Huang Guanzhi (front) attended a press conference yesterday with the cast of "Listening to the Sea Waves." He formed a connection with Daisuke Tsukahara, the head of the renowned Japanese theater troupe "52PRO!" through their collaboration on "Listening to the Sea Waves," which led to an invitation to perform in the co-produced stage play "Wandering Tree." Thus, he traveled to Tokyo Longstay with Zhang Ning for nearly two months of rehearsal starting in April. He revealed that on one occasion while returning to his dormitory, he was stopped by police. Due to his inability to speak Japanese, he inquired about the reason, and the police used a translation app to respond, "Because your eyes are crooked," leaving him amused yet bewildered.

While in Japan, Huang Guanzhi's life revolved almost entirely around work. "I basically just shuttle back and forth between the Honda Theater in Shimokitazawa and the rehearsal space in Kichijoji every day, hardly having time for sightseeing, and I don't feel like I'm really in Japan at all." Nevertheless, he would sometimes take the opportunity to stroll through vintage shops in Shimokitazawa during breaks, "as a way to unwind, although sometimes my wallet suffers considerably."

"Wandering Tree" marks Huang Guanzhi's first involvement in a stage play. Because the script was finished relatively late, he had limited practice time after receiving the script, which posed a significant challenge for him. "Today I received the new performances, and tomorrow I have to rehearse with the Japanese actors; the preparation time is really short, so I have to push myself to catch up quickly, which is indeed very tough." He and Zhang Ning support each other and sometimes she cooks for him, creating a strong bond akin to siblings.