I Went Back to the Countryside and My Livestreams Blew Up

Su Ying was a dedicated project specialist at an advertising firm in a major city, having worked there for five years after graduating from university. Her journey began in a small rural village where she was mentored by Teacher Ling, an educator who instilled in her the belief that studying provides control over one’s life. Despite her strong work ethic and ability to secure major projects, Su Ying faced persistent workplace toxicity under her supervisor, Zhao Yi, a relative of the manager who rose through nepotism rather than merit. Zhao Yi frequently sabotaged Su Ying’s work, altered approved proposals without authorization, and blamed Su Ying for resulting failures. The breaking point came when Zhao Yi changed a client-approved budget from two million to five million, causing the client to reject the proposal. When Zhao Yi attempted to shift the blame entirely onto Su Ying, the latter publicly confronted her and resigned on the spot, receiving N+1 compensation.

Following her resignation, Su Ying returned to her hometown village for the Mid-Autumn Festival. The peaceful rural environment and the opportunity to spend time with her aging parents led her to reconsider her future. Observing the golden wheat fields and the traditional lifestyle, she decided to become a short video creator to document and promote her hometown. She launched an account named "Little Mountain Stories," focusing on authentic rural life, farming activities, and traditional cooking. Her first video, featuring the harvest season, gained significant traction, and her follower count quickly surpassed one thousand, unlocking platform monetization. She continued to produce content showcasing local specialties, such as making maltose and dragon beard candy from scratch, and documented the bustling town market during a live broadcast, which attracted thousands of new followers.

While Su Ying established her new career, her former company faced a crisis. Zhao Yi had mishandled the Yicheng project by replacing the agreed-upon brand ambassador with an inappropriate celebrity, causing sales to plummet and angering the client. The company faced a three million yuan breach-of-contract penalty. Zhao Yi desperately called Su Ying, begging her to return and fix the mess, offering any conditions. Su Ying refused, stating that she was no longer their employee. Consequently, Zhao Yi and her uncle were fired, and it was discovered they had been embezzling funds, leading to their arrest. The company’s boss, who had valued Su Ying’s contributions from the beginning, attempted to recruit her back, but she declined, committed to her new path.

With her self-media business gaining momentum, Su Ying took her parents on a trip to the city to handle the closure of her previous apartment. During the move-out process, she encountered a dishonest landlord who attempted to withhold her security deposit by fabricating damages. The landlord’s son attempted to intimidate Su Ying, but she remained calm and cited specific violations, including the lack of fire safety equipment, tax evasion on rental income, and illegal utility overcharging. Faced with the prospect of massive fines from government authorities, the landlord immediately refunded the deposit and remaining rent via WeChat transfer. Su Ying then enjoyed a pleasant trip with her parents, exploring the city and tasting local delicacies, marking a successful transition from her stressful corporate life to a fulfilling career in rural content creation.