Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapter 321, Section 322: A Conversation Between Men

The explosive popularity of the first episode of "Longing for Married Life" continues.

In addition to the booming sales of honey root tea, a product lacking production, certification, and quality control, Xingguang Town has also witnessed a significant surge in its cultural and tourism industry.

It is a remote mountainous town that has experienced a large outflow of people year after year.

Starlight Town hasn't seen this phenomenon in a long time—more people are coming in than leaving, and by an overwhelming margin.

Since last weekend, there has been a noticeable increase in young faces and vehicles from other places in the town.

This momentum did not ease with the passing of the weekend; on the contrary, it showed a clear increasing trend.

This is really weird!

It is evident that most of the people who come to Starlight Town to explore based on online trends are wealthy and idle people who don't have to work. Of course, the summer vacation that is not yet over has also added fuel to the fire of Starlight Town's sudden popularity.

In the town and villages, well-dressed city dwellers roam everywhere, including many junior and senior high school students.

The sudden surge in tourists has brought severe challenges to the town's catering and accommodation industries.

Of course, it shouldn't be said like that—it wasn't a challenge, it was a massacre!

Given Xingguang Town's geographical location and population size, the number of restaurants and hotels in the town is less than the number of shops on the ground floor of an average residential complex in a large city.

Do you really think you can handle the influx of customers after the first episode of "Rebirth" became a hit just by relying on these storefronts?

Totally impossible!
These past few days, the town has been in complete chaos, with every restaurant experiencing unprecedented crowds.

In the countryside, the bosses had never seen anything like this before, and they were all terrified and cried.

She was really crying.

These kinds of rural restaurants are usually run by husband and wife or family businesses, with the man usually cooking and the woman doing odd jobs. There's often a child sitting in the restaurant doing their homework, because the restaurant is never full.

It's fine now.

Not only are there no places for children to sit, but there's also nowhere to leash the dogs in the store.

The temporary tables set up at the entrance of the store were all fully occupied, operating continuously for fifteen hours from seven in the morning to ten at night.

The owner's hands cramped from tossing the wok in the kitchen, but customers kept coming in droves, and even on the street, a large number of well-dressed city dwellers were complaining and queuing up.

The boss cried, and the boss's wife cried too.

As long as the child is happy!
Because he no longer had to do homework, and his parents no longer had to sigh and urge him to study hard.

Such scenes have been frequently playing out in shops of all sizes in Xingguang Town recently. However, due to the limited capacity of Xingguang Town to accommodate customers, 80% of the customers have migrated to surrounding towns and Mashan County.

Some tourists even went directly to the homes of villagers in the countryside, demanding to pay for farm-style meals, leaving the elderly completely bewildered.

These past few days, all the town's officials have been exhausted.

Not only in the town, but the police station was also busier than ever before, with a significant increase in workload compared to usual. The number of emergency calls alone increased at least tenfold, half of which were from tourists involved in conflicts, and the other half were from merchants and farmers who mistook these "tourists" for swindlers and bandits.

Despite the best efforts of the town government and relevant departments, the results have been minimal.

These past few days, although the entire Starlight Town has been bustling with people, the atmosphere has been anything but harmonious and lively; it can only be described as chaotic and disorderly.

This left the cadres feeling exhausted and frustrated.

The sense of accomplishment I felt last weekend because of the honey root tea emergency has now vanished.

Faced with thousands of enthusiastic tourists, no matter how much service, guidance, and mediation they provide, the town's capacity is ultimately insufficient, and they can only watch helplessly as various problems arise.

It's like putting beans in a sack.

Such a big bag can only hold so many beans. Even when it's full, they keep stuffing more in, which only makes the bag burst. It leaks either from the top or the bottom. Even after patching it up, it keeps leaking. It's beyond human control.

Starlight Town is now like that tiny little bag.

This bag has actually been expanded once; it was smaller before.

Before Lin Xiao took office in Xingguang Town, his true identity had already been exposed online, attracting considerable attention.

In addition, he had successful experience in developing the cultural tourism industry when he served in Chaobai Town.

Some shrewd people saw this as a good opportunity to make money by riding the wave of popularity, so they followed suit and made early arrangements in Xingguang Town, opening restaurants and homestays, which greatly improved the catering and accommodation capabilities of the small town.

Even so, they were completely unable to cope with the sudden surge in passenger flow.

A few days down.

The fighting spirit of all the cadres in the town has been completely worn away. They are all like wilted eggplants, with not a single part of their bodies still standing upright.

Being tired is one thing.

The most terrifying thing right now is that this whole thing seems to have no end in sight.

As a week passed, the town's businesses clearly found their rhythm, and rural guesthouses sprang up rapidly. The entire Xingguang Town was growing wildly amidst opportunities and challenges, and the initial buzz from the first episode of "Rebirth" had finally been largely absorbed.

It seems like everything is moving in the right direction.

Then, Friday is here, and the second episode of "Longing for Married Life" will air.

The more the town's officials were looking forward to the first episode of this program, the more resistant and afraid they are of the content of the second episode.

Cadres: Who knows what new things our unconventional town mayor will do in the second phase?
Whatever the commotion, it will surely bring another wave of tourists.

After all, Lin Xiao's performance in the first episode was "terrible," and he was criticized so harshly by the entire internet that people almost wanted to dig up his ancestors' graves.

Even so, tens of thousands of tourists still flock to Xingguang Town, this poor and remote place, just because of his reputation!
What if he clears his name in the second season? Or does something interesting?

Then the spokesperson effect will only be more terrifying.

The cadres were so confused by the consequences and the scene that they became somewhat delirious.

Everyone couldn't help but wonder: Was the mayor's previous enthusiasm in paying everyone back wages and subsidies all planned in advance to treat us like livestock today?
Of course, this thought was just a joke during dinner; no one was really that cynical as to imagine Lin Xiao to be that kind of person.

Moreover.

Even if Mayor Lin really does that, his impact on the economic development of Xingguang Town is undeniable.

It's at a level that's unprecedented and will never be repeated!

Even if he used some tricks or schemes, it doesn't matter.

After all, this world doesn't need naive and innocent people.

Those who become heroes are not those who lack the ambition and methods of tyrants; they simply possess a greater sense of conscience than tyrants.

Lin Xiao already possesses the qualities of a hero.

At least in the hearts of all the town's officials, he deserves this title.

Faced with such dazzling light.

The subordinates will automatically set aside their selfishness and achieve unprecedented unity, unleashing unprecedented fighting power.

Then, we must unite as one, persevere in our struggle, and work together with one heart and one mind.

Therefore, despite the arduous road ahead and the lack of any glimmer of hope.

But the group was not afraid at all. At most, they would make up a few lies about the town mayor during their rest periods. Once they had eaten and rested enough, they would still charge forward without hesitation.

Friday has arrived.

The second episode of "Rebirth" will air on Hunan TV at 7:30 p.m. and then be available on Mango Video at 10 p.m.

Unlike last week.

Today, Lin Xiao and Han Xixi didn't go to "Huanxi Residence" to record a program; instead, they drove back to their hometown, Anyang County.

The production team of "Rebirth" planned a total of six recording sessions.

Each recording session lasts three days and two nights, and the footage can be edited into two episodes, for a total of twelve episodes.

According to the original plan.

The guests are only required to participate in the recording once every two weeks, which means they record once every other week.

Due to scheduling issues with Hunan TV, "Rebirth" was moved up in time for broadcast, and it was recorded twice in a row to catch up with the schedule.

The first episode has already aired, and the second episode will premiere tonight.

Director Rutgers still has the third and fourth episodes, which have already been edited, in hand, so he has plenty of ammunition.

Therefore, the recording schedule has returned to normal, and the next recording session will be held next week.

Lin Xiao and Han Xixi were finally able to have a normal weekend.

They originally wanted to stay home, spend time with their children, rest, and then see how they performed on the show.

In the second episode, Lin Xiao had a burst of inspiration and sang a new song on the camera while playing the guitar.

This is his chance to clear his name, and also a good opportunity for him, as the leader of the Starlight Sect, to continue cultivating his divine skills and carry forward the sect.

Lin Xiao didn't feel anything about it, but Xi Xi was really looking forward to it.

Actually, she had already heard that song live during the recording of the show; she was the first listener of that song.

It was precisely because it was so beautiful and unforgettable that she eagerly awaited the show's broadcast so she could listen to it again.

Of course, she had other ulterior motives as well.

"Okay, I just want everyone to see how outstanding, talented, and charming my husband is, hehe~" Han Xixi thought to herself with a bit of a crush.

She has been looking forward to today for more than ten days.

I had planned to stay in front of the TV tonight and watch the whole program.

Before it even got dark, a phone call shattered their peaceful lives—Lin Yu had gotten into a fight back in his hometown and was in jail!

Lin Xiao was at work when he heard the news.

The call was from his mother.

Lin Xiao was stunned.

Who are you saying is fighting?
My brother?

My brother, who's so quiet he won't utter a sound even if you hit him three times.

My brother, who finds even eating a meal too much trouble and stops eating when he's only half full.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but think it was a prank.

My immediate reaction was the same as hearing Lin Daiyu showing off her bare feet and lamb skewers at a roadside stall – it was an eyesore!
In the end, it was his mother's resolute words that pulled him back from his doubts.

Lin Xiao then believed that his younger brother had really gotten into a fight.

Upon confirming this, his first reaction was not worry, but joy.

Because my younger brother is finally no longer like a robot, but more like a real person, like a teenager in the prime of his youth.

"How are you? Are you hurt?" Lin Xiao asked.

“How could you not get hurt? Your dad said you have cuts on your head and legs, and he doesn’t know if there are any fractures. You’ll have to go to the hospital to get it checked out later…”

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Xiuping was very worried.

Lin Xiao interrupted, "Why are you fighting?"

Zhou Xiuping said, "I asked your dad, but he didn't know either. He only knew that your brother started it, and the other side were just a few teenagers!"

Lin Xiao laughed when he heard that.

"What? Lin Yu attacked first?!"

"You're just watching the show, aren't you?!" the old woman said irritably.

"No, no, it's just that it's new and exciting!"

"It's still fresh in everyone's minds. It even went all the way to the police station. The police only didn't detain him because your brother is about to go to college. If he had a criminal record, his life would be ruined..."

Zhou Xiuping's words became increasingly outrageous.

Lin Xiao quickly interrupted his mother's wild imagination: "Stop it! What do you mean his life is over? The margin for error in life is higher than you can imagine! He has a long life ahead of him, it's not that easy for it to end like this!"

Zhou Xiuping didn't understand any of this, nor did she argue with her eldest son. She simply said, "Buy me a train ticket right now, I'm going back!"

Lin Xiao thought about it and felt that his younger brother's words were really too strange. Moreover, it was already September, and Lin Yu was about to go to Jingzhou to start his university life. As his older brother, he had to have a good heart-to-heart talk with him.

So he said, "You stay here and rest assured. I'll go back and take a look around, and I'll also give him some pointers about going to university!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiuping immediately agreed.

As early as when Lin Xiao graduated from university and passed the civil service exam, the role of the family's pillar gradually shifted from his father, Lin Jianping, to him.

Now he has settled down and started a family, his career is progressing smoothly, and his side businesses are also well-known. He has earned a fortune that his wife and he could not have earned in several lifetimes.

He had already firmly secured his position as the head of the family.

With both his parents willingly stepping down from their roles, he naturally takes the lead in making decisions about everything at home, big and small.

After hanging up the phone, it was almost time to leave work.

Lin Xiao drove directly back to Anyang County. He had to pass through Mashan County on the highway. Just as he arrived in the county, he received a call from his wife, who said she wanted to go back too.

Lin Xiao thought she wanted to be affectionate with him, so he agreed without hesitation and went home to pick up his wife.

Unexpectedly, once Xixi got in the car, the two started chatting, and Xixi's reasons were quite compelling.

"You're the older brother, and I'm the older sister-in-law. You care about your younger brother, so why can't I care about my brother-in-law?"

Xi Xi said seriously, "People say that an elder sister-in-law is like a mother. Now that my younger brother is going to university in another city, it's a major new stage in his life. Of course, I have to go see him off and give him some advice on things to do at university!"

Seeing his wife's serious expression, Lin Xiao realized she wasn't joking and felt deeply moved.

"Thank you, my wife!" he said from the bottom of his heart.

"Thank me for nothing! You've already called me 'wife,' isn't this what I should do!"

"Hmm...you're a very good sister-in-law!"

"of course!"

"However, there is still a small problem I need to report to you!"

"Prelude!"

"The saying 'the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother' is generally used when both brothers have lost their parents, or at the very least, when their mother has passed away!"

Lin Xiao suppressed a wicked smile and looked at his wife, "Ms. Han, how could you be so cruel as to secretly curse your mother-in-law!"

Xi Xi gasped, her face turning pale.

She hurriedly tried to explain, but when she met Lin Xiao's face, which seemed to be enjoying the drama, she realized she had been tricked and stomped her feet angrily in the passenger seat. "Lin Xiao!!!"

Shouts soared into the sky, and laughter echoed along the highway.

……

We returned to Anyang County and arrived at Linjia Village at around 8 p.m.

Lin Xiao and Xi Xi got out of the car.

As the night fell, the young couple looked around at the familiar surroundings, yet felt a sense of strangeness.

Although they had only been away from home for less than four months, the two of them felt as if they had been in another world.

The lights were on upstairs.

Upon hearing the sound of the car, Lin Jianping quickly came out from the back kitchen. His originally dark complexion had regained some color after two years of recuperation, and his lean and wiry body had gained some weight, making him look more robust.

However, the awkward atmosphere between the father and son remained as usual.

“You’re back…” Lin Jianping said.

"Hmm." Lin Xiao's face was serious, and his usual playful smile completely disappeared.

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"have eaten."

"Oh……"

The conversation ended abruptly there; neither the father nor the son could utter another word.

Xixi was laughing so hard she almost went crazy.

Seeing her husband's embarrassment, she quickly stepped in to save the day.

"Dad, where is Xiaoyu?"

"In the room!"

Talking to his daughter-in-law made Lin Jianping visibly more relaxed, and a smile appeared on his face.

Xixi smiled brightly: "Dad, I'm a little hungry. Is there anything to eat?"

Lin Jianping's face lit up with a smile, and he nodded hurriedly: "There's watermelon, cooked rice noodles, and ribs. I made these because I heard you were coming back. What would you like to eat? I'll make it for you..."

Xi Xi thought for a moment, then said, "I'll go check the kitchen and then make a decision!"

Her tone was somewhat coquettish.

Lin Jianping smiled sheepishly and repeatedly said yes.

The father-in-law and daughter-in-law went to the kitchen, leaving Lin Xiao standing alone at the front door, bewildered, not knowing whose house this was or whose father that was!
He shook his head and went upstairs.

He opened Lin Yu's door directly. The young man's stubborn body was turned away from the door. He was clearly nervous and scared, but he still had to pretend to be calm and composed.

Turn around, I won't scold you!

Lin Xiao lay down on the bed immediately.

It's much more comfortable to act superior to my younger brother than to my father.

Upon hearing the sound, Lin Yu obediently turned around, revealing patches of bruises on his head, arms, and legs, covered in iodine solution, making it look both spectacular and comical.

Lin Xiao was stunned.

She simply couldn't reconcile this image with her honest and introverted younger brother, and burst into laughter on the spot.

"Ha ha ha ha……"

"Ha ha ha ha……"

"..."

At the foot of the bed, Lin Yu's mouth was still twitching from the pain. Seeing his older brother's gloating expression, he was so angry that he clenched his fists.

"If I kill my brother now, no one should know, right?" Lin Yu thought to himself.

After thinking it over carefully, he realized that killing people was tiring and dirty, and he decided against it in the sweltering heat.

Lin Xiao laughed for a long time, almost to the point of fainting.

After he finished laughing, his younger brother had already sat down in the chair and started playing with his phone, looking bored.

"Why are you fighting?" Lin Xiao asked seriously.

"No reason why," Lin Yu blurted out, already prepared.

Lin Xiao chuckled, knowing that given his younger brother's personality, the reason for the fight must be quite bizarre.

"Oh, no reason, so you just saw someone on the street and didn't like them, so you rushed up and started punching and kicking them, right?"

"..."

"You have an illness, an intermittent mental illness, and you need treatment!"

Lin Xiao said earnestly, "I'll contact the hospital right away! Don't worry, little brother, we're brothers after all. Don't worry about the money, I'll sell everything I own to get you cured! Just bear with the electric shocks, the tiger bench, and the pepper spray, but don't beat up the doctors too..."

Lin Yu watched helplessly as his older brother talked nonsense with a straight face, rolling his eyes so hard they almost disappeared into the back of his head.

But he stubbornly refused to give a reason, so he just stood there without moving.

Silently chanting to myself: I won't listen, I won't listen, you're just talking nonsense!

Seeing that his sarcastic remarks were ineffective, Lin Xiao knew that his younger brother was determined not to say anything, so he simply gave up!

"When does school start again?" he asked, changing the subject.

"September 8th, Saturday!"

"Oh dear, I have to record a show that day, so I can't take you there..."

"No need to deliver it!"

Lin Yu remained calm. "I'm not a child. Besides, I've been to Jingzhou before, and I've been to all the schools. I know them all. I don't need anyone to take me!"

Lin Xiao nodded with satisfaction.

It's not that I feel my younger brother has grown up, but rather that I'm touched; it's amazing that he could say so many words in one breath!

He immediately smiled calmly, tapped away on his phone, and then his phone rang with a "ding".

"I transferred 100,000 yuan to you!"

"Ten, one hundred thousand?!"

The usually composed young man was now flustered, counting the zeros on his bank card balance several times.

For Lin Xiao, 100,000 yuan is no different from 10 yuan in terms of his current net worth, so he is very calm about it.

But he can't help showing off to his younger brother.

So he waved his hand in a very flamboyant manner: "Oh, it's just small change, take it and spend it. If you need more, just let me know!"

Lin Yu narrowed his eyes as he looked at his brother's flamboyant manner.

"Let's just kill him. It's okay to suffer a little, after all, he already gave us a reward!"

Lin Yu silently chanted Amitabha Buddha in his heart!
"Why are you giving me so much money?" he asked.

"Tuition fees and living expenses, both cost money!" Lin Xiao said.

"You don't need that much!"

"This is four years' worth of work, you think it's just one year? What are you thinking!"

"Four years..."

"Okay, okay, stop it already. Why are you talking so much nonsense now?"

"..."

Lin Yu gave up arguing. Who has a grudge against money?

Lin Xiao paused, sat up straight, and became serious.

"Xiaoyu..."

The name made Lin Yu's head buzz, and he immediately became alert.

No one in his family calls him that except his newlywed sister-in-law, who calls him that gently. His parents usually call him by his full name, while his older brother is usually addressed with an exclamation mark, which is perfunctory and casual.

Now they're actually calling him "Xiao Yu"?
Lin Yu immediately panicked. This time, it wasn't that he wanted to kill his brother to vent his anger, but that he suspected his brother was going to kill him and dispose of his body.

He immediately sat up straight: "W-what are you doing?"

"Why are you so nervous!" Lin Xiao rolled his eyes.

"I'm not nervous!"

"Let me tell you about university!"

Lin Xiao ignored him and continued, "University is a new stage in life! During your three years of high school, your homeroom teacher, all your subject teachers, and even your parents must have told you countless times about the importance of studying hard and going to university, right?"

Lin Yu nodded.

"Yes, I've heard everything..."

"Then pour it all out!"

"Oh... Ah?!" Lin Yu was completely flustered.

Lin Xiao's expression remained stern: "You heard me right, spill it out, don't listen to that bullshit!"

Lin Yu: Still in shock.

Lin Xiao said, "Going to university is meaningless, including your major and the courses you have to take. They're all meaningless! What I'm telling you is, you can study hard if you want, or you can not study hard if you don't want to. It's okay!"

Lin Yu: Still completely bewildered.

"Brother... I shouldn't have fought today, I know I was wrong!"

"I didn't lecture you!"

"I really know I was wrong!"

Lin Yu rarely backed down; he was almost crying from fright. "Today I heard two bastards saying really nasty things about you and your sister-in-law, and I couldn't take it anymore, so I hit them. I apologized to them at the police station... Please, please, please don't do this!"

Lin Xiao snapped out of his daze.

He and his wife had been guessing the whole way, and they even guessed that his brother was in a bad mood because he was heartbroken, which is why he hit someone out of character.

But I never expected that this honest and well-behaved boy would hit someone for the first time because he couldn't stand seeing his older brother and sister-in-law being insulted!

Lin Xiao's burning chest felt as if it had been branded with a hot iron.

He chuckled, pressed down on his younger brother's head, and gave his hair a good rub!
"Brother, give me another 100,000!"

"Ah!! No, no, no, brother, dear brother, I beg you!" Lin Yu grabbed his older brother's hand, almost crying with anxiety.

Lin Xiao rolled his eyes: "You wouldn't even take the money? Are you stupid?"

Lin Yu: "..."

Lin Xiao put his phone away and sighed to himself.

The two brothers calmed down.

"Xiaoyu, I wasn't being sarcastic just now, I meant it!"

"Um?!"

"You know I make a lot of money writing songs, right?" Lin Xiao asked.

Although Lin Yu was puzzled, he still nodded.

Lin Xiao then asked, "You know I'm not really interested in eating, drinking, or having fun, right?"

Lin Yu nodded even more firmly when he thought of the poor and remote environment of Mashan County.

"So, all the money I earn is actually not very useful; it's just for my family to spend."

Lin Xiao laughed, "But your sister-in-law is a big star, she earns more than me, and she's a very frugal person, she doesn't spend much money. My parents are from the countryside, they just want a peaceful and quiet life, even if I bought them a villa with a swimming pool, they wouldn't dare to live there..."

As Lin Xiao spoke, he ruffled his younger brother's hair again and laughed, "Your niece is still young, so I'll spend all this money on you without any worries. When you graduate, you can go wherever you want. I'll take care of everything for you, from buying a house to buying a car, so you'll never have to worry about making a living and can wholeheartedly pursue your own life!"

Lin Yu listened in a fog, feeling as if he were floating in a fog.

He was only eighteen years old, and he was usually too lazy to even think about what to eat for dinner, let alone think about things that far ahead.

However, his family's poverty since childhood has taught him about the hardships of survival, and he naturally understands that the few words his brother spoke so casually represent a top-tier lifestyle that most people could never achieve in their entire lives.

It's hard for him not to be moved.

"Brother...why are you saying all this?"

"I'm saying all this so you know that your future life goal isn't to find a good job, or to research which industry to make money in, or how to establish yourself and settle down in a big city!"

Lin Xiao said seriously, "From now on, forget all the ideas about success that everyone has instilled in you since you were a child! When you enter university, you can study or not, you can date or not!"
"You can enjoy your youth as much as you want. After all, every day of your youth is one less day you have, and the more you squander it, the less you waste it. So, once you're in college, do whatever you want. As long as you don't break the law, I absolutely won't interfere. I don't even care if you get your diploma or not."

"I have only one request for you: find something you truly love, something you can dedicate your life to! If you can accomplish this, then your four years of university won't have been wasted, and I'll be satisfied! Understand?!"

Lin Yu's worldview was shattered by his older brother's shocking and unconventional remarks!
From a young age, teachers taught us to study hard, make something of ourselves, leave our small county, and move to big cities, ideally settling down in first-tier cities.

That's what you call success!
But now, my brother has trampled all these worldly standards of success under his feet and crushed them to dust right in front of him.

My brother said that university is meaningless, hard work is meaningless, and even success is meaningless.

Only when you find what you truly love does life have meaning!

Lin Yu was dumbfounded.

He lived to be 18, and had very few things he was interested in, let alone anything he loved.

It sounds easy for my brother to say this, but for him it's as difficult as climbing to the sky!

"The things I love..."

"Like my brother going to the countryside to become a town mayor, or my sister-in-law loving to sing... is that kind of passion?"

"So what is my passion?!"

Lin Yu fell into deep thought.

I'm definitely not going to be able to sleep tonight!
(End of this chapter)