Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 270, Section 271: Counterattack Against the Vicious Woman

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Xiao became a father.

At 5:30 p.m., the baby was born less than three hours ago.

Lin Xiao's phone, which had been powered off long ago, finally had time to find a charger and socket, and successfully powered it on.

I had only been on my phone for two minutes when a phone call came in.

Lin Xiao frowned slightly upon seeing the phone number, then quickly pressed the volume button to mute the sound.

He then put his phone on silent.

"Brother, who is it?" Han Xixi heard it after all and looked at the child to ask.

"Spam calls."

Lin Xiao answered casually, his tone natural.

Xixi didn't take it to heart.

Lin Xiao put down his phone, and the young couple gathered around the cradle again, watching the nurse skillfully change the baby's diaper and feed him formula.

The little pink baby is awake, kicking his legs without crying or fussing.

A pair of eyes were wide open, curiously observing the world.

Xixi seemed to have gotten used to it and gradually felt that the clown doll wasn't so ugly anymore.

"Why isn't she crying?" the new mother asked curiously.

"I just fed you formula, you're full, why are you crying!"

Liu Liyun said helplessly.

Xi Xi asked, puzzled, "But don't all babies cry when they're first born? I've seen it on TV, they cry so loudly! She wouldn't be..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Liyun snapped at him, "Don't talk nonsense! Our child is perfectly fine!"

The voice just fell.

She was just being well-behaved, not crying or making a fuss, but suddenly her little mouth twitched, she made two sobbing sounds, and then burst into loud sobs.

"Oh my, oh my, my precious baby~~"

Liu Liyun quickly and gently took the child into her arms, patting his back to comfort him. She then turned to Han Xixi and scolded, "You, as a mother, can't stand seeing your child happy. We weren't crying at all, but you made us cry!"

Xixi stuck out her tongue, looking like she'd done something naughty.

Lin Xiao looked at her and laughed.

The little one cried loudly, and Liu Liyun wasn't good at it; she couldn't soothe him no matter what she tried.

In the end, the case could only be handed over to a nanny who was already on duty, and she calmed the situation down in no time.

Xi Xi watched in amazement.

Seeing this, the nanny came over and asked, "Does Mommy want a hug?"

Xi Xi waved her hands repeatedly in fright: "No, no... She's so tiny, I can't possibly hold her!"

She kept shrinking behind Lin Xiao.

Liu Liyun then scolded helplessly, "This is your own daughter, not a bomb. Why are you so scared? How can you be a good mother like this?"

Xi Xi, not to be outdone, retorted with a stubborn neck, "After you gave birth to me, did you immediately become an all-around perfect mother?"

Liu Liyun was speechless after just one sentence.

He could only pretend to hit her, but he was too lazy to argue with her.

Lin Xiao laughed and said, "Xixi just gave birth and is still very weak, so it's best not to let her hold the baby. As for whether she's a good mother... there's no standard answer. Being a full-time stay-at-home mom and doing everything herself makes her a good mother, and being a capable and independent woman outside the home also makes her a good mother. My wife can choose what kind of mother she wants to be, and I support her!"

Two sentences made Han Xixi squint her eyes and smile. The torment of more than ten hours of childbirth seemed to be completely forgotten at this moment.

She nestled against Lin Xiao's side, her gaze fixed on the clown doll perched on the nanny's shoulder, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Seeing this, Liu Liyun smiled with genuine satisfaction.

Lin Xiao's words just now not only resonated with Xixi, but also with her, as his mother-in-law.

Isn't she also a "good mother" recognized by universal values?
Over the years, no one has ever used such words to describe her, and she is too embarrassed to call herself that.

But if someone says that she is a terrible mother!
She definitely wouldn't admit that.

However, no matter what, for her, the role of mother is still far from being "good".

She herself often felt a little guilty.

But Lin Xiao's words instantly soothed the guilt she had felt towards her daughter for so many years.

Life is full of different aspects, and everyone is different.

Whether someone is a good mother or not shouldn't be judged by a single standard.

Who says that a mother who is so dedicated to her work and has an independent female personality doesn't deserve the praise of being a "good mother"?
At that moment, Liu Liyun felt a surge of pride.

Looking at her son-in-law Lin Xiao again, her satisfaction with her daughter's marriage reached an unprecedented peak.

The room was filled with joy and harmony.

Not long after, Aunt Liu Lixia and her mother Zhou Xiuping came to deliver a meal to the new mother. When they opened the package, they found a very generous spread of chicken, duck, fish and meat.

No one noticed anything amiss.

The postpartum nanny quickly said that the new mother was still too weak after giving birth and could not eat high-calorie, high-nutrient foods. She could only eat millet porridge, vegetarian noodle soup, and the like.

These words left Zhou Xiuping, who had spent the entire afternoon preparing the meals, completely bewildered.

Standing still like a child who has done something wrong.

Noticing her mother-in-law's unease, Xixi, lying in her hospital bed, quickly said, "It's alright, everyone's eaten, so we can share."

As she spoke, she gave Lin Xiao a meaningful look.

Lin Xiao understood and quickly replied, "That's right, I'm hungry, give it to me, my mom's mushroom and chicken stew is so delicious!"

He even made a drooling gesture as he spoke, which made everyone in the room burst into laughter.

Zhou Xiuping's expression softened a bit, and she scolded, "You got off easy! Once Xixi recovers, you won't get any of these things. You can eat whatever you want!"

Lin Xiao nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes, I'm just benefiting from my wife's fame!"

The room was filled with people chatting and laughing, and the atmosphere became relaxed and warm again.

After dinner.

After switching shifts, Liu Liyun went home to rest.

Lin Xiao refused to leave.

Xi Xi urged him, "You stink, and your eye bags are practically drooping to the floor. Why don't you go home, take a shower, and get some sleep..."

Although the words were scolding, they were also full of heartache.

Lin Xiao grinned like a goofball: "It's only seven o'clock, no rush, I'll stay a little longer, I'll leave at ten!"

Xi Xi was actually reluctant to part with him, so she went along with it.

The baby is asleep again, very peaceful in the stroller, with a pouty mouth and long eyelashes curled up like two brushes.

Zhou Xiuping and the nanny tactfully stayed in the outer room, leaving the space to the family of three.

The young couple stood on either side of the crib, gazing intently at their child.

"Wife..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Xixi was very nervous.

"Oh……"

Lin Xiao shrank back, quickly changed to a breathy voice, and said with a grin, "Thank you, you've worked hard!"

He held Xixi's hand, his eyes full of sincerity.

Xi Xi's eyes softened.

"You're welcome... but it really hurts..."

As she spoke, her lips pouted again, her face full of grievance.

Lin Xiao quickly came around, held her and sat on the edge of the bed, stroking her hair to comfort her.

After a while, Xixi finally stopped crying and started laughing, her sadness quickly gone.

"Honey, shall we give our baby a nickname?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking, and I've already thought it all through!" Lin Xiao said excitedly.

"Really? What's your name?"

"Call me... Xiao Chu!"

"Xiaochu?"

Han Xixi pondered the name, a strange sense of familiarity appearing on her face.

"Xiao Chu...it sounds nice, but is there any explanation for it?"

"Well, the explanation is... hehe, because today is the first day of the Lunar New Year!"

"..."

Xi Xi rolled her eyes. "No, bro, do you have to be so hasty?"

Lin Xiao was displeased: "Where is it hasty? I thought it through carefully! The first day of the Lunar New Year is indeed a very special day. It represents the beginning of a new year, a time of renewal, and a day for family reunion. The meaning is very auspicious."

"But the baby is a girl, so we can't name her 'New Year,' and 'Big Beginning' doesn't sound good... After thinking about it, I've decided on 'Little Beginning.' It's cute and has a nice meaning. What do you think?"

After hearing this explanation, Han Xixi pondered the nickname again and felt that its meaning had changed.

Her face was beaming with a bright smile.

"Brother, I'm so happy!"

"Ok?"

Lin Xiao was puzzled, unable to understand why the topic had jumped so quickly.

"You're happy just because I gave the baby a nickname? Aren't your expectations of me, your husband, a little too low?"

As he spoke, he reached out and flicked her nose.

Xi Xi rested her head on her shoulder and smiled gently: "It has nothing to do with the nickname... but it does have something to do with it! Although I gave birth to a girl, judging from the formal name and nickname you chose, you really love her and don't mind that she's not a son at all... so I feel very happy!"

These words made Lin Xiao serious.

"Han Xixi, even though you just gave birth today and are still very weak, if you keep saying this, I still have to say: I'm very angry!"

"what?"

"What do you mean by 'even though you gave birth to a girl' and what do you mean by 'you didn't mind at all that she was a son'?"

"Um... well, don't men generally prefer sons?"

"Then I'm in Class Two, is that okay?"

"..."

Xi Xi was speechless, not knowing which of her husband's words were true and which were false.

Lin Xiao said solemnly, "Remember this, this is our child. My love for her needs no preconditions, and it has nothing to do with her gender. I love her... the only reason is because I love you, understand?"

Xixi felt a warmth in her heart, but her emotions, which had finally calmed down, were about to collapse again.

She pouted and begged for a hug.

Lin Xiao, however, showed no mercy, coldly rebuking, "What? Be serious, your husband is trying to reason with you!"

Xi Xi cooperated with the performance, instantly suppressing her emotions.

"Oh!"

"Did you understand what I just said? Don't say that again, or Xiao Chu will be unhappy!"

"Her? Did you hear that? She's less than 24 hours old!"

"So what? What if my daughter is a genius?"

"Even geniuses aren't born knowing how to understand human speech, are they?"

"Who can say for sure? How could an ordinary person like you possibly understand the world of geniuses?"

"..." Han Xixi was speechless, and really wanted to applaud this man.

Okay, okay, I thought I was proud enough to have a child, but compared to you, I'm actually quite modest!
I'm truly impressed!

……

Lin Xiao stayed with his wife at the hospital until after nine o'clock.

Only after confirming that she was sound asleep did I leave the hospital.

As soon as I got on the bus, that unfamiliar number called again—not exactly unfamiliar, since I had just answered it yesterday.

The caller ID showed Haicheng, and the person on the other end of the line was that crazy woman, Zhong Jiawen!

This time, he chose to answer the call.

"Hey!" Lin Xiao said, his voice barely containing his anger.

Having just become a father, he was in a state of great joy, and anyone who dared to provoke him at this crucial moment would be courting death.

On the other end of the phone, Zhong Jiawen's tone remained alluring, tinged with a hint of languor and arrogance.

"Oh, Mr. Ma, you've finally answered the phone? I was thinking that if you hadn't answered, I would have gone to the hospital to visit your wife."

"..."

Lin Xiao's heart sank, and anger surged within him.

You'd better not be exaggerating!

"You'll see once you try... Ninghai Anqi Hospital, right?"

"..."

Lin Xiao was speechless for a moment.

He was filled with rage, but also a bit panicked, because his wife and children were indeed in this hospital.

"How did you know?" he asked in a low voice.

"I don't know, I'm just guessing!"

"……You fool me?"

"It can hardly be called playing around!"

Zhong Jiawen smiled seductively, her voice laced with a captivating allure, "Ninghai isn't some international metropolis, there aren't many wealthy people. Han Xixi is a big star, she wouldn't give birth in a public hospital, it would definitely be a private maternity hospital, and a high-end one at that. In Ninghai, the most well-known high-end private maternity hospital is Anqi... Is it hard to guess?"

Lin Xiao was speechless for a moment, and his judgment of this enemy's cunning and skill level rose several notches.

"Why are you calling me?" he asked directly, too lazy to beat around the bush.

"Teacher Ma Yao really has a short memory!"

Chung Chia-man laughed and said, "I said last time that I'm willing to pay the highest market price to buy a song from you, it's that simple!"

Lin Xiao smiled calmly.

"As I said before, it's impossible unless you offer 100 million!"

"Why bother, Teacher Ma?"

"Why bother?"

Lin Xiao smiled calmly, "I'm the kind of person who responds better to gentleness than force. I hate being schemed against, and I hate being threatened even more... Every move you make right now is hitting my sore spots. Do you really expect me to sell you a song?"

Zhong Jiawen seemed to have expected this answer and was not surprised: "Teacher Ma really misunderstood me... It's hard to explain over the phone, why don't we meet and talk?"

Lin Xiao sneered: "My time is precious, I won't waste it on unimportant people!"

Zhong Jiawen also smirked: "Teacher Ma, Deputy Director Lin, you're not afraid that I'll set up a trap for you, saying we're meeting to discuss business, but actually arranging for reporters to follow us and take photos, then posting them online for hype, or sending a photo of us together to your wife, are you?"

Lin Xiao smiled without saying a word, thinking to himself that this was indeed something this venomous woman was capable of doing!

Zhong Jiawen laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'm not that stupid! Since I need your help, why would I use such underhanded methods to blackmail you? If I anger you, it won't do me any good!"

"My goal has always been simply to buy songs, and I have no intention of having any scandals with you—after all, you are a married man, and I am an artist who relies on my reputation for a living. Getting too close to you will not do my career any good!"

Lin Xiao just gave a cold laugh after hearing this.

Chung Chia-wen's analysis is indeed reasonable, but based on the brief contact with her so far, this woman's behavior cannot be judged by conventional logic.

"You said you wouldn't threaten me or frame me?" he countered.

"Of course, I just want to be friends with Teacher Ma!"

"Oh...making friends! Exposing Cao Yuanzhi and conspiring with others to frame him, is this how you make friends with me?"

Lin Xiao asked calmly.

Upon hearing this, Chung Chia-wen exclaimed in an exaggerated manner, "What? You think I did this? I'm innocent..."

Lin Xiao simply couldn't stand watching this clumsy performance.

"Alright, Miss Zhong, you're smart, but I'm not stupid! Just the day before yesterday, you threatened me with Cao Yuanzhi and my wife, and that very night, several of Cao Yuanzhi's ex-girlfriends jointly published an article exposing his so-called scumbag behavior... Do you think I'd believe that this is a coincidence?"

"If you don't believe me, you shouldn't blame it on me. Cao Yuanzhi's sudden popularity doesn't affect my business. Male and female singers don't even belong to the same market!"

Chung Chia-wen looked aggrieved, but her tone didn't suggest she was in a hurry to explain.

Clearly, both of them knew perfectly well that this was what she had done!
But she absolutely refused to admit it, even though she knew that Lin Xiao had already confirmed her identity as the real culprit.

But we cannot admit it either.

She needed this "clean" identity to buy a song from the talented musician Ma Yao.

Therefore, they secretly blackmail others while appearing innocent on the surface.

This is the state Zhong Jiawen needs, and it's also the face-changing skill passed down through thousands of years by the Chinese nation—as long as things don't fall apart, everything is still negotiable.

Unfortunately, Lin Xiao wasn't one to play dumb.

He holds grudges very long, extremely long!
"Whether you did it or not is unimportant, I don't care at all!" Lin Xiao said nonchalantly.

"Oh?"

Chung Chia-wen became curious.

Lin Xiao laughed and said, "Because I wrote songs for Lao Cao and helped him debut, it was only to help him get out of the gloom of heartbreak and cheer him up. Now that goal has been achieved. The two songs have brought him to the top of the music scene, and the royalties will be enough to ensure he can live a comfortable life for the rest of his life!"

He paused, then chuckled, "As for the fall from grace, he's been in the music industry for so long, he should have seen through it long ago... Even if he hadn't, he can only accept it now, it's not a big deal! Besides, although you framed him, it's true that he had a questionable past, so this setback isn't unjust!"

Chung Chia-wen: "..."

I was speechless!

Lin Xiao's analysis left even the venomous woman bewildered. She thought to herself: Could it be that I've inadvertently become a righteous hero, ridding the people of a scourge?!

"Teacher Ma, what exactly are you trying to say?"

"What I want to say is very simple!"

Lin Xiao smiled calmly, "You took Cao Yuanzhi as an example, fine, I won't pursue it. But if you dare to make a move on my wife... I'm warning you, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Zhong Jiawen laughed: "Teacher Ma, how are you going to be so impolite? I'm so scared..."

Her voice was sweet and delicate, yet full of provocation.

Lin Xiao knew that this woman was used to being arrogant and didn't put any pressure on him at all.

He didn't seem to care, simply uttering a few words coldly: "Golden Eagle Group, Zhang Rufeng!"

The laughter on the other end of the phone abruptly stopped.

A few seconds later, the call was abruptly disconnected, and the car finally returned to silence.

Lin Xiao smiled calmly when he saw the phone screen was off.

He was not surprised at all by Chung Ka-man's reaction.

Because the name he just mentioned is the mysterious power behind Zhong Jiawen, the sugar daddy she has gained her current status through relentless flattery!
Chung Chia-wen is fearless and can go crazy and frame anyone at any time, easily ruining Tsao Yuan-chi's future.

But she would definitely be afraid of Zhang Rufeng.

Because she was provided with resources by her sugar daddy, she has achieved everything she has now.

In fact, during the final stage of "The Voice of China", she was able to work with Hunan TV while poaching Xi Xi's manager, Zhou Hui, to act as an inside agent, and finally succeeded in riding on Han Xi Xi's popularity to become an overnight sensation.

Such an ingenious and complex scheme.

Without strong financial and personal connections, it would be impossible.

Zhang Rufeng's Golden Eagle Group is one of Hunan TV's important sponsors, having sponsored several of Hunan TV's major variety shows for more than ten years.

For a sponsor of such high caliber to insert one of their mistresses into a top-tier music variety show like "The Voice," it would be an incredibly difficult task for anyone else.

But for Zhang Rufeng, it was a piece of cake.

Zhang Rufeng has a decent net worth, and although the group's market value is over 100 billion, his shareholding as chairman is not high.

My personal net worth is over 400 billion, but it's not particularly prominent on the rich list, which is dominated by a group of tech giants.

But for ordinary people, it is already beyond their reach.

It took Zhong Jiawen a lot of effort and unimaginable hard work to win him over... the kind that involved sweating profusely.

Otherwise, with her status as a minor, low-tier celebrity, she wouldn't even be able to step into the footsteps of a powerful figure.

Now, she has become Old Man Zhang's new favorite, getting whatever she wants, and her resources in the industry have also increased significantly.

Of course, she couldn't lose this support; she couldn't afford to offend anyone but her sugar daddy!
But Chung Ka-man is also keenly aware of this.

For a big shot, they are just a plaything, and can be discarded at any time once they get tired of playing with them.

After all, there are just too many beautiful women in this industry, and young women are springing up like mushrooms after rain. There are even many who are more daring than her!
She doesn't have an absolute advantage that allows the well-informed old man Zhang to remain devoted to her.

This is why, despite her immense popularity, she remains determined to buy songs from Ma Yao.

As a singer, no matter how famous or popular you are, it's all meaningless in the end!

Ultimately, what will allow her to remain popular for so long is only her work.

Take Han Xixi for example. She debuted at a young age and has only been in the industry for a short time. Logically speaking, her foundation in the entertainment industry should not be stable yet.

What's amazing is that even though she hasn't made any moves lately, her name keeps popping up online every now and then. Many media outlets, passersby, and netizens listen to her songs while asking about her whereabouts.

Chung Chia-wen wondered if she would disappear for a few months and be completely forgotten by the entire internet.

The reason for this disparity is quite simple—Han Xixi has a body of work, and a lot of it, while she doesn't!

From this perspective, Chung Chia-wen is truly "sophisticated." Despite having climbed the ladder in the entertainment industry by sleeping with men, she has an unprecedented dedication to becoming a "powerful singer."

Lin Xiao also saw through this, and even admired her a little.

Of course, admiration is one thing, and disgust is another; they are not mutually exclusive.

He really had no desire to deal with such a vicious woman.

He finally has a wife and kids, a warm bed, and life couldn't be better, but he's constantly being bothered by this venomous woman. Even though they haven't met or had any contact, he feels irritated all over.

Lin Xiao disliked this feeling, so he came up with a good solution that would solve the problem once and for all.

Wasn't that wicked woman promoted by a sugar daddy?

Then find her sugar daddy and give her a taste of her own medicine!

Finding Zhong Jiawen's sugar daddy was not easy; there were few traces online, making it impossible to know where to start.

Fortunately, Lin Xiao was quick-witted and immediately thought of someone—Zhou Hui!
Han Xixi's former manager, the one who was poached by Zhong Jiawen.

At the time, Chung Ka-man promised Chow Hui a bright future, but in reality, she sidelined her in less than three months.

This ending is just too good to be true.

This also confirms the fact that no one has patience for a discarded pawn, let alone a vicious and venomous woman.

Zhou Hui's fate was very unpleasant.

Lin Xiao felt no pity for Cao Yuanzhi after hearing the news from her, because it was Cao Yuanzhi's own fault.

Adults have to take responsibility for their actions, no question about it!

Lin Xiao only thought of Zhou Hui because he decided to crack down on the drug-addicted woman; he contacted her yesterday afternoon.

In no time, he found out the answer he wanted, without even spending a penny.

Although Zhou Hui wasn't a good person, she still had some conscience and felt somewhat apologetic for betraying Han Xixi last year.

Thus, the name Zhang Rufeng reached Lin Xiao's ears, and today, it became a deadly blow that accurately struck Zhong Jiawen!

Lin Xiao: It's not that difficult!
(End of this chapter)