The Misfortune of Lens 011

"Modern society is so troublesome," Fang Zhiyi sighed.

Little Hei agreed, "You're right. If this were ancient times, you would've already chopped Liu Wei into pieces, wouldn't you?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? I abide by the law!"

After taking some photos with tourists, Fang Xiaoyu hoisted a hoe onto her shoulder and headed up the mountain. She planned to stay in the small cabin there for a few days, following her father's arrangement. It was perfect timing, as she was currently cultivating a new plant variety that required a lot of attention.

The village had also sent many people to help her manage the mountain area. In Fang Zhiyi's plans, this mountain would eventually become a recreational spot. At the very least, the village wouldn't need to rely on Fang Xiaoyu's popularity to attract tourists in the future.

But for now, it still needed time.

Almost no one expected Liu Wei to return to the village. With the increasing number of tourists, no one noticed this troublemaker lurking around.

Liu Wei wandered the village for several days but never crossed paths with Fang Zhiyi. However, on this particular day, he spotted another familiar figure.

Fang Xiaoyu reappeared, carrying a burlap sack with what looked like flowers poking out from the opening. She was chatting and laughing with villagers as they descended the mountain.

Some fans recognized her and excitedly rushed over to greet her.

Fang Xiaoyu smiled and responded warmly.

Suddenly, a figure burst from the crowd, wielding a sharp knife. Aunt Zhang was knocked to the ground, and when she turned to curse at the assailant, she froze in terror.

"Xiaoyu! Run—!"

Liu Wei's eyes gleamed with vindictive satisfaction. "Let's see how arrogant you are now!"

But just then, another figure darted from the side and kicked Liu Wei's legs out from under him. Liu Wei stumbled and fell face-first onto the ground. The stranger pinned him down while the shocked onlookers quickly sprang into action—some called the police, others helped restrain Liu Wei, and a few comforted Fang Xiaoyu.

Hidden in the shadows, Fang Zhiyi was momentarily stunned. That was smooth. I didn’t even have to lift a finger. Still, the outcome was the same.

He had anticipated Liu Wei's desperate move, but he hadn’t expected someone else to intervene before he could act.

Oh well.

Fang Zhiyi quietly slipped back home. In this situation, staying low-key was the best course of action.

Liu Wei was hauled away by the police, and Fang Xiaoyu, surrounded by concerned villagers, returned home. Normally strong-willed, her eyes were now red-rimmed, and she nearly burst into tears the moment she saw Fang Zhiyi.

"Dad..."

Fang Zhiyi felt a pang of guilt. Today’s incident was partly his fault.

But his attention was soon drawn to the young man standing behind his daughter.

It was the guy who had taken down Liu Wei—probably a tourist. Not bad reflexes.

Liu Wei was sentenced, though the news didn’t make much of a splash. He should’ve been locked up long ago. In the original storyline, Liu Wei had grown powerful, committing countless atrocities—forcing women into prostitution, beating subordinates as if it were routine—which was why he eventually fell at the hands of the male lead.

Everyone was worried about Fang Xiaoyu, so she posted a video assuring her fans she was fine. She also introduced the young man who had saved her—Lin Fan.

Watching the video, where the two exchanged flirtatious glances, the comment section was flooded with envy.

"If only I’d been there that day! A classic hero-saves-the-beauty moment!"

"Can some brave soul reenact this so I can get my chance to be the hero?"

"I can’t watch this. Goodbye."

"Unfollow! I must unfollow!"

Fang Zhiyi was also conflicted. "You’re only telling me now that guy is the male lead?"

Little Hei shrugged. "What can I do? The space originally belonged to him. You took it. Liu Wei was also a villain the male lead was supposed to deal with, but you handled him first. So it’s only natural he’d show up here."

"Are you saying I get to be the male lead’s father-in-law now?"

"Looks that way."

"Dad! Hurry up and cook! Lin Fan and I are starving!" Fang Xiaoyu’s cheerful voice rang out as she dashed inside, followed closely by Lin Fan. Fang Zhiyi couldn’t shake the feeling that his precious cabbage had just been trampled by a wild boar.

Despite having lived through countless worlds, this was his first time playing the role of a father-in-law. And like all fathers-in-law, he found himself instinctively disliking the young man.

The problem was, this protagonist was actually decent—morally sound, reasonably intelligent, and utterly devoted to Fang Xiaoyu.

Even Aunt Zhang couldn’t stand Fang Zhiyi’s constant nitpicking and stepped in to defend Lin Fan.

Two years later, Lin Fan and Fang Xiaoyu got married. Fang Zhiyi maintained a stern expression throughout the entire ceremony.

"I should’ve never taken that damn space," he muttered.

Little Hei only chuckled in response.

No internet celebrity’s fame lasts forever, and Fang Xiaoyu was no exception. This was part of Fang Zhiyi’s plan—he gradually reduced the frequency of her videos, and she slowly faded from the online world. After all, her passion was farming, not being a public figure. Now that all the necessary conditions were in place, it was time to give her a normal life.

Yet, Fang Family Village’s reputation had already been established, becoming a well-known vacation spot. Though the number of tourists wasn’t as high as two years prior, the villagers had learned to sustain themselves. Thanks to Fang Xiaoyu’s cultivated flowers, herbs, and fruits—now local specialties—she generously shared her knowledge and resources with the villagers, earning their deep gratitude.

Lin Fan respected Fang Xiaoyu’s wishes and took over most of Fang Zhiyi’s responsibilities. This earned him rare praise from his father-in-law. True to his protagonist status, Lin Fan managed the mountain Fang Zhiyi had leased with remarkable efficiency, allowing Fang Xiaoyu to focus wholeheartedly on her farming endeavors.

A year later, Fang Zhiyi officially became a grandfather.

When Liu Wei was released from prison, Fang Zhiyi didn’t even have to lift a finger—Lin Fan tracked him down first. After some threats and warnings, Lin Fan realized Liu Wei had lost his sanity and let him go. Still, he kept a close watch on Liu Wei’s movements until news arrived that the man had frozen to death under a bridge.

"What do you plan to do with the space?" Fang Zhiyi asked Little Hei one evening, rocking his granddaughter to sleep.

Little Hei paused. "Up to you. These kinds of spaces are optional—not particularly tasty anyway."

Fang Zhiyi fell into deep thought.

The next day.

"Dad!" Fang Xiaoyu rushed into the room in a panic, with Lin Fan following at a leisurely pace behind her.

"Hmm? What’s the rush?"

"My space—it’s gone!" Fang Xiaoyu fretted.

Fang Zhiyi immediately glanced at Lin Fan, who shrugged. "I already told her—if it’s gone, it’s gone. We have more than enough land as it is."

Fang Zhiyi nodded approvingly. "He’s right. Sometimes losing something of unknown origins is for the best."

Fang Xiaoyu still looked dejected. "But I expanded it so much..."

Fang Zhiyi patted her head gently. "You spend all day tending to the real fields, then squeeze in time for the space. Have you ever considered dedicating that time to your husband and child instead?"

Fang Xiaoyu froze. She turned to look at her sleeping daughter, then back at Lin Fan, whose eyes were warm with affection. Finally, she met her father’s gaze, his hair now streaked with gray.

Suddenly, she understood.

"Sometimes seeking peace and beauty is a good thing, but it’s easy to stray from the right path. It’s enough to have experienced it—what truly matters is cherishing the present."

Fang Xiaoyu fell into thought, then nodded slowly after a long pause.