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

The sun climbed high in the sky.

The warm winter sun shone down without reservation on the newly renovated yellow earth.

The wheat field, which was originally as hard as iron, is now as soft as freshly risen dough.

The air was filled with a damp, earthy smell.

That's the smell of the earth being awakened.

"The water's here! The water's here!"

In the distance, in the ditch that had just been cleared by thousands of people using entrenching tools and wooden sticks.

The turbid but rapid current, like a yellow dragon, roared down.

The irrigation canal, which had been dry for ten years, began to gurgle and swallow again.

"roar--!!!"

Deafening cheers erupted from the ridges between the fields on both sides of the river.

Those were thousands of young people wearing windbreakers and down jackets, their faces covered in mud, shouting at the top of their lungs.

They waved shovels, branches, and even empty water bottles in their hands.

This moment.

No one is a rich second-generation heir with a net worth of tens of millions.

No one is a sophisticated urban woman living in an office building.

They were just a group of "new farmers" who had just overcome the mud.

Xu An stood on a high place.

His military overcoat was covered in dirt; he'd gotten it while saving a chubby kid who'd slipped into a ditch.

He held up the black and gold Huawei phone, his hand trembling slightly.

It wasn't from being scared.

I'm tired.

I was also shocked by the scene.

In the video, Lin Zixuan is embracing a young woman dressed in Hanfu. The two of them are pointing at the rushing river and laughing as if they had just won the lottery.

Da Biao, shirtless, was washing his face with river water, not minding the coldness, and instead shouting "Awesome!"

In the live stream, the chat was flooded with comments like a waterfall.

[ID: Farming Boy]: I cried, I really cried. Is this the meaning of labor?

[ID I want to go to Xujia Village]: I could feel the sense of accomplishment even through the screen! The moment the water flowed, I got goosebumps all over!

[ID Electronics Factory Screw-Making]: Going to work every day feels like going to a funeral. How come these people are so happy working? I'm tired of saying "I'm envious."

[Professor Zhang from ID Agricultural University]: @All members and students, this is what it feels like to write your thesis on the land!

Academician Zhang Debang stood beside Xu An.

This man, who is over sixty years old, has lost all his airs as an academician.

His trousers were rolled up to his knees, his shoes were covered in mud, and his gold-rimmed glasses were fogged up.

But his smile was brighter than anyone else's.

"Teacher Xu."

Academician Zhang turned to look at his grandfather, who was smoking a pipe.

"That was a great job."

"These kids aren't spoiled; they've got guts."

Grandpa exhaled a puff of smoke, looked at the flowing ditch, and his eyes became a little moist.

"It's a good baby."

"Everyone knows how to feel sorry for someone."

"With this irrigation system running, next year's wheat harvest... as long as the weather cooperates, it's sure to be a bumper crop."

Just then.

A sudden squeal from a pig shattered the warm atmosphere.

"Hmph—!!!"

The voice was shrill and filled with despair.

All eyes instantly focused on the open space at the village entrance.

There.

The head chef of the county hotel was leading a dozen or so chefs dressed in white chef uniforms, sharpening their knives.

The ten large pots have been set up again.

This time it's not fried dough sticks.

The pot contains boiling braising liquid.

The aromas of star anise, cinnamon, and Sichuan peppercorns forcefully penetrated everyone's noses.

And those two pigs who were just escaping from prison and even learned how to put on makeup.

He was being held down on the chopping board by five burly men.

Especially that big black pig with Dior 999 painted on its mouth.

Its small eyes were filled with accusations against this appearance-obsessed world.

Xu An handed his phone to Lin Zixuan, who was standing next to him.

"Um... Brother Lin, I'll have to trouble you again."

"I have to see them off."

"These thousands of brothers have worked all morning, they can't do without some oil in their bellies."

Lin Zixuan took the phone, and the camera thoughtfully gave the "beauty pig" a close-up shot.

"Family members."

"The number one VIP... oh no, the number one VIP pig is about to embark on his journey."

Please type "Rest in peace" in the chat.

The live stream chat instantly erupted into a joyful lament.

[ID materialized at this moment]: Waaah, it's cruel, but... the lipstick really does make your skin look whiter.

[ID Beauty Blogger]: This shade is amazing. It fades so peacefully, even a little seductively.

[ID Wants Braised Pork]: Stop with the sentimentality! Just kill it! I can hear my stomach growling!

Xu An walked to the cutting board.

He looked at the pig.

The pig was looking at him too.

The bright red lipstick mark stood out starkly against the black pig's face, creating a grotesque yet artistic effect.

"brother."

Xu An patted the pig's head softly.

"In your next life... don't be so vain."

"Also, that bag was quite expensive, and you didn't compensate the person for it."

"How about... payment in kind?"

The voice just fell.

Knife up and down.

There were no unnecessary movements.

A flash of cold light, and it precisely pierced the carotid artery.

The pig didn't even have time to let out a final grunt.

Fresh blood gushed out and landed in the red bucket that had been prepared beforehand.

That Dior 999 seemed even more vibrant at that moment.

"good!!!"

"Great knife skills, blogger!"

"That's professionalism!"

The onlookers erupted in cheers.

This is not cruel.

In rural areas, slaughtering the New Year's pig is the highest reward for a year's hard work and a sacred ritual.

Xu An wiped his hands and stepped aside.

The stage was then handed over to the group of professional chefs.

have to say.

The regular army is just different.

Just now, Xu An and his grandfather were using unorthodox methods, mainly focusing on stewing.

But these chefs from the county hotel came with a mission.

Director Wang Xingbang, holding a megaphone, stood atop a truck transporting food supplies, looking even more imposing than during a military parade.

"Listen up, everyone!"

"Secretary Li of the County Party Committee said so!"

"This meal must be worthy of our Huixian cuisine for our netizens!"

"We don't have seafood, we don't have abalone."

"But we have over a thousand catties of pork! And two thousand catties of large carp just brought in from the reservoir!"

"Take it out!"

With a command given.

Baskets of large, still lively carp were poured out.

That's a specialty of Huixian Reservoir: Yellow River carp.

Each one weighs seven or eight pounds, with golden scales and a red tail, looking very festive.

"Sizzle—!"

The hot oil in the large pot boiled again.

The whole carp is cut into pieces, coated with batter, and then slid into the oil pan.

Instantly, the aroma exploded.

Sweet and sour carp.

Braised pork with glass noodles.

Four Happiness Meatballs.

Add freshly pulled radishes from the ground, shred them, and mix them with chili oil.

This recipe is tough.

It's too hard.

Xu An squatted by the stove, watching the dishes, each one smelling delicious and colorful, being cooked, and couldn't help but swallow.

This is even more lavish than the Chinese New Year!

"Xiao An."

Wang Xingbang jumped out of the car, holding a bottle of mineral water, and approached, sweating profusely.

"How's the result?"

"How many people are watching the live stream?"

Xu An glanced at the screen in Lin Zixuan's hand.

[Number of online users: 80+]

[Number of followers: 132.6]

The data isn't increasing rapidly, but it's very stable.

Moreover, those who stayed were all die-hard fans, all clamoring to come to Huixian to eat fish.

"Chief, we've got it."

"The comments section is full of people asking if our county's hotel can order takeout."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xingbang was so happy that his back teeth were showing.

Why order takeout?!

"Let them come!"

"Once you're here, you're a Huixian local!"

Lunch has begun.

It's still that same wheat field.

It's the same people.

But this time, people don't have to squat on the ground holding bowls to drink soup.

The county urgently dispatched two hundred large round tables.

It was a bit crowded, with twenty people at each table.

But the lively atmosphere was even more intense than that of a five-star hotel banquet hall.

No one cares whether they know each other or not.

We just crossed the land together and traversed the ditch together; now we're comrades in the same trench.

"Bro, that was a cool pose you swung the hoe at! Come on, give me a shot!"

"This fish is amazing! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside! Huixian is awesome!"

"That pork smells amazing! No wonder it's been treated with Dior; even the skin has a luxurious feel!"

Xu An held a cup of tea and toasted each table.

He is a socially anxious person.

Normally, he would hide in the cellar in this situation.

But today.

Looking at these young people with mud-covered faces, eating meat heartily.

Looking at the sincerity and joy in their eyes.

Xu An thought.

This cup of tea must be offered.

Respect to this land.

Let us also pay tribute to this rare moment of human warmth.

Just as everyone was enjoying their meal...

Academician Zhang Debang suddenly stood up.

He wasn't holding a wine glass; instead, he was holding a handful of soil he had picked up while turning over the soil.

He walked to the center of the area and gestured for everyone to be quiet.

The thousands of people in the room immediately put down their chopsticks.

Academician Zhang pushed up his glasses, his expression becoming serious and solemn.

"Fellow students, fellow villagers."

"Did you enjoy your meal?"

"fragrant!!!"

The reply echoed through the valley.

"It smells good!"

Academician Zhang raised the soil in his hand high.

"Because this is where we just sweated, and this is where it grew!"

"I just took a look."

"Although the soil in Xujia Village is barren, it has a high selenium content."

"In addition, the microclimate of the Taihang Mountains has a large temperature difference."

"It's a great place for breeding."

The entire room fell silent.

Xu An was also stunned.

Breeding?

what is that?

Academician Zhang took a deep breath, staring intently at Xu An, then at Director Wang Xingbang.

"I've made up my mind."

"Right here in Xujia Village, we will establish our Academy of Agricultural Sciences' No. 001 mountain experimental base."

"The batch of wheat that was just planted is my first batch of experimental samples."

"after."

"This land is no longer a wasteland."

"The best seeds in all of China will be grown here!"

"Xu An, would you be willing to be the... honorary administrator of this base?"

This moment.

The wind stopped.

The live stream chat also stopped.

Xu An opened his mouth wide, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a "clatter".

It wasn't just him.

Even Director Wang Xingbang was dumbfounded.

This script...

Have we gone astray?

I initially thought it was just a scam involving internet celebrities who prey on women.

How did it suddenly become a national strategic project?

"Me...me?"

Xu An pointed to his own nose, his face a mixture of innocence and foolishness.

"Teacher, all I know how to do is raise pigs..."

Academician Zhang smiled.

He smiled like an old fox.

"Raising pigs is also a good option."

"After the wheat is harvested, the straw will have to be processed by your pigs."

"This is called... ecological circular agriculture."

The viewers in the live stream finally realized what was happening.

The screen was instantly flooded with the word "Holy crap".

[ID Landscape Unveiled]: Holy crap! This is a huge leap forward! Instantly high-class!

[ID Agricultural Powerhouse]: From a popular tourist destination to a national experimental base? This move is at the atmospheric level!

[Villager of Xujiacun ID]: Xu An's title has changed: Gatekeeper of the No. 001 Base of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences!

[ID Wants to Go to the Scene]: Is this the power of knowledge? Is this what prestige is?

Director Wang Xingbang reacted the fastest.

He rushed forward, grasped Academician Zhang's hand tightly, and was so excited that he became incoherent.

"Mr. Zhang! Thank you so much!"

"Use the land freely! Flow the water freely!"

"If you come, I'll even vacate the county government building for you to use as a laboratory!"

And Xu An.

He picked up the teacup from the ground.

Looking at that land that had just been renovated and where seeds had already been sown.

Then I looked at my grandfather sitting next to me, who was smiling proudly.

He suddenly realized.

The shadow of the "hollow village" that has always weighed on my mind.

scattered.

Although he still doesn't understand what breeding is.

But he knew.

Next spring.

It grew from this land.

It's probably not just wheat.

And then there's Xujia Village... the real hope.

"that……"

Xu An raised his phone again, facing the camera, and gave a signature goofy smile.

"Family members."

"It seems... I'm not going to be able to leave."

"I have to watch over this place for Teacher Zhang."

"But before that."

Xu An pointed to the large truck that had driven in again in the distance.

The vehicle was not carrying farm tools.

Instead, they were sets of professional audio equipment.

There were also a few veteran rockers wearing leather jackets, with long hair, and carrying guitars.

"Director Wang said so."

"Since everyone has been working all morning..."

"We won't be farming this afternoon."

"Let's...hold a rock concert on the edge of the field!"

"I've already thought of a name."

Xu An paused, a sly glint in his eyes.

"Let's call it—"

"Xujia Village's First Dior Pig Commemorative Music Festival!"