Chapter 126: Children’s Laughter (6)
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When the official in charge received a call from Yan Shixun, he was momentarily at a loss.
The renowned master, who had long been famous, had died in the hotel’s fire escape, and the scene was extremely gruesome.
What should this be classified as?
Was it a ghost killing, or a regular criminal case?
The official in charge looked at the phone, which had already been hung up, and hesitated for a moment about whether to hand over the matter to the authorities in Binhai City.
However, soon, the photos and description sent by Yan Shixun dispelled this thought.
In the photos, the master’s death was gruesome, and the entire space was filled with blood and flesh. The scene was so horrific that it exceeded the scope of a regular criminal case.
Moreover, what was subsequently sent over was Yan Shixun’s brief account of his findings.
Yan Shixun: [The blood on the ceiling is evenly smeared, not formed by normal splattering. It’s at a height of over four meters, close to five meters, which is not reachable by an average person, so it’s highly unlikely that the perpetrator is human. There was a note in the master’s pocket, with some hastily written information and contact details for Chi Yan. Perhaps his death is related to what Chi Yan said to him recently, and Chi Yan is likely one of his recent clients.]”
Ghost killing?
The official in charge was astonished.
He knew the name of this master. Although he didn’t come from a prestigious Taoist temple like Haiyun Temple, he was not a charlatan either. He was an esteemed guest of many dignitaries in Binhai City and had some influence.
But for such a master to be killed so easily? If that were the case, how powerful would the killer ghost be?
But for now, there was some good news.
Perhaps the malevolent spirit didn’t want the master’s body to be discovered too quickly, so it took action in the seldom-used fire staircase. Neither the program crew nor the film crew’s cameras have captured this area, and only a few people know the specifics for now.
This means, at least for now, he could breathe a sigh of relief regarding the public relations issue.
The official in charge immediately replied to Yan Shixun’s message: [Okay, I’ll bring people over right away. But what was written on the note in the master’s pocket that you mentioned? Can you send it over?]
But after sending the message, it remained unread, and Yan Shixun didn’t respond for a long time.
It wasn’t until the official in charge had already counted the team members and was preparing to depart for the hotel where the incident occurred that Yan Shixun replied.
But there were only four words——
[Watch your head.]
No photos, no further explanation.
After this message was sent, no matter how the official in charge asked, Yan Shixun didn’t give any further response. Even the calls placed went unanswered, with the line either busy or automatically disconnected.
Having collaborated several times before, the official in charge had some understanding of Yan Shixun. He knew that compared to others in the industry, Yan Shixun was extremely cautious. Since Yan Shixun chose to report this matter to the authorities, he shouldn’t be ignoring official calls and providing no response.
Based on the official’s understanding of Yan Shixun, he should have been waiting for more information and intelligence that could help uncover the truth. After all, Yan Shixun was also a responsible person.
But there was nothing.
It was as if the other end of the line had been engulfed in mist.
The only message that could be conveyed, unless Yan Shixun encountered something preventing him from responding to external inquiries, were those final four words:
Watch your head.
A chill ran down the official’s spine, causing him to shiver involuntarily. He subconsciously looked up at the office ceiling, only to relax his stiff muscles upon seeing nothing unusual.
He couldn’t afford to delay. Immediately, he took the team from the Special Department and hit the gas pedal towards the Concession.
However, the traffic situation in Binhai City was far from ideal, especially during the evening rush hour. The official’s convoy merged onto the main road only to feel like grains of sand thrown into a vast sea, helpless and unable to move forward promptly.
The official was so anxious that he wished he could sprout wings and fly over the congested traffic.
What made him even more agitated was the incessant ringing of his phone.
Perhaps it was a case of “expect the unexpected.” Initially, the official had been relieved that the horrifying scene of the master’s death was incomprehensible to others. But in the blink of an eye, there were problems with the live broadcast from the production team.
“You can see it now if you log onto social media. Discussions about this are flooding all the accounts and tags related to the production team.”
The background noise from the Public Opinion Team’s office came through the phone, along with the continuous ringing and the voices of those trying to calm the situation. All of this made everyone involuntarily tense and anxious.
“But we can’t reach anyone from the production team right now. Director Zhang Wubing, Mr. Yan, and Mr. Lu, sent by the Haiyun Temple, all their phones are unreachable. Not only that, we tried to contact the ‘Binhai Nocturne’ production crew, who were supposed to be with the production team, to inquire about their situation, but we couldn’t reach them either.”
“It’s like they’ve all been blocked.”
The Public Opinion Team continued to guide the direction of public opinion on social media, but this time the situation was different from every other time.
The live stream took a strange turn.
The scene, which had previously shown the production team in the top-floor suite of the hotel, suddenly went completely black at a certain moment during the broadcast.
When the feed resumed, viewers were stunned to find that the image had transformed into the old-fashioned style of Binhai from a century ago.
Narrow alleys, dim streetlights, distant barking dogs—every household had their doors tightly shut. The cobblestone streets, still damp from the recent rain, glistened in the dim light.
A thick fog engulfed the entire scene, blurring everything and making it seem as if they had been enveloped in a mist.
The steady, unhurried tapping sound echoed from the unseen corners where the camera couldn’t reach.
One tap after another, rhythmic and leisurely, each beat striking the hearts of the audience, leaving them nervously on edge, afraid to even breathe.
Finally, a portion of a walking stick appeared within the frame.
Then came the impeccably tailored trousers and brogue shoes.
As the camera gradually tilted upward from a low angle, it revealed the face of the person.
To everyone’s astonishment, it was Yan Shixun!
The audience gasped in disbelief.
But the Yan Shixun on screen was markedly different from his appearance just moments ago.
He was dressed in a vintage three-piece suit, the white shirt slightly tight against his well-built physique, accentuating the contours of his muscles.
It seemed that Yan Shixun wasn’t quite accustomed to the Windsor knot, so he had taken off the dark green tie that was originally tucked beneath his shirt. It now rested in his hand, while the shirt had been unbuttoned at the top two buttons, exposing his beautiful collarbones and neck.
Over the suit, Yan Shixun wore a brown wool overcoat, his broad shoulders perfectly filling out the garment’s silhouette. With leather gloves on his hands, he tapped the walking stick on the stone ground, the rhythm of the tapping matching the sound of his leather shoes hitting the pavement, resonating through the deserted alley.
Many viewers held their breath, captivated by the striking image of Yan Shixun on screen.
If the impression Yan Shixun had left on the audience before was one of arrogance and power, a sharp figure not to be trifled with, then now, he seemed like a beast temporarily restrained by the veneer of civilization in his suit. He had sheathed his claws, patiently awaiting the appearance of his prey, elegant yet deadly.
The Suited Outlaw.
That thought flashed through many people’s minds in that moment.
But as Yan Shixun’s steps continued and the camera focused on his silhouette against the dim streetlights, viewers gradually emerged from the overwhelming aura of power.
[Oh my god, this man is dangerously sexy! I’m going crazy, is Brother Yan some kind of walking aphrodisiac? I never thought a suit could look this sexy!]
[Ahhh!! This scene is so atmospheric, it’s like watching an old film noir from old Binhai, mysterious, elegant, and full of danger.]
[Come to think of it, wasn’t Brother Yan visiting the set of ‘Binhai Nocturne’ this time? I saw the official promotions for the production, and the story is set in old Binhai from a century ago, and they’re all shooting on location. Can it be just a coincidence? Could the director and the production team be giving us a surprise they’ve been hiding? Are they filming a short clip for us through the live broadcast?]
[Maybe! Now that you mention it, it does seem likely. After all, they’ve already sold five million pre-sale tickets, and the poster featuring the guests from the show has the highest demand. Many people want that poster, and some are even willing to pay a high price for it. Maybe the poster was just the first collaboration, like a teaser, and now this live broadcast is the second collaboration, showing us a ‘movie’ shot by the guests from the show?]
[Maybe it’s because I’m young, but I just can’t get into Li Xuetang’s movies. I don’t understand what he’s filming at all, and I can’t even get through them. I’d rather just scroll through short videos. When I first saw the collaboration between the two sides, I thought Li Xuetang was just trying to ride the wave of popularity, especially since we have tens of millions of fans here, while Li Xuetang’s social media accounts only have a few hundred thousand followers. But after seeing this, even though it’s just one scene, I don’t think so anymore! It looks so good!]
[Wow, if that’s the case, then both sides of this collaboration are really thoughtful! The show brings the audience, while Director Li Xuetang is in charge of the cinematography, shooting scenes tailored to the era of ‘Binhai Nocturne’ for the show. It’s truly a powerful alliance! Oh my goodness, buying that poster was definitely worth it!]
[Am I the only one who finds this a bit strange? Look, after the screen went black, it suddenly switched to this scene without any transition. And I’ve been to the Concession in Binhai City, and this scene looks a lot like it, but the thing is, it’s not completely dark yet in Binhai, and it’s not raining. How did they create this scene? And how did the camera switch to it? How did Yan Shixun and the others quickly change outfits and move?]
[Seriously, there are so many unanswered questions! If this is really a surprise, then they must have prepared it in advance, right? They can’t just show us everything, even when they go to the bathroom, can they?]
[…. Ah, I see where you’re coming from. But really, it’s not that difficult, is it? The film crew is already there to shoot a movie, they have all the equipment ready, and there are professional staff on-site. They could just use a boom camera to swing over there, and then the director can handle the cinematography, right?]
[?? With such a beautiful scene, you guys are busy arguing? Why are you still taking screenshots? Get moving!]
So, without any intervention from the public opinion team, the speculations on social media were spontaneously reversed by the audience before the live broadcast.
Even though there were still many who didn’t believe the “shooting a movie” theory, more and more people were starting to buy into it.
The theories about the show facing danger or something going wrong at the hotel slowly lost traction.
The head of the public opinion team was astonished: “This, this is truly unbelievable… The human imagination is indeed terrifying.”
The official in charge looked at the fluctuating dynamics analysis chart displayed on the computer screen. The anxiety that had been hanging over him due to the inability to contact the show’s crew was slightly alleviated.
At least now he didn’t have to divert his attention to managing public opinion issues. He could focus entirely on the deceased master at the hotel and the current situation of the show’s crew.
However, the words spoken by the head of the public opinion team didn’t surprise the official in charge.
When faced with something beyond their understanding, the human brain has a mechanism for automatic repair and completion. Even when confronted with different stories, humans can interpret them as something they can comprehend.
Though the official in charge didn’t know what was happening with Yan Shixun and the others, and how they suddenly ended up in these old-style lanes reminiscent of old Binhai, he was well aware, as someone with access to information, that this was definitely not a collaboration to shoot a movie.
It’s impossible. Just dealing with Yan Shixun alone is already a challenge.
He’s not someone who willingly appears on screen, even with tens of millions of fans envying him across the entertainment industry. He’s completely uninterested.
But… if it’s not a movie, then what exactly happened?
The official in charge’s gaze fell on the live broadcast screen, lost in thought.
The terrible traffic situation didn’t improve; instead, as time passed, it entered the rush hour commute. The traffic jam was so bad that the convoy barely moved ten meters in half an hour.
The official in charge was frantic, but then a sudden realization struck him.
He couldn’t contact the members of the program group and the film crew. But before losing contact with them, they were in the hotel! If he wanted to know what happened to them, he could ask the hotel staff who were there right now to check on them.
The more rushed you are, the easier it is to overlook these small details.
The official in charge cursed himself inwardly, quickly finding the front desk phone number on the hotel’s website.
But when he dialed it, the front desk sounded even more urgent than the official: “Have you arrived yet? Hurry up! The fog is getting thicker, it’s completely dark outside the hotel, and we can’t reach anyone outside. We don’t know what to do.”
The official in charge was taken aback. “Ma’am, please don’t panic, take it slowly. Who do you think you’re talking to? I didn’t contact you before, nor did I receive any distress messages from the hotel.”
The front desk was also astonished. “Aren’t you from the official rescue team in Binhai City? I just called the official rescue hotline. Our hotel suddenly lost power, but the backup generator didn’t work according to the emergency plan. Now the elevators are out of service, and the lighting is gone. All of us are hiding in the hotel, afraid to go out.”
From the front desk’s words, the official in charge finally learned what had happened when he lost contact with Yan Shixun and couldn’t get through to the members of the program group.
The hotel suddenly experienced a power outage, trapping everyone on their respective floors, unaware of each other’s situation. Outside the hotel, facing the concession area, a dense fog had descended, reducing visibility to less than a meter, making it impossible to see what was outside.
But within the concession area, the dim yellow streetlights lit up, their glow piercing through the thick fog, faintly casting shadows into the lobby of the hotel with its all-glass curtain wall, further unsettling the people inside.
The description from the front desk almost instantly reminded the official in charge of a scene he had seen before.
—In the live broadcast of the program group.
Although so far, only Yan Shixun’s figure had appeared, the environment he was in was clearly the same as described by the front desk.
But this still couldn’t explain why no one was answering the phone, nor could it explain why the people from the program group seemed to have suddenly disappeared from the hotel and were now “filming a movie” outside.
“Ma’am, have the people from the top-floor suites just come down? The ones from the ‘Heart-Pounding Journey of Ninety-Nine Days’ variety show, did you happen to see them?” the official in charge inquired.
“What are you talking about?”
The front desk attendant was surprised. “That’s not possible. The elevator has stopped running, and it’s not easy for anyone from the top-floor suites to come down. Besides, several floors in the middle of the fire escape are temporarily locked due to hotel renovations, making it impassable. It’s a dead end.”
“Although Mr. Yan took the freight elevator to the second-to-top floor, used a key to open the fire escape from the second-to-top to the top floor, and went up to the top floor. But without the freight elevator, it’s impossible to walk all the way down the fire escape from above.”
The response left the official in charge at a loss, and his last guess was a complete failure.
After a moment of contemplation, he blurted out the hint that Yan Shixun had given him: “Ma’am, watch out your head.”
The front desk attendant looked puzzled. “Huh?”
The official didn’t know how to explain further, as he himself hadn’t figured out the specific meaning behind the four words sent by Yan Shixun. But since the front desk attendant and Yan Shixun were in the same hotel, the hint should apply to her as well.
He suddenly felt like he was stranded on an island of information, unable to find out what had happened to the production crew.
Just then, a call came in from Taoist Song Yi.
As soon as he answered, Taoist Song Yi went straight to the point: “What’s the situation with the production crew?”
The official in charge asked instinctively, “Taoist Song, did you also watch the live broadcast?”
“Live broadcast? Is it Junior Brother Yan and the others?” Taoist Song Yi furrowed his brows so tightly they could crush a mosquito. “I didn’t watch it. But just now, a former client of mine called me, saying he couldn’t reach his partner and suspected something had happened to him. He wanted me to go rescue his partner.”
“That client’s partner is Li Xuetang, who happens to be with the production crew.”
Li Xuetang!
The official’s eyes lit up. He felt like there was always a way out in the face of adversity. It seemed he had found a breakthrough.
He immediately dialed the number of the client and inquired about what exactly had happened.
“I was originally attending Old Li’s kickoff ceremony, but we had a little disagreement, so I got upset and left in a huff. But as soon as I crossed the bridge, I regretted it and wanted to go back to talk to him and patch things up.”
The old partner of Li Xuetang regretfully explained: “Who knew there would be such thick fog over the river, and the bridge was under temporary traffic control due to poor road conditions. I couldn’t make it over.”
“I tried calling him, thinking that even if I couldn’t talk to him in person, I could at least say something over the phone. But to my surprise, he didn’t pick up at all! I don’t know what’s going on over there, but I’m really worried that something might have happened to him, so I sought help from Taoist Song Yi.”
Listening to this, the official in charge gradually sensed that something was amiss.
Unlike their special department, which deals with death and danger year-round, ordinary people wouldn’t immediately think of supernatural issues when their friend’s phone was unreachable and resort to seeking help from a Taoist priest.
Unless there were signs beforehand that hinted at what happened.
When questioned by the official in charge, the old partner hesitated for a while, seemingly trying to conceal something. But eventually, unable to resist the worry for Li Xuetang, he disclosed all his speculations and what he knew about the situation.
“Chi Yan?” The official in charge was puzzled.
He didn’t pay much attention to the entertainment industry and wasn’t interested in movies. But today, it was the second time he had heard this name.
The last time was when Yan Shixun told him.
And when Yan Shixun lost contact, he happened to be talking to him about the death of that master, which might be related to Chi Yan.
Now he suddenly realized that Chi Yan might have angered some big shot in the entertainment industry and was retaliated against by hiring a Gu Master. The trouble she was in might very well spill over to those around her.
“Yes, please, you have to believe me, I’m not crazy, and I’m not superstitious!”
It seemed like he realized that what he was saying was beyond the realm of normal understanding, so the old partner hurriedly explained, “During the kickoff ceremony, there were already abnormal occurrences because of Chi Yan. Several times the incense wouldn’t light, but as soon as Chi Yan left, everything returned to normal.”
“The reason why Old Li and I had a disagreement was also because of this. I wanted him to replace Chi Yan to avoid trouble, but Old Li is someone who only cares about the show. He insisted that Chi Yan was identical to the leading actress in his script, and he couldn’t find another actress who looked so much like the female lead, so he had to use Chi Yan.”
“I don’t know what happened to Old Li, but I tried calling the assistant director, the assistant, the production assistant, and so on, but no one answered.”
The old partner was extremely anxious. “I suspect that Chi Yan’s troubles have already affected them!”
The official in charge immediately reassured Li Xuetang’s old partner and arranged with Taoist Song Yi to meet at the bridge leading to the concession area. They planned to enter the concession area together to see what had happened to the crew and why no one was answering their calls.
All they knew for sure was the last message sent by Yan Shixun.
“Watch out your head.”
…
Yan Shixun could feel that something was changing within him.
He trembled his eyelids, trying to open his eyes to see his current situation clearly. But even such a simple action felt as difficult as battling a mountain, his eyes feeling incredibly heavy.
Yan Shixun remembered his last memory vividly. He was standing in the stairwell of the hotel, next to the master’s body, surrounded by smeared blood. Then suddenly, everything went black, and he couldn’t remember anything.
When he regained consciousness, he found himself here, unable to open his eyes to see his surroundings clearly.
He dared not let his guard down, continuing to struggle to open his eyes while relying on his hearing and sense of smell to try to assess his whereabouts.
There was no smell of blood, nor the musty odor accumulated from the long-unopened fire escape passage.
Instead, there was the scent of an old house after rain, fresh, clean, with a hint of moss, and a chill of late autumn.
And he could still hear the sound of raindrops hitting the stone puddles from the eaves, “pattering” down.
The rustling of tree leaves, the sound of residual raindrops hitting the tiles…
Yan Shixun made a judgment.
He was no longer in the hotel but in an old house in an old district of the city, built in the style of the last century, with the traditional blue tiles commonly used in old Binhai. That’s why the sound of the water droplets was so crisp.
But this wasn’t just an ordinary house. Judging from the sound of the water droplets, the eaves were designed with a curled edge, and there were gutters set in the ground to catch the rainwater. This ensured that the rain wouldn’t seep into the house.
It was a craftsmanship from the old days.
Meticulous, ancient, and it was raining…
Yan Shixun furrowed his brow, momentarily unable to discern how long he had lost consciousness.
Binhai City hadn’t experienced rain recently; the typhoon had been blocked by the barrier set up by the Haiyun Temple, diverting its course to land in an island nation in the sea.
Yet now, he heard the sound of rain, and it seemed to have been raining for quite some time, judging by the scent of moss, resembling the aftermath of a rainy season.
Could it be that he had been unconscious for several days and was transported to a neighboring province?
Because Zhang Wubing wanted to set the next shooting location in the neighboring province, Yan Shixun had checked the weather there and knew it had been raining recently, cold and dreary autumn rain.
No, that didn’t make sense. The old houses in the neighboring province wouldn’t use this kind of craftsmanship; they mostly used red tiles, which would produce a lighter sound.
Yan Shixun couldn’t help but feel confused. Deprived of his sight, he couldn’t accurately assess his situation, but the information he gathered from his other senses was contradictory.
And…
He uncomfortably twisted his neck.
Was someone trying to strangle him? He felt like he couldn’t breathe; the collar of his shirt was tightly constricting his neck.
…Wait, the collar?
Yan Shixun realized something was off.
He never buttoned his shirt all the way to the top button, but now it felt like he was wearing a tie, making him uncomfortable. So, could it be that the person who had somehow made him lose consciousness and taken him out of the hotel had also changed his clothes?
Yan Shixun: Is this some kind of pervert?
Luckily, due to Yan Shixun’s continued struggle and the protective incantations he silently recited in his mind, his consciousness slowly began to return and strengthen. The foggy brain regained control over his body’s main functions.
He blinked his eyelashes and finally opened his eyes.
The eyes that hadn’t been opened for a long time were suddenly stimulated by the light, causing tears to flow involuntarily.
Yan Shixun blinked his eyes, and through the blurry tears, he managed to discern where he was now.
It was similar to his earlier judgment, with some slight differences.
Indeed, Yan Shixun was in an old-fashioned house, but it wasn’t as old as he had initially thought. Judging from the degree of wear on the walls and beams, the construction of this house seemed relatively new. The scent of rain came from the courtyard outside the house through the intricately carved old wooden door.
He was now sitting at the main table in the house’s hall. A dim candle was lit on a small sandalwood table beside him, faintly illuminating the space. From the reflections, he could see gilt Buddha statues in the side hall, but the altar was covered in dust instead of incense ashes, indicating that it hadn’t been tended to or worshipped for a long time.
That’s also why he hadn’t smelled the scent of incense.
The house and the courtyard were very quiet, with only the occasional sound of raindrops falling, as if he were the only one there.
…Strange.
He had a memory of this house.
It should have been when he walked through the concession area before, he casually glanced at it. It was an old building from a hundred years ago in the old Binhai.
But what he saw now was brand new.
It was as if he was in the old Binhai from a hundred years ago.
Yan Shixun didn’t move rashly, just vigilantly surveyed the surrounding environment.
Just regaining consciousness, he hadn’t fully regained control of his limbs. He seemed to have been sitting for a while. His long legs, wrapped in woolen trousers, either felt numb from the cold wind blowing in or were still regaining sensation.
And he finally understood why he had felt suffocated just now.
Because he had indeed changed his clothes, and there was indeed a tie around his neck.
A meticulously tied Windsor knot.
Yan Shixun was somewhat speechless, feeling that the person who did all this must be mentally unstable.
He raised his hand, disregarding whether there would be any problems with doing so before figuring out exactly what situation he was in. He directly untied the Windsor knot and unbuttoned two buttons.
After doing all this, Yan Shixun finally relaxed and took a deep breath, feeling like he could finally breathe freely.
—— He really disliked anything being too close to his neck, whether it was the top button of his shirt, a scarf in winter, or a high-necked sweater. He rejected them all.
That would make him feel bound.
And what he hated most was being bound.
Once all the sensations in his body had returned, Yan Shixun had already surveyed the entire house.
He stood up, the heavy black wool coat draped over his shoulders, sliding down silently from the chair to his side.
There were no traces of life here, except for a few chairs in the main hall, the rest of the place was covered in dust.
To Yan Shixun, this place seemed more like it served another purpose.
Secret meetings, or perhaps, exchanging intelligence.
And the reason he was here…
Yan Shixun lowered his gaze, following the footprints left in the dust on the black tiles, step by step, until he reached the temple in the side hall.
The Buddha had a gentle smile, but remained silent.
But it was covered in dust.
The only place without dust…
Yan Shixun reached out and lifted the empty incense burner in front of the shrine.
Sure enough, underneath the incense burner, there was a piece of paper stuck.
His agile fingers unfolded the small piece of paper, on which a few words were written in pen, “Someone wants to assassinate you. Be careful within three days.”
Hmm?
Yan Shixun snorted coldly in his mind. He felt that the person who wanted to assassinate him should be the one who made him lose consciousness and brought him here.
But all of this was just too baffling. Yan Shixun still couldn’t figure out how he ended up in this hundred-year-old house in old Binhai from the staircase of the hotel.
Moreover, all his modern devices were gone. His phone was missing, replaced by an exquisite gold pocket watch.
So Yan Shixun didn’t ignore the small piece of paper. He casually put the paper into the pocket of his overcoat, then searched the house again for any other possible hidden items. After confirming that there was nothing else, he turned around and, by the dim candlelight, examined the things on his person.
The hand-sewn suit and overcoat were made of fine materials, with wool of the highest quality and even silk thread for stitching. The leather shoes were made of top-grade cowhide, finely crafted. There was even a gentleman’s walking stick leaning against a nearby chair.
Yan Shixun couldn’t help but chuckle.
If this was a role-playing game, then the character card he had been given must represent a significant figure.
He opened the gold pocket watch, hoping to see what information it might provide.
Although the current situation was somewhat bizarre, when people encounter something beyond their understanding for the first time, they often describe it as “bizarre,” much like ordinary people who don’t believe in ghosts suddenly encountering one.
Yan Shixun was quite accustomed to the idea of ghosts and deities. Fortunately, he never arrogantly assumed that what he saw was the entirety of the universe, nor did he consider himself an all-knowing deity.
He was willing to accept things beyond his current understanding.
— Such as, starting with figuring out who he was now.
As Yan Shixun had expected, inside the gold pocket watch, there was indeed a tradition of engraving inscriptions, just like in the era when the pocket watch was used.
And, to his surprise, he found something unexpected — a black and white photograph stuck under the cover of the watch case.
In the photo, there was a young man and a woman, both dressed elegantly. The young man, in a suit, looked confident, while the woman, wearing a traditional long dress, shyly smiled, leaning against the man.
Although the black and white photo was blurry, Yan Shixun could still discern the subtle yet undeniable affection in the woman’s eyes as she stole a glance at the man.
Turning over the photo, Yan Shixun finally knew who the people in the picture were.
Written elegantly in pen on the back of the photo were the words: “Jing Shi Wanxiu, gift to husband.”
Yan Shixun’s hand holding the pocket watch tightened suddenly, almost pinching his palm with the cover of the watch.
But he didn’t realize this at all. Instead, his face was filled with disbelief.
Jing Shi, dressed in traditional attire.
This wasn’t the first time he had seen this combination.
In the residence of the diplomat Jing Bin, where he accidentally ended up during a friendly conversation with Lu Xingxing, there hung a huge oil painting right in the middle, depicting the same combination. Even though the woman was dressed in a European-style dress, she still had the hairstyle of the old era.
So…
Yan Shixun’s gaze slowly fell on the case of the pocket watch, where three clear words were engraved: Jing Shiwen.
The diplomat Jing Bin, born in the old Binhai 120 years ago, also known as Shiwen.
The calm expression on Yan Shixun’s face finally cracked.
“…Dammit.”
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