Chapter Ninety-Eight: The Pig on the Windward Side

“Don’t you have a Prado?” Jiang Xue looked at Tang Long’s ride, a pickup truck, and couldn’t help but ask in surprise.

Tang Long smiled and opened the door. After Jiang Xue got in, he started the engine and headed toward Fish Head Village.

The Hua Fish Head Resort and Fish Head Village share this road, with more than sixty percent of the route overlapping. Tang Long wondered if the resort should contribute some funds if the road were to be repaired.

“You still haven’t answered my question,” Jiang Xue pouted, showing some dissatisfaction with Tang Long’s attitude.

Tang Long laughed and retorted, “Do you think I’m the type to travel around in a Prado? That vehicle is reserved for emergency situations in Fish Head Village, not my personal car.”

Jiang Xue looked at him and said, “With your reputation in Fish Head Village, no one would say anything even if you drove that car.”

Tang Long chuckled indifferently, “That has nothing to do with reputation. Whether or not I have prestige is secondary; it mainly depends on the situation. Besides, a car is just a means of transportation. It doesn’t matter what I drive. That’s not even a luxury car—I bought it because of its off-road capabilities.”

For some reason, Jiang Xue felt a surge of pride listening to Tang Long. His confidence wasn’t fake; it seemed to seep from his very bones.

“Don’t pout!” Tang Long glanced at her and smiled. “How about this: if your campus travel company can bring five thousand visitors to Fish Head Village this year, I’ll reward you with a BMW. How does that sound?”

Five thousand visitors?

If it’s five hundred people a day, that’s just ten days to earn a BMW!

This ‘task’ didn’t seem so difficult after all.

Jiang Xue blinked and smiled, “Are you trying to bribe me?”

Tang Long smiled but said nothing. Everyone could do the math—each visitor Jiang Xue brought from the city to Fish Head Village would generate roughly a hundred yuan in net profit, not even counting ticket sales to Ghost King Cave.

Five thousand university students visiting Fish Head Village could bring nearly half a million yuan in revenue!

A regular BMW costs just over two hundred thousand yuan, and that’s not counting the ticket sales from Ghost King Cave.

Without sufficient profits to attract people, why would anyone work hard for you? In this world, everything is motivated by profit.

“Are you kidding me?” Jiang Xue looked at Tang Long, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

She coveted that BMW. Although her family could afford one, there was a difference between having her family buy it and earning it herself.

“A gentleman’s word is his bond,” Tang Long said half-jokingly, half-seriously. “When I say something, I stand by it.”

Jiang Xue pouted, eyes flickering with a question: “What if Sister Xiu’e doesn’t agree with your decision?”

If Zhang Xiu’e didn’t agree… then it was a done deal.

Tang Long chuckled, “You better pray she agrees, or your BMW might be off the table.”

Jiang Xue couldn’t help but laugh. Just moments ago, Tang Long was all about standing firm, and now at the mention of Zhang Xiu’e’s disapproval, he immediately backpedaled—such shamelessness.

How long would the hype around Fish Head Village and the “Little Moon Girl” last? No one knew, not even Tang Long himself. After all, internet fame can be fleeting—today’s sensation may be forgotten tomorrow.

Right now, ninety percent of Fish Head Village’s tourism buzz is tied to Zhao Xiaoyue, the internet celebrity. If that fades, Fish Head Village’s popularity might cool off too. Though thousands of people flock here now, tomorrow they might vanish.

To sustain Fish Head Village’s tourism economy, several critical factors are necessary: a good reputation, engaging attractions, and long-lasting popularity with continuous supply.

“Jiang Xue!”

Hearing Tang Long call her, Jiang Xue snapped back to reality. She had been lost in thought just then.

“Hmm?”

Tang Long asked, “Do you know what young people like these days?”

“What do young people like?” Jiang Xue blinked, then answered, “Celebrities, movies, right? Oh, and collectibles, anime, novels—why?”

Tang Long pondered, “If you had to choose, what’s the most appealing thing about Fish Head Village? The spot or food that stays on your mind after you leave.”

Jiang Xue blushed slightly. Was he asking her to admit that after leaving Fish Head Village, she kept thinking of him?

“The food and the fun stuff are all memorable,” she answered half-heartedly.

Tang Long smiled, “That won’t do. You have to pick the one thing that truly moves your heart.”

Jiang Xue wasn’t sure why, but she blurted out, “Does a person count?”

“Of course it does,” Tang Long laughed without hesitation. “Most of the people coming to Fish Head Village are coming because of ‘Little Moon Girl,’ right?”

Though Zhao Xiaoyue wasn’t a ‘scenic spot,’ frankly, all the attractions in Fish Head Village combined might not draw as much attention as she does.

“Ghost King Cave, maybe. If marketed well, it could become the most attractive spot in Fish Head Village,” Jiang Xue shifted the topic.

Tang Long nodded. Ghost King Cave is indeed a must-visit for tourists, but the problem is its lack of lasting appeal. Most visitors explore it once or twice, and that’s enough—who wants to keep going back into a cave?

Tang Long wanted to find a sustainable, standout attraction for Fish Head Village—something memorable, whether food or entertainment.

Right now, Fish Head Village’s appeal lies in the hype around “Little Moon Girl” and the mystery of Ghost King Cave. But both are consumable draws, which isn’t ideal.

For the moment, Tang Long couldn’t come up with a perfect idea and would have to consult others.

Though Fish Head Village hadn’t reached its peak yet, only just beginning to flourish, Tang Long already envisioned its summit.

If they couldn’t find that magnetic attraction, the current hype around Fish Head Village would soon fade.

Right now, Fish Head Village was like a pig riding the crest of a wave. Whether it would fall or soar didn’t depend on its size, but on the strength of the wind beneath it.