Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 306, Section 307: This little fish cares.
The internet exploded the night "Little Apple" was released!
Tens of millions of views were generated for this song's dedicated page on the Tencent Music homepage. People counted down the seconds until 8 p.m., and immediately pressed play, waiting to be baptized by the last musical genius in the pop music scene.

As a result, what they heard was:
"You are my little apple, I can never love you too much..."

"Those rosy cheeks warm my heart; plant hope and you will reap a harvest..."

The audience was stunned.

Those who are so punctual and eager to listen to Teacher Ma Yao's new song all share three notable characteristics.

Young, trend-following, and music-loving.

There wasn't much adulation for Lin Xiao personally, since maintaining the status of a "top influencer" requires enormous financial and human resources.

Lin Xiao's qualifications meet those of a top-tier celebrity.

But clearly, he won't do it, nor does he have the resources or connections to do it for him.

Therefore, he has almost no die-hard fans or brainwashed fans.

Because there isn't one.

The online attention garnered by this song, "Little Apple," is all the more valuable.

Those cheering online are mostly young people who genuinely love pop music and follow fashion trends.

Even the most enthusiastic music lovers would react to this news with something like, "Oh, okay, I'll listen to it sometime!"

That's the end.

The current online buzz is truly sustained solely by Lin Xiao's musical talent.

After all, at some point, netizens had already elevated him to the status of "the number one creative talent in the music industry."

How could netizens not be looking forward to it?

However, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment after listening to "Little Apple".

It can't even be called disappointment anymore; it should be called despair.

Young netizens are so angry they want to send Lin Xiao a lawyer's letter demanding compensation for emotional distress.

The song was released at 8 PM.

The vortex of complaints quickly formed on major internet social platforms within just ten minutes.

It was an overwhelming and unprecedented success.

"What the heck is this little apple?!"

"Wait, this song was written by Lin Xiao? It's so different from his previous works!!"

"This song is so catchy. I only listened to it once, but now all I can think about is 'You are my little apple'..."

When will Tencent Music release a one-click alarm function?! I'm not kidding!!

"With this quality, has Lin Xiao run out of ideas?!"

"No, this style has changed too much. Are you sure it was written by the same person as 'Legend' and 'Human World'?"

"Pay me compensation for emotional distress!!!"

"But, am I the only one who thinks it sounds pretty good?"

"Yes, you're all alone!"

"I have a conspiracy theory: is it possible that... Lin Xiao and Ma Yao are two different people?!"

"Upstairs, this is terrifying to think about!!!"

"Holy crap, is Lin Xiao suffering from schizophrenia? Does he have two personalities, one is himself, and the other is Ma Yao? Ma Yao was in control before, which is why he wrote so many great songs. Now that Lin Xiao himself has taken the lead, he's produced garbage like 'Little Apple'?"

"Upstairs, you're going too far!!"

"This song is absolutely terrible! I even suspect that Ma Yao has been possessed by this Lin Xiao!"

"What we're saying is, creative ability may decline, but it's impossible for it to slip from 'Legend' to 'Little Apple,' right?"

"Penguin Music, refund my money!! Lin Xiao, refund my money!!!"

"It's obvious that raising a child is stressful. Lin Xiao has completely lost his integrity since becoming a father. Not only does he appear on variety shows, but he also dares to hype up a low-quality pop song like 'Little Apple.' Now he's not even pretending anymore, is he?!"

"One person wrote a petition in blood to blacklist Lin Xiao!!!"

"I haven't even listened to it yet, but I'm already checking the reviews. Is it really that bad?!"

"I don't usually listen to bad songs, but when it's this bad, I have to give it a try!"

"..."

Across the entire internet and on all platforms, a wave of anti-forest sentiment swept across the country overnight.

The full name of the "Down with Lin Tide" is: The Great Frenzy to Overthrow Lin Xiao, the New Poisonous Tumor of Capitalist Circle Culture!
Weibo, Douyin, Tencent Music...

Various platforms and channels.

The song "Little Apple" and its lyricist, composer, and singer, Lin Xiao, have all been subjected to overwhelming abuse and criticism. They are described as extremely unpleasant and outrageous.

It's generally difficult to determine right or wrong in matters discussed online.

Even the most outrageous things can always be found on both sides, causing netizens to automatically take sides and argue endlessly.

But this time, public opinion inexplicably reached a consensus.

Almost everyone thinks the song "Little Apple" is awful, so people criticize it online even more harshly than the song itself.

The sheer frenzy startled Xixi.

She has experienced several instances of being universally criticized online since her debut, but none of them have been as widespread and united as this one.

There was almost no one online speaking up for Lin Xiao.

Although Xixi herself felt that "Little Apple" was just so-so, from a professional music perspective, it wasn't so bad that it would cause all netizens to have a unified aesthetic and form a united front to relentlessly criticize the song.

Han Xixi did not actively pay attention to the online discussions.

All the news was relayed to her by her agent, Chen Jiajia, via phone call.

Because Lin Xiao agreed to appear on "Rebirth," Chen Jiajia now considers herself Lin Dazhen's agent and pays extra attention to his affairs. She calls Han Xixi almost every three minutes to report on the online battle situation, and her emotions are extremely tense and anxious.

When the fifth call was made.

When Lin Xiao came out of the bathroom after taking a shower, he saw that his wife's brows were furrowed in deep frown lines, and he immediately realized what had happened on the phone.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, his expression calm.

He stepped forward, took the phone, and then hung up.

When Chen Jiajia called again, he simply turned off his phone.

"Brother...aren't you worried?" Xixi asked hesitantly.

"worry about what?"

Lin Xiao smiled calmly, not out of feigned nonchalance, but because he genuinely didn't know what to worry about.

He lay in the rocking chair, swaying leisurely, and said, "Worried about the sales of this song? Look at how many people are cursing me, you know the song will definitely sell well. After all, you have to listen to the song before you can go online to curse, right? So the sales will definitely be a hit. I'm sure 'Little Apple' will surpass all the works I wrote for you and Lao Cao before. This wave has really made me a fortune, so much money that I'm not at ease."

"I'm not worried about sales, so I'm even less worried about anything else. It's not like the song quality is bad or anything. Netizens can criticize me online, but they're not going to come to Mashan County to assassinate me, are they? It's not worth it! Besides, I'm not a professional singer. I'm not going to sing this song and never sing it again. So there's no question of offending netizens and ruining my future... Therefore, from a moral and logical standpoint, do I have any problems to worry about?"

These words did resonate with Xixi, easing her tense emotions somewhat.

She sat down on the edge of the bed and said seriously, "That's true, but it's never good to be criticized... You're a musician, and the original singer of 'Little Apple.' If your work is criticized by the entire internet, can you really not care at all? If it were me, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if someone said my song was bad!"

As a fellow singer, Xixi's empathy made it impossible for her to relate to her husband's carefree attitude.

Lin Xiao's leisurely expression gradually faded.

He smiled calmly and said, "To be honest, I'm a little uncomfortable, but not to the point of doubting myself or having trouble sleeping—ultimately, I still have a lot of confidence in the song 'Little Apple'!"

These words puzzled Xixi even more.

She really wanted to support her husband, but as a professional singer, someone who had received four years of professional pop music education and training, she also had to consider other factors.

No matter how much she analyzes the melody, explores the concepts, or understands the lyrics.

She couldn't find a single musical value in this song... it was truly awful!

Unlike netizens who are so short-sighted as to conclude that their husbands have lost their creative spark and will never be able to write good songs again just because they think their husbands wrote a mediocre piece, Xixi is not.

After all, even the most talented musicians can't have every song be a classic; everyone has a few bad songs.

It's okay if a piece of work is bad; just admit it's bad and then write something else. But Lin Xiao's current situation is: his work is clearly terrible, but he won't admit it and insists that the song is good!

That’s trouble!
Xixi was in a bit of a dilemma, but in order to stand firm with her husband through this difficult time, she decided to give him some honest advice, even if it was unpleasant to hear: only by puncturing the abscess could it heal faster.

"Brother, can I give my opinion?" Xixi asked, mustering her courage.

"Well, you said."

"The song 'Little Apple' is really not good!"

Xixi said, forcing herself to speak.

It wasn't that she was afraid to tell the truth, but that she was afraid her truth would hurt her husband.

After all, you can ignore the negative comments from outsiders, but if your own wife throws cold water on you, the blow will be too great.

Xixi was all set to give her husband a good kiss and hug to cheer him up.

However, before she could make a move...

Lin Xiao, however, simply shrugged calmly: "I know~"

Xi Xi was stunned.

"you know?"

"I know!"

“What I mean is, I think this song is awful!” Xixi emphasized.

"I know: you think 'Little Apple' is awful!"

Lin Xiao remained calm, his expression showing no sign of feigning composure.

Xixi was completely confused.

"You really know?"

"You can't possibly be lying!" Lin Xiao laughed.

"But didn't you just say you were very confident in 'Little Apple'?"

Xi Xi looked puzzled.

Lin Xiao laughed and said, "I am confident, but I didn't say this song is a good song!"

Xi Xi tilted her head, trying very hard to understand the logic.

Seeing her adorable appearance, Lin Xiao couldn't help but laugh and reached out to pinch her chubby cheeks.

He pulled his wife to his side, and sat her down between his legs.

"Here's what happened!"

Lin Xiao patiently explained, "Wife, you're a professional singer, so your appreciation of music is definitely not a problem. Therefore, if you think 'Little Apple' is unpleasant, then it's unpleasant, there's no doubt about that. But I have to ask you, wife, can you speak for everyone?"

Xi Xi paused for a moment, then shook her head.

"However, although I can't speak for everyone, almost all netizens are saying that this song is not good!"

"really!"

Lin Xiao didn't shy away from this point at all, "Then let me ask you: Can netizens represent everyone?"

Xixi didn't respond.

She now feels that her husband has lost face, and is now stubbornly trying to regain his sense of self-worth.

Lin Xiao laughed: "I know what you're thinking. You're probably thinking that the internet penetration rate in our country is already very high, and almost everyone goes online. So the fact that the entire internet is flooded with criticisms of this song is enough to show that 'Little Apple' has become so bad that it's universally condemned, and that this song has absolutely no redeeming qualities!"

These two sentences are too harsh; they leave absolutely no room for compromise.

Xi Xi looked embarrassed: "It's not that serious..."

Lin Xiao didn't take it seriously and laughed, "Whether it's serious or not, these are facts, and I completely acknowledge that. But wife, you've misunderstood something: internet penetration rate doesn't represent internet voice rate!"

Xi Xi frowned.

"Take my mother for example! She's a country woman who doesn't know many characters and can barely write her own name."

Lin Xiao patiently explained, "Is she a netizen? Of course she is. She's always scrolling through short videos, and she's recently learned how to shop online. She's incredibly skilled with her smartphone. But do you think she, as a netizen, can take sides online about whether sweet or savory zongzi are better, can participate in the debate over tariffs between East and West universities, or can judge whether a song is good or bad?"

Xi Xi's eyes lit up, and she seemed to understand what he meant.

Lin Xiao sighed, “Our country has a large population and a huge number of netizens. Any trivial matter can cause a huge uproar online, which gives people the illusion that everyone is the master of the internet and everyone can speak freely.”

"But this is not the truth of the Internet age. The truth is that only a small group of people truly speak out online. They wave flags, post wildly, and stir up flame wars in various topics, as if they are afraid that others will not know that they are at the forefront of the Internet and have the most cutting-edge, unique, and fiery comments and insights."

"This small group of people doesn't even account for one percent of the total number of internet users. And the majority of people—and I'm not just talking about people with low levels of education like my mom who only know how to shop online and watch short videos—also include many young people like us who have received higher education, and they never post comments or express opinions online."

"They listen to music, follow the news, and chase trending topics, but they just browse and never comment. This kind of person makes up a large proportion, and when you add people like my mom who have opinions and insights but have absolutely no way to express them, the proportion is even greater!"

Lin Xiao paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "So, don't be fooled by the fact that the online world is always crowded. In reality, these cutting-edge and pioneering voices are just one person's opinion and cannot represent all netizens, or even themselves."

"It's 8:30 pm now, and 'Little Apple' has only been online for half an hour. Those who are rushing to comment and hurl insults online are genuine pop music enthusiasts and even professionals."

"Because of their professional expertise and passion, they would stay on the dedicated page for 'Little Apple' on Tencent Music, listen to the song as soon as it was released, and then share their opinions."

Are their criticisms and opinions objective? Of course they are, but even the most objective ones can only represent themselves, and a small group of people. And sorry, "Little Apple" itself wasn't written for these people.

"This song is aimed at the general public, at those who can't speak out online, at those who don't care about trends and hot topics, but only about their daily meals and the trivialities of life. As long as these people hear my singing and find it pleasant, uplifting, and invigorating, that's enough!"

After speaking, Lin Xiao himself felt incredibly moved.

The world today is actually quite bizarre.

It seems there are always some people who, even though they are just one person or a small group, always like to represent everyone!

Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) can be eaten sweet or savory, tofu pudding can be eaten sweet or savory, and whether or not to add scallions and cilantro...

This is something that is clearly just a matter of personal preference and lifestyle, yet it gets argued about endlessly online every year.

I don't like sweet rice dumplings, sweet tofu pudding, or cilantro.

They could have said, "I don't like it, and that only applies to myself," but instead they hysterically shouted, "Who is eating sweet rice dumplings?" and even yelled, "Destroy all the coriander seeds in the world!"

Expressing opinions has become a way to set the tone, generate buzz, use extreme rhetoric to create divisions and even "eliminate dissent."

Everyone wants to represent others and wants to reach a consensus.

Thus, those vast groups who never speak out are inexplicably represented and unified.

Of course, they didn't care.

People only care about their own lives, about today's dinner and tomorrow's weather, about their children's grades and their parents' blood pressure, and maybe a little about the neighborhood's property prices, but that's about it.

As for which celebrity has had a scandal, which movie has been a box office flop, or whose new song is awful...

Excuse me, what does this have to do with me?

People don't care.

Even if several months later, when the initial online feud and trending topics have long since faded, one day these people who were represented might be walking down the street when they suddenly hear that song.

Even a passerby might be confused: "Hey, isn't this that song? It's not that bad..."

Then there is no more.

At most, you can open the Penguin Music app, tap "Listen to Songs," identify the song, and add it to your favorites.

Then you can listen to it while mopping the floor or taking a shower.

This silent support was unknown to those hysterical online pioneers who were criticizing him back then, and to the pitiful creator who was forced to publicly apologize after being attacked.

Even the random passerby himself didn't see it as a form of support.

This was just a fleeting moment in his peaceful life, not even a proper interlude.

Nobody pays attention, nobody cares.

But Lin Xiao cared.

He gave up the glitz and glamour of the big city and the extravagance of the entertainment industry to come to this remote and impoverished mountain village, where he worked hard as the town mayor. He also joined forces with Nanzhou Province and Feihong Entertainment to establish the "New Rural" music company.

The purpose is to represent, give voice to, and unify the vast majority.

You don't like "Little Apple"?

Who do you think you are? Plenty of people like you!
This little fish deserves to be cared for, this little fish really deserves to be cared for!
(End of this chapter)