Chapter 124: Children’s Laughter (4)
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As Yan Shixun dragged Lu Xingxing into the alley, he immediately sensed something was off.
Although it was already deep into autumn, Binhai City still enjoyed bright sunshine. Thanks to the barrier set up by Haiyun Taoists, which successfully prevented the typhoon from landing, there hadn’t been any rain-induced chill in the air for days.
But within the alley, the temperature was noticeably lower, carrying the musty smell of post-rain dampness.
Lu Xingxing was still squirming in Yan Shixun’s grip like a crab, but Yan Shixun only gave a cold snort, then tapped Lu Xingxing on the head before letting him go.
“If you address me as ‘Master Uncle,’ then I’ll protect you a bit. But, Lu Xingxing, you have to learn to walk on your own. If you don’t act cautiously, you’ll end up like the Taoists from Haiyun Temple who died at the hands of ghosts. If such a day ever comes.”
Yan Shixun withdrew his hand, casually slipping it into his pocket as he walked past Lu Xingxing, his voice calm. “I’ll arrange for you to meet a reasonable Yin official. It’ll save you a lot of trouble if you don’t irritate them too much with your mouth.”
Lu Xingxing stood dumbfounded as Yan Shixun pushed open the grand, historically rich iron gate and walked towards the old building.
“Creak!”
The exquisitely crafted iron gate, weathered and rusted over the centuries, emitted a low, grating sound as it swung open, echoing in the deserted alley.
Yan Shixun’s gaze swept across the courtyard before he strode forward, crossing the high threshold.
Still puzzled by why Yan Shixun suddenly stopped beating him and instead said a few words before turning to visit the historical building, Lu Xingxing hadn’t snapped out of it yet when he felt a looming presence brush past him.
Startled, he quickly turned to see the unfamiliar man who always followed Yan Shixun closely.
“Are you a ghost? Why do you walk so quietly?” Lu Xingxing was initially annoyed, but when Ye Li’s gaze swept over him, he suddenly felt a soul-deep sense of danger and immediately shut his mouth.
Ye Li withdrew his indifferent gaze, and followed Yan Shixun through the gate.
For Binhai City, the Concession was a special period in its history. It coexisted with the city during the transition between old and new, becoming not only a memory for many people of that era but also giving rise to the unique charm and atmosphere of old Binhai.
The Concession area of Binhai City, designated as a cultural heritage site, still retains its original appearance to this day.
The building marked as the former residence of diplomat Jing Bin is a typical three-story blend of Chinese and Western architecture. However, the small fountain in the courtyard has long dried up, covered in fallen leaves. The main structure of the building is also worn, with the once exquisite carvings now faded. Only the framework of the building vaguely hints at its past glory and splendor.
“Brother Yan, why are you suddenly interested in these things?”
Following behind, Lu Xingxing looked around at the desolate scenery in the courtyard, but didn’t notice anything unusual. He just wondered aloud, “Brother Yan, are you the kind of person who buys postcards everywhere they travel? You’re interested in this kind of architecture. I didn’t expect you to be so artistic, tut tut.”
“…”
Yan Shixun turned his expressionless face slowly, silently staring at Lu Xingxing until the self-confident man felt uneasy under his gaze. Only then did Yan Shixun turn back and continue walking towards the small building.
“What’s wrong? I’m just asking. Isn’t this an attempt to build rapport with you?”
Lu Xingxing muttered under his breath, sneaking glances at Yan Shixun several times, but ultimately didn’t dare to ask loudly.
He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t help feeling a bit intimidated by the stern Yan Shixun. It made him feel like he was just a naive kid in Yan Shixun’s eyes.
He hated that feeling.
Because both his master and his grandmaster had praised Yan Shixun endlessly, Lu Xingxing felt the need to prove himself. But he never expected to stumble twice with Yang Hua and Family Tomb Village, and both times it was Yan Shixun who saved his life.
Though he was reluctant, he wasn’t a scoundrel. He admitted defeat when he lost. And so, he was willing to acknowledge Yan Shixun as his Master Uncle, even though Yan Shixun himself had no intention of acknowledging any ties to Haiyun Temple, making it seem like Lu Xingxing was forcing the issue.
Even so, Lu Xingxing didn’t want Yan Shixun to look down on him. He wanted to prove that he was useful.
Even the slightest whisper couldn’t escape Ye Li’s ears. He paused his steps to follow Yan Shixun into the small building, then, snapping back to reality, he asked slowly and deliberately, “Building a rapport?”
“Uh…”
Lu Xingxing shuddered, feeling like his previous thoughts had vanished into thin air under that gaze, leaving him unable to give a confident answer.
This person seemed like he would tear him apart at the slightest nod, even scarier than his angry master.
“Are you a friend of Brother Yan? I don’t think I’ve asked your name yet.” Lu Xingxing asked cautiously, “It’s strange, I feel like I should be asking who you are, but it’s like I can’t remember, and the next second, I forget.”
Ye Li glanced at Lu Xingxing, from his timid and silly appearance, he felt that Yan Shixun probably wouldn’t care about such a person. But when he thought of Zhang Wubing, Ye Li became less certain.
While Ye Li and Lu Xingxing hesitated at the door, Yan Shixun had already walked into the living room.
The spacious living room was adorned with a grand crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. Animal furs were draped over the mahogany leather sofas, while scattered folders and jewelry adorned the antique cabinets, shimmering with golden hues. Despite being covered in dust, the typical old-world charm of the house still shone through.
It felt as if the owner had only stepped away for a short while and would return at any moment, everything meticulously preserved.
Yan Shixun’s footsteps echoed on the wooden floor, producing creaking sounds, while the heavy soles of his Martin boots unavoidably frictioned against the floor, creating a lonely and eerie atmosphere.
To preserve the furnishings as much as possible and prevent them from aging too quickly, the curtains were drawn over the windows, keeping the sunlight out and casting the interior into dimness. Only the silhouettes of the objects could be vaguely seen in the darkness.
At the corner of the staircase, a figure silently watched Yan Shixun, cold and devoid of warmth, blending seamlessly into the darkness.
“Dong!”
Yan Shixun bumped into something and immediately reached out to grab it, instinctively seizing whatever it was.
His fingers felt a cold, moist sensation, as if touching blood-soaked hands.
Squinting slightly, Yan Shixun turned his head to examine the object in his hand against the light, finally discerning what it was.
A graduation memento from the Women class of Beijing University.
Underneath the crystal statue, there was a small inscription indicating its age, dating back a century.
There were no traces of water on his palm, suggesting that his sense of touch had conjured something else when his eyes couldn’t see clearly.
Just as Yan Shixun was about to place the statue back on its pedestal, he subconsciously sensed someone watching him. He immediately turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning.
Directly below him on the staircase, there was a blurry figure.
Yan Shixun furrowed his brow, his muscles tensing in an instant.
Considering the entire concession area had been reserved by Li Xuetang’s film crew, there was no way security would allow anyone unauthorized to enter. Yet here, in one of the most common small western-style houses in the concession area, why was there someone? A thief? No, there was no trace of human presence.
Yan Shixun held his breath, moving closer with light steps, voluntarily entering the area devoid of even a hint of light.
As his eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, his hearing became several times more sensitive, capturing every sound within the entire building.
The wind whistled through the cracks in the windows upstairs, sounding like the urgent gasp of a dying person. The aged wooden furniture emitted creaking sounds as if tightening and expanding. Although there was no one on the stairs, there were creaking sounds.
Marbles rolled from south to north, hitting the walls with a “bang” before bouncing on the floor, only to disappear again.
The entire building seemed to be groaning under the weight.
Yan Shixun dared not relax. He controlled his breathing, lowering his heartbeat along with his breath, so that only the faint creaking of the wooden floor beneath his feet could be heard.
But suddenly, he stiffened.
As he approached, the sensation of being watched became even stronger.
Yan Shixun stood still, feeling as if the darkness around him was swirling, with pairs of eyes staring at him from every direction, as if those eyes had been dormant for a hundred years and had finally awakened today, silently and maliciously watching the intruder. On the walls, around corners, on the stairs, behind him… everywhere.
“Snap!”
At that moment, a burst of light suddenly illuminated the living room, dispelling the darkness.
The feeling of being watched that Yan Shixun had experienced receded like a tide.
With the light shining from behind, Yan Shixun finally saw what had made him uncomfortable at the corner of the staircase.
A statue in the Renaissance style, crafted from pure silver.
It stood silently at the corner, playing the role of a qualified decoration. It neither spoke nor moved, its eyes fixed on the base at its feet, lost in thought, seemingly uninterested in the newcomer.
Was it just an illusion?
…No, it wasn’t.
Yan Shixun narrowed his eyes, then shifted his gaze away and turned to look at the source of the light behind him.
It wasn’t known when Ye Li entered the living room, his footsteps on the old wooden floor made no sound at all.
He stood there, holding a radiant orb in his slender palm, resembling the moon nestled in his hand, dispersing the darkness that threatened to engulf Yan Shixun.
Yan Shixun quickly recognized what Ye Li held in his hand: “Golden Light Spell?”
He couldn’t help but chuckle, the tension from earlier dissipating: “Is this how spells are supposed to be used?”
The most powerful exorcism spell being used as a candlelight. If other aspiring Taoists who were struggling to find it saw this scene, they would likely feel a mixture of envy and frustration.
Ye Li eased the sharp coldness between his brows and eyes and smiled: “It serves its purpose.”
“…Using a Thunder Spell to light a fire, and a Golden Light Spell for illumination, quite a fitting pair,” remarked Lu Xingxing, standing at the doorway.
Apart from Ye Li raising an eyebrow slightly at Lu Xingxing’s comment, showing a slight improvement in his perception of him, Yan Shixun didn’t seem to have any particular reaction to it.
The light dispersed the feeling of being watched, but Yan Shixun could sense that those entities hadn’t left. They still lurked in the crevices where the light couldn’t reach, just temporarily retreated.
So, Yan Shixun, aided by the light in Ye Li’s hand, made his way towards the staircase.
Now he could see clearly that along the walls, from bottom to top, were hung gilt-framed oil paintings.
The crimson and gold wallpaper had aged, turning into a deeper rust-red, resembling the color of oxidized blood. Most of the paintings depicted figures dressed in European-style suits and elaborate gowns. They stood or sat in silence, gazing outward from the frames.
This was likely the source of the unsettling feeling Yan Shixun had just experienced.
Because the small villa had been built half a year ago, and its previous owner was a diplomat from back then, having such European-style decor in the house should have been perfectly normal. Ordinary people who saw it would only marvel at the sense of history and the exquisite realism of the paintings.
But Yan Shixun still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
He examined the paintings closely and noticed that while the characters in each painting were different, there were several faces that kept repeating. In the center hung the largest painting, depicting a handsome and spirited man, accompanied by a graceful and beautiful woman.
What didn’t match the entirely European style of the paintings was the woman’s hairstyle and attire.
Despite wearing a voluminous European-style gown, the woman still sported an old-fashioned fringe and a traditional woman’s bun. Adorning her ears, neck, and hair were jade and traditional gold ornaments. Her expression appeared shy, with a hint of reluctance, as if she resented being painted by the artist.
Yan Shixun formed a conjecture in his mind. The progressive male homeowner and the conservative female homeowner—perhaps the subjects of these paintings were the former diplomat Jing Bin and his wife, Mrs. Jing.
For those familiar with the era from a hundred years ago, the name Jing Bin would not go unnoticed.
He was one of the most active and prominent figures in old Shanghai, having returned home after studying abroad on a government scholarship. A progressive thinker with an open mind, he spoke with a genuine Oxford accent and was fluent in four languages. Anyone who had dealings with him, even those from opposing camps, spared no praise for him in memoirs and diaries.
But despite his dazzling reputation, there was one thing about him that drew criticism.
His wife, a traditionalist bureaucrat’s daughter who had undergone foot binding.
Back in the day, there were numerous attacks against Jing Bin in the newspapers over this matter. Traditionalists disapproved of his marriage to a woman chosen by his parents, while progressives scorned him for not divorcing his wife and distancing himself from traditionalists.
Even on today’s internet, when Jing Bin’s name comes up, he is often criticized and labeled a “cad.” Some even suggest removing him from the history books because of his “domestic issues.” However, people seem to conveniently forget about the numerous achievements Jing Bin fought for and obtained, choosing instead to remain silent on the matter.
It could be said that this traditionalist wife was the only stain in Jing Min’s otherwise illustrious and progressive life.
However, in Jing Bin’s former residence, there hung a dignified portrait of him and his wife, visible to everyone who entered the living room.
The painting, over four meters long, occupied an entire wall of the high-ceilinged living room. It was imposing up close, and when Yan Shixun looked up at it, he had the sensation of being watched by the couple.
But… something wasn’t right.
Yan Shixun remembered that the crystal statue he subconsciously caught earlier was inscribed with “A graduation memento from the Women class of Beijing University” indicating its significance to the homeowner.
However, historical records showed that during those tumultuous times, both daughters born to Jing Bin and his wife died in infancy, and shortly after, his wife passed away in sorrow. From then until his death, Jing Bin never had any children.
So, whose statue could it be?
It’s important to note that during that era, Capital University represented progress, and admission to the women’s class was even more exclusive, reserved for those from influential or wealthy families.
Yan Shixun furrowed his brows, puzzled, and looked around in search of answers.
He noticed that apart from the large portrait, most of the other paintings on the walls depicted another woman.
She had a bright and cheerful smile, freely showing her white teeth, dressed in European-style gowns or boldly styled qipaos from that era, with hairstyles ranging from girlish braids to the trendiest perms of old Binhai. Her accessories were predominantly European in style.
She exuded confidence and elegance, without a trace of shyness, like a ray of sunshine in those dim times.
Just by looking at the paintings she left behind, Yan Shixun couldn’t help but be infected by her vivacity, feeling the urge to smile.
“Brother Yan, Zhao Zhen asked if we’re going back.”
Suddenly, Lu Xingxing spoke up, interrupting Yan Shixun’s investigation. “Zhao Zhen said they’re planning to go back to the hotel to rest and have a meal, then return to the concession area. It seems like Director Li has some urgent matters to attend to, so he’s giving everyone some free time.”
Yan Shixun snapped back to reality at this, nodding. “Okay, let’s head back to the hotel first.”
As for this place…
Yan Shixun glanced deeply at the wall covered in paintings before turning away.
In an old house from that era, it was normal for some unwilling spirits to linger. Since there were no people here and those old residents had no intention of harming anyone, there was no need to pay them any mind.
After all, strictly speaking, it was they, the intruders, who disturbed their lives.
Yan Shixun nodded slightly into the darkness, a gesture of apology. “Sorry for the disturbance.”
As Yan Shixun and Ye Li left, the light extinguished, and the room, now devoid of any light that could penetrate the velvet curtains, returned to darkness.
The man and woman in the paintings appeared eerie and inscrutable due to the changing light and shadows.
With countless eyes staring solemnly in the darkness, it felt as though they were peering into the bright world outside the door.
Until—
“Bang!”
The ornate gilded doors closed shut.
All the memories of the past, along with the dust, were kept outside the light.
As they walked out of the courtyard, Lu Xingxing kept looking back towards the direction of the small building.
Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong?”
“Brother Yan….” Lu Xingxing blinked and, only now, realized what he wanted to say. “Is there a ghost in there?”
“So?”
“So?!” Lu Xingxing raised his voice incredulously. “If there’s a ghost, why didn’t you exorcist it, Brother Yan?”
“No, no, Brother Yan, you go back first. I need to go back and drive those ghosts away. Wait, I also need to call my master and ask him to come over here…”
As he spoke, Lu Xingxing muttered to himself and shook his head, swaying towards the old building.
Suddenly, Lu Xingxing felt a strong pull from behind his collar, causing him to stumble and unable to take a step forward.
“Where are you going?” Yan Shixun asked casually. “They still have the deed to that house. They’ve lived there from birth to death. Why do you care so much? Aren’t you afraid of getting bitten by a dog?”
Lu Xingxing looked bewildered. “Brother Yan, but those are ghosts.”
Yan Shixun chuckled and asked, “Have they harmed anyone?”
“But they’re ghosts, they will eventually…”
“Predictive conviction, huh?” Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow. “If someone were to say now that because you might do something wrong in ten years, they should kill you now, would that be reasonable?”
“Damn! That person would be insane!”
Lu Xingxing fumed.
After a moment, he suddenly reacted and looked up at Yan Shixun with horror.
“So,” Yanshixun said, raising a finger and tapping Lu Xingxing’s forehead lightly, “get going.”
Lu Xingxing: … I feel like this isn’t called leaving, it’s called being dragged away!
[Let me go, I’m going to do something bold!.jpg.]
…
As soon as Yan Shixun entered the hotel lobby, he overheard the whispers of the hotel staff nearby.
“Chi Yan is too nice. It’s my first time meeting a guest with such a high status but no airs. She even helped me plead with the manager just now.”
“I saw that too. I really love her. I want to go up and ask for an autograph.”
“Excuse me, is Chi Yan here?” a deep, magnetic male voice interrupted the conversation of the hotel staff, asking, “Has she arrived at the hotel?”
Turning around, the staff saw a tall, handsome young man standing not far behind them, his sharp features exuding a threatening aura.
One of them exclaimed in excitement, “Yan Shixun!”
Yan Shixun was caught off guard by being addressed by name. He, who had never paid much attention to the entertainment industry, was completely unaware of the staggering number of his fans and experienced the annoyance of being recognized wherever he went for the first time.
The person initially wanted to ask Yan Shixun for an autograph or a photo, but fortunately, she remembered it was work time and that the production team had booked rooms at the hotel. Strictly speaking, Yan Shixun was a hotel guest and couldn’t be asked for autographs casually.
She cleared her throat, her face flushed with excitement. “Yes, Miss Chi Yan just went upstairs.”
“Oh, by the way, Mr. Yan, did you not come up with the production team? The others all went upstairs with Miss Chi.”
At last, the staff couldn’t resist and asked in a low voice, “Brother Yan, can you give me an autograph? I’m your fan, I watch your show every time, it’s so good!”
Yan Shixun’s gaze remained calm as he looked over, with no hint of a smile on his handsome face.
Unlike a typical celebrity who would engage with fans, even if they didn’t like it, managing their expression and smiling to thank fans for their support, Yan Shixun’s attitude could be described as indifferent.
“Instead of being my fan, it’s better to be your own fan and make yourself your own idol.”
Yan Shixun’s tone was cold, almost aloof. “To you, I’m just a fictional character on the screen. Once I leave the hotel, I’ll disappear from your life, and the chances of us meeting again are slim. Besides wasting your time and energy, you won’t get anything else.”
“Better to focus on reality and improve yourself.”
Several staff members who heard this were stunned: “…”
The hotel had received many celebrities, but it was rare to encounter someone who didn’t even bother with superficial niceties.
The staff member who had been refused an autograph looked visibly upset, hurriedly handing over the reserved room card to Yan Shixun and casually pointing him towards the elevator. She didn’t do anything else that was required.
Even Lu Xingxing couldn’t help but glance at the receptionist when he received his room card, feeling a bit sorry for her.
Would Brother Yan be so blunt even to a lady? Even he would soften a little when dealing with a girl.
After the group walked away, the shocked staff members who had been intimidated by Yan Shixun finally dared to speak again, murmuring indignantly: “What’s up with him? Thinks he’s a big shot? Such arrogance!”
“Yeah, even someone as prominent as Chi Yan is so gentle.”
“This guy called Yan Shixun, I don’t think he’ll make it in the entertainment industry. Compared to Chi Yan, it’s like night and day!”
“That’s right, dear, don’t be upset. Just stop being his fan. Look how great Chi Yan is, you can be her fan instead. Someone who isn’t even worthy of tying Chi Yan’s shoelaces, what has he accomplished? So arrogant.”
…
But what those few staff members didn’t know was that Yan Shixun had excellent hearing, and even the slightest sound couldn’t escape his ears.
Moreover, since the hotel was booked by the program team and the crew, there was no one else in the lobby. The spacious area with marble and jade tiles enhanced the amplification of sound.
Even Lu Xingxing was a bit angry and was about to turn back to argue with those people.
Yan Shixun didn’t even turn his head, but accurately grabbed his arm. “Where are you going? Let’s just wait for the elevator here.”
Lu Xingxing said indignantly, “But they were bad-mouthing Brother Yan…”
“Their mouths are theirs, and their brains are in their own heads. They can say whatever they want; it’s their freedom, and it has nothing to do with me.”
Yan Shixun remained indifferent. “Love and hate are too easy to come by. People can say one thing and easily change their minds, making it not even worth paying attention to.”
Lu Xingxing was surprised by Yan Shixun’s perspective. “I didn’t expect Brother Yan to be so level-headed. You’d do well in the entertainment industry. Brother Yan, won’t you consider it?”
“No.”
Lu Xingxing couldn’t discern Yan Shixun’s true intentions, but Ye Li understood what he meant.
Yan Shixun was not one to easily engage in relationships with others, so how could he accept emotions that were mixed and unfocused?
“What if it’s profound love and hate?” Ye Li chuckled, bending down almost like a whisper, and asked near Yan Shixun’s ear, “Would you be willing to accept it?”
A chilly breath brushed against the back of Yan Shixun’s neck, making him feel a bit itchy. He quickly raised his head to cover the skin behind his ear, looking annoyed at Ye Li. “Am I a deaf and tinnitus patient? Why are you getting so close?”
Ye Li blinked, his eyes more animated as he looked closely at Yan Shixun’s face, causing his heartstrings to tremble.
At that moment, Yan Shixun also felt that he had overreacted. He coughed uncomfortably and turned his head to look at the elevator buttons, avoiding Ye Li’s face—otherwise, he felt that something beyond his control might happen.
Though he didn’t know what that was, he chose to decline.
But as he looked, Yan Shixun realized, “Why is this elevator so slow?”
He frowned, noticing that the elevator remained stationary on the upper floors and hadn’t moved.
Because the hotel was located in the concession area, the building itself was constructed a century ago. Even after renovations to make it more suitable for modern living, it retained much of its original style and decor. For example, the elevator still preserved its appearance from years ago, exuding the luxurious atmosphere of old Shanghai.
But due to the constraints of both time and architecture, there was only one passenger elevator.
“Huh? That’s strange,” Lu Xingxing remarked. “Is the elevator broken?”
“Just now at the front desk…” Y
an Shixun’s thoughts raced. “The rest of the crew went up with Chi Yan in the elevator.”
“It should have been a while ago. When Zhao Zhen sent a message to Lu Xingxing, they were already on their way to the hotel. We were at least ten minutes behind them. If they encountered Chi Yan for several minutes, they should have already gotten off the elevator. But…”
The elevator remained stuck on the upper floors without moving.
Either the elevator was broken, or everyone was still inside, neither going up nor down, and the elevator door remained open.
Not knowing what was happening, with the memory of Chi Yan’s unusual behavior earlier in the day fresh in his mind, Yan Shixun acted swiftly. He grabbed a nearby waiter and pointed to the floor displayed on the elevator panel, asking, “Besides this elevator, is there any other way to get to this floor?”
The waiter was startled but recognized them as guests from the production crew, so he stammered, “N-nothing else. Ms. Chi is staying in the top-floor suite, and this elevator is the only direct access to it.”
“But you can also take the freight elevator used by staff to the second-to-top floor and then use the fire escape to go up.”
Yan Shixun immediately pulled the waiter towards the freight elevator at the back.
On the top floor, everyone was stunned for several minutes, completely overwhelmed by fear and unable to control their chaotic shouts, as if they wanted to release all the fear pent up inside them.
The mixture of roars and screams echoed, accentuated by the shattered doll standing in the elevator hall, sending chills down everyone’s spine, causing their hair to stand on end.
Eventually, it was Zhang Wubing who regained his senses first. After the initial wave of fear subsided, he blinked and looked at the doll that had frightened everyone into paralysis.
While others rarely encountered such phenomena, for Zhang Wubing, encountering ghosts had become as normal as having a meal, an integral part of his life.
As a result, he could be considered an expert, having learned a lot from other masters and from Yan Shixun himself, even without formal training.
Most importantly, he was very familiar with the aura of ghosts.
However, this doll didn’t emit the familiar aura he was accustomed to.
It’s not a ghost.
“Wait, wait!” Zhang Wubing quickly shouted, “Everyone, don’t panic, it might just be a prank!”
The human brain has an instinct to deceive itself. When faced with something it cannot solve or wants to avoid, the brain will command to forcibly twist the unacceptable scene into something acceptable.
Zhang Wubing’s words were like a lifeline thrown to them, causing everyone to grasp onto it tightly.
“A-A prank?”
An Nanyuan, who had subconsciously reached out to help when Bai Shuang fell and was then startled by the doll, also had his legs turn weak. However, after hearing Zhang Wubing’s words, his gaze shifted from “this is a corpse” to “this is a doll, spot the difference.”
An Nanyuan quickly realized that during the short time they had been standing here, the doll hadn’t moved at all. Not being a ghost meant it wouldn’t harm them.
— If it wasn’t like the dead rising from the graves in the Family Tomb Village.
Upon closer inspection, the doll’s joints were all spherical, and some cross-sections didn’t resemble human flesh.
It looked more like a well-made and realistic model.
An Nanyuan quickly breathed a sigh of relief and reassured everyone, “Director Zhang is right. This is just a fake model. It’s probably a prank by some bored person. Don’t be afraid, everyone.”
Others gradually calmed down as well, their minds settling due to An Nanyuan’s words, although they still had some doubts.
Sure enough, upon closer examination, the face was indeed too stiff. The mouth stretched all the way down to the ears, the eyes were fixed, and the smile was terrifying. It was not an expression that a human could make.
“Is… is it a fake?” Bai Shuang’s tears flowed uncontrollably, smudging her makeup. She tried to stand up, but the extreme fear had left her body weak and limp, unable to muster any strength.
Others quickly helped Bai Shuang to her feet.
“Who would do such a despicable thing!” The variety show celebrity exclaimed, “And they even used red paint? Manager, what’s going on? If we hadn’t accompanied Miss Chi up here, wouldn’t she have been alone to see this?”
Once they overcame their fear, the guests, who had seen various forms of attacks in the entertainment industry and were accustomed to door-splashing incidents, began to slowly come to their senses. They instinctively speculated about who might have learned about Chi Yan’s itinerary and wanted to scare her.
Meanwhile, the manager, experiencing such a situation for the first time, was almost paralyzed with fear in the corner of the elevator. “But Miss Chi only confirmed her stay in the top-floor suite just now! Originally, the top-floor suite was reserved for another VIP client all year round, and no one would stay there.”
The guests who arrived later were unaware of what had happened and felt a bit confused about the situation.
“This isn’t red paint.”
Yan Shixun’s voice came unexpectedly, resonating from outside the elevator, catching everyone off guard: “This is blood, human blood.”
The guests looked at Yan Shixun’s slender figure with surprise as he slowly appeared within their view. They couldn’t understand why Yan Shixun, who was supposed to be in the French Concession, was now in the top-floor suite.
But Yan Shixun’s gaze was fixed on the mannequin, his eyes wary. “And the source of this blood…”
The waiter who stumbled over and followed Yan Shixun, collapsed at Yan Shixun’s feet, his uniform stained with blood from the floor. He seemed to be terrified by something, his expression blank and his mind empty.
It wasn’t until he saw the manager inside the elevator, who was also terrified, that he suddenly seemed to grasp something crucial. He cried out in distress, “Manager, it’s terrible! Someone… someone has died!”
The statement sent shockwaves through the crowd.
Even the audience watching the live broadcast before the incident were stunned, their hearts already on edge from the fright, almost on the brink of shutting down completely.
Yan Shixun furrowed his brow, recalling the scene just moments ago.
— In the safety passage leading to the top floor, blood and flesh were splattered everywhere.
And the master brought in by the crew lay lifeless on the stairs, his expression filled with horror.
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