The cinema.
Zhang Xincheng and his girlfriend Liu Yue entered after their shopping trip.
He paid no attention to the movie.
He had no interest in films, seeing them merely as a way to accompany his girlfriend.
Although his beliefs had collapsed after his father's incident, the notion of loving only one person his entire life had not wavered. He loved his girlfriend dearly and intended to spend his life with her.
“There aren’t many people at this showing?”
As they walked into the theater, Zhang Xincheng glanced at the audience, noticing only a scattering of about a dozen people.
It was the weekend, usually a busy time for movies, but the entire cinema felt deserted.
“Fewer people means it’s quieter.”
Liu Yue pulled Zhang Xincheng along, and they found their seats according to their tickets.
They sat down side-by-side.
They had bought drinks and popcorn, placing them on the armrest between them.
Only then did Zhang Xincheng look at the movie ticket.
“The Road to Finding. Judging by the title, it’s completely unappealing.”
He leaned back in his seat, finding a comfortable position.
He was prepared to have a good nap in the cinema.
Liu Yue beside him remained silent.
Instead, she squeezed his hand tighter.
The movie began.
The screening room quieted down.
The film was shot in a non-linear, flashback style.
The opening scene depicted a father and son reuniting.
Outside the company building.
The father, carrying his luggage, met his son’s gaze.
It was after work, and his son was surrounded by colleagues.
As the father was about to call out to him, his son signaled him to stop with his eyes.
With no other choice, he followed his son, carrying his worn luggage.
His son continued to chat and laugh with his colleagues, but his peripheral vision kept darting back towards his father.
The camera slowly zoomed out.
The image blurred.
Boom!
The Road to Finding
The movie’s title appeared on the big screen in special effects.
The story officially began here.
“Is this movie about a father and son?”
Zhang Xincheng frowned and leaned closer to Liu Yue’s ear, whispering his question.
“I’m not sure, I just picked one at random.”
Liu Yue smiled and shook her head. Her smile was beautiful, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
“Alright…”
Zhang Xincheng didn’t believe Liu Yue’s explanation.
If she had picked it randomly, she would have chosen the earliest showing. Why would she wait over an hour, and then happen to pick a movie about father-son relationships?
However, he didn’t say anything more.
Zhang Xincheng knew his girlfriend meant well.
He wasn’t the type to be overly sensitive.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have shared everything with his girlfriend.
Therefore, he wouldn’t blame Liu Yue for taking the initiative. If this movie could truly help him come to terms with his father’s affairs, he would only thank her, not resent her.
…
The movie continued.
Although the plot was a bit cliché, the actors' performances were so good that no one left midway.
In the film.
The father worked on a construction site.
During the Chinese New Year, due to the foreman owing wages, he went to the foreman’s house to demand payment.
To his surprise, the other party not only refused to pay but also told him to get lost.
Because his son was sick and it was the New Year, and the family had no money, the father pleaded with the foreman again and again, begging him to give him just a little, even just enough for his son’s medical expenses.
However, he was driven away by the foreman’s family and shut out of the door.
Having no other choice, the father could only pound on the door outside, begging.
Watching the actor’s performance on screen.
Zhang Xincheng’s hands involuntarily clenched.
Liu Yue beside him felt his change, glanced at him, and then, ignoring his hand that was hurting from being clenched, placed her other hand on top of his.
Liu Yue’s thoughtful gesture warmed Zhang Xincheng’s heart, and he instantly relaxed.
“When I was little and suddenly had a high fever, Dad carried me for several hours on mountain roads overnight to get me treatment.”
Zhang Xincheng leaned close to Liu Yue’s ear and whispered.
Liu Yue’s heart leaped at his words, but she showed little outward reaction. She merely nodded and smiled at Zhang Xincheng.
The movie continued.
Amidst the father’s pleas, the door opened.
As a glimmer of hope appeared on the father’s face, he was met with a basin of cold water.
Cold water in winter.
The father paid no mind to these things. Shivering, he clung to the foreman’s leg, all for the money to save his son.
This scene was the highlight of the entire film.
The acting was incredibly realistic, and the plot was deeply heart-wrenching.
However, such plotlines had become common, so while the audience felt some empathy, they didn’t necessarily break into tears.
Zhang Xincheng, however, felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.
Later in the story, during a struggle, the father accidentally struck the foreman, leaving him in a vegetative state.
He was eventually sentenced to prison.
However, he was also overjoyed.
Because the money the foreman owed him would finally be forcibly disbursed.
That money could be used to treat his son.
He was already very content.
In a blink, it was time for his release.
He walked out of the iron gate with a full heart, only to find no one there.
When he returned home, everything had changed.
A neighbor told him that because his father was in prison, his son was mocked by classmates. To avoid being affected, the mother and son had moved away.
The father resolved to search for his wife and child. Even if they didn’t reconcile, just seeing them would be enough for him.
The subsequent plot followed his journey of searching for clues about his wife and son.
He followed one lead after another.
He finally found his son’s company.
This was the scene at the beginning of the film.
This time, his son ignored his father.
But he did not give up.
After several more interactions,
the son finally accepted him.
As the father and son embraced in tears,
the movie transitioned to the son’s flashback.
It showed happy times spent with his father when he was little.
At this point, the background music began.
Piano and strings.
Combined with the flashback scenes in the movie,
it drew the audience in completely.
“Always asking from you but never saying thank you,
Only when I grew up did I understand how hard it was for you.
Each time I left, I’d pretend to be relaxed,
Smiling and saying ‘Go back,’ then turning away with tears in my eyes.”
The first voice to sing was Zhao De’s.
His strong physique and deep voice made him more relatable and thought-provoking when singing this type of song.
Moreover, the lyrics of this song were simple and ordinary, conveying fatherly love in the most direct way.
“What is this song?”
“The movie’s theme song?”
“Shh… these lyrics, paired with the movie scenes, are clearly designed to be tear-jerking…”
“Huh? I just fell asleep, is the movie over?”
“The plot was predictable, a bit boring. Now, with this song, why do I have goosebumps?”
As the singing began,
the quiet cinema was suddenly filled with hushed whispers.
Zhang Xincheng, however, froze, staring intently at the screen.
His jaw clenched, listening carefully to the song.