When Li Dahai was a 6-year-old boy, his childhood paradise collapsed. His parents divorced him and left him without a warm home, and he started a difficult life with his mother in a cramped and simple old house.
It is a small room of only 18 square meters, and as soon as you step into this "home", you can feel the old and damp in the air. The peeling off-white wall skin, the mottled cement bricks on the floor, and the crumbling wooden doors and window lattices all reveal the age of the house.
This small space is crammed with old furniture from the last century, and what was once the starting point of newlywed life is now the last hope for mother and son to live in. Li Dahai lives here with his mother, and in a trance, it seems to have traveled back to the 80s.
They don't even have their own kitchens and bathrooms, and they have to share communal facilities with other residents, which seriously affects their quality of life. Li Dahai still clearly remembers that whenever he wanted to go to the toilet on a cold winter night, he had to wrap his clothes tightly and brave the cold wind to run to the public toilet dozens of meters away.
Despite all the hardships of life, my mother managed to barely maintain the 20-square-metre apartment on her meager income. Li Dahai saw it in his eyes and understood in his heart that it was not easy for his mother, who dropped out of school before finishing high school and went out to work, hoping to reduce some financial burden for his family.
Now that time has passed, their mother and son have spent a long 28 years in this humble "home". Li Dahai hopes that one day he can improve this difficult life and let his mother live a comfortable life.
While Li Dahai spent his poor years with his mother in a cramped old house, his father, Li Chengru, was already a well-known actor and lived in a spacious and comfortable courtyard villa near the Forbidden City.
He has a successful career and a wealthy family, but he has never cared about the lives of Li Dahai and his ex-wife. In Li Chengru's eyes, Li Dahai is just a useless loser, doing nothing, and not fighting as hard as he did back then.
In 2013, Li Dahai participated in the talent show, hoping to take this opportunity to prove himself and win his father's approval. Who knew that Li Chengru not only did not give encouragement, but humiliated and denied Li Dahai in public, found out all kinds of shortcomings in him, and thought that he was not talented and had nothing to praise.
This is undoubtedly a heavy blow to Li Dahai's self-esteem, making him lose face in front of everyone.
Li Dahai froze in place, disappointment and pain spreading in his heart. He didn't expect that the opportunity to compete would instead become a stage for his father to humiliate him, and his dream of recognition was shattered, and his heart was full of resentment.
Li Chengru's words cut into his heart like a knife, and Li Dahai only felt as if he had nothing. Only then did he realize that the difference in living environment made it difficult to bridge the gap between father and son, and his father's recognition and support were no matter how extravagant.
However, on the other hand, Li Dahai did not sincerely hope to be recognized by his father? Despite the blows, he still longed for his father's love in the depths of his heart, and this also became the driving force behind his continuous struggle.
Li Dahai will not give up his dream easily, he wants to prove that he has the strength to impress his father. Because he cared too much about his father's opinion, Li Chengru's denial made Li Dahai even more painful.
Music is Li Dahai's soul sustenance. After dropping out of high school, he worked odd jobs in restaurants during the day, and sang in bars with his guitar at night, impressing many people with his simple but sincere singing voice.
Despite his meager income, Li Dahai still loves the stage, and he finds the meaning of life in playing and singing.
In 2002, Li Dahai was recommended by his father Li Chengru to play a small role in the TV series he starred in. This is undoubtedly an opportunity for the relationship between father and son to ease.
6 years later, Li Dahai once again participated in "Young Chess King" through Li Chengru's recommendation. When his father's aura added opportunities to his career, Li Dahai also felt the weight of responsibility.
In 2013, Li Dahai won the third place of the year with his outstanding stage performance in the talent show. The success of the competition made him stand out in the entertainment industry and gradually gained recognition in the industry.
This became a stepping stone for Li Dahai's further struggle. Now he is no longer the young man who struggled to make a living on the streets, and his music career is on the right track.
Li Dahai understood his parents' doubts about his growth process, so he worked harder to fulfill his dream. He devotes himself to writing public welfare songs to tell the stories of the underprivileged in society.
At the same time, he taught himself directing knowledge, actively participated in public welfare undertakings, and showed his edge among young filmmakers. Li Dahai hopes that these achievements will allow his father to see his growth and feel sincerely gratified.
Despite his career achievements, Li Dahai still longs for his father's sincere approval deep down. He doesn't want to be forever fixed in the impression of "Li Chengru's son", but wants his father to say things like "I, Li Chengru's son, Li Dahai", from the bottom of his heart.
This requires him to constantly challenge himself and impress his father with more amazing strength.
Although Li Chengru is busy with work, he still often cares about his son Li Dahai's situation. When Li Dahai asked him to ask for a piano, Li Chengru had a tough attitude and a stern tone.
But soon he quietly bought a piano and sent it to Li Dahai's humble home. This is undoubtedly a manifestation of father's love, and it also makes Li Dahai feel the weakness and concern in his heart.
In 2013, Li Dahai's outstanding performance in the talent show also impressed his strict father Li Chengru. He seemed to see that this son was gradually on the road to maturity, and changed his impression of his unworldly affairs.
Li Dahai's later achievements also made Li Chengru look up to him. He was pleased to find that this son was stepping into a turning point in his life and began to make commendable achievements.
Now that the relationship between father and son is gradually softening, Li Chengru no longer imposes his own success standards, but respects Li Dahai's life plan and choice. Through his own efforts and strength, Li Dahai gradually changed the impression of the "son who did nothing" in his father's heart.
He is determined to no longer be limited to the identity of "Li Chengru's son", but to step out of his father's halo and win the achievements belonging to "Li Dahai" through his own efforts. This is what he has been hoping to achieve for 28 years.
There was a lot of grudge between father and son, and misunderstanding became an obstacle to reconciliation. Li Dahai understands that only forgiveness can lead to a new life. So he chose not to care, no longer resentful, and only hoped that the father-son relationship could break the ice.
Li Dahai decided to use the passion and persistence of youth to move Li Chengru, so that his father could witness his growth and progress.
At first, Li Chengru was skeptical of Li Dahai's choice and was still prejudiced. But when he saw the brilliance of his son on the stage, Li Chengru couldn't help but be moved.
He gradually realized that Li Dahai was not the cowardly teenager in his impression, he was growing up little by little, becoming tough and responsible.
Li Chengru gradually put aside his prejudices and gladly accepted Li Dahai's music career. He no longer asks Li Dahai to follow in his footsteps, but gives support, and is sincerely proud of his son's achievements.
Witnessing Li Dahai's step-by-step transformation process also made Li Chengru learn to tolerate and respect different life choices.
And Li Dahai finally waited for the long-lost father's love, like a blooming flower. He felt that his father's recognition and recognition was the best encouragement for his growth, which gave him the courage to continue to struggle.
Li Dahai believes that in the days to come, father and son will support each other and write a new chapter in their lives together.