The Misfortune of Lens 010

The busy day came to an end, but the villagers were still buzzing with excitement, as nearly every household had earned some money.

Some tourists even decided to stay overnight in the village at the last minute, bringing in yet another source of income.

There were also quite a few who asked to buy flowers, vegetables, or meat.

By now, almost everyone was in awe of Fang Zhiyi’s capabilities.

What Fang Zhiyi hadn’t expected was Aunt Zhang’s worried expression. "Fang Zhiyi, listen to me—don’t let Xiaoyu get pulled around for photos like that again. With so many people around, what if she gets hurt?"

Fang Xiaoyu seemed to snap out of her daze. "It’s fine, I’m okay."

"You never know. Crowds attract all kinds of people—what if someone with bad intentions shows up?" Half of Aunt Zhang’s concern stemmed from knowing Fang Xiaoyu was now the heart of the village’s success, and the other half came from genuine fondness for the girl. At first, she had merely pitied her, but over time, she noticed how Fang Xiaoyu never caused trouble and simply focused on working hard. Her opinion of the girl had risen several notches.

Suddenly, someone burst in, panting heavily.

He held up his phone, displaying a photo.

"Uncle Fang! Take a look—is this him? He’s at my place right now!"

Fang Zhiyi took the phone and smiled. "That’s him."

The villagers crowded around, murmuring. "Who is it?"

Fang Zhiyi glanced at Fang Xiaoyu. "Liu Wei."

"Liu Wei?" Someone paused before realization struck. "That bastard? He dares to show his face here?"

Hearing the name, Fang Xiaoyu froze. Earlier, some fans had mentioned it, but with everyone talking over each other, she hadn’t grasped the meaning—only a vague sense that it might be connected to her.

"I’ll kill him!" One villager rolled up his sleeves, ready to storm out.

But Fang Zhiyi stopped him. "Just keep an eye on him. We’ve made a big splash today—if someone beats him up now, all our hard work will be wasted. He’d just use it to revive his online presence, and that’s exactly what he wants."

"Then what do we do? I can’t stand looking at him."

"Don’t worry. Just watch him closely."

The impromptu meeting lasted until midnight, with everyone discussing the day’s shortcomings and preparations for tomorrow before finally dispersing.

Fang Xiaoyu wanted to ask about Liu Wei, but Fang Zhiyi cut her off. "Forget that name. He’s not worth your thoughts."

It was the first time she’d heard her father speak in such an uncompromising tone. Startled, Fang Xiaoyu nodded obediently. Fine, she wouldn’t dwell on it—tomorrow, she’d have to haul more flowers from the storage. Best to get some sleep.

That night, Fang Xiaoyu’s popularity soared, and so did the village’s.

"A hidden gem of a village! How has this place stayed under the radar for so long?"

"Fang Xiaoyu is so sweet and pretty—a natural, healthy kind of beauty."

"To those calling it staged—come take a look. I watched all day as Fang Xiaoyu came down from the mountain covered in mud."

"Does that look like a staged pose to you?"

But amid the trending topics, one stood out for all the wrong reasons.

"Exposing Fang Family Village! Fang Xiaoyu’s Fake Rural Persona—How She Fooled Everyone..."

The moment this video surfaced, it drew massive attention. The footage, shot from a tourist’s perspective, had no audio—only text overlays.

"Look, there’s not a single trash can in sight."

"Chickens and ducks roaming freely? Disgusting."

"They slaughter pigs without blinking—don’t pigs deserve to live?"

"Fang Xiaoyu refused to take photos with fans—such a diva!"

The comments section quickly surpassed ten thousand.

Nearly all of them slammed the creator: "Are you insane? Since when do villages have trash cans everywhere?"

"Where else should chickens and ducks be kept? In your apartment?"

"Oh my god, should they slaughter you instead of pigs?"

"I was there. Xiaoyu was nothing but polite. It was the villagers who stopped us—anyone could see she was exhausted, but she never once complained. Step up and say it to her face."

Liu Wei, watching his phone, finally pieced it together. Fang Xiaoyu had set him up, using him to boost her own fame. His downfall was all because of her!

Now, Liu Wei had come to Fang Family Village, planning to dig up—or fabricate—dirt to smear her name. Weren’t smear campaigns just part of the influencer game? He could play too.

But before he could act, someone else had already posted a critical video. Liu Wei was thrilled—an ally! This had to be an ally!

Then, a photo appeared in the comments. The person in it wore a hat, but his face was unmistakable—and the backdrop was Fang Family Village.

Liu Wei froze. Wasn’t that him? He put down his phone and glanced around. No one was there.

A sinking feeling settled in his gut.

"Ugh, it’s this worm again!"

"No wonder someone’s suddenly trashing Xiaoyu."

"Liu Wei’s alt accounts are everywhere."

"Buddy, you’d better pray I don’t run into you tomorrow. I’m staying in the village too."

Liu Wei wanted to cry. He hadn’t even done anything yet! This wasn’t his fault!

What he didn’t know was that Fang Zhiyi had personally orchestrated the backlash—using reverse psychology to stir up support before dropping Liu Wei’s photo as the final twist.

At daybreak, Liu Wei woke to find his hosts cold-shouldering him. Assuming they’d seen the video, he knew arguing was pointless.

Instinct screamed at him to leave.

But the moment he opened the door, a crowd surrounded him—all holding up their phones.

If not for Fang Zhiyi’s timely intervention, Liu Wei would’ve faced more than just harsh words. Tourists and villagers alike looked ready to teach him a lesson.

Fang Zhiyi’s magnanimity allowed Liu Wei to slip away—while also capitalizing on the drama. By midday, Fang Family Village, Fang Xiaoyu, Fang Zhiyi, and Liu Wei were all trending again.

Liu Wei was finished.

He felt no gratitude toward Fang Zhiyi. In fact, the man’s sly glance convinced him—this middle-aged schemer was the real mastermind.

Liu Wei finally understood.

As he walked, he felt every eye on him. This wasn’t like before, when the backlash was confined online. Now, his face was everywhere, his misdeeds compiled for the world to see. Everyone knew Liu Wei was scum.

Strangers spat at him. Youngsters whispered behind his back. The whole world seemed to despise him.

"Fang Xiaoyu… Fang Zhiyi… Just you wait." His face twisted with rage.

Meanwhile, the village welcomed even more visitors. The village chief stepped in to manage the crowds, following Fang Zhiyi’s meticulously laid-out rules—everything would run smoothly as long as they stuck to the plan.