Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 312, Chapter 313. Han Xixi's Day of Lying Down

At noon, Han Xixi arrived at her destination—Dafeng Village—in the program crew's car.

The village is very close to Xingguang Town, less than 2 kilometers away. Because the village has a relatively large permanent population, it was spared the fate of being merged into another village and town.

Upon arriving in the village by car, Han Xixi immediately sensed a vibrant local atmosphere.

The villagers gathered at the village entrance, excitedly discussing the big event that had happened in the village—a group of celebrities were coming to the village to film a TV show!

The news spread throughout the village after three vacant houses on the east side of the village were rented out.

But at that time there was still no definite answer.

Therefore, even though some villagers revealed that it was for a television production, most people still refused to believe it.

Where is this? It's Xingguang Town and Dafeng Village, nestled deep in the mountains!
Who would be so bored as to come here to film a TV show? That would be crazy.
The elderly folks, drawing on decades of life experience, concluded that this was impossible. They thought it was more likely that the house was rented out to a business owner who wanted to open a farmhouse inn.

The reason why I can accept running a farm stay but not filming television shows is that I can't.

There's no other reason than that the town has "farmhouse inns," while filming for television is a complete pipe dream.

The villagers would naturally choose to believe what they had seen rather than what they had no concept of.

However, the slap in the face came too suddenly.

First, a recording van bearing the Hunan TV logo arrived in the village in a grand procession. Then, dozens of strong laborers carrying cameras got off the van and stood guard around three newly renovated houses.

And then, right now, three groups of people got out of the car and checked into three separate houses.

At this moment, the bustling crowd finally experienced the first thing in their lives—seeing celebrities!

The villagers were shocked.

"Hey, isn't that Du Yanfang?"

Who is Du Yanfang?

"She's a TV actress. There was a TV series called 'Heaven Has Tears' back in the day, and she played the female lead, Xiao Hui!"

"Oh, this is Xiaohui! She looks so old now!"

"Xiao Hui was only sixteen or seventeen years old back then, and now it's been at least twenty years. How could she not be old!"

"She's not old at all! She looks to be only in her early twenties. Her face is so tender and delicate, you could pinch water out of it!"

"Celebrities definitely look younger than ordinary people, let alone us country folk!"

"..."

Amidst the exclamations, nostalgia, and lively discussions, the three groups of guests and five celebrities were recognized one after another.

Logically speaking, among these three groups, Han Xixi has the weakest popular support.

It's not that she's the least popular.

It can only be said that in the minds of rural people, she is the least popular, because her fans are mostly young people, which is the rarest group in rural areas.

The other two couples were both around forty years old.

This is normal, after all, celebrities in the entertainment industry get married late. They usually enter the marriage hall in their late thirties, and after having a child, they will be in their forties.

It's a miracle that someone like Han Xixi, who got married and had a child at only 24, didn't let her career suffer at all and easily rose to the top tier of popular singers.

Even now, there's this inexplicable nickname for her online: "Sister Niu".

It's both laughable and infuriating.

However, despite her reputation, Sister Niu lost her appeal in the countryside and was only recognized because of her husband.

She overheard the villagers discussing:
"Is this little girl a celebrity?"

"So beautiful, of course! None of the staff are as pretty as you!"

"Isn't this TV usually just for the in-laws? Why did she come alone?"

"Yeah, and she looks like she's only in her early twenties. How could she get married so young?"

"You don't know her?"

"I don't know this young man at all. I only know veteran actors!"

"She's the wife of our newly arrived, famous town mayor, Han Xixi!"

The moment the new town mayor was mentioned, the confused crowd's eyes lit up instantly, and they all exclaimed "Oh!" in unison.

Then the conversation successfully veered off course, and people started discussing how amazing and powerful the new town mayor was, how catchy and popular "Little Apple" was, and how the mayor had managed to get Hunan TV to the town—he was truly resourceful and conscientious…

Han Xixi heard her name being mentioned lightly, and then it was never mentioned again.

It was both awkward and funny.

"Alright, I guess I'm benefiting from my brother's fame!"

Xi Xi was secretly delighted, her face growing even happier as she carried her suitcase to her lodgings by herself.

The house is built on a hillside. It is the easternmost of the three houses that are connected in a straight line. It also has the best view and the best environment. The house is a little small, and the yard is a little small, but it is more than enough for the young couple.

Han Xixi glanced at it.

The mountains are verdant and the rice paddies are golden yellow. It is the height of summer, but it does not feel hot. Instead, a gentle breeze makes you feel cool.

Xixi closed her eyes and felt it for a while.

When I opened my eyes again, I was filled with anticipation for the next three months of secluded life in the countryside.

Behind her, in the open space directly opposite the house's entrance, six cameras were already on standby, ready to record the couple's daily life over three days and two nights.

It was Xixi's first time on a variety show, and she was actually a little unaccustomed to it, especially since her husband wasn't around.

But when she thought of her husband's three-word advice—"Be yourself"—she immediately calmed down.

Carrying their luggage, they got off the bus and walked into the frame.

First, we went to the main house and looked at the interior furnishings.

The house is only one story, and it is a standard old house with a room on each side and a living room in the middle.

The house faces south, with the kitchen on the east side, which was already there, while the bathroom on the west side was a temporary structure, since the two big stars couldn't be allowed to bathe in the open like the original villagers.

After the program team renovated and decorated the house, it no longer showed any signs of its original dilapidation and desolation. The walls, the ground, and even the roof were decorated with various folk customs, making it look full of life and elegant scenery.

In summary: It has the feel of a high-end rural homestay.

Xi Xi was very satisfied with what she saw.

She put her luggage in the master bedroom and then walked around the front and back of the house, where she received a smile from Lin Xiao.

He said he had another inspection in the afternoon and couldn't go yet, so he told her to get something to eat by herself.

As expected, Xixi showed no emotional reaction.

I had eaten breakfast early, and now I was really hungry, so I went to the kitchen myself.

The kitchen is fully stocked with all kinds of food, including meat, eggs, vegetables, and rice.

In addition to the cooking ingredients, two kinds of pots were also prepared.

One type is the traditional earthen stove, which requires burning firewood and operating a bellows.

Another option is an induction cooker, but the fear is that these pampered celebrities won't be able to cook on a traditional earthen stove and won't have anything to eat.

Xixi had also spent a considerable amount of time at her in-laws' home in the countryside, and she knew how to use the earthen stove.

However, it is indeed inconvenient for one person to both light the fire and cook, and it is quite a hassle to specially burn firewood and heat the pot when eating alone.

So she decided to use the induction cooker to make something simple. She chopped a tomato, cracked two eggs, and boiled water to make a simple bowl of tomato and egg noodles.

Of course, the cameras followed her closely from the moment she got out of the car.

Xixi somehow managed to get used to it.

Once the noodles were cooked, she ladled them into a large bowl, placed a folded dry cloth underneath, and then carried the bowl to her hands.

The camera captured these skillful and precise movements throughout the entire process.

I originally thought she was going to eat at the octagonal table in the main living room.

Unexpectedly, after carrying the bowl of noodles out of the kitchen, Han Xixi didn't go through any other doors. Instead, she sat on a small bamboo stool under the eaves of the gate, gazing at the distant green mountains and rolling rice paddies, blowing on the steam as she slowly ate her noodles.

The cameramen were stunned, and the director, Xiao Fang, who was following the whole thing, was also stunned.

They never expected that this famous new top singer, the future queen of pop who is highly anticipated across the internet, would be so down-to-earth, sitting right at the entrance and starting to eat slurry.

This action is very rural and authentic; if you're not careful, it can appear quite crude.

However, Han Xixi did not reveal a similar temperament at all.

She was sitting at the doorway like an old man from the countryside, legs spread apart, eating noodles and drinking soup, yet she possessed a unique, leisurely and serene demeanor.

And you could tell that her bowl of noodles was very flavorful.

The tomatoes were soft and mushy, the egg flowers were even and pale yellow, and finely chopped scallions floated on the surface of the soup, with a gentle steam rising from it...

The staff just watched, their mouths watering.

But there was nothing they could do but endure it.

Han Xixi didn't have a big appetite. She only ate half of the bowl of noodles before putting it down at her feet. She then rested her chin on her hand and gazed into the distance, lost in thought.

For a long time.

She finally came to her senses, ate the rest of the noodles, and drank all the soup.

After cleaning up the kitchen, I returned to my room and took all the clothes and personal belongings out of my suitcase and put them where they should be.

After getting everything ready, I sent a message home and soon received a sweet photo of my daughter taking a nap.

She watched for a long time, a bright, aunt-like smile on her face.

Before we knew it, it was already 2 p.m.

The gentle breeze has completely stopped, and the summer heat has begun to scorch.

Han Xixi started to feel sleepy after eating, but with so many cameras in front of her and the pressure of being a professional on the show, she had no choice but to stay awake.

But I just keep holding on, just keep holding on...

Ultimately, the more I tried to stay awake, the more drowsy I became. In the end, reason couldn't overcome sleepiness, so I simply waved my hand and said whatever came to mind. I went back to my room, turned on the fan, lay down on the bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

The cameramen and director Xiao Fang were all dumbfounded.

"Well... only one of the couple came, and they went to sleep. What are we going to do about the footage this afternoon?"

Xiao Fang was dumbfounded.

I originally thought that among the three couples, Lin Xiao and Han Xixi were the youngest, and Lin Xiao was also the local town mayor, so this couple would definitely be the most dedicated, cooperative, and have the most content to film.

Unexpectedly, the first episode's recording had only been going on for less than three hours.

The men were absent, the women were fast asleep, and the large house was so quiet that only the whirring of the electric fan could be heard.

This is this...

How can you even take a picture of a bird's egg?!
Xiao Fang was so anxious that she wanted to wake Han Xixi out of bed, but she remembered the instructions of the director, Rutdan: since he had promised not to write a script for the young couple, he should just let them be and not interfere with their words or actions!
Xiao Fang could only force himself to suppress his displeasure and simply let the cameramen take a break.

The cameramen were all pleasantly surprised.

After all, it was the height of summer, and it was 2 PM, the time when the temperature was at its highest.

The group of people were standing under the blazing sun, carrying cameras weighing dozens of kilograms. They were soaked in sweat and were exhausted, hungry, and sleepy.

Logically speaking, someone who works as a cameraman, especially at Hunan TV, should be used to this hellish working environment by now.

But today was their first day back at work, and they were already struggling to adapt. They were all complaining and unsure if they could make it to the end of the day.

Unexpectedly, thanks to the lazy guest, I was able to take a break.

The cameraman was overjoyed and quickly sat down in the shade, feeling extremely grateful to Han Xixi.

This young lady is beautiful and kind-hearted, like a fairy descended from heaven!
……

Han Xixi slept straight until 4 p.m., and the entire crew also rested until 4 p.m.

I woke up.

The guests and cameramen were all in high spirits and started recording again.

Director Xiao Fang, standing outside the house, breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the lazy guest finally get up and show up.

He was the only one in the group who didn't have time to rest.

They also went to check on the other two groups and found that their filming was very well organized. Both couples were very creative. One group made chilled watermelon juice with watermelon and thoughtfully shared it with the cameramen. The other group put down their luggage and wandered around the village, providing the production team with a wealth of outdoor footage.

Both couples are middle-aged, but they are full of energy and freshness.

Han Xixi, who is clearly at an age where she could pretend to be a beautiful young girl, is instead lying in her room sleeping soundly.

Still sleeping so soundly!!
Xiao Fang felt like banging his head against the wall. He spent the whole afternoon suppressing his impulse to drag this popular singer out of bed and continue recording.

Fortunately, just when Xiao Fang's patience was about to run out...

Han Xixi finally got up.

I stretched and drank a glass of water.

Then... he sat on the bamboo bench by the gate and stared into the distance, lost in thought.

I sat there for another half hour.

Xiao Fang: "???"

He was dumbfounded, utterly puzzled: Wait, is this woman really here for a vacation?!
Just as he was about to lose his temper and interrupt the recording once again.

Han Xixi finally got up, put on the straw hat prepared in the living room, and went to take a look at the vegetable garden in the backyard.

I picked some green beans and eggplants, and gathered a few small yellow wildflowers.

Han Xixi is back.

I put the vegetables in the kitchen, then trimmed the wildflowers and placed a glass bottle on the octagonal table.

The quaint living room was instantly brightened, and the atmosphere immediately became more lively.

Xiao Fang had no interest in appreciating the scenery.

He focused on judging the value of the material he had just heard, and his assessment was: so-so.

However, something is better than nothing. Although the content is a bit bland, it can still be used after some editing, which is much better than having no material at all after an afternoon.

Xiao Fang's anxious mood calmed down a little.

Just then, a car drove up the slope, and a staff member's voice came through the walkie-talkie.

"Lin Xiao is here! Lin Xiao is here!"

Xiao Fang's eyes lit up, and he was overjoyed: My career is finally saved!!!
(End of this chapter)