This director is vindictive.

Chapter 486 Filial Piety Assignment: From Staged Photos to Breaking Through Defenses (Mom, Wash Your Feet 2.0)

This generation of netizens is really too...
Chen Mo felt a pang of sympathy for her for some reason, but he also wanted to laugh more than anything else!
It's no wonder Yang Mi went berserk; this joke really hit home.

This is definitely one of the topics that celebrities least want to see.

Looking at the photos, Chen Mo admired them. He had to admit that Big Secret's feet were really well-maintained.

Although Chen Mo isn't a foot fetishist, he still felt a little distracted looking at the photo.

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow at the photo: "When did she take this kind of photo?"

Fan Binbin, that woman, also knew how to kick someone when they're down. She actually walked over, stretched out her foot, and placed it on Chen Mo's leg, saying, "Look at our feet, whose are prettier?"

"Don't get involved and cause trouble!" Chen Mo rolled his eyes at her without any curiosity.

Before he could finish speaking, his phone vibrated again. This time it was a voice message from Yang Mi. He opened it and heard her hushed voice: "You're dead if you dare add random punctuation! Include a heart emoji!"

Five minutes later, @陈默V's update ignited a new wave of excitement: "Officially certified, @杨蜜V's feet smell like gardenias (heart). PS: Brands are advised to contact her agent directly to discuss perfume endorsements. #FootWashingLiteratureContest#"

However, despite Chen Mo's earnest post, netizens simply didn't buy it.

The comments section was instantly filled with jokes: "Official certification? Let me explain the certification process (doge)"

"How is Director Chen's nose? Do you need a recommendation for an ENT specialist?"

Translation: My wife's smelly feet are none of your business!

Translation: Even though my wife's feet smell bad, only I can wash them!

As a result, Yang Mi obviously tried to divert attention from this damn smelly feet topic by using another topic.

So, he immediately reposted and responded: "Hehe, some people previously said it looked like a rose (sunglasses emoji)."

After posting it, she thought she was incredibly clever, thinking that this ambiguous repost would surely divert attention from this damn topic.

However, she was clearly overthinking it.

This ambiguous repost immediately propelled #ChenMoSmelledYangMi'sFeet# to the top of the trending topics, with netizens commenting, "This dog food is of biological weapon level!"

"So what does it taste like? Director Chen, come out and show yourself!"

"So here's the question: why is the big secret in such a hurry? There's only one truth, and that's... you know what I mean!"

However, sometimes the flowers you plant with care may not bloom, while the willows you plant unintentionally may thrive.

Yang Mi's ambiguous response failed to change the subject, but a Weibo post from a netizen directly diverted everyone's attention.

Netizen @打工人的福报V posted a Weibo post: "No girlfriend, suddenly remembered that 'washing mom's feet' advertisement from back then [photo].jpg"
(Photo caption: In a simple plastic basin, a pair of calloused feet are soaking in hot water, and a young boy's hands are gently rubbing the ankles. The background is the tiled floor of an old living room.)

Compared to washing your girlfriend's feet on Valentine's Day, it's clear that family affection is more likely to touch people's hearts.

This Weibo post suddenly went viral.

The comment section quickly attracted a large number of netizens.

"I'm so moved! The background music from that 2002 CCTV public service advertisement, 'Mom, wash your feet,' with the little boy carrying a basin of water, seems to be playing in my ears... It turns out the deepest romance never needs golden melon seeds [tears emoji]"

"Chen Mo scattering golden melon seeds in a gilded basin is like an empress's treatment, while the poster using a plastic basin to hold plain water is just like everyday life—but the way Mom's eyes are red is exactly the same as Fan Binbin's!"

"I just got yelled at by my boss to the point of questioning my existence, and when I saw this, I suddenly rushed home to wash my mom's feet. She kept dodging me, saying, 'Why waste your time?' But when I touched the thick calluses on the soles of her feet, we both cried..."

It turns out that some kinds of love were taught to us by advertisements 20 years ago [fist emoji]

"I can't afford to scatter golden melon seeds like Director Chen, but I can scatter some mugwort sachets for my mom!"

The accompanying photo shows a stark contrast between the mottled plastic basin rim and the wrinkles on the old man's instep!
This Weibo post received a million likes because of its simple and sincere sentiments.

This caused a huge stir, with many new versions of "foot washing photos" suddenly appearing on various platforms!
A netizen posted a photo of washing his mother's feet: "Because of the foot-washing ceremony incident, I was inspired to wash my girlfriend's feet. But I slapped myself hard because I suddenly realized that I've never done this for my mother before! Waaah!"

"I'm devastated, really! I still vividly remember that public service announcement from years ago, but I wanted to do something so small for my mother, yet I can't anymore, because my mother is gone. [Crying, crying!]" "Having a wife and forgetting my mother, I'm truly despicable! I thought of washing my wife's feet, but forgot I've never even brought my elderly mother a foot-washing basin!"

Some netizens also shared photos of washing their youngest daughter's feet and photos of their youngest daughter washing their feet: "Now that I'm a mother, it seems like it's only natural to wash my child's feet every day. I've never thought about it that much. But today, my daughter suddenly brought me water to wash my feet, and I couldn't help but cry because I thought of my mother. I just called my mother and wanted to go back to see her, but I don't know why I couldn't help but burst into tears!"

For a time, the custom of washing feet extended from washing the feet of girlfriends and wives to washing the feet of mothers and fathers.

The #WashYourParents'FeetChallenge# has emerged on short video platforms.
Working people posted comparison photos: "Left: Chen Mo's gilded basin with rose petals; Right: My foot bath basin with my mom's hair floating in it [laughing and crying] -- but it got ten times more likes than Valentine's Day couple photos?!"

"That makes sense, because you might have more than one girlfriend, but you'll only ever have one mother!"

Why do I feel inexplicably offended by what the person upstairs said?

Meanwhile, the topic of "nostalgic foot washing" suddenly appeared on various platforms, with countless people digging out old photos: post-90s generation shared images of themselves sitting on small stools rubbing their grandfathers' feet as children, post-80s generation uploaded screenshots of vlogs of washing their parents' feet when they left home for college 20 years ago, and the most tear-jerking was a blogger who was fighting cancer and washed his mother's feet during chemotherapy. When the swollen ankles were submerged in the medicinal soup, the barrage was filled with "I broke down".

This trend even caught the attention of mainstream media.

The official Weibo account of Renren Daily published a special report titled "From Gilded Basins to Enamel Mugs: The Cultural Heritage Behind the Foot-Washing Ceremony," which specifically mentioned: "When Chen Mo interprets love with courtly etiquette, millions of ordinary people are awakening memories of filial piety with the same gesture. This cross-class cultural resonance is perhaps the most precious derivative of the 'foot-washing phenomenon.' Thumbs up to 'young people transforming the online frenzy into a return to family affection!'"

The most surprising reaction to this wave of nostalgia has been from the education sector.

Primary and secondary schools in many places have assigned "family affection homework," requiring students to record videos of washing their elders' feet.

A key middle school's Chinese language department even incorporated "Chen Mo's Foot Washing Ceremony" into its teaching case studies, and the essay topic "The Weight of a Basin of Water" asked students to analyze "emotional expression in the material age."

One parent complained on Weibo: "Now, checking homework requires checking if the foot bath water is hot enough. This has reached a new level of complexity!"

Interestingly, while this "foot-washing ceremony" was sweeping the internet, many people suddenly realized that "filial piety homework" had already become popular!

Many schools now assign "family-oriented practical assignments".
For example, assignments such as "wash your parents' feet", "massage your grandparents", "cook a meal for your family", and "record a day in the life of an elder" usually require children to take photos or videos and post them in the class group to "check in".

In the past, many parents thought this was "formalism," and some parents even took a staged photo and let their children touch their feet a couple of times to complete the assignment.

But after this "foot-washing ceremony" went viral, many parents suddenly realized that this kind of homework is actually useful!
One mother commented on Weibo: "I used to think that these 'filial piety assignments' from schools were just for show, and that the kids could just take a picture and be done with it. But today, after seeing the trending topic #ChenMo'sFootWashingCeremony#, I suddenly realized that this kind of assignment is actually quite good! At least it lets the kids know that being filial isn't just about saying it, but about actually doing something about it."

Some parents also shared photos of their children's previous assignments, with the caption: "I used to think they were just 'staged photos,' but now when I look at them, the old lady is smiling so happily when my child is washing her grandmother's feet... It turns out that this kind of assignment can really make people feel warm."

Some even joked, "Now that I think about it, schools know better than us adults how to cultivate filial piety in children! We shout 'be filial to your parents' all the time, but we've never even washed our parents' feet. We're not as serious as our children."

Of course, some netizens also complained: "Some parents are too fussy. They even take 'blockbuster' photos of their children washing their feet, scattering flower petals in the foot bath and posing them. They're more particular than Chen Mo... Is this a filial homework assignment or a 'parents' WeChat Moments photography contest'?"

Regardless, this "foot-washing ceremony" craze has indeed made many people rethink – filial piety isn't just about words, but about real actions. Whether it's washing your partner's feet or massaging your parents' backs, true love is often hidden in the most ordinary little things.

Entertainment Weekly Special Commentary: "The 'Foot Washing Ceremony' in the Chinese-Speaking Entertainment Industry: A Nationwide Resonance of Love and Respect"

The article states that the reason this seemingly simple foot-washing ceremony triggered such a tsunami-like reaction is that it shattered the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, allowing the public to see the most authentic form of love.

When Chen Mo knelt down and lifted Fan Binbin's ankle, the golden melon seeds and rose petals in the gilded basin were merely embellishments. What truly touched people was the careful touch of his fingertips—the precious feeling of treating his lover as a treasure, which struck the soul through the misty lens.

In traditional thinking, those in high positions often find it difficult to lower their status.

But Chen Mo proved with his actions that true love doesn't require equal status, but rather a level gaze on the soul. When he massaged Fan Binbin's calloused feet, who wore high heels all year round, this detail spoke volumes—love is seeing the other person's weariness and being willing to bend down and soothe those unseen wounds.

This foot-washing ceremony unexpectedly sparked a nationwide imitation craze, precisely reflecting the lack of emotional expression in modern society. Many netizens lamented: "It turns out that romance doesn't require expensive gifts; what's lacking is the sincerity of being willing to 'humble oneself' for the other person."

When programmers use their keyboards as foot baths and delivery drivers use plastic bags to collect water, they are not replicating the form, but rather the emotional core of "seeing the other party's needs."

The media was keen to discuss how she climbed the social ladder by associating with the powerful and wealthy, but they overlooked the deep longing this strong woman had for pure affection. Chen Mo's foot-washing ceremony is like a mirror, reflecting the true demands of contemporary women under the dual standards of career and love—they want to be admired, but also yearn to be cared for.

The ending of this controversy is intriguing: when netizens made fun of Yang Mi's smelly feet, Chen Mo's response of "gardenia fragrance" turned the mockery into a warm comment.

Perhaps, as netizens have said, "The highest level of showing affection is being willing to accept even the other person's 'dark history'."

The water rippling in the foot bath basin isn't just foot-washing water, but rather the emotional transparency that's sorely lacking in this era.

(End of this chapter)