Of course, this isn't the main point. The main point is that the less-than-five-minute trailer is simply too eye-catching!
Open the video, and the first thing that catches your eye is a cartoon version of a family of three, with the clear and resonant voice of a narrator appearing at the appropriate time.
[What is a child? He/she says...]
[Ma~ma~]
[Ba~hug~]
The toddler stretches out his/her little hands, stumbling into the embrace of his/her parents.
[What is a child? He/she says...]
[Love mommy~]
[Love daddy the most~]
The family of three is blissful and joyful, making people can't help but smile.
[What is a child? He/she says...]
The scene shifts, and the classic clips from 'Dad Is Home' reappear.
[This is how my dad always plays pitiful to soften my mom's heart.]
[He/she says...]
[Dad, you're so bad at acting.]
[He/she says...]
[Why are you crying? Did a chicken peck you?]
[He/she says...]
[When I couldn't poop, my mom would buy me XXX, and then I would XXX right away...]
Bullet comments:
[...Well done, tears have successfully receded. Production team, you really know how to pull the heartstrings.]
[Production team, be honest, was Fan Jin holding a knife to your neck when you added those mosaics?]
[Haha, I said back then that this scene would definitely become Fan Jin's dark history.]
...
While the bullet comments are lively, the video has already moved on to the next step.
[Later, he/she grew up, had his/her own secrets, had his/her own friends. He/she needed an independent space, but... as family members, can they really let go?]
The next second, several familiar faces appear.
Fan Hongru: [Of course I'm totally fine with it.]
As he finishes speaking, his wife can't help but give him a slap.
Geng Ming couple: [We're still a bit worried that she can't take good care of herself.]
Mao Zhu couple: [The child has grown up, and she has to walk her own path in the future. We can't always follow behind her. No matter how worried we are, we have to try to let go.]
Lin Yan: [I'm not worried about him. He's been a boarding student since high school.]
Chen Xingyuan: [Indeed, Xindi has been sensible since she was little, so I'm really not too worried.]
Background voice:
[Parental love means making plans for their children's future. Even though they are reluctant, they still decide to let go and allow their children to be independent—]
[Impossible.] Ji Mochen's voice suddenly interjects, instantly shattering the previous sentimentality, and the plot takes a 180-degree turn.
[Our daughter said she wants to live with us forever, to take care of us in our old age. She won't live independently.]
Next to him, Ling Chujin nods heavily: [Yes.]
Bullet comments: ??
The director falls silent for a moment, then asks: [So what was the reason that made you agree to the program team's invitation?]
Ling Chujin looks serious: [My daughter said that this program can feature our family of three together, as a memento.]
Ji Mochen, the sidekick beside her: [Yes.]
The picture freezes, and the post-production team conscientiously adds a subtitle: [Okay, that's not important, let's move on to the next step.]
[So, why did the children agree to participate in this program?]
In response, Fan Jin, who has successfully grown into a sunny and outgoing young man, says:
[My dad said I either have to participate in 'Independent Living,' or a dating show, or find a partner myself.]
Staff: [Is it that you don't want to find a partner right now? Or do you have a partner but it's inconvenient to bring her back?]
Fan Jin is surprised: [How is that possible? The main reason is that I just graduated from university this year. I don't want to find someone so quickly. I can't even take care of myself properly, how can I take care of a girlfriend?]
Then, the camera moves to the next person.
Mao Ziqing smiles shyly: [My dad said he wanted to bring me here to show off a bit since I just won an award.]
Bullet comments: ???
[So this is what kind of person old Mao is!]
[Haha, this kid is so frank? Just blurting it out like that? Doesn't treat us as outsiders at all.]
[!! Wow, I just checked, and the award she won is super prestigious. No wonder old Mao wants to show off. If it were me, my family would have a separate page in our genealogy book!]
...
[As for me? My dad felt I was working too hard and wanted me to relax a bit.] The sharp-dressed Geng Zhenzhen smiles lightly.
The bullet comments are all exclaiming how different she looks from when she was little, not like the little girl who cried and said she couldn't go out on her own.
...
[My parents are too lovey-dovey, so they didn't want me, the third wheel, to always be around shining my light. So they brought me to participate in the program, under the pretense of...]
Lin Xindi pushes up her gold-rimmed glasses and says, [As long as I'm not starved to death, I can live on my own.]
Bullet comments: ...Feel sorry for this kid for a second.
However, just as the sympathetic comments are being typed out, the tone starts to shift, because—
[I'm too busy, my parents are too bored, so they brought them out to film a family reality show.]
Director: You said you won't move out to live on your own?
[Yes.]
Director: Is it mainly because your parents don't agree?
[No.] Ji Ruochu smiles, [They would never object to anything I do. It's just that I don't want to myself. After all...
My parents, they cling too much. If I move out, my dad would cry eight hundred times a day.]
Director: ...Silence.
Bullet comments:
[Ji Mochen: Yes.]
[Haha, help, this line sounds a bit familiar.]
[It's you, Ji Mochen, clinging to your wife when you were young, and now clinging to your daughter in middle age.]
[Not just that, even when you were on 'Dad Is Home,' you were already clinging to Ruochu, right?]
...
Afterwards, the production team asked the five families a few more questions, and the promotional video came to an end.
[What will the children's independent living be like? Tune in to Strawberry Channel every Saturday night at 8 pm~]
And so, amidst the peculiar filial piety of several families, 'The Child's Independent Living' became a hit even before it aired. The production team didn't even have time to remember to buy trending search rankings, and the show had already reached the top of the hot search list.
The production team, which saved a lot of promotion costs: Good, good, good, this unexpected windfall is really coming!
***
Yihua has been secluded for a few days, organizing the subsequent plot. Our Ruochu is also about to enter the final stage. Today, I'll try to update more to see if I can finish writing it.
Also, dear readers, is there any extra content you'd like to see? You can tell Yihua, and I'll see if I can arrange it.
