Chapter 81: You Don't Need to Sacrifice Your Self
The video hadn't been uploaded long, but it already had over a hundred thousand likes, and the number was still climbing.
Comments flooded in, scrolling by at an incredible speed.
"Holy cow, how was this video shot? How did that giant hand get into the frame?"
"Has short-form video special effects technology reached this level already?"
"That bus, pushed by the huge hand, trundling around in an ancient village—it’s just too hilarious. And the actors are fantastic; they genuinely portray people who’ve never seen the outside world."
"The actors are top-notch, the special effects are superb, but the bus itself looks a bit crude. It’s clearly made of toy-like material, nothing like a real bus."
"The hand is real, the bus is a toy, and the tiny people inside are added with special effects. The effects are incredibly well done."
"Still, I can tell it’s special effects. Humph humph humph, my sharp eyes don’t miss a thing."
"What kind of reverse-thinking special effects is this?"
Likes continued to pour in. The miniature airplanes, boats, and high-speed trains in the shopping cart links still weren't selling, but the small toy bus from the video, the exact model, sold over ten thousand units in no time.
At 49.9 yuan per unit, ten thousand units amounted to over 500,000 yuan. Li Daoxuan took a 25% commission on sales, paid a 5% commission to Douyin, meaning he earned 100,000 yuan in the blink of an eye.
WeChat flashed. A message from Pudding arrived: “Boss, boss, our orders have exploded! Exploded! Everyone in the sales department is working emergency overtime, packing and shipping toys. Oh my god, your video, I’m truly impressed. Your special effects skill has utterly opened our eyes.”
Li Daoxuan replied: “See? Those miniature airplanes and boats simply won’t sell. The small bus sold well only because it appeared in my video. If you can get some miniature ancient-style toys, and I film them for a video, *that* will truly explode in sales. Remember, tiny houses, castles, carriages, things like that—they’ll definitely sell.”
Pudding responded: “I get it. I’ll go convince the product department to try and create some toys suitable for your video’s theme, within our technical capabilities.”
Li Daoxuan: “Looking forward to it! It’s a win-win if we cooperate!”
Closing WeChat, Li Daoxuan felt a wave of fatigue. He turned to glance out the window. Shuangqing City had already fallen into night, and downstairs, the habitual drinkers were once again shouting: “Five kings, six-six-six...”
Two young men on motorcycles zoomed through the street, deliberately revving their engines with a deafening roar, showing off.
Li Daoxuan sighed and shut the window tightly. The double-pane soundproof glass blocked out the clamor of the “ghost-fire youths.”
He showered, returned to his bedroom, turned off all the lights, and prepared for sleep.
A faint glow persisted in the bedroom, emanating from within the Diorama Box. Along the walls of Li Family Fortress, a circle of oil lamps burned brightly, and two sentries patrolled diligently.
After two consecutive battles, the villagers of Li Family Fortress had grown acutely aware of the danger. Now, the sentries' patrols were far more vigilant.
A faint smile played on Li Daoxuan’s lips. Just as he was about to bid the box goodnight and drift off to sleep, he suddenly noticed a small figure standing on the third-floor balcony of the tallest watchtower in Li Family Fortress.
“Hmm?”
Li Daoxuan recognized her: it was Gao Yiye.
At night, Gao Yiye wasn't dressed as formally as during the day. She wasn't wearing the thick, white ceremonial robe, but rather the coarse linen clothes she used to wear, patched up in many places, looking rather tattered.
This was likely her sleepwear. She probably couldn't bear to sleep in good clothes, fearing they would get wrinkled.
She seemed troubled. Standing on the high third-floor balcony, she gazed up at the night sky, where countless stars silently drifted. Several times she opened her mouth as if to speak, then hesitated, but in the end, she couldn't help but ask the sky softly: “Why me?”
Why me?
The question landed in Li Daoxuan’s ears, and he couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.
In an instant, he understood what the young girl was asking.
Indeed, why her?
Even Li Daoxuan himself didn't understand that.
Gao Yiye murmured: “Heavenly Lord, you must be handling other matters in the immortal realm right now. Only when you’re not here do I dare to speak like this, quietly. This humble girl... this humble girl... this humble girl is terribly bored lately!”
Li Daoxuan let out a soft snort.
Gao Yiye continued: “Everyone tells me not to do anything. They just want me to stand still and not move around too much, saying it would tarnish the Heavenly Lord’s dignity. But... but... I... I wasn’t that kind of girl growing up! I loved to run, to jump, to play wildly. I loved chasing Gao Chuwu and hitting him, and having Gao Sanwa waddle after me. I even loved catching frogs in the fields and searching for clams in the river... Before the great drought, I was the naughtiest girl in the village.”
Li Daoxuan was amused.
Gao Yiye sighed: “A few days ago, I snuck some cotton back to weave cloth. But when I handed over the finished fabric, everyone stared at me with huge, disapproving eyes. Just now, San Shier pulled me aside and lectured me earnestly for ages, telling me I absolutely *must* maintain my image.”
Li Daoxuan let out a burst of stifled laughter.
He wanted to laugh, but for some reason, a touch of sadness welled up in his heart.
Gao Yiye pleaded: “But I really can’t hold back anymore! I have to do something, or I’ll just... wither away.”
Li Daoxuan realized the young girl was genuinely distressed.
Gao Yiye then adopted a very serious expression, tilting her head back to face the heavens. Moonlight bathed her face, casting a silvery, ethereal glow upon her, making her quite lovely. “Heavenly Lord,” she declared, “I still want to sneak some cotton and weave. No matter what San Shier says, I just can’t resist weaving cloth. Please, don’t blame me for diminishing your prestige.”
With a *swish*, Li Daoxuan flipped open the lid of the Diorama Box and moved his face closer.
When the lid was closed, even Gao Yiye couldn't see him, nor could his voice reach her. But with the lid open, Gao Yiye could see his face appear in the clouds and hear his voice.
Seeing the Heavenly Lord suddenly appear in the night sky startled Gao Yiye profoundly. She stumbled back several steps, then dropped to her knees with a thud.
“Heavenly Lord... are you... here? Forgive me! This humble girl... won’t... won’t sneak cotton anymore.”
Li Daoxuan offered a gentle smile and, in the softest tone he could manage, said: “Go get the cotton. It’s alright. I don’t blame you.”
Gao Yiye sharply tilted her head up, her face lighting up with joy.
“Live the way you want to live. Don’t listen to anyone who tells you otherwise,” Li Daoxuan advised earnestly. “Your happiness comes first. Everything else is secondary.”
Gao Yiye hesitated: “But... if I appear unsightly, wouldn’t that cause the Heavenly Lord to lose face?”
Li Daoxuan replied: “Only false beings need to put on airs and intimidate people. Do I need such tactics to elevate my image? I can prove myself at any moment. I don't need you to sacrifice your self to maintain my dignity.”
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