That evening, they ate and stayed at the Guesthouse.
This delighted Manager Wang of the hotel, who insisted on waiving all fees—both accommodation and meals.
Zhou You reluctantly accepted the favor.
He also took the opportunity to have Manager Wang give an interview as material, since he was, after all, the first major client of the organic farm. It would serve as a model: follow me, and there are benefits.
In the end, the group took a group photo together, followed by several individual photos afterward.
Normally, the owner of the Guesthouse wouldn't need to go this far—he had the foundation for it.
But times were different now.
Glory fades with the wind and rain; the past splendor was gone. Now, they were living off past achievements, and when those ran out, the day of closure might truly come.
Afterward, he took the group to the sparring gym for a tour, showcasing his wealth and a hint of depth.
As for why he didn't host them on the second floor of the Wave Pavilion?
That was reserved for private gatherings with friends. For this kind of banquet, a slightly more formal setting was better.
When the group learned that this venue was essentially dedicated to serving Zhou You, they were all filled with surprise.
It just goes to show that every wealthy person has different hobbies.
Professor Li, upon learning that CCTV was coming for an interview, had prepared thoroughly, cleaning the environment anew and striving for perfection.
He contacted relevant units in the county to get people involved—it counted as a minor political achievement. Although CCTV programs aired daily, having the local area featured on CCTV was still a rare occurrence.
Especially since this was something the other party had arranged through their own connections, making it even more remarkable.
They were also very curious about an enterprise that could achieve such big things quietly under their jurisdiction, and took this opportunity to inspect it.
Previously, when Professor Li approached them through connections, while they weren't exactly difficult, there was always a barrier. This time, Li Baoyin proactively reciprocated, and everyone was delighted.
Now, every unit had propaganda tasks that were quite heavy and hard to complete. If they could get aired on CCTV, this year's propaganda goals would be met.
Zhou Guoqin had just become village head and was a bit at a loss when he heard about CCTV's arrival. Fortunately, the former village head was experienced and, after years of service, had the basic awareness.
He told Zhou Guoqin to use this opportunity to invite the main leaders from the town as well, making it his first big gift upon taking office—one that left both hosts and guests pleased.
Originally, the town's top leader, Luo Daxing, had some reservations about the village election, feeling it hadn't fully met the intended outcome. If the process hadn't been so smooth without any chaos, he would have certainly faced consequences.
But upon hearing about this good news, his excitement was palpable. He chatted with Zhou Guoqin for a long time, only then realizing that such a big thing had been accomplished quietly. It was just too low-key—so low-key that he hadn't even known about such a great enterprise in his jurisdiction.
What was this? It was a political achievement, a very tangible one, handed to him by heaven.
Early the next morning, a crowd from the county, town, and village stood at the entrance of the farm, waiting.
Zhou Guoqin had said they wouldn't arrive so early, probably around noon.
But no one left.
How many years had it been since a TV station of CCTV's caliber had come? Not even provincial ones had.
The group first toured on their own, then asked about income and benefits, and everyone was speechless.
The wages matched theirs, the holidays were more, there were annual regular trips, and they ate organic food—and these were frontline workers, all enjoying such treatment.
Not to mention the policies being implemented, each one surprising. The most frequently heard words and names were all about Zhou You.
But they'd never heard of him!
While waiting, some had initially harbored small intentions, planning to slip in a few relatives for jobs or to secure distribution channels as agents.
Anyway, some people came sniffing around, but taking bribes and extorting was too lowbrow.
But thinking about how he had invited CCTV, they decided to take it slow. Being too greedy could easily lead to trouble.
Zhou You had long known about all this. That's why he insisted on inviting CCTV—it was a direct blow from above that could avoid many minor hassles.
Today, Zhou You drove four or five cars: his two, two from the Wave Pavilion, and a newly purchased one from the swimming pool. The cars were packed full. Zhou You was also worried about issues, so a carload from the sparring gym came along to prevent problems.
Everyone chatted and laughed along the way, all seasoned in social settings, so there was no chance of awkward silence.
Hearing that Zhou You had invested in many films, they all congratulated him on big box office success next year.
Finally, they arrived at the farm.
As soon as they got out of the cars, they saw a dense crowd standing there.
The CCTV crew was unfazed—this was typical when arriving at a local area. They were very used to this feeling. Although it was an agricultural program team, they still felt a sense of superiority when visiting local places.
Zhou Guoqin and Li Baoyin were introducing the respective personnel.
Zhou You chimed in: "I didn't expect so many people to come, but the more the merrier. It's a good chance to gather more material."
Xie Yingying echoed: "Yes, the more material, the better for later editing. Mr. Zhou is thoughtful."
After the group introductions, Professor Li and Zhou Guoqin accompanied them throughout.
The rest chatted nearby while watching the crew film scenes.
Luo Daxing came directly to Zhou You and started a conversation: "Mr. Zhou has made a great contribution to the countryside. I've also heard from Guoqin about the policies to give back to the village. Truly wonderful—a model village."
A smiling face is hard to refuse, especially from the local chief. Zhou You smiled and said, "It's all as it should be. It's mainly thanks to the strong support from the village and town. The former village head and you are people who get things done. Without you, the farm couldn't have developed so fast!"
Everyone shares the credit. If you want political achievements, I'll give them to you—it's useless to me anyway.
This interview was more than just killing two birds with one stone; it was killing many. Everyone benefited handsomely.
The town, the county, and the university all gained, not to mention the farm itself. Once the program aired, with CCTV's endorsement, sales channels would become much smoother.
They thought everything would go smoothly, but problems arose during the interview segment.
Xie Yingying toured with the camera crew and was very satisfied—it was perfect filming material. It just depended on how the process was edited.
The camera focused on Zhou Guoqin: "May I ask, what made you think of starting a farm? Were there any difficulties along the way? How did you overcome them?"
Facing the camera, Zhou Guoqin was extremely uncomfortable, his whole body tense. His mind knew what to say, but his body was out of control. He stammered, unable to form coherent sentences, clearly nervous.
This wasn't a big issue. The crew had filmed many times and had their own methods to ease nerves. Soon, Zhou Guoqin relaxed.
He spoke fluently: "I was tired of working away from home and didn't want to stay far from my hometown anymore. I wanted to find something to do back home. After looking around, I decided on farming."
They had agreed beforehand that during the interview, Zhou You wouldn't be mentioned, his role would be downplayed, and the focus would be on Zhou Guoqin and Li Baoyin.
"As for difficulties, there weren't many. With Professor Li around, we could overcome them—scientific farming."
Xie Yingying continued: "Were there any unexpected incidents during the farming process, like funding shortages, family misunderstandings, villagers mocking, technical challenges, or how did you handle sales? Could you sell the products?"
Zhou Guoqin looked bewildered: "No, none of what you mentioned happened to us. It went pretty smoothly."
Xie Yingying signaled the cameraman to turn off the camera and said with a smile: "Mr. Zhou also told me to downplay his role as much as possible, but we know that without his strong support, it couldn't have gone smoothly. So we need to revise the script."
Li Baoyin and Zhou Guoqin exchanged glances, unsure how to change it.
Seeing their expressions, Xie Yingying found it normal—this was the look she was most familiar with.
To achieve success, there must be waves and twists.
Who wants to watch a smooth, effortless success?
"Now we have a good reason for starting the farm—very relatable to the audience."
"Next, we need a small turning point: family opposition, like from a wife or parents, due to large investments and no successful precedents in the village—many reasons."
"Then, highlight your strong personal will—a hallmark of successful people: unwavering determination and going your own way."
"After that, you encounter technical problems: chicks die for no reason. You search for the cause for a long time but can't find it, incurring heavy losses, nearly wiping out your savings."
"You're anxious and decide to seek experts. The county's expertise isn't enough, so you go to the provincial capital. After much inquiry, you learn about Professor Li's high expertise, but he looks down on small rural operations. You don't give up, following him to lectures, classrooms, and home. Finally, Professor Li is moved by your sincerity and decides to help you."
Upon hearing this, Professor Li inwardly complained: It wasn't sincerity that moved me—it was fear. If a lunatic keeps following you, wouldn't you be scared?
Xie Yingying didn't care what they thought and continued with the script.
"With Professor Li's arrival, you overcome obstacles together, the farm develops rapidly, and its products are widely praised. You achieve great success."
"Your family and villagers change their attitudes, no longer criticizing you, and instead praise you."
"Then you decide to help the villagers, leading them to common prosperity, giving back to the community, funding children's education, aiding poor villagers, earning widespread acclaim."
"Finally, you reap various honors, gaining both fame and fortune, reaching the peak of your life."
Xie Yingying finished in one breath.
Li Baoyin was stunned. No wonder he used to enjoy watching this program—the formula was so deep, so attuned to human nature, with tight steps and waves of twists, all mini-climaxes.
Zhou Guoqin didn't know what to say but kept remembering Zhou You's words: fully cooperate with the crew.
Xie Yingying also breathed a sigh of relief, afraid they wouldn't cooperate, especially with Zhou You present.
After all, this was a program, one form of artistic expression.
Art comes from life but is higher than life.