Exciting 1979!

Chapter 347 Don't cry? Are you even human?!

Inside the wardrobe, Sister Xue, who was in a lower position, looked up and glared at Wei Ming. The little rascal knew how to humiliate himself, but she had no words to say and could only suffer in silence.

Just as Gong Xue was getting used to operating in the cramped space and becoming more and more accustomed to dodging and weaving, a female voice suddenly came from outside: "Brother, I'm going to sleep now."

Gong Xue's eyes widened, and he trembled with fear.

The operation was temporarily interrupted. Wei Ming said to her, "Xiao Hong insists on staying here overnight, while her classmates have all gone back to school."

After the initial shock, Gong Xue asked worriedly, "What should I do?"

Wei Ming pulled her out of the closet: "Of course, it's time to come out."

After coming out, Sister Xue slapped Wei Ming in embarrassment and indignation. Wei Ming smiled and accepted it: "You don't have to leave the room tonight. I'll bring the chamber pot in later."

"What about tomorrow?"

"She's going to watch the flag-raising ceremony early tomorrow morning. She'll leave before dawn, and then she'll have to go back to school to participate in the National Day activities."

Hearing Wei Ming's words, Gong Xue felt somewhat relieved. Wei Ming smiled and said, "Shall we continue?"

Gong Xue flung his arm away, puffing out his cheeks in annoyance, and said, "Continue my foot! Go to sleep!"

However, once in bed, unable to bear Wei Ming pointing a gun at her, Sister Xue ultimately did the good deed and went all the way.

The next morning, while Gong Xue was still in Wei Ming's arms, before dawn, they heard noises outside.

Gong Xue was a light sleeper that night. She heard that Wei Hong must have gone out. She closed her eyes and was finally able to get a good night's sleep.

Wei Ming didn't disturb her after he woke up. He had indeed held on for a long time last night, and his wife had been very kind in trying to persuade him.

He went outside and locked the door, then went to the kitchen to get something to eat, and finally returned to his study to read a book about Germany.

They'll be leaving in less than a week, and it's time for them to get acquainted with Germany. However, this book was written more than a decade ago, so we can't take it all at face value.

~
In the morning, the Daguanlou Cinema was packed with people from early morning. The manager looked at the crowd and felt that it was almost as lively as when a dozen or so tribute films were shown in 79.

This year is not a significant year, and there aren't many patriotic films with strong casts. The most famous work during this period is "Mom, Love Me Again".

This film has several appealing aspects. First, the original work is by Wei Ming. Although the original work is in the form of a screenplay, it is quite popular, with at least a million readers.

Secondly, it is said to be adapted from a true story, which makes people even more curious.

Thirdly, this is a film starring Gong Xue. Films such as "Good Things Take Time" and "The Herdsman" made her a near-top-tier actress in China, but she has never quite reached the very top level.

After all, although "The Herdsman" has a good reputation and is highly recognized in the industry, its number of viewers is still somewhat different from that of films like "Little Flower," "Romance on Lushan Mountain," and "Happy Family," which have sparked a nationwide movie-going craze.

Therefore, Zhu Lin, who came later, has now surpassed her in popularity and is currently slightly more well-known than her.

But because of her good looks, Gong Xue's fans are extremely enthusiastic. When Wang Qiankun opened the cinema door, he felt that at least half of the people who came in were single young men.

The other half are mostly family moviegoers, especially mothers with their children.

This film has been featured prominently in publications such as Popular Cinema, and given its title, it's clearly a film about family bonds, which is very appealing to parents.

Seven-year-old Pan Ying was brought to see this movie by his parents today. He is a quiet-looking boy who likes to draw.

He's already in elementary school and has some complaints about his name, feeling it sounds too girlish. But his parents haven't taken it seriously. Hmph, he'll change it sooner or later.

Pan Ying's father, Pan Zhiguang, is a policeman from Guangdong Province, and her mother, Tian Runxiang, is a teacher with a bright future. They live in Dashilan, just a few steps away from Daguanlou.

However, Pan Ying kept thinking about this month's "King of Fairy Tales" on the way. She was curious whether the Black Cat Sheriff, who had lost one ear, would be lonely, and she was also worried about the Calabash Brothers after their grandfather was captured.

He's a loyal reader of Wei something, but he's not a big fan of Wei Ming.

After entering the movie theater, a family of four sat in front of them: a couple and their two children. The children looked to be around the same age, probably twins, both a little younger than Pan Ying.

Today, Wei Ping'an took his wife and children to the city for a visit and also watched his son's new movie.

Lü Xiaoyan had been looking forward to this day for a long time. She accompanied her son throughout the filming of this movie and knew that the movie would definitely be good. She even cried several times while watching it on set, not to mention the soundtrack, the background music, and the cinematic techniques in the finished film.

If she and Wei Ping'an hadn't both had to work yesterday, she would have taken the children to the Beijing Film Studio to watch the film in advance.

After waiting for a while, the theater was almost full, and the movie officially started.

The original version is a story told in reverse chronological order, starting from when the son grows up and returns to China, and encounters his mentally unstable mother in an orphanage, beginning to recall the past.

Wei Ming's version begins with a couple who have lost their son and report it to the police. However, the couple is a bit strange; the father is anxious, while the wife seems indifferent.

For those who haven't read the original novel, this is a mystery.

At that moment, a very cute little boy was hiding in the back of a truck.

Lü Xiaoyan immediately pointed excitedly at the screen, touched Lele, and pinched Xizi.

Xizi had been in the car for quite some time in the shot. His face looked dirty, but that couldn't hide his cute appearance. Many viewers recognized him as Gong Xue's son in "The Herdsman".

Pan Ying immediately recognized the young actor as the little boy in front of her. He nudged his mother in surprise and pointed ahead.

Even in the pitch black, Pan's mother couldn't see clearly. She whispered, "Focus on the movie and don't disturb others."

Too tired, the little boy gradually fell asleep, and he seemed to hear his mother calling from afar.

"Little gourd, wake up~"

The scene shifts, and the little boy wakes up, but the setting has changed. The sun is shining brightly, and the little gourd is lying on a straw mat, with his mother fanning him with a palm leaf fan next to him. Outside the window, there are gourd vines laden with gourds.

Seeing this, little Pan Ying perked up a bit. So many Calabash Brothers!
The female lead, Gong Xue, makes her official debut, and the story returns to two years prior.

At this time, Gong Xue was dressed as a young mother, with her hair tied up and her face small and delicate, able to withstand all kinds of close-up shots, which was pleasing to the eye for the audience.

The story begins in the second year after the resumption of the college entrance examination. Hu Wanqian, the husband, has been taking the exam for a year without success. This is his second time taking the exam, and only by passing it can he return to Shanghai, the city he has always longed for.

The male lead, Ma Xiaowei, makes his second appearance. He looks quite refined, but the audience has already figured it out: he later remarries, and the woman who called the police with him turns out to be his stepmother.

With just over a month until the college entrance examination, Hu Wanqian returned from school with a letter in his hand.

This is a letter written by his parents in Shanghai. The gist of it is that they hope he will return to Shanghai to prepare for the exam, as Shanghai has richer educational resources and he can find famous teachers to tutor him, thereby increasing his chances of passing the exam. It can be seen that Hu Wanqian's parents have some influence.

"But this means it'll just be you and your daughter left at home," Hu Wanqian said worriedly, still trying to maintain the image of a good husband.

His wife, Lotus, told him to go to Shanghai without worry, as she could take good care of Little Gourd.

The plot officially unfolds, and the characters gradually become more fleshed out. Hehua is a rural girl whose father is unknown and whose mother died early. She also has a bad family background. Hu Wanqian is an educated youth sent to the countryside from the big city of Shanghai.

Although Hehua was hated by everyone in the village because of her landlord grandfather who was executed, she was so beautiful that Hu Wanqian eventually ignored his parents' advice and settled down in the countryside for her beauty, where they had a lovely and lively little gourd.

Next is the scene between the mother, Lotus, and her son, Little Gourd. Lotus is not as weak as she looks. She can climb trees to pick fruit, go into the water to catch fish, weave various trinkets out of grass, and is also skilled in carpentry. In Little Gourd's eyes, his mother is omnipotent.

This mother role is completely different from Gong Xue's previous images, and also different from the classic mother figures she has portrayed in films before.

She was younger and prettier, more lively and enthusiastic, and more like a friend and playmate to Little Gourd. The children present immediately fell in love with this lotus mother and wished they could exchange their mothers for hers!
Seeing the audience's reaction, Lü Xiaoyan knew that the character of Xiaoxue was very well-developed and likable.

Although Hehua doesn't seem to have much formal education, she is very sensible and sent her son to school early on. Sometimes, when she passes by the classroom, she will stop and listen attentively to the teacher's instruction, her eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge.

The next scene shows Lotus writing a letter to her husband far away by kerosene lamp after Little Gourd has fallen asleep. Although the handwriting is crooked, the content is very sweet, and the smile on her face makes people feel as if they are dreaming back to the time when they were in love.

While filming this scene, all she could think about was Xiao Wei.

A month later, Hu Wanqian returned to take the college entrance examination. When he received the admission notice, while Hehua and Xiaohulu were happy for their husband and father, Hu Wanqian took out money with a heavy expression and asked Xiaohulu to buy two catties of meat to celebrate. However, Xiaohulu did not realize that something was wrong and just thought it was a celebration.

When Little Gourd happily returned home, swinging the meat off the straw rope, the house suddenly became a mess, and Lotus was holding a pair of scissors, her eyes glazed over.

But when she heard the little gourd call out "Mommy" in its childish voice, she panicked and threw the scissors aside. Then she squatted down and hugged the little gourd tightly, and tears streamed down her face.

Seeing his mother cry, Little Gourd also cried, comforting his mother while crying and wiping away her tears.

This scene touched many audience members, and some had already started to tear up. And this was just the beginning.

There's some ambiguity here, but almost all adult viewers can understand it: the educated youth who get into university leave their rural wives and children behind—this is a trope that has recently started appearing in educated youth literature.

Even if you don't understand it, the director inserted a scene where Hu Wanqian returns to his home in Shanghai and discusses his marriage to another woman with an extraordinary background with his parents.

The layout of this house reveals that Hu Wanqian comes from an extraordinary family. However, the marriage arranged for him is even more remarkable. Although the woman did not go to university, her family background is still above that of the Hu family, which will greatly benefit his future. If Hu Wanqian had not been admitted to Fudan University, he would not have had any chance.

Meanwhile, Hu Wanqian was still worried about Hehua and Xiao Hulu. He stared blankly at the abundant dishes on the table, unaware of what the mother and son were eating.

The scene shifts to a wooden table where a plate of brightly colored braised pork is served. "Mother, are we really going to starve? Are we only going to eat meat?"

Lotus picked up a piece of meat for Little Gourd: "You can eat your fill of meat, but after this meal you'll have to live a hard life with your mother."

The image of Hu Wanqian trying to give her money, which she sternly refused, flashed through her mind.

After finishing one piece, Xiao Hulu immediately put one on his mother's plate as well: "As long as I'm with you, Mom, I'm not afraid of any hardship."

Hearing her son's heartwarming words, Hehua turned her face away, tears welling up in her eyes. Then she ate the braised pork her son handed her, chewing and smiling, her eyes still glistening with tears.

This scene touched the hearts of the audience, and some mothers started wiping away tears. Sometimes, a child's heartwarming words can move a mother for a long time.

Lü Xiaoyan felt this very deeply. Most of the time, Xizi was naughty and troublesome, but one night before going to bed, he confessed to his mother: "Mom, I love you so much. I want to be your baby again in the next life."

Lü Xiaoyan broke down immediately, and after handing the child to Wei Ping'an, she cried in the living room until she soaked two handkerchiefs.

She reached into her pocket and thankfully found a handkerchief with her, so she wouldn't have to wipe herself with her sleeve.

However, there was no chance to put the handkerchief away after that.

The subsequent plot is the tragic story of a single mother raising her son. We've seen so many of these stories in movies, TV dramas, and short videos since then that many people probably won't stay on Douyin for long before scrolling past them.

But everything is new in this era, and everything we film is groundbreaking.

Previously, Hu Wanqian received financial subsidies from the Hu family and was able to take on some household chores, but now everything rests on Hehua's shoulders; she is both a father and a mother.

Moreover, Little Gourd needed money for school. The once vibrant and lively Lotus gradually grew tired, and the smiles on her face became fewer. She tried every possible way to earn money.

However, in 1978, besides earning work points, a woman could at most weave baskets and paste cardboard boxes. She also did carpentry work and was responsible for her son's three meals a day.

Under immense pressure, the lotus flower began to become unkempt and irritable.

When Little Gourd came home from school that day, he kept pestering her to sing him the songs he had learned at school. Lotus, who was working, ordered him to do his homework first without even looking up.

The grinning little gourd shook his head, insisting that his mother stop what she was doing and sit down to listen to the song he had carefully prepared.

This infuriated Lotus, and she finally snapped at her son.

When Xizi heard Gong Xue say "Don't bother me," she was startled and felt wronged. There was a brief silence in the room.

Then Little Gourd lowered his head and went into the house. Lotus glanced back, paused her work for a moment, and then continued working.

Dinner consisted of simple leafy green vegetables. Lotus casually asked, "What songs do you teach at your school?"

The little gourd, holding the bowl, turned its head away: "I forgot."

Lotus pursed her lips and didn't ask any more questions. After finishing her meal, she started sewing and mending again, as if she had endless work to do.

When Lotus lay down on the bed after a long day of work at night, the little one who had been asleep next to her suddenly turned his back and started singing.

"There's only one mother in the world who is good; a child with a mother is like a treasure. Nestled in a mother's arms, happiness is boundless..."

Although Xizi's singing voice was far less melodious than Lele's, and even a bit off-key, this imperfect rendition of "Only Mother is Good in the World" was like a nuclear bomb, instantly striking Hehua's heart, which had become numb from the heavy labor.

It also resonated deeply with all the audience members, especially mothers with children and children with mothers.

As Hehua, with tears welling up in her eyes, hugged the little gourd, almost the entire audience shed tears of emotion at that moment, including those grown men, who also have mothers.

Especially for Wei Ping'an, who has no father, the saying "There is no one better than your mother" is an indisputable truth.

He looked around and saw that everyone was wiping away tears. He didn't care about being ashamed anymore, so he snatched his daughter's handkerchief and started wiping his own tears.

Lele glared at her father with teary eyes. Sure enough, there's no one better than Mom in the world, and Dad is a big jerk.

This scene brought tears to the eyes of the entire audience, and at the same time, it made them remember the song. Most of them had never heard the song before and thought it was a new song.

Using music to evoke tears is a major technique Wei Ming employed in this film; "Only Mother is Good in the World" is just the first song used.

Unlike "Only Mother is Good in the World," which is integrated into the storyline, the other songs are just interludes, but their application is also just right.

The following winter, Little Gourd fell ill, which made things even worse for the already impoverished mother and son.

With such good build-up, the audience couldn't stop crying during this part of the story.

When the sick little gourd opened his eyes in the middle of the night, he saw his mother, Lotus, still making shoe soles for the commune's cloth shoe factory by the kerosene lamp to earn money. Her eyes were squinting with difficulty, her hair was no longer black and shiny, and her fingers had become rough and were full of marks from being pricked by needles.

At this moment, the background music begins!
"Mom, I want to tell you something, but the words get stuck in my throat. Mom, I want to smile at you, but my eyes are filled with tears. Oh, Mom, Mom in the candlelight, your black hair is streaked with frost..."

The lyrics for "Mother in the Candlelight" were written by Wei Ming, which differs slightly from the original version and is more in line with the plot of the movie. Then, Gu Jianfen was invited to compose the music, and the singer is her good friend, the famous singer Zhu Fengbo.

Lele had sung it before, but the movie ultimately chose the adult version. Teacher Zhu sang it very emotionally, and some viewers couldn't bear it and even burst into tears.

However, no one laughed at him. Everyone was trying not to become like him, but they couldn't stop the tears from streaming down their faces.

~
At the same time, in a movie theater near Xidan, Mei Wenhua's mother wiped away her tears while looking worriedly at her son and daughter-in-law who were sobbing beside her.

She was very happy that her son could cry like this, which showed that he remembered his mother's suffering.

But she was really worried about her daughter-in-law crying like that, after all, she was a pregnant woman who was about to give birth.

She patted Mei Wenhua on the shoulder through Xu Yunyun, who was wiping away tears with her head down.

"What's wrong?" When Mei Wenhua saw that it was his mother, he cried even harder, his glasses were all blurred with tears. Now all he wanted was to be in his mother's arms and enjoy the happiness.

Mei's mother whispered, "Yunyun, don't cry and something bad will happen. Look at her."

Xu Yunyun was one of the more intense cries present. She also thought of her lame mother, who, despite being disabled, had been incredibly devoted to her three children.

Thinking back to my ignorant childhood, when I was mocked by the village children because of my mother's disability, and even took my anger out on my mother, I now feel really regretful and want to apologize to her, but the two of us are thousands of miles apart.

"Yunyun, don't cry." Mei Wenhua put his arm around his wife's shoulder and quickly comforted her.

Just when things were starting to look better, the movie delivered another blow. Under the barefoot doctor's medicine, Xiao Hulu, who had recovered somewhat, wanted to help his mother with some of the work. After his mother left, he tried to do some carpentry for her, but because he wasn't fully recovered, he accidentally hammered a nail into his own palm.

"Ouch!" Seeing the bloody scene, the entire audience felt the pain.

When Lotus returned and saw Little Gourd covered in blood, almost fainting from the pain, Gong Xue's superb crying scene once again brought tears to the eyes of the entire audience.

Especially when you see the lotus carrying a small gourd, trudging through the snow with difficulty, and the child's blood dripping onto the white snow, it looks like blood lotus flowers.

This segment was completely silent, with no background music added and even ambient sounds blocked out. The absolute silence brought absolute shock and emotion; the only sound came from reality, from the audience.

Mei Wenhua and her mother sniffled as they observed Xu Yunyun. They noticed that she was crying even harder this time, and they immediately tried to help her leave the movie theater. They couldn't watch the movie anymore; if they continued, someone would die!

Xu Yunyun was a little reluctant to part with the baby. She wanted to know what happened next, but she could also feel the baby in her belly moving violently in response to her emotions.

Such intense fetal movement was unprecedented, so she didn't persist and left the screening room amidst the astonished gazes of the other audience members.

Although the movie made the audience cry their hearts out, they were the first to leave.

Seeing Xu Yunyun clutching her stomach and looking unwell, Mei Wenhua immediately said, "Go to the hospital, right now!"

Mei's mother: "I'll go flag down a tricycle!"

Coincidentally, among the audience members queuing outside to watch the next show was a reporter from the Yanjing Evening News who had also interviewed Oriental Plaza and recognized Mei Culture.

"Manager Mei, what's going on? What's wrong with you all?" He saw that the family of three was crying very hard.

Mei Wenhua spoke frankly, but with a touch of exaggeration: "This movie is so good and so touching. My wife is pregnant and she cried so much that she felt like she was going to give birth prematurely. We have to go to the hospital now."

"Wow, a movie moved a pregnant woman to the point of premature labor?" the reporter exclaimed incredulously.

"Enough talk, the tricycle is here, let's go to the hospital first." With her mother's help, Mei Wenhua carried Yunyun onto the tricycle.

Yunyun wiped her tears and snot on Mei Wenhua's body: "If you don't want us anymore in the future, I... I won't live anymore."

Mei Wenhua quickly assured him, "If I ever treat you badly, tell our brother. He said he has plenty of ways to deal with me. Just don't hurt yourself, okay?"

Fortunately, there was no seat for Mei's mother on the bus. If she had heard her son's useless words, she would probably have wondered what kind of child she had given birth to.

Xu Yunyun laughed through her tears, then became sad again: "I only got to see half of it, what a pity."

Mei Wenhua: "I'm already crying like this after only watching half of it. I've read the original novel. My brother goes even further in the later parts. Okay, let's not watch it anymore. We'll watch it after I give birth."

Yes, the movie is only halfway through, it's barely started!
(End of this chapter)