Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 297, Chapter 298: The Imperial Relief Grain Arrives

Lin Xiao thought that as long as he agreed to participate in the variety show recording, his wife would definitely follow suit.

The husband sings and the wife follows.

But he still decided to ask, after all, he had to be polite... Well, not really, he genuinely wanted to hear his wife's opinion, and if Xixi showed even the slightest reluctance, he would abandon the idea.

After all, developing Starlight Town is his primary responsibility as the town mayor.

However, using one's own fame to participate in variety show recordings to achieve development goals is undoubtedly a form of cheating.

Lin Xiao, on the other hand, doesn't have any moral fastidiousness.

He believed that it didn't matter if a cat was black or white, as long as it caught mice, it was a good cat.

So no matter how it develops, as long as it succeeds, it's good.

Since he thought that way, he naturally had no objection to the idea of ​​someone trying to ride on his and his wife's popularity.

If you accept it, then participate.

If my wife is in a difficult position, then I won't participate.

It's that simple.

When I got home and asked Xixi, her answer was exactly as I had expected.

"Let's participate!"

Xixi was tidying up her daughter's clothes and replied casually without looking up.

This straightforward tone caught Lin Xiao off guard.

"you sure?"

"Of course, I'll participate."

"But didn't you say last time that you were afraid of recording variety shows?"

"Well, like I said, I'm not afraid as long as you're by my side~"

Xi Xi smiled brightly and even tiptoed to give him a light kiss on the corner of his mouth.

This kiss really energized Lin Xiao; if his wife called, he would naturally go through fire and water for her.

He started taking off his clothes.

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?!"

Xi Xi quickly stopped her, looking helpless, and said, "Let me explain, kissing you just means I like you at this moment, it doesn't have any other implied meaning~"

Lin Xiao rolled his eyes and said seriously, "Then let me explain to you, when a woman takes the initiative to kiss a man, the message the man receives is that she wants to make a baby!"

Xi Xi looked surprised and disdainful.

"real or fake?"

"Of course!"

"What about hugs?"

"Same!"

"Holding hands?"

"Same!"

"..."

Xi Xi was completely speechless and gave up struggling, saying, "Just tell me, what can I do to avoid giving you this misunderstanding? That way I can avoid it in the future!"

Lin Xiao thought about it seriously.

"Hmm... Breathe!"

"???"

Xi Xi was truly stunned. When she came to her senses, she threw the little chubby girl's diaper at him.

Lin Xiao steadily took his wife's hand, his eyes burning even more intensely.

Xi Xi rolled her eyes.

I just thought my husband's statement was a bit exaggerated.

But now it seems that it should be true.

At this moment, no matter what I do, his lecherous eyes become more and more lecherous, and I can't stop him at all!
"Let's go for a walk, a walk!!"

Xi Xi hurriedly said.

Unable to change her husband's psychological motivation, she could only try other methods, such as changing the location.

Although Lin Xiao was unwilling, he had no choice but to comply.

Step out of the residential area and take a leisurely stroll along the hazy, ancient streets of the county town.

Lin Xiao recounted in detail what Chen Jiajia had said to him in the car that afternoon.

Xixi nodded repeatedly as she listened.

“Jiajia makes a good point. The production team is so sincere. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to boost the economic development of Xingguang Town and Mashan County. It would be a real shame to miss it!”

“I know, that’s why I’m interested this time.”

Lin Xiao said seriously, "However, I have my reasons for participating. Why do you want to participate? Is it entirely because of me?"

Xixi smiled gently under the dim streetlights.

"Not entirely."

"Ok?"

"You are one reason, but I want to be with you. Although I am in Mashan County now, I can only see you when you get off work every day, and you are always working overtime!"

Xi Xi was a little frustrated. "So, we don't spend much time together, plus there's a little kid in the picture... You see, I haven't even officially made my comeback yet, but we already spend much less time together than before..."

Lin Xiao laughed.

He understood what his wife meant and smiled calmly: "So some people are plotting to use their positions for personal gain, using variety show recordings to achieve their goal of openly being with their husbands during their work hours, right?"

Xixi's little scheme was exposed, and she smiled charmingly yet embarrassedly.

Seeing his wife like this, Lin Xiao's heart softened even more, and he held her hand even tighter.

"What about the other reason?"

"on the other hand……"

Xi Xi sighed and said helplessly, "It's related to the recent trending topics. Did you see it, brother?"

Lin Xiao frowned.

"I've seen it twice, and both times it was to criticize me. The videos and photos taken by netizens all showed you taking care of the child alone, and then they said that you, a big star, had become a haggard housewife, and that I was a big liar who married you, tricked you into having the child, and then abandoned you, leaving you to raise the child like a single parent..."

Lin Xiao laughed as he spoke.

This generation of netizens is really interesting. They are obsessed with seeing big things in small details. They think that if someone is holding hands, they will grow old together. If they are arguing, they will break up. They want to judge a person's life based on just one photo.

"Netizens' opinions are mostly about enjoying the drama, so don't take it to heart..."

"I'm fine!"

Xi Xi laughed and said, "That's right. It's been more than a year since I got pregnant, and I've really had enough of staying at home by myself. Although I love Xiao Chu very much and I love you very much, I still want to find myself, instead of just being labeled as 'Lin Xiao's wife' and 'Xiao Chu's mother'."

Lin Xiao nodded.

“Sure, I fully support it. Anyway, Xiao Chu is formula-fed, so you don’t need to be with her 24/7.”

He casually said, "If you want to make a comeback, I'll write songs for you tonight. Three songs? Five? Forget it, I'll just write ten to make an album!"

Xi Xi was completely dumbfounded and couldn't help but laugh.

Listen, is this human language?

"Brother, if you talk like that on the show, the other musicians will curse you to death!" Xi Xi said affectionately, hugging his neck.

"Uh……"

Lin Xiao shrugged helplessly: Is it because I'm too talented?

Xi Xi laughed and said, "When I said I was making a comeback, I just meant going out to work, not necessarily releasing a new song. Recording variety shows is work too. I just want to find something to do so I can occasionally escape the identity of 'Xiao Chu's mom,' and that would be great. As for releasing a new song, I'm not in a hurry, and you don't need to feel pressured..."

Xi Xi's eyes were full of heartache and tenderness.

In her opinion, although her husband is very talented, songwriting must be very tiring and mentally taxing, and she couldn't bear to see him work so hard.

Lin Xiao was a little embarrassed.

What's so difficult about writing songs? Isn't it something anyone with hands can do?
However, it's rare to have a wife who is so charming and adorable. It would be against all reason not to take advantage of this opportunity!
His face immediately fell, and he sighed, "Sigh, I'm just worried about you. You suffered so much giving birth to my child and sacrificed your promising career. I saw it all. Although songwriting is difficult, I'll write it even if it kills me, as long as my wife wants it... Wife, can you understand my heart?"

These words were touching, but Xixi felt that his tone was strange.

But after thinking it over, he realized there was no logical flaw in his statement, so he quickly took the initiative to throw himself into her arms, and the two of them nestled together tightly in the dim night.

"I understand, I understand... Thank you, honey!"

After she finished speaking, she took the initiative to kiss his neck.

That's a foul!
In just one second, Lin Xiao's momentum was enough to take on the entire United States single-handedly!
"Go home, hurry home!!!"

He didn't waste a second. He reached into his pocket with one hand to adjust his position, grabbed his wife with the other, and charged forward with great pride and high spirits.

We must cross the Yalu River tonight, three times!
……

My wife and I have decided to take on the variety show "Longing for Married Life".

On Monday, Lin Xiao went to the county magistrate's office to give a report.

After all, it's absurd enough for civil servants to participate in variety shows; it's a clear case of them deviating from their duties.

To put it simply, this is a part-time job, and one that will inevitably affect one's regular work.

It's definitely a violation.

On a larger scale, the fact that Lin Xiao, as the town mayor, is a regular guest on a popular variety show, especially one that is a leisurely lifestyle show about couples that has nothing to do with helping farmers or alleviating poverty, conveys a bad message.

Whether the program will have a negative impact or bring negative public opinion to Mashan County after it airs is currently unknown.

Therefore, Lin Xiao had to obtain his superior's approval.

Given Lin Xiao's reputation and his true identity as the mayor of Xingguang Town but actually an imperial envoy from the province, County Magistrate Wan Zhilong certainly couldn't make this decision.

He also had to report to his superiors, level by level.

The matter wasn't considered closed until someone made a final decision on whether or not the recording could be done.

Wan Zhilong reported this to the South Korean Navy.

Han Haijun could have made the decision already, but he knew that his son-in-law now represented the face of the entire Nanzhou Province, and the provincial leaders were paying close attention.

Therefore, he still reported to the provincial authorities.

As he expected, the provincial leaders, with great support and the fastest response time, agreed to Lin Xiao's request to participate in the variety show recording.

It wasn't even noon when the news reached Lin Xiao's ears, passing through level by level.

This administrative efficiency is amazing!
With the support of provincial leaders, Lin Xiao had essentially obtained a powerful tool, and he had many ideas and requirements regarding the details of the subsequent variety show recordings.

Of course, he doesn't need to handle these requirements with the production team himself.

Chen Jiajia was very happy to help.

Jiajia, Han Xixi's manager: It's the same whether you herd one sheep or two sheep, so it doesn't matter!

For several days in a row, Jiajia took every opportunity to communicate with the artists she was newly managing, conveying new requirements to the production team time and time again.

For example, the location of a variety show must be set in Xingguang Town, and this should be written into the contract.

For example, instead of having three couples live together, select three houses and record separately in the same village or town to reduce overlap between them.

For example, the recording time cannot exceed twelve hours per day, and can only be recorded three days a week.

For example, we can't assign him and Xixi scripts; we can only show their most authentic daily lives. And so on.

As a veteran in the entertainment industry, Lin Xiao knows that his requirements are quite demanding. Just the requirement of "no script" is enough to make any production team curse him and his ancestors.

In order not to appear as if he was deliberately stirring up trouble.

Lin Xiao made no demands regarding appearance fees and allowed the production team to film him freely, showcasing his work and personal life scenes at will.

These requirements taken together

Director Rutgers felt Lin Xiao's sincerity, and through the bizarre conditions Lin Xiao proposed, he keenly observed the wonderful sparks that flew when the two completely different identities of a top musician and a grassroots town mayor collided in him.

Whether the audience will like this spark remains to be seen.

But Lutdam, a notorious female tyrant in the variety show director circle, has been driven to distraction by Mayor Lin's two-pronged approach, thanks to her uniquely feminine sensitivity!

Hire a musician, and send a town mayor.

This deal is a great one!
Lutdan decided to agree to all of Lin Xiao's requests and prepared to sign the letter of intent for cooperation.

As I began to write, my assistant, Xiao Fang, became unhappy.

Xiao Fang is young and handsome, no less than a male celebrity. He helps Director Lu with miscellaneous tasks during the day and is dealt with by Director Lu at night. Their relationship is well-known in the industry.

But nobody thought there was anything wrong with it.

To put it bluntly, this industry has always been like this; only Lin Xiao and Han Xixi are exceptions.

"Director Lu, Lin Xiao's request is so unreasonable, are you really going to agree?" Xiao Fang asked, her voice thick with jealousy at having failed to win his favor.

Rutgerdan wore a white silk shirt, had short, neat hair, sunken cheeks, sharp eyes, and a dangerous smile that resembled a cheetah pouncing on its prey.

"Unreasonable? This request is unreasonable?"

"Isn't this demand unreasonable?!"

Xiao Fang's chest muscles bulged with anger, making Director Lu squint his eyes.

"Putting everything else aside, just the fact that he didn't follow the script should be enough to kill him, right? Who does he think he is? He's just a songwriter, not even a star!"

Xiao Fang's tone carried a sense of frustration, as if saying, "If he can become popular, why can't I?" He continued, "Even though he's been quite popular lately, you know that popularity doesn't equal variety show appeal. Top-tier celebrities have had their share of mishaps on variety shows. It's precisely because variety show appeal is unpredictable that we need a script to ensure the show's entertainment value. Without a script, how many episodes can Lin Xiao and Han Xixi's popularity sustain? If they can't keep going, won't our production team foot the bill?"

Rutdam's eyes flickered as he listened, showing a hint of satisfaction.

"Xiao Fang, not bad! You're becoming more and more like an expert!"

"It's all thanks to Director Lu's excellent guidance!"

Xiao Fang's voice was sweet and charming, and as for how she had been trained, the two of them knew perfectly well.

Although Lutdam is open-minded, he is not a sex maniac and never mixes personal feelings or desires into his work.

She smiled sharply and said, "While variety show sense can't be guaranteed, it can be found in people. It's hard to judge, but it's also easy to judge. There are two characteristics: one is how fluent one is in speech, and the other is whether one has quick wit, which is what you young people always call high emotional intelligence."

Xiao Fang was drawn in by Director Lu's words and listened very attentively.

"Lin Xiao has both of these qualities, and he gets full marks for both."

"Huh? Director Lu, you haven't even met Lin Xiao yet, how come you have such a high opinion of him?" Xiao Fang asked, puzzled, with a hint of jealousy in her voice.

"If my judgment were so bad that I had to see the real person to determine potential, then I might as well not be in the variety show industry!"

Lutdan gave a cold, arrogant smile. "Lin Xiao hasn't been in the public eye for long, and he has had even fewer opportunities to appear and speak in public. The only time he truly showcased his overall qualities was at that press conference that will go down in the history of the entertainment industry!"

Upon hearing this, Rutdam's eyes immediately lit up with a bright light, his face filled with undisguised admiration.

"I watched the press conference live. Lin Xiao's performance was just average, nothing special!"

Xiao Fang pouted.

Lutdan knew every inch of the handsome young man intimately, so he naturally knew that Lutdan was being sarcastic.

She didn't expose him, but laughed and said, "Lin Xiao is indeed a man who works in the system. He speaks fluently and has a clear mind. At that time, he was facing the top group of reporters in the country, and all the questions asked were malicious. But he remained calm from beginning to end. Not only was he not led astray by the reporters, but he also led all the reporters into a ditch."

Before the press conference, he was criticized by the entire internet as a treacherous and cunning "phoenix man" because of his irregular promotion, being protected by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, and his whirlwind marriage to Han Xixi. His father-in-law and mother-in-law were also to be severely punished.

"But what happened after the press conference? He pulled the rug out from under them by resigning and leaving the entertainment industry, which completely stunned netizens and reporters. In the end, his reputation was reversed, and the negative publicity turned into a positive one. Even the higher-ups in Nanzhou Province had to treat Han Xixi's parents leniently because of his popularity, and they ended up taking a hard line!"

Lutdan's expression grew increasingly playful as he spoke, and he looked at Xiao Fang, saying, "Put yourself in his shoes. If you were facing his situation, could you so easily turn the tide and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat?"

Hearing this, Xiao Fang already knew he couldn't do it, but refused to admit it.

"Pshaw, all he does is write songs. If he didn't have those skills, how could he have made a comeback?"

"Music composition is just a skill; his exceptionally strong and stable core is the fundamental reason why he is invincible!"

Lutdan chuckled and shook his head. "Although this kid is in politics, he has all the qualities that variety show personalities need most: emotional stability, quick thinking, strong will, and musical talent... Tsk tsk tsk, with all these advantages and the natural contrast between his various identities, he'll definitely be a sensation if he's willing to go on a show. Scripts will only limit his performance!"

Although Xiao Fang was unconvinced by Director Lu's high praise, she had to admit that what Director Lu said was right.

Some people are just outstanding in every way, and you can't help but admire them.

Lutdan laughed and said, "If I hadn't judged Lin Xiao to have this potential, would I have gone to such great lengths to fight against an outsider like him? To put it bluntly, the highlight of our show is the couples, but he can carry the scenes of two people by himself. After all, he has the dual identities of a musician and a town mayor, so he can play a couple with himself."

"Because he's good-looking enough, even though Han Xixi is introverted and has no value in the variety show field, I'm still willing to spend money on the couple. If Han Xixi's performance is mediocre, Lin Xiao alone will be worth the contract fee. If Han Xixi can also open up under Lin Xiao's guidance and create some new sparks, that would be a pleasant surprise!"

The more Lutdan talked, the more confident he became about this season's show, and the more determined he was to prepare for the show in a way that would appeal to Lin Xiao.

Before Xiao Fang could persuade her further, she quickly signed her name on the letter of intent for cooperation.

"Go and make the connection!"

Lutdan's tone suddenly turned stern, "Remember, control your emotions and treat Lin Xiao and Han Xixi like royalty, do you hear me?"

Although Xiao Fang is a little fussy, she has been working with Director Lu for more than half a year and knows her temperament.

Normally, this female Yama only has a dark face, but she still shows leniency when it comes to handling matters.

Once she speaks in this tone, it means that the order cannot be disobeyed, or there will be no way out but death.

Xiao Fang immediately straightened his posture, not daring to take any chances, and stood at a 45-degree angle with his shiny leather shoes.

"Understood, Director Lu!"

……

Xingguang Town, Mashan County.

Lin Xiao learned from Chen Jiajia that the cooperation had been finalized, and that despite his many unreasonable demands, the production team still offered him and his wife eight-figure sums for their contracts.

He was somewhat taken aback.

One can't help but marvel at how Hunan TV has become the No.1 among provincial television stations; its vision is truly impressive.

He speculated that Lutdan's generosity might be an apology on behalf of Hunan TV for colluding with Zhong Jiawen to frame his wife Han Xixi on the "Sound of Life" stage.

That incident had a significant impact at the time.

On the final stage, Zhong Jiawen appeared before Xixi and stole the show with a sweet singing and dancing version of "The Magic of Love". While becoming a sensation herself, she also pushed Han Xixi into a negative vortex of being undeserving of fame and just lucky to have married a good husband.

There's no doubt that Chung Ka-man is the culprit in this matter.

But Hunan TV was an accomplice, that's beyond doubt.

Logically speaking, since the two sides have already become enemies, there is really no need for them to cooperate again.

However, Zhong Jiawen's career has already collapsed, and she is deeply mired in exorbitant compensation claims from various brand endorsements. At the same time, her former sugar daddy is also ruthlessly whipping Lin Xiao, a rising star in the Nanzhou officialdom, in order to curry favor with him.

The ending was so tragic that Lin Xiao didn't even dare tell his wife.

He knew that in Xixi's heart, the grudges with Zhong Jiawen were long gone.

The matter with Hunan TV is naturally settled as well.

With this variety show collaboration, Hunan TV has shown great sincerity, which Xixi has also felt.

She is simply introverted by nature, but not insensitive to social niceties; on the contrary, she is very good at it.

So when she saw the conditions offered by the "Rebirth" program team, she even felt sorry for Jiajia and urged her, "That's enough, that's enough, let's call it a day..."

The collaboration was successfully finalized.

Lutdan will make a special trip to Starlight Town at a later date to sign a formal contract with the couple and, incidentally, select locations for the variety show recording and filming.

Lin Xiao didn't have time to pay attention to this matter.

The weekend is over, and the hectic work pace returns.

The most important thing is still the major event of merging villages and towns.

Lin Xiao already had a plan in mind that could meet the county's requirements for economic development, agricultural reform, and the merger of villages and towns, while also helping villagers increase their income, allowing everyone to happily move into their new homes, and truly turning the rolling green hills of Xingguang Town into a gold mine.

This goal is ambitious, but it is definitely achievable.

Because Lin Xiao has found the key to success, which is the variety show "Rebirth".

But before the plan is officially implemented, there is another inconspicuous group that he needs to focus on.

These are the 21 other staff members of Xingguang Town besides myself.

To significantly improve agriculture, people's livelihood, and economy in Xingguang Town, and to successfully and efficiently complete the mandatory targets for merging villages and towns, Lin Xiao alone is certainly not enough; the entire town's cadres need to work together.

But this "working together" is not something that can be taken for granted or taken for granted.

He doesn't intend to have heart-to-heart talks, offer encouragement, or talk about ideals.

He was going to give the cadres something practical.

October 6, Wednesday.

Lin Xiao arranged for his office to organize a town-wide cadre meeting, which was his second town-wide meeting since taking office.

It was called a conference, but there were only 19 people in total, with three of them absent.

Lin Xiao didn't pay attention to these minor details.

Sitting in the main seat, he got straight to the point: "As you all know, my wife's name is Han Xixi, and she's a singer. I also have an online name, Ma Yao, and I'm a musician. My wife and I have become quite popular recently, so many variety shows have approached us, inviting us to appear on their programs."

"After some research, we decided to participate in a variety show called 'Longing for Married Life.' According to the production team's plan, the official filming will begin around August, and the filming location will be in our Xingguang Town, but the specific village hasn't been decided yet..."

As Lin Xiao finished speaking, the small conference room erupted in chaos.

A dozen or so officials listened to their town mayor speaking in a way that sounded like something from outer space, and they couldn't believe that they really lived on the same planet as him and were actually working together in the same town!
This is... so heartbreaking!
Lin Xiao understood everyone's shock and planned to finish his explanation in one go, letting the cadres be shocked all at once.

"Some people should have seen this variety show. It's a slow-paced variety show, and also a life observation variety show. It records my wife and me's daily life around the clock."

Lin Xiao calmly said, "Because the recording location is Xingguang Town, and I, as the town mayor, am one of the regular guests, it is inevitable that the environment, people's livelihood, and various tasks of our town will be put on the public eye and examined by netizens across the country. This puts forward higher requirements for the quality of our work and our mental state in the next stage."

At this point, the cadres' excitement quickly turned to seriousness.

They instantly realized that this might not be a good thing for them.

Lin Xiao pressed his advantage: "I've already reported my appearance on the variety show to my superiors, and they've approved it. So it's a done deal, and there's no going back. People will have to accept it, even if they don't want to."

"But please rest assured, I would never do something like earning extra money during my work hours while using everyone as cannon fodder! So, the contract fee I receive for appearing on this show will not be kept by myself; everyone will benefit from it!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up again, and their emotions went up and down like a rollercoaster.

Lin Xiao continued, "However, as everyone knows, in this line of work, every penny we earn must be legal and compliant. So even if I wanted to pay everyone out of my own pocket, it would be impossible. The organization wouldn't allow it; it would be suspected of factionalism."

"But don't worry, I can't make you all rich overnight, but I guarantee that all the money you're owed will be paid in full within two months. This includes the salary that was three months late, the spiritual civilization award that hasn't been paid for two years, and the annual performance bonus."

"Furthermore, salaries will be paid on time every month from now on. If Xingguang Town receives an excellent rating this year, the performance bonus and spiritual civilization award for the new year will also be paid into everyone's salary card before the Spring Festival."

"The above points are secure, as everyone can attest. There are some additional points, which I'm still negotiating with higher-ups to try and ensure that everyone can earn a living within the limits of policy, and that life is a little easier—but I can't guarantee that, I can only say I'll do my best! That's all I have to say. Does anyone have anything to add?"

He rattled off a string of words like a machine gun.

Everyone in the room was dumbfounded, completely stunned, and unable to utter a single word!

The meeting had only been going on for two minutes.

The cadres, however, had already ridden the roller coaster twice, their brains nearly flying out.

Having grown accustomed to living in the remote mountains, the group was completely unable to adapt to such an exciting pace, and each one of them was utterly bewildered.

This meeting was truly full of twists and turns, and incredibly exciting!

(End of this chapter)