After resolving the issue of the ghost marriage, Lin Lele still felt indignant and was determined to seek justice from the true masterminds behind it, the living members of the Zhao family.
However, she was ultimately stopped by Shi Pengpeng.
Not only would it be difficult for Lin Lele alone to confront the Zhao family, but from a legal standpoint, the Zhao family had harmed “Yuan Shuang,” who had passed away over forty years ago.
Lin Lele and “Yuan Shuang” were two different people in this lifetime, and in the eyes of the law, they had no connection.
It would be inappropriate for her to take the lead in this matter.
In the end, it was Yan Jing who stepped in, gathering evidence of the Zhao family’s grave robbing.
Lin Lele then personally wrote an anonymous letter of complaint and sent it to Yuan Shuang’s family.
Yuan Shuang’s parents had long since passed away, leaving only her elder brother and his family as her surviving relatives.
Her brother was too old to do much, but he had a son in his prime-Yuan Shuang’s nephew.
This nephew had little emotional connection to the long-deceased Yuan Shuang but was quite calculating.
Seeing that the incident involved a prominent and influential family, he sensed an opportunity for gain.
He immediately reported the matter to the police and contacted the media, bringing the issue to the public’s attention.
A well-known building materials tycoon, grave robbing, and ghost marriage each of these elements alone was enough to make headlines.
Combined, they created a sensational story that instantly ignited a firestorm of public outrage.
Just as the Zhao family discovered the desecration of their ancestral graves and were reeling with shock and anger, they were summoned by the police.
The Zhao family, accustomed to throwing their weight around due to their extensive connections, initially didn’t take the matter seriously.
As usual, they pressured the main platform, Cat Paw Technology, through intermediaries, demanding that the platform remove the trending topic.
Unexpectedly, Cat Paw took an unusually firm stance this time, refusing to back down despite the pressure.
Instead of suppressing the news, they amplified the coverage of the related topics.
For a while, the internet was abuzz.
In addition to condemning the Zhao family’s grave-robbing, resourceful netizens began digging into the family’s history.
This investigation struck a fatal blow to the Zhao family.
The Zhao family’s methods in the mortal world were no different from their actions in the underworld—if not worse.
Bribery, corruption, and power deals were commonplace, and they were even implicated in cases involving human lives.
Once such matters came to light, they couldn’t be easily swept under the rug.
Now, the Zhao family was truly panicked.
They tried to seek help, but the public outcry had spiraled out of control, dragging down some of their former allies, while others distanced themselves, fearing they would be implicated.
Yan Jing: [“The key figures in the Zhao family have been taken away. The case will likely take some time to process.”]
SPP: [“This is good news! [Image: Celebration]”]
SPP: [“Shared [QQ Music – Good Luck Comes]”]
SPP: [“Cat Paw really did a great job this time. Honestly, did you have a hand in it behind the scenes?”]
Yan Jing: [“Not entirely. The Zhao family has made many enemies over the years. Someone probably seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire.”]
SPP: [“So you did have a hand in it?”]
Yan Jing: [“…Is this how your school teaches you to fish for information?”]
SPP: [“Hehe, corporate warfare is terrifying. [Eating melon.gif]”]
SPP: [“But you’re still amazing!! Thumbs up.jpg”]
Yan Jing: [“………..”]
Yan Jing seemed to be hesitating about something, as the “typing” indicator kept showing up, but it took several minutes before the message finally came through.
Yan Jing: [“This matter has turned out to be more extensive than initially anticipated.”]
SPP: [“? Elaborate, please.”]
Yan Jing: [“It’s still unclear. Let’s wait for the investigation results.”]
SPP: [“Won’t this implicate you?”]
Yan Jing summarized the situation in just a few sentences, but Shi Pengpeng could sense the immense pressure he was under.
Thinking about this, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sensation in her heart.
Strictly speaking, this matter didn’t have much to do with Yan Jing, and he didn’t have to get involved.
In fact, in her memory, Yan Jing had never been the type to meddle in others’ affairs.
On the other side, Yan Jing was typing for a long time again.
Yan Jing: [“It won’t go that far. I know my limits.”]
Perhaps sensing her thoughts, he added another line.
Yan Jing: [“Someone has reached into the inner workings of Cat Paw. I can’t just sit back and do nothing.”]
SPP: [“That’s good to hear.”]
SPP: [“You have no idea how worried I was about you!”]
Yan Jing: [“…..”]
Yan Jing: [“How worried?”]
SPP: [“Let me put it this way you’re the most important person to me in Xiluo!”]
Yan Jing: [“…Where did you learn to be so smooth?”]
SPP: [“I swear to heaven, I’m speaking from the heart!!”]
SPP: [“No one in all of Xiluo pays me a higher salary than you!”]
SPP: [“If you and my boss were both drowning, I’d whip my boss to save you, I swear!”]
Yan Jing: [“.”]
Yan Jing: [“I appreciate that.”]
Shi Pengpeng successfully teased Yan Jing and, grinning, bombarded him with a series of stickers before exiting the chat.
Then she was immediately bombarded with messages from Xu Qiannian.
Xu Qiannian: [“Ahhh, Pengpeng, I’m taking off!”]
Xu Qiannian: [“[Link]”]
“?” Shi Pengpeng clicked on the link with curiosity and found it was Xu Qiannian’s latest video posted on her account.
When she checked the stats, she was shocked.
The video had garnered millions of likes, with hundreds of thousands of comments and shares.
It turned out that the live stream from Pinghe Village had made it to the trending list on Cat Paw.
Later, the recording was sliced into clips by many marketing accounts and spread widely, even spawning several memes.
For example, Xu Qiannian’s interaction with Banzhuan was humorously dubbed “Stone Ji Niangniang vs. the Evil Tiger Skin Cake” by netizens.
Banzhuan, with its human-like demeanor, was a hit, and many viewers, left wanting more, privately messaged Xu Qiannian, hoping she would do another season with the Tiger Skin Cake.
The on-site transformation of bamboo fruit baskets into cat beds in Pinghe Village was hailed as a classic case of “listening to advice leads to a full stomach.”
Combined with its public welfare nature of aiding farmers, many official media outlets reposted related reports.
For a while, searches related to Xu Qiannian skyrocketed.
If all this was just a temporary surge in popularity, Xu Qiannian’s vlog, filmed against the backdrop of Pinghe Village and exploring rural life, truly allowed her to capitalize on the wave of attention.
In the vlog, Xu Qiannian showcased the beautiful scenery of Yujian Mountain while introducing the culture of Pinghe Village and visiting local artisans.
After obtaining the craftsmen’s consent, she even tried her hand at learning the process of making bamboo products.
Not only that, the “Evil Tiger-Striped Cake” that accidentally appeared during the live stream actually showed up again in this video, providing quite a few highlights.
While Xu Qiannian was touring Yujian Mountain, Tiger-Striped Cake suddenly jumped out from the bamboo forest, acting like a tour guide and leading her to a stunning viewpoint that even locals hadn’t discovered.
This resulted in the most beautiful shot of the entire trip.
When Xu Qiannian was learning bamboo weaving, Tiger-Striped Cake made another appearance.
While she was selecting bamboo, it meowed and gestured with its paws.
Under its guidance, Xu Qiannian managed to pick the most suitable bamboo, living up to expectations.
Rural life has always been a popular topic on the internet.
Xu Qiannian, with her beauty and the serene charm of the countryside, is a delight to watch.
Her editing and storytelling are professional, and the video unfolds smoothly.
The presence of Tiger-Striped Cake adds a lot of fun, and the interaction between the human and the cat complements each other, creating a sense of a utopian world.
The vlog is quite long, but the completion rate is impressive.
Netizens left comments like:
【Ah, such a peaceful atmosphere, it’s so healing!】
【It makes my heart feel soft, as if I’ve returned to a time before I became a bitter woman.]
【Even the Evil Tiger-Striped Cake looks sweet now, like a caramelized honey cake!]
【So the bamboo weaving in Pinghe Village is truly handmade! I regret not buying it during the live stream. I’ll go check the pre-sale again.]
【Such beautiful mountains and warm people, I want to visit Yujian Mountain now.】
After watching it, Shi Pengpeng was also very happy for Xu Qiannian.
SPP: 【Congratulations!!]
SPP: 【Shared [QQ Music – Good Luck Comes]]
Xu Qiannian: 【Thank you, it’s all thanks to you. If you ever need help with promotions, just let me know, no charge!】
SPP: 【555, you know what?]
Xu Qiannian: 【?】
SPP: 【I’ve heard many people say “don’t forget me when you’re rich,” but you’re the only one who actually meant it. It’s so touching!】
This wasn’t an exaggeration.
Even if Xu Qiannian hadn’t mentioned continuing to help with promotions, this video alone would bring continuous exposure to Pinghe Village and Fuxi’s online store.
Xu Qiannian: […You’re welcome!】
Xu Qiannian: [By the way, there’s something I want to ask you.]
SPP: 【What is it?】
Instead of sending a message, Xu Qiannian directly made a video call.
Shi Pengpeng was a bit puzzled but answered.
Xu Qiannian looked mysterious and whispered, “Pengpeng, be honest, do you know that Tiger-Striped Cake?”
Shi Pengpeng blinked: “You noticed?”
“So it’s true.” Xu Qiannian sighed in relief, “But don’t you think it’s a bit strange? It’s almost too smart…”
Shi Pengpeng: “Not strange, it’s become a spirit.”
Xu Qiannian: “???”
Xu Qiannian: “When you say “become a spirit,’ do you mean what I think you mean?”
If it were anyone else, she would have taken it as a joke, but Shi Pengpeng wasn’t just anyone, so Xu Qiannian naturally thought deeper.
“That’s exactly what I mean.” Shi Pengpeng nodded and explained the origins of Banzhuan.
Xu Qiannian, having personally experienced the Gu poison, only remained silent for a moment before calmly accepting this setting, even…
A bit moved, she thought, “So that’s how it is. It must be a monster with a sense of loyalty and righteousness.”
Shi Pengpeng agreed wholeheartedly, “Animals that can become spirits are usually quite intelligent.”
Xu Qiannian suddenly had a whimsical idea, “What if I invited it to collaborate with me on videos? Do you think it would agree?”
Shi Pengpeng was stunned, “You…”
Is this the mental fortitude of a big influencer?!
Seeing her shocked expression, Xu Qiannian burst into laughter and then explained that the success of this video had opened her eyes to a whole new possibility.
She was considering using this opportunity to pivot her content toward exploring rural life.
The collaboration with Tiger Skin Cake had been so effective both times.
If she could manage to invite it to appear in her videos, she believed it could become a unique signature.
Of course, she was just joking and didn’t actually expect to collaborate with a spirit.
After listening, Shi Pengpeng pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps you really should give it a try.”
It had just occurred to her that Banzhuan’s appearance at the live stream might not have been a coincidence.
Spirits, in their cultivation, often seek to align themselves with deities and ghosts, naturally pursuing faith and offerings.
However, most spirits don’t have such opportunities.
While the affection of netizens doesn’t quite count as faith, the massive popularity could still be beneficial for their cultivation.
Banzhuan had actively come out to collaborate with Xu Qiannian multiple times, likely because it sensed the benefits.
The more Shi Pengpeng thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
She even started offering mischievous advice, “And if it appears in your videos, I can’t guarantee much, but Moon-1 definitely won’t…”
Xu Qiannian was surprised, “It has that kind of ability?”
“Oh, it doesn’t,” Shi Pengpeng rubbed her hands together, “but its top supporter does Banzhuan Sister, the one who showered you with gifts last time.”
Xu Qiannian:”…..”
How could this not be a wealth code?