I was just laughing because I was thinking about something else, hehe~"

Lin Xiao looked at his wife's charming and adorable appearance, his eyes filled with tenderness.

Although she had gained a lot of weight, with extra flesh on her face, arms, and neck, he didn't mind at all; in fact, he thought she was even cuter.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"Hmm...I won't tell you!"

Xi Xi shook her head, eating the beef that Lin Xiao had put in her bowl, her face beaming with joy.

Lin Xiao didn't really want to know, because his wife's ideas were always whimsical, and he was used to it.

But I still joked with her.

"Tell me, we're practically family!"

"Hmph, if I don't tell you, you'll definitely laugh at me!"

"No, I promise I won't laugh at you, I promise!"

As Lin Xiao spoke, he solemnly raised his right palm.

Seeing his expression, Xixi hesitated for a moment.

"Hmm... Don't even think about it!"

"..."

Lin Xiao pretended to be speechless and angrily gnawed on the meatball.

“Brother, I have a question for you~” Xixi suddenly spoke up.

"Ah."

"Will you... think I'm too fat now?"

"Um?!"

Lin Xiao paused in his eating of the meatball, looked up in alarm, and alarm bells rang in his mind.

Here it comes, here it comes, my lovely wife has brought me the life-or-death questions she tailored just for me!
Lin Xiao was terrified, his eyes darting around, but he tried his best to remain still to present a calm demeanor as if Mount Tai had collapsed in front of him.

Actually, I was already panicking a lot inside.

Across from him, seeing that he hadn't said anything for a long time, Xixi quickly grinned and said, "Don't worry, even if you think I'm fat, I won't be angry, really! I swear!"

Now it was Xixi's turn to raise her right hand.

Lin Xiao gave a perfunctory smile, but he was even more nervous inside.

What does "swearing" mean? It means, "If you dare say I'm fat, you're dead meat... right?"
He paused for a moment, then suddenly reached out his left hand, stepped over the mostly untouched plate on the table, and grasped Xixi's right hand.

Xi Xi was still a little confused, staring blankly at him.

Lin Xiao looked into his wife's eyes and smiled gently, "Wife, you're not fat at all!"

Xi Xi was somewhat thrown off balance by this overly intense yet gentle offensive.

It felt like I had just fired a random shot, and the other side immediately pulled out a Gatling gun and started spraying bullets at me.

"How could that be... I weigh over 140 pounds now, I'm unbelievably fat, my mom and my aunt both say I eat too much..."

Xixi's voice grew softer as she spoke, her head bowed in disappointment.

Lin Xiao laughed and said, "But during the prenatal checkup, all the indicators were normal, and the doctor said that the baby's weight was within the perfectly reasonable and normal range, so there's absolutely nothing to worry about!"

Xi Xi said helplessly, "But the doctor also said that it's fortunate that I'm young and have a good metabolism. If I were an older pregnant woman, eating like this would definitely lead to gestational diabetes and the baby would be overweight... I have indeed been a little greedy these past two months..."

Seeing that his wife's mood was about to deteriorate, Lin Xiao quickly slammed on the brakes.

"See, that's where my wife's brilliance lies!"

"Huh?! What do you mean?" Xixi asked, puzzled and curious.

Lin Xiao laughed and said, "If others ate like you, either they or their children would be unhealthy, but you'd be fine. Why? Because you're young! So what if you're young? Youth is your asset! Every woman goes through youth, but some women don't have children until their late thirties. Their metabolism isn't good, and their constitution deteriorates, so no matter how careful they are, they still have all sorts of problems during prenatal checkups. It's impossible to prevent them all!"
"Ha, my wife is different! She got pregnant at 23 and gave birth before she was 24. Her body is at its best, she can eat whatever she wants and indulge herself without any problems! Other girls your age are either thinking about having fun or are afraid of marriage and childbirth, making it seem like men would all want to marry them and have children with them..."

"My wife is clear-headed and independent. When she was in her best physical condition and at the peak of her career, she decided to have a baby without any hesitation. As a result, she is perfectly healthy. The doctors who did the prenatal checkups were rendered useless by your expertise... Tell me, isn't that your brilliance?"

Lin Xiao started rambling on and on.

Xi Xi was completely dumbfounded.

"See? Am I right?"

"Hehe, hehe!"

Xi Xi smiled, a mixture of happiness and helplessness in her eyes, "You...you're really good at making things up!"

Lin Xiao thought the silly girl was going to be fooled again, but he found that she was completely awake.

Goodness, once you've been together for a while, you're not so easy to fool anymore!

Isn't it said that women become forgetful for three years after pregnancy? Oh, I think it refers to the period after childbirth.

That’s okay!

Xixi paused for a moment, then said happily, "Okay, although I know you're just talking nonsense to comfort me, I'm still very happy, hehe~"

Lin Xiao breathed a sigh of relief.

He got up, walked to Xixi's side, bent down and kissed her forehead, then held her head in his arms.

"Wife, do you want to hear the truth?" he said.

"Ok?"

Xi Xi frowned, thinking to herself, "I've already gotten over this, why are you still coming back?"
"Do you have to say it?"

Xi Xi was a little resistant. Since what she said earlier was a lie, she could already deduce what the truth would be like.

Lin Xiao was blunt: "You have to say it!"

Xi Xi was speechless.

"Okay, then you go ahead and say it..."

"To be honest... you're not fat. If you stay at this weight, that would be great!"

"Um?!"

Xi Xi looked up, a little out of sync with the rhythm.

What happened to telling the truth? This is even more unbelievable than a lie!
Lin Xiao grinned: "What? You don't believe me?"

Xi Xi was puzzled: "No, it's just that I find it a bit unbelievable. Don't you guys all like slim girls? Who likes a fat girl?"

Lin Xiao said seriously, "Who says boys like slim girls? We... like curvy girls!"

Xi Xi was stunned, and then made a move to hit him in anger.

He quickly grabbed his wife's hand, wrapped his arms around her waist, and hugged her tightly, pressing his face against his belly.

"Actually, men's preferences are not static. Slim or curvy, tall or cute, as long as the face is good-looking, it doesn't matter!"

"Um?!!"

"Don't be angry yet, let me finish!"

Lin Xiao forcefully restrained his wife, who was on the verge of exploding, and said, teetering on the edge of courting death, "But the standard of judgment just now refers to men appreciating women who are unrelated to them—since it has nothing to do with them, they can naturally express their aesthetics and preferences completely rationally and objectively."

Xi Xi still frowned, wanting to hear what kind of nonsense he could spout.

Lin Xiao continued, "But it's a completely different story when it comes to his wife; it's a completely different standard."

Xi Xi frowned, puzzled.

"What's the difference?"

"Of course there's a difference. A wife is a wife because there are feelings and responsibilities involved!"

Lin Xiao said seriously, "Men's aesthetic sense is actually very simple. They like an 18-year-old when they are 18, and they still like an 18-year-old when they are 80. But if there is affection and responsibility, they can accept a woman in all her states from 18 to 80 years old, not to mention things like weight gain or wrinkles."

"Time is merciless; it can make people fat, old, and ugly, but love and responsibility can withstand these, keeping you forever young and beautiful, forever slim and graceful, forever lively and lovely!"

Lin Xiao spoke very seriously and emotionally.

Xixi understood.

In fact, her current age and shallow, limited romantic experience are not enough for her to understand and feel these things.

However, due to hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy, her emotions were also unpredictable, and her understanding of love and responsibility was completely different from that during her courtship.

Therefore, she was able to quickly understand what Lin Xiao was saying.

I even felt a strange urge to cry.

At that moment, she nestled in her husband's warm embrace, and although it was a little difficult, she still tried her best to reach out and hold him tight.

The two remained motionless for a long time.

"Wife?" Lin Xiao called her softly.

"……Um?"

Xixi's voice was soft and gentle, like a well-behaved little lamb.

Lin Xiao smoothed her long hair: "Keep eating, the bottom of the pot is almost burnt dry."

Xi Xi hummed in agreement, tilted her head back, and smiled brightly.

Lin Xiao lowered his head and gently kissed her lips before sitting back down opposite her.

"So, brother, after all that you just said... you still think I'm fat, right?"

Xixi suddenly asked.

Lin Xiao was taken aback. The fish ball he had just scooped out of the pot fell back into the pot with a "thud".

"Um?!"

This plot is completely different from what I expected!
He was completely dumbfounded.

……

Just as Lin Xiao was deeply experiencing the unpredictable mood swings of pregnant women.

In the conference room of the Anyang County Culture and Tourism Bureau, the planning leadership team of the "Chaoshuihe Culture Festival", headed by Fang Danian, gathered to receive distinguished guests from afar.

In the guest seats of the conference room, there was a man and a woman.

The man was in his thirties, and his appearance was quite ordinary.

Women are completely different; they are young, beautiful, and refined, with skin so white it glows, eyes that smile with unfathomable depth, and an aura of beauty that makes one feel dangerous.

"Miss Zhong's presence in our Anyang County is truly an honor to our bureau!"

Although Fang Danian was over fifty years old, it was his first time meeting a big star face to face, and he was quite nervous.

Two heavyweight guests have already been confirmed for the Chaoshuihe Culture program.

The first person, Cao Yuanzhi, readily agreed to attend, but due to his tight schedule, we have only communicated by phone so far and I have not yet met him in person.

The second one is this beautiful woman in front of us. Although she is not as popular as Cao Yuanzhi, she is a rising star in the small county of Anyang. She is a well-known female singer.

Zhong Jiawen truly embodied the word "proactive" when it came to actively participating in the Chaoshuihe Cultural Festival.

First, they proactively contacted the bureau.

Now they've come again, wanting to discuss the performance date and program.

Since the guests were so kind as to grace us with their presence, Fang Danian couldn't be impolite. Even on his day off, he still held a meeting with key members to welcome them—he didn't call Deputy Director Lin Xiao, since his wife was about to give birth and his family was more important.

So far, everything seems to be going smoothly at this meeting.

Chung Chia-wen didn't say much; her agent, Liu Gang, did most of the communication with Fang Danian and the others, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.

Fang Danian also expressed his understanding.

Big stars are already giving us a lot of face just by showing up; these kinds of trivial details about the performance are naturally handled by their agents.

Moreover, although Chung Ka-man did not speak, her manners were impeccable throughout. Not only did she listen attentively, but her eyes also darted back and forth across the row of people opposite her, as if she were trying to figure something out.

Fang Danian was somewhat puzzled, but could only interpret the star's gaze as a sign of intense attention, which only increased his fondness for her.

The negotiations are nearing their end.

Fang Danian said, "You two distinguished guests have come from afar and must be tired. Our small county town doesn't have much to offer, but we've prepared some local specialties at a restaurant nearby. We hope Miss Zhong and Agent Liu will do us the honor of dining here..."

Upon hearing this, agent Liu Gang was about to refuse.

At this moment, Zhong Jiawen, who had been silent all along, suddenly opened her brightly painted red lips, her tone carrying a seductive charm and languidness.

"Are all the leaders from our Culture and Tourism Bureau here?" she asked.

Fang Danian was caught off guard by the question.

I never expected that the first thing the big star would say would be this.

Although he was puzzled, he still said, "We also have a deputy director who is at home taking care of his wife who is about to give birth! But please rest assured, Miss Zhong, the Chaoshui River Cultural Festival was planned and promoted by me, and I will definitely not let you down..."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhong Jiawen's lazy and alluring gaze suddenly sharpened.

A glint of light flashed, making Fang Danian's heart tighten; he felt something was amiss.

"A deputy director whose wife is newly pregnant... he's young and promising!"

Chung Chia-wen smiled.

Fang Danian nodded and said, "Indeed! Our Deputy Director Lin was just transferred from Chaobai Town before the New Year. He was the deputy mayor of Chaobai Town before. I don't know if Miss Zhong has heard of this place name. Last year..." Before he could finish speaking, Zhong Jiawen laughed loudly and interrupted him very rudely.

"Chaobai Town? I've heard of it, it's very famous!"

"Right? I bet you've heard of it!"

"He was the deputy mayor of Chaobai Town before?" Zhong Jiawen's interest was piqued.

Fang Danian assumed that she had heard about the popularity of Chaobai Town last year. Upon further reflection, he realized that such a big star's willingness to participate in the Chaoshui River Culture Festival in Anyang County was most likely related to the popularity of Chaobai Town during last year's National Day holiday and the song "Love Like a Tide".

So it's quite normal for her to pay attention to Chaobai Town.

Fang Danian enthusiastically introduced, "Yes, before coming to our Culture and Tourism Bureau, Deputy Director Lin was the deputy mayor of Chaobai Town. He was the one who planned and developed the rural tourism industry in Chaobai Town. He is a very capable young cadre!"

After hearing this introduction, Chung Chia-man's smile became even brighter.

He exchanged a glance with Liu Gang next to him.

When Fang Danian saw them, he didn't know why, but he felt that the two guests looked like a pair of thieves.

Agent Liu Gang then asked, "So, Cao Yuanzhi is attending our Anyang County Cultural Festival because of this Deputy Director Lin that Director Fang mentioned? After all, Cao Yuanzhi suddenly became popular last year because he sang the theme song 'Love Like a Tide' for Chaobai Town, and this song was created by Deputy Director Lin when he was in charge of Chaobai Town!"

Fang Danian frowned when asked the question.

Although he didn't know what was going on, Liu Gang's meticulous logic and inquisitive tone made him, a seasoned official, sense a hint of danger.

The aura was strange and abrupt, but it was undeniably real.

Fang Danian became wary and quickly smiled, "I don't know the specific details! But our Nanzhou Province has always been a land of abundant resources and outstanding people, producing many talented men and women. It shouldn't be anything extraordinary that Chaobai Town has discovered a musician and written a hit song, right?"

Liu Gang and Zhong Jiawen sneered.

The two men were clearly no longer listening to Director Fang's attempt to make amends; they had already made their own judgment.

"Director Fang, may I ask for Deputy Director Lin's name?" Zhong Jiawen asked again.

"This one……"

Even if Fang Danian was foolish, he realized at this moment that the two guests' intentions might not be as simple as they seemed on the surface.

His tone became hesitant.

Zhong Jiawen smiled seductively, "If Director Fang can't say, then forget it. It's nothing important. We'll skip dinner today and see you at the cultural festival performance!"

After speaking, she took the initiative to extend her slender arm and shake hands with Fang Danian.

Fang Danian was somewhat flattered. He grasped the woman's four fingers, then withdrew them after a brief touch.

Zhong Jiawen and Liu Gang walked away.

The nanny van was parked downstairs, and Zhong Jiawen went straight up.

As soon as the car door closed, she said, "Go to the official website of Anyang County, find the page of the Culture and Tourism Bureau, and you should find all the information about the leadership team there..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Gang had already handed him the phone.

"It should be this one, Lin Xiao, the deputy director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau. He wasn't present at the meeting, but there's a photo of him!"

Liu Gang's tone was low.

Zhong Jiawen took the phone, her sharp gaze locking onto the photo on the screen, a slight upturn at the corners of her red lips.

The man in the photo has regular features, is wearing a white shirt, and looks very young.

Although it only shows his upper body and is a close-up shot, the sense of righteousness, handsomeness and youthful vigor is overwhelming, which is completely different from the "uncle vibe" that is usually seen in this industry.

Chung Chia-wen only needed one glance to lock onto her target and resolve her doubts that had lingered for months.

"Lin Xiao, Lin Xiao... Xiao... Ma Yao?!"

“So that’s it!!”

She sneered, never expecting that the answer to the problem that had troubled her for months would be so superficial.

She felt like she had been tricked.

It's like someone giving you a very complicated math problem, and you think it requires advanced mathematical concepts, but you can't figure it out even after trying for a long time.

The mystery was solved; they just asked you to count how many sealed circles were in the set of numbers.

She completely misunderstood the approach.

I always thought Ma Yao was his real name, but his identity was mysterious and unpredictable, and I didn't know who he was.

I never imagined that the name was fake, and that the person's surname wasn't even "Ma".

Chung Ka-man was both angry and amused.

When her gaze returned to the photo on her phone, her eyes and brows held a newfound allure and ruthlessness, making her appear like a venomous snake.

At this point, she finally understood why Han Xixi was willing to marry him.

Turns out, the mysterious musician is not only mysterious and talented... but also damn handsome!

Just for that face alone, she's absolutely worth marrying!
Zhong Jiawen, standing from a woman's perspective, instantly understood Han Xixi, and the next second, she was filled with jealousy, almost boiling over.

She had always thought that Han Xixi was the same kind of person as her, using her youth and beauty to pursue a career in stardom.

However, she ended up with a greasy, rich old man, while Han Xixi chose a talented but 100% greasy and ugly musical genius!
Unexpectedly, Ma Yao, the mysterious musician who wrote so many great songs, is also so handsome.

In other words.

Chung Ka-man always thought that their marriage was nothing more than a transaction where each party got what they wanted.

But now they're telling her that they're a perfect match, a loving couple, and true love?!
How could Chung Ka-man tolerate this?

This blow was even more unbearable than watching Han Xixi become a sensation while he could only ride on her coattails.

Both are women, and both are singers who debuted at a young age.

The two people's circumstances were worlds apart; it was as if fate had shown favoritism by creating a whole world map.

"I need Lin Xiao's contact information!" Zhong Jiawen said with a dark face.

"This is easy!"

Liu Gang had already guessed her request and had found the office phone number of the county's Culture and Tourism Bureau.

I dialed the number immediately.

With a feigned intention to engage in cultural and tourism cooperation and a decisive and efficient style, he quickly obtained the phone number of Deputy Director Lin Xiao before the staff could react.

Zhong Jiawen looked at the phone number she had just received and smiled coldly.

"Han Xixi hasn't shown up for so long, she must be pregnant!"

"Pregnancy is great! Men get restless when their wives are pregnant... The rate of husbands cheating during pregnancy is quite high!"

She thought to herself, but a plan was already forming in her mind as her eyes darted around.

……

It's around five o'clock in the evening.

Liu Liyun and Liu Lixia, who were evicted from the villa, along with their still indignant cousin Liang Tian, ​​returned to the villa.

Lin Xiao felt terrible about himself, so after handing his wife over to them, he quickly retreated.

He drove back to Tianlanyuan to visit his parents.

On the way, I suddenly received a call from an unknown number, the location of which was Haicheng.

He hesitated for a few seconds, but still chose to answer the call.

"Hello."

"..."

There was no sound from the other end.

"Hey?"

"..."

Still no sound.

Lin Xiao guessed it was a sales call with a bad signal, so he was about to hang up.

Just then, a sweet, languid, and somewhat sinister female voice rang out.

"Excuse me, are you Professor Ma Yao?"

"!!"

Lin Xiao was startled.

He was at the intersection when he almost crashed into the car in front of him.

This was the first time he had been addressed in such a formal tone, referring to Ma Yao, an identity he had kept hidden for so long.

Those who know this identity are his closest relatives and wouldn't call him that.

Only netizens can call him that, but it's impossible for them to call him.

But now...

Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should admit it.

But after thinking about it, it seemed unnecessary to deny it anymore, since the other party had already attacked directly.

"May I ask who you are?" he asked.

“Zhong Jiawen!”

They were quite open and honest on the other side, without any attempt to hide anything.

Lin Xiao was startled again, but then he quickly grasped all the key points and was not surprised at all that this persistent woman could quickly find out his identity and phone number.

"Hello, Ms. Zhong."

"Ah!"

Chung Chia-wen smiled with great appreciation, "You're not at all surprised that I knew your identity and called you!"

Lin Xiao smiled calmly, accepting the enemy's reward.

They have faced off many times.

Previously, they had only exchanged blows remotely through Han Xixi and Cao Yuanzhi, with each side winning and losing.

Today's phone call marks their first direct confrontation.

Although it was dangerous, it felt strangely exciting.

"Miss Zhong, what brings you here?" Lin Xiao cut to the chase.

"I called the great musician Ma Yao, of course, to ask him for a song!"

Zhong Jiawen laughed and said, "Teacher Ma, as long as you agree to write a song for me, you name your price, and I will definitely not treat you unfairly!"

Lin Xiao smiled calmly.

"You really think I can drive however I want?"

"Of course, I..."

"How about one hundred million for one song?"

Lin Xiao didn't give Zhong Jiawen a chance to boast, and directly sealed the victory.

On the other end of the phone, Zhong Jiawen remained silent for a long time; you could tell from her breathing that she was furious.

But she suppressed her anger and sneered, "Teacher Ma, that's not fair. I went to great lengths to find your contact information and even volunteered to perform at the Anyang County Chaoshui River Cultural Festival. Shouldn't that represent my sincerity? You write the song, I pay you, we'll do a fair and transparent transaction... Why are you keeping me at arm's length?"

Lin Xiao smiled and said, "Sorry, I don't like making deals!"

There was silence on the other end again.

"Does Teacher Ma's attitude mean there's no room for negotiation?"

"It's negotiable."

"Those conditions..."

"We can discuss it, but there's no result!"

Lin Xiao spoke in the calmest tone, saying the most sarcastic and hurtful things.

Even with all her patience, Chung Chia-wen was about to explode.

But even someone as materialistic as Chung Ka-man is willing to show ten times more patience than others when faced with a talented man she has worked so hard to win over.

"Can I ask why?"

"No reason."

"I don't mean any particular reason, it's just that I became famous by riding on your wife's popularity and used my beauty to deceive your friend Cao Yuanzhi, so you hate me, right?"

"Ah!"

This time it was Lin Xiao's turn to be surprised. His tone was calm, but there was a hint of fear in it.

"You're quite bold to admit it. I have no evidence to prove these things, yet you've already confessed!"

On the other end of the phone, Zhong Jiawen's voice was cold and alluring, like a venomous snake about to crawl out of the phone.

"Teacher Ma has already launched a brilliant counterattack behind the scenes against all my schemes! Others may not know this, but you and I do. There's really no point in me denying it or pretending to be ignorant now!"

"..." Lin Xiao remained silent.

"However, Teacher Ma!"

Zhong Jiawen remained calm and composed. "Since you know I can scheme against Han Xixi and Cao Yuanzhi, aren't you afraid that after you reject me today, I'll continue to work on them?"

"for example?"

"For example, revealing your wife's pregnancy, or getting back together with your best friend, and then dumping him again when he's head over heels in love with me!"

"..."

It has to be said that Lin Xiao felt threatened, and his eyes sharpened a bit.

But his tone remained calm: "Are you threatening me?"

The person on the other end of the phone sneered: "No, Mr. Ma, you've misunderstood. We can completely forget what you said after that. I'll ask you the question from the beginning again—Mr. Ma, I'm here to ask for a song. Name your price!"

Lin Xiao paused.

"Then I'll answer again—I can write songs, one hundred million per song, no bargaining!"

"..."

This time, Zhong Jiawen's eyes finally became uncontrollably sharp and vicious.

(End of this chapter)