How did hiring someone to press a pig image during Chinese New Year become a top trend?

At eight o'clock, the sun finally and laboriously climbed to the top of the Taihang Mountains.

The morning mist dissipated.

The cool air of Xujia Village was instantly boiled over by the clamor of voices.

If the previous thirty strong men were just an appetizer...

So what's flooding in now is the Manchu Han Imperial Feast.

After having eaten and drunk their fill, netizens lined up in a long queue on the brand-new asphalt road.

If you're looking down from a drone's perspective.

Like a colorful, greedy snake, it is slowly devouring this hollow village with only a few dozen households.

Xu An stood at the gate of his own courtyard.

Hands tucked into sleeves.

My shoulders, which had just relaxed a little after chatting with Da Biao, are now stiff as two iron plates again.

His once clear eyes were now filled with a despairing blankness that only appeared in the final exam hall.

"Little An! I'm your fan!"

"Are those two pigs? They look so festive!"

"Wow, this military overcoat is really authentic. Can you send me one?"

The netizens are so enthusiastic.

They were as enthusiastic as a pack of huskies that had just been released.

Xu An nodded mechanically.

A mechanical smile.

He mechanically repeated the two sentences he had said the most times in his life:

"You're here."

"Have a seat inside."

A young woman dressed in Hanfu even rushed over to take a photo with him.

Xu An was so frightened that he almost crawled into the pigsty and became sworn brothers with the pigs.

He was like an NPC lagging due to insufficient computing power, trembling in this huge dungeon.

"Don't push! Line up! Have no manners!"

A loud shout, like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

Da Biao stepped forward.

This bald guy standing there is more effective than any police tape.

The gold chain around his neck gleamed with a "solemn" light in the sunlight.

"What are you looking at! Pigs can't fly!"

"Listen to my orders! Make way!"

"Hey you guys doing live streams, stop shoving the camera right in people's faces! Don't you know the rules?!"

Da Biao held a broken megaphone he'd somehow acquired, and he gave orders with unwavering composure.

Those thirty Raptor car club members transformed into the most hardcore security personnel.

Although they look like they're there to collect protection money.

But when it comes to work, they are really efficient.

"Brothers! Unload the truck!"

Da Biao waved his hand.

Thirty burly men charged toward the two trucks marked "Huixian Material Support".

Boxes of sunflower seeds, bundles of disposable bowls and chopsticks, and hundreds of red plastic stools.

They were carried down like water.

Xu An's house faces a large wheat field that is in winter rest.

Now it's mostly yellow earth.

This space has become a natural banquet hall.

"Set up the table!"

"Hey you, put the water dispenser up!"

"Distribute the sunflower seeds and peanuts to everyone, don't let them sit around doing nothing!"

While cracking sunflower seeds, Da Biao directed his thousands of troops.

Even new netizens were caught up in the atmosphere.

"Big brother, let me help!"

"Me too! I often do housework at home!"

"I'll arrange these chairs!"

A short while later.

A red sea miraculously "grew" out of what was once a desolate and empty field.

Hundreds of tables were set up.

Thousands of chairs were arranged.

Steaming hot water was poured into the paper cup.

The sound of cracking sunflower seed shells created a wonderful white noise.

Xu An watched all of this.

Looking at their own dry land, which was usually only visited by crows, now filled with people from all over the country.

They speak different dialects.

Wearing different clothes.

They all had smiles on their faces, holding those cheap cups of plain water as if they were drinking some kind of nectar.

This scene.

So magical.

"Xu An!"

A clear voice came from the crowd.

Lin Zixuan squeezed through the crowd, carrying two cases of Moutai in his hands, and smiled broadly.

He was followed by several equally distinguished young people.

Although he was wearing a windbreaker, his air of wealth was undeniable.

"Lin...Brother Lin?"

Xu An remembered this ID.

That's the rich kid who first shared the video and even brought a convoy of cars.

"You think you're one of us just because you're here!"

Lin Zixuan piled the Moutai in the corner, not caring about the dirt, and sat down on the small stool next to Da Biao.

"This place is really nice."

"It has a much better feel than the private restaurants I've been to in Shanghai."

Lin Zixuan couldn't help but laugh at Xu An's helpless expression.

"Don't be nervous, we're just here for the fun."

"Oh, by the way, these are for the old man."

As he spoke, Lin Zixuan pointed to the two cases of wine.

This is like a signal.

A switch was flipped.

There is an unwritten ironclad rule ingrained in the Chinese people—

During the Lunar New Year, you absolutely cannot visit someone's home empty-handed.

"Oh dear! I brought one too!"

"This is a local specialty, Six Walnuts! It's good for the brain!"

"Blogger, these are my homemade salted duck eggs, they're oozing oil!"

"I bought a carton of milk for Grandpa!"

"There's a live old hen here! I just bought it in town!"

In a short time.

The crowd surged.

All sorts of colorful gift boxes flooded towards Xu An like a burst dam.

Milk, eggs, fruit, tobacco and alcohol, sausages...

There was even a young man who was into anime and manga who handed over a plastic lightsaber he had bought at a comic convention, saying it was for the blogger to use for self-defense.

In just ten minutes.

At the entrance to Xu An's small courtyard.

It was piled up into a mountain.

A true "mountain of gifts".

They practically blocked the entire gate.

The big yellow dog that was originally strolling in the yard was now cornered against the wall, staring blankly at the pile of Want Want milk that was taller than the doghouse.

Xu An was stunned.

I was completely dumbfounded.

He stared at the pile of things, his head buzzing.

How much would that cost?

How many favors must I owe?

His grandfather taught him from a young age that one is obligated to accept gifts and food.

If we take them all.

Even if I chopped up the two pigs in my house into mincemeat, even if I chopped myself up, I still wouldn't be able to repay this kindness!

"What... what's going on?"

Xu An was so anxious that his face turned red and his neck bulged. He pulled his hands out of his sleeves and waved them frantically.

"We can't accept it! We really can't accept it!"

"Earning money isn't easy for anyone!"

"I asked everyone to help press down the pig, not to collect gifts!"

But his voice was too soft.

Amidst the clamor of thousands of people, it was like an ant crying for help.

Nobody listens.

People are still piling it on.

An older woman even shoved a bag of freshly bought sweet potatoes into Xu An's arms, saying kindly, "Child, take this, these sweet potatoes are sweet!"

Xu An is holding a sweet potato.

Standing inside a bunker made of piled-up gifts.

I want to cry without tears.

This is hardly a pig-slaughtering feast.

This is practically the entire internet's support for targeted poverty alleviation in Xujia Village.

"Master..."

Xu An turned around and glanced at his grandfather sitting on the threshold.

Grandpa was holding the box of Moutai that Lin Zixuan had given him, and his hands were trembling.

"My dear grandson... this wine must be expensive, right?"

"We...we can't pay it back."

Grandpa's old eyes were filled with fear.

For honest, hardworking farmers, the greatest fear is being in debt.

Even if it's a debt of love.

Xu An took a deep breath.

Looking at Grandpa's uneasy eyes.

Then I looked at those netizens with smiling faces, who simply wanted to express their goodwill.

Since you're not going back yet.

Since we can't refuse to accept it.

Then...

Xu An's gaze suddenly hardened.

That was the courage to "give up" that erupted when socially anxious people were driven to the brink.

He strode over to Da Biao's side.

He snatched the megaphone.

"Sizzle—"

The sound of the electric current was piercing.

The entire room fell silent for a moment.

Everyone looked at the young man standing on the pile of gifts, holding sweet potatoes and wearing a tattered military coat.

Xu An's hand holding the megaphone trembled slightly.

But he still shouted it out.

His voice was slightly schizophrenic and had a heavy Henan accent.

"that……"

"Everyone, please stop sending gifts!"

"If you send any more, my pigs won't have anywhere to sleep!"

A burst of good-natured laughter erupted from the crowd.

Xu An swallowed hard and pointed to the "mountain of gifts" behind him.

"My grandfather and I could eat this stuff until the next century and still not finish it."

"It's a waste if it goes bad."

"Since everyone is being so polite, I can't be stingy either."

Xu An took a deep breath, as if he had made a major decision.

"Brother Biao!"

"Here!" Da Biao immediately stood at attention.

"Bring a few brothers."

Xu An waved his hand, displaying the magnanimity of a nouveau riche giving away all his wealth.

"Tear all of this apart!"

"Demolish?" Da Biao was taken aback.

"Yes! Tear it all down!"

Xu An's eyes were clear.

"Milk, sunflower seeds, ham sausages, duck eggs... whatever it is, open it all!"

"Distribute this to every one of you, brothers, sisters, uncles, and aunts here!"

"This is called...this is called 'it is impolite not to reciprocate'!"

"Let's all eat what everyone brought!"

"Consider it... a tea party before the slaughter!"

There was a three-second silence.

then.

"boom--!"

Thunderous applause erupted.

It was even louder than the sound of the excavator demolishing the wall earlier.

"Holy crap! This blogger is so generous!"

"That's real vision! That's real class!"

"This isn't a pig-slaughtering feast, it's a banquet for all families!"

Lin Zixuan looked at Xu An, who was standing on a high place, his legs still trembling but his eyes were firm, and smiled.

"That's interesting."

I've seen plenty of people who receive so many gifts they're overwhelmed.

"This is the first time someone has ever divided up all the gifts so quickly."

This is not social anxiety at all.

This is clearly the highest level of wisdom in dealing with people.

It is taken from the people and used for the people.

It avoided owing anyone favors while also enlivening the atmosphere.

Upon hearing this, Da Biao grinned from ear to ear.

"Alright!"

"Brothers! Let's get to work!"

"Turn this Xujia Village into a Pinduoduo delivery hub for me!"

stab-

stab-

That was the sound of a packaging bag being torn open.

Boxes of milk were passed around.

Bags of biscuits were tossed into the crowd.

The young man who delivered the lightsaber was given two salted duck eggs and looked completely bewildered.

The woman who delivered sweet potatoes was stuffed with a box of yogurt, and she couldn't stop smiling.

What was originally just a somewhat noisy field.

It instantly turned into a sea of ​​joy.

Xu An watched all of this.

Watching everyone eat the snacks they brought and chat, it felt like we were a family.

He quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

He put the sweet potato aside and put his hands back into his sleeves.

She squatted down next to her grandfather.

"Sir, now we're not in debt."

Grandpa peeled a White Rabbit milk candy that someone had handed him and put it in his mouth.

She squinted her eyes because of the sweetness.

"middle."

"This method works."

"My dear grandson, this is much more lively than the Lunar New Year..."

Xu An looked at the distant mountains.

His phone vibrated in his pocket.

He didn't look at it.

But he knew.

This is Xujia Village at this moment.

It might be even warmer than the Spring Festival Gala studio on New Year's Eve.

only……

He glanced down at his watch.

9:50.

There are still ten minutes until the auspicious time for slaughtering the pig.

"Brother Biao".

Xu An called out softly.

Da Biao, who was busy handing out milk, turned around and asked, "What's up, bro?"

Xu An pointed in the direction of the pigsty.

A murderous glint flashed in his eyes—a glint only pig farmers could understand.

"Make sure everyone eats and drinks well."

"Next..."

"It's time for the main characters to set off."

at the same time.

In the pigsty.

Those two large black pigs that Xu An had fed until they were plump and strong.

There were also those two "officially registered pigs" transported from the county.

It seemed to have sensed something.

All four pigs stopped grunting at the same time.

They raised their heads.

They looked at the thirty burly men on the wall, who were eyeing them menacingly.

that moment.

The pig's eyes revealed a clarity even greater than Xu An's—

despair.