On January 6th, mainland Chinese actor Lu Yi celebrated his 50th birthday. During a heartwarming birthday party meticulously planned by his wife Bao Lei and their two daughters, a touching moment occurred when his elder daughter Belle, in between reading a letter, said to her younger sister, “Dad suddenly looks so much older.” This heartfelt moment brought tears to the whole family, and the video quickly went viral on the internet.
The details shared by Bao Lei about Lu Yi’s 50th birthday gathering suggest a simple celebration with no extravagant setup, just a modest dining table surrounded by family. Belle and Little Leaf used their saved pocket money to prepare a red copper tea set and a handwritten letter for Lu Yi, while Bao Lei gifted him a warm hat.
When Belle tearfully read aloud, “Dad always prepares meals for us before we finish school, and even though he uses an old phone, he bought me a new one,” she choked up suddenly. Looking at Lu Yi, she said, “I feel like I’m still back in the year when you carried me up Huangshan Mountain.” Little Leaf, witnessing Belle’s emotion, wiped her own tears, while Bao Lei took out tissue to cover her nose, and Lu Yi jokingly remarked, “Why do you both seem more upset than me?”
Belle continued, “You will always be our pillar, the most reliable support. I wish you good health in this new year, becoming even more handsome, no more headaches or toothaches, and most importantly, eat and drink as you desire without gaining weight. If there’s anything you want to eat, I’ll buy it for you!” At this point, Belle’s tears unexpectedly rolled down her cheeks. She paused, slightly embarrassed, and muttered, “What’s wrong with me?” Bao Lei, sitting beside her, had tears streaming down her face. Lu Yi, fighting back the tears in his eyes, gently reached out to wipe his wife’s tears.
Although netizens may not see much change in Lu Yi’s appearance, the moment soaked in warmth and gratitude brought forth tears from Belle, causing her to pause while reading the letter. She leaned over to whisper to her sister, “Why do I suddenly feel like Dad has aged?” The impact of Belle’s tears, along with those words, made Little Leaf’s eyes also reddened.
Little Leaf also handmade a greeting card for her dad, expressing, “Congratulations on turning 50, Dad. Time has only added a mature charm to you, without affecting your charm.”
During Lu Yi’s appearance on a variety show called “Taste of Time” last year, the show’s crew aged him with makeup. When Belle video-called him, she joked about his white hair looking like Santa Claus. At this birthday celebration, Lu Yi wore a khaki suit, neatly combed hair, and Bao Lei teased him that his wrinkles were “laugh lines.”
Belle’s tears may not be solely due to her father’s appearance changes but a sudden realization that the dad who wakes up at 6 am every morning to make soy milk and deep-fries dough sticks, and stays up late to bake chicken wings for her, has been by her side for 17 years.
The daily details of Lu Yi’s family often become a hot topic among netizens. Bao Lei once revealed in an interview that their family rule is, “The first bite of food must be given to each other, and we must embrace and say ‘I love you’ before leaving the house every day.” Lu Yi takes care of household chores and cooking, not allowing Bao Lei in the kitchen, while financial matters are entirely managed by Bao Lei, with his incomes directly deposited into her account.
In her letter, Belle wrote, “Mom always says that the way Dad loves Mom is by giving us the best education.” This mutual understanding extends to their parenting style, where the couple insists on not taking any work during school breaks, focusing solely on being with their children. There’s a “graffiti wall” in the living room where Belle can freely draw and express herself.
As the birthday party came to an end, when the waiter brought out a cake decorated with a model of Moutai liquor, the family burst into laughter because Lu Yi doesn’t drink. This birthday celebration wasn’t a grand party with many guests but a gathering of the closest four family members. While blowing out the candles, whatever wish Lu Yi made remains unknown to outsiders, but seeing the smiles on his wife and two daughters’ faces, his wish probably had already been halfway granted.
At 50, Lu Yi has white hair and wrinkles on his face. Yet in that moment, he appeared more content than any so-called “ageless godly man.” Belle’s tears were dubbed by netizens as a “contemporary depiction of youth’s emotions,” with some expressing nostalgia, “We always think we have plenty of time, but when we look back, our parents have quietly turned gray.” This resonance made the trending topic “Everyone cried except Lu Yi on his birthday” gain attention.