When YouTuber IShowSpeed, also known as Speed, went on his whirlwind China tour this March, he did not expect the man from Chongqing to arrive, braised goose in tow. Yet, squeezed between two security guards, the plastic bag with the goose inside made its way to the YouTuber — and into internet fame.

Dubbed “Uncle Goose,” the Chinese influencer Lin Jiang has become an internet sensation for his goose maneuver and subsequent appearances in IShowSpeed’s tour as he chased him across five cities. An unassuming local of Chongqing’s Rongchang, he had been planning the soon-to-be-viral encounter to boost online traffic and get his hometown’s local cuisine on the map.

“Braised goose is a famous local delicacy in Rongchang,” Lin says. “It’s easy to carry, and when you shove that whole goose in someone’s face, it creates a huge visual impact.”

Lin’s life has changed day and night since the stunt. Before, he was struggling to make ends meet and burning through his savings. Now, his followers have surged, local goose sales have quintupled, and he has been hailed as a local hero.

“I’ve never been in the limelight like this before, receiving such big gifts, so much recognition…” Lin says. “It doesn’t even feel real.”

Yet with great fame comes great responsibility, and his sudden celebrity status is taking its toll. To satisfy his fans, Lin sometimes stays up until 4 or 5 a.m. to work. Video footage of him shows massive crowds asking for autographs or, in some cases, other influencers trying to take a page from his book and pull a viral stunt to boost traffic. Just last month, the local government backed Lin’s agricultural sales debut, which garnered 5 million views and 3 million yuan ($415,000) in immediate sales in a continued bid to leverage his influence to boost the local economy.

It’s a lot of pressure for one person, yet Lin is determined to rise to each challenge and promote his hometown in any way he can.

“Even when a lot of things I’ve done make people think I’m being silly, or a laughingstock, I don’t care at all,” Lin says. “I only do what I believe is right.”

Story editor: Hannah Lund.