At midnight, the West Market's abandoned old theater ruins were supposed to be uninhabited. But as Xu Qing approached, he discovered flickering candlelight and human shadows inside, along with the singing of opera and calls of approval from the audience, as if the theater was still as bustling as it had been in its early years.
At this moment, under the cold moonlight, Xu Qing raised his head and vaguely saw the plaque inscribed with the name on the theater's broken gate tower—'Fragrant Pear Garden'.
Xu Qing withdrew his gaze, stepped over broken bricks and tiles, entered through the gate tower, and followed the most lively path in the theater.
Walking through the corridor and stepping past the courtyard gate, the sounds of gongs, drums, and fiddles grew louder and louder.
The scenery around Xu Qing kept changing as he ventured deeper into the theater.