The Trouble with Lenses 01

"Is this... playing dad again?" Fang Zhiyi picked up a photo from the desk, showing him with a young girl who was smiling brightly.

Xiao Hei replied, "Yes, but this time it has nothing to do with the protagonist."

"Oh?"

Fang Zhiyi lived with his daughter, Fang Xiaoyu, who had just graduated from university. The girl had big dreams and knew how hard it was for her father to support her alone, so she decided to start a street stall business.

Fang Xiaoyu prioritized hygiene and affordable prices, and luck was on her side—her business thrived daily. While it wasn’t a path to riches, it was still better than a regular job.

After work, Fang Zhiyi would often help his daughter at the stall. He respected her choices, but everything took a sharp turn after an unexpected encounter with a camera crew.

One day, Fang Zhiyi had to work overtime and only sent Fang Xiaoyu a quick message to let her know. She managed the stall alone when a man with a buzz cut, speaking in standard Mandarin, approached her.

"What’s the best thing here?" he asked.

Fang Xiaoyu cheerfully replied, "The beef noodles are great! We use fresh noodles made daily, and the beef is stewed that morning—"

"Oh, then... what’s the most expensive?"

Fang Xiaoyu paused mid-motion and looked up, noticing two others behind him—one holding a camera, the other adjusting lighting. A microphone was clipped to the man’s collar.

She realized this was a food blogger doing a review. Flustered, she lowered her head slightly.

"The most expensive is the beef noodles with extra meat... for 24 yuan."

"Alright, I’ll take one."

She prepared the bowl, and the man carried it to a table, where he started eating while talking nonstop into the camera. Meanwhile, more customers arrived, keeping Fang Xiaoyu busy.

Finally, the man seemed to finish filming. "Boss, how much?"

"24 yuan," she answered after wrapping up her tasks.

The man stepped forward with a smile. "Boss, how about I trade you something instead?"

Fang Xiaoyu was taken aback. Trade? For what?

He pulled out a cheap-looking handmade bracelet. "I made this myself. Think it’s worth a meal?"

She hesitated—the bracelet wasn’t worth 24 yuan. Sensing her reluctance, the man fiddled with a small pendant on it, revealing a tiny photo of Fang Xiaoyu inside.

"When did you...?" Confused, her gaze shifted to the half-eaten bowl of noodles on the table. The broth had soaked into the noodles, making them soggy, and chunks of beef had been bitten into and carelessly spat back onto the table.

"Hmm? Boss? Deal? I’m a barter-for-food blogger."

Staring at the wasted food—her father had woken up at dawn to stew that beef—rage bubbled inside her.

"No deal! Pay up!" For the first time, she faced the camera directly and held out her hand.

The man seemed surprised by her refusal. "This bracelet with your photo isn’t cheap—it took me two and a half hours to make."

Fang Xiaoyu kept her hand outstretched. Reluctantly, the man paid, though he looked oddly pleased as he did.

She didn’t think much of it.

But the next day, passersby pointed and whispered. Strangers called to hurl insults.

Soon, she realized—the man had posted about her online.

"Just wanted to share handmade warmth, but this is how I was treated..."

The clickbait title drew crowds. The video showed the blogger trying to trade for a 24-yuan bowl of beef noodles, only to be "heartlessly" rejected by the stall owner. Liu Wei’s dramatic narration, paired with tense background music, painted Fang Xiaoyu as greedy.

"She looks sweet, but wow, money’s all she cares about?"

"Stall owners make bank anyway, and she can’t spare 24 yuan?"

"Disgusting. Deserves it."

Liu Wei’s followers rallied, boosting his visibility. While he gained minor fame, Fang Xiaoyu faced a firestorm.

Harassment escalated—phone calls, onlookers at her stall, even other bloggers livestreaming for clout.

Overwhelmed by the attacks, Fang Xiaoyu broke down. Fang Zhiyi rushed over, shooed the crowd away, and took her home.

But he didn’t know his protective act had also been filmed—edited to make him look like he was driving away customers. The Fang family was now trapped in a whirlwind of online hate, with calls even reaching his workplace.

With the stall closed, Fang Zhiyi told Fang Xiaoyu to rest while he went to work. But mid-scolding from his boss, a neighbor called.

"Lao Fang! Come home now! Your daughter—she jumped!"

Time froze for Fang Zhiyi.

"So... where’s the protagonist?" Xiao Hei shook his head and delivered another plot point.

After the incident, Liu Wei half-heartedly urged people to "stay rational," though he was secretly thrilled—the backlash against the Fangs had brought him massive traffic and inflated his ego.

But his arrogance grew until he crossed paths with the male lead... and kicked an iron plate.

Fang Zhiyi stroked his chin, nodding.

Just then, his phone rang. A cheerful voice greeted him.

"Dad! Business was great today! What do you want for dinner? My treat!"

"Really?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"Oh, plenty of times. Like when you changed your 19 to a 99 on that test, or when you told me it was a parent-teacher meeting instead of—"

"Ugh, stop bringing up old stuff! Anyway, rest up—no need to come help today. Gotta go, it’s busy! I’ll bring you something delicious!"

The call ended.

Xiao Hei blinked. "Whoa. You smiled."

Fang Zhiyi straightened. "No, I didn’t."

"You totally did. Like a proud old man."

"What’s that supposed to mean? I am an old man now."

"Fair."

"Xiao Hei, I need a favor. You can handle it, right?"

Xiao Hei tilted its head.

Fang Zhiyi narrowed his eyes. "The male lead has something good on him. Get it and give it to my daughter."

"......"

"Don’t tell me you can’t. If you can’t even do this, you’re completely useless. After all these worlds, I’ve barely asked for anything! Look at other systems—look at you!"