Benshan’s beloved disciple, starting from the 2009 Spring Festival Gala
Chapter 3 - I’m Going to the Spring Festival Gala

Chapter 3 I’m Going to the Spring Festival Gala

24 hours later, the first draft of the sketch “No Lack of Money” was sent to the Spring Festival Gala program team for review. No vulgarity, positive energy, and depth…

“No Lack of Money” passed the review the next day.

At this point, there were less than thirteen days until the Spring Festival Gala on New Year’s Eve. The cast was quickly finalized. The role originally played by Xiao Shen Yang as the waiter was changed to be played by Qu Yiming. Other actors remained the same.

Upon hearing the news, other artists from Ben Shan Media, or rather Qu Yiming’s senior colleagues, quickly sent congratulatory messages to him. Qu Yiming casually looked at them, but did not respond. He wasn’t very familiar with most of his senior colleagues.

Xiao Shen Yang didn’t send a message but instead called directly. Qu Yiming didn’t feel guilty for getting the role Xiao Shen Yang had been hoping for.

He answered the phone calmly, “Hello, Senior Brother?”

“Congratulations, Junior Brother.”

“I’m just a supporting role.”

“A role is not big or small…”

Xiao Shen Yang joked.

“So many senior brothers at the company wanted to be on the Spring Festival Gala with our master, but didn’t expect that you, the last one to join, would get ahead of them. Do well, don’t embarrass your senior brother. If you get famous, I’ll have more face when I do commercial performances, saying ‘My junior brother Qu Yiming is on the Spring Festival Gala.'”

“Hahaha, Senior Brother, because of your words, I will give it my all.”

“Yep, I’m hanging up now, I have things to do.”

“Okay, goodbye.”

After finishing the call with Xiao Shen Yang, Qu Yiming’s mother called him.

“Hello, Mom?”

After months of getting familiar with his current identity, Qu Yiming had started accepting it.

“Son, I heard you’re going to the Spring Festival Gala with your master!”

Qu Yiming’s parents worked at Liao TV, and Liao TV had close ties with Ben Shan Media, so they often heard the gossip from there.

“Has it spread that fast?”

“Is it true?”

Qu Yiming’s mom said with more excitement.

“Yeah.”

Qu Yiming replied, “But it’s just a supporting role.”

“Supporting role or not, it’s the Spring Festival Gala! Just getting on stage to show your face is already incredible!”

No matter what, the Spring Festival Gala now was not about who was famous enough to be on, but rather who was on would get famous, especially popular in the northeastern provinces and many northern areas.

Worried that her son might be overly ambitious, Qu Yiming’s mom quickly reminded him.

“You must listen to your master, whatever your master says, do it, don’t argue with him.”

“Don’t worry, Mom, I wouldn’t dare. Mom, I have to start rehearsing now, wait for New Year’s Eve to see your son on TV.”

“Okay, Mom will be waiting.”

…

Time was tight, and tasks were heavy. In the next few days, Qu Yiming and Uncle Ben Shan spent almost 24 hours a day in the rehearsal room, but their bodies just couldn’t keep up. Even though they were resting well, two days before the Spring Festival Gala, Uncle Ben Shan caught a cold and started coughing while delivering lines.

In response, Uncle Ben Shan continued to rehearse while getting IV fluids. In short, they wouldn’t stop until the last second.

…

Time passed quickly. On New Year’s Eve, at 8:00 p.m. All the domestic TV channels were broadcasting the live Spring Festival Gala on CCTV. This set the foundation for the idea that whoever gets on the Spring Festival Gala becomes famous.

The logic was simple—if they didn’t watch the Spring Festival Gala, there was nothing else to watch. Of course, more importantly, it was the quality of the program and the actors’ performances.

“No Lack of Money” was scheduled to perform around 11:17 p.m. That meant there were still over three hours to go. For Uncle Ben Shan, Qu Yiming, Ya Dan, and Teacher Bi, those three hours felt like years.

“Cough, cough, Yiming, are you nervous?” Uncle Ben Shan asked, his voice still with a hint of cough.

Qu Yiming nodded.

“A little nervous, Master, how about you?”

Uncle Ben Shan waved his hand.

“It’s nothing, this is nothing.”

After chatting a bit with Qu Yiming, Uncle Ben Shan looked at Ya Dan, whose hands were tightly clasped together and clearly more nervous, and frowned slightly. But he didn’t say anything more to avoid adding too much pressure.

“Next, it’s time to witness the miracle!”

In the rest area, there was a TV showing the live broadcast of the Spring Festival Gala. Qu Yiming quietly watched Liu Qian’s performance. That year, no one regarded magician Liu Qian as a real magician.

Liu Qian’s magic act was the second-to-last before “No Lack of Money,” right before a song and dance performance.

“Happy New Year, everyone!”

After finishing his performance, Liu Qian left a message and quickly exited the stage.

Bang, bang, bang!

The staff knocked on the door of the rest area and informed: “Teacher Zhao, it’s time to go on stage…”

Uncle Ben Shan stood up steadily, with a master-like demeanor, and said, “Let’s go.”