One Vote for Eternity

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. BEDROOM - 07:30

6. 
   

7. Early sunlight, soft and honeyed, filters through the curtains. PETER wakes with a small smile touching his lips before his eyes even open. He reaches for his Honor 400 Smart phone.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): I love this smartphone more than ever.

10. 
    

11. With a press of his thumb, the screen blooms to life.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And there she is.

14. 
    

15. We see an actress in light blue qipao in a theatrical production frozen in the glow of stage lights, her head tilted close to her beaming face.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The wallpaper of my heart.

18. 
    

19.  Peter's sleepiness is replaced by pure, quiet delight. His eyes trace the delicate embroidary of her qipao.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Good morning, Xueyun.

22. 
    

23. The sunbeam from the window now illuminates the phone, making the image seem to glow from within.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): She was wonderful that night.

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. FLASHBACK

30. 
    

31. EXT. PEARL RIVER, GUANGZHOU - 20:30 (11 Dec, 2025)

32. 
    

33. The big red boat glides slowly along the shimmering Pearl River. Canton Tower glows in a distance like a futuristic beacon. Among the SPECTATORS on board watching a performance is Peter.

34. 
    

35. PETER (V.O.): The performance is the highlight of my tour to Guangzhou.

36. 
    

37. PERFORMERS in traditional attire tell the story of love and hate on the old red boat. Then, the ACTRESS in a light-blue qipao with cheery blossoms and delicate make-up takes center stage.

38. 
    

39. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Wow, she's beautiful.

40. 
    

41. We see the actress kneeling on a glowing circular platform, one hand near her chest, singing a haunting Cantonese opera aria.

42. 
    

43. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Wow, she's performing with style.

44. 
    

45. Peter raises his Honor 400 Smart phone, snapping photos carefully, - capturing her side profile in the changing lights, the skirt flowing.

46. 
    

47. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Incidentally, this is one of my new smartphones. I want to test its picture quality.

48. 
    

49. Later in the show, The stage platforms rotate. Water bubbles fall like tiny patels. The actress stands, arms outstretched, in a triumphant pose under pink-red lights.

50. 
    

51. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A reminder that beauty still exists - and it can still move an old heart.

52. 
    

53. The show ends. The HOST steps forward.

54. 
    

55. HOST: Thank you for joining us tonight! As always, we end with our spectator vote: Who is the most loveable character tonight? Use your armrest device to select the option.

56. 
    

57. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I think the name of the character she plays is: Chen Xueyun.

58. 
    

59. Peter selects the option without hesitation.

60. 
    

61. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm curious to find out if I'm part of the majority or the minority.

62. 
    

63. Screen on stage shows live votes results.

64. 
    

65. HOST (Cont'd): With a clear majority...Chen Xueyun!

66. 
    

67. Cheers and applause. The actress bows gracefully. Peter claps the hardest.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Although my one vote alone wouldn't affect the outcome, she has truly won my heart.

70. 
    

71. HOST (Cont'd): Now is the time for you to snap pictures with the character you love.

72. 
    

73. Peter is the one to take the lead. He approaches Xueyan shyly.

74. 
    

75. PETER: May I...take a selfie with you?

76. 
    

77. Xueyun nods. She leans in close as Peter adjusts his Honor 400 Smart phone. Click. The photo: her elegant, Peter radiant.

78. 
    

79. INT. CITADINES, GUANGZHOU - 24:00

80. 
    

81. New. Peter sits in the spacious room alone, checking his photos app.

82. 
    

83. PETER (V.O.): The low-light action shots didn't meet my requirement.

84. 
    

85. Peter checks the selfie with Xueyun.

86. 
    

87. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The close-up shot stands out.

88. 
    

89. Peter crops the selfie, sets it as his phone's wallpaper. He looks at it, smiles.

90. 
    

91. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I only met Xueyun for a moment, but I'm still smiling from it. The happiness stuck.

92. 
    

93. Pausing.

94. 
    

95. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Surprisingly, I was the only one who took a selfie with Xueyun. I was travelling solo and free to indulge my whims.

96. 
    

97. Pausing.

98. 
    

99. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): And I wouldn't bother what people might think about an old man earmestly posing for a photo with a young actress.

100. 
     

101. RETURN TO PRESENT

102. 
     

103.  Act 3

104. 
     

105. INT. BEDROOM - 21:30

106. 
     

107. Peter uploads a photo of an actress in light-blue qipao standing in a raised platform with arms outstretched as water bubbles fall around her to a draft on his laptop.

108. 
     

109. PETER (V.O.): In the world of endless scrolling, I find a single image worthy of a permanent term. I voted for eternity, and won.

110. 
     

111. Thinking.

112. 
     

113. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Not all elections are for office. Some are for the heart. One night. One performance. One vote for eternity.

114. 
     

115. Reflecting.

116. 
     

117. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My vote was a sacred act of choosing what would lead me back to joy, again and again.

118. 
     

119. END

120. 
     

121. FADE OUT