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

"when--"

"when--"

The sound was deep and resonant, more like striking a bell than striking iron.

Xu An stood in front of the mud-brick house at the west end of the village, which looked like it could collapse at any moment, his calves cramping a little.

If you didn't know it was a blacksmith shop, just by listening to the noise, you'd think there was an ancient behemoth inside, wreaking havoc on the house.

"Family members."

Xu An raised his phone a little higher, trying to cover his slightly pale face.

"This is our Xujia Village's... heavy industrial base."

"Old Black Uncle lives inside."

There's a legend in the village that Uncle Hei has been a blacksmith all his life, and his temper is harder than iron.

"Back then, a wild boar broke into the village, and Uncle Hei grabbed a pair of freshly made fire tongs and rushed out."

"result……"

"The pig is cooked."

"Medium-rare".

The 500,000 viewers in the live stream were initially moved by the family photo, but this sudden, hilariously absurd joke left them completely bewildered.

[ID Laughing Unable to Live Anymore]: What the hell?! This wild boar died peacefully!

【ID Charcoal Grilled Wild Boar】: Is this the legendary "Joy of Fire"? This old man is a berserker!

[ID Social Anxiety Trembling]: Streamer, why don't you just give up? I feel like if you go in, you might become that medium-rare side dish.

Xu An swallowed.

He didn't want to go in either.

From childhood to adulthood, his greatest fear was Uncle Black.

Not only because Uncle Hei is dark-skinned, but also because he doesn't like to talk and only glares at people.

When Xu An was a child, he passed by a blacksmith shop and peeked inside. He was so scared by the glare from Uncle Hei that he dropped the spicy snack he was holding.

But not today.

The photos on the wall must include this toughest bone.

"call--"

Xu An took a deep breath, as if he were about to blow up a bunker, and pulled up the collar of his military overcoat.

Take a step.

Enter the house.

A wave of heat, mixed with the acrid smell of burning coal, instantly hit me.

It was the dead of winter, with temperatures dropping to minus seven or eight degrees Celsius, but the room was as hot as a sauna.

The room was dark, except for the bright red stove in the middle, which looked like the eye of a monster and emitted a chilling light.

An old man with his shirt off was standing with his back to the door.

His back was broad and thick, and his skin was bronze, covered in sweat that glistened in the firelight.

His muscles were bulging, making him look nothing like a man in his seventies; he looked more like a retired bodybuilding champion.

"when!"

The hammer in the old man's hand fell.

Sparks flew everywhere.

That was a real display of fireworks, even more spectacular than the fireworks on New Year's Eve.

Xu An felt the floor tremble.

"Um... Uncle Black?"

Xu An called out tentatively.

The sound was so faint it was like a mosquito's hum, and it was instantly swallowed up by the loud clanging of metal.

The old man didn't turn around.

The hammer in his hand struck again and again, with an incredibly steady rhythm.

Xu An dared not move, and could only awkwardly hold up his phone, standing at the door like a doorman.

Viewers in the live stream were having a blast.

[ID: Master Refiner]: Holy crap! Those latissimus dorsi muscles! Those trapezius muscles! Has this old man worked out?

[ID Rhythm Master]: Listen to this sound! Clang! This is heavy metal rock!

[ID Detail Freak]: Hey streamer, don't talk! Look at those sparks! Is this forging a divine weapon?

A full five minutes passed.

Uncle Black finally stopped.

He shoved the piece of iron, which had turned dark red, into the bucket of water.

"Sizzle—"

White smoke rose up, and the pungent smell of sulfur made Xu An cough twice.

"Cough cough..."

Uncle Hei turned around.

How would you describe that face?

black.

It's really dark.

Years of exposure to smoke and fire have made coal ash seem to have grown into his wrinkles.

Only his eyes were white, frighteningly white, with a gaze as sharp as a knife.

He was still holding that heavy iron hammer, which weighed at least twenty pounds, and stared coldly at Xu An.

"Who just farted?"

Uncle Hei spoke, his voice hoarse and metallic.

Xu An: ...

Live stream room: ...

[ID I burst out laughing]: That's bullshit! That's the streamer coughing!

[ID Not Very Harmful]: Extremely insulting! The streamer was treated like a gaseous animal!

"Uncle Black... Uncle Black".

Xu An took a half step back and pressed himself against the door frame, trying to find a sense of security.

"I am Anzi."

"Um... I'm here to take your picture."

"We need to hang a photo in our village canteen..."

Old Black Uncle squinted and sized up Xu An for a long time.

Suddenly, he threw the large iron hammer in his hand onto the anvil.

"Bang!"

Xu An was so startled he almost jumped up.

"Photograph?"

Uncle Hei snorted, grabbed the faded towel from his neck, and wiped his face haphazardly.

With that smear, her face became even more smudged, looking like a big tabby cat.

"Dribble the ball!"

"With my face covered in soot, how can the photo look good?"

"Go! Go! Go!"

"Don't delay my work!"

"There are only a few days left until the Chinese New Year, and we still haven't finished the work!"

Uncle Hei waved his hand impatiently, as if he were really shooing Xu An away like a fly.

Xu An felt a little wronged.

But he didn't leave this time.

His gaze fell on the basket next to the large anvil.

It was piled up to the brim.

It's not a hoe, not a sickle, and not the legendary pig-slaughtering knife.

But...

spoon.

Hundreds of gleaming, polished stainless steel spoons...

The handle of each spoon is engraved with a pattern.

It wasn't pressed out by a machine; it was hammered out by hand, one hammer blow at a time.

Some are carved with plum blossoms, some with ears of wheat, and some even with... a White Rabbit?

"Uncle Black..."

Xu An pointed to the basket, his voice trembling slightly.

"What... what is this?"

Old Black Uncle was stunned for a moment.

A suspicious red tinge appeared on that dark face.

Of course, because her face is too dark, it's not very noticeable.

He instinctively tried to block the basket with his body, but even with his broad frame, he couldn't hide the large pile of reflective spoons.

"What are you looking at!"

"That was for the village next door!"

"They need it to feed the pigs at their pig farm!"

Old Black Uncle stiffened his neck, his eyes darting around, and he didn't dare to look at Xu An.

Feeding pigs?

Who feeds their pigs with this finely polished 304 stainless steel spoon?

It even has a White Rabbit logo carved on it?

Did this pig grow up eating elixirs of immortality?

The viewers in the live stream went wild.

[ID Case Solved]: Hahahaha! Feeding pigs! What a lame excuse!

【ID Arrogant】: Confirmed! This old man is arrogant!

[ID with tears in my eyes]: Every single one of them is engraved with patterns? How many times must it have been hammered? This is much more expensive than machine-made ones!

[ID Master Craftsman]: Is this the legendary "saying one thing but doing another"? Saying he wouldn't take photos, but secretly getting a full set of tableware from the cafeteria?

Xu An did not expose him.

He walked over and picked up a spoon from the basket.

It's heavy and feels great in the hand.

The edges are polished to be extremely smooth, so they don't cut your mouth at all.

This is not a spoon.

This is a work of art.

"Uncle Black".

Xu An held up the spoon and examined it in the firelight.

The white rabbit on the spoon handle, though simple in design, has its two ears standing up high, exuding a spirited energy.

"This pig... has quite the taste."

"You still like White Rabbit candy?"

Uncle Hei choked.

He opened his mouth, but in the end, he glared at Xu An in a fit of anger and embarrassment.

"It's none of your business!"

"These days, pigs are... particular!"

"Alright, alright! Put the spoon down!"

"Don't you dare touch me dirty!"

Xu An smiled.

She was smiling very brightly.

He used to be afraid of Uncle Hei, thinking that the old man was fierce and evil.

But now.

He found the old man incredibly adorable.

"Uncle Black".

"This spoon is just missing a model."

"Take it."

"Let me take a picture of you."

Just one.

"I'll leave after I'm done filming."

Uncle Hei frowned as he looked at Xu An's shameless, smiling face.

He looked again at his hands, which were covered in calluses and grime.

"Really filming?"

"Real shot."

"And what about my face...?"

"No need to wash."

Xu An raised his camera and aimed it at the old man standing by the stove, radiating heat and strength.

"Uncle Black".

"The dust on your face."

"It's a medal from our Xu Family Village."

Uncle Hei was stunned.

He seemed surprised that this cowardly kid, who usually acted like a mouse before a cat when he was around, could say such a thing.

He was silent for a moment.

Suddenly he bent down and grabbed a spoon from the basket.

I didn't strike any poses.

I didn't force a smile.

He stood there casually, clutching tightly in his hand the tool that the villagers used for eating.

His eyes were fixed on the fire in the stove.

The flickering flames were reflected in those eyes.

Those were eyes that shone brighter than gold.

"Click."

Xu An pressed the shutter.

The image freezes.

Against the dark backdrop, the red glow of the hearth outlines the old man's resolute features.

The silver spoon gleamed blindingly in his hand, which was covered in black grime.

An extreme contrast.

A breathtaking sense of power.

[ID Photography Master]: This is divine! Absolutely divine! The light and shadow, the composition! Pulitzer Prize caliber!

[ID with tears in their eyes]: Medal... The anchor said it so well! The dust on a worker's face is the most beautiful makeup!

[ID Want a Spoon]: Is this spoon for sale? I'll buy it no matter the price! This isn't just a spoon, it's Uncle Hei's heart!

After taking the photos.

Xu An didn't dare linger.

He was afraid that if Old Black Uncle realized what was happening, he would really hit him with a hammer.

"Uncle Black!"

Thanks!

"You'll have to sit at the head table on the day the cafeteria opens!"

After saying that, Xu An, clutching his camera, ran away like a mouse that had stolen oil.

I just ran out the door.

Then they heard Old Black Uncle's signature roar coming from inside the house.

"Head table my ass!"

"I want to sit at the head of the table!"

"Anyone who dares to throw my spoon, I'll break their legs!"

……

As Xu An left the blacksmith's shop, he felt the cold wind dry the sweat on his body.

But my heart felt warm.

"Family members."

"This is Uncle Lao Hei."

"Stubborn to the end, stubborn to the end, and stubborn to the end."

"But I'm worried..."

"Hotter than molten iron straight from the furnace."

Xu An glanced at his phone screen.

The number of viewers in the live stream has unknowingly surged to 800,000.

There was no competition, no talent show.

All this old man has to do is use this spoon.

It brought hundreds of thousands of people to tears.

"Next."

Xu An hung the camera around his neck and glanced at the wheat field at the east end of the village.

There.

There was a mute man who always rode a tricycle around the village collecting scraps.

The villagers all called him "Uncle Mute".

But Grandpa had told Xu An that.

Uncle Ya isn't mute.

He just...

He hid all his thoughts in a broken erhu.

"Walk."

"Let me take you to hear it."

"From our Xu Family Village..."

Beethoven.

Xu An pushed the dilapidated bicycle that rattled everywhere except for the bell.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone pavement.

It makes a creaking sound.

It's like a prelude to the passage of time.

And the story of Xujia Village.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.