After getting off work, Li Long rushed out of the company, caught the last subway of the hour, and hurried back to his rented apartment.
Although 'Clannad' was airing on an online streaming platform, watching it on the big screen at home was, of course, the best way.
Eight o'clock sharp—
At that very moment, Xingtong TV's flagship drama also began airing.
Over at Xingtong TV's production department, the staff could only sigh. Even though 'Clannad' wasn't a TV broadcast but an online release—meaning viewers could technically watch it anytime—it still had a real impact.
In reality, during the time slots when Jing Yu's 'Kaiji' and 'Clannad' aired, the number of turned-on TV sets across the country dropped significantly.
Sure, you could always catch up later on streaming—but for many fans, when it came to Jing Yu's works, waiting even a minute longer felt unbearable.
So even though Xingtong TV's flagship drama had great reviews, its ratings this season were... honestly, pretty mediocre.
The production staff grumbled about it, but what could they do?
At that same moment, the streaming link for 'Clannad' episode eight went live.
Li Long immediately focused in.
Episode eight's setup was similar to the tone of recent weeks.
Nagisa's illness had become increasingly difficult to treat.
Though she had graduated from school, her body was weakening little by little.
And in this situation—
She became pregnant. And she insisted on giving birth at home with a doctor attending there. She didn't want to go to the hospital.
Most viewers didn't pick up on how ominous that setup was.
They were simply thinking:
"I never thought I'd see a romance show where the main couple actually gets married and has a baby."
"Is Jing Yu-sensei planning 'Clannad III', showing them raising their child?"
"Actually, I'd love that kind of story! I've never seen a romance series go that far."
"But that'd be way too long! The kid grows up, then they have grandkids—what is this, endless generations?"
"Still, Nagisa's illness is really breaking my heart. At first, I thought Tomoyo was going to be the heroine—what a charming character—but by now, I'm completely in love with Nagisa. I just don't want her to suffer."
"She's literally the ideal kind of girl—one who only exists in fiction. But why would Jing Yu-sensei create someone so perfect only to give her a terminal illness?!"
"I just hope he doesn't pull any tricks in the last few episodes. Just give this series a proper ending! Sure, maybe it's not as hyped as 'Hikaru no Go' or 'Initial D', but it's still doing great. There's no need to pull some cheap stunt for attention!"
Li Long, too, felt uneasy watching it.
Some of Jing Yu's old fans had said this show wasn't as good as 'Kimi ni Todoke' or 'Your Lie in April', but for him, it was easily the best series he'd seen in years.
He really liked Nagisa's personality. Compared to the prodigy musicians of 'Your Lie in April' or the genius downhill racer in 'Initial D', the protagonist Tomoya from 'Clannad' felt much more relatable.
Regardless of the actors' looks, the setup—ordinary boy, ordinary girl, ordinary love—extraordinarily moved him.
Though Tomoya's father had gone to prison, he'd gained a sharp-tongued but soft-hearted father-in-law, Akio Furukawa, and a gentle, caring mother-in-law, Sanae.
At the Furukawa home, he was just a son-in-law, but they treated him as family—truly as one of their own.
It was precisely this warmth that made Li Long dread any potential shift in tone.
But of course—what you fear always comes to pass.
In episode eight, Akio recalled the time when baby Nagisa had nearly died from illness.
Her fate, he said, was tied to the town itself.
"Ushio Okazaki."
Before childbirth, the couple decided to name their baby Ushio.
"I want to see the ocean with you, too."
"Then let's make a promise, Nagisa. Next year, the three of us—let's go to the sea together."
By the riverbank, they made their vow.
But the moment that promise was made, Li Long frowned.
Anyone who'd watched enough dramas knew the feeling in their gut—that soul-deep dread.
When a character starts talking about plans before a dangerous event, you know what's coming.
Just like when a soldier mentions "my daughter's waiting for me back home" right before a suicide mission—you just know the writer's about to drop the knife.
So when Tomoya and Nagisa made that promise, countless 'Clannad' fans instantly sensed danger.
"Jing Yu-sensei wouldn't... right?"
"Nagisa's too sweet—you wouldn't actually kill her, would you?"
"Maybe he's just teasing us! He knows we'll expect tragedy, so he's adding tension—just a fake-out."
"Yeah, that must be it!"
"Come on, it's only episode eight. If Nagisa dies now, what happens to the rest? Is Tomoya just gonna monologue to himself?"
"Exactly! Jing Yu-sensei's just playing mind games with us."
The viewers tried to comfort themselves, but deep down, anxiety had already taken root.
Fortunately, a few heartwarming scenes seemed to ease their worries.
Winter came—
The whole family gathered: Tomoya, Nagisa, Akio, and Sanae, singing the cheerful "Dango Daikazoku".
Li Long couldn't help but smile warmly at the screen.
Yes, yes—this is how it should be.
Then came more scenes of friends and family, ordinary yet peaceful.
Until, finally, Nagisa went into labor.
In the story, Tomoya was a nervous wreck.
Li Long's own breath caught as if he were in the room with them.
The tension on Tomoya's face seemed to pass through the screen.
Then—
The cry of a newborn broke through.
"Ah... hoo..."
Li Long exhaled in relief.
The filter softened, the lighting turned warm. Tomoya's anxiety faded a little.
The background music swelled—a gentle, moving melody that made one want to cry.
A tiny red-faced baby rested in Tomoya's arms.
"Nagisa... Nagisa..."
Tomoya cradled his daughter, Ushio, and looked at Nagisa, eyes closed beside him.
She slowly opened her eyes.
"Tomoya."
"Nagisa, I'm right here! Do you hear it? Our baby's crying!"
A tender variation of "Dango Daikazoku" began to play.
"Look, I was the first to hold her." Tomoya's voice trembled, eyes wet with tears.
By now, Li Long felt something was wrong.
But under that warm light and soft music, he refused to think the worst.
"This is our child, Nagisa. Ushio—she's so healthy. You did it. You really did."
"But... I'm tired. Let me rest for a while."
"Nagisa, just hold on, okay? Just listen to me! Look—it's our baby, so small... please, Nagisa, look at her..."
Tomoya's panicked voice filled the scene.
But Nagisa's eyes gently closed again.
Soft music. Gentle light. Tender Tomoya.
And Nagisa's hand, falling weakly to the side.
[I once thought this ridiculous life would never have meaning—until I met you, Nagisa.]
The screen flashed through memories from season one and earlier episodes—
Tomoya and Nagisa's entire love story.
Li Long broke down completely.
What the hell...?!
"Do you like this school?"
The scene cut to the moment they first met, Nagisa's first words to him.
This time, Tomoya said nothing.
He stood silently.
Maybe that was his greatest wish now.
If he'd never met her...
He wouldn't have fallen in love.
Wouldn't have married her.
She wouldn't have gotten pregnant.
And even if the illness never left her, at least her body wouldn't have been destroyed by both disease and childbirth.
Maybe then—Nagisa Furukawa wouldn't have died.
If only she could live... he would rather they had never met at all.
That was Tomoya's truest thought.
Episode eight—end.
The final moments were all soft light, no sorrowful music—
But the emotional impact was nuclear.
After all, "joy painted as sorrow, sorrow painted as joy"—that's the timeless method.
It's the contrast that cuts the deepest.
In his room, Li Long sat there bawling, snot and tears everywhere.
What kind of plot is this?!
Was this really necessary?!
Jing Yu, you damned villain—
You played Tomoya yourself,
And you killed your own wife, Nagisa Furukawa!
Does your conscience not hurt?!
Who could even think up something like this?!