Chapter 27

Yan Zhao swore never to touch any programs related to the supernatural or horror again.

He wasn’t sure of his own courage. When he turned off the lights in his room at night, he could imagine a hundred scenarios of murder on a dark and stormy night just by looking at the vague outlines of the duckbill hat and coat on the coat rack.

Yan Zhao opened the script, and the first thing he saw was not the introductory paragraph, but the sentence hidden among rows of size five Ming-style fonts: “With a hint of horror, suspense, and supernatural elements.”

Hello, hi. Hello, bye.

He handed the script back to Song Jing, and said, “I won’t take it.”

Song Jing took the script with surprise, flipped through the first page, and tried to find the trigger words that touched Yan Zhao’s sore spot: “What’s wrong with you? This variety show is so popular. Others want to take it but can’t.”

Yan Zhao leaned back on the sofa, in a casual yet handsome posture resembling a salted fish. With his chin raised, he looked at the ceiling: “Then let’s leave this life-saving opportunity to someone else.”

Song Jing chuckled: “Life-saving opportunity? Is the production team setting up thunder on set, or do they want you to experience eighty-one hardships to the West for the scriptures?”

No. But they will set up some strange props on the set. If you get scared, not only will they not sympathize, but they will also “hahaha” laugh and be grateful to you for providing them with editing material.

Variety show directors are all dirty-minded.

Yan Zhao, of course, wouldn’t utter this pile of complaints. Fear of ghosts is a secret and a weakness. Revealing weaknesses to others leads to only two possibilities: either he is a fool, or the other person is good enough to make him let his guard down. Therefore, he vaguely stated, “I don’t quite fit in with the atmosphere of the program.”

—I love socialism, but they are promoting feudal superstition, which is unacceptable, totally unacceptable.

Song Jing raised her eyebrows, somewhat puzzled.

“Well, forget it,” she took back the script, and murmured, “Originally, the program team gave you two movie tickets. If the atmosphere doesn’t match, then you probably wouldn’t be interested.”

Yan Zhao got up to get a glass of water and casually asked to keep the conversation going, “What movie?”

Song Jing looked at the movie tickets, “It’s the new film directed by Yu Youyi. She was one of the guests on ‘The Great Mystery.’ You might not be familiar with her. She studied abroad in Country B, made some artistic short films, well-received in the industry. But due to the subject matter, they weren’t released domestically. This is her first film since returning to China.”

Yan Zhao curled his fingers around the water glass, “No, I know her.”

Not mentioning her, he couldn’t recall, but once mentioned, Yan Zhao remembered this plot from the original work. If his memory served him right, it was Ning Yunfan who replaced him in participating in the variety show. Yu Youyi had a limited connections, and in order to promote her new movie, with a blushing face, she sent audition invitations to the guests in the same group, hoping they could come and show support. Although Ning Yunfan didn’t get the lead role, he had a small role in it. Unexpectedly, the movie became a hit, and not only the actors but even the dog in the film became an internet sensation. Yu Youyi’s fame also skyrocketed.

The blockbuster movie was a typical commercial film. After that success, she tried to return to her roots, but the situation for domestic art films was clear to everyone. After this attempt, she had to go back to making commercial films.

Market forces teach people, such is the self-deprecating reality accompanied by the smell of copper.

“Give me the tickets.” Yan Zhao took a sip of water to moisten his throat, “If it’s just one episode, I can manage.”

With Yan Zhao’s current popularity, he could secure film resources, but the scripts were mediocre. Now that opportunities were practically handed to him on a silver platter, why hesitate and not take a bite?

Song Jing smiled and placed two premiere movie tickets on the table.

With two tickets for the same show, someone had to accompany him. The choice was obvious—it had to be his newly-rising little moon, Mr. Shen, who he hasn’t slept with yet.

After Yan Zhao tried various methods to heat up their relationship, it remained unutilized. After all, one of them was on the film set every day, and the other was immersed in the company. Whenever they met, it was at the dining table.

In a literary sense, their relationship was filled with the flavor of worldly fireworks. In reality, their relationship was probably akin to the taste of sweet and sour pork ribs and boiled pork slices. Oh, and the flavor of Wang Zai’s cat.

So, on Saturday.

The premiere seats were reserved for the crew and industry insiders. Yan Zhao didn’t bother disguising himself; as soon as he entered the cinema, he removed his mask and walked in side by side with Shen Yuanting.

As the main director, Yu Youyi sat in the front row, but she didn’t have time to relax. Instead, she waited at the entrance and greeted others.

The young girl was not very old, and she wasn’t good at socializing, making her efforts to find conversation topics quite awkward.

Yan Zhao sympathized with her struggle. Without a background and connections, making a mark in the entertainment industry was undoubtedly both laborious and demanding.

“Teacher Yan, you’re here. It looks like we’ll be meeting on variety shows soon,” Yu Youyi smiled at him and curiously looked at the man beside him, “Hello, who is this?”

Yan Zhao said, “My friend.”

Shen Yuanting greeted indifferently, “My surname is Shen.”

Shen Yuanting showed little expression, and even in casual attire, he exuded an aloof aura. Yan Zhao guessed that even if he wore oversized shorts and stepped outside, others would probably mistake him for a Greek sculpture that escaped from a museum.

Yu Youyi didn’t dare to talk much with Mr. Shen but kept thinking about her next movie. She said to Yan Zhao, “Have you joined the crew’s WeChat group? The screenwriter sometimes gives spoilers there, which can be helpful for solving mysteries.”

Yan Zhao joined the group, and Yu Youyi suggested cautiously, “Then let’s add a friend as well.”

Yan Zhao smiled at her.

With a few minutes left before the movie screening, Yan Zhao glanced at the group for “The Great Mystery.” Originally, there were six regular guests, but now only four remained: Yu Youyi, Ying Hongyu, Sheng Xin, and a horror live streamer, Fengling.

Yan Zhao greeted the crew, and Sheng Xin, seemingly free, replied instantly.

Sheng Xin: Why is it you???

Yan Zhao: Just to surprise you for your specially made appearance. Surprised?

Sheng Xin: …

The next moment, Sheng Xin’s friend request came through.

Yan Zhao clicked on “reject.”

So, Sheng Xin shifted his focus again and messaged Shen Yuanting.

Sheng Xin: [Tell Yan Zhao to add me as a friend.]

Shen Yuanting: [Are you out of your mind?]

Sheng Xin: [Tell Yan Zhao to accept my friend request.]

Shen Yuanting: [Give me a reason.]

Sheng Xin: [He helped Xiao Ying last time, and I haven’t thanked him yet.]

Shen Yuanting looked at Yan Zhao, who was happily munching on popcorn. Normally, he controlled his figure and discreetly ate these snacks by counting the pieces. Today, however, he was openly enjoying them.

Shen Yuanting: [I’ve thanked him on your behalf.]

Sheng Xin: [Come on, that makes me look insincere. We’re going to shoot a program together in a few days, and it would be awkward.]

Shen Yuanting: [What program? The one Yu Youyi is participating in?]

Sheng Xin: [How do you know?]

Shen Yuanting: We’re here to watch Yu Youyi’s movie.

Sheng Xin: …………

Sheng Xin: [Wait, isn’t this a romantic film? You and him, watching this?]

Shen Yuanting ignored his friend, whose worldview was once again collapsing.

As the screening time arrived, the lights went out punctually, casting a dark haze in the cinema, with only the screens emitting a faint glow.

In the dimmed hall, Yan Zhao stopped eating popcorn. The subdued white light illuminated his face, adding a touch of brightness to his black eyes. Although the main feature hadn’t started yet, the customary green screen displayed the Golden Dragon Film Projection License. However, he seemed to have calmed down, patiently awaiting the movie to gradually unfold a story for the audience.

He was different from his usual self.

Normally, he was just an ordinary young man, occasionally displaying a bit of temper. However, when it came to the professional fields of film, television, and music, his pride and seriousness surfaced. The combination of these aspects created a unique Yan Zhao.

Sheng Xin was right; the movie was indeed a romance, and there were also genuine horror elements.

On the large screen, the image of the female lead hanging herself appeared so helpless, and the close-up shots were unsettling.

Yan Zhao: “……”

No wonder they invited Yu Youyi as a guest for “The Great Mystery.” Looking at her, she seems like a frail and thin young girl, but the actual film she made is dark, electrifying, and intense!

Yan Zhao leaned back, pressing against the seat, finding some sense of security.

In the movie, the male protagonist walks alone in the hospital, with dim lighting, his silhouette reflected in the windows. The wind howls, and his shadow is like a flame about to extinguish, leaving only a short flicker.

Yan Zhao couldn’t help but hold his breath. Just as the male protagonist reached out to close the window, the reflection on the glass was not his own face but that of the hanging girl, with her red shoes still hanging from the tip of her foot.

Yan Zhao’s hand rested on his thigh, stiff and unsure how to move.

Clearly, the trailer portrayed an artistic and melancholic love tragedy, so why did the actual movie turn into two lunatics hurting each other?! No wonder your art film box office isn’t good, deceiving audiences with false advertising. If they don’t boycott you, it’s already good enough!!!

Yan Zhao really wanted to close his eyes and stop watching, but he also had OCD and couldn’t bear to leave a story unfinished.

Shen Yuanting wanted to laugh a bit; this movie didn’t suit his taste, and he hadn’t taken it seriously after watching a bit. He turned to observe Yan Zhao, witnessing his transition from a happy expression to utter despair.

The male protagonist entered into a hallucination, the surrounding space distorted, and the scenes became increasingly gruesome. The hairs on Yan Zhao’s tail stood on end, and the alarm sounded throughout his brain.

The young man sat upright in his seat, slightly leaning forward, his expression serious, lips tightly pursed, eyes fixed on the screen, tense and fearful.

As he concentrated so intently, Shen Yuanting’s mood suddenly became a bit gloomy.

For such a mysterious low-budget film with a mediocre plot, cheap effects, and exaggerated acting by the actors, what was worth his undivided attention?

The most terrifying scene unfolded, and the screen turned dark.

Yan Zhao’s Adam’s apple bobbed, fingers unconsciously gripping his denim pants, and then, a 3D hand protruded from below the screen.

3D? This is a 2D movie—

His lips softened as a buttery yellow popcorn kernel was pressed against them. Yan Zhao instinctively opened his mouth, and the fluffy, crispy snack was pushed inside. Then, another one.

In the climax, a suspenseful gasp echoed among the surrounding audience, yet no one paid attention to a corner of the movie theater.

Yan Zhao had already tossed the movie aside, only aware that today’s popcorn was so sweet it almost numbed his taste buds.

After Shen Yuanting fed him a few, he stopped. When he withdrew his hand, his fingertips intentionally or unintentionally brushed against Yan Zhao’s lips.

The touch was very light, slightly ticklish. Yan Zhao felt his ears turning red, but fortunately, it was quite dark indoors, so it wasn’t visible.

He hesitated, but still took the initiative to grab Shen Yuanting’s hand.