Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapters 318 and 319: A Music Lesson
Starlight Town was engulfed in a frenzy.

Meanwhile, in Dafeng Village, the second recording of "Rebirth" is proceeding as scheduled.

Today is the second day of recording.

Today's program plan is to visit three primary schools in the town and interact with the students.

Lin Xiao and Han Xixi were naturally in charge of one of them.

Although they didn't have a script, a script and a plan are not the same thing. If the guests were to arrange the recording content for these twelve episodes, even the King of Heaven would be at a loss.

Therefore, the production team will still combine the theme of each episode with simple task assignments.

For example, last week's dinner party, and this week's visit to the primary school.

Of course, this task arrangement is not static, but will be dynamically adjusted according to the recording of the program.

For example, last week, Lin Xiao and Han Xixi named their new home, and this week, when filming started, they were given the task of making a plaque for their new home.

This is a plan, not a script.

The planners simply gave them a task; how they completed it was up to them to figure out.

The script, on the other hand, will directly change their character settings, give them a complete scenario, and even write out the dialogue, including some pre-designed viral lines.

The roles played by the guests can be described as, to put it nicely, "themselves," but to put it bluntly, they are just puppets.

Lin Xiao and Han Xixi are determined not to make money through such unethical means, but they accept the program's plans and tasks while remaining true to themselves, which is perfectly reasonable.

10 o'clock in the morning.

After finishing breakfast, Lin Xiao and Han Xixi arrived at Shiliang Primary School, located in Shiliang Village.

The program's content was very simple: give the students a lesson, play some games on the playground, and have a heart-to-heart talk.

It seems simple.

However, a class is 45 minutes long, games take even longer, and heart-to-heart talks can be long or short. But the stark contrast between the dazzling celebrities and the impoverished students in the mountain village can easily spark touching and moving content, which can serve as the highlight of this episode.

In other words, the short morning's program included educational content, joyful moments, and heartwarming moments.

More importantly, the addition of children created new highlights compared to the previous two episodes.

With such rich content, theoretically, each set could generate two hours of effective material.

Three groups of guests, that's 6 hours.

With yesterday's half-day recording, there's more than enough material to edit out four episodes.

But obviously, we can't do that.

This isn't a documentary; it's impossible to record every single detail. Even if it were, netizens wouldn't buy it.

So six or seven hours of footage can be edited into just two hours of footage.

Such a wide range of choices ensures that this episode's content will be of high quality.

Therefore, the production team was quite relaxed during filming and had a lot of confidence in this episode.

Lin Xiao felt much more relaxed.

After having a daughter, he had a knack for getting along with her, and he visited all the primary schools in the town, some more than once.

This section is no different from going back to his own home.

They were already free to do as they pleased, and now they're even more at ease.

But Han Xixi was under a lot of pressure.

From the moment she got into the program crew's car, ready to head to the elementary school, she kept picking at her fingers.

Lin Xiao understood; this was a sign of his wife's extreme anxiety. She had always reacted this way before, whenever she was about to perform or give an interview, but never with such extreme prudence.

Lin Xiao was also a little confused.

I thought that after the first two episodes, my wife had gotten used to the pace of the variety show.

After all, she performed quite well last week. Although she wasn't completely uninhibited, she was generally engaged and enjoying herself.

But this time, I was so nervous.

Upon observing the dark circles under his wife's eyes, he roughly guessed that his wife had been frightened by the frenzied search last night.

Lin Xiao had anticipated being scolded, so he remained calm.

But I didn't expect to accidentally hurt my wife, so I felt terrible about it.

He quickly tried to soothe her: "Honey, did you secretly check the trending topics last night? Were you so upset by the netizens criticizing me that you couldn't sleep? There's really no need for that. When you're out in the world, you're bound to get hurt..."

He offered a long, scathing consolation.

Logically speaking, such words should not be said during the recording of a program, as it would damage the viewing experience.

But Lin Xiao didn't care. He appeared on the show emphasizing his carefree attitude and doing whatever he wanted.

If the production team feels it's inappropriate, they will cut it out.

If it's not cut... then it means the production team approves of his performance and is fueling his suicidal behavior of seeking criticism.

The first episode aired last night.

Admittedly, Lin Xiao's performance gave many female netizens a reason to complain, but the show's undisguised editing may also be the culprit behind it all.

Of course, Lin Xiao didn't care.

In fact, he didn't deliberately put on an act or try to attract negative attention.

His behavior on the show was his most natural and genuine expression in that situation.

To say he deliberately made himself look ugly to become famous is a gross injustice.

When I'm tired from working overtime, I don't want to do anything or talk when I get home. Is it unreasonable to ask my wife to cook two meals for me?
A so-called senior came to visit, and he immediately started being sarcastic and provocative. Isn't it reasonable for me to subtly confront him instead of indulging him?
Both are reasonable!
But the audience objected, saying he treated his wife like a servant and showed no respect for his seniors.

Lin Xiao was also puzzled:

When did it become a reason for men to be criticized for not being subservient to women or groveling to powerful figures? These are simple and reasonable desires.

Isn't it about gender equality? Isn't it about social fairness?
Why aren't you talking about it anymore?

Oh, so men have to suffer and toil? Serving their wives and children at home, groveling to their superiors and seniors outside, and not being able to fight back when they're wronged, just having to swallow their pride and bear the pain?
You call this being responsible and promising?

That's such a double standard!

I wasn't like this when I was on Earth. Is the social environment on your planet really this bad?
No wonder men aren't getting married these days.

Earning your own money and spending it as you please, that's true freedom.

Moreover, without a wife and children to support, or a mortgage and car loan to pay, there are no weaknesses at work that can be exploited, allowing you to send any arrogant leader to the sidelines anytime!

Lin Xiao wasn't angry when recording the show, and he's still not angry now that he's being scolded.

He had guessed then and there that this would be the outcome after the show aired.

But he doesn't care.

Unexpectedly, these insults would have a serious impact on his wife, which made him somewhat regretful.

After listening to his words of comfort, Xixi simply smiled gently.

"I know, I'm fine..."

"Honey, don't hold it in. If you're feeling uncomfortable, just say so. I'll let you scold me again if you want!" Lin Xiao said seriously.

Xi Xi laughed: "You've already been scolded so badly, if I scold you again, wouldn't that be kicking you when you're down?"

Seeing his wife happy, Lin Xiao felt relieved.

"As long as you're happy, I'll do anything, from kicking you when you're down to stabbing you in the back!"

"Hmph! This is getting more and more absurd!"

Xi Xi gave him a playful glare and said, "Last night, I did secretly check the comments while you were asleep, and I was so angry I couldn't sleep. But then I saw you sleeping so soundly, and I thought, if you, the one who got all the flak, weren't affected by the trending topics, then I had even less reason to. So I let it go, and now it's all over... I mean it, don't worry!"

As Xixi spoke, she flashed her signature crescent-shaped smile, as if afraid he wouldn't believe her.

Lin Xiao naturally believed it and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now that everything's alright, why are you still so nervous...? Is it because you're going to teach elementary school students in a little while?" Lin Xiao asked belatedly.

"..."

Xixi smiled shyly and nodded.

Lin Xiao suddenly realized that he had become so used to his wife's domineering and eloquent manner that he had forgotten she was a human being.

During last week's recording, she spent most of her time alone, so she was naturally calm and composed.

But next, she will be facing a bunch of strangers, and a group of unruly children whom no one likes.

It would be a miracle if I wasn't nervous!
Lin Xiao came to his senses but couldn't comfort her. He could only touch her small hand to convey warmth and express his sorrow.

……

After a half-hour drive, we arrived at Shiliang Primary School.

Ten years ago, Xingguang Town had eight primary schools.

Because of the large outflow of population in recent years, the number of children left in their hometowns has decreased significantly, and several schools have gradually closed down due to the inability to recruit students.

Now only 5 schools remain in the entire town.

The current office building of Xingguang Town Government is a converted abandoned primary school.

Five primary schools seem like a considerable number.

However, in reality, the number of students in these primary schools has decreased by more than half compared to their peak.

The town's central primary school is fine. Since it was the largest primary school to begin with, and it also absorbed students from two other schools, the total number of students hasn't changed much. Walking past the school gate, you can still feel the liveliness and energy inside.

However, the situation at several other rural primary schools can only be described as appalling.

Only one class remains in each grade, and the number of students drops drastically as the grade level decreases.

Just like Shiliang Primary School.

There are more than 20 sixth-grade students who just graduated this year, but only 7 new first-grade students have enrolled.

The other four rural primary schools weren't much better off.

With such a small number of students, the school could be merged further.

The reason for not doing so is that Xingguang Town has too large a geographical area, and merging 8 primary schools into 5 is already the limit.

If the merger continues, some students will have to travel four or five kilometers or more to get to school.

It's simply unrealistic to expect someone to pick you up and drop you off.

Xingguang Town is a typical hollow town and hollow village.

Otherwise, it would not have become an important implementation site for the policy of merging villages and towns in Mashan County and even the entire Yizhou City.

This town, located in the mountains, is mostly populated by the elderly, the infirm, and the disabled, except for the town itself where some young and middle-aged people can still be seen.

They still have to farm, do agriculture, and make a living.

Given this reality, it's simply impossible for the elderly to pick up and drop off the children at school every morning and evening.

They can only rely on the child's own two legs.

Against this backdrop, having only 5 primary schools in the vast town of Xingguang is already the absolute limit.

Even so, some students still have to walk two or three kilometers to school, which is unimaginable in the third world where people in the city are busy with school district housing and elite classes.

Some people are complaining bitterly in heaven.

Some people carry heavy burdens in this world.

No one can see anyone else, and those who cannot see each other are the vast and silent majority.

This is also why the work of merging villages and towns must be carried out.

This is also why Lin Xiao wrote "Little Apple" even though he knew he would be criticized.

……

It's summer vacation now.

The students were gathered back for this program recording under the guise of a summer experimental class. There was only one class in the morning, which was a class meeting for the volunteer teachers.

Since the sixth-grade students have already graduated, there are even fewer students at Shiliang Primary School, with only about 70 students in total.

In addition, classes were held temporarily during the summer vacation.

Some students were unable to attend because their parents lived in other places or because they had farm work to do at home.

Only about 40 students from grades two to six returned to school in total.

The classroom was not even full.

Lin Xiao already knew about the situation at these schools, so he remained relatively calm.

But when Han Xixi arrived at the classroom and saw a room full of children of varying heights, and learned that they were all the students in the school, her nervousness instantly turned into boundless horror.

It took her a while to process the dilapidated, rudimentary, and lifeless state of the rural primary school.

Regardless, the work still needs to be done.

The couple is a musical genius and a leading figure among the new generation of singers. Both of their titles are closely related to music.

The theme of their class meeting was, naturally, "music".

In this regard, Han Xixi is undoubtedly an expert.

Although Lin Xiao has written so many popular and classic songs, he has never received professional music training and knows nothing about music theory, so he has no way of teaching children.

You can't exactly draw a musical staff on the blackboard and teach everyone to recognize musical notes, can you?

Therefore, the heavy responsibility of teaching fell on Han Xixi's shoulders.

She is a genuine music prodigy at Haicheng Conservatory of Music. Although her composition skills are average, she has a deep foundation in music fundamentals and can recall them with ease.

She is the perfect person to teach.

Han Xixi took this topic very seriously and prepared for it for a whole week.

There's a lot to talk about.

However, it is not an easy task to make children with no musical background understand and learn something in just one lesson.

After much thought, Xixi decided to abandon the complicated music theory and set a theme for this lesson: choral singing.

She decided to use one class period to teach the children to rehearse a song. The song had already been chosen.

To avoid being accused of advertising by netizens, she didn't choose her own song, nor did she choose "Little Apple," which was actually a very suitable choice.

Instead, they chose a classic children's song suitable for all ages, called "Sunflower".

Han Xixi had deep considerations when he decided to teach choral singing.

First, choral singing allows all children to participate, preventing a lesson from being just about listening to the teacher, which can be boring and tedious.

Secondly, the nursery rhymes are simple and most children can sing them, so they won't feel resistant or unfamiliar with the class.

Most importantly, this content can be initially covered in one lesson, avoiding a rushed and unsatisfying ending where some children get excited but then never follow through.

After listening to his wife's explanation, Lin Xiao applauded her from the bottom of his heart.

Although it was just a lesson that had to be completed for the sake of recording a program, my wife did not have a perfunctory attitude at all. Instead, she took on the heavy responsibility of teaching and educating people in a real way, trying her best to bring joy to the children and help them learn knowledge within the limited time and within her own ability.

Arriving at the classroom, class begins.

In rural primary schools, music classes are something that only exist in books and are considered alien; the children have never had one.

So the forty-odd students sat in the classroom, each with a blank look in their eyes.

Even though everyone was a little curious, the sight of the unfamiliar teacher and the eerie scene of people carrying long lenses and cameras in front and behind the classroom made them all feel uneasy and nervous, not even knowing where to put their hands.

Han Xixi stood on the podium, also very nervous, unsure how to break the deadlock.

Ever since.

The teacher and students looked at each other, unsure of what to do.

This is where Lin Xiao's role becomes apparent.

"Classmates, do you still recognize me?" He confidently stepped onto the stage, a bright smile on his face, and asked in fluent Mashan dialect.

Only then did his classmates notice him.

Suddenly, I felt a sense of comfort, like someone lost on a deserted street suddenly spotting a distant relative.

Lin Xiao visited the school several times and even gave a motivational speech at the flag-raising ceremony.

So some older students remember it.

Faced with his question, the students did not dare to answer in unison, but several students nodded, and smiles appeared on their nervous little faces.

"Everyone, relax. Today's class meeting, though called a class, is really just for fun!"

Lin Xiao smiled as he lured... ah, no, he guided.

However, the results were mediocre. The students all looked at him, not understanding how he could play while sitting in the classroom.

Seeing that his attempts to guide the conversation failed, Lin Xiao had no choice but to resort to his ultimate move.

"Class, do you know the song 'Little Apple'?"

The moment this question was posed, the blank looks on everyone's faces instantly transformed into expressions of confidence.

"meeting!!"

The whole class spoke in unison; not one of them remained silent.

This clearly demonstrates how deeply the song resonates with people and how broad its appeal is.

The surrounding cameras assumed that Lin Xiao was trying to use his status as the original singer of "Little Apple" to get closer to his classmates.

Hearing everyone's response, Lin Xiao smiled and clapped his hands: "Then let's sing this song together, okay?"

The students shouted even louder: "Good!"

Lin Xiao slung his guitar over his shoulder, played simple chords, and led his classmates in singing.

"I planted a seed, and finally it bore fruit..."

"You are my little apple, I can never love you too much..."

In the old classroom.

Two battered electric fans creaked and groaned, but they did nothing to ward off the summer heat.

But the students were all very enthusiastic.

Even with sweat pouring down their faces, nothing could dampen their loud singing and vibrant energy.

Until the song started playing.

These children, aged seven or eight to ten, quickly let down their guard and showed the vigor and vitality that should be present at their age.

The cameramen were stunned.

They knew the song was popular, but they never imagined it would become so popular in this remote mountain village that even a group of elementary school students could sing it.

At that moment, they were stunned.

The impact of this song doesn't stem from its popularity.

The point is that it was only at this moment that they began to understand Lin Xiao's intentions in writing this song and settling down in the mountain village.

This world is not just about Jingzhou, the Magic City, and skyscrapers.

There are a large, neglected majority in this world who are unable to speak out, ignored, and seemingly nonexistent in this country.

Of course, this is in an era where everyone strives hard and wants to live a good life.

There's nothing wrong with everyone focusing on themselves.

After all, it's already hard enough to just survive; to remain virtuous in poverty is also a form of kindness.

But there's a second half to that saying: "When you're successful, you should help others in the world."

Most ordinary people can do the first half of the sentence.

But only a very few experts can achieve the second half of the sentence.

Most successful people only want to become even more successful, and they are even willing to devour the poor who seek only to live a simple life.

In this dog-eat-dog world.

Even if Lin Xiao is doing it for fame and fortune, he writes catchy pop songs, appears on variety shows, marries female celebrities, and pursues a bright future.

But he also genuinely brought joy to the children in the mountains through "Little Apple".

What's even more commendable is that he didn't show off.

He should say that he wrote and sang the song, and the children will admire him even more.

But at this moment, this message would obviously interfere with the pure joy of singing loudly, so he didn't say it.

He appeared calm and composed, playing the guitar with a crisp and melodious tone, as if he were just a friendly older brother next door who had returned from working in the city.

But the cameramen watching were all deeply impressed by his demeanor, talent, and state of mind.

Han Xixi was also impressed.

Lin Xiao once explained to her the original intention behind writing "Little Apple".

At first, Xixi didn't understand, but after seeing the square dancers happily dancing in the park and the aunties in the shops enjoying their music, she gradually began to understand.

But that doesn't stop her from thinking that the song is a mindless pop song with no substance.

Until this moment.

Looking into the classroom, Xixi saw the children singing loudly and boldly, and her earlier awkwardness and tension vanished in an instant.

Their dark faces were covered in sweat.

Their innocent eyes sparkled with joy.

Their resounding songs were filled with childlike hope.

Xi Xi stood by the podium, quietly watching all of this, her heart filled with deep shock and profound emotion.

Then she looked at her husband.

That man who always speaks recklessly and shamelessly in front of me, and who tries to touch me inappropriately when no one is around.

In a daze, she almost didn't recognize him.

At that moment, she felt as if there was a halo around Lin Xiao's head, so dazzling that she couldn't look away.

The song ended quickly.

The atmosphere in the classroom had become relaxed and cheerful.

Lin Xiao winked at his wife, meaning: The podium is yours now!
Han Xixi nodded.

For some reason, I felt no tension at all, only boundless motivation.

"Hello everyone, I'm the other teacher for today's class meeting. You can call me Teacher Xixi or Sister Xixi!"

Han Xixi has a bright smile and a cheerful, friendly voice, which is completely different from the image of the aloof female star she usually portrays.

The cameramen were stunned again.

Everyone exchanged curious glances, wondering what magic this classroom held that made the couple seem like completely different people as soon as they entered.

"I just heard everyone sing 'Little Apple' together. It was so energetic, everyone's voices were so loud and clear, and it sounded so beautiful!"

Xi Xi gently furrowed her brow, then continued with a bright smile, "Today's lesson is about choral singing. The way you sang just now was choral singing in the literal sense, but we can actually use some methods to make the song sound better. How can I describe it? Like rain, do the sounds of heavy rain and light rain sound the same?"

"No! It's! The! Same!" The children were charmed by Xixi's friendly and bright personality and interacted with her very naturally.

"Do thunder and chopping wood sound the same?"

"no the same!"

"If you throw a pebble into a bucket of water, will the sound be the same whether there's a lot of water or a little water?"

"no the same!"

"That's right~"

Xi Xi laughed and wrote the words "high, medium, and low" on the blackboard.

"The reason it's different is that all the sounds we hear can basically be divided into three timbres: high, middle, and low. Our human voices are the same; whether it's high, middle, or low, it's all innate..."

Xixi patiently explained.

This part is theoretical knowledge, which sounds a bit difficult, and it's even more difficult for elementary school students who have never been exposed to music theory.

Fortunately, Xixi was well prepared.

She started with things that children could easily encounter in their daily lives, which helped them understand the differences between high, mid, and low tones.

After this explanation, the students showed great interest in choral singing.

After a brief introduction.

Xixi then conducted a voice test for the whole class, using whatever was available, and had the children sing "Little Apple" in a relay, with each person singing one line and so on.

After walking around, I quickly distinguished the high, medium, and low tones of both men and women.

The seats were rearranged according to vocal register.

The children were fully engaged in the unfamiliar yet fun lesson, and even the staff around them were drawn in by Han Xixi's entertaining explanations, listening with great interest.

After changing seats, we started teaching the song "Sunflower".

Although this song is a classic children's song that almost everyone in the city can sing, it is not as widely sung in remote mountainous areas as "Little Apple," which became a hit thanks to the internet.

Xixi had to teach her from scratch.

Fortunately, as a children's song, "Sunflower" has a catchy melody and is easy to sing.

It only took fifteen minutes for the whole class to learn the song.

The next part is even more difficult: teaching singing in sections, as well as singing in ensembles and harmonies.

The students started to fall behind.

Xi Xi remained calm and patient, explaining, guiding, and encouraging the students again and again. In the shortest amount of time, she managed to get all the students to grasp the essentials and understand when to speak, when to pause, and when to harmonize.

By this time, the class had been going on for an hour, far exceeding the planned schedule.

The whole class hadn't even had a chance to sing a song together yet.

Xi Xi also started to get anxious.

She is usually someone who hates to cause trouble for others, but now, because her teaching progress is behind schedule, the overall filming plan has been delayed, so she feels very sorry to all the staff.

Normally, she would probably finish quickly and not take up any more of everyone's time.

But this time, she acted shamelessly, contrary to her usual behavior.

On the stage, she tried her best to control her emotions, but still maintained her bright enthusiasm, leading the whole class in their first chorus of the day.

"Are you ready?!" Xi Xi cheered loudly.

"Ready!!" the students shouted thunderously.

"it is good!"

Xi Xi clapped her hands, her eyes resolute and expectant, and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Sun, sun, bring us the seven colors of light—ready, sing!"

At the command, all the students started singing at the same time, and their unified voices filled the small classroom.

"Sun, sun, bring us seven colors of light..."

The singing was loud and clear, and the emotions were high.

Whether in terms of momentum, uniformity, or coordination, it is a significant improvement over the previous performance of "Little Apple".

The children's mouths were wide open, and they were extremely serious, as if they were about to go into battle.

On the podium, Xixi was busy but calmly directing the class, her face showing unprecedented determination.

Lin Xiao played the guitar on the side, providing background music for everyone.

His eyes, however, were uncontrollably drawn to his wife, who was serious and focused on the stage.

This was a side he had never seen before.

He is different from his introverted wife, his coquettish wife, his angry wife, his wife who sings on stage, and his wife who takes care of the children at home.

At that moment, the sunflower seemed to pierce through the atmosphere and clouds, truly blooming on her.

At this moment, she is the most dazzling sunflower!
(End of this chapter)