As if drawn by an unseen force, Lin Feng suddenly looked up and met Su Ling’s smoldering gaze. His deep, dark eyes seemed to darken further as he grabbed the basket, treading slowly through the mud on his way to the canopy tent by the road.
Nonchalantly, Su Ling looked away, his calm gaze falling on Aunt Zhang as she pan-fried the fish.
“Hehe! Who was Cutie looking at just now?”
“Looks like he’s blushing too! o(〃\’▽\’〃)o”
“I’m so stuffed from all the love today! ( ╯▽╰)”
“I must say, Cutie and his husband make a stunning pair. Together, they’re an absolute treat for the eyes, and I’ve become a die-hard couple fan!”
“Being a fan of theirs makes me so happy! They’re always showering us with sweetness! It makes me wanna find a boyfriend too!”
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“Tlb, prlyj sq vbl elhkz, yde bl pbyzz yrrlya! Mblal’p Ikdt sq Klyzswpu!”
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Fw Nkdt vssj y olv okrl yde tldvzu eyccle vbl polyv qasx Nkd Wldt’p qynl. “Zsw’hl osajle byae.”
Nkd Wldt zlydle qsaoyae pzktbvzu, xyjkdt kv lypkla qsa Fw Nkdt vs alynb bkp qynl. “Rv’p qkdl.”
Gqvla blzrkdt bkx okrl yoyu vbl polyv, Fw Nkdt vspple vbl olv okrl kdvs y dlyacu vaypb nyd. Mbld, bl qkzzle y cypkd okvb nzlyd oyvla yde plv kv sd vbl vyczl. “Myjl y calyj yde tlv cynj vs osaj kd y ckv.”
“Yx.” Nkd Wldt ekrrle bkp bydep kdvs vbl cypkd yde akdple sqq vbl xwe.
Fw Nkdt tayccle y csvvzl sq xkdlayz oyvla, vokpvle vbl nyr, yde rypple kv shla. Nkd Wldt vssj kv, vkrrkdt bkp blye cynj qsa y zsdt, alqalpbkdt twzr.
Rv pllxle bl oyp vawzu ryanble. Gp bl poyzzsole, bkp Geyx’p yrrzl csccle okvb lynb twzr. Jlyep sq polyv vaynle vbl lzltydv nwahl sq bkp dlnj, pzkekdt esod vs bkp nszzyacsdl clqsal ekpyrrlyakdt kdvs vbl dlnjzkdl sq bkp M-pbkav. Tkp ldvkal ralpldnl ayekyvle yd kdvldpl xypnwzkdl yzzwal, y xytdlvkn rwzz vbyv pvkaale vbl kxytkdyvksd.
Whether by design or happenstance, Little Bee captured the moment with such fidelity that it rivaled a cinematic close-up, leaving hundreds of thousands of viewers parched and eager for more.
“Where am I? What am I doing? Who did I just see? Why is my heart racing?”
“Suddenly, I totally get why King of Jealousy is so irresistible! Ahhhh! How is Cutie so insanely blessed? o(*////▽////*)q”
“Please forgive me! My imaginary limb just, uh, hardened out of nowhere. I’m really sorry (/ω＼)”
“Wait, no… You can’t possibly think this is okay. How can you do this to Cutie? Stop it right now!”
“We’re here to buy fish! Fish! Fish! But I’ve gotta say, Cutie’s got it so good! I’m so jealous!”
“I can practically feel the raw masculinity from King of Jealousy through the screen! I can only imagine how it must be for the lucky folks there. Tsk, tsk!”
As teasing comments filled the screen, Su Ling cleared his throat and turned to Little Bee, his expression suddenly serious. “MK, please disable any unnecessary features. Your task now is to capture Aunt Zhang frying the fish.”
“I’m sorry, Master. I’ll disable the special effects right away.” came Little Bee’s automated reply. The camera panned to the frying pan, where four cleaned Chinese ricefish sizzled in the hot oil.
The viewers were left completely stunned by what had just unfolded.
Who cares about frying fish? We want to see the lovey-dovey moments between Cutie and King of Jealousy!
“Ah, to be young!” Director Dou took the chance to slack off, crouching at the edge of the field while he watched the live stream on his phone.
“Aren’t you young too, Director Dou?” Ruan Wenya inquired.
“Once you hit thirty-five, you start to feel your age. Busy workdays and late nights have caught up with me, and the wrinkles are starting to show.” Director Dou took off his glasses, revealing the faint lines at the corners of his eyes that were barely imperceptible.
Ruan Wenya forced a smile that was both awkward and polite. Is it really appropriate to talk about wrinkles in front of a woman in her forties like me?
Oblivious to the situation, the bluntly straightforward Director Dou handed his phone to Ruan Wenya with a bold grin. “Manager Ruan, can you snap a quick photo for me?”
Ruan Wenya ground her teeth lightly. “Sure…”
Snap!
And just like that, the moment was captured in a still frame.
With a straw hat atop his head, Director Dou held a plump fish in his hand, flashing a toothy grin at the camera.
After enhancing the photo with a filter and adding adorable stickers, he shared it on Weibo with a caption and a link to the live stream.
“Doufu1 窦腐脑 (dòu fǔ nǎo): “窦腐脑” sounds similar to “豆腐脑” (dòu fǔ nǎo). The phrase is a playful pun, as “窦” comes from the director’s last name, while “豆腐脑” refers to a popular dish known as “tofu pudding.” It looks something like this: 
The sound similarity adds a humorous twist to the name. Pudding ✔: My days of catching fish in the countryside… Want to buy some fish? Tune into the live stream on JK and place your orders!”
Though he had just under a million followers, he was well-connected with numerous celebrities. Friends, directors, producers, and investors he had worked with saw his Weibo post and quickly reposted it.
“Look at you, Old Dou! Have you gone and turned into a farmer? You’re pulling it off pretty well!”
“If I remember correctly, you should be shooting an ad at Mount Phoenix right now, right? Wait, no… Didn’t someone get arrested and throw a wrench in the project?”
“Are you out in the countryside for a poverty relief project? This fish looks great, plump, and incredibly fresh.”
“I highly recommend everyone click the link and join the live stream! Don’t miss out!”
“Push through from the right!”
After celebrities reposted the Weibo post, it instantly went viral. Those who had just returned from watching the live stream on the JK video website quickly rallied together to place orders for fish.
Unaware of the full story, some curious netizens clicked the link and began asking soul-searching questions that seemed to dig for the truth.
“Who’s the handsome guy selling fish on the live stream? Oh my gosh, he’s absolutely stunning!”
“Is it just me, or are regular folks really this good-looking these days? This guy’s looks could rival a celebrity’s!”
“Could someone like Director Dou really be recommending an ordinary person?”
“Eh? Isn’t that my idol? Wow! Someone finally shared this on Weibo? Hehe, the veggies grown by my idol are so tasty! Don’t miss out and order now before it’s too late!”
“These must be Chinese ricefish, right? I’ve had them before! Their flesh is so tender and delicate that it melts in my mouth. They also burst with flavor and are packed with nutrients. They’re simply amazing! Enough chatter, I’m going to order some myself!”
“Wait a minute, I feel like I’ve seen someone I know, or maybe it’s just someone who looks like them? I can’t imagine my elegant senior working in the fields!”
“The live streamer’s name is Lingyun? Is it this @Lingyun?”
As soon as someone tagged Su Ling’s Weibo account, the Sherlock-like netizens sprang into action, uncovering clues and connecting the dots.
Sharing the same name, Lingyun, being at Mount Phoenix, and both acquainted with Director Dou — if they weren’t the same person, then who else could they be?
The ever-resourceful netizens unearthed an old video of Su Ling selling vegetables, and the comparison between then and now was hard to ignore. Once a picture of elegance in a tailored suit, he now appeared as a rugged “brother farmer” sporting a straw hat. His transformation became the subject of endless amusement and chatter.
#Once a Master of Traditional Chinese Painting, Why Has He Now Turned To Farming in the Countryside?#
This topic gained rapid traction, vaulting straight to the top of the trending list in less than thirty minutes.
Director Dou never could have imagined that a simple selfie he posted just to get some attention would end up going viral!
It’s safe to say that the old adage about earning a living with one’s appearance is no lie. Turns out the ancients knew what they were talking about!
In the topic, there were not only spectators eager to watch the drama but also a few haters causing a stir.
Ironically, these haters were die-hard fans of Lin Yun.
From the shocking revelations of his drug use as a youth to now testing positive for drugs, Lin Yun’s public image had hit rock bottom. His reputation lay in shambles, and for any fan with a shred of morality or reason, unfollowing him was an instinctive, unquestionable choice.
Isn’t it more appealing to idolize a righteous and upright celebrity? Why waste your time supporting a lowlife with a long history of drug use?
The announcement from Lin Yun’s management company mercilessly cut short his rise to fame.
Amidst it all, a handful of self-proclaimed true fans used every opportunity to manipulate the situation and garner pity, while point all fingers at Su Ling.
Su Ling’s Weibo page revealed that he was the owner of the tea plantation on Mount Phoenix and that Lin Yun was meant to star in an advertisement for it. However, following the drug scandal, the Tea Trade Association and the tea plantation owner quickly severed ties, leaving devoted fans feeling both betrayed and enraged.
Had their idol never taken on the tea plantation advertisement project, his dark past would have stayed buried, and he would still be a shining star with a flawless reputation and a promising future!
He was the one who ruined their idol’s life!
With twisted minds, the haters flooded the topic with twisted, vile comments, each more appalling than the last.
“What master of traditional Chinese painting? He’s nothing more than a charlatan seeking fame and recognition!”
“How can a mere country bumpkin even dare to pass himself off as a wealthy, handsome gentleman?”
“He definitely had surgery, right? Those double eyelids of his are way too obvious!”
“With alluring looks like that, he could easily be someone’s sugar baby.”
“Lingyun? Ugh, it sounds exactly like my brother’s name! That’s so disgusting! Change it now!”
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