Chapter 123

The first episode sparked a heated discussion, and just a few days later, the second installment of the *Retracing the Path of Poverty Alleviation: Huangbai Village* series aired. The moment it premiered, it shot straight to the top of the variety show ratings for that time slot!

Wang Qun’s rivals were practically seething with rage.

No matter how hard they tried, they just couldn’t understand how a show with such a clunky name, airing on a second-tier local station, and without a single A-list celebrity, could attract such a massive following.

Especially from the perspective of industry insiders like them, a show like *Retracing the Path of Poverty Alleviation* had zero entertainment value. The visuals were downright uncomfortable to watch. Rumor had it the show had been reported multiple times already—why hadn’t the National Radio and Television Administration taken it down for spreading such “negative energy”?

Weekend nights were meant for light-hearted, feel-good variety shows. Why on earth was everyone tuning in to this rustic, down-to-earth poverty alleviation program?

To that, die-hard fans of *Retracing the Path of Poverty Alleviation* responded: “I don’t care how rustic it is—as long as the ending is satisfying, that’s all that matters.”

In the second episode, when viewers saw buses and moving trucks rolling into Huangbai Village, volunteers in red vests helping villagers load their belongings, they finally breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Then, Huang Kang and Aunt Huang appeared. When Huang Kang opened his mouth and spewed his ungrateful nonsense, viewers were so furious they were grinding their teeth, wishing they could reach through the screen and slap him themselves.

And then, they watched as the gentle, quiet Aunt Huang raised her arm and gave Huang Kang a resounding slap across the face—so hard his head snapped to the side!

Aunt Huang, you queen! That was beautiful!

The audience’s rage was instantly soothed by that slap. The comment section lit up with praise for Aunt Huang. “This heartless ingrate was born to be a burden. Why hasn’t she kicked him out already? If he wants to stay in Huangbai Village so badly, then fine—leave him the old house and see if he dares live there alone.”

Wang Qun was clearly getting a taste for delivering satisfying face-slapping moments to his audience.

He hadn’t even taken down the cameras left behind in Huangbai Village!

So, after the convoy departed with the villagers, viewers continued watching through the remaining cameras. They saw the same cocky Huang Kang, who didn’t even dare spend the night in his own home. The moment the convoy was out of sight, he bolted from the village like he was fleeing for his life.

“I swear, I want to smash this guy’s damn head in! So he knows staying in the village is basically a death sentence, but he was still shameless enough to let his mother stay behind?”

“Thank god Aunt Huang came to her senses. If she’d kept living with that ungrateful bastard, who knows when she might’ve ended up dead.”

The show then shifted focus to Dongxiang Town.

When the camera showed the entire town turning out to welcome the villagers from Huangbai Village, offering their best food and drinks, even the most stoic viewers couldn’t help but tear up.

Then came a sudden cross-time interaction on screen.

The first half of the footage was a news segment from seven years ago, documenting how Province N had partnered with the people of Langshan to help them escape poverty and build a better life.

The second half jumped to the present day. Now a thriving, poverty-free Dongxiang Town, the locals dressed in their best clothes, beating drums and gongs, warmly and without hesitation welcoming their fellow countrymen from Province N.

This beautiful bond that transcended time was incredibly moving—not just for viewers, but for media outlets too. The next day, major platforms all shared the clip that had been edited out from the episode.

Great love has a voice—and it echoes.

Province N had extended a selfless, unconditional hand to help the people of Langshan break free from generations of poverty and backwardness.

And now, the people of Langshan returned that same unconditional love, opening their arms to embrace the displaced villagers of Huangbai Village.

But how could they be homeless? Langshan is your home now!

Though lost loved ones can never be brought back, from this day forward, we are your family.

The show continued, showing the villagers of Huangbai Village, carrying their bags and belongings, being led by local volunteers to the temporary housing prepared for them in town.

They would live there for a full year, until the new village being built for them in Langshan was completed, after which they would move in together.

Even though this was temporary housing, it was clear the warm-hearted people of Langshan had gone out of their way to make it as comfortable as possible. The courtyards and rooms were spotless, broken furniture had been repaired, old wiring replaced, and every room fitted with brand-new energy-saving lights.

Just when the audience thought the next part would be about infrastructure building, Wei Sheng—the show’s ultimate trump card—made his dazzling entrance.

No furniture or appliances in the new home? Not a chance! Folks, get ready for your surprise!

Truck after truck rolled into the different neighborhoods of Dongxiang Town. Bright red banners bore touching slogans and the names of sponsors. Workers in uniforms unloaded appliances, furniture, and daily necessities, quickly filling the once-empty homes.

“Are these brand-new refrigerators? And washing machines and TVs? All for us?”

“There’s even a rice cooker and induction stove—this brand is expensive! And it’s for us too?”

“Mom! This desk is so big and pretty! It even has an alarm clock and a lamp! Waaaah… why are there so many books? And so many practice tests? Uncle, I can’t finish them all—I don’t even like reading! o(╥﹏╥)o”

Amid the children’s cries of joy and mock terror, the villagers of Huangbai Village were moved to tears, their faces lit up with smiles.

“Worried everyone might not be used to cooking with traditional stoves, our sponsor, ** Appliances, specially prepared full sets of kitchen appliances for every household.”

“Since the mountain air is cool and air conditioning isn’t needed in summer, we’ve swapped that out for electric water heaters. These refrigerators, washing machines, and TVs were all donated by ** Appliances.”

“Oh, and we also received a batch of household medical supplies and smart health-monitoring watches. If anyone needs one, just register with the staff. Professionals from the company will come by to teach you how to use them.”

As Wei Sheng introduced each donation, the camera cut to a truckload of seasonings, rice, flour, and cooking oil donated by Li Ji, and the internet collectively burst out laughing.

Classic Chef Wei! Never forgets his spices, no matter where he goes. Li Ji couldn’t have picked a better brand ambassador!

“They even prepared our cooking essentials? This is too much.” Looking at their homes now filled to the brim with supplies, the villagers of Huangbai Village were so touched they didn’t know what to say.

They had mentally prepared themselves to start from scratch in their new homes. But to their astonishment, upon arriving in Langshan, the houses were already cleaned, the water and electricity connected, and even the firewood for cooking had been stacked up—enough to last a month, by the looks of it. And now, even the rice, oil, and salt had been delivered. This wasn’t hardship—this was luxury!

“So what if it’s luxury? Aunties and uncles, your blessings are just beginning,” Wei Sheng said, as he and the other three regular guests handed out the small gifts the production team had prepared.

With sponsors giving so much, the production team couldn’t just sit back and freeload. Otherwise, they’d get roasted online. Wei Sheng convinced Wang Qun to use this as an excuse to apply for a special budget from the station. They ended up giving each household a 2,000 yuan red envelope—a little housewarming gift from the show.

“Well, since we’ve accepted the red envelopes, you’re not going anywhere. Tonight, the folks of Dongxiang Town are hosting a banquet for us. Tomorrow we’ll rest, and the day after, it’s our turn—Huangbai Village will throw a feast for everyone. No need for fancy words—starting today, we’re family!” declared the village chief of Huangbai Village.

“That’s right! We’re all one family now. If you ever need us, just holler,” the other villagers chimed in enthusiastically.

Just like that, the sponsor representatives who had originally planned to leave right after delivering their goods were forcibly kept behind by the villagers of Huangbai Village.

At first, they had just arrived and didn’t have the means to host a meal even if they wanted to. But now, with the show’s production team and the Dongxiang Town government helping them get their homes set up, what was there to hesitate about?

The next day, led by the village officials, each household chipped in a thousand yuan, agreeing to settle any extra costs later. They headed to a nearby town to buy ingredients, alcohol, and cigarettes. They also invited the same chefs who had helped with Dongxiang Town’s banquet a few days ago. At the same venue, they set up over forty large round tables. The leaders from Dongxiang Town and the core members of the production team all sat at the main table. Anyone who didn’t know better might’ve thought they’d snuck off during filming just to crash a banquet.

Meanwhile, the netizens who had been watching the entire time were completely stunned.

What kind of show is this, seriously?

At first, it had them bawling their eyes out, every emotional organ wrung dry. Then came the dramatic turnaround—the collective relocation scene had them jumping for joy. And now?

Now the entire production crew was just eating and eating along with the guests… Hey! Isn’t this show called *Retracing the Path of Poverty Alleviation*? Weren’t you supposed to be helping rural communities? How did it turn into a full-blown feast?

That said, those chefs from Dongxiang Town really knew what they were doing. That country-style banquet looked amazing. Makes you wonder—would it be easy to travel there for a visit?

While everyone was busy clinking glasses and toasting, Lang Dongyang grabbed a large soup bowl, quickly picked out a bunch of the best dishes from the table, grabbed two brown sugar steamed buns, and dashed to the back, where he found Aunt Huang washing dishes.

“Godmother, come eat while it’s hot! I’ll wash the dishes for you!” he said, not giving her a chance to refuse as he shoved the bowl of food into her hands and snatched the scrubber from her. Squatting down, he began scrubbing dishes in her place.

Today, Huangbai Village was hosting, and by tradition, every villager had to pitch in. Those who could drink and talk well were up front entertaining guests, while the rest helped serve food and do chores. Lang Dongyang hadn’t seen Aunt Huang at the tables, and with a quick glance around, he immediately guessed she must be in the back doing dishes.

When it came to the overly familiar Lang Dongyang, Aunt Huang had absolutely no way to deal with him.

These past few days, he really had acted like her own son, running around constantly, practically moving into her home.

Lang Dongyang was the village’s Forest Ranger. Every day, he went on patrols in the mountains. Knowing she had just moved here and hadn’t started a garden yet, he would bring a big bag of fresh vegetables from home every morning on his way out.

Whatever tasty dish his family made, he’d bring her a portion to try.

Just yesterday, he even brought her a just-weaned puppy, saying he was worried she’d be scared living alone and needed a companion.

And honestly? With the mountain winds howling through her house at night, it *was* kind of scary. But now, with a little furball darting around her feet, Aunt Huang really didn’t feel afraid anymore.

What she didn’t expect was that ever since she took in that little yellow puppy, it was like a door to a whole new world had opened. Lang Dongyang suddenly saw everything as something his godmother might need. Sometimes he brought things himself, other times he asked other Forest Rangers to drop them off—baskets of wild mushrooms, bags of fresh wild greens, large jars of wild honey…

Aunt Huang had a son of her own. But after serving him for over twenty years, the total number of gifts she’d received from Huang Kang didn’t even come close to what she’d gotten from Lang Dongyang in just these few days.

“Dongyang, go eat. We’ll have food once we’re done here. It’s pretty much the same as what they’re eating up front,” Aunt Huang said, holding the bowl awkwardly, trying to persuade him.

Ever since she got married, she’d been cooking and cleaning for her in-laws, always waiting until everyone else had eaten before she could grab a few hurried bites of whatever was left. Even her late husband, in all those years, had never once thought to save her a hot meal before a banquet.

At this moment, Aunt Huang couldn’t help but feel a little envious of Lang Dongyang’s mother. What a well-raised child!

The cameraman following the show had originally come to the back to capture some footage of the rural banquet preparations—something the online audience loved to see. But when he saw Lang Dongyang bringing food to Aunt Huang, his professional instincts kicked in, and he rushed over with his camera.

Thanks to his experience, he managed to capture a scene that would later be hailed by viewers as heartwarming and healing.

Hearing Aunt Huang’s words, Lang Dongyang didn’t stop washing dishes. Instead, he looked up and said seriously, “Godmother, you’re still recovering. You should be eating hot meals and not doing heavy work.”

“I already told my family—we’ll help you take care of your garden and your fields. You just focus on getting better. You don’t eat that much anyway. We’ll plant some vegetables, maybe two mu of potatoes and corn. Whatever you don’t have, I’ll bring over from home.”

Aunt Huang didn’t say anything. She just lowered her head, holding the warm bowl in her hands as tears fell silently.

She never imagined that the deep maternal bond she had longed for all her life—something she had never been able to earn even by giving her all—would come so easily from a stranger.

Aunt Huang had barely gone to school and didn’t understand the logic of it all. She only knew one thing: it felt like her hardships were finally over, and better days were just around the corner.

(End of Chapter)