In fact, most people who interact with others are neither intelligent nor foolish; though they may have various blunders, if they calm down, they will discover the secrets within.
Darlene was the same; after shouting for a while and taking the rose Fulen handed her, she reacted and said coquettishly to Laze, "Grandpa Laze, why did you suddenly start performing magic?"
Laze apologized to Darlene with regret, "Oh, my Darlene, I forgot you were still here, I'm truly sorry; however, I was also testing this young man Fulen, who hopes to be a Magician for Sohier Circus." At the same time, Laze nodded at Fulen with satisfaction.
Fulen knew from Laze's expression that he had likely secured the position and said, "Then, Mr. Laze, have I passed my test?"
Unexpectedly, Laze did not immediately answer the question Fulen most wanted to know, but instead slowly said to Darlene, "Little Darlene, I might not be leaving the Circus immediately. Could you help me brew a pot of black tea and bring it to my lounge later?" After receiving an affirmative reply, Laze motioned for Fulen to follow him, and the blonde youth beside them, though his presence was very low, still followed the Magician without a word.
To be honest, Fulen was a bit anxious inside. Although Fulen wanted to digest the 'Trickmaster' potion as quickly as possible, it was clear that the 'Trickmaster' potion could be naturally digested simply by playing the role of a Magician in a Circus. By finishing this matter quickly, Fulen could dedicate more time to the mystical courses he couldn't study before due to lack of spirituality.
Although Fulen kept telling himself that haste makes waste, Abraham's predicament, his own experiences after being targeted for a bounty, and Mr. Door's shouts all told him it was time to speed up. Now, Fulen even felt that wasting time was a waste.
Fulen strode forward, and before Fulen could speak, Laze's voice drifted over faintly: "Young man, don't panic. Although you are anxious, I can see that, but nothing can be achieved through anxiety. Meticulous planning and proper handling are the essence of a Magician, no, they should be the essence of anyone's life."
Fulen was startled upon hearing this, looking at the old man in front of him who had no spirituality, yet he felt that the other party was unfathomable. So he adjusted his mindset and prepared to follow the old man's steps.
Inside the lounge.
One table, three sofas.
The three sat around the table, and the old man who had left a deep impression on Fulen became silent, his legs crossed inwards, his hands clasped, his body leaning back, his eyes gazing nowhere, silent yet seemingly deep in thought.
And the blonde youth beside them, though his attire made him seem quite dashing, his sitting posture and expression were both quite serious, even boring. He sat squarely, not even fully sinking into the sofa. Fulen felt it was truly tiring just watching him sit like that.
Fulen, on the other hand, simply leaned against the sofa, his hands resting on the armrests, occasionally looking at the other two, occasionally lowering his head in silence.
And in this silent atmosphere, Darlene entered, carrying a white plate adorned with gold filigree, on which sat a transparent teapot, surrounded by three cups like stars orbiting the moon.
After personally pouring tea into the three cups, Darlene heard Fulen's thanks, followed by thanks from the blonde youth and Laze. After a polite exchange, Darlene left.
Fulen didn't care whether the other two drank tea. He picked up the cup in front of him, lightly tested the temperature with his mouth, and then began to sip the tea in small mouthfuls.
Although the Circus's tea wasn't particularly refreshing, being able to drink tea in this world, Fulen felt, was quite good. Most importantly, it was plain tea, without sugar. Plain tea was the most beautiful form of Chinese tea.
And the Magician's voice followed: "Plain tea, I didn't expect you to like it too. Okot, in this regard, you are not as good as Fulen."
The youth named Okot retorted, "There is no correct way to drink it, just as I like tea with sugar and milk, and you like plain tea. These are all reasonable." Fulen looked up and indeed, Okot was adding sugar and milk to his cup. The containers for sugar and milk were next to the teapot.
"Yes, yes, you are right, I was a bit biased. Do you mind smoke?" Laze said with some emotion, then looked up at Fulen, the question clearly directed at Fulen. After receiving an affirmative reply, Laze took out his pipe.
Lighting the tobacco, Laze exhaled a small puff of smoke and then said to Fulen, "Control over the situation is the most important aspect of a Magician. This is the only thing I can advise you on. Although I haven't reached the point where I can't perform magic, I can still tell that your hand speed is faster than mine. You already possess the basic qualifications to become a Magician."
"Control over the situation depends on many aspects. Planning is the magic you design and are about to perform, while adaptability determines your handling of various emergencies. We might encounter broken props, Spectators acting irrationally, or various accidents. Your performance at such times reflects another aspect of your control."
Fulen straightened his body. Although Fulen had never performed magic on stage, he still felt that he should pay more attention to the old senior's earnest advice.
Seeing Fulen nod, Laze leaned back, took a satisfying puff of smoke, and continued, "Control is the soul of a Magician, the bone of a Magician. If you only have technique, then you are a failed Magician. The reason we are different from those wandering Magicians is that we need an entire magic show, while they perform whatever magic they want to perform."
"We are like performing a play; we need an introduction, development, climax, and conclusion. We need to consider the integration of the Spectators and our performance. We need to control their minds; we are the masters of the entire magic show. This is the only thing I can teach you."
After Laze finished speaking, he took a deep puff of smoke, exhaled a stream of smoke, and then fell into a long silence. Fulen also felt as if a new Door had opened, realizing that a Magician is indeed not just about mastering magic tricks, but also requires a deeper understanding: the control over the entire performance.
While Laze was enjoying his pipe, Okot asked, "Mr. Laze, are you going to resign from your position as Magician?" Okot's expression was serious and earnest; although Fulen had always felt this person was quite serious, he felt he was even more so now.