Chapter 127: Children’s Laughter (7)
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When Yan Shixun first realized he was in an unfamiliar place, he had various speculations in mind. But he never thought he wouldn’t even be himself??
Though he had lost consciousness and had no idea how he ended up here from the hotel, nor did he see the entity responsible for the current situation, judging from the surrounding environment and his attire, this was definitely not something an ordinary living person could achieve.
It seemed more like the work of supernatural forces.
Yan Shixun’s expression turned frighteningly grim. He sneered and put the pocket watch back into his vest pocket, then prepared to leave with long strides.
He needed to confirm if other areas around him were also the old Binhai from a hundred years ago, and whether the rest of the TV crew…
Since that thing could bypass his perception, it was even more likely that the other members of the TV crew had been transferred here as well.
Yan Shixun took one last look around before decisively stepping over the high threshold and making his way towards Jing Bin’s mansion along the familiar path.
Since he was now “Jing Bin,” it made perfect sense to return home, didn’t it?
On this stormy night, the entire city district had fallen into silence, illuminated only by the dim streetlights casting their glow onto the ground, while every household was asleep.
His leather shoes tapped against the cobblestone path.
“Tap.”
“Tap.”
A crow circled twice before landing on the spire of the church, its pitch-black eyes fixated firmly on the man’s silhouette walking down the street.
…
Yan Shixun could always sense the faint gaze as if someone were watching him in secret, but no matter how he used the reflection from his pocket watch or the glass windows around corners, the surroundings remained empty and devoid of anyone’s presence.
So, was it the same person who caused him to lose consciousness and orchestrated all of this secretly watching him?
Yan Shixun didn’t react too much, maintaining a natural posture throughout, as if he were indeed Jing Bin, returning home late at night, walking along the deserted streets of the concession area.
But inside, his heart was anything but as calm as he appeared.
The raging waves within him, the shock, even his breathing seemed to momentarily lose control, becoming heavier.
Yan Shixun noticed that the places he passed by were almost identical to the scenery he saw when touring the concession area after the end of the opening ceremony.
Not the relics preserved for a century, but brand new, still carrying the scent of fresh paint and wood.
This was getting interesting.
Yan Shixun arched an eyebrow.
The entire area had reverted to a hundred years ago… and it’s possible even beyond the concession area was the same. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation. Just how powerful was the person behind all of this?
However, perhaps because Yan Shixun appeared so natural, the audience in front of the camera didn’t pick up on his inner shock at all. Instead, they were marveling at the scene, praising it as expected from the hands of a renowned director.
[This scene is incredible! Oh my god, Director Li never disappoints. Despite the hefty budget for renting the location, the effect is truly authentic. For a moment there, I almost believed this was really old Binhai a hundred years ago.]
[It’s the first time I’ve seen Brother Yan dressed so formally. The styling team has an amazing sense of aesthetics. This suit must have cost a fortune. Brother Yan looks like a figure from that era, someone who would go to great lengths for his ideals.]
[It reminds me of the old Binhai movies I’ve seen before! But there’s an added mysterious and enigmatic flavor, walking on the edge of a knife amid looming crises.]
[Huh? Wait, the scene changed! I’m stunned. Wasn’t this a live broadcast? Why did it seamlessly transition to somewhere else? Just a moment ago we were on the street, and now we’re in an old house, and the main character has changed… Wait, is that Chi Yan in a qipao???]
[Wow! It really is! Alright, I believe this is truly a movie directed by Director Li Xuetang in collaboration with the production team.]
[Incredible, the scene looks so real! Hmm… wait a moment, did I see that correctly? Is the person behind the door wearing a skirt the one I thought it was?]
[My goodness… Listen to me, if you’re really sick, go see a doctor, don’t delay treatment. That skirt is about to burst at the seams. Spare the skirt, okay? (hesitates)]
In his long and powerful hands, Yan Shixun held a bunched-up dark green tie. Instead of knocking on the door of the Jing family, he calculated the height of the surrounding wall, grabbed a protruding brick with his gloved hand, and agilely climbed the wall in a few steps, silently flipping over the high barrier and landing lightly on the ground.
Despite his tall and muscular stature, Yan Shixun made no sound, as if he were as weightless as a feather.
Inside the house, no one noticed the additional presence in the courtyard.
When Zhao Zhen woke up, he felt a splitting headache that made him almost want to scream out loud to relieve his pain.
He raised his hand, covering his throbbing temples, and struggled to sit up.
As the snowflake-like spots in front of him gradually faded away, Zhao Zhen finally saw where he was and understood why he had a headache.
He had been knocked unconscious.
As he lowered his hand from his temples, he noticed traces of blood, and there were also bloodstains on his shoulder. He glanced around and saw himself lying on the floor of a cluttered room, next to an old-fashioned mop.
The answer was clear.
Zhao Zhen blinked as his consciousness returned, realizing that something was wrong.
He had been in the top floor suite of the hotel, waiting with the crew in the living room for the authorities to come and investigate the prank and the corpse in the top floor suite.
He even remembered trying to comfort Bai Shuang, who was visibly shaken by the blood in the milk bottle.
But then, suddenly, everything went black, and he remembered nothing.
When he opened his eyes again, Zhao Zhen found himself knocked out and thrown into the storage room.
The floor was cold, causing Zhao Zhen’s teeth to chatter involuntarily. It was evident that if he remained unconscious on the floor for the whole night, he would likely succumb to hypothermia.
Who could have done this? Even if someone had a grudge against him, it seemed extreme. In today’s society, with cameras everywhere, especially during the live broadcast of the show, the perpetrator couldn’t escape detection.
As Zhao Zhen lowered his head to inspect his attire, he was momentarily stunned. His thoughts seemed as dry and rigid as old bearings, unable to turn smoothly.
He had dressed in stylish yet dignified attire provided by his agent for the opening ceremony.
But now, Zhao Zhen realized that he was dressed differently from what he remembered. Instead of his usual attire, he was now wearing a men’s robe from a hundred years ago—a light grey robe with matching trousers and cloth shoes.
As an actor, Zhao Zhen had taken on various roles, including those set in the time period a century ago. So he was familiar with the typical attire of men from that era.
His numb and sluggish brain felt like a malfunctioning machine, slowly piecing together each thought.
Could it be that someone had changed his clothes while he was unconscious?
For what purpose???
Although he was in the entertainment industry and had witnessed many acts of fanaticism from fans, as well as various scandals in the film and television industry, Zhao Zhen considered himself a mature “veteran” actor.
But this magical turn of events still caught Zhao Zhen off guard.
Feeling the icy coldness of the ground, Zhao Zhen couldn’t bear it for long. He quickly steadied himself by grabbing onto the nearby cabinet and stood up. As he did, he happened to catch sight of a shattered full-length mirror lying beside him.
The broken mirror reflected Zhao Zhen’s image.
Clad in a light grey robe, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses hanging from his chest and sporting a hairstyle typical of men from a century ago, Zhao Zhen had to admit that whoever prepared these costumes did an excellent job. At least, he couldn’t tell that they were props.
If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought he was truly in old Binhai from a century ago.
With a wound on his head that needed attention and the need to figure out the current situation, Zhao Zhen couldn’t afford to waste any more time. He quickly made his way to the door of the storeroom.
However, as soon as Zhao Zhen pushed on the door, his expression changed.
It wouldn’t budge.
It seemed to be locked from the outside.
Is this person crazy? They wanted him to die in here after changing his clothes!
Unable to hold back his frustration, Zhao Zhen muttered a curse. Realizing he couldn’t get out on his own, he immediately started banging on the door with his body while shouting loudly, “Is anyone out there? Open the door!”
After shouting for a while, with growing uncertainty in his heart, Zhao Zhen finally heard a response from outside.
“Is… Is that Zhao Zhen?”
It was a female voice, hesitantly unsure.
But since they could call out his name by his voice, it seemed they knew him.
Zhao Zhen immediately exclaimed, “Yes, it’s me! The door has been locked from the outside. Please help me open it.”
Outside, there were the sounds of high-heeled shoes, as if a woman was gracefully walking over to assess the situation.
Then she hurriedly replied, “Please wait a moment, I’ll find someone to help you.”
“Okay.”
But the more Zhao Zhen thought about the voice, the more uneasy he felt.
It seemed… familiar.
Where had he heard it before?
Before he could figure it out, apart from the sound of high heels, there was another clumsy noise from outside.
It sounded like someone learning to walk in high heels, walking unsteadily and awkwardly.
“Is Zhao Zhen inside?”
Zhang Wubing’s pleasantly surprised voice came through. “Another one found, that’s great!”
Zhao Zhen was thrilled, momentarily forgetting to delve into why he heard the sound of high heels but was met by Zhang Wubing instead.
“Director!”
“Zhao Zhen!”
Zhang Wubing responded affectionately from outside the storeroom door, “Just wait, I’ll unlock the door and let you out!”
“Yeah, but… where did I put the key?” Zhang Wubing’s voice sounded hesitant.
Meanwhile, Zhao Zhen suddenly realized something and reached into the waist of his robe, feeling something hard poking against his fingers.
Pulling it out and examining it, Zhao Zhen found a whole bunch of keys, roughly estimating there were dozens of them.
“Well, it seems like the key to the storeroom is most likely on me,” Zhao Zhen almost burst out laughing, while outside, Zhang Wubing fell silent for two seconds upon hearing this news, then said, “No problem, you won’t believe it… There happens to be an axe right outside the storeroom door.”
“It’s perfect for smashing the door lock.”
Zhang Wubing’s voice sounded somewhat cheerful, and judging by the quick “clack clack” of the axe hitting wood, he had already taken action.
But Zhao Zhen couldn’t share in the joy. Silently, he glanced at the cracked mirror beside him, reflecting the image of himself with an injured head.
He had a crazy suspicion.
Perhaps, that axe was originally meant to be used to kill him.
Fortunately, Zhang Wubing quickly resolved the locked door with a loud “bang!” as the lock fell off.
The door to the storeroom swung open from the outside.
“All right, Zhao Zhen, come out quickly.”
Zhao Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. “Director, I’m so glad you’re here. Otherwise, I might have frozen in there for the whole… whole…”
He trailed off as he looked at the person before him.
Zhao Zhen was dumbfounded, his trembling finger pointing shakily at Zhang Wubing. “Director, do you… have this kind of hobby?”
But he finally understood why he had heard the sound of high heels, yet it was Zhang Wubing who appeared.
——Because Zhang Wubing was wearing high heels.
Zhang Wubing was dressed in an old-fashioned schoolgirl uniform that didn’t quite fit his size. The soft bulge of his belly was tightly squeezed by the light blue uniform top, while underneath the skirt, two unmistakably male legs were clad in white knee-high socks, with black leather shoes sporting a small heel.
To top it off, Zhang Wubing’s originally short hair was forcibly tied into two small pigtails, each adorned with a blue ribbon. However, due to the insufficient length of his hair, the hairstyle lacked the innocent and lively charm it was supposed to convey, instead resembling two awkward tufts sticking up from his head.
To put it frankly, there couldn’t have been a more conspicuous outfit to showcase the wearer’s eccentricity.
It was the kind of attire that would prompt people to snap photos and call the authorities if spotted strolling down the street.
Zhao Zhen couldn’t help but think this, but he refrained from voicing it aloud, fearing it might hurt Zhang Wubing’s sensitive feelings.
“Director, it’s okay, I understand. As adults, we’re entitled to our own preferences.”
Zhao Zhen reassured, suppressing the discomfort caused by the glaring sight. “Your choices are your own business, and I won’t breathe a word of it.”
However, as soon as those words left his lips, Zhang Wubing, who had been standing at the door of the utility room with an axe in hand, ready to greet Zhao Zhen with a smile, fell silent.
Even the usually thick-skinned Zhang Wubing didn’t know how to respond.
The scene fell into an awkward silence.
Meanwhile, the audience was on the verge of laughter.
[Hahaha, what’s up with Director Li Xuetang? Did he switch to comedy directing? Well, I have to say, Li Xuetang directing comedy is really something else. I’m about to laugh my head off.]
[Oh my god, Maisie, Maisie! I’m willing to pay a fortune for a pair of eyes that haven’t seen this scene.]
[Holy crap! Director Zhang, what are you doing? You’re a top-tier variety show director now. Even if it’s for the sake of entertainment, you should still consider your image and reputation, right? You don’t need to go this far, seriously, hahaha.]
[You’re right, I’ve been laughing non-stop! Haha! I’m sorry, Xiao Bing, Mom still loves you, even with this outfit… I can’t take it anymore, I’m rolling on the floor laughing.]
[Oh my, is Zhang Wubing wearing an old-fashioned schoolgirl uniform? I used to envy those uniforms so much, thinking they were way prettier than my current sportswear uniforms. I even once said that even if I were a pig, I’d look good in a hundred-year-old schoolgirl uniform! But now, seeing Zhang Wubing’s appearance… I apologize for my youthful arrogance. Ah, it’s too painful for the eyes.]
After the awkward silence dragged on for what felt like an eternity, someone nearby coughed, breaking the deadlock: “What happened to your head, Zhao Zhen? Did you bump into something?”
Embarrassed, Zhao Zhen shifted his gaze away from Zhang Wubing, looking towards the person beside him as if grasping at a lifeline: “No, I woke up like this, it seems like I was hit by someone… Uh.”
“Chi… Yan?” Zhao Zhen hesitantly called out to the person.
The glamorous woman nodded gracefully, admitting, “Yes, it’s me. I woke up dressed like this.”
Standing beside Zhang Wubing, Chi Yan was dressed in a form-fitting silk cheongsam, slit open to the knee, with a pearl embellishment at the seam. As she moved, her slender white legs peeked out delicately from beneath the exquisite cheongsam, accentuated perfectly by the high heels, shaping her legs like a plaster model.
Chi Yan sported the most fashionable curly hairstyle of old Binhai, adorned with a diamond hairpin at the parting. Around her neck, she wore a triple-layered pearl necklace, while her snow-white wrist boasted a string of pearl and diamond bracelets.
She looked every bit the former socialite of old Binhai, stunning enough to grace magazine covers or be plastered on posters lining the streets.
Zhao Zhen was momentarily dazzled by her beauty, his eyes glued to her for a moment.
However, when he accidentally caught sight of Zhang Wubing beside her, he winced and closed his eyes in pain, snapping back to reality.
“Uh… Director Zhang, ever thought of trying a different size?”
Zhang Wubing: “……”
Silence, silence was tonight’s companion.
He had never been at such a loss for words in his life!
“…Do you think I wanted to dress like this?”
Zhang Wubing sighed with resentment, “When I woke up, I found myself sleeping at the desk in the study, dressed in this outfit. I thought there was a psycho around, so I hurried out to find you guys, only to run into Chi Yan and you. I didn’t even have time to change clothes, okay?”
Zhao Zhen: “….I’m sorry, Director, it’s my fault.”
“But, what exactly happened?”
Seeing familiar faces somewhat calmed Zhao Zhen down, and he asked, “I distinctly remember being in the top floor suite of the hotel, but then everything went black, and when I woke up, this is what I found, and someone changed my clothes. What’s going on?”
Chi Yan’s slender eyebrows furrowed with concern, her heart filled with pity.
She shook her head, “I don’t know either. Like you, I was comforting Bai Shuang, but then everything went dark, and when I opened my eyes, I was lying on the carpet in the living room, surrounded by shattered glasses. I have no idea what happened.”
The three of them shared eerily similar experiences. None of them knew what had happened, but they had all somehow ended up here after being at the hotel.
“Since we all remember comforting Bai Shuang, then…” Zhao Zhen looked around in confusion, but there was no sign of Bai Shuang in the lavishly decorated corridor reminiscent of old Shanghai.
“Where’s Bai Shuang?”
They exchanged glances, all shaking their heads.
“I think I woke up first. When I did, I was in the study on the second floor. I called out a few times, but got no response. When I came downstairs, I found Chi Yan lying in the living room.”
“But I didn’t see Bai Shuang,” Zhang Wubing added.
“Since we’re all here, Bai Shuang should be here too.”
Chi Yan reached into her pocket and pulled out a handkerchief embroidered with red flowers, handing it to Zhao Zhen. “Here, use this to clean your wound. We’ll find a first aid kit to patch you up. Right now, your injury is just as important as finding Bai Shuang.”
Being cared for by others was always a comforting thing.
A warm surge of gratitude filled Zhao Zhen’s heart as he thanked Chi Yan and took the handkerchief, pressing it against his forehead without much thought.
The handkerchief carried the scent of powder, mingled with the heavy smell of blood.
Ignoring this, Zhao Zhen prepared to step out of the storeroom with the two others to figure out where they were and what was going on.
But as he took a step, Zhao Zhen gasped in pain.
His knee, inexplicably, throbbed with an intense ache.
It wasn’t the kind of pain from a recent injury, but rather the result of long-standing joint issues caused by exposure to cold.
However, Zhao Zhen, being young and usually mindful of his health even during filming, had never experienced any pain in his joints before.
What could be the reason for this?
Zhao Zhen looked down at his crumpled robe, his mind filled with confusion and suspicion.
“Zhao Zhen?” Chi Yan called out to him curiously, turning back to look.
Hastily, Zhao Zhen limped to catch up with her.
But Zhao Zhen moved too quickly, so he didn’t notice behind him, in the shattered mirror reflecting his figure, the cracks spreading, emitting “crack!” and “crack!” sounds.
And within each shard, different angles were reflected.
In the mirror, Zhao Zhen, who was gradually moving away, suddenly turned around, his mouth stiffly stretched into a smile.
“Thud!”
Inside the storeroom, a leather ball placed on the countertop suddenly fell to the ground, making a noise.
It rolled on the ground for a while before abruptly stopping in the middle of the empty space.
As if it had collided with something.
Then, the leather ball floated slowly into the air.
As if it were being lifted by unseen hands.
The audience watched in horror as this scene unfolded, gasping in shock.
[Holy crap!!! Isn’t this supposed to be a comedy movie? What’s going on? I was completely unprepared for this, and now my heart’s about to stop from the scare!]
[Is this some new experiment by Director Li Xuetang? At first, when I saw Brother Yan, I thought this was a movie set in old Binhai. When I saw Zhang Wubing, I thought it was a light comedy. But now, I realize… this is a horror movie!! It’s really got that spooky vibe!]
[Holy crap, holy crap!! Just when the brat upstairs was playing with a leather ball, I got so scared I threw my phone away! Damn it, scared the crap out of me, I bolted from the living room straight into my blankets.]
[I knew it! You can never let your guard down while watching this show! Do you know why it’s called ‘Heart-Pounding Journey’? It’s meant to make your heart race like crazy! How it races doesn’t matter! Being scared still makes it race, right?]
[Ahhh, this poor child is scared out of my wits! Here I am, alone in our ancestral home, six floors up! No electricity! Just me! In the countryside! I’m about to lose my mind.]
However, even as the barrage of comments flew by, neither Zhao Zhen nor Zhang Wubing seemed to notice.
After leaving the utility room, the three of them walked down the corridor until they reached the living room.
And finally, Zhao Zhen could see where they were.
Surrounded by redwood walls, intricately carved jade screens, European-style portrait sculptures, and vivid oil paintings… This fusion of Eastern and Western styles, with such distinct characteristics, made it instantly recognizable as belonging to that unique era a hundred years ago.
“This is?” Zhao Zhen hesitated, “If it’s a prank or a scare tactic, whoever did this really went all out.”
Zhang Wubing shrugged, but because of the ill-fitting clothes, his soft belly peeked out from under the hem.
“Who says it isn’t? Look at the foreigner pattern on this vase and the signature below, it’s an authentic antique. It’s the typical style from back then, and it’s genuine. You know, this batch of porcelain was originally meant for export, but the ship sank, leaving only a few behind. Now they’re worth over a million.”
Zhao Zhen looked at the seemingly ordinary vase pointed out by Zhang Wubing and gasped.
Zhang Wubing continued nonchalantly, “My old man loves these old items, bought quite a few, so I’ve seen a lot. Everything you see here is authentic.”
“There is only one problem.” However, Zhang Wubing still had some doubts, even questioning his own judgment, “These things look too new.”
“The ones my old man bought are already in the best condition, but even so, there are traces of time. But the things here look so new, like they were just made.”
Zhao Zhen raised an eyebrow teasingly, “Doesn’t seem like it’s from the Western Zhou Dynasty, more like from last week?”
Zhang Wubing chuckled at the joke. He didn’t find the first aid kit in the living room cabinet, so he spread his legs and squatted down, about to search through the drawers below.
Items like a first aid kit, which have some volume, might be stored there.
While Zhang Wubing didn’t think anything was amiss, Chi Yan cried out in shock, quickly covering her face and turning away.
Zhao Zhen also wore a grimace of disgust.
Zhang Wubing: “??? What are you guys doing?”
“Director…”
Zhao Zhen hesitated, “You’re wearing a skirt now, so be mindful of your image when squatting down.”
Zhang Wubing who just realized this: “……”
He quickly raised his hand and pushed down the skirt that had spread open between his thighs: “Pervert!”
Zhao Zhen: “…”
Director, now you look even more like a pervert…
Zhang Wubing also felt aggrieved. He went from “finding a first aid kit for Zhao Zhen” to “sulkingly finding a first aid kit for Zhao Zhen.”
It wasn’t intentional! He was just a big guy, how would he have experience wearing a skirt?
The crystal chandelier in the living room couldn’t be turned on, so they relied on the kerosene lamp Zhao Zhen had brought from the utility room, barely illuminating the space.
They tried, but the crystal chandelier flickered and then went out again. Zhao Zhen thought it might be due to unstable voltage.
“It’s a bit strange, are we really in Binhai City?” Zhao Zhen pondered, “I haven’t heard of power outages in years, isn’t the city always guaranteed power supply? And…”
He raised the kerosene lamp in his hand, “Even if a normal household prepares for a power outage, they usually have power banks and USB lamps, right? Who would have a kerosene lamp at home?”
“In that case…” Zhang Wubing contemplated, “Did we notice any power sockets on the walls along the way?”
“Would modern renovations overlook something like that?”
No one had a response, but they all had the same bold speculation in mind.
——Could it be that they were now in old Binhai from a century ago?
Zhang Wubing was about to say something, but as his gaze inadvertently swept past the nearby French window, he suddenly realized something and turned abruptly to look.
Then, he took a long, deep breath, and his entire body, still maintaining the bold and unrestrained posture in the skirt, stiffened.
In the dim light, the darkness outside the French window was thick and oppressive, like undiluted ink. Only the Han Baiyu angel statue in the courtyard fountain could vaguely be seen with a humanoid silhouette.
But it had completely lost its original beauty and now exuded a chilling aura in the rainy darkness of the night.
Outside the stained-glass windows, a pair of eyes peered through the light-colored glass, staring directly at the people in the living room.
But there was no body to be seen.
It was as if… only a pair of eyes were floating in the air.
“AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!”
Zhang Wubing’s heart-wrenching scream echoed through the empty house. “A ghost!!!!!!”
Startled by Zhang Wubing’s scream, Zhao Zhen and Chi Yan were also infected by the atmosphere of terror, subconsciously joining in the shout.
Then, a voice, neither loud nor soft, came from outside.
“Shut up.”
The voice was not loud, but it was incredibly effective in silencing them, making everyone freeze in fear, afraid to make another sound.
The unlocked glass door was pushed open from the outside, and a figure in a crisp suit and trousers stepped in.
“What a novel experience,” the person sneered. “Always hunting ghosts, but this is the first time I’ve been mistaken for one. Zhang Dabing, you’ve really outdone yourself.”
The group remained tense, barely daring to breathe, their eyes fixed on the doorway.
It wasn’t until the person spoke that they slowly realized.
This voice… sounded like Brother Yan?
Seeing that it was Yan Shixun who had startled them, Zhao Zhen, who had been frightened by Zhang Wubing, felt his heart settle back into place.
Zhang Wubing, on the other hand, burst into tears with a loud “Waaah!” and threw himself at the legs of the person standing at the door, crying out, “Brother Yan! Is it really you, Brother Yan?”
“I thought I was going to die just now, wuu wuu wuu.”
With snot and tears streaming down his face, Zhang Wubing cried pitifully.
Yan Shixun was speechless. Even through the thick woolen fabric of his trousers, he could still feel the dampness transferred to his skin from Zhang Wubing’s embrace.
This silly kid!
He lowered his head, intending to mock Zhang Wubing as usual, but in this close proximity, the details that had been missed due to the dim light were now clearly visible to him.
Yan Shixun stiffened all over.
“What’s with this… this towering hairstyle and skirt… thing??”
“Zhang Youbing?” Yan Shixun asked incredulously, “What’s going on with your outfit?”
With a loud “slap!” Zhao Zhen covered his eyes, but his shaking shoulders betrayed the fact that he was laughing uncontrollably.
Zhang Wubing sobbed, “Brother Yan, are you rejecting your adorable Xiao Bing?”
“Yes,” Yan Shixun replied earnestly.
Zhang Wubing felt like he had been struck by lightning.
Just a single word, but it carried such a powerful impact.
The audience’s laughter flooded the barrage even more.
[Xiao Bing: I’ve put my heart in Brother Yan’s hands, but it was all in vain!]
[Haha! Can’t blame Brother Yan for this one, I can’t help but laugh too.]
[Hahahahahaha Zhang Youbing, what a riot! The director has lost his dignity!]
[Am I the only one who noticed that Brother Yan said he was catching ghosts before? So does that mean there really are ghosts? Did Brother Yan deceive me into believing in science all this time? Sobbing.]
[The heart of an innocent child, shattered just like that. Tut tut, Brother Yan, hahaha.]
[Maybe it’s the script given by the director? Whether to say it or not, I didn’t expect a renowned director like Li Xuetang to play like this for real.]
As Zhang Wubing stiffened, almost competing with the statue in the courtyard, Zhao Zhen and Chi Yan explained their experiences to Yan Shixun. Zhao Zhen even voiced his suspicion.
“Brother Yan, I don’t think it’s some maniac who knocked us out, brought us here, and changed our clothes. I believe we’re actually in old Binhai now.”
Zhao Zhen raised the sleeves of his gentleman’s robe. “I have keys, various scattered seals, and other items on me. I feel like I look like an accountant or a butler in this outfit. If it was done by some maniac, they wouldn’t need to pay attention to such details, right?”
Zhao Zhen used to be an atheist, but now he had completely broken free from self-restraint, daring to speculate boldly.
—After all, he had once spent time in a coffin with a female ghost, so what else couldn’t happen?
Zhao Zhen thought his speculation was too bizarre for Yan Shixun to believe.
However, to his surprise, Yan Shixun just nodded calmly. “You’re right. This is indeed old Binhai from a hundred years ago.”
The others were astonished. “Huh?”
Yan Shixun reached into the pocket of his wool coat and pulled out a folded movie poster.
The poster was filled with the rich old Binhai style. The lady depicted on it had permed hair and red lips, smiling charmingly. However, the movie date marked in the bottom corner was from a hundred years ago.
“When I woke up, my location was slightly different from yours. When I came back from outside, I confirmed three things.”
Yan Shixun said calmly, “First, we are now in the old Binhai concession area from a hundred years ago. I’ve seen the buildings outside: barber shops, dance halls, movie theaters, embassies, guild halls, Peace Hotel, coffee shops… The decorations and items used inside are all from a hundred years ago. And it’s not deliberately arranged, but there are traces of people using and living here.”
“Second, we currently have no way of leaving. I’ve tried, but outside is dense fog. Walking along the streets leads to another loop, never reaching the end, nor touching the edge. It’s currently impossible to leave physically.”
“Third, we each have our own identity. You can search yourselves; there should be information that proves your identity.”
Yan Shixun’s slender hands, clad in leather gloves, overlapped in front of him as he held the Wenming crane, smiling lightly. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jing Bin, a diplomat.”
“Dead seventy years ago.”
“By the way,” Yan Shixun chuckled, “the place we are currently in is Jing Bin’s mansion.”
“The last owner of the mansion died sixty years ago, and since then, it has been abandoned, devoid of any signs of life.”
The group held their breath, staring blankly at Yan Shixun standing backlit before them. When he mentioned his own death, they shivered involuntarily, as if a cold wind had swept past them.
It was as if a chill had passed through the room.
Among them, it was Chi Yan who first snapped out of the daze and reacted. She hurriedly took a couple of steps and picked up a small ladies’ handbag from the nearby ornate sofa.
“As for identity information, I think I know who I am now.” She rummaged through the handbag and pulled out a small badge, engraved with words.
【Beijing University Foreign Language Women’s Class, Lin Ting】
This is a student identity badge.
But after Chi Yan took it out, Zhao Zhen hesitated for a moment and asked, “But Sister Chi Yan, you’re dressed unlike a student?”
“It’s more like Director Zhang…” His gaze shifted to Zhang Wubing.
Although Zhang Wubing’s appearance was quite eye-catching, his identity was obvious.
Zhang Wubing looked up blankly.
Chi Yan pursed her lips.
“Well, let’s search the house then. We should all have our own identity information. Maybe from there, we can find a way out.”
Yan Shixun observed the reactions of the group, lightly clapped his hands to draw their attention. “Since we’re here, and I woke up in the building outside, it means that all of us have matching identity information. The things we do and the places we appear in also align with our identities.”
“Besides us, there were several other people on the top floor of the hotel at that time, and they should be nearby too. Let’s search carefully, maybe we’ll find something.”
Yan Shixun smiled, “Now, welcome to a large-scale role-playing game.”
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