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

The moon was half-hidden by thick clouds.

Behind Xujia Village, withered grass shivered in the cold wind.

A light dragon composed of thousands of mobile phone flashlights is winding its way up the mountain.

This scene, if you didn't know better, would look like a large-scale tomb raiding operation, or a late-night gathering of some mysterious organization.

In reality, this is just a group of netizens who are bored and have nowhere to sleep.

Xu An walked at the front, carrying his grandfather's dim kerosene lamp in his hand.

With each step he took, his heart pounded with anxiety.

He used to go into that so-called "air raid shelter" to play hide-and-seek when he was a child.

But in his memory, it was a dark, dingy earthen kiln with sweet potato peels scattered all over the ground, and occasionally a few weasels would dart out.

Why let these rich kids who drive G-Wagons and wear Arc'teryx live here?

Xu An felt that his account, which had just surpassed one million followers, would most likely be banned tonight for "abusing his fans."

"Um... Brother Biao, Brother Lin."

Xu An stopped in front of a mountain wall covered with withered vines, turned around, and looked more miserable than if he were crying.

"arrive."

"It's a bit dusty in here, and it smells a bit musty."

"If you really can't stand it, let's go back to the car and squeeze in."

Lin Zixuan was panting heavily, still holding the Huawei Extraordinary Master TV that was broadcasting live.

Although tired, a strange excitement gleamed in the eyes of this rich second-generation.

"Get back in the car? Are you kidding me!"

"I can smell it!"

"This is the taste of history! The sedimentation of time!"

In the live stream, hundreds of thousands of cultivators who hadn't gone to sleep also joined in the commotion.

[ID Dungeon Fighter]: Stop dawdling, blogger! Open the door now!

【ID Claustrophobia】: To be honest, this environment looks a bit creepy, like the beginning of a horror movie.

[ID Archaeologist]: If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense. This is called industrial heritage!

Grandpa stepped forward.

The old man untied a large bunch of keys from his belt and picked out an old-fashioned long key covered in rust.

He poked his hand through a heavy wooden door on the mountainside that almost blended into the earthen color.

"Click—"

The sound of the lock turning was exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

Grandpa braced his hands against the door, holding his breath.

"Open—!"

With a sickening creak, the long-sealed wooden door slowly opened to both sides.

A warm breeze, carrying the scent of dry earth and a faint sweet fragrance, instantly swept over me.

Xu An instinctively blocked the camera, afraid of capturing something he shouldn't have (like rats having a meeting).

however.

When thousands of flashlight beams shine into the cave at the same time.

The entire venue fell into a deathly silence once again.

It wasn't as dark and damp as I had imagined.

There was no litter or rat infestation everywhere.

What appeared before everyone was a huge domed tunnel, wide enough for two tractors to drive side by side.

The cave walls were repaired to be exceptionally smooth, clearly indicating that a great deal of effort had been put into compacting them back then.

Every ten meters or so, there is a ventilation opening, cleverly utilizing the mountain's terrain to create a natural fresh air system.

Although it was underground, I didn't feel stuffy at all.

What's most impressive isn't the sheer scale of the project.

But...

On both sides of the tunnel, neatly stacked "small mountains" made of burlap sacks could be seen.

There are at least a hundred of them, by sight.

Da Biao mustered his courage, walked over, took out the dagger from his waist, and gently cut open a burlap sack.

"Splash—"

Golden, dry sweet potato chips, exuding a rich aroma, flowed out like gold coins.

"Holy crap..."

Da Biao picked up a piece and smelled it under his nose.

"This...this is dried sweet potato?"

"Is this too much? Did they hide all the sweet potatoes in the county here?"

Grandpa walked in slowly, his hands behind his back, with the kind of satisfaction only a miser would have when looking at his own treasure vault.

"Is that a lot?"

"This is nothing."

"Go further in, there are five or six more branching tunnels."

"This is all that I've accumulated little by little over the past few decades."

"Back then, we were terrified of hunger... We always felt anxious when we didn't have any food."

Grandpa's voice echoed in the empty tunnel, carrying a deep, weathered resonance.

Xu An was stunned.

He looked at the pit full of dried sweet potatoes.

He always thought his grandfather was stingy, that he wouldn't throw away sweet potatoes even when they rotted in the ground.

So, it's all here.

This was the last line of defense that Grandpa left for himself and for this family.

Even if the sky were to fall outside, as long as the people of Xujia Village crawl into this hole, they would not starve to death.

The chat in the live stream stopped with the jokes at that moment.

[ID: Tears-Induced]: I'm breaking down, family. This isn't just dried sweet potato, it's Grandpa's sense of security.

[ID Prepare for War and Famine]: Store up grain and dig deep tunnels. The wisdom of the older generation is simply a game-changer in this consumerist age.

[ID Want to Eat]: Looking at these aged sweet potato chips, I'm actually drooling! This is definitely top-quality organic food!

Lin Zixuan pointed the camera at the sacks.

"Family members."

"Tonight, we'll sleep on this mountain of gold."

"Isn't this more reassuring than sleeping on a latex mattress in a five-star hotel?"

The atmosphere was instantly ignited.

The netizens who were just hesitating now cheered and rushed into the tunnel like a group of explorers who had discovered a new continent.

"I want to sleep by the door! It's well-ventilated there!"

"I want to sleep next to a pile of sweet potatoes! The smell will make me sleep better!"

"Don't take it! That stone platform is mine! It looks like a command platform!"

The once quiet air-raid shelter has instantly become the largest underground youth hostel on the entire internet.

No bed?

It's okay, a burlap sack laid flat will make the softest mattress.

No blankets?

The military sleeping bags sent by the county came in handy.

Some camping enthusiasts even set up an egg roll table inside the cave and brewed hand-drip coffee.

The aroma of roasted coffee mingles with the sweetness of sweet potatoes, fermenting ten meters underground to create an incredibly magical flavor.

Xu An held up his phone, watching the scene before him.

A group of urban youths dressed in trendy brands and using the latest mobile phones.

He was curled up in a hole he dug decades ago, lying on a sack filled with dried sweet potatoes.

Some people are playing games, some are applying face masks, and others are borrowing power banks from each other.

This scene is like the underground city plot in "The Wandering Earth" reflected in the reality of rural Henan.

It's simply... outrageous! It's outrageous to the extreme!

"Um... what do you all think?"

Xu An cautiously asked a question to the camera.

At this moment, the number of viewers in the live stream remains firmly above 30.

Number of followers: 102.4.

[ID: I'm in the Cave]: Blogger! It's so warm! The temperature in this cave is constant! It's even more comfortable than my air-conditioned room at home!

[ID Lemon Spirit]: I'm so jealous, really jealous. I also want to experience the life of a "cave dweller".

[ID Huixian Culture and Tourism]: @All members, please be aware of fire prevention! Open flames are strictly prohibited inside the cave! Smoking is strictly prohibited! Violators will have their sweet potato chips confiscated!

Xu An looked at the official comments and gave a wry smile.

Because of this hole, Director Wang probably won't be able to sleep tonight.

Late at night.

The noise gradually subsided.

The breathing of thousands of people converged into a low and calm tide.

Xu An found a corner and leaned against a burlap sack.

Grandpa was already asleep, covered with that old cotton-padded coat, and still clutching the kerosene lamp tightly in his hand.

Da Biao and his gang of tough guys had the most unrestrained sleeping postures, lying directly in the aisle, snoring so loudly it rivaled the sound of the wind outside.

Lin Zixuan is still awake.

He sat next to Xu An, holding a dried sweet potato in his hand, slowly chewing it.

This dried sweet potato is as hard as a rock; it could break your teeth.

But the rich kid ate with great relish.

"Xu An".

Lin Zixuan suddenly spoke, his voice very low.

"Um?"

"Did you know that I live in a 20 million yuan river view apartment in Shanghai?"

"But I've had insomnia for three years."

"Tonight... I think I'll be able to get a good night's sleep."

Lin Zixuan patted the sack beneath him, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips, tinged with a sense of relief.

"It feels so reassuring here."

Xu An remained silent.

He put his hands into his sleeves and slid his body down.

"Go to sleep if you feel comfortable."

"I have to get up early tomorrow to plow the fields."

"With so many mouths to feed, we can't just eat dried sweet potatoes; we need to find another way."

Xu An waved to the phone camera, which was still broadcasting live.

"Family members."

"Go to bed early, everyone."

"There's no internet in this dungeon, the signal is bad, and it lags."

See you tomorrow.

After saying that, he ignored the barrage of "goodnight" messages and pressed the end button for the live stream.

The screen went black.

The world is quiet now.

Xu An closed his eyes.

In this cave filled with the smells of earth and sweet potatoes.

On this winter night, surrounded by thousands of strangers.

This sleep.

Xu An slept more soundly than he had in any of the past twenty-three years.

……

The next day.

The first rays of sunlight in the morning shone through the ventilation openings, shining like spotlights on the back hill of Xujia Village.

"ah--!!!"

A terrified scream shattered the tranquility of the air-raid shelter.

That shout was even more piercing than the crowing of a rooster in the village.

It jolted thousands of people awake from their dreams.

Da Biao sprang up from the ground reflexively, still clutching a shoe as a weapon.

"Enemy attack?! Who?!"

Xu An rubbed his sleepy eyes and groggily got up.

All that could be seen was the entrance to the cave.

The young lady who was wearing Hanfu yesterday is now pointing outside the door, her face pale with fright.

Xu An looked in the direction she was pointing.

Instantly, all his drowsiness vanished.

All that could be seen was the grass outside the cave entrance.

I don't know when, but two enormous creatures appeared.

The two remaining pigs that hadn't been slaughtered actually ran out.

It was probably too chaotic last night, and the pigsty door wasn't closed properly.

Right now, it's sticking out its big butt, huffing and puffing as it nuzzles the LV bag that the young lady placed next to the tent...

and.

One of the pigs had half a lipstick stick still dangling from its mouth.

That's... Dior 999.

The bright red color smeared all over the pig's face.

It looks like it just ate a child.

"I...my limited edition..." The young woman was on the verge of tears.

Xu An's vision went black.

It’s over.

The pig escaped from prison.

Not only did she escape from prison, she also learned how to do makeup.

Even more deadly is...

Behind those two pigs.

A middle-aged man wearing a gray Zhongshan suit and carrying an old-fashioned briefcase.

He pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and stared in astonishment at the thousands of "refugees" emerging from the air-raid shelter.

Xu An had never seen this person before.

But this man's demeanor was even more serious than that of Director Wang Xingbang.

The man glanced at the pig whose face was covered in lipstick marks.

Then he saw Xu An looking completely bewildered.

Finally, his gaze fell on the grandfather who had just climbed out behind Xu An.

The middle-aged man's hand trembled, and his briefcase fell to the ground with a "thud".

"Teacher Xu...?"

The man's voice trembled, filled with the excitement of seeing a long-lost relative, and also with the fear of seeing his creditor.

"You...you're still alive?"

Xu An was stunned.

He glanced back at his grandfather.

Grandpa was holding up his belt, looking at the middle-aged man with a bewildered expression.

Who are you?

"He looks somewhat familiar..."

"Did you steal our sweet potatoes before?"