Chapter 11: Love drives you mad; without love, you become strong!

The next day.

The opening-day box office for Lost Love Thirty-Three Days has been released.

To be honest, it's ridiculously low.

Only over two million in box office!

But that's okay.

Yet its word-of-mouth spread online.

"Lost Love Thirty-Three Days is a great film; after watching it, I felt deeply moved!"

"I never expected this movie to be directed by Teng Hua Tao, but the film is indeed good and worth a watch!"

"Finally, the Summer Blockbuster Season has produced a good film; I strongly recommend everyone go see it!"

"No... did they hire online shills for this movie? Does anyone actually go see Teng Hua Tao's films?"

"The opening-day box office is only over two million—is it really that low?"

"I'm really not a shill; this movie is truly great—I haven't seen such a moving domestic film in years, and when I watched it last night I cried my heart out!"

"I don't believe it; Teng Hua Tao must have bought shills!"

How to put it.

These reviews contain both praise and criticism,

The positive reviews mostly come from viewers who have seen the film, posting online.

As for the negative reviews,

they are probably just seeing the director's name and instinctively thinking it's a bad film.

Meanwhile, on this side,

the team behind Lost Love Thirty-Three Days.

Director Teng Hua Tao and investor Lin Mo.

These two aren't panicking at all.

Especially Lin Mo.

Things have only just begun; let the bullets fly for a while.

Chen Yu.

She has graduated less than a year ago.

She currently works at an advertising company.

These past few days, she has been feeling dazed and listless.

Because she was dumped.

Her boyfriend of five years found someone new and dumped her.

Whenever she thinks back on the little moments she shared with her ex-boyfriend, she feels upset.

After work,

Chen Yu happened to overhear coworkers discussing a movie.

"Let's go see a movie later; yesterday several of my friends recommended this film on Moments, saying it's really good!"

"Sure, no problem—what's the movie called?"

"I think it's called Lost Love Thirty-Three Days?"

"Come on, let's eat first and then go watch after we finish!"

Lost Love Thirty-Three Days?

Is this movie also about a breakup?

I don't know why.

Chen Yu suddenly felt like going to see it.

So,

She opened the app, searched for Lost Love Thirty-Three Days, and seeing there was a show at 10 p. m., she decisively bought a ticket.

When evening came,

Chen Yu went to the cinema alone.

And there were not a few viewers like her.

"I argued with someone on Weibo yesterday; he insisted the movie was good, I didn't believe him, we fought all night, I refuse to be swayed, so I came especially to see it!"

"Holy shit, dude, you're ruthless!"

"I saw a recommendation for this film on Moments; my friend wouldn't lie to me!"

"Um, I wanted to ask, didn't Teng Hua Tao previously direct a TV drama called Dwelling Narrowness?"

"Yeah, that's him; after Dwelling Narrowness, all his works have been terrible, and I don't know if I've been lied to by my friends..."

From the surrounding audience's chatter,

most of them came because they saw a friend recommend the film on Moments.

But that's okay.

Everyone's afraid.

Afraid of getting scammed!

As the movie began, the chatter in the theater gradually died down.

Chen Yu was quickly drawn into the film's plot.

She noticed,

that her own experience resembled that of Huang Xiaoxian in the movie.

She was also dumped by her boyfriend.

However, Huang Xiao Xian fared much worse; she was backstabbed by her best friend...

Why did the movie Lost Love 33 Days become so popular in my previous life?

That's because everyone's heartbreak process is actually quite similar: from being unable to bear the pain, to pretending to forget, then to forgetting each other in the rivers and lakes; heartbreak is just losing a habit—who hasn't experienced heartbreak?

Chen Yu watched it very seriously.

The movie's plot is also very well-arranged, just like the film's title: from the helplessness of heartbreak, then day by day adjusting, until on the thirty-third day they found someone more suitable for themselves.

Especially when Chen Yu saw Huang Xiao Xian regretting her harshness toward her ex-boyfriend, in the scene where she chases a taxi on the road.

That line kept lingering in her mind.

"Please forgive me, the road ahead is too perilous; among so many people in the world, only you give me the greatest sense of security; please don't just give up on me like this, please don't abandon me..."

Plus the movie's background music, the scene, and Huang Xiao Xian's inner cry successfully brought her into this sad plot.

Even.

At this moment.

Chen Yu actually thought about making the taxi stop, then letting the two get back together; fortunately, Wang Xiao Jian appeared, his slap not only woke Huang Xiao Xian, but also woke Chen Yu, who was watching the movie in reality, as well as the audience who shared the same thought.

After the movie ended, the lights slowly came up; Chen Yu sat in her seat, seemingly still immersed in Huang Xiao Xian's world without detaching, while the surrounding audience began to rise and leave—some with smiles, seemingly still recalling a scene from the film, others with furrowed brows, seemingly sighing over the characters' fate.

Meanwhile, Chen Yu took a deep breath, feeling an unprecedented sense of relief, as if a huge stone in her heart had been quietly moved away.

She slowly rose, walked out of the theater; the night's cool breeze brushed her cheeks, bringing a hint of clarity.

Chen Yu looked up at the starry sky and silently said to herself: "Yeah, heartbreak isn't necessarily a bad thing; it could be the start of your next happiness—love wildly, or stay strong if you don't love."

Speaking of which.

She really ought to thank the movie Lost Love 33 Days for letting her find her own strength in others' stories, learn how to emerge from the shadow of heartbreak, and welcome a better future.

So, Chen Yu took out her phone, snapped a picture of the movie ticket, then posted it on her social media with the caption: "Just finished watching Lost Love 33 Days, quite moving! Huang Xiao Xian's experience is somewhat like mine lately, but life is just about falling down and getting back up! This movie, my little spiritual comfort, after watching I feel much clearer inside. Heartbreak? No problem, just change direction and run—true love might be waiting at the next corner! Share a movie ticket stub, keep a memorial. Friends, when things don't go our way, let's bear it together—love bravely, or let go if not; tomorrow the sun is still new, good night, sweet dreams!"