Fan Letter to Song Yan After FOMH Concluded

I saw this letter in the comment section under the FOMH post that quoted YY's farewell post (that brought tears to my eyes). I was so moved. This fan said everything that I wanted to say. Thank you. I wish YY can read this letter.

I don't know if this fan posted this on her weibo, but I couldn't find the link. So, please forgive me for only sharing the image of the letter. Translator is below the image. Once again, thank you 洋在坦途 for writing this nice letter. And, of course, thank you, Yang Yang, for your hard work and for being a great inspiration for us all.

A letter to Song Yan

Song Yan,

Happy letter-reading.

When I knew Yang Yang was going to play the role of you in this drama, I made time to get to know the Song Yan in the original novel. I felt that you and Yang Yang himself have very strong differences in your personalities, and you are very different from all the characters Yang Yang has played before. Song Yan is arrogant, wild, cool, and fierce. You are a firefighter, a profession Yang Yang has never played before. I was really looking forward to it!

The first time I met you was when you were eating a stick of corn on the terrace with a cool posture, in high school uniform. It felt youthful; a lot like Song Yan.

From joining-group, reuters, to airing, I’ve been full of expectations, full of confidence. Because since I became Yang Yang’s fan in 2020, I saw Yang Yang took one step at a time with firm steps, bringing various three-dimensional and colorful characters to life, such as Yu Tu, Yan Poyue, Feng Lanxi, and winning the recognitions from the audience over and over again. I joined the sheep circle relatively late. Although I have never experienced those dark days in the past myself, I have heard about them pretty often. Just listening to those stories made my heart ache. I was originally feeling pretty fortunate that I joined the circle later; I thought Yang Yang is already standing firmly and is well-liked by the audience based on the classic characters he played one after another, and he would never have to experience those dark days ever again. But Song Yan, the character who is full of sense of responsibility and mission, who is responsible and courageous, who is tough and never gaves up, who stood up again and again after one and another man-made injustice/setbacks…. I never expect such a character would be cyberbullied from all directions by the opposite interests to the point of being completely bruised…

Since the drama aired till the finale, I had one after another sleepless nights. I never expected Song Yan —  who filmed from summer to winter and going through fire, water, and mud; and Yang Yang — who’s always worked hard and strived for excellence; and the drama — which resulted from the blood and sweat of all the cast and staff, would be attacked overwhelmingly by the opponents using twisted facts! I was either too naive about human nature, or I’ve never seen human nature so clearly. In front of benefits/profits/self-interests, there is no humanity nor moral. I believe after experiencing such incidents so much, Yang Yang, who’s in the eye of the storm, must have already been wiser and stronger than me, just like Song Yan.

When waves after waves of black water fade away, what remains after the repeated washing and crashing of big waves must be gold. Yang Yang said in his letter to Yu Tu: “Hope ordinary people in this world like us can all shine bright”. I believe real audience will see the shining sparks in Song Yan - justice and opportunities are always reserved for those who are honest and prepared. As for those passerby audience who got misled by the twisted opinions, one day, they will still get to know Yang Yang through one after another characters he created. Just like me. When S4 (TV drama “The Four”) came out, I did not watch it because of the prejudice/bias opinions I had after reading the news from professional attackers (those who generate rumors and twisted facts). But I eventually fell deep into the sheep circle because of Xiao Nai that came many years later. There will definitely be more audience like me who will abandon prejudice and look past the rumors to like Yang Yang, and, once again, get to know you — Song Yan.

I love the day to day scenes of Song Yan and his brothers in Shilitai Fire Station. When watching you going on missions, I held my breath, my heart was racing, and I was sweating cold-sweat for you all. When seeing you training hard, I felt how difficult it really is to be a firefighter. When I saw a member of the crew sacrificed his own life to save a civilian, I cried so hard and used up a whole pack of tissue…

All these made me feel that, in a parallel world, there is really a Chief Song Yan protecting every one of us in every city, protecting every ordinary person’s “firework on earth”!

Song Yan, Yang Yang, I know you alway choose the path you want to go on with firm resolution and will continue to walk on the path with courage. Then, please do not look back; please run forward with big strides! Whatever that was in the past will not become your stumbling blocks/restraints/obstacles. For all the new days to come, I will stand resolutely behind you and cheer for you. The future, must be a smooth road.

From your forever loyal audience — 洋在坦途

2023-07-24

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Thank you again for such a heartwarming and touching letter.

I am in tears.

Please don't look back and continue to move forward!

You have nothing to be ashamed of.

Be proud of your hard work.

你說過，問心無愧就好。就是這樣的。請不忘初心，開開心心地去做自己喜歡的事情！