The Misfortune of Lens 09

Fang Zhiyi looked at his dust-covered daughter with a strange expression.

"What's the rush?"

"Dad? What happened to our house?" Fang Xiaoyu glanced around in confusion.

Fang Zhiyi smiled and introduced, "Come, meet your uncle—he's also the village chief."

Fang Xiaoyu turned to the middle-aged man in bewilderment. The man nodded kindly at her. "Last time I saw you, you were just a little girl. Now you’ve grown into a young woman."

Fang Xiaoyu let out a sigh of relief. So, it wasn’t about the video thing?

Fang Zhiyi cleared his throat and raised his hand. "This concludes my summary of the path to prosperity. Everyone here has been so good to us, so I can’t keep secrets. But before we proceed, we need to do our best to beautify the village environment."

The village chief led the applause.

The villagers buzzed with discussion.

"I always knew Fang Zhiyi was a smart one."

"Before, I only heard about internet celebrities and videos. Today, I finally learned that our very own village has a big influencer."

Everyone turned to look at Fang Xiaoyu, who suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

The village chief cleared his throat. "Zhiyi already discussed this with me beforehand, so I’ve applied for a government support fund—and it’s been approved!"

The villagers cheered.

"Starting today, we’ll all follow Zhiyi’s lead. This is the road to prosperity for everyone. If anyone dares to oppose it, don’t blame me for being harsh!"

"If anyone messes with my brother, I’ll curse their whole family for three days and nights!" Aunt Zhang shouted, hands on her hips.

"Count me in," a burly man said firmly. Fang Xiaoyu remembered him—rumor had it he wasn’t someone to trifle with.

Fang Xiaoyu turned to her father in disbelief. Was his charisma always this strong? She’d never noticed before. In her memories, he was just an ordinary, hardworking man...

The village soon became a hive of activity. Every household was busy cleaning up, preparing for the upcoming renovations.

Fang Zhiyi himself was often nowhere to be seen, only occasionally appearing to film videos or help when Fang Xiaoyu needed to sell fruits and vegetables from her space.

Fang Xiaoyu was also swamped—one moment she was on the mountain, the next she was in her space. Thankfully, her father had hired a few villagers to assist, or she’d have collapsed from exhaustion. Before she knew it, the village had transformed. Nearly every house had been renovated in the same style as theirs. The roads were repaved, and even several recycling bins had appeared at the village entrance.

The feisty Aunt Zhang patrolled everywhere with a red armband—apparently, the village had assigned her the duty.

For the first time, Fang Xiaoyu stepped out of her own world and began to think. But she couldn’t figure out what her father was really planning, so she chose the simplest solution: asking him directly.

"Hmm? The village houses? They used our blueprints," Fang Zhiyi said, sprawled on a recliner. He’d been exhausted lately. Seeing Fang Xiaoyu’s puzzled look, he sat up.

"A tree that stands tall gets blown down by the wind. No one can live apart from society—where there are people, there’s conflict."

"Human nature is a strange thing, so let’s not dwell on it. After we renovated our house, at first it was fine, but over time, what would others think? Jealousy is a negative emotion everyone has. So, we had to find a way to raise the average standard," Fang Zhiyi explained calmly. "Then, with your influence, we could lift the whole village up. That’s how we make it work."

Fang Xiaoyu was stunned. "So you thought of this before we even renovated our house?"

"Of course," Fang Zhiyi replied, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You just focus on what you love. Leave the rest to your old man."

Fang Xiaoyu paced around, studying her father. He felt unfamiliar—too unfamiliar. No wonder he’d returned to their hometown! This wasn’t just for her—it was for himself!

Fang Zhiyi’s plan succeeded brilliantly. During one of her shoots, the location was "accidentally" revealed, prompting a flood of netizens vowing to visit the picturesque place.

The very next day, the village welcomed its first wave of tourists. Thanks to a meeting Fang Zhiyi and the village chief had held the night before, the villagers were well-prepared.

"Hello, the flower fields are this way," someone directed, pointing toward the path leading to the fields where Fang Xiaoyu had transplanted flowers. Afterward, Fang Zhiyi had installed swings and benches there.

"Pick-your-own fruit is over here," another villager said, gesturing toward the local orchards. Fang Xiaoyu’s own orchard wasn’t open to the public yet.

"Fishing is available at the eastern pond."

Some visitors immediately asked about the internet celebrity Fang Xiaoyu.

Aunt Zhang narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Xiaoyu? She’s been busy planting flowers these days. She’ll probably be back in the afternoon."

The netizens had come hoping to see Fang Xiaoyu, but since that was the case, they figured they might as well enjoy themselves. And once they started exploring, they were amazed—the village was beautifully planned, with fresh air, idyllic scenery, and uniquely charming courtyards. Every angle was photo-ready!

Soon, videos and photos were posted online.

Some even shared snapshots in Fang Xiaoyu’s comment section.

This sent those who hadn’t visited into a frenzy.

"No way, I thought this was just another influencer marketing stunt, but it’s actually this gorgeous?"

"How come I’ve never heard of a place like this before?"

"I have to go. I absolutely have to!"

Then came photos of someone enjoying barbecue, captioned: "Authentic farm-raised pork—delicious and generous portions!"

The netizens’ attention shifted again.

"Whoa, look at that barbecue!"

"Did no one notice the fish that guy in the back is holding??"

"Of course the anglers would focus on that."

"No way that fish is real. It’s photoshopped!! Unless you give me the address."

"Some anglers need their eyes checked. The location tag is right there, and you still missed it."

"Hold on, guys. Let me scout it out first."

"Yeah, right. You just want it all to yourself."

By evening, Fang Xiaoyu finally descended from the mountain path, hoe in hand. She froze at the sight of the lively village but quickly remembered what her father had told her the day before. Though surprised, she thought it was a good thing.

"Look! It’s Fang Xiaoyu!" someone shouted.

"Wow! She looks exactly like in her videos!"

"Xiaoyu! Can we take a photo together?"

Fang Xiaoyu felt awkward. She’d known she was an internet celebrity, but she’d never considered how to face her "fans."

From the shadows, Fang Zhiyi watched his daughter pose for photos. Then his gaze shifted elsewhere.

The bait had been cast. He was certain the fish would bite.

"Alright, alright, our Xiaoyu has worked hard all day. Let her rest, won’t you?" Aunt Zhang pushed through the crowd.

Fang Xiaoyu smiled. "Feel free to visit again whenever you like."