HEIFEIGU -Chapter 67

#What’s the reason behind the failure of copycat cultural towns?

Xia Letian entered the topic.

The post listed many previously mass-developed cultural tourism projects. Most, with similar models, operated for a few years before failing; some had already become urban ruins.

Though names weren’t mentioned, it repeatedly criticized a recently popular island development, predicting it would likely follow the same path.

Considering livelihood and economics, Xia Letian felt public opinion couldn’t easily be reversed.

But clicking in brought a barrage of screenshots from Nanxia Bay Island.

Several skilled photo editors had captured all the highlights from the live broadcast and posted them.

【For Chinese women who must get the perfect shot—sample edited. This is how to shoot on the island!】

Worse, not only were there gorgeous landscape shots, but also stunningly atmospheric portraits.

Bare-chested, toned Lo Feiang laughing under the sun while carrying a branch.

Fei Zhehan sitting by the bonfire, head down, wiping sweat, focused on wood.

Meng Zezhou, sitting on rocks after being pinched by a hermit crab, waves crashing behind him, looking small, helpless, and pitiful.

Qian Shuyun walking the village path with flowers on his chest, like walking a red carpet.

Xuan Caiyan in traditional attire, skirt flaring at a communal feast.

And countless shots of Xie Jixing—intense while cutting bamboo, laughing while hooking coconuts, focused while making herbs, shy when teased while giving flowers, divine while drumming in the purification ceremony—every image told a story.

Though the post included photo editing data, fans could only squeal:

【Learned composition, lighting, color. Where do I get the face though?】

【Sister, it’s not just the face—maybe the body and aura too?】

【Quoting Xie Jixing drumming photo X1: have you quit your addictions? Can’t resist, hubby’s so handsome!】

【Quoting Xie Jixing bare back X1: crab legs retreat! Wife’s back isn’t just a back—it’s the spring water of the Sana River!】

【Sharing link X1: @Xie Jixing just posted an 18-grid, beach photos, and group shots—don’t wait, go feast!】

【Xingzhou CP is on the table too—I’m eating heartily!】

【Xingyun CP meal smells great; leaving the island, beauties and kings, our seating on the plane is the same row.】

【We, the “Never Air Force,” really don’t have an air force (bitter smile). This time we even hooked Teacher Fei. The three-person CP is just too crowded, damn it (grin).】

【The tourism ambassador is officially starting business, LOL. My star’s service is really top-notch!】

【Stop “doing business.” I just checked—flights to Nanxia Bay are almost sold out. You want to go before it’s even developed?】

【I bought three tickets. Planning to follow the show’s model: go check it out first. It’ll be a bit expensive since I have to prepare everything myself, but visiting the places they went is still worth it.】

【Damn, my co-partner’s financial base is so solid (chin-scratch, thinking).】

What dying small towns, what trend-driven development—no one cares when there’s CP shipping and photo-worthy content.

Moreover, Nanxia Bay Island itself has excellent natural conditions and rich cultural resources. The show’s presentation is only a window—it actually attracts more people to explore it continuously.

Naturally, more people will pay attention to this tourism ambassador.

Xia Letian traced it back and found that the others in the group photo had also reposted the picture Xie Jixing shared.

【Xie Jixing: Capturing the stunning moments of Nanxia Bay Island! (Sunset beach) (wearing sunglasses) Photos X18】

【Yanyan Back in China: Photos X9 Wow wow wow! What a beautiful beach (sunglasses)/@Xie Jixing】

【Fei Zhehan: Photos X3 Also captured the pink beach (peace sign)/@Xie Jixing】

【Qian Shuyun: Let’s plan it, next summer we go together./@Xie Jixing】

【Super fierce Meng Meng: When did you make this plan o-O? Why didn’t I know? (freaking out)/@Qian Shuyun @Xie Jixing】

【Once-caught-30-pound Luo Feiang: Good thing you didn’t use filters. The ones Yanyan Back in China posted totally desecrated my face/@Xie Jixing】

What seemed like an ordinary show guest team-building ended up huge. Luo Feiang’s “big-eye social” fan count had already exceeded 50 million. His reposts and mutual follows were extremely beneficial for Xie Jixing, whose fanbase hadn’t even reached ten million.

Just this simple interaction caused Xia Letian to watch tens of thousands of new followers flood Xie Jixing’s account. Each time it updated, followers increased by the ten-thousands.

Thinking about the over one million spent on PR, Xia Letian felt short of breath with anger.

There was still one last topic—at least that gave him some hope.

#Why They Must Do Everything to Leave the Mountains!

This piggybacked on a trending women’s issue.

“Mountains” and “women” together often conjure negative associations, as if the two inherently symbolize ignorance and oppression.

The PR company intended to focus the tension on women’s education, then guide the narrative: even if the island is developed, women’s status will not improve—they’ll still devote their lives to the mountains. Ultimately, it would depict a matriarchal, shamanistic place as a lifelong prison for women.

The goal: encourage women to leave the mountains for broader horizons, while subtly criticizing Nanxia Bay’s living conditions, grouping people who like or support the place as equally bad.

If handled properly, this topic was very likely to succeed—their most reliable angle.

Previously, the topic was indeed stable: many girls from problematic families discussed in posts, viewing the mountains as their greatest barrier.

Until yesterday, a blogger with a massive following posted about returning to the mountains:

【I once gave my all, but in the end, I returned to the mountains.】

【Like many girls growing up in the mountains or rural areas, from the moment I had awareness, I wanted only one thing: to leave the mountains.

My parents died when I was young; only my grandparents remained. I had to do chores while attending school, but I knew education was my closest path out, so I worked extra hard.

I studied relentlessly, got into a top university, and even took a loan to pursue graduate school.

When I received a major company offer, I felt my life was finally on a completely different path. I would never return to the village where I was born.

At work, people mocked me for being uncultured, so I learned online about fashion, makeup, buying branded clothes and bags, all kinds of cosmetics and accessories.

People said my skin was dark from running around in the mountains, so I got whitening injections.

People said my calves were muscular from mountain paths, so I had Botox.

I worked overtime daily, but had little money. Everything I earned beyond rent and living expenses went to one thing: erasing the traces the mountains left on me.

But I realized that wasn’t enough; staying in the city was still far from certain.

I needed more money to buy a house, a car—otherwise, I couldn’t be a “real” urban person.

Everyone knows first-tier city housing prices, so I worked even harder, until I fainted at my desk one late night.

After waking in the emergency room, the company considered me a health risk, gave me compensation, and fired me.

Looking at the clothes, bags, and cosmetics in my rental, I felt lost. The world was so big, yet I had nowhere to go.

That day, I called my grandparents for the first time, saying nothing, just listening to my grandpa smoking his pipe.

Finally, he said, “If you can’t hold on, come back—the mountains will take care of you.”

At that moment, I couldn’t stop crying and immediately bought a ticket home.

Now, I’ve been back for over a year. People who’ve seen my videos know my situation.

My skin is back to a wheat color, my body strong from labor. I track farming seasons, manage harvesting points, renovate my yard, and run my media account.

Every day is busy and fulfilling; I have no time for petty malicious comments.

Every night I sleep exhausted; every morning I wake to birdsong. No boss phone calls wake me in the middle of the night; no anxiety when the phone rings; no five alarms, yet I wake naturally.

I’m no longer anxious or depressed. A single sweet fruit can make me happy for hours.

The mountains have nurtured me well.

Of course, I’m not saying everyone should return to the mountains—just that we shouldn’t blindly glorify conventional success.

@Ssssss is like me: once fled the mountains, then returned.

Her work creates a path for Nanxia Bay’s children—a path that allows leaving, but also returning.

Her efforts for her land and sea inspired me. I’ve decided not to return to the city.

I will stay in my mountains, continue running my media account, and livestream agricultural products, hoping to contribute to my hometown.

Finally, if everyone is a bird, may you all find your own mountain.】

This topic, though controversial, clearly highlighted Nanxia Bay Island.

Whether leaving or returning, developing Nanxia Bay Island was positive. The PR company’s guidance plan was completely ineffective.

Xia Letian silently noted the topic, a dull ache in his chest. He mechanically picked up the nearby water cup, hoping to drink and relieve himself.

Then “Big-eye social” notifications suddenly kept popping up.

His messages usually stabilized around 400–500. Recently, many fans had unfollowed, leaving about 100 daily, sometimes no notifications at all.

Could it be that he, too, was riding this wave of attention?

Xia Letian excitedly opened his messages—then, just one glance, and the glass in his hand shattered on the floor.

The thing he feared most had arrived.