The audience in front of their TVs had initially lowered their expectations for this year’s Spring Festival Gala to rock bottom, so most were watching absentmindedly. However, when the background video appeared, it suddenly captured most people’s attention. It wasn’t that programs with video stories had never appeared at the Spring Festival Gala before; this ti, the video was just noticeably different. Previously, it might have been a re backdrop, but this ti, it felt more like a story, or perhaps even the core of the entire stage. It gave the audience the sensation of watching a movie on the Spring Festival Gala stage. This unique approach naturally piqued the viewers’ curiosity, so most of them shifted their attention back. And when Xu Qingqiu began to sing, the lyrics, combined with the video, imdiately doubled its impact.
"The old tree in front of the door sprouts new buds"
"The withered wood in the courtyard blooms again"
"Many words saved over a lifeti"
"Are hidden in a head full of white hair"
"The little feet in mories"
"The chubby little lips"
...
The lyrics seed plain, but they struck like thunder in silence, hitting straight to the heart.
And just then, a voice filled with childlike innocence mixed in.
"Daddy, Mommy, when I grow up, I will be good to you, just like you are good to ..."
In that instant, the convergence of lyrics and speech was like a chemical reaction. It suddenly unleashed a trendous wave, moving everyone watching to tears.
"Damn, damn, it’s the New Year, why are you twisting the knife like that..."
"I said the sa thing when I was little: that I would always be good to my parents. But now, I can only co back for a few days during the New Year. If it weren’t for this program, I would have forgotten those childhood promises."
"I was just talking to my parents. I had never noticed until now, but their hair has turned white. I hadn’t even realized..."
"But you still have your parents, while I’m all alone now, without even a ho."
"This year, I also went back to my old ho. It was empty. I made a New Year’s Eve dinner just like when my parents were still around. It took so long to get used to this life, and now a song has made cry. I miss them so much."
"With parents, there’s always a place to return to; once they’re gone, the way back is lost."
"Suddenly I rembered a video I saw before: when a girl’s parents died, she knelt on the ground crying, screaming that her ho was gone..."
"Sigh, ti flies by too quickly year after year. I hope everyone cherishes these days and spends more ti with their parents and relatives."
"Cherish the present. Since it’s the New Year, put down your phones, spend more ti with your parents, and don’t leave regrets for the future."
"Shit, I’m not doing this damn overti anymore! I’m going ho. I miss my Mom and Dad!"
"My dad likes to drink, and nobody at ho approves. I never drank at ho either. But now, I’ve co to terms with it. Let him have his drink. Enough said. I’m going to heat up so dishes, have a drink with my dad, and chat with him so more."
"BOO HOO HOO, stop talking, please stop talking! It’s the New Year, why are you doing this?"
"Exactly! Why make such a scene during the New Year?"
A song and a video, as if dropping a nuclear bomb into the hearts of the viewers, instantly demolished many people’s defenses and stirred up another surge of emotions.
Not just the audience in front of the TV, even the people at the live scene couldn’t handle it.
Most of the audience mbers were family of the staff. Many had been coming for several years, which ant their family mbers hadn’t been ho for New Year’s Eve for many years.
And these people were also ordinary folks, who had grown up with parents, just like everyone else.
At that mont, the song and video completely broke everyone’s defenses. The previously joyful and laughter-filled scene vanished.
Below the stage, people were all secretly wiping their tears. This was especially true for Xu Qingqiu’s parents. They had been happily watching the program. When their daughter took the stage, they beca even more excited, their faces creasing with smiles twice as wide as usual.
But after listening to this song, they cried more miserably than anyone, especially Liang Yuehong, who kept muttering:
"Xu, how did they grow up so fast? I still rember when they were little—chubby, tender little babies, so adorable. And now, in the blink of an eye, they’re all grown up.
"Back then they were so small and cute. Even our neighbors and friends would say how beautiful the children were, and you always loved to pinch their tiny hands and feet.
"And those little shoes our parents made for Qiuqiu and Mingming, so lovely! It feels like I blinked, and they were all grown up.
"Especially Qiuqiu. She was always so sensible from a young age—never mischievous, always obedient, and such a comfort to us. Even now that she’s grown, she’s still considerate. But my heart aches because she never really got a proper education.
"I’ve failed Qiuqiu. As her mother, I didn’t do well enough; I’ve held her back..."
As Liang Yuehong sobbed uncontrollably, Xu Jiacheng, in silent tears, held her without saying a word.
This was hard on Xu Xiaohan and Xu Ruyan nearby.
Xu Xiaohan was sowhat okay. He was older, had experienced many things, and had also been the main one to take care of his two younger sisters in childhood. He was also familiar with his grandparents.
But Xu Ruyan was different. Her grandparents were already gone by the ti she could rember things, so naturally, she didn’t have the sa feelings. Hearing her parents talk, she couldn’t help but wonder, Why do I feel like such an outsider?
Aside from their family, although others didn’t react as strongly, one by one their eyes reddened too, as they hastily wiped away tears.
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