Chapter 109: The Mission of the Leeks (Please add to your favorites, please vote!)

After editing and posting his Weibo update, Li Shixin called An Xiaoxiao over to apply two medicated plasters to his back before heading to bed. Having spent the entire day running around—from performing to handling matters at the Cultural Bureau—the exhausted Li Shixin fell into a deep sleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

While he slept soundly, Li Shixin’s Weibo account was in an uproar following the publication of his update and the release of the play’s video.

To be honest, the footage shot by Zhang Ying on a family camcorder was of poor quality. After compression, the resolution was, at best, 360p. In many parts, such as the third act—"I No Longer Recognize the Person in the Mirror"—the subtle nuances of Li Shixin’s facial expressions were entirely lost. Furthermore, the ambient noise from the venue made it feel like watching a pirated, shaky-cam recording of a movie.

However, this did not detract from the profound impact of *Only You*. The story moved countless netizens to tears. By ten o'clock that night, Li Shixin’s Weibo had exploded. Though the video had only been up for two hours with just over 8,000 views, it had already garnered over 5,000 likes and 3,000 shares. The comment section was a frenzy:

"Why would you make me watch this late at night, you jerk! My tears, I can't stop my tears! I saw the Weibo post about looking for a missing elderly person a few days ago, checked out the old gentleman's previous posts, and went from a passerby to a fan! I look forward to more moving content from you, sir!"

"Sob, sob, sob. Teacher Li is too cruel. I'm on duty at the hospital keeping my girlfriend company, sitting on a bench, and I’m crying like an idiot watching this play. People walking by keep patting my shoulder; they probably think I have a terminal illness..."

"Just got back from my night shift and finished watching this on the subway. I cried the whole way. When I got home and saw my mom was fine, I thought of the old man in the play and became terrified that we might end up like that one day. The more I thought about it, the sadder I got. I was eating the food my mom left for me while crying so hard I nearly choked. It made her so angry she grabbed my ear and asked if her cooking was really that terrible! Sob, sob, my ear is swollen, but feeling my mom’s grip makes me feel so happy!"

"A play with a conscience! Seriously, if this were turned into a movie, I’d buy ten tickets just to support it! It’s so heartfelt!"

"It truly is heartfelt. Whether it’s the script, the stage design, or the actors' performances, it’s more sincere than so many movies today. The story is ordinary, but it’s that very reality and genuine emotion in the mundane that touched me so deeply!"

"I used to only know Alzheimer’s as 'senile dementia' and never really understood it. After watching *Only You*, I drove to my grandfather’s house tonight. My grandmother passed away three years ago, and he lives alone. My mom said he’s been a bit forgetful lately, and I’ve decided to move in with him. Regardless of whether he truly has this disease, I want to spend more time with him and provide whatever warmth I can in his twilight years."

"Good on you, upstairs. Like!"

"Brothers, don't just cry! Teacher Li released the recording, which might affect the theater's ticket sales. Let’s not just 'leech' off this for free. Everyone, respond to Teacher Li's call and help spread the word! Especially those near Rongdian, please help promote the play and the theater. Let more people see this heartfelt performance and learn about Alzheimer’s!"

"Time to share and spread the word!"

"+1!"
"+10086!"
...

At Huaqi Advertising, the lights were still burning bright in the middle of the night. As the original business pillar of the Huaqi Group, Huaqi Advertising was once a leader among the country's 4A agencies. However, in recent years, after the group underwent a second reform—especially since Chairwoman Zhao Jinzhi delegated authority and General Manager Meng Nan took over as CEO—Huaqi Group had shifted its focus toward culture and entertainment. With the lack of attention from above, the company’s industry standing had been shaken by newcomers, despite having access to high-quality talent resources.

Yang Kuan, the project team leader, rubbed his throbbing temples, walked over to the blinds of the office area, and looked out at the sleeping city with a deep frown. Next month, the CCTV advertising department was soliciting public service announcements to select three outstanding works for a series of exhibitions on the theme of a "Civilized Society." The project itself was not profitable, but securing a spot would undoubtedly be the best proof of the company's strength. The entire firm had been working on this for over two weeks, yet no particularly brilliant pitch had emerged.

"Boss, you should take a break if you're tired."

Seeing his red-eyed colleague, Yang Kuan waved a hand. "The *Echoes of the Mountains* pitch isn't working. The theme of supporting education is fine, but the script is too contrived and artificial. It all floats on the surface without deeply reflecting the spirit of dedication shown by teachers in remote mountainous areas. Put that aside for now; let’s see if we have any other good ideas."

Hearing this, the team member sighed. "Boss, we've gone through over a dozen pitches these past few days... there really isn't anything particularly outstanding. Maybe... we should just make do."

"Keep looking. President Liu has spoken. We must secure a spot in this public service exhibition. You know, the exhibition starts in January. If we land this, it will benefit the company’s business volume for the entire year. 'Making do' is not an option."

"Then what should we do?"

"Keep grinding! Tell the screenwriters to push harder, and the copyright department should keep their eyes peeled on our library of themes. If push comes to shove and there’s a great work out there, we’ll buy the rights and adapt it!"

"Got it! I’ll handle the communication tomorrow morning."

As they were talking, a colleague slammed the table. "Boss! You need to come over here!"

Hearing the shout, Yang Kuan hurried over. "What's wrong?"

"Take a look at this! A video shared on Weibo. It’s a play about Alzheimer’s. I just took a quick look, and I think it’s excellent!"

Taking the colleague's phone, Yang Kuan scanned the tear-filled comments and read the content of Li Shixin’s latest update. His eyes lit up. He immediately connected the phone to the Bluetooth and projected it onto the large screen in the office area.

The team, already exhausted to the point of brain-fog, frowned at the blurry image. However, as the play began and the actors delivered their brilliant, authentic performance, telling a simple yet grounded story, everyone in the office suddenly felt wide awake.

"Why did you make me watch this at this hour? Oh man, my nose... it’s stinging like crazy."

"Ah, it’s been a long time since I cried watching something. That damn low-quality footage really hindered the mood, though."

"I think this is great! Over the last two years, as our country’s population has aged rapidly, the family and social issues caused by diseases like Alzheimer’s have become increasingly prominent. The ethical, legal, and medical problems involved are becoming even more acute!"

"This play does a great job of presenting the conflicts between Alzheimer’s patients and their families from both the father's and daughter's perspectives. It’s rare to find something so healing, so positive, and so moving! Boss, I think we should talk about acquiring the rights! We could adapt it, tighten it up, and it would make for a truly brilliant public service ad!"

Hearing his colleague's suggestion, Yang Kuan nodded deeply and picked up the phone. He called his contact in the copyright department. "Brother Wang, it’s Yang Kuan. I have an urgent matter, and I need your support. Come with me to Rongdian tomorrow. There’s a copyright we need to secure."