Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 299, page 300: Xixi's First Visit to Starlight Town

The second town-wide cadre meeting was converted into a mobilization meeting for the campaign to merge villages and towns.

After the meeting, all the cadres got to work in high spirits, with great enthusiasm and energy, a stark contrast to their dejected and lifeless demeanor before the meeting.

Lin Xiao was deeply gratified by this.

I couldn't help but sigh to myself: Money really can make the devil turn the millstone... oh no, I mean, many hands make light work!

The comrades' ideological awareness and their dedication to serving the people are admirable and moving!
Two days later.

Lutdan, the director of the program "Longing for Married Life", led most of the crew to Starlight Town to begin a three-day visit and filming trip.

This step is crucial.

Despite the popularity and hype surrounding Lin Xiao and Han Xixi, this season is sure to garner a lot of attention.

But attention is one thing, reputation and positive reviews are another.

The show "Rebirth" has been running for three seasons. Except for the first season, which achieved both critical acclaim and popularity, the latter two seasons have seen a continuous decline in both.

It's just that it's much more popular than regular variety shows.

The main reasons for the decline in reputation are nothing more than a few: the content is not original, the guests are not popular, or they are not well-liked by the audience, etc.

As a highly sensitive female director, Rutdam has always been very clear-headed about whether a program is "enjoyable" or "unenjoyable," and she will not be easily blinded by the false climax brought about by various program data.

The reason why the fourth season is so focused on Lin Xiao and Han Xixi.

It was precisely because she knew that only these two people could revive this variety show, which was suffering from sluggish ratings, and restore its vitality.

It's like taking a little blue pill; its main purpose is to directly target the lesion.

Compared to this, even the careful selection of locations, the innovation of content, and the meticulous creation of scripts... cannot be said to be useless, but at most they can be considered as a prelude to a variety of new ideas.

Without that final push, that last bit of leverage, it's still useless.

Lin Xiao was the little pill that brought the show back to life, the one that gave it a sharp edge and a tremor.

Lutdan knew this well, which is why he agreed to all of Lin Xiao's outrageous requests without even flinching.

Even so, she was still terrified that Mayor Lin would change his mind.

Because she had long ago realized that this extraordinary man, who possessed exceptional musical talent, married a big star, yet still insisted on pursuing his political career, simply didn't care about the exorbitant contract fee offered by the show.

Since money cannot sway them, there is always the possibility of them backing out.

Rutgers could not allow the duck that was about to be eaten to fly away.

So they quickly led their team to Starlight Town to sign the formal contract with Lin Xiao and his wife.

The contract is that crucial little pill.

Only after the contract is signed can she truly feel at ease and wait for the medicine to take effect.

Lin Xiao had some idea as to why Director Lu was in such a hurry.

But I'm too lazy to care.

He was very busy with work, so he only managed to spare half an hour to meet with Rutgers.

At 11 a.m. that day, Lin Xiao met with this legendary female devil in the variety show circle.

The moment they met, they couldn't help but scrutinize each other.

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow and noticed that Director Lu's appearance, temperament, and attire were exactly the same as the image of a strong woman in TV dramas.

Especially his neat short hair, sunken cheeks, thin figure, and rapid tone of voice.

It's like they've just deepened the stereotypes about people even further.

Lutdan's impression of Lin Xiao was novel and unexpected, completely different from what he had imagined.

Before their official meeting today, Lutdan had already met Lin Xiao.

Of course, all of this happened online.

Director Lu has been savoring the video of that shocking press conference all his life, often revisiting it late at night.

It was from that video that she concluded that Lin Xiao would become a rising star in the world of internet celebrities and variety shows—if he wanted to.

Subsequent trending topics further confirmed Rutdam's speculation.

After all, every time Lin Xiao has made it to the trending topics in the past month or so, it's been for some insignificant little things, but being spotted, photographed, and uploaded to the internet always generates a huge amount of attention and discussion.

This sudden surge in popularity is truly a gift from heaven.

Others can't envy it.

From that moment on, Lutdan was determined to have Lin Xiao, wishing he could curl him into a ball and stuff him in his pocket.

But appreciation is appreciation.

Director Lu has seen countless celebrity personas and the baseness of human nature, as well as the ups and downs of fame and fortune. Her mindset is far more complex than that of naive netizens.

Even though Lin Xiao has been exposed to the public time and time again, it is because of his down-to-earth image.

But Rutger never truly believed that that was his true self, rather than a carefully crafted persona.

We finally met in person today.

Lin Xiao and several town officials appeared in the meeting room, all looking disheveled and as if they wanted to brush off two pounds of dirt.

Although Lutdan had seen Lin Xiao's videos and photos long ago.

But at first glance, they couldn't find Mayor Lin at all—he had integrated too well, and his demeanor was perfectly suited to that of a grassroots rural cadre.

This integration is not reflected in clothing or skin color, but in temperament and charm.

Lin Xiao was still the same Lin Xiao, neither fat nor thin, but he had completely lost the sophistication and shrewdness he displayed at the press conference. He exuded simplicity and hardship, along with a sense of weariness that seemed to reflect a question of "when will this damn job ever end?"

Lutdan was astonished, and his men were all shocked as well.

I can't help but sigh: Sure enough, everyone goes crazy when they go to work, and even a popular town mayor with all his buffs is no exception.

The group had endured a bumpy five-hour journey to get here, and although they were all full of complaints, their mood instantly improved upon seeing Lin Xiao for the first time.

The contract was successfully signed.

Han Xixi, the other main character, came from the county early this morning with Lin Xiao. They spent the morning strolling around the town with their agent, Chen Jiajia.

This is Xixi's first time visiting Starlight Town.

She was very curious about where her husband worked, so she spent the morning wandering around very seriously and with great enjoyment.

This naturally caused quite a stir in this remote mountain town.

It's enough to top the "Starlight Town Hot Search Ranking".

Of course, this ranking list doesn't exist; if it does, it only exists in word of mouth among locals.

Xixi has become completely accustomed to the overreaction when people recognize her.

Compared to people's surprise and delight, she remained calm throughout, waving, smiling, and greeting people when she was recognized, and then continuing to shop and eat as she pleased.

Han Xixi: As long as I remain calm, it will be others who are not calm!
It has to be said that their life after being exposed is really good. It can be considered that the family survived the ordeal of being put on trial in the vortex of public opinion some time ago and is now blessed with good fortune.

This good fortune is now; she is back to enjoying a life of sunshine and carefree daily routines.

It feels like being debt-free and carefree.

As someone who doesn't have much attachment to a career in the entertainment industry or fame and fortune, Han Xixi thoroughly enjoys this feeling.

Her thought process has always been unconventional.

So as I strolled through the streets and greeted passersby, I inexplicably thought of my husband, who should be working hard in town right now, looking worried and distressed.

Then, quite abruptly and strangely, I thought: Hmm, it seems I really did marry the right person~~

Lin Xiao, several hundred meters away: ? ? ?

She had been strolling around leisurely all morning when, just before lunchtime, she received a call from her husband asking her to go to town to sign a contract.

Xi Xi and Chen Jiajia then headed home.

After entering the conference room and sitting down, he only nodded to the director, Rutgers, before taking the contract and picking up a pen to sign it.

Such high efficiency surprised Lutherdan for the second time after he saw Lin Xiao's true colors.

"That... Xi Xi!"

Rutdam forced a friendly smile and kindly reminded him, "Aren't you going to take a closer look at the contract?"

Han Xixi looked bewildered: "Didn't they already see it?"

When she said "they," her gaze fell on Lin Xiao and Chen Jiajia respectively.

Rutgers was increasingly shocked.

Having been in the entertainment industry for a long time, she felt that no one could be trusted, including her husband and agent.

Many people have been betrayed and harmed by their spouses, and quite a few have been sold out and framed by their agents.

There have even been cases where the person was manipulated by their spouse and agent in concert.

For Director Lu, who is shrewd and cautious in his actions.

She only ever believed in herself.

"Yes...yes, I've seen it!"

Although Director Lu was clear-headed, she felt that even her earlier reminder was unnecessary to outsiders.

Han Xixi quickly signed her name and then handed over the contract in a well-behaved and gentle manner.

Rutdam took it, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the couple across from him exchange a glance, their eyes crinkling with laughter, like young lovers exchanging glances in a high school classroom.

This scene was nothing special, but it inexplicably struck a chord with Rutdan, the female demon.

She handed the contract to her assistant, Xiao Fang, feeling a strong urge to buy it.

"Great, it seems today's efficiency is much higher than I expected!"

Lutdan smiled and said, "Mayor Lin, the next step is for us to start selecting filming locations in Starlight Town. Do you have any suggestions?"

Lin Xiao said, "No, Director Lu, please feel free to do as you please."

These words, though direct, once again greatly surprised the well-informed Rutgerdan.

"Do as you please?"

"Leave professional matters to professionals. Director Lu is an absolute expert in this area, so I, as a layman, will not cause any trouble."

Lin Xiao smiled.

That statement makes sense, but it's not logically sound at all.

If Lin Xiao really felt he was an outsider, there was no need for him to specifically request that the recording location be set in Starlight Town.

Because he can't leave his job?

Don't be ridiculous. If I were really willing to put my heart into a business deal worth eight figures, even at the risk of being disciplined or dismissed by the organization, I would definitely overcome all difficulties to accept the invitation and actively participate in the recording.

Why make such a request?

Lutdan knew perfectly well that Mayor Lin's true intentions were not what they seemed, or rather, he was using his own fame to promote this remote and impoverished town.

That's precisely because I understood this point.

That's why Lutdan asked where Lin Xiao wanted to set up the position.

If you're going to do a good deed, do it all the way.

Lin Xiao, however, made no recommendation whatsoever, seemingly unconcerned.

This completely baffled Director Lu—she had been sitting in the conference room for less than ten minutes and had already stumped several times. In her more than twenty years in the industry, she had never encountered anything so outrageous.

Surprised, she then laughed, finding it quite novel.

"This season looks like it's going to be really interesting!!"

……

As the host, Lin Xiao showed no intention of inviting the guests to stay for a working meal.

Lutdam, however, harbored no resentment; on the contrary, he admired him even more.

After all, as the person in charge of the "Rebirth" program, the guest she came to sign today was the well-known musician Lin Xiao, not Lin Xiao, the mayor of Xingguang Town.

Logically, the signing location should not be the office building in Xingguang Town.

After all, this was a private job that Mayor Lin had taken on.

However, everyone slacks off sometimes; no one can concentrate fully on work for eight hours straight without drinking water or going to the toilet.

The town mayor is also a human being.

Taking ten minutes out of a heavy workload to sign a contract is not a big deal.

But it would be against the rules to have so many people eat in town.

Because every grain of rice in the canteen is made with public funds, the town mayor has no right to entertain unrelated outsiders.

After all, these people weren't here to discuss work and development with Xingguang Town, at least not on the surface.

Rutgers understood the nuances of the situation.

Therefore, she did not find Lin Xiao to be unreasonable at all; on the contrary, she found this Mayor Lin to be very interesting. He was very clear and straightforward, and had no intention of using his position for personal gain.

With a face full of relief and a flushed expression, she led her team in retreat.

Little did they know that the two cars had just driven out of the town government's courtyard.

Mayor Lin took his wife's hand and openly said, "Wife, let's eat in town and try the meals from your husband's workplace."

This startled Han Xixi.

She grew up in a family within the system, so her sense of rules and regulations in this regard is deeply ingrained.

She immediately reacted: "This...isn't this inappropriate?"

Lin Xiao scoffed: "What's wrong with that? I'm not letting you eat for free by swiping my meal card!"

Xi Xi still frowned, feeling that something was amiss.

After all, she knew that although government canteens did cost money, the amount spent on each meal was far below the required standard. The reason they could afford four dishes and a soup, with both meat and vegetables, for only two or three yuan was because the majority of the canteen's budget came from government subsidies.

Lin Xiao swiped his meal card for personal expenses.

For every transaction made, a subsidy from the government must be provided.

In other words, when Han Xixi ate a meal at the company cafeteria, she was actually taking advantage of the government by a few yuan.

The amount of money wasn't much, but that's the nature of the matter.

So she hesitated a bit.

Lin Xiao chuckled speechlessly, "My dear wife, if everyone were as dogmatic and rigid as you, I would have been dismissed as mayor long ago. After all, many of the things I'm doing now are against the rules, and the severity of the offenses is equivalent to you eating in the cafeteria for three hundred years!"

One sentence made Xixi laugh.

She finally felt relieved, nodded, and went to the cafeteria with Lin Xiao.

Agent Chen Jiajia hurriedly called out from behind, "Brother-in-law, what about me?"

Lin Xiao then realized that there was someone else next to him.

Oh, I forgot about you!

"Hey, it's okay."

Jiajia thought to herself, "I know you love your wife and don't care about anyone else, so I won't hold it against you..."

I haven't finished thinking about it yet.

Lin Xiao then added, "There are plenty of small restaurants nearby. You can find somewhere to eat yourself. It's on me!"

"???"

Chen Jiajia was completely numb.

No, do I need your five or eight dollars?
Even if you're going to discriminate, don't go this far!
Chen Jiajia didn't necessarily want to eat the food in this town, but she felt completely insulted.

However, considering that the couple agreed to participate in the variety show, which was a groundbreaking first step for her to establish herself in the talent agency industry, she had no choice but to tolerate it.

The thought that the show would attract widespread attention and praise after it aired, and that it would also help him make a name for himself in the talent agency circle, was a wonderful prospect.

Chen Jiajia wasn't angry at all.

I haven't had lunch yet, but I'm already stuffed to the point of being choked.

……

Han Xixi's lunch in the cafeteria naturally caused another commotion.

The officials already knew that the town mayor's wife was the famous actress Han Xixi, who had given birth to his daughter.

Knowing something is one thing, but seeing it with your own eyes is another.

Although Lin Xiao is known as a "genius musician", he has never entered the entertainment industry.

So no matter how big his name is or how famous he is.

For the cadres, he was just a bit different and had some extraordinary talents, but they still regarded him as one of their own.

But Han Xixi is different.

From the moment I learned her name, I knew she was a singer, a star.

That was true before, and it still is now.

There is a gap between celebrities and ordinary people, and for a shining top star in the music industry and a township cadre in an impoverished mountainous area of ​​an underdeveloped province in central China, there is no way they could ever cross paths.

And now.

The two groups of people sat in the same canteen, eating the exact same food.

This absurd feeling of breaking down barriers left the cadres in a daze, one after another.

While trying to remain calm and not appear too naive in front of the mayor's wife, everyone couldn't help but be curious, frequently glancing at the bright white corner of the canteen, to the point that they accidentally fed themselves food up their noses several times.

Xi Xi, who was under much scrutiny, didn't eat well at lunch, nor did any of the unprepared cadres.

Lin Xiao, however, felt particularly gratified to be able to eat with his wife during work hours, and his appetite was greatly enhanced, so he ate exceptionally well.

After the meal, Xixi went to Lin Xiao's office to rest.

Mayor Lin Da diligently brought out his folding bed, set the air conditioner to 26 degrees Celsius, and laid a blanket on the bed so his wife could have a good night's sleep.

"I slept in your bed, so where will you sleep?"

Xi Xi asked earnestly.

Lin Xiao was about to blurt out "I'll sleep with you," but then he remembered that this was his workplace and he should have a basic sense of respect for the place, so he swallowed the words back.

"I'm not sleeping, you go to sleep~"

"No way, you still have to work this afternoon, you definitely need to rest at noon!" Xixi said seriously.

Lin Xiao laughed and said, "Townships are not like higher-level government offices, where the work rhythm is fixed and you can take a nap every day. When we go to the countryside, it takes a whole day. When we are busy with work, we don't have time to rest. We have long since given up the luxury of taking a nap."

Xi Xi's eyes flickered, a little heartbroken.

Lin Xiao understood and reached out to pull his wife.

Xi Xi took a step back and glanced at the office door, as if to say that this was the workplace and she should be mindful of her behavior.

Lin Xiao understood.

He locked the door from the inside, turned around and shrugged at Xixi with a smug look on his face.

Xi Xi found it both funny and frustrating.

When Lin Xiao took her hand again, she no longer refused, letting his rough palms repeatedly caress her delicate palms and the backs of her hands, conveying a familiar sense of security.

Lin Xiao pulled her to sit in his office chair and stood behind her to massage her shoulders.

Xi Xi laughed and turned to ask him, "Brother, are we standing on the wrong side?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Lin Xiao asked, puzzled.

"You're so busy and tired from work, while I have nothing to do every day. If anyone should get a massage, it should be you. Why are you giving me one instead?"

Xi Xi smiled.

Lin Xiao finally understood his wife's logic and immediately felt relieved and amused.

Between you and me, why are there so many "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts"?

As Lin Xiao spoke, his hands continued to exert force, "According to you, we two people who are completely unrelated shouldn't get married... So where did Lin Xiaoxi come from?"

Xixi couldn't help but laugh when the little chubby girl was mentioned.

"Oh dear, I need to call home and ask if Xiao Chu is asleep yet..."

"Please sit down properly!"

Lin Xiao forcefully pushed his wife, who was trying to get up, back into her seat, and said helplessly, "That chubby girl has so many people taking care of her, you can rest assured. I'm ordering you now to focus your attention on your husband and spend some quality time chatting with me. Can you do that?"

"Uh...maybe?"

"Is it possible?!" Lin Xiao emphasized.

"Yes, yes..."

Xi Xi quickly changed her tune, her tone helpless, thinking to herself, "This person is already quite old, why is he still arguing with a little kid who isn't even a year old?"
They say a man is a boy until he dies, but they don't say a man is an infant until he dies!

Hearing his wife's insincere answer.

Lin Xiao was finally satisfied, and he smiled with a carefree expression. The force in his hands became softer yet stronger, making Xi Xi so comfortable that she sank into the backrest.

The couple remained silent for a moment, enjoying this rare moment of peace.

"Hey, wife~" Lin Xiao said again.

"Ok?"

"What do you think of the food in our company cafeteria? It's not bad, is it?"

"It's alright~"

Xi Xi said calmly, "Although it wasn't a lavish meal, the ingredients were all quite fresh. It was a bit salty, but overall I quite liked it!"

Lin Xiao nodded.

"What you said may seem ordinary, but it touches on the two most essential elements of Starlight Town!"

"what?!"

Xi Xi looked confused, thinking, "How come I didn't know?"

Lin Xiao sighed, then suddenly said seriously, "The ingredients are fresh because this is the countryside. The vegetables and fruits sold in the market are all grown by farmers themselves. They are all natural and pollution-free, much more organic than the so-called organic vegetables that are carefully selected and sold at the price of meat in the city. That's why the ingredients are fresh."

"The reason why the ingredients are so fresh, but the overall flavor is quite salty, is because a lot of soy sauce and salt are used. And this is because in remote and impoverished areas, people tend to prefer stronger flavors!"

This last point of logic was something Xixi had never heard before; it was both novel and surprising.

"why is that?"

"Because a little saltiness makes the food more appetizing," Lin Xiao said.

Xi Xi frowned slightly, then instantly understood what it meant.

"So... even though it's the same bowl of rice, less developed areas will have fewer side dishes because the dishes are more heavily seasoned, right?"

"Correct."

"Oh……"

Xi Xi nodded, her mood suddenly turning somber.

She felt inexplicably guilty.

Although I've never lived a life of luxury, I've never had to worry about food. In fact, I have some allergies and picky eating habits, and I don't like to eat this or that.

Xixi never imagined it.

In some parts of this country, people are meticulous about even the side dishes they eat, using less food to make more rice, so that they can eat their fill to maintain their physical strength for work while minimizing their living expenses.

Such knowledge, or rather, survival skills, are completely unknown territory for a child like Xixi, who has been pampered and raised with a lot of pampering since childhood.

Being suddenly exposed to this subject at this moment, I was naturally extremely surprised.

At the same time, she couldn't help but feel extremely regretful for the food she had disliked and wasted when she was a child.

Although she didn't say it aloud, Lin Xiao immediately understood.

Now it was his turn to feel embarrassed.

"While that's the logic, these regional lifestyle habits are really just historical relics and can no longer be used as a measure of a region's development level."

Lin Xiao quickly laughed and said, "For example, hot pot, barbecue, and spicy hot pot all have very strong flavors, but they have become delicacies that almost everyone loves to eat. So, even if these things were created because of poverty or regional dietary restrictions, after years of development, poverty has been gradually overcome. It's just that the habits are still preserved in people's genes and blood, and then passed down and developed."

"Take Xingguang Town for example. Although its economic level is not very high, it has been removed from the list of impoverished counties, and no household has to worry about making a living. Especially for daily food, eating out may be expensive, but rice and vegetables are grown on their own land and are not expensive, so they don't have to be reluctant to eat them."

"The reason why the food here is saltier is simply because it's a habit that middle-aged and elderly people have developed over the years, and it's not easy to change. I can't very well tell the office to remind the cafeteria staff to use less salt. If I do, the office will get nervous, and the cafeteria staff might even lose their jobs."

"The most crucial point is that the cadres here are all used to this taste. If I change the way the food is prepared just because of one person, it will be seen as me being special!"

Lin Xiao shook his head helplessly as he spoke.

Xi Xi chuckled, placing her hands on the armrests of the chair and exclaiming, "It seems my husband's chair isn't easy to sit in. He sounds impressive, being the top leader of a town, but it turns out he can't even easily reveal what kind of food he likes. It's quite difficult."

"Of course!"

Lin Xiao went along with his wife's words and acted coquettishly.

Xi Xi laughed even louder.

She got up from the chair, pushed Lin Xiao to sit down, and went around to the back to massage his shoulders.

"Why aren't you sitting down?" Lin Xiao asked.

"Your chair is too hot to sit on."

Xi Xi smiled like a little follower and said ingratiatingly, "Let me massage Mayor Lin's shoulders. You work so hard for the people of the town, and I can't do much to help you. I can only do what I can."

Lin Xiao knew his wife was teasing him, but he couldn't find the words to refute her.

Because this flattery was really pleasing to the ear.

No wonder so many people want to be officials!
"Put some effort into it, haven't you eaten yet!" Lin Xiao suddenly shouted, full of vigor.

Xi Xi was stunned for a moment before realizing that her husband was putting on an act.

She instantly got into character, using a high-pitched, coquettish voice to say, "I'm new here, please calm down, boss~"

"Oh, you're new here? I was wondering why you looked unfamiliar!"

"Please take good care of me, boss!"

"Easy to say, easy to say!"

Lin Xiao smiled like a corrupt official, and his lewd hand reached out to his shoulder, resting on the massage girl's smooth hand.

"Snapped!!"

Xi Xi suddenly struck Lin Xiao with a palm strike, catching him completely off guard.

"Huh—what do you mean?"

Mayor Lin was completely bewildered.

Xi Xi sternly declared, her face radiating righteous indignation: "Strike early and nip it in the bud. I see some people showing signs of corruption and depravity, so I'm giving the organization a heads-up and a lesson in advance. Hmph, you're welcome!"

After saying that, she turned her head arrogantly and walked towards the door.

As soon as the door opened, he started to walk out, then turned back.

"Mayor Lin, get to work! No slacking off, okay?"

She left those words behind, winked playfully, and then closed the door and left.

Lin Xiao savored the image of his wife just now, which was charming, innocent yet alluring.

He was completely smitten.

At this moment, there was no longer any town mayor in the room; there was clearly only a pouty-lipped man!
(End of this chapter)