Chapter 149: Children’s Laughter (28)
When the special department people realized that Yan Shixun and the others had no idea about the livestream, they broke out in a cold sweat.
Thankfully, due to the secretary from the Jing family giving them a heads-up, they managed to trace the source of the livestream in time. Jing Xiaobao was made to pull all the camera equipment out from within the ghost aura, and the stream was shut down immediately.
Jing Xiaobao, still full of curiosity, tiptoed to try and see what the black device in the staff member’s hand was. The staff, however, were too overwhelmed by fear, only feeling relief that public opinion had shifted in their favor just in time and that nothing too horrifying had been caught on camera.
But as soon as they looked down and spotted Jing Xiaobao, they were about to casually scold him—just a child, after all—not to cause trouble next time. Before the words could leave their mouth, a member of the rescue team tugged on their sleeve just in time.
Only then did it suddenly hit them: no matter how cute Jing Xiaobao looked now, he was a real, full-fledged ghost!
The kind even Taoist Song Yi couldn’t handle.
Jing Xiaobao blinked his big eyes and gave the staff a sweet smile. He was about to let out a high-pitched “gigglegigglegiggle.”
The staff member felt his whole body seize up, as if ice-cold air had shot up his spine.
He instantly regretted walking over. He genuinely thought he might die here.
Just as the child’s chilling laughter started, a slender hand came down and gave him a firm pat on the head.
“So funny, huh.”
Jing Xiaobao’s little head was pushed down. He sniffled, angry but not daring to speak out.
The staff member looked up and saw who the hand belonged to—Yan Shixun. He was casually ruffling Jing Xiaobao’s hair, as if petting a rabbit.
This staffer had only heard of Yan Shixun before and never seen him in person. Now, seeing him up close, he gasped and grew panicked, desperately wanting this reckless man to get away.
That was a ghost!
The staffer was frozen with fear, screaming internally: *Where did this clueless little Taoist come from? Even Taoist Song Yi lost to him—don’t try to act tough! Go! Run! If the ghost gets mad, you’re dead meat!*
His eyes were wide as saucers. He was already preparing to force his frozen limbs to move and rush in to save the “little Taoist” who clearly didn’t know how dangerous things were.
But to his surprise, Jing Xiaobao didn’t attack Yan Shixun like he imagined. Instead, the ghost lowered his head and let out two small, pitiful sobs. His face turned red from holding it in.
Then, after a long silence, he cautiously let out a small giggle again.
“Hee hee…”
*Smack!*
Another light pat landed on Jing Xiaobao’s head.
Yan Shixun lowered his eyes and frowned at him. “Laugh like a normal person. Otherwise, I’ll send you away.”
Jing Xiaobao was about to cry. “I’m a fierce ghost, okay? A super powerful one. Don’t hit my head.”
“And how could I laugh like a normal person? I’m not even human.”
Jing Xiaobao stared at him with his blood-red eyes, full of grievance. “How about you teach me then?”
This supposedly fearsome ghost now looked as meek as a bunny under Yan Shixun’s hand.
With those red eyes, he even looked more like one.
A female staffer nearby, who had been quietly watching the whole scene, felt her heart melt.
—Yes, she knew he was a ghost, but… he was just too adorable! A soft and fluffy little baby!
Yan Shixun, however, who was now being asked to give a lesson, suddenly stiffened and looked awkward.
Jing Xiaobao tilted his head and looked up at Yan Shixun curiously, waiting obediently.
Under that gaze, Yan Shixun pressed his lips together, forced himself to part them, and grinned stiffly. “Heh heh.”
Jing Xiaobao: “…”
The eavesdropping crowd: “…”
Yan Shixun: “…How would I know how a kid’s supposed to laugh?”
He thought for a moment, then simply picked up Jing Xiaobao and shoved him into Zhang Wubing’s arms.
“This idiot has the intelligence of a three-year-old. He should be able to teach you.”
Yan Shixun gave Jing Xiaobao’s head another light pat and quickly walked off.
Leaving behind Zhang Wubing and Jing Xiaobao staring at each other—big eyes versus small eyes.
Zhang Wubing suddenly felt an unbearable suffocation. He had seen firsthand how powerful this ghost was.
And unlike the others who had been fooled by Jing Xiaobao’s adorable looks, Zhang Wubing knew very well—this ghost was only being so obedient because of Brother Yan.
Without Brother Yan holding him down, forget him—*no one in the entire concession area could survive this ghost’s wrath.*
Hugging the soft little thing in his arms felt like holding a bomb. And since Brother Yan had handed it to him personally, he didn’t dare toss it away.
Zhang Wubing felt a bitter taste fill his mouth.
Besides… he didn’t want a second kid!
Brother Yan already had him as a loyal follower, that was enough. Why throw a ghostly “second child” at a ghost magnet like him? Was he supposed to just wait around to be eaten?!
Zhang Wubing forced a smile and tried to make friends. “Um, I’m an idiot—no, no, I mean, I’m Zhang Wubing. I’m your…”
Before he could even finish the word “brother,” Jing Xiaobao suddenly clapped his hands in delight.
“You smell really good. Like something really tasty.”
Zhang Wubing: “!!!”
He gasped, scalp tingling.
“BROTHER! YAN! AHHHH—!!!”
The staff who had been watching the whole scene were completely stunned.
The rescue team rushed in and dragged this long-time office worker—who rarely did fieldwork—out of there, and kindly gave him a crash course on Yan Shixun’s legendary achievements.
“If it weren’t for Mr. Yan, we would’ve probably been wiped out again this time.”
The team members sighed with lingering fear. “Just now, the other Taoist priests from Haiyun Temple arrived, along with several other masters from collaborating departments. They all came to check. They said we were lucky that the vengeful spirit in the Jing Estate was suppressed in time. Otherwise, the consequences would’ve been unimaginable.”
Binhai City was densely populated, with the riverside being the most prosperous area.
The concession zone sat right along the riverbank, a place of neon lights and endless laughter, known as the “Ten Miles of Foreign Charm.”
That vengeful spirit’s chilling aura had turned into thick fog, engulfing the entire concession zone, turning it into a world under its control.
At first, its attention was solely fixed on Chi Yan, so the dense fog remained confined to the other side of the bridge.
But if it had succeeded in killing Chi Yan and gone on a rampage, taking its wrath out on the living, the thick fog would have easily crossed the bridge and spread to the bustling district on this side.
At that time, it was rush hour. A rough estimate put the number of people lingering by the riverside at over a hundred thousand.
If these hundreds of thousands of people had been affected, or worse, corroded by the ghostly aura—or even killed by that vengeful spirit…
The masters who rushed over after the fog dissipated were nearly scared out of their wits when they divined the outcome. They repeatedly cried out how lucky it was.
They kept saying it was fortunate the vengeful spirit had not escaped. Otherwise, half of Binhai City would have been severely impacted, and public opinion would have spiraled into an irreparable crisis.
The Taoist priests from Haiyun Temple, who had come because Taoist Song Yi had fallen unconscious, looked grave after surveying the concession zone. Their brows were so tightly furrowed they could’ve crushed a mosquito between them.
“This has already gone beyond the category of a mere vengeful spirit.”
The senior Taoist master shook his head repeatedly. “This has touched upon the laws of Heaven and Earth. A ghost with the ‘Evil Spirit Bone Transformation’—a constitution best suited for exorcism and demon-slaying—but who turned evil instead, becomes an existence that no one can resist.”
A younger taoist gritted his teeth. “That Chi Yan really knew how to pick them. Does she even know she nearly caused a massacre by an evil ghost?”
Had that happened, half of Binhai City would have turned into a playground for vengeful spirits—a living hell on earth.
And atop death and bloodshed, new ghost deity would have risen.
The senior Taoist faintly glimpsed a sliver of the great Dao and felt a chill run down his spine.
“Fortunately, Junior Brother Yan was here at the time,” he murmured.
Because Yan Shixun had saved the situation several times just before it completely spiraled out of control—neutralizing disasters that could’ve threatened tens of thousands of lives—the priests of Haiyun Temple had taken notice of him. They even heard about his background from other Taoists and acknowledged him with high praise.
Before long, everyone simply assumed Yan Shixun was one of them, naturally addressing him as “junior brother” or “junior uncle.”
However, since both the Jing Estate and the concession zone had already been handed over to the Special Incident Handling Department, and several masters with long-term ties to the department had arrived to cleanse the remaining ghostly aura, Yan Shixun considered his task finished. He picked up Jing Xiaobao and prepared to leave.
But Old Master Jing, who had been escorted back to the car and was undergoing a physical examination by his personal physician, had his secretary stop Yan Shixun.
Ever since a severe injury abroad over a decade ago, when Old Master Jing brushed death’s door, his health had never truly recovered.
If it hadn’t been for Jing Xiaobao appearing in a dream to pass along a breath of life and fortune, he might have already died in the nursing home.
Even so, the long journey and the emotional rollercoaster had left him physically drained.
Though he was reluctant to part with the brother he had just reunited with, he had no choice but to rest in the car to recover. Only now did he barely regain the strength to move normally.
“Mr. Yan, what do you plan to do about my brother?”
Old Master Jing smiled as he invited Yan Shixun to sit down and asked.
But beneath that smile was deep unease. “Are you… planning to send my brother away?”
He knew how these masters operated. They were ruthless when dealing with spirits—exorcising them with iron fists, sometimes even destroying their souls.
And he also knew that his brother had become one of the most ferocious vengeful spirits. There was no reason any of the masters would spare him.
In the past, Old Master Jing had always believed that being merciless to enemies was natural. He had never found fault with the masters’ methods.
But when the evil spirit facing banishment turned out to be his own brother, Old Master Jing found it unbearable.
His rational mind told him that the vengeful spirit would endanger the living.
But his emotions screamed louder—this was his brother! The very brother who had given up his own chance at life to save him! He couldn’t allow his brother to be utterly destroyed.
Conflicting thoughts raged inside him. He furrowed his brows and looked at Yan Shixun with an imposing gaze that carried unspoken pressure.
He didn’t know what to do, so… he wanted this Mr. Yan, whom everyone praised so highly, to think of a way.
But he also felt a twinge of fear.
What if—what if this Mr. Yan turned out to be just like the other masters, showing no mercy to vengeful spirits?
Yan Shixun saw the unease in Old Master Jing’s heart.
He said calmly, “Don’t worry. Jing Xiaobao has the Evil Spirit Bone Transformation. Even if someone wanted to exorcise him, it wouldn’t be possible.”
“There is no place in the Fengdu Underworld for a ghost with such a feature. He can’t be reincarnated, but he also can’t be left to roam and harm the living. So…”
Yan Shixun paused, glanced at Evil Spirit Bone Transformation, who was tearfully gazing up at him, and then continued, “He’ll stay with me for now.”
“When I find a way to send him off properly, I’ll let him go.”
Yan Shixun added, “Rest assured, it won’t harm his soul in any way. I will find the best method.”
“I promise you.”
Old Master Jing recalled the look on Yan Shixun’s face when he had previously sent off his own mother. He realized that this man likely had a temper and acted quite differently from other masters.
Now that he had received Yan Shixun’s promise, he could finally let go of some of his worries.
“Older brother, then for the time being, you’ll be staying with Mr. Yan.”
Old Master Jing bent down with a smile and spoke to little Jing Xiaobao affectionately, “I’ll come see you often.”
An elderly man in his twilight years, calling a three-year-old boy “older brother.”
One side bore graying hair and a body nearing its end, while the other had the soft, delicate features of youth.
Bitterness welled up in Old Master Jing’s heart.
Life and death had forever thrown their timelines out of sync.
His brother would never get the chance to grow up.
Jing Xiaobao pursed his lips and nodded. Even though he was a little afraid of Yan Shixun, he understood this was already the best possible arrangement.
After all, Old Master Jing was an ordinary person, old and frail. His body could no longer withstand the same conditions as Yan Shixun, who, like Jing Xiaobao, had the qualities of a Evil Spirit Bone Transformation. He wasn’t afraid of the erosion of ghostly energy.
So, no matter how reluctant he felt, Old Master Jing couldn’t stay with Jing Xiaobao for long.
Otherwise, ghostly energy would invade him, and even a simple cold or chill could threaten his life.
After asking Yan Shixun numerous questions about Jing Xiaobao and learning that he had been suppressed by Yan Shixun and could stay longer in the human world, Old Master Jing finally felt reassured.
He asked Yan Shixun for his address and explained that as long as his health allowed, he would visit often.
Yan Shixun gave a slight nod in agreement.
Then, seeing how weary Old Master Jing looked, he frowned and asked the Jing family’s secretary if they had any paper and a pen.
Although the secretary was full of questions, his professionalism kicked in. He immediately pulled out some paper and a pen from his briefcase.
Given Yan Shixun’s identity, the secretary suddenly had a strange thought—was he going to draw a talisman on the spot?
As he handed over the paper and pen, he hesitated and tentatively asked, “Mr. Yan, should I go buy some yellow talisman paper and cinnabar ink right away? Would that work for you?”
To his surprise, Yan Shixun neither denied nor affirmed the implied suggestion.
“No need.”
When the secretary didn’t move, Yan Shixun reached out and took the paper and pen himself. He casually spread the paper on the hood of a nearby car, lowered his gaze, and looked at the ordinary notepad sheet. Then, he clicked open the pen.
It looked as casual as a random doodle, but with a single smooth motion, he swiftly drew a talisman on the paper.
The secretary stared in confusion, unable to process what he was seeing.
Due to the case involving the theft of Jing Xiaobao’s remains, the secretary had dealt with many masters and had seen their talisman-drawing process firsthand.
Without exception, they all needed to bathe, burn incense, and recite purification chants three times before solemnly drawing the talismans.
Some more particular masters even forbade onlookers, claiming it disrupted their spiritual harmony and would affect the efficacy of the talisman.
Those celebrated and sought-after masters always used the finest cinnabar and yellow talisman paper.
Some of the materials were so rare that they could only be obtained from the morning dew of Mount Wudang at 3 a.m. or cinnabar mined at sunset on Mount Longhu—things money couldn’t easily buy.
But Yan Shixun had used nothing more than notebook paper and an ordinary pen. In a place teeming with people—and even ghosts—he had calmly begun drawing talismans on his own.
And he looked completely at ease.
There was none of the exhaustion those other masters showed after finishing a talisman.
The secretary was taken aback and couldn’t help but wonder if the talisman would actually work.
Noticing the gaze directed at him, Yan Shixun glanced over indifferently and lazily remarked,
“If you don’t know the secrets of drawing talismans, ghosts and gods will laugh at you. But if you do know them, even ghosts and gods will be startled.”1
“A talisman is just a means for the living to communicate with spirits and ancestors.”
Old Master Jing was also looking over curiously, wanting to know what Yan Shixun was doing, so Yan Shixun actually offered a rare, simple explanation.
“Whether it’s yellow paper with cinnabar or those expensive materials, they’re only used to increase the chances that ghosts and deities will receive the message—like boosting your internet speed to make sure the other party gets what you send. If the connection is bad, the message might come through distorted or not at all.”
“But if you’re confident that you can communicate with them directly, then those tools are unnecessary.”
He shrugged indifferently and added, “I myself have an Evil Spirit Bone Transformation, so I can naturally communicate with spirits. All those ceremonial steps are pointless for me.”
The Jing family members and secretaries nearby were stunned by this revelation.
They had assumed Yan Shixun was just someone with a bit of skill who had gotten lucky with a popular show, and that’s why fans and viewers—most of whom didn’t understand the mystic arts—praised him excessively. But in reality, he wasn’t anything special.
But after witnessing what happened at the Jing estate and now seeing Yan Shixun’s flawless and imposing talisman work, they realized—
Yan Shixun might be on a level above those famous masters.
After giving his brief explanation, Yan Shixun returned the pen to the secretary and handed the talisman-covered pages to Old Master Jing.
Old Master Jing was surprised. “These are for me?”
“Even though Jing Xiaobao doesn’t mean you any harm, you’ve still been exposed to the ghostly world for too long, and you’ve had close contact with both Mr. Lin Ting and Jing Xiaobao. It’s already affected your positive life energy.”
Yan Shixun explained, “The discomfort you’re feeling now is due to the depletion of that energy. Your immune system is weakening.”
“These are calming, golden light, protective, and evil-dispelling talismans. Fold them neatly, keep them in a pouch, and carry them with you. They’ll help purge the ghostly energy from your body, restore your vitality, and shield you from small misfortunes.”
He paused and then, seeing a faint black shadow hovering between Old Master Jing’s brows, continued,
“Like slipping and falling at your front door, which could trigger a rapid decline in physical function and lead to complications.”
The secretary’s heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Yan Shixun with a sense of dread.
—From the way Mr. Yan spoke, it sounded like he had already foreseen such an accident and had prepared the talismans in advance to help Old Master Jing avoid it.
After all, for someone of Old Master Jing’s age, a single fall could be devastating—possibly even…
Fatal.
And Old Master Jing was the only surviving child of the legendary diplomat Jing Bin. He had spent his life in diplomatic service and had long built a formidable reputation internationally.
As long as he lived, he was a symbol. Some feared his methods, while others felt grateful for his favors. His presence alone kept everything in balance.
But if anything were to happen to Old Master Jing… it would be an earthquake.
With that in mind, the secretary looked at Yan Shixun with even more admiration and gratitude.
Old Master Jing chuckled and accepted the seemingly “simple” talismans, tucking them carefully into his coat.
“Thank you.”
He nodded toward Yan Shixun. “Mr. Yan, I’ll come visit again sometime.”
Because of Old Master Jing’s respectful attitude, the others around them began to look at Yan Shixun with reverence as well.
Many of the officials from Binhai City silently thought to themselves—this was definitely not someone to provoke.
He had deep knowledge of exorcism, was respected by the Taoist priests of Haiyun Temple, and now had the gratitude and recognition of high-status figures like Yang Binsheng and the Jing family. Yan Shixun’s influence was already heavier than that of many well-established families.
Even the Zhang family, from which Zhang Wubing hailed, couldn’t match Yan Shixun’s influence on their own.
What’s more, the Zhangs were on good terms with Yan Shixun. Zhang’s parents treated him like their own child—not out of profit, but from genuine affection.
And it wasn’t just the Zhang family. There was also the Song family, from which Song Ci came, and even Director Li Xuetang, who was present…
Each of them stood by Yan Shixun out of their own reasons and gratitude, ready to offer help at any time.
Yan Shixun—
Alone, he carried the weight of a mountain.
Some of the officials from Binhai who finally understood this inhaled sharply, and the way they looked at Yan Shixun changed completely from just a moment ago.
But Yan Shixun remained calm under the increasing attention that began to settle on him.
It seemed as if whether it was hatred or respect, to him, it was no different than air.
He raised his hand and beckoned to Jing Xiaobao, his expression calm and indifferent. “Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
But to his surprise, just as Jing Xiaobao began to trot over and reached out to grab Yan Shixun’s hand, someone else beat him to it and held Yan Shixun’s hand first.
The slightly cool touch gave it away—Yan Shixun didn’t even need to look to know that it had to be Ye Li.
Maybe it was because Ye Li had been hanging around him constantly, and when Jing Xiaobao lost control earlier, Ye Li didn’t take advantage of his weakened state to harm him. So Yan Shixun had lowered much of his guard around Ye Li and had even started to grow accustomed to his presence.
He had gotten so used to Ye Li being near that just from the sensation in his palm, he instinctively knew it was him.
“What are you doing?” Yan Shixun raised an eyebrow and slowly looked up.
It was indeed Ye Li. He stood there with a smile, looking right at him.
“You said you were going home, so I came.”
Ye Li allowed Yan Shixun to stare at him as much as he wanted, his palm tightly clasping Yan Shixun’s hand, showing no intention of letting go.
His posture was completely natural, as if what he was doing was the most normal thing in the world.
With a slight exertion of strength, Ye Li caused the unguarded Yan Shixun to stumble two steps in his direction, instantly narrowing the distance between them.
He lowered his head, looked straight into Yan Shixun’s eyes, and asked in a soft voice, as if full of grievance, “Husband, are you not going to take me home?”
“Didn’t you just say earlier that you’d take responsibility for me? And now you’re already forgetting your words? Going back on your promise and trying to abandon me?”
Ye Li’s sharp and cold features made him look like a statue of a god perched high on a temple altar when he wasn’t smiling—untouched by any trace of earthly warmth.
But when he smiled in front of Yan Shixun, it was like ice breaking across a deep sea, or a towering snowy mountain crashing down.
Spring waters flowed into the mortal world.
The divine descended from the altar.
In his eyes, there was room for only one reflection—no one else existed beyond that.
It was as if all things in the world paled in comparison to the one exorcist he loved.
Yan Shixun didn’t quite understand the meaning behind Ye Li’s gaze, but instinctively, he felt something was off. It reminded him of a look he’d once seen in the eyes of lovers who were so madly in love they were willing to die for each other—back when he wandered the streets and mingled with all walks of life.
But this was somehow different.
Deeper, more restrained and suppressed, but also far more dangerous and weighty.
For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond to such a gaze, so he instinctively turned his head to the side, awkwardly dodging it.
Yan Shixun cleared his throat, trying to calm his wildly beating heart. Once he finally steadied himself, he spoke. “Are you still stuck in the role-play? Got too into playing Jingshi Wanxiu?”
“Look carefully. You’re not Jingshi Wanxiu, and I’m not Jing Bin.”
Yan Shixun said seriously, “I’m not your husband… Calling me that is very strange.”
Ye Li stared steadily at him, then softened his gaze and smiled gently. “Mm.”
“You’re not Jing Bin, and I’m not Jingshi Wanxiu. So, you won’t lose me, and I won’t fail to protect this home. No one will interfere with our story, and it won’t end in tragedy.”
“If you want to be human, I’ll stay human with you. If you want to be a ghost, I’ll walk with you the entire way—I won’t leave you alone in the other world.”
“…We won’t end up like the Jing couple.”
Yan Shixun felt his face grow warm under Ye Li’s intense gaze, unsure why he was reacting this way.
Maybe Ye Li was too close. Maybe his eyes were too invasive.
He nodded, then raised his other hand and pressed it against Ye Li’s chest, gently pushing him back.
“Good, as long as you understand.”
“But if you really haven’t had enough of acting, you could talk to Director Li Xuetang and see if he can get you a role in the movie, let you have some fun with it.”
While speaking, Yan Shixun deliberately looked to the side—partly to avoid Ye Li’s gaze, partly to prove he was being serious.
Over there, Zhang Wubing was practically twinkling with excitement as he circled around Director Li Xuetang like a happy three-year-old fool.
Clearly a die-hard fanboy.
Now that Zhang Wubing had finally met his idol, he no longer cared how others saw him. All that mattered was whatever came out of Director Li’s mouth.
He eagerly nodded “Mhm! Mhm! Mhm!” and scribbled it all down in his little notebook.
These were filming tips from his idol!
He held his notebook like a treasure, eyes shining as he looked at Li Xuetang, even making the usually serious director laugh.
“With how much Xiao Bing worships Director Li Xuetang, even though our set visit got messed up by Jing Xiaobao, and our star-chasing adventure turned into a survival horror, he won’t give up chasing after his idol.”
Yan Shixun said: “He’ll definitely find another chance to visit the set again. And public opinion will need both the film crews and the show’s production team to issue statements.”
“Judging by how Director Li treats Xiao Bing, getting you a small role would be easy.”
Yan Shixun thought he was being especially thoughtful.
But to his surprise, Ye Li rejected the idea without a second thought.
“I don’t want to be in someone else’s script.”
“Shixun, I only want to be part of your story—closely involved in the script of your life, all the way to the end.”
Ye Li’s eyes darkened slightly. As he spoke, his cool breath brushed against Yan Shixun’s neck.
“No, your script will never end.”
“If anyone tries to end it…”
Ye Li said in a low voice, “I’ll take it back myself and write you a perfect script with no regrets.”
“—Let the Dao bear witness to this vow of mine.”
Yan Shixun stared blankly at Ye Li, now standing so close.
At this distance, he could clearly see Ye Li’s lips move, his bloodless pale skin, and the sharp lines of his cheeks.
And Ye Li’s solemn tone told him—he wasn’t joking.
He stood there in a daze for several minutes before snapping out of it and giving Ye Li another gentle push.
“Alright, I get it. You don’t want to act.”
Ye Li raised an eyebrow and looked at him. He seemed like he wanted to say something but held it back.
He couldn’t push too hard.
Otherwise, this cautious and sharp exorcist of his would bolt.
Ye Li didn’t explain further. He simply let Yan Shixun believe he was still acting as Jingshi Wanxiu.
That was fine too.
Because that way… they were husband and wife.
Ye Li’s eyes softened into a smile. He took long strides and followed closely behind Yan Shixun.
“If you don’t like being called ‘husband,’ then I need to call you something else. What should I call you instead? If not husband, then… beloved? My love? Darling?”
Every term Ye Li uttered seemed to zap Yan Shixun like an electric shock. He flinched each time, wishing he could turn around and physically stop Ye Li from talking.
“Just call me by my name!”
Ye Li nodded obediently. “Alright, Shixun.”
“…And the last name? Did you eat ‘Yan’?”
“Husband…”
“…Forget it, just call me that.”
Trailing behind the pair, their tiny ghost child struggled to keep up with their long legs: “…”
Jing Xiaobao looked at Ye Li with something close to horror.
Ye Li lowered his gaze slightly. Though his eyes still held traces of amusement, they turned cold and warning when he looked at Jing Xiaobao.
Jing Xiaobao trembled, fell silent with grievance, and gave up trying to say anything to Yan Shixun.
_QAQ both of them are terrifying, wuwuwu…_
…
The official representative remained unconscious in the hospital for several days. Several masters took turns clearing the heavy ghost energy from his meridians before he finally woke up.
During that time, the special department continued to function normally.
Other members of the film crew were found scattered throughout different corners of the concession district, all looking dazed and terrified.
As for the hotel staff, since they had stayed near the edge of the concession and hadn’t left the premises, their situation wasn’t too severe, and they were rescued quickly.
Still, many were badly shaken, and their mental states weren’t great.
The special department and the film crew both brought in psychologists to help everyone process the trauma. At the same time, partnered masters went around clearing residual ghost energy from each person.
Because the therapy and spiritual cleansing happened simultaneously, everyone who left the consultation rooms believed their refreshed state came from the counseling.
For the moment, none of them suspected any supernatural activity. They accepted the explanation given by the special department: someone had drugged their water, causing hallucinations. Combined with high work pressure and strained nerves, they had simply experienced collective illusions.
Although some people mumbled doubts, comparing it to those “science-explains-ghosts” shows—thinking it was a haunting, only for science to debunk it—
With the combined efforts of all parties, and especially Director Li Xuetang personally stating that ghost stories were nonsense, most people gradually accepted the explanation.
Public opinion on the internet was also being deliberately guided by professionals—everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.
Some people did question the authenticity of the claim that the ghost child had turned against them. But Yan Shixun quickly appeared in a live broadcast with Jing Xiaobao, personally introducing the child as just a young actor—a real person.
With that confirmation, the theory about the ghost child turning on them collapsed without a fight. No one brought it up again.
In fact, whenever someone occasionally mentioned it, others would quickly step in to reassure them, saying, “The little actor even came forward in person to explain everything. If it really were a ghost child, how could it appear so obediently in front of the camera? Not only did the child speak clearly during the self-introduction, but they were also so adorable.”
As a result, Jing Xiaobao’s cute little face ended up fooling the people online too, making them believe that such a lovely child couldn’t possibly be a ghost.
And with that, everyone became firmly convinced that the whole thing was scripted. Instead of doubting it, they started showering praise on the collaboration between the show’s production team and the drama crew.
People were saying that this time the collaboration really showed sincerity—they even went so far as to write such a thrilling and mysterious script that it genuinely scared them. Their hairs stood on end, and for several days they didn’t dare go to sleep at night or let their imaginations run wild.
Naturally, this heightened their anticipation for Li Xuetang’s new movie.
Those who were in the know simply watched how public opinion unfolded on the screen and smiled in silence.
They kept their achievements and names hidden.
Only the screenwriter of *Binhai Nocturne* was cursing under their breath while staying up all night to rewrite the script—because Li Xuetang had, completely unaware that he was on a live broadcast, revealed the general plot of the film to millions of viewers.
As they wrote, they gritted their teeth and muttered furiously, “So much for keeping it a secret! What a load of crap!”
Li Xuetang sheepishly rubbed his nose, feeling a little guilty.
In the old district of Binhai City, Yan Shixun was lounging comfortably in a wicker chair, casually scrolling through the trending topics on the tablet the production team had handed him. A faint smile played at the corners of his lips.
Sunlight spilled over his slightly lowered eyelashes, making his handsome features appear serene and relaxed.
When Ye Li, standing outside the window, turned to glance inside, he happened to catch this moment.
And just like that, a smile crept into his own eyes too.
He wished he could freeze time right then and there.
But the very next second, sharp cries from Jing Xiaobao and Zhang Wubing’s yelling echoed through the courtyard.
“Jing Bin is my dad!”
“Brother Yan is my dad!”
Yan Shixun: “…”
Tsk.
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