Marry a female star at a bargain price

Chapters 326 and 327: What is most important in the 21st century?
Friday, January 9th.

The third recording of "Longing for a Married Life" will begin today.

To be precise, it started at 12 noon, which was also the time when the entire production team started work the previous two times.

But today, the production team is working overtime.

Even more outrageous, the staff were asked by the guests to work overtime, which forced the recording time to be moved from noon to 9 a.m.

The fact that recording starts at 9 a.m. means that the whole team starts preparing at 6 a.m.

At 7:00 a.m., half of the staff had arrived at the playground of Shiliang Primary School in Shiliang Village, Xingguang Town. The dozen or so people were all completely bewildered.

As a veteran in the variety show industry.

I've always heard that production teams ask guests to work overtime to record more footage in order to make the final cut better.

This is the first time I've ever seen guests asking the production team to work overtime.

Han Xixi arrived at school early.

She appeared in the principal's office wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants, canvas shoes, her long hair casually tied back, her face without makeup, yet still with red lips and white teeth, and fine beads of sweat on her forehead.

This office is called the principal's office, but it's actually the office for all the teachers in the school. The principal's position isn't even the best one.

33-year-old Shi Peng looks neither like a school principal nor a young person of that age.

Half of his hair was white, and he was covered in dust.

"Ms. Han...Ms. Han, you really came?" Shi Peng looked at the superstar in front of him, feeling more nervous than ever before.

However, this nervousness stems only from the concept of being face-to-face with a celebrity, rather than from the stark contrast between their glamorous appearance and one's own disheveled state.

Because Han Xixi in front of me was dressed very simply, and apart from her fair skin, she showed no signs of being a celebrity.

Shi Peng's nervousness and surprise stemmed from the fact that she had reappeared at the school.

Xi Xi had anticipated Principal Shi's question.

"Principal Shi, the last choir class only taught the children to sing, but they are still far from being able to put on a complete choir performance!"

Han Xixi patiently explained, sincerely saying, "Principal, please don't worry, I won't take up too much of your teaching time. Just give me two class periods every Friday... If that's not possible, one class period will do!"

Hearing the big star's sincere words, Shi Peng was truly dumbfounded, and it took him a long time to laugh with emotion.

"Miss Han... I'll call you Teacher Han!"

"Hehe, okay!" Xixi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Time is not a problem. Not just two classes, but half a day or even a whole day is no problem!"

Shi Peng lamented, “You’ve seen the teaching environment of our village primary school. We lack everything, even the children. From first to sixth grade, the children only have two classes a day: Chinese and math. The other subjects, such as political education, science, and physical education, are also taught by the main subject teachers. They don’t learn much. We just keep the children at school to do their homework. Otherwise, if we let them go home, they’ll just play around. There are basically no adults supervising them at home, and there are all sorts of safety hazards!”

As Shi Peng spoke, he sighed heavily again: "As for art courses like music and art, it's not that I haven't considered them, but firstly, none of the current teachers at the school know how to do them; secondly, rural primary schools don't have the budget to hire professional teachers, and even if they did, no one would come; thirdly, as you've seen, the number of children at the school is decreasing year by year, and those who can stay in the village to attend school are basically left-behind children. It's already difficult enough for them to go to school, so how can they afford to focus on art education? So..."

Han Xixi nodded repeatedly as she listened.

She had already thoroughly researched these background details and carefully considered them herself.

She made the decision to become a music teacher at the school after careful consideration, and now she is very determined.

"Principal, please rest assured, I will do my best to be a good music teacher and let the children feel the joy of music."

"Thank you so much!!"

Shi Peng looked flattered and excitedly reached out to shake hands.

But when he thought that the other person was a big star, he timidly withdrew his hand. However, at that moment, the other person decisively took his hand and gently shook it.

Shi Peng was deeply moved.

"Miss Han..."

"Principal, please just call me Teacher Han. It sounds more friendly," Xixi said with a smile.

"Okay, okay, Teacher Han!"

Shi Peng smiled憨厚ly with a dark face, "I will try my best to negotiate with the county education bureau regarding the salary and benefits... Although you probably don't care, rest assured, I will definitely not let you give your love in vain!"

Han Xixi instinctively wanted to refuse.

But then she remembered that she had discussed this with her husband at home, and the final conclusion was that she couldn't refuse.

She certainly doesn't lack the money.

In fact, the time and energy she put into this far exceeded the salary she received as a volunteer teacher on Weibo.

If it were really about the money, only a fool would come.

But while Han Xixi could forgo the money, the other volunteer teachers couldn't. Those young teachers who gave up glamorous jobs and high salaries in big cities and came to this remote mountain area with a heart full of passion, even if they didn't lack the salary, were far from having the wealth of Han Xixi.

An extra few hundred or a thousand yuan in salary can significantly improve their lives.

You, Han Xixi, can be righteous and selfless in dedicating your love, but you cannot demand that others do the same, nor can you make something as natural as this a difficult choice for volunteer teachers.

Therefore, Han Xixi had no choice but to accept this salary.

"Alright, then I'll trouble Principal Shi!"

"Teacher Han, just call me Teacher Shi or Da Peng, that's what the teachers and parents here call me!" Shi Peng said with a simple and honest smile.

"Okay, Teacher Shi."

Han Xixi smiled brightly, while Shi Peng opposite her looked somewhat shy.

However, his expression quickly turned serious, and he suddenly stood up and bowed solemnly to Han Xixi.

"Teacher Han, on behalf of the children of Shiliang Primary School, thank you!"

"Principal Shi...Teacher Shi, please don't do this!"

Han Xixi said in a panic, "I didn't do anything, really. If we're talking about contributions, you and the other teachers have been quietly sticking to this place all along, and that's where the real contribution is."

Shi Peng waved his hand, a hint of sadness in his eyes, but it eventually turned into a bright smile.

"Ms. Han, when is a convenient time for you to teach?"

"today!"

Han Xixi laughed awkwardly, "To be honest, I record a program in Dafeng Village every other week, for three days: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The children have weekends off, so if it's convenient, it would be best to schedule the class on Friday. Of course, if it conflicts with our teaching schedule, any day is fine. I live in Mashan County, so I can come directly over without any problem."

Shi Peng nodded: "No need for that trouble, let's do it on Friday then. It'll be easier to schedule the other subjects. You're already at school, so how about we start the next class right away, so you don't have to make another trip in the afternoon?"

Han Xixi was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect that this young yet mature principal would be so efficient and directly put her music class in the schedule.

She was a little nervous.

Although I had already taken a music lesson before, so I had some experience.

But last time, Lin Xiao was there to accompany me, and it was thanks to him that he opened up the situation with a song called "Little Apple" that the subsequent teaching proceeded smoothly.

Lin Xiao didn't come today.

Since it's Friday, a regular working day, Mayor Lin doesn't have time to accompany her on a day trip to Shiliang Primary School.

Han Xixi was a little flustered.

However, she quickly calmed down and nodded solemnly: "I'll follow the principal's instructions!"

Ten minutes later, the first class of the morning ended, and the principal announced over the loudspeaker: "Students in all six grades, please gather in the empty classroom on the far east side of the second floor. The next class will be music class."

When the broadcast was made, Han Xixi was still in the teachers' office.

She heard it very clearly: the moment Principal Shi Peng's voice fell to the ground, deafening cheers erupted from every classroom in the school, as if an earthquake had struck.

Han Xixi was really startled.

Once she realized what was happening, the tension from scratching her hands immediately eased, and tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably.

It's not just her.

Even the production crew members who were setting up equipment in the empty classroom were startled by the deafening cheers. After regaining their senses, they exchanged glances and saw a sense of righteous indignation in each other's eyes.

Rounding it off, we can all be considered volunteers today.

Once this thought arose, the resentment of working people getting up early quickly dissipated, replaced by a sense of conviction to devote themselves to public welfare and education.

……

At 2 PM, the third recording of "Longing for Married Life" officially began.

Lin Xiao and Han Xixi, a married couple, arrived at the same time. Lin Xiao had rushed over from Xingguang Town Government, while Han Xixi had rushed over from Shiliang Primary School.

"Oh, isn't this Teacher Han?" Lin Xiao joked with a smile.

"Oh, isn't this Mayor Lin!" Han Xixi exclaimed, equally eager to share.

The couple exchanged a smile, naturally linked arms, and walked together toward the cottage.

Chatting on the way.

"Is Teacher Han's music class over?" Lin Xiao asked.

"Finished?"

"How was it? Did you manage to cause any trouble?"

"Hmph, you underestimate me!"

Xi Xi angrily shook off someone's hand and said haughtily, "The class was really good. It was originally planned to be two classes, an hour and a half long, but after class the children didn't want to leave, so the principal decided to add an extra class, which lasted until noon!"

Lin Xiao clicked his tongue dramatically for a while: "Wow, as expected, you can tell how good my wife is as soon as she makes a move! Lin Xiao's selection, quality guaranteed!"

Before he could finish speaking, Han Xixi slapped him on the shoulder blade.

"Ha, so now you're not calling me Teacher Han anymore, but you recognize me as your wife?"

"I recognize it, I've always recognized it!"

Lin Xiao had a grin on his face.

The two then went inside. Lin Xiao took the initiative to pour water for his wife and apologize. Xi Xi was in a good mood, so she naturally forgave him without hesitation.

"Now it's my turn to ask you, Mayor Lin, did you work diligently this morning?"

"Of course! This town mayor is the most dedicated person in the world!"

"Yo yo yo~"

Han Xixi pouted without any idol image concerns, seemingly no longer treating this scene as a TV show recording, but truly as if she were at home.

Xi Xi said with a mischievous smile, "I've never seen anyone so shameless as to pat themselves on the back!"

Lin Xiao burst into laughter.

"They're gilding their faces, how can they not be shameless? The gold they're gilding is so thick!"

"you!!"

Knowing she couldn't win an argument with him, Xixi sat down angrily. "Hmph, I'm not going to argue with you. Anyway, your words have been recorded on camera. When the show airs, netizens will naturally criticize you!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiao immediately put on his dramatic act, twisting his face into a pretzel and then lying down in pain.

"You, you, you...you woman, how cruel you are! How can you treat your beloved like this?"

"What lover?"

"My dearest love! You and I, heart to heart, my dearest love!"

"vomit……"

Xi Xi couldn't hold back and vomited profusely. Lin Xiao, not having finished his act, immediately rushed over and grabbed his wife's hands, his expression a mixture of surprise, panic, and astonishment.

"My dearest love, you...you...you're pregnant with our child again, isn't that right?"

"Huh? Huh?!"

Xi Xi pushed him away: "I didn't do it! Don't talk nonsense, I can sue you for defamation!"

Lin Xiao's expression changed instantly: "You didn't? What are you vomiting about?"

"I'll throw up on you, you disgust me!"

You really hurt me!

"Ha, you still have the nerve to be sad? I'm not even sad yet!" Xixi remembered something and became furious.

"Yo ho!"

Lin Xiao stood on a stool, rolled up his sleeves... Even though he was wearing a T-shirt and had no sleeves, he still had to project an imposing presence!

"You couldn't find a husband as good as me even with a lantern. When have I ever made you sad?"

"Ouch..."

Han Xixi vomited again.

Lin Xiao suppressed a laugh and went to greet her: "I was just saying, let's go get checked out, just in case she really is pregnant."

Xi Xi was also trying not to laugh, and pushed him away.

"Get out of here, stop trying to take advantage!"

"Cut~"

"I've only ever heard of 'Wang Po selling melons' praising her own wares,' but now how come someone is praising their own number one husband? Who gave you the courage?"

"Liang..."

Lin Xiao almost blurted out Liang Jingru, but then remembered that there was no such person on this planet, and he stopped himself.

"I gave it to myself, is that not allowed?"

"You were just about to say 'Liang'...Liang what?"

"It's all in my conscience! I'm acting according to my conscience, and I've been a very good husband, haven't I?"

"Yes, that's absolutely right. Sending me a paper airplane for Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day) costs almost nothing in terms of both money and time!"

Although Xixi's words were an accusation, her expression showed no anger at all; instead, there was a hint of smug pride in them.

She feigned annoyance: "Someone like you has the nerve to praise himself as a good husband?"

Lin Xiao said angrily, "Hey, hey, hey, I don't agree with what you're saying! What's wrong with a paper airplane? It's a small gift but a big sentiment, okay? A paper airplane carries the love of our family of three. Is there a more valuable gift than that?"

He then challenged all netizens to judge his actions, and while shouting, he quickly recreated the paper airplane he had made himself, then showed off his ingenuity to the camera.

The director, Xiao Fang, was off-camera.

When he heard this, he was actually quite looking forward to the paper airplane, because no normal person would ever think of giving his wife a paper airplane as a Valentine's Day gift; it would be better not to give it at all.

But Lin Xiao not only gave it, but did so so openly, which made Xiao Fang feel that the gift must have a deeper meaning.

However, they watched helplessly as Lin Xiao spent twenty seconds folding this ordinary paper airplane in front of everyone, then quickly wrote a few letters on it, and that was considered a great success.

Xiao Fang and the other cameramen were dumbfounded.

Everyone: What am I even expecting?!
In front of the camera, Lin Xiao was still indignantly explaining the significance of his gift. The men listened with a sour face, and then admired Lin Xiao to the point of prostration.

"Only a true warrior would dare to give such a gift on Valentine's Day. I'm impressed!"

"Not only did he not get beaten to death for delivering something like that, he also married a big star. That's a true god!"

"Sure enough, with absolute ability and personal charm, there's no need for so-called dating skills; you can easily charm a woman to the point of infatuation!"

Although everyone had different thoughts, they all admired Lin Xiao immensely.

In the lens.

Han Xixi looked at her husband's excuses with a doting expression, her eyes almost like those of someone looking at a golden retriever that was being affectionate and cute.

"Okay, okay, I admit I was wrong. My husband gave me the best gift, alright?" Xixi said helplessly.

"Tch, you're just saying that!" Lin Xiao said with a smug look.

"I was wrong. I really liked that paper airplane, and I still keep it at home!"

"Really?"

Lin Xiao was skeptical.

Xi Xi pinched his cheek and felt a strange sense of familiarity with the gesture. She quickly realized that this was something her husband often did to her.

She couldn't help but smile, a strange warmth flowing through her heart.

"Of course it's true. You'll find out when you get home whether I'm lying or not!"

"Hmph, you know what's going on!"

Lin Xiao became smug, shaking his head with a radiant smile, "Teacher Han, are you hungry? Wait a moment, your husband will go and make you a feast!!"

After shouting loudly, he rushed out of the living room and headed towards the kitchen, accompanied by the drumbeats of the opera stage.

Han Xixi shrugged at the camera, her smile both helpless and radiant.

……

Ninghai, 2 PM.

Provincial Talent Innovation Bureau, Talent Introduction Office.

meeting room.

An oval table, wooden chairs, and a ring of folding chairs around the perimeter filled the small conference room with more than twenty people, creating a very solemn and respectful atmosphere.

At the head of the conference room, Gao Hongguang, the head of the talent introduction office, had a furrowed brow and a very unpleasant expression.

Across from him, a middle-aged cadre was reading aloud from a document in a strong and clear voice.

This is a "Comprehensive Analysis Report on Talent Development in Nanzhou Province," which summarizes in detail the population dynamics of Nanzhou Province, its capital Ninghai, and other prefecture-level cities, as well as the development of key industries and talent introduction in the province.

Analyzing population and talent data is the most important and fundamental task of the Talent Development Office.

This meeting can be seen as putting into practice that famous movie line: What's most important in the 21st century? Talent!
The reason this line became so popular is because it hit the nail on the head regarding the key to development.

Although it was revealed on Earth.

But it also applies to Earth, without any sense of incongruity.

Economic development, industrial development, and people's livelihood development ultimately depend on people. Without people, no matter how many resources or plans there are, it's all in vain.

The Chinese nation has always had a large population. Previously, various regions did not realize this problem. After all, the industry was weak at that time, so they just focused on moving forward and didn't have to worry about whether there were enough people or enough resources.

But not anymore.

As a country develops to a certain stage, the so-called "demographic dividend" is slowly disappearing.

The disappearance doesn't mean there are fewer people or not enough, but rather that the country's industries are rapidly upgrading, and what's needed is no longer a large number of manual laborers, but highly qualified talents with education, ability, and creativity.

This basic consensus is the fundamental reason why the competition for talent among major cities has become increasingly fierce in recent years.

Nanzhou Province, located inland, has a decent economy. Even though it was lagging behind in the past, it has gradually caught up in recent years through accelerated development. Many of its emerging industries rank among the top in the country, and its development prospects are promising.

However, the Southern Province has been jokingly referred to as the Akarin Province online, mainly for two reasons:
First, they lack self-promotion capabilities, having neither famous figures nor well-known companies.

Secondly, it is surrounded by economically developed and powerful provinces, which makes Nanzhou Province seem insignificant and naturally receives little attention.

In this internet age, in this short video age.

Without traffic, there is no productivity. This principle applies not only to celebrities and internet influencers, but also to urban development.

This is why, in recent years, various provinces have been committed to creating "internet celebrity cities." When a city becomes an "internet celebrity," a huge number of netizens will spend money and time to join in the fun.

People come, and so does consumption: food, lodging, tickets, and transportation—all that money goes to waste.

Cultural tourism revenue is secondary.

Most importantly, people bring vitality, and a large population gives people a sense of "the city is full of energy," thereby attracting high-quality talents from all walks of life to come and work and settle down.

With more talented people, the city's development will truly be limitless.

This is a virtuous cycle, and the starting point of the cycle is publicity—even if the city is not promoted as a "celebrity city", it should at least make its voice heard and gain some attention and leverage in the fierce competition for talent among cities.

This situation has put increasing pressure on the talent development office, which could have operated discreetly.

Now, they not only need to bury themselves in studying policies and formulating various talent introduction guidelines and industrial development plans, but also need to cooperate with the publicity department to increase the frequency of the province's appearance on the Internet and make the city's name card more and more well-known.

This sounds complicated, and it's even harder to do.

For at least the past two years, the Talent Office of Nanzhou Province has tried many methods and taken numerous measures in this work, but with little success.

After listening to the report.

Gao Hongguang asked coldly, "What are your opinions, comrades?"

No one spoke.

Gao Hongguang nodded: "Okay, then, in accordance with the principle of holding a short meeting, I won't waste any more time and will just give you my opinion."

Everyone in the room simultaneously opened their notebooks, picked up their pens, and prepared to take notes.

"As you all heard in the report just now, the province still experienced a net outflow of population in the first half of the year, including the provincial capital Ninghai. The situation in other prefecture-level cities was even worse!"

Gao Hongguang said seriously, "Compared to the population situation, our talent introduction policies and subsidies are very substantial, and the development of emerging industries such as new energy vehicles has also made continuous breakthroughs. So why is the population still flowing out, especially highly educated talents who are unwilling to return?"

The audience was silent.

Gao Hongguang tapped the table and said, "There are various reasons for this, but a very important reason, which is also one that we have been neglecting, is that we have not done a good job in promoting talent introduction."

"As the saying goes, 'A phoenix will come to your house if you have a phoenix tree.' Before this, we focused on the two keywords 'phoenix' and 'phoenix,' thinking that as long as we planted the phoenix tree well, the phoenix would naturally fly over."

"But after experiencing the situation over the past two years, I've realized that while we need to plant phoenix trees and have plenty of phoenixes in our country, the key to getting phoenixes to fly to our phoenix trees on their own is the word 'attracting'!"

"How to attract them is a science and a key project. It requires our high attention."

"The data that Director Sun just reported was not meant to dampen everyone's morale, but rather to inspire everyone to strive harder and catch up!"

Gao Hongguang took a deep breath and softened his tone.

He continued, "In order to promote the talent recruitment efforts, the leadership team approved the production of a promotional video last week. The filming plan has been finalized and everyone has seen it before the meeting."

"Let me state my opinion first—I am not satisfied with this plan. It is too serious and conventional, lacks internet savvy and originality, and does not seem like something for young people."

"To ensure our promotional video truly achieves its intended effect, we are now pooling our wisdom and resources. Everyone is encouraged to speak freely and offer their opinions and perspectives, especially the young comrades present here!"
"We need to set aside our identity as civil servants, adopt the perspective of netizens, embrace a youthful mindset, and offer our suggestions for improvement. We want this promotional video to not only explain our talent recruitment policies but also be lively, interesting, and eye-catching. Okay, who wants to start?"

After he finished speaking, everyone in the conference room looked expectant, but no one stepped forward.

Everyone looked at each other, clearly embarrassed. After all, Director Gao's request was neither too high nor too low, and it was completely contrary to the serious and cautious principles of government work.

No wonder everyone was at a loss, with no clue whatsoever.

"Nothing at all?" Gao Hongguang raised his voice and asked again.

Then some rustling sounds came from the conference room.

A moment later, in the far corner of the conference room, a delicate hand timidly rose up.

(End of this chapter)