Chapter 35

Just one hot pot meal was enough to bring an obscure, small-town business into the spotlight!

Wei Sheng’s ability to drive sales completely shocked the entire entertainment industry!

And yet, this guy wasn’t even a real “celebrity” or “artist” in the traditional sense!

No signed contract, no agent, not even a team to manage his public image or promote him.

How could a total nobody like him suddenly blow up?

Managers from various entertainment companies started questioning everything they knew about the industry.

It felt like netizens had completely lost their minds—after all the money they had spent grooming their stars, audiences still nitpicked and hesitated.

Yet here was Wei Sheng—a mere newly hired post-production editor at J Province TV Station, not even past his probation period—somehow skyrocketing to fame out of nowhere!

Even the top executives of major entertainment companies fell into silence.

Had they been promoting stars the wrong way all along? Or had they just been trying too hard?

What exactly was it about Wei Sheng that people liked so much?

Suddenly, searches for information about Wei Sheng exploded online—his photos, background, and the few episodes of shows he had worked on were being looked up at an unprecedented rate.

In the era of big data, the moment a keyword gets repeatedly searched, it quickly climbs the trending lists across major platforms.

And so, on this day, all the celebrities and artists who had “collided” with Wei Sheng on the rankings suffered a tragic fate.

The paid traffic and rankings they had bought were no match for the terrifying wave of organic interest surrounding Wei Sheng!

Where on earth had this guy come from?

Even people who had never watched Brothers, the variety show he was involved with, started searching for him out of sheer curiosity.

Before long, hashtags like #WhoIsWeiSheng, #WhyIsWeiShengSoPopular, and #WeiShengEatsHotPot shot up the trending lists.

Suddenly, various forces within the industry swarmed in like sharks smelling blood.

The top executives at J Province TV Station, including the director and several deputy directors, received numerous calls inquiring about Wei Sheng.

Some even joked, asking if the station was intentionally grooming him as their next big star.

If not, then they would take action and sign him themselves!

Zhou Mingxing was speechless. No wonder the older generation always said, “Strike while the iron is hot” and “Pursue a good woman early.”

He had originally planned to let things develop naturally, allowing Wei Sheng to experience the perks of fame before making his move to sign him.

But who could have predicted that this kid’s rise would be so rapid?!

In just a single night, and without even the slightest sense of ceremony for his “debut”—

Dressed in a thick, plaid cotton pajama set, holding an enamel bowl, sitting by the fire pit while eating hot pot—this could go viral?!

Confused, Zhou Mingxing gathered his team to analyze everything that had happened that night.

Watching Wei Sheng clumsily holding a bag of rustic, poorly packaged hot pot base—something that looked suspiciously like an unregulated, “three-no¹” product—enthusiastically recommending it to his followers, and listening to Yang Shunde’s family story, Zhou Mingxing fell silent.

At that moment, he finally understood why netizens liked this kid so much.

There were countless hot pot brands on the market. With Wei Sheng’s sharp business instincts, he could have easily taken this opportunity to partner with a brand offering commissions and linked it to his stream’s shopping cart.

With his current traffic, just one livestream could probably earn him six months’ worth of salary.

But this fool—without hesitation—chose to promote an obscure, no-commission brand simply because its owner was a loyal, honorable man who employed disabled workers who had lost their livelihoods in an earthquake?

In this day and age, how much was loyalty and righteousness even worth anymore?

Zhou Mingxing wiped his face hard, secretly brushing away the tears that had welled up.

For the first time, he questioned his own decision.

Was someone as pure-hearted as Wei Sheng really suited for the ruthless entertainment industry?

“Boss, think about it—if you don’t sign Wei Sheng, the station might use him as a bargaining chip to negotiate with other entertainment companies.”

“Exactly! That guy Pu is already seeing dollar signs. He never liked Wei Sheng to begin with, and now that he’s blown up, he’s definitely going to throw him into the deep fryer and squeeze every last bit of value out of him.”

“That’s right, Brother Zhou! You can’t let Wei Sheng fall into Pu’s hands! That guy is so desperate for power that he’d sell out his own wife if it meant climbing the ladder—let alone…”

“Shut up!” Zhou Mingxing interrupted his subordinates’ gossip. “Spreading rumors about higher-ups will only get you in trouble.”

After giving them a warning, Zhou Mingxing had to admit—they weren’t wrong.

The bigger Wei Sheng’s fame grew, the more valuable he became.

The TV station wouldn’t just let a cash cow like him slip away.

They would either push him to sign with their in-house talent agency or offer him a permanent position while loaning him out to other companies to rake in money for the station.

Just as his subordinates had said, Wei Sheng was running out of choices.

If he wanted to stay at the station and secure a permanent position, he would have to obey their arrangements.

As for Pu Xiangdong… Ha!

Zhou Mingxing had never gotten along with that man—because Pu was someone who would sacrifice anything for power and fame, without a shred of conscience.

He only got to know Pu Xiangdong after joining J Province TV Station. The two had shared a few meals together, and through their conversations, they discovered an unexpected connection—Pu Xiangdong’s ex-wife was actually the elder sister of one of Zhou Mingxing’s former neighbors. That sister had always been an excellent student and was famously known as the “model child” in their neighborhood.

Because of this connection, Zhou Mingxing and Pu Xiangdong had a fairly good personal relationship for a time.

But a few years ago, this “perfect neighbor sister,” who had seemed to have a happy and fulfilling life, suddenly passed away from cancer.

Ironically, at her funeral, Zhou Mingxing had even comforted Pu Xiangdong, telling him to stay strong and move forward.

Yet, before a hundred days had even passed since her funeral, Pu Xiangdong couldn’t wait to get remarried.

Later, Zhou Mingxing learned from Pu Xiangdong’s ex-wife that he had actually been having an affair with his second wife for years. That woman had even given birth to his son!

The reason the neighbor sister had passed away in sorrow was because Pu Xiangdong, that shameless man, not only had an affair but even tried to register his illegitimate son under their marriage!

What a scheme—this way, he could preserve his career while also ensuring his biological son got proper household registration and schooling.

If this had happened to Wei Sheng’s mother, with her fiery temper, forget about registering an illegitimate child—if her husband even dared to cheat, she’d ruin his entire reputation!

If she had to suffer, she’d make sure his whole family suffered too!

But Zhou Mingxing knew that the neighbor sister had always cared about face above all else. Unable to accept the humiliation of betrayal, she had practically been angered to death by it.

What no one expected, however, was that the mistress who successfully replaced her didn’t end up well either.

During a business gathering, a certain powerful figure with “special interests,” much like the infamous historical traitor Cao Cao², took a strong liking to Pu Xiangdong’s new wife.

Rumor had it that just a few days later, Pu Xiangdong took his newlywed wife and accompanied the big boss on a trip to South Province for a golf retreat.

Thinking about Pu Xiangdong’s disgusting behavior, Zhou Mingxing rolled his eyes dramatically and called for his driver.

He decided to head to Houzhai Village with the contract immediately.

When Zhou Mingxing’s car arrived outside Houzhai Village, a large truck was blocking the entrance.

It turned out to be there for the village’s bamboo processing factory, picking up a shipment. The villagers explained that the factory’s buy-one-get-two-free deal, with free shipping on bamboo strips, had gone viral on a major shopping platform, selling over 200,000 units per day!

The villagers were working themselves to exhaustion making bamboo strips. Families with more hands and quick workers could earn over a thousand yuan a day!

It was a stark contrast to the old days, when elderly villagers toiled for months growing crops but still couldn’t make as much.

Now, they could just sit comfortably at home, without worrying about wind or rain, produce bamboo strips according to factory specifications, deliver them, and get paid the same day!

No wonder they needed large trucks for deliveries.

Zhou Mingxing, half-amused, had his driver park nearby, then got out and walked into the village.

Houzhai Village wasn’t big. After walking for less than two minutes, he spotted the production crew filming their program.

He didn’t interrupt them and stood at a distance, watching for a while.

What he saw nearly made him burst out laughing!

Now he finally understood why the online audience was so addicted to this show.

Wang Qun had completely fallen under Wei Sheng’s influence—the way they were playing was absolutely wild!

Most variety shows, even if they didn’t have a scripted plot, at least had a structured filming plan. There’d be planned CP (couple pairings) between guests, rivalries set up to stir drama during game segments, or even deliberately escalated conflicts to generate controversy and boost the show’s exposure through trending gossip.

But Brothers?

This wasn’t even an entertainment variety show anymore—it was a full-scale online agricultural sales exhibition!

At first, everything looked normal. The guests were helping a bamboo processing factory sell their new line of bamboo tea accessories—things like tea canisters made of bamboo, bamboo clips, bamboo draining trays, and so on.

But soon enough, the livestream chat took a hilarious turn.

Viewer: “Host, can you show me the old-tree tea inside the canister?”

Viewer: “This tea looks amazing! Host, you fool! With such good tea, why are you bothering to sell tea canisters? Just sell the tea directly!”

Viewer: “Only kids make choices. Adults want both! Sell me a bamboo canister filled with tea—name your price!”

Wei Sheng: “……”

And then, an even more absurd situation unfolded.

When Wei Sheng and the team started selling rural tourism packages for Houzhai Village, the ever-defiant netizens couldn’t resist challenging them—

Viewer: “Why are these agricultural experience classes only available for families with kids? A 300-month-old baby like me objects!”

Viewer: “Friendly reminder: Single adults need even more love from society!”

Viewer: “Can you offer a heartbreak recovery package? I just want a quiet place to heal.”

Viewer: “The girl above is so kind… Unlike me. I just want a secluded spot to dig a hole and bury my ex-boyfriend.”

Viewer: “LOL! You’re too nice, at least you’re willing to dig a hole! I suggest the host offer a mountain hiking package—one-way only. Just push your ex off a cliff, saves you the trouble of digging!”

Viewer: “Damn! The most thrilling trips are always written in the criminal code!”

Wei Sheng: “……”

Dear viewers, I beg you, please spare me!

I just want to quietly sell some parent-child tickets for the scenic area—I have no desire to eat the state’s free meals o(╥﹏╥)o

Seeing that the host was about to be completely played by the mischievous viewers, director Wang Qun quickly signaled to switch products!

Stop pushing those rural tourism parent-child tickets already—if they keep going, Auntie Guo ³might just come out with a pressure cooker and start making a scene!

Fortunately, they still had their trump card: Didn’t the fans keep crying out for Houzhai Village’s homemade farm-style dishes? Well, here they were!

This season was actually the perfect time to make spicy radish strips and pickled radish greens.

Rural families rarely spend money on store-bought pickled vegetables or sauerkraut. It’s not that they’re afraid of eating “high-tech products” loaded with preservatives—it’s mainly because they’re poor! They simply can’t bear to spend money on such things.

Every year, after the harvest, households in Houzhai Village would plant a batch of fast-growing green-skinned radishes in the harvested rice or wheat fields.

By the time the radishes matured, the busy farming season would be over, and every household would start harvesting their radishes.

Fresh radish greens would be trimmed of their yellow leaves but not washed with water. Instead, they’d be hung upside down on strings, left to dry in the crisp autumn wind for two days until slightly wilted. Then, they’d be taken down and vigorously rubbed with coarse salt in a large basin before being placed into a pickling jar. A heavy stone would be placed on top, followed by two bowls of brine from last year’s pickles, and then topped up with cool boiled water before being sealed for fermentation.

Pickled this way, the radish greens would turn a beautiful golden yellow—crisp, tangy, and long-lasting.

As for the radishes, they’d be washed clean of dirt and cut into finger-thick strips. Some would be rubbed with coarse salt and sun-dried into plain dried radish strips for stir-frying in winter.

Others would be seasoned with chili powder, five-spice powder, and coarse salt to make spicy pickled radish strips—ready to eat after a short fermentation.

Due to time constraints, the products Houzhai Village put up for sale in the livestream were their homemade spicy pickled radish strips, plain dried radish strips, and pickled radish greens.

At this point, even Wang Qun couldn’t help but admire Wei Sheng’s cleverness.

If he hadn’t come up with the idea of having the village seek help from the local government under the banner of “rural industry development,” there was no way they could’ve gotten all the necessary food safety certifications at rocket speed.

Local governments might not care much about some entertainment show filming on their turf.

But when it involved rural revitalization—a national priority—it was a whole different story!

To help Houzhai Village seize this fleeting surge of traffic and attention, the local government went all out. They sent county-level poverty alleviation officials to station in the village, assisting the pickle processing factory with all the paperwork and business licenses. They even sent people to collect samples of the purchased ingredients for pesticide residue testing at the county lab.

When people talk about “helping farmers,” their first thought is often about selling unsold agricultural products.

What many don’t realize is that real agricultural assistance isn’t about pushing unsellable goods—it’s about building a complete industrial chain so that farmers never have to worry about their hard-earned crops going unsold in the first place…

Wang Qun never expected that what was supposed to be just a fun variety show would, by pure coincidence, open a door he had never seen before.

He had his team document the entire poverty alleviation effort in Houzhai Village.

Since there was too much material, some of the more serious content wasn’t suitable for the main program. However, Wang Qun had already coordinated with colleagues in the TV station’s current affairs news department—they would edit the behind-the-scenes footage into a standalone special feature after the episode aired.

Wang Qun had a feeling that the special feature they were preparing might, in some ways, have a bigger social impact than the variety show itself…

What he and his team never expected was that this less-than-ten-minute special would receive direct praise from CCTV⁴ after its official broadcast! (^ ^*)

(End of Chapter)

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Notes:

1. A three-no product (三无产品) is an item without a brand, production date, or quality certification, often low-quality or unsafe. ↩︎
2. Cao Cao (曹操, 155–220 CE) was a warlord, statesman, and poet during the late Han Dynasty. A brilliant but controversial leader, he controlled northern China and laid the foundation for the Cao Wei state. He was depicted as a villain in Romance of the Three Kingdoms but was also a skilled strategist and poet. ↩︎
3. “Auntie Guo” is likely a reference to Guo Furong (郭芙蓉), a character from the Chinese sitcom My Own Swordsman (《武林外传》). She is known for her fiery temper, impulsiveness, and tendency to cause chaos when she gets angry. The mention of a “pressure cooker” could be a humorous exaggeration of her explosive personality, suggesting that if things continue, she might erupt into a dramatic scene. ↩︎
4. China Central Television (CCTV) is China’s main state-run broadcasting network, offering news, entertainment, sports, and international channels like CGTN. ↩︎