Actor: Thank you.

"Come on, come on, why are you pretending to be low-key with me?"

"Drink from a big glass!"

After being pulled to the table by Uncle Benshan, this guy really got into it.

Knowing that Zhang Yuan could hold his liquor, they pulled him directly to their side.

Many people from Northeast China can drink a lot. Many of the artists in Benshan Media came from the countryside and are known for their drinking prowess.

Before Zhao Benshan created the "green Errenzhuan" (a type of folk performance) and formalized the industry, Errenzhuan was mostly performed in bathhouses and temple fairs.

Much of the content is vulgar, and there are even more instances of drinking contests attracting viewers to meet up.

Therefore, true masters are often found among ordinary people; they all drink like donkeys.

But there is one difference: their identities are different.

Even those who came from Zhao'an still call Uncle Benshan "Master".

When there's a master-disciple relationship, the way they drink becomes different.

The unequal relationship left Teacher Zhao feeling unsatisfied.

This is just like filming a scene with someone or performing a stand-up comedy routine on stage.

It's most interesting and exciting when people are of equal status and similar strength.

In terms of alcohol tolerance, Zhang Yuan had drunk with Teacher Zhao several times and had already gained his approval.

As for his identity...

"Come on, Shenyang!"

Teacher Zhao waved and called out to his most popular apprentice, who is none other than Xiao Shenyang.

Zhang Yuan quickly got up, but Teacher Zhao pulled him down.

Why did you get up to greet him?

"There is no custom of elders welcoming juniors."

“That’s not right, Yang Ge and I should be of the same generation,” Zhang Yuan said, counting on his fingers.

"You and my master, Mr. Hou, are brothers."

"Teacher Liu Liu's teacher was Mr. Zhao Chuntian. Mr. Zhao was of the Bao generation, the same generation as Mr. Hou Baolin."

"You and Liu Liu are buddies."

Liu Liu was the host of the skit "Torchbearer" and also Qiao Shan's mentor.

At his peak, he served as the vice president of Benshan Media.

“You also call Mr. Yang Shaohua of the Yang family in Tianjin your godfather. He is also of the Bao generation.”

"Speaking of which, you should be of the 'Wen' generation, while I am of the 'Ming' generation, so I am a head shorter than you."

“That’s not right!” Zhao Benshan waved his hand. “That’s what people in your capital, Tianjin, say.”

"I only recognize people from Northeast China."

“Mr. Yuan Kuocheng belongs to the Shou generation. Since you have become his daughter’s disciple, you should belong to the Wen generation, just like me.”

Before Zhang Yuan could refuse, Teacher Zhao waved to Xiao Shenyang and said, "Call him Uncle-Master!"

"Greetings, Uncle-Master." Shen Yang said, sounding somewhat reluctant.

"Don't listen to your master."

"He didn't run away."

"We still call each other buddies in private."

Shenyang's complexion has improved considerably.

"Don't be fooled by the age difference between you two. Can you compare to him?" Teacher Zhao began to lecture his students.

Zhang Yuan understood; Uncle Benshan was giving a lesson to his students.

Xiao Shenyang is incredibly popular right now!
It was similar to when Xiao Yue was at the peak of his popularity.

The applause and cheers when I went on stage were on par with my mentor's.

If there are many young viewers, it might even be more exciting than the original.

The phrase "became an overnight sensation" seems to have been tailor-made for Xiao Shenyang.

Zhang Yuan thought about it and realized that he and Xiao Yue were quite similar. They both came from humble backgrounds and became famous overnight after following their masters for many years.

Moreover, although their main profession was traditional Chinese performing arts, they both loved to sing, and later they each held their own concerts.

These two brothers are both able to settle down and their acting skills are improving day by day.

"When people perform crosstalk, tell stories, or make movies, many blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners love to watch them."

"You're still far behind others."

"Look how polite they are, they even defer to me in terms of seniority." Teacher Zhao said a few more words before we started drinking.

Zhang Yuan glanced around.

There are quite a few people here today.

Besides visiting the film set, Uncle Benshan also had a national tour of Liu Laogen Grand Stage this time, which just ended in Shanghai.

So the apprentices and their wives sat at several tables, and many of them were familiar faces.

In addition, there were the performers, sponsors, and some friends brought by the sponsors.

Zhang Yuan just took it as a way of supporting Teacher Zhao.

Of course, Teacher Zhao also praised him.

"Well, how's your investment business going lately?" After a few drinks, Uncle Benshan smacked his lips.

"I think I heard you owe several hundred million in debt?"

This is old news; it's about Zhang Yuan helping Liu Tao secure a hundred million yuan.

"No, I only owe 100 million."

"Heh." The older brother let out his signature laugh: "Only one hundred million? You've got quite the nerve."

“Some people say your business has failed and you’re going bankrupt, but I say no.”

"Tell me the truth, what really happened?"

"If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to ask, and I'll try to find you some ways to make money."

"Not really, it's alright."

"I knew it!" Teacher Zhao then filled both of their glasses and downed another drink.

"Since you're not bad, I just happen to be buying a plane. Would you like one?"

Zhang Yuan: …

Buying is out of the question, as for fighting...

"You think too highly of me," Zhang Yuan said, declining the offer.

Now that Teacher Zhao has achieved great success, he is following the example of successful businessmen and attending a CEO training program.

However, Benshan Media is indeed the largest cultural company in the country, and he is its president.

I met a big shot from Northeast China during the CEO training program.

That guy was planning to buy a private jet, so he pulled together a group of his classmates from the CEO program to buy it as a group, saying they could get a discount.

Ordinary students have to pool their money to go out for a meal, but these big shots pool their money to buy airplanes.

I plan to buy a Bombardier Challenger 850.

Domestic tycoons, including Ma Huateng, Jerry Yan, Wang Jianlin, and Dong Zi, who take advantage of airplanes, either buy Bombardier or Gulfstream vehicles.

These two brands have done well in the domestic market and in the back-end.

The model that Teacher Zhao bought is one of the more affordable Bombardier models.

The annual cost of maintenance, insurance, and hangar alone is close to ten million, plus the crew costs during use, aviation fuel costs of 1 to 2 per hour, and the cost of occupying the air route.

It would cost at least 2000 million a year to build this plane.

I don't have that ability... at least not right now.

We'll think about the future later.

However, Zhao Benshan wasn't stupid; he not only bought the plane for his own use, but also rented it out to others for private use.

So the losses weren't as exaggerated as outsiders were saying.

"Forget it, I don't have that ability."

"I can't afford to buy it, but once you get the plane, I'll take a ride on it. Please don't kick me out."

"That won't work, we need to buy tickets."

I drank too much as I drank.

Brother Qian is known as the undisputed champion of alcohol tolerance in the crosstalk world; he can drink countless beers and easily drink three bottles of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

He's impressive enough among ordinary people, but compared to Zhao Benshan, he's just a nobody.

Once, during a performance in Northeast China, a sponsor of the performance was so happy to see Teacher Zhao that he challenged him to a drinking contest.

They even gave a prize.

They said they'd give him a Mercedes-Benz if he could win him over.

But if you are convinced by him, then the next seven performances will all be for nothing.

There are many such events at performance parties and receptions, and bets are often involved.

Some people just want to take advantage of you and make you work for free.

Teacher Zhao readily agreed and sat down with the other party to start drinking.

We drank one cup at a time, and we drank like that all the way without counting.

We started drinking late at night after the first day's performance and continued until the next day's performance.

The two of them each opened seven bottles of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

After finishing his drink, Teacher Zhao stood up and went on stage to perform.

The person in charge of the performance went straight to the hospital.

This is why folk artists have such a high alcohol tolerance – it's something they're forced to do.

If you don't drink, or can't outdrink the local bullies, they'll have their say.

It only counts if you drink it and are completely intoxicated.

Today was no different. Before long, the sponsors and performers came over to toast us, and we kept drinking one glass after another.

Teacher Zhao has always been open to all comers.

However, I seem to be flushed today; my face turned red in no time.

"I might have drunk too much yesterday, I'm a little dizzy now."

"No, I need to rest for a while," he quickly declined.

"Teacher Zhao can't refuse to give us face."

"When you come to Shanghai, you have to drink according to Shanghai's rules."

“Well, I have a lot of people, and a lot of apprentices. According to the rule of majority rule, you have to drink according to the customs of Northeast China.” Teacher Zhao didn’t back down either.

After a few more drinks, he once again declined, citing feeling unwell.

"I feel dizzy. I have high blood pressure, so I can't drink too much."

"No, no, no, I've heard that Teacher Zhao has a huge capacity for alcohol, so I can't pretend."

"And we're on the same side, not just because of the performance."

"Actually, I'm a football fan. I heard that Teacher Zhao also has a team, is that right?"

Mentioning Zhao Benshan caused this top-tier martial arts figure's face to darken by two shades.

Yes, he once served as the chairman of Liaoning Football Club.

Back then, it was also at a dinner table when Benshan Media was planning to build a film and television base. After the site was completed, an extra piece of land was left in the planning stage.

Xu Ming, the owner of Dalian Shide, was also present at the dinner party. He suggested that they turn the open space into a football training ground and take over Liaoning FC, which had never had its own training ground.

This Xu Ming is the husband of Tian Hairong, the actress who acted opposite Wang Zhiwen in "Black Ice". He is also a semi-entertainment industry person, which is why he can hang out with Teacher Zhao.

After sobering up, Teacher Zhao actually listened to what he said.

But what Teacher Zhao didn't know was that he, who considered himself a seasoned veteran, had fallen right into Xu Ming's trap.

He first secured 1500 million yuan in sponsorship and then gathered a group of friends to support his team at matches.

Their first home game was against Shanghai Zhongbang, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Xu Ming pointed his finger at coach Wang Hongli and berated him, then kicked him out on the spot.

Zhao Benshan was dumbfounded. This is my team. Why did you fire my head coach?

Teacher Zhao then realized something was wrong.

Not long after, Liaoning FC played away against Xu Ming's Dalian Shide.

The result was a 0-5 defeat.

Teacher Zhao is dumbfounded again.

Moreover, the 1500 million yuan in sponsorship they secured was spent in just two months.

There are no accounts to check.

She turned around and asked him for another 1500 million.

Moreover, besides Xu Ming, there was an even more influential person behind this.

It is the number one subordinate of the "iron, road and infrastructure" tycoon.

Knowing he couldn't afford to offend any of them, Zhao Benshan quickly fled in less than six months.

Teacher Zhao lost money, didn't earn any publicity, and lost face, so he slunk away. But that's also a kind of wisdom.

So even a master like Zhao Benshan couldn't hold back when this was mentioned.

It's like telling Chen Kaige in front of him that you especially love watching "A Bloodbath Caused by a Steamed Bun".

"I played it for a while, but I didn't quite understand it," Uncle Benshan said with a crooked mouth.

"Then let's have a drink for Chinese football."

"No, one cup isn't enough, at least three!"

"My master said he's not feeling well, don't you understand what that means!"

Just then, a furious shout came from the table.

Xiao Shenyang frowned and said loudly.

Words are a stumbling block.

His shout caused the sponsor's friend, who had been practicing Tai Chi, to instantly turn sour.

"Fine, I won't drink then." He said softly, then turned and left.

Zhang Yuan could see that the man's face had turned pale.

There are many drunkards and scoundrels at the dinner table, but you have to be careful how you handle them.

The one that Shenyang just mentioned was clearly the worst and most offensive.

"Tsk, look at you." Teacher Zhao pointed at him.

"What did I tell you?"

"You managed to keep things calm."

"What's wrong? Did appearing on the Spring Festival Gala give you a headache?"

"Do you even care about anyone else?"

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

Zhang Yuan, who was watching from the sidelines, understood the situation clearly.

Teacher Zhao used him to reprimand his student just now, just to put Shenyang in a bad position.

I guess they called him here today to make comparisons with other people.

He guessed that although Xiao Shenyang had only been famous for two months, he had already started to get a little impetuous, or to put it more directly, he had become arrogant.

From earning tens of thousands a year to tens of millions a year.

Anyone would get carried away by such a rocket-like increase in income.

Moreover, this change occurred in less than a month.

This kind of drifting doesn't necessarily mean someone is high-class or impressive; sometimes it just means they've lost their way.

In addition, his mentor flattered him and wanted to make a movie with him.

Zhang Yimou also approached him to make a movie.

He debuted with Zhang Yimou's name!
Anyone in that situation would get carried away.

Did Zhang Ziyi not get arrogant back then?

When a person reaches this point, both legs feel weak, and they don't know how to stand or walk anymore.

This is similar to the statistics from the US that show 8% of lottery winners go bankrupt within a few years.

Unexpected misfortune can be terrible, and unexpected good fortune can be terrible, but not everyone can handle it.

Praise that kills is more harmful than suppression.

Is there anyone in the country more popular than Xiao Shenyang right now?
Zhang Yuan knew that Zhao Benshan must have seen through his problem, so he was thinking of helping him "cure" his illness as soon as possible.

This is a good mentor.

A teacher is one who imparts knowledge, instructs in skills, and resolves doubts.

Teaching and imparting knowledge is easy, but the difficulty lies in resolving doubts.

Only when a master understands the rules and human relationships can he guide his apprentice and prevent him from going astray.

In this respect, Mr. Guo is clearly inferior to Uncle Benshan.

Teacher Guo always flattered and indulged him, but when he got seriously ill, he completely turned against him.

Taking care of an illness is like raising a tiger; if the tiger grows too big, it will harm you.

Zhao Benshan's approach was correct; he needed to control the illness before it fully manifested.

This is for the good of the apprentice; being famous for a short time and being famous for a lifetime are two different things.

Zhang Yuan also realized that although Xiao Shenyang was wrong, he was essentially speaking up to protect his master from drinking.

If the heart is good, then the root of a person is good.

Before learning any skill, learn how to be a good person. If you are a bad person, the more skill you acquire, the worse it will be.

Only when people have good hearts can things be gradually adjusted.

Zhang Yuan remembered that Shenyang's daughter was also good-tempered and unassuming.

Moreover, this is despite being labeled the "ugliest second-generation star" since childhood and having her appearance ridiculed by the entire internet, the little girl's mentality has not gone astray.

This is where the family atmosphere comes in.

Xiao Shenyang went through a period when his reputation was very bad. When did it start?
After appearing on "Kangxi Lai Le", his performance on the show was poor.

This show had a very wide audience in its early years, and its content was exaggerated, which caused many mainland artists to suffer.

Ruby Lin really messed things up for Zhou Jie, and it all happened on this show.

Zhang Yuan knew that Xiao Shenyang was not a particularly wicked person, so he spoke up for him.

"Teacher Zhao, my brother Yang is anxious."

"I was afraid you'd be uncomfortable."

"The words may be rough, but the intention is good."

"I was faking it!" Teacher Zhao tapped his wine glass and said in a low voice.

"The show's over, the bill's settled, why would I drink myself to death?"

Teacher Zhao is generous and makes friends easily, but she's not naive.

In the past, drinking contests with the performance organizers were a way to settle disputes and get payment.

Now that the money is in hand, of course I need to leave myself some leeway.

"You truly are a performing artist; I didn't even realize it."

"Stop flattering me." Teacher Zhao smiled and waved her hand, then turned to look at Xiao Shenyang again.

"Come on, let's go apologize to that person properly."

"Whether they accept it or not, you still have to do your job properly, understand?"

He then took his apprentice with him.

Zhang Yuan noticed that in just three to five minutes, after Teacher Zhao said a few words and drank a few glasses of wine, the person who had been frowning earlier had his expression soften considerably.

Finally, she not only drank three cups with Xiao Shenyang, but also hugged him, showing a very close relationship.

They were looking for a way out, looking disheveled and embarrassed.

"Master's skill is still the best; he finished it in no time." After they returned, Zhang Yuan pulled Teacher Zhao to continue drinking.

"I'd like to toast you too." Shenyang raised his glass to him.

"I've been so busy lately, I'm really tired, and I haven't been in a good mood."

"I had no idea that becoming famous would cause so much trouble."

Because Zhang Yuan had spoken up for him earlier, this young man became a bit closer to him and told the truth.

"At this point, there are only a few moves to make."

"Or you could seek thrills, like racing cars or riding drop towers to release stress."

"Or you can read books, listen to music, meditate, or regulate your body."

Zhang Yuan offered his experience and advice.

Of course, there's one more thing he didn't mention: finding pretty girls to play with.

Since they got married, this clause is automatically invalid.

I do not recommend overeating or excessive drinking.

"Entertainers need to maintain their figure and stay clear-headed in order to work."

"I know, but I just feel terrible and can't breathe," Shenyang said, clutching his chest.

"Then chat with your friends more."

"Don't talk to people from one circle; talk to people outside that circle. It's more effective."

"See? This is a true master." Teacher Zhao praised after hearing this.

"They've maintained a stable mindset, which is why they've become increasingly popular."

"Go ahead and learn it."

"Don't say that. I'm also figuring things out as I go. We all learn from each other and raised our glasses together for a round."

Then Zhao Benshan dragged him into drinking quite a bit more.

After enjoying the drink, they even switched to large glasses, the kind that can empty a bottle in three sips.

They drank about three small bottles of liquor each by midnight.

"Oh dear, I've never had a good drink in my entire life."

"You're on my plate today. You're not allowed to leave until you're completely satisfied." Teacher Zhao was getting more and more into it as she drank.

They opened several more bottles of baijiu (Chinese liquor).

An apprentice nearby offered advice.

"Master, don't give me too much."

"take care."

"Go away!" Uncle Benshan waved his hand: "We two brothers are having a good time, so don't cause trouble, go away!"

"I'm the master, I know exactly how much I measure."

"I could teach you about drinking for years."

As he drank cup after cup, Zhang Yuan couldn't take it anymore. He felt a bit tipsy and dizzy.

But the more dizzy you get from drinking, the more you drink, because you can't control yourself.

He drank several more bottles, and after getting over a hurdle, he actually became a little more sober.

"Brother, let's continue?" Zhang Yuan nudged Teacher Zhao.

"Didn't we say we were going to drink well and enjoy ourselves? Why did you stop first?"

"Fill it up."

Zhang Yuan tried to break the bottle with his bare hands, but he couldn't control his strength well and his hands were wobbling. He failed to break it after three or four tries and could only awkwardly twist it open himself.

I filled the cup again for Teacher Zhao and handed it to him.

"Come on, let's drink until we drop!"

"Ah..." Teacher Zhao took the cup.

As soon as I caught it, I heard a snap!
The wine glass slipped from his fingers, spilling the clear liquid all over the floor.

"Hey bro, you're so sneaky!"

"Pretending to be drunk, refusing to drink the wine, is that it?"

"Ugh..." Teacher Zhao made a few deep sounds in her throat, then squinted her eyes, frowned, and raised her hand to cover her head.

"No, I have a headache, I feel dizzy, and I feel terrible."

"Pack!"

"You pretend with outsiders, and you pretend with me too."

"Is there anyone like you?"

"I was summoned by you, but I deserted."

"No, no, I can't, I feel terrible, I can't take it anymore..." After saying that, Uncle Benshan lay down on two chairs, holding his head and groaning.

"Great acting! I told you you're a performing artist, and you still declined. It's even better than the performance you gave before." Zhang Yuan clapped his hands and cheered.

The movements, expressions, tone of voice, and feelings were all captured perfectly.

I've never seen such a good performance.

It couldn't be more real.

But at this moment, Teacher Zhao was in no mood to pay attention to his cheers. Instead, he called out to his apprentice in a trembling voice.

"Jianjun..."

Tang Jianjun is the actor who played Xie Guangkun. He was one of Teacher Zhao's earliest apprentices and also the head of the performing arts troupe under his tutelage.

"Take me to the hospital quickly, call an ambulance!" Teacher Zhao shouted to his apprentice with his last bit of strength.

There were outsiders present who also heard what was said.

He looked back and then let out a loud yell.

"It's over!"

"Zhang Yuan drank Zhao Benshan to death!"

Zhang Yuan: ... (End of Chapter)