Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, I became a legend in the entertainment industry by avo

As the curtain slowly rose, the once quiet theater was filled with the shouts of waiters, the chatter of tea drinkers, and the clatter of gavel... all sorts of sounds intertwined to create a vibrant scene of everyday life.

It brings the lively, bustling atmosphere of the old Yutai Teahouse from a century ago to the audience.

These sound effects were simulated by the sound engineers at the Beijing People's Art Theatre using their voices and instruments.

Other tea drinkers also took their seats, and the background sounds of life gradually filled in: whispers, the light clinking of bowls and lids, and the waiter's responses.

The audience was packed, but no one made a sound.

On stage, Liang Guanhua, playing Wang Lifu, emerges from behind the counter with a businessman's signature smile, and begins to greet customers from all directions.

Zhang Qilin sat in his seat, completely immersing himself in the moment.

He wasn't actor Zhang Qilin; he was a tea drinker at the teahouse.

There was no stage, no packed audience seats, only the lingering aroma of tea and the raw noise of the place.

He was preoccupied with making a living that day, but his ears were habitually perked up, not missing a single word of conversation, and looking for any opportunity that might be hidden.

What he didn't know was that Feng Yuanzheng, who played Master Song, was the closest to him and had been watching his every move out of the corner of his eye.

Further back, there's He Bing, who plays Liu Mazi, one of the people who moves around the stage the most frequently.

His route always seemed to intentionally or unintentionally gravitate towards Zhang Qilin's direction.

The two stood close and far, like silent guards, ready to remedy any mistakes he might make.

In the monitoring room, Lin Zhaohua kept a close eye on Zhang Qilin's every move on the screen.

He gripped the communicator in his hand tightly and loosely, repeatedly.

When Liang Guanhua's "Don't talk about state affairs" came from the counter.

Zhang Qilin's hand, which was about to pick up the tea, paused for a fleeting moment, as if by magic.

He barely lifted his eyelids, his eyes darting swiftly towards the person next to him, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water before quickly withdrawing.

The two tea drinkers at the next table exchanged a fleeting glance in the air, saying nothing, yet it seemed as if they had said everything.

Then he picked up the teacup, brought it to his lips, and gently blew on the floating leaves to disperse them.

I didn't actually drink the tea, but the swallowing motion was natural.

The skills that had been repeatedly honed before have now all turned into unconscious habits.

Upon seeing this, Feng Yuanzheng breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

He Bing became completely absorbed in her role and no longer paid attention to anything else.

In the monitoring room, Lin Zhaohua leaned back in his chair and took a big gulp of tea from the cup next to him.

On stage, Zhang Qilin, playing a tea drinker, is listening intently to the absurd discussion about "eunuchs marrying wives" at another table not far away.

His face was expressionless, with only a slight downward smirk at the corners of his mouth, a complex expression that resembled that of a commoner listening to a strange tale, a mixture of disdain, curiosity, and a hint of envy that was hard to define.

The first act unfolds amidst the undercurrents of tension within the teahouse.

As a supporting actor in the tea drinking scene, Zhang Qilin always maintained that attitude, treating himself as an ordinary old Beijing tea drinker.

The first act concludes with Master Chang's line, "I love the Qing Dynasty, but I'm afraid it's finished!", carrying a somber and tragic premonition.

The curtain slowly closed, the stage lights dimmed, and staff members quickly went on stage to change the scenery.

Some of the actors hurried offstage to rehydrate, while others whispered among themselves about a detail from the performance.

As Zhang Qilin walked off the stage with the crowd, he could hear his heart pounding powerfully in his chest.

My palms were slightly damp, but it didn't feel uncomfortable; it was more like the natural warmth after strenuous activity.

As Zhang Qilin was walking off the stage, someone suddenly tapped him lightly on the shoulder.

"Good job, keep it up!"

Zhang Qilin turned around and saw the veteran actor who played the eunuch on stage, with an encouraging smile on his face.

Zhang Qilin immediately responded humbly:

"Thank you, teacher. I will continue to work hard."

As I walked backstage, I met several veteran actors from the troupe.

When they saw Zhang Qilin, they all smiled, nodding in greeting or offering a few words of praise.

Backstage, Zhang Qilin met Feng Yuanzheng.

Feng Yuanzheng asked with a smile:

"How are you feeling?"

Zhang Qilin's eyes still held a lingering light from the stage performance:

"It seems like... it just passed by in a flash."

"It's not the past," Feng Yuanzheng looked at him, "it's you in there now, but don't completely relax. Find a place backstage to rest and savor the memories."

After saying that, he patted him on the shoulder and walked towards the stage.

Zhang Qilin casually found a chair in the corridor, sat down, and closed his eyes to relive the feeling of being on stage just now.

He knew that as long as he remembered this feeling, he could follow it on stage in the future and wouldn't make any mistakes.

I don't know how much time had passed, but a voice rang in my ears:

"Qi Lin, congratulations."

Zhang Qilin opened his eyes and saw Yang Yu. He immediately stood up and said modestly:

"No, no, I still need to learn more from Teacher Yang."

Yang Yu put his arm around his shoulder and sat down:

"How did I tell you? Call him Brother Yang."

"Brother Yang."

"Ah, that's more like it," Yang Yu laughed. "Qi Lin, do you know how many people envy your performance this time?"

"Brother Yang, I only played a minor role, what's there to envy?"

"Under normal circumstances, newcomers would spend three years playing minor roles in other plays and gaining recognition before they could get a minor role in 'Teahouse,' and it would take five to eight years before they could get any lines."

"Brother Yang, aren't we all just playing minor roles now?"

"But they didn't come to the show. Apart from you, all the actors who opened the show have been in the academy for several years. You performed well this time, and the leaders and teachers in the academy have all noticed. You have worked at least a few years less than your peers."

Yang Yu paused, then said in a low voice:

"You know, Dean Park, Teacher Liang, Teacher Yang, Teacher Feng... they all started as extras in 'Teahouse' and worked their way up to leading roles..."

As Yang Yu was speaking, the stage manager called him to come on stage.

He patted Zhang Qilin on the shoulder, got up, and strode quickly toward the stage.

Watching Yang Yu leave, Zhang Qilin got up and walked to the side of the stage to watch the actors' performance.

He didn't return to the water dispenser in the corridor until the end of the second act.

"Kid, you did a good job just now," a standard Beijing accent sounded from behind.

Zhang Qilin immediately turned around and responded with a smile:

"This is all thanks to your excellent teaching, Teacher He."

He Bing laughed and scolded:

"Stop being so glib, kid. Here's a tip: go check out dressing room number 2. That's where the essence of Act 3 is."

Zhang Qilin glanced at dressing room number 2, which was very close to the entrance, and a troubled expression appeared on his face:

"Teacher Yang and Teacher Pu have important roles in the third act. If I go in and disturb them, I'll get scolded."

He Bing, looking at him with an air of utter incorrigibility, raised her hand and gestured at him in a mock-pointing manner:

"You are the dumbest student I have ever taught. Why did you bother them? The two teachers are working so hard on stage. It wouldn't be wrong to pour them some water."

Zhang Qilin was taken aback, then his eyes lit up:

"Thank you for your guidance, Professor He."

He Bing didn't say anything more, just winked at him, then strolled away humming a song with her hands behind her back.