The Queen's Rumored Father

Actually, at this point in the broadcast, ratings and such have little to do with Midnight Diner anymore.

The first and second round broadcasting rights were sold long ago, and they've already made their profits.

As for its reputation, it's truly awful. Even if it manages to climb three or four ratings at the end, it won't change anything.

But this doesn't mean that the final episode of Midnight Diner was meaningless; on the contrary, it was very significant.

For Teacher Huang, this is his hard work. If his reputation can be reversed in the end, even if it's just a small episode, it will at least prove that he didn't lose this time.

This allows him to maintain his faith and stop doubting himself.

As for the other main supporting actors, this at least allows them to shift the blame to some extent. It's not that they acted badly, but rather that the main characters in the cameo roles were incompetent.

Their jobs won't be taken away.

For the entertainment industry, such viewership ratings have been a long time coming. Even just three episodes' worth of ratings is noteworthy. Entertainment media outlets are practically weeping from writing so much infighting; do you think they don't want to report on positive or novel content?

It's simply because nobody reads anything that lacks originality; editors need to make a living too.

Of course, the most important thing is for Xu Yuan.

For a newcomer to be praised for their acting skills in their debut work, their future development is virtually limitless. Especially since they are also handsome, and their acting skills have stood out among a bunch of flops, making their talent truly exceptional.

In this regard, we can look to Peng Yuchang; even without good looks, relying solely on his acting skills, he was highly regarded by countless people. How much more so Xu Yuan, who is blessed with such a handsome face?

At 8 p.m., several channels temporarily changed their prime-time slots to air the final episode of Midnight Diner.

Online, the number of people online far exceeds that of yesterday.

"Old He, I have a feeling the ratings will explode tonight!" Teacher Huang specially invited Teacher He to his home to watch the show with him.

Although he was the lead actor, investor, and assistant director helping with editing, this show was practically his own child. He had naturally watched the final episode, but at this moment, he was still nervous.

"Hmm, that's quite possible!" Teacher He pointed at the television and said, "It's starting!"

The finale has begun airing.

In court, Mark remained emotionally unstable. Whenever Ai Zhen's lawyer spoke and her words were sharp, Mark became somewhat agitated; he knew that his daughter was drifting further and further away from him.

Finally, the scene of Xu Yuan "stubbornly" reading the fairy tale came. He read it word by word, continuously, and although no one could hear what he was reading, everyone knew what he was doing.

His reading aloud became the background music for other people's conversations during that time.

Pfft!

Teacher Huang felt a noise nearby, turned around and saw Teacher He's tear fall into the wine glass.

Mr. Huang didn't say anything and continued watching TV, but the tissue in his hand slowly became wet.

This scene remains incredibly moving, no matter how many times I watch it.

"I...how can I...please!"

Upon hearing this line, Teacher He could no longer hold back and immediately buried his face in Teacher Huang's back, bursting into tears. Teacher Huang kept wiping his eyes, but his hands couldn't keep up with the speed of his tears.

The two men, whose combined age was over a hundred, cried like children at that moment.

This situation is by no means an isolated case!

Online comments can only transmit text, not sound or video.

However, written words can convey sound.

"I'm crying my eyes out! My God, how can someone like Mark exist in this world!"

"Mark looks so ugly when he talks, but why do I like him more and more the more he talks? I can't hold back my tears!"

"I used a pack of 200 tissues, I'm so touched."

"Xu Yuan is too ruthless; he's a walking tear gas bomb!"

Aside from being moved and crying, netizens initially struggled to grasp the main point. However, the entertainment industry naturally has its share of insightful film critics. While they primarily review movies, they'll also check out shows like Mark's Daughter, which enjoys immense popularity.

Three episodes, which is roughly the length of a movie.

Douban's top film critic, Mr. Zhang, commented: "To be honest, I never expected to see such cinematic performances in a TV series with a rating of 3.8! It's a shame it's just a TV series; otherwise, I would strongly support Mark's nomination for this year's film awards. I think at least a nomination would be no problem!"

A TV drama character participating in a film award competition?

This is obviously impossible, but it also proves how highly the other party regards it.

Penguin Video Diamond Commentator Li: "The reason Mark's scene in court was so incredibly tear-jerking is because the actor portrayed the protagonist as an 'ordinary person' so well. Because he's an ordinary person, you'll be surprised to find that his helplessness and bitterness resonate with your own life, creating an emotional connection. It must be said that both the plot and the actors' performances are among the best in recent years!"

Chen, one of Alibaba Pictures' top ten commentators: "This is the only review I wrote while crying. Mark's portrayal was so realistic! You might not know, but my daughter is congenitally deaf and mute. Her life is almost the same as Mark's. To ensure she can pronounce words correctly, she has to exaggerate her mouth movements. Because she can't hear, her voice is exceptionally loud. Many times, I wondered if Xu Yuan had a similar experience as a child and was cured? This kind of patient-level acting is the first time I've ever seen it."

After being examined by professionals, Xu Yuan's Mark was further recognized.

As the story unfolds, Mark ultimately loses custody of Lele.

Before Ai Zhen went abroad, she took Lele to see Mark one last time.

As they drove away, Mark stood there weeping bitterly, eventually even kneeling on the ground in immense anguish.

Combined with the previous professional review, this segment is even more tear-jerking.

The final episode was incredibly moving, and viewers couldn't stop watching.

Fortunately, the screenwriter and director did something about being human.

The day after Lele left, Mark received a plane ticket.

Mark went, carrying Lele's favorite teddy bear, and went to find Lele with a smile.

Although the ending is not explicitly stated, it is conceivable that two people who are devoted to Lele and love her deeply will inevitably develop feelings for each other after living together for a long time.

Mark, Lele, and Aizhen lived happily together.

Midnight Diner: Mark's Daughter - The End!

The show made the audience cry for 39 minutes, but the last minute made them laugh through their tears. This show was truly a success!

The internet exploded as a result.

"Good heavens, I said it in the courtroom scene: if we could just get Ai Zhen on our side, there wouldn't be any problems. The screenwriter really saw through it!"

"So inspiring, so heartwarming! They've finally satisfied everyone's desire for a perfect match. This pairing is a must-have!"

"Is the 'Thousand Miles of Sound' duo going to be abandoned?"

"Love between men and women is against human ethics; true love is between men and women!"

"Lei Jiayin, die! We want Qi Wei! Qi Wei! Qi Wei!"

"Lele is so lucky to have such good-looking parents."

"Honestly, Qi Wei and Xu Yuan are such a good match!"

That night, the top trending topic on Weibo wasn't the ending of Midnight Diner, but rather the entire internet's discussion of Qi Xu!

In addition, there are also "a couple with god-like good looks", "walking tear bombs", "patient-level acting skills", and so on.

Everyone in the entertainment industry knows that this is just the first wave of revelry.

The real celebration should come tomorrow morning, the moment the ratings are released.

What was the viewership rating for this episode?

Can it break the nine-day mark?