Xiao Yue put down her pen, looked up, and gazed at her mother.

Pinghua was a short woman with a coarse and ugly appearance and some baldness. Xiaoyue, on the other hand, had been well-nourished since childhood and was already tall by junior high school. Even when sitting, she was almost at eye level with Pinghua when they looked at each other.

Pinghua took a small, square box out of her pocket and handed it to Xiaoyue with a proud and expectant smile: "Look what this is?"

Xiao Yue took the small box and struggled to open it. After a moment, a look of surprise appeared on her face.

"Wow!"

Pinghua said proudly, "This was sent by your third aunt from Huxi. It's the latest model. Your third aunt said that wearing it makes you feel like you're deaf."

Inside the box was a small pair of earbuds, in a lovely pink color and with a very soft texture.

Xiao Yue stood up and gave Pinghua a big kiss on the cheek: "Mom, I love you the most!"

"Give it a try," Pinghua rubbed her hands together. "See how it works. There are instructions underneath, but the print is too small for me to read."

Xiao Yue nodded, picked up the earplug, kneaded it into a thin cone shape, and skillfully twisted it into her ear.

The layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the details. Zheng Bohan, sitting in the audience, couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly.

After putting on both earplugs, Apple Blossom asked eagerly, "Baby, can you hear what I'm saying?"

Xiao Yue didn't react; she was still pushing the earplugs in with her head down.

Pinghua raised her voice: "Guan Yue!"

Xiao Yue suddenly snapped out of her daze and looked up: "Mom, what's wrong?"

Pinghua asked loudly, "How's the soundproofing?"

Xiao Yue nodded vigorously: "Okay! I can hear a little bit of sound, but it's very faint."

Pinghua rushed into the west room again, and after a while came back: "Did you hear what Mom said in that room just now?"

Xiao Yue laughed: "No, not at all. Did you say anything?"

Pinghua was relieved and gestured, "Hurry up and take it out."

Xiao Yue took off her earplugs: "Why did you suddenly think of buying these?"

Pinghua glanced at the west room and lowered her voice, saying, "Your grandma is always yelling, you can hear her even in the east room, let alone in your middle room... I'm afraid she'll disturb your studies."

Xiao Yue paused for a moment, then shook her head: "It's okay, I'm used to it. My grandma sings quite well."

"That won't do!" There was no one else in the room. Pinghua affectionately kissed her daughter's cheek, her uneven teeth showing as she spoke, "Yaya, wearing this will make you less angry. Although your grandma can't speak, she can gesture. If people see this, they'll say behind your back that you're unfilial..."

A look of surprise flashed across Xiao Yue's eyes: "Mom, I—"

"It's okay," Pinghua patted Xiaoyue's hair. "Mom is your mom, and you are Mom's precious child. Put it on quickly, Mom won't disturb your studies anymore."

Xiao Yue fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked with a smile, "How much does a pair of these earplugs cost?"

Pinghua clicked her tongue and said, "This is an imported product! The original price is several hundred yuan, but your third aunt gave you a discount, and you got it for just over a hundred yuan."

Xiao Yue swallowed hard. "This is such a great deal! My classmate has a similar one, and it cost him 300 yuan... My mom is so smart."

Xiao Yue cupped Pinghua's face in his hands and kissed her a few more times. He happily put his earplugs back in and went back to his seat to continue studying.

Pinghua rubbed her hands together, a little proud and satisfied, and went out the door happily.

After a while, the mute woman's singing started again. Pinghua quietly lifted the curtain a crack to observe Xiaoyue's reaction.

Xiao Yue seemed oblivious, her back straight as she continued doing her exercises. The mute woman sang for a long time, but Xiao Yue's pen flew across the paper, as if she hadn't been affected at all.

Pinghua breathed a sigh of relief and lowered the curtain.

The tassels of the deep red curtain drooped to the floor, and at the same time, Xiao Yue drew a sharp vertical line on the paper.

The camera gave Xiaoyue's homework a close-up, very briefly, less than half a second, and it was gone in a flash.

The theater was very quiet, with nothing but the sound of the movie.

The character Xiao Yue in the middle school years was already played by Shang Yechu. Generally speaking, it's easy for a twenty-year-old to play a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl, and if not handled carefully, it can feel a bit out of place. But the Xiao Yue in the movie felt just right; neither her expressions nor her movements made the audience feel out of place at all.

The narration was unhurried; halfway through the story, Xiao Yue's loved ones were passing away one by one. Low sobs gradually filled the theater.

The emotions built up reached their peak in the scene where Yongjuan died. The crying in the theater echoed Yongfu's crying on the screen, creating a poignant and desolate atmosphere.

Shortly after the climax, Yongfu dies. The scene of Yongfu's death is particularly bizarre and profound, forming a stark contrast to the absurd and desolate feeling of Yongjuan's death.