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

The projector at the Red Star Cinema has finally stopped.

When the light went out, Director Zhang sat in his chair, motionless for a long time.

Old Zhao didn't move; he simply put away the film silently, as if he were collecting fragments of old time.

No one spoke; only the dust motes dancing in the air witnessed this reconciliation that spanned forty years.

After returning from the neighboring county, Xu An locked himself in his room and didn't go out for a whole day.

He turned the rusty tin box upside down on the kang (a heated brick bed).

It all came down in a blur.

More than a dozen letters fell out.

Some envelopes were damp and moldy, and some writing was so blurred it looked like gibberish.

Xu An read through the letters one by one, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

The most recent letter was sent from deep in the mountains of Shanxi.

The furthest letter was even sent to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

These letters are like broken kite strings, tied to people whose whereabouts are unknown, and to fragments of the past that may have long been forgotten.

"What's wrong, Anzi? What's troubling you?"

My second uncle pushed open the door and came in, twirling a brand-new BMW car key in his hand—he had just gotten it to celebrate the completion of the cafeteria.

"Second Uncle, the rest of the letters... are too far away."

Xu An sighed and pointed to the pile of envelopes.

"Moreover, many places are located in remote mountain valleys or old factory areas. Although your Raptor is powerful, there are some roads that cars cannot access."

Uncle grinned broadly, exuding an air of magnanimity: "This is nothing! Uncle will take care of it for you!"

"So what if the road is difficult to travel? I'll arrange a helicopter for you!"

"If you think helicopters are too noisy, I'll hire a convoy, with someone leading the way and providing support from behind. I guarantee you'll deliver your message in style!"

"We're a popular village now, we need to maintain a certain image!"

Xu An shrank his neck and shook his head vigorously.

"No...Second Uncle, please don't."

"I just want to...go quietly."

Although Xu An was socially awkward, he was perfectly clear-headed.

If they actually set up a convoy, it wouldn't be delivering a message; it would be just for show.

Most of the recipients of the letters were ordinary people like Old Zhao and Granny Hua.

Even people like Lao Wei, who have spent their entire lives hiding.

Too much noise will scare them away.

"I want to... take the train."

Xu An said softly, swiping his finger across the map on his phone.

"That kind of... green train."

"It's a bit slow, but... it's reliable."

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

At the foot of the "Tiananmen" wall at the entrance of the village.

Xu An carried the faded canvas bag on his back, still wearing his signature military overcoat, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

Grandpa stood at the door, leaning on his cane, and didn't say anything, but simply straightened Xu An's collar.

"Go."

"The fledglings will eventually have to leave the nest."

"Go and see the state of this world, go and see the hearts of people."

"Don't be afraid."

"There's Grandpa at home, a canteen, and those two... uh, next year's pigs."

Xu An smiled, revealing two rows of bright white teeth.

On this cold winter morning, her smile was warmer than the rising sun.

……

10:00 AM.

Train K128.

This is a slow train that travels between urban and rural areas. The ticket price is cheap and it makes many stops.

A complex smell permeated the carriage.

The smell of instant noodles, the smell of feet, the smell of cheap tobacco, and the unique sour smell of sweat from a long journey.

They were mixed together, but it didn't make people feel disgusted.

On the contrary, there is a kind of...

A vibrant, thriving life force.

Xu An huddled in a corner of the hard seat, trying to curl up his body and minimize his presence.

He's genuinely socially awkward.

This kind of crowded, leg-to-leg environment was like hell for him.

But he couldn't resist his curiosity.

Those eyes, hidden behind the messy hair, secretly surveyed their surroundings.

Across from him sat a young couple who had come to the city to work.

The man was dark-skinned and thin, with a pile of woven bags at his feet, filled with bedding, pots and pans.

The woman was holding a baby who was still nursing in her arms. Her eyes showed exhaustion, but when she looked at the baby, they were full of light.

Across from me was a student wearing thick-rimmed glasses, frantically memorizing a postgraduate entrance exam English book, with two wads of tissue paper stuffed in his ears for soundproofing.

The aisle was packed with people who couldn't buy seats.

Some sat on small stools, while others simply spread out newspapers and sat on the ground.

Xu An took a deep breath and pulled out the Huawei Mate60 Pro RS, which was worth more than 10,000 yuan.

He didn't fit in with this environment.

It's like someone in an evening gown walking into a farmers' market.

"that……"

Good morning, family.

Xu An lowered his voice and greeted the screen.

The live stream was instantly flooded with over 100,000 viewers.

That's the terrifying thing about top influencers; even if they're just broadcasting nonsense, people will still watch.

[ID Microscope]: Holy crap? Where is the streamer? That bright green train carriage... a green train?!

【ID: Rich Second Generation Lin Zixuan】: Anzi?! Are you crazy?! I sent a car to pick you up! Is this car even for people to ride in?

[ID: Working Class]: Shut up, upstairs! This is the kind of bus ordinary people like us ride! The streamer is so down-to-earth! I'm a fan!

[ID: Aesthetics-obsessed]: Help! Anzi is huddled in her military overcoat, looking so cute and pitiful! Like a frightened groundhog!

Xu An looked at the comments on the screen, her face turning slightly red.

"I...I came out to deliver a message."

"The first stop isn't far, it's in the mountainous area of ​​the next province."

"Taking this car... is convenient."

Xu An didn't dare tell the truth: mainly because the ticket was only 28.5 yuan, which saved money.

Just then.

A commotion arose in the corridor.

"Beer, soft drinks, mineral water, peanuts, sunflower seeds, eight-treasure porridge—"

"Hey sir, move your leg in!"

The train conductor pushed the trolley and drove over it like a tank.

Xu An quickly pulled his old cotton shoes, which he had worn for three years, back a little.

"Sizzle—"

An older man next to me tore open the lid of a bucket of braised beef noodles.

Steaming hot.

That overpowering aroma instantly dominated the entire carriage.

The man was probably in his fifties, with gray hair and cracked hands, clearly someone who did heavy physical labor.

He couldn't bear to buy ham sausages.

He simply pulled a plastic bag from his pocket, inside which were two shriveled, cold steamed buns.

He broke the steamed bun into pieces and soaked them in the noodle soup.

That's the carbohydrate pleasure brought about by boiling water.

Suddenly, the uncle's phone rang.

It was a video call.

The middle-aged man answered the call in a flustered manner, and his originally tired face instantly filled with a smile.

That's a kind of...

A smile that was both ingratiating and proud.

"Oh, old woman!"

"Eating! We're eating right now!"

The man pointed his phone camera at the bucket of instant noodles.

"Look! Braised beef! This cup of noodles is five yuan! And it actually has chunks of meat in it!"

"I didn't eat any steamed buns! Who said I ate any? Those things are dry and hard to swallow, I don't like them!"

As the uncle spoke, he quietly used a fork to press the whitish pieces of steamed bun under the noodles.

Their movements were so practiced it was heartbreaking.

On the other end of the phone, I could hear a woman's nagging voice and the sounds of children playing.

"Don't skimp on money when you're out; eat whatever you want."

"Everything's fine at home, the pigs are all fat, we're waiting for you to come back so we can slaughter them for a feast."

The uncle chuckled, and the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out.

"Great! Great! I don't care! I'm living the good life!"

"I just bought a bottle of beer, and I'm a little tipsy now, lying down in the hard sleeper berth!"

The man lied.

He bought a standing ticket.

The same student who had just been standing saw that his legs were shaking and squeezed in to let him sit on the edge.

I hung up the phone.

The uncle breathed a sigh of relief.

His once straight back collapsed instantly.

He picked up the bucket of flour mixed with crumbs of steamed buns and shoveled large mouthfuls into his mouth.

I ate too quickly, and it was so hot that I kept gasping for breath, but I couldn't bear to spit it out.

Perhaps lying just now exhausted her energy.

Perhaps it was that phrase "Everything is fine at home" that struck a nerve.

While eating...

A single, murky tear fell into the noodle soup.

But he quickly wiped his face with his sleeve, and with a slurp, drank the soup and tears all at once.

Xu An's camera captured this moment perfectly.

The chat in the live stream, which had been filled with laughter and jokes, suddenly stopped.

It was as if the pause button had been pressed.

[ID: Tears-Induced]: I'm breaking down... I'm really breaking down. That's what my dad used to say to my mom when he went out to work.

[ID Wanderer]: This is what Chinese men are like. They swallow their bitterness and only spit out laughter.

[ID: Uncle Xujiacun]: Damn it, this guy... I can't stand it. Anzi, buy him a chicken leg! It's on me!

Xu An looked at the middle-aged man.

Watching him carefully drink every last drop of the instant noodles from the bucket, then stack the bucket and stuff it into a trash bag.

Every movement exudes reverence for life.

Xu An remained silent.

He took out two tea eggs from his canvas bag—the ones his fifth aunt had insisted on giving him before he left.

It's still warm.

He took a deep breath and spent a minute mentally preparing himself.

Then, slowly, like a snail tentatively exploring the outside world, it reached out its hand.

"Uncle."

Xu An's voice was very soft, so soft that only he and the older man could hear it.

"that……"

"I bought too many eggs; I can't finish them all."

"Could you do me a favor...don't waste it?"

That's the most clumsy excuse.

It is also the most dignified form of gentleness.

The man paused for a moment.

Looking at the young man in front of me, who was wearing a tattered military overcoat but whose eyes were as clear as mountain spring water.

He wanted to refuse.

But looking at those two warm eggs, his Adam's apple bobbed.

"This...this is too much trouble..."

"It's okay, I really can't finish it." Xu An stuffed the egg into the uncle's hand, then quickly pulled his hand back and buried his head in his collar.

It's like someone who's done something wrong and feels guilty.

The uncle was holding an egg.

That warm touch flowed from my palm all the way into my heart.

He didn't say anything polite like "thank you".

I just quietly peeled one open and took a bite.

good smell.

"Young man."

The uncle suddenly spoke, his voice a little hoarse.

Are you going to school?

Xu An shook his head: "No, I'm going to... deliver a letter."

"Deliver a letter?" The middle-aged man chuckled, revealing a set of teeth stained yellow from smoking. "Do people still deliver letters these days? Why not just send a WeChat message?"

Xu An thought for a moment, then said seriously:

"There are some things you can't send on WeChat."

"Some roads must be walked by people."

The middle-aged man nodded thoughtfully.

"Too."

"Just like me."

"No matter how tired I am, I still have to take this bus home every year."

"The child you see in the video is just a shadow."

"Only when you hold it in your arms is it real flesh."

In the live stream, countless thumbs-up comments flooded the screen.

[ID Philosophy Department]: The master wanders, the clown is in the palace. This uncle lives life with profound insight!

[ID Xu An's die-hard fan]: Anzi's social anxiety is so soothing. He doesn't dare to speak loudly, but he dares to offer his love.

[ID Official - Huixian Culture and Tourism]: Screenshot this scene. This is the kind of "top influencer" we want to see. Not standing under the spotlight, but sitting on a slow train.

The train swayed and rattled as it passed through tunnels and across fields.

The scenery outside the window changed from barren plains to rolling hills.

Xu An leaned against the car window, watching the telephone poles recede into the distance.

The idea of ​​"delivering the letter" became clearer and clearer in my mind.

This is not just about delivering a few sheets of paper.

This is mending the regrets torn apart by time.

"Dear passengers, the next stop is—"

"Niangziguan Station".

The train conductor's languid voice came over the loudspeaker.

Xu An's spirits lifted; the address of the first letter was nearby.

The envelope read:

Xiahe Village, Niangziguan Town, Pingding County, Shanxi Province

Recipient: [Li Aijun]

Sender: [Old Squad Leader]

There was no date, only a strange symbol drawn on the back of the envelope:

Half of it is the sun, and half of it is the moon.

Xu An slung his canvas bag over his shoulder and squeezed his way to the car door with the crowd.

Before getting off the bus, the uncle eating instant noodles suddenly grabbed him.

He took out two bright red apples from the woven bag.

That was food he couldn't bear to eat at the construction site.

"Take it."

"To quench thirst on the road."

The older man's gaze was firm and brooked no refusal. Xu An hesitated for a moment before taking the apple.

At that moment, he felt that this apple was heavier than the hundreds of "carnivals" in the live broadcast room.

Stepping off the platform, a cold wind carrying the smell of coal dust hit me.

Xu An raised his phone, pointing it at the camera and at this unfamiliar land.

"Family members."

"We've arrived."

"The owner of this letter is Li Aijun."

"Let's go see what kind of person this is."