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

The wind at the village entrance suddenly became somewhat sticky.

A dozen luxury cars formed a semicircle, like an impenetrable fortress.

They blocked Xu An firmly at the entrance of the air-raid shelter.

The air was filled with the scent of expensive cologne and the aroma of dried sweet potatoes wafting from the cave.

The two flavors clashed in the air, just like the current situation.

"Mr. Xu, the signing fee is five million, and this is the base salary."

The man, who claimed to be the vice president of a leading MCN agency, was waving a contract in his hand.

His spittle was practically spraying onto Xu An's face.

"Once you sign, we'll immediately provide you with the most professional operations team."

"Scriptwriting, filming, editing—even when you go to the restroom, we have someone specifically to hand you toilet paper!"

"Within three months, I guarantee I'll turn you into the most popular agricultural blogger on the entire internet!"

"When the live-streaming sales happen, a single session can generate 100 million RMB in GMV!"

The vice president spoke with great enthusiasm, as if the 100 million yuan had already been deposited into Xu An's account.

The other companies in the vicinity were not to be outdone.

"Five million is nothing! We want a ten million contract!"

"Mr. Xu, we only want exclusivity! We'll pay the penalty for breach of contract for you!"

The sounds of arguing and bidding were like a swarm of flies buzzing in my ears.

Xu An hunched his neck, his hands tightly tucked into the sleeves of his military overcoat.

He felt that his current situation was even more dangerous than facing that 300-pound pig.

That pig might just nudge him at most.

These people want to devour him whole, skin and bones.

Lin Zixuan stood on the perimeter, holding up his phone.

He couldn't get a word in edgewise.

This level of capital game is beyond something a rich second-generation like him can easily get involved in.

In the live stream, 1.6 million netizens are watching this "talent war".

[ID: Human Sober]: Goodness, they're already dividing up the spoils of victory?

[ID Working Class]: Five million signing fee? I'm so jealous, so incredibly jealous. I've never seen so much money in my life.

[ID Capitalist]: Blogger, sign up quickly! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! The window of fame for internet celebrities is very short!

[ID Guardian Xiao An]: Don't sign! If you sign, it will change the story! We'll never see the real Xujia Village again!

Xu An lowered his head.

His gaze passed over the expensive leather shoes and landed on the muddy ground.

That was the soil that thousands of people turned over yesterday, hoe by hoe.

It was still damp.

Suddenly, the image of the streamer from yesterday, nicknamed "Ruthless A-Qiang," popped into my mind.

That internet celebrity who trampled on Uncle Er's radishes and littered cigarette butts everywhere.

That person who, for the sake of views, can jump around like a monkey in front of the camera.

Xu An shivered.

If you signed it.

Does that mean we have to do that in the future?

Do we also have to shout "family" at the screen without meaning it?

They even have to script and exploit Grandpa and the village for the sake of so-called data.

Xu An felt as if a wad of cotton was stuffed into his throat.

It's so congested.

"that……"

Xu An finally spoke.

The voice was not loud, a little hoarse, and even had a slight tremor.

But the scene fell silent instantly.

Everyone craned their necks, waiting for this "top influencer's" decision.

The vice president even handed the signing pen to Xu An.

"Mr. Xu, please feel free to make any requests you may have!"

Xu An took a step back.

They avoided the gleaming gold pen.

He raised his head.

His eyes remained so clear, carrying a kind of foolishness untouched by knowledge.

"I...I won't sign."

The vice president was stunned.

The well-dressed elites around them were also stunned.

"You think the money isn't enough?"

"no."

Xu An shook his head.

He glanced at his grandfather, who was squatting in the distance, basking in the sun against the wall.

He glanced again at his family's few acres of land where wheat seeds had just been planted.

"I just... don't want to be an internet celebrity."

I have social anxiety.

"When there are a lot of people, I need to go to the toilet."

"and……"

Xu An paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, trying to find a reason that wouldn't sound so cowardly.

But in the end, he chose to tell the truth.

"That Qiang stepped on the radish."

"I don't like it."

"I just want to stay home and take good care of my grandfather."

"I'll renovate the house when I have more money in the next couple of years."

"Let someone else arrange a marriage for me, so I can get a wife."

"Have two kids."

"It's fine to live this life like this."

After Xu An finished speaking, he lowered his head even further.

He felt that what he said was very pathetic.

They're talking to you about a deal worth hundreds of millions.

You're talking to someone about getting married and having kids?

That's so tacky.

however.

He didn't see it.

The vice president's expression changed from astonishment to disbelief and shock.

In his view.

How can this be considered lacking ambition?

This is clearly a noble character that regards money as dirt!

Faced with overwhelming wealth, how could he remain true to himself, just to protect the peace of his small plot of land?

What level of skill is this?

This guy is practically a modern-day Tao Yuanming!

The chat in the live stream paused briefly at that moment.

then.

crazy.

[ID tearful]: My family is devastated! He refused! He really refused!

[ID: Shanghai Office Worker]: Getting married, having kids, taking care of grandpa, and living a peaceful life... That's my ultimate dream!

[ID Human Ideal]: I thought he was in the atmosphere, but he's actually in the stratosphere. That's what life is really like.

[ID Anti-Involution Leader]: Capitalists wanted to buy his soul with money, but he turned the tables and gave them a big slap in the face: Get lost, I want to go home and hug my wife!

[ID Huixian Culture and Tourism]: @Xu An, you truly are a fine son of Huixian! No one can force you if you don't want to! The Culture and Tourism Bureau has your back!

The vice president's hand froze in mid-air.

He looked at Xu An, who appeared timid and cowering, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

Suddenly, the contract in my hand felt a bit too hot to handle.

"Mr. Xu..."

Are you sure?

"This could be a life-changing opportunity."

Xu An nodded.

I was a little more determined this time.

"Sure."

"I'm... lazy."

"Um... if there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

"It's time to make breakfast for the master."

Done.

Xu An didn't care what expressions those people had.

He turned around abruptly and, like a startled rabbit, darted back into the crowd.

Only a group of billionaire bosses were left standing there, bewildered in the wind.

The sun was rising higher.

Those people from the MCN eventually left.

It wasn't signed.

But no one dared to force it.

After all, there are 1.6 million eyes watching right now.

Anyone who dares to touch Xu An will likely face online harassment until their company goes bankrupt.

On the asphalt road at the entrance of the village.

No more luxury cars blocking the entrance.

But...

Thousands of young people carrying bags and dragging suitcases.

The holiday is over.

Those who should go back to work should go back to work, and those who should go to school should go back to school.

This grand pig-slaughtering feast must eventually come to an end.

Lin Zixuan handed the Huawei Extraordinary Master back to Xu An.

The rich kid's eyes were red.

"brother."

"You're gone."

"I'll have to keep rolling around when I get back to Shanghai."

"but……"

Lin Zixuan patted Xu An on the shoulder.

"If I get tired in the future, I'll come find you again."

"We still have to sleep in air-raid shelters."

Xu An took the phone.

This was the first time in the past few days that he felt the phone was so heavy.

"middle."

"Just come on over."

Meals are provided.

Da Biao left too.

That burly man with tattooed arms and bare chest cried like a 200-pound child when he left.

He left his grandfather that truckload of supplies.

She even secretly slipped a bank card into Xu An's pocket.

After Xu An discovered it, the two pushed and shoved each other for a long time. In the end, Da Biao had no choice but to take back the card and exchange it for two cases of Moutai.

"Brother Xu An!"

Da Biao stood on the back of the pickup truck and waved to Xu An.

"We'll be back when the wheat is ripe!"

"No one is allowed to take my spot for the harvester!"

The convoy started moving slowly.

The rising dust blurred the view.

Xu An stood under the crooked tree at the entrance of the village.

Grandpa stood beside him.

One old and one young.

I just watched quietly as the long convoy of cars disappeared around the bend in the Taihang Mountains.

The noise subsided.

Xujia Village has returned to its quiet, deserted state.

Only the messy tire tracks on the ground remained.

This proves what a carnival once took place here.

Xu An glanced down at his phone.

The live stream is still running.

The number of online users gradually decreased from hundreds of thousands to one hundred thousand.

Most people went on their journeys.

The rest.

They are all cloud supervisors who are reluctant to leave.

[ID Doesn't Want to Say Goodbye]: Is this the end? I feel so empty inside.

[ID: I'm secretly crying at my workstation]: Watching those cars leave, I felt like my soul left with them.

[ID Looking forward to next time]: Don't be sad, blogger, we will be back!

[ID Farming]: Hey streamer, remember to film a video when the wheat grows! That's my electronic wheat field!

Xu An sniffed.

The tension caused by social anxiety disappeared.

Instead.

It's a kind of indescribable sense of loss.

"Master."

"Everyone's gone."

Grandpa tapped his pipe, his face revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

"Fine, I'll go then."

All good things must come to an end.

"As long as your heart is here, you'll eventually come back."

Grandpa walked back with his hands behind his back.

"go home."

"I haven't had breakfast yet."

"The leftover hot and sour soup from last night can still be drunk after being heated up."

Xu An hummed in agreement.

He raised his phone, looked at the camera, and gave the most relaxed smile he'd had in days.

Although he's still a bit silly.

"Family members."

"Everyone's gone."

"It's time for me to go back to a normal life."

"Next..."

Xu An glanced at the land that had been neatly turned over.

And there's that sign standing at the edge of the field that reads "Experimental Base No. 001 of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences".

"Let's go live..."

"Peel corn."

"Yesterday I was so busy entertaining the guests that I didn't even get to thresh the two thousand catties of corn in the backyard."

"If this gets moldy, I'll beat you with the sole of my shoe."

In the live stream, the remaining 100,000 fans instantly burst into laughter.

[ID Model Worker]: Hahahaha! They're already starting work? Even the donkeys in the production team wouldn't dare rest like this!

[ID Immersive Sleep Aid]: Peeling corn is great! I love the rustling sound!

[As long as it's you]: Don't turn off the live stream! I'll watch even if you stream yourself sleeping!

Xu An placed his phone on the millstone.

I moved a small stool.

Pick up a golden corncob from the pile of corn.

Rub your hands together.

Golden corn kernels fell like raindrops.

wow-

wow-

The sound was monotonous and dull.

But at this moment.

But it was better than last night's rock music, better than the sky full of iron sparks.

It makes people feel more at ease.

this is life.

There was no earth-shattering reversal.

There's no such thing as getting rich overnight.

some.

It's just that there are three meals a day and a mess of trivialities.

And that one...

My original aspiration, which I am unwilling to change no matter what.

While peeling corn, Xu An secretly glanced at the comments section.

Number of followers: 172.8.

The price increase has slowed down.

But he felt that this was the true number.

These are the ones that remain.

I'm not here to watch the spectacle.

She truly treated him as a neighbor and a friend.

"that……"

Xu An spoke softly into the camera.

"Actually, when I was rejecting those bosses earlier..."

My calves are cramping.

Am I... a little stupid?

The screen was filled with the same word in the comments.

【stupid!】

[So adorably silly!]

[So silly it's enviable!]

Xu An smiled.

The sunlight shone on his healthy, wheat-colored face.

That smile.

It looks better than any beauty filter.