Chapter 49: The Bluebeard’s House

In the course of filming, many changes would occur based on the actual situation, and scenes were not necessarily shot in chronological order.

Sometimes the ending would be filmed first, and then due to seasons, weather, or venue rentals, scenes from different periods would be interspersed.

This suspense drama that Pei Liu was participating in had an urban backdrop and took place in a single city.

With few scene changes and taking into account the actors’ immersion and emotional development, most of the shoot still followed the chronological sequence.

Tonight was an outdoor shoot, and they would wrap up work after finishing it.

After spending this period of time together, Pei Liu frequently rehearsed scenes with Shen Jin and naturally became familiar with him quickly, their relationship growing closer.

Preparing to head back, they walked toward the parking lot, chatting as they went.

Under the streetlights, their overlapping shadows looked very similar to the final scene they had just shot.

The assistant couldn’t help but marvel: “Teacher Shen acts so well. Can a newcomer really perform to this level on their first try? He feels like a hidden boss.”

Qin Wu praised: “You have good eyes.”

The assistant didn’t hear him clearly and continued: “Teacher Pei’s face, calling it the ceiling of the industry’s aesthetics is truly no exaggeration. No wonder so many people call him their great beauty wife. Who wouldn’t be moved looking at him? And his acting is good too…”

Qin Wu’s expression changed, and he nudged his arm.

“Hurry up and shut your mouth!”

The assistant: “…?”

Qin Wu gestured toward Shen Jin’s direction and whispered: “He can hear you, don’t court death.”

The assistant truly couldn’t understand why Brother Wu was so afraid of a newcomer with no background.

***

At night, after taking a shower.

Pei Liu went to Shen Jin’s room again to rehearse. Time passed unconsciously, flying by.

Pei Liu was looking down, studying a scene. When he looked up, he was surprised to find Shen Jin asleep, leaning sideways on the sofa.

He instinctively softened his breathing, his gaze falling on the other man’s silver-white hair cascading over the sofa armrest like liquid silver.

His fingers curled slightly, his heart itching.

Pei Liu hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn’t resist. He quietly leaned over, slowly reached out his hand, and cautiously touched that beautiful hair. It was ice-cold like snow, smooth as silk, and shined with a dazzling luster under the light.

He felt a genuine sense of touching a 2D paper character.

It was very wonderful.

Pei Liu couldn’t bear to let go, gently stroking it while sneaking glances to see if Shen Jin had woken up.

Looking closely, he discovered that Shen Jin’s eyelashes were also the color of snow.

He had known this before, but never from such a close, detailed distance.

They weren’t curled, but they were very long, with a faint gold color at the tips.

Like a gradient, it was stunning.

Pei Liu inadvertently lost himself in his gaze. After all, white hair really appealed to him, and it was rare to see such a high level of good looks in reality—it was simply perfect. If he were a girl, he might have fallen for him long ago.

Without any warning, Shen Jin suddenly opened his eyes.

Pei Liu made direct eye contact with him and froze on the spot. Then, he silently and swiftly retracted his hand, feigning composure as if nothing had happened, and said: “I was just about to wake you up. It’s very late; you should sleep in the bed. I’m heading back too.”

Shen Jin glanced casually at his hand: “Since it’s late anyway, and it’s a hassle for you to walk back and forth, why not just make do and sleep here?”

Looking at his silver hair, Pei Liu had to admit his heart wavered slightly.

But in the end, Pei Liu declined. Returning to his own room to sleep was more comfortable.

Shen Jin didn’t push. He seemed to have mentioned it casually, smiling as he saw him to the door, but the moment the door closed, his smile vanished instantly.

After stepping out, Pei Liu felt somewhat fortunate that he had refused. Shen Jin’s easy agreement to let him leave suggested he might have just been polite, and if he had actually stayed, it would have been awkward.

Because he had brought a child out with him, even though she was a little ghost, Pei Liu subconsciously treated Xiao Tian like a normal child after spending time together. Therefore, he had paid extra to upgrade to a suite—one room for himself, one for Xiao Tian, and Da Huang stuck close to its little master, sleeping with her.

Before reaching his room, a nearby door suddenly opened.

It was Lu Xiang.

He leaned against the doorframe, mocking with disdain: “Is having one sugar daddy not enough? You have to climb onto another one? Aren’t you afraid of being discovered?”

Pei Liu opened his mouth, about to speak.

Lu Xiang kept talking rapidly, not letting him get a word in: “Are you going to say you were just rehearsing? Rehearsing until two in the morning? Who would believe you? Pei Liu, do you have any shame? A grown man only knows how to sell his…”

Pei Liu’s face was expressionless as he suddenly cut him off: “Just a friendly reminder: there’s a ghost clinging to your back.”

Lu Xiang didn’t expect him to say this suddenly, pausing for a moment before preparing to unleash more vicious words: “You motherfucking…”

Pei Liu: “She’s choking your neck. Don’t you feel very cold?”

His expression was calm, as if he were merely stating a fact.

Lu Xiang felt a chill down his back, and his neck genuinely began to feel icy and painful, as if a hand were tightening around it. His eyes widened, panic rising in his heart, and he roared with forced bravado: “Nonsense! Do you think I’ll fall for your tricks?!”

“What are you guys talking about?”

A soft, refined voice suddenly sounded, startling Lu Xiang into a shiver.

The screenwriter, Gao Wenhao, walked over, his clear face carrying a trace of worry. On set, Lu Xiang didn’t hide his dislike for Pei Liu, which the screenwriter was also somewhat aware of.

Pei Liu shook his head: “Nothing, just passing by.”

Before leaving, he didn’t forget to smile at Lu Xiang: “Enjoy your breakfast.”

Lu Xiang found his words baffling, but then realized it was two in the morning. Enjoy your breakfast meant… he was telling him he would be standing here until morning. Instantly, his hair stood on end, and he cursed under his breath.

As Pei Liu walked away, Gao Wenhao walked alongside him.

Pei Liu asked politely: “Teacher Gao, why aren’t you asleep so late?”

Gao Wenhao: “I couldn’t sleep, so I went to get some late-night snacks. I just got back.”

Saying this, he offered gentle comfort: “Don’t mind what he said. Your acting skills are obvious to everyone. I really like your portrayal of Yu Chu; it’s like seeing him step right out of the book.”

Pei Liu didn’t actually take Lu Xiang to heart. Instead, he felt that staying awake just to wait by the door and mock him when he passed by was rather comical.

Regarding his acting, he indeed made a lot of progress and felt a sense of achievement. He could show off to close friends, but with someone he wasn’t familiar with, he stuck to polite modesty.

“I still have a lot to learn; it’s already good if my acting doesn’t make people cringe. Sometimes I can’t even keep up with Shen Jin’s acting, getting too nervous and forgetting lines.”

Gao Wenhao didn’t think so, offering him a few more compliments like a teacher who really liked his student. He didn’t mention Shen Jin at all.

Finally, Pei Liu reached the door of his room and bid him a polite farewell.

Opening the door, he entered and closed it.

Pei Liu leaned against the door panel, letting out a massive sigh of relief.

Xiao Tian and Da Huang, who were keeping watch at home, had heard Pei Liu’s footsteps long ago and were waiting by the door.

“Dad, why are you sighing?” Xiao Tian looked curious.

Pei Liu patted his chest: “Ghosts are too terrifying.”

“…?”

Xiao Tian looked bewildered, and Da Huang also tilted its head, letting out a bark.

But they are ghosts.

Pei Liu also realized the ambiguity of his words and said: “Not you guys. Xiao Tian is beautiful and not scary at all. Da Huang is also very cute.”

Xiao Tian covered her face, feeling shy and happy.

Da Huang received a pat and licked Pei Liu’s hand.

What Pei Liu meant was the female ghost beside Gao Wenhao. An ordinary person seeing the ghost of a relative might feel nostalgic and moved rather than afraid. But Pei Liu didn’t know her, and in the middle of the night, seeing a gloomy female ghost with blurry floating legs and tears of blood in her eyes nearly caused his heart to stop. He did his best to avoid looking at her, terrified she would discover he could see her.

Before bidding farewell to Gao Wenhao, Pei Liu had tactfully suggested that the temples in Haicheng were very effective, and he could go make a wish or buy a protective amulet.

As for Lu Xiang, Pei Liu had merely said those words to scare him.

But unexpectedly, when he saw Lu Xiang the next day, he found his complexion visibly terrible, hard to cover even with makeup, looking as if he hadn’t slept the entire night.

Did he get ghost paralysis for disrespecting ghosts and gods?

Pei Liu ignored him. Taking one glance, he went straight to the dressing room to prepare for his scenes today.

In the morning, he had a scene with Qin Wu.

Yu Chu and the male lead played by Qin Wu actually knew each other. Their mothers were friends, and they played together as children, having a good relationship. However, as they grew up, they attended different schools, lost contact, and gradually grew apart.

The male lead, an intern police officer on vacation, unexpectedly ran into Yu Chu and recognized him. The two ate and chatted together, and went to a nearby basketball court to play a game, rekindling their familiarity.

The scene Pei Liu and Qin Wu were acting was the basketball scene.

The scene was set in summer, but reality was winter. To avoid exhaling white mist when speaking, they had to keep ice cubes in their mouths before shooting, which made their teeth ache from the cold.

They had to appear vibrant, passionate, and youthful while playing, but the moment the director called cut, Pei Liu immediately shivered, freezing like a dog.

His assistant, Xiao Li, watched Shen Jin wrap his coat around Pei Liu, silently backing away, thinking: You have to get used to this…

No, he wasn’t getting paid for nothing!

Xiao Li tried to offer a thermos, but Shen Jin had already prepared one.

Not only that, but the screenwriter, Gao Wenhao, also walked over and handed Pei Liu a jar of honey. He said his relative kept bees, and it was very authentic; drinking it would soothe the lungs and relieve coughing, helping to eliminate fatigue from staying up late.

Pei Liu was slightly surprised because Gao Wenhao only gave it to him. Was it because he saw him catching a cold and coughing?

He thanked him earnestly, then had his assistant brew it so everyone could share.

Xiao Li grabbed it, as if terrified someone would steal his job, running off at lightning speed.

But Shen Jin had no intention of competing. He merely glanced at Gao Wenhao, his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, appearing somewhat displeased.

After drinking the sweet honey water, it was time for Pei Liu and Shen Jin’s scene.

This scene followed yesterday’s, after Yu Chu was brought home by Shen Wenrui.

Being in someone else’s home for the first time, Yu Chu would usually be very reserved. But having just experienced such a terrifying incident, he hadn’t completely recovered. He did whatever Shen Wenrui instructed, behaving very obediently.

After changing his shoes, he entered the living room and sat on the sofa.

Shen Wenrui lightly caressed his back, then went to the kitchen to pour him a glass of hot water, placing it in his hands. He kept his own hand over the back of Pei Liu’s hand, helping him grip the cup.

Yu Chu’s fingertips were very cold, clearly shaken by the earlier scare.

Shen Wenrui frowned, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

Shen Wenrui sat beside Yu Chu, deliberately softening his voice to offer gentle comfort, allowing his emotions to calm down completely.

Yu Chu’s fear faded, and he felt somewhat embarrassed. After all, he was a college student, yet he was being coaxed like a child.

He drank two cups of hot tea. His body warmed up, and he also felt the urge to use the restroom.

He asked sheepishly: “May I ask where the restroom is?”

Shen Wenrui’s expression remained unchanged, pointing him in a direction: “Just walk to the end.”

“Thank you.”

Yu Chu walked over and used the toilet. Once he calmed down, he realized he was being quite troublesome. They weren’t close, yet he was in someone else’s home. He thought to himself that he should quickly say goodbye and leave.

While washing his hands, he noticed a pair of wet rubber gloves resting nearby. In the corner was a trash can, the black plastic bag inside bulging and tied with a double knot.

Yu Chu didn’t pay much attention, turning to leave.

But as he walked toward the living room, he heard a slight noise, like something banging against a door. The sound wasn’t loud and could easily be ignored if one wasn’t careful.

Yu Chu instinctively walked toward the sound, but just as he was about to reach the door of the room, Shen Wenrui suddenly appeared at the other end of the corridor and asked: “What’s wrong?”

Yu Chu flinched, snapping out of it. Realizing his rudeness, an apologetic look appeared on his face.

Shen Wenrui was half-hidden in the shadows, smiling as he said: “A friend asked me to take care of his dog for a couple of days. It’s a bit rowdy, do you want to take a look?”

Yu Chu shook his head: “No, it’s very late. I should leave; I’m sorry to trouble you so much. It’s time for you to sleep too, right?”

But Shen Wenrui narrowed his eyes, saying meaningfully: “It’s fine. I often stay up late. After all, the night is the most interesting time.”

Yu Chu was somewhat surprised because Shen Wenrui looked like a very self-disciplined person; he hadn’t expected him to stay up late too.

Shen Wenrui teased: “Don’t all young people like to stay up late? Or do I seem quite old in your eyes?”

Yu Chu immediately shook his head: “Of course not.”

Shen Wenrui seized the opportunity, using the excuse of the night road being unsafe and the possibility of that person still waiting. A few words easily sparked Yu Chu’s unease, making him stay for the night.

Yu Chu stayed in the guest room, but his sleep was restless. In the middle of the night, he heard strange noises. He rolled over, assuming the dog was acting up, and didn’t get up to check—perhaps his subconscious also made him choose to avoid danger. It was as if the moment he got up, he would encounter some irreversible, terrifying event.

The camera moved slowly, looking under the door crack to reveal a pool of water, deep red, blending into the darkness.

Drip.

A drop of blood fell.

Following the source of the blood, moving slowly upward… a person was standing right outside the bedroom door!

Shen Wenrui held a knife, blood dripping from the tip.

His lips were curled in a joyful, excited smile, his gaze fixed tightly on the door, as if trying to see the sleeping person through it.

His precious creation.

“So obedient, such a polite, good child, not even getting up to steal a glance. Actually, I quite hoped you would discover it.” Shen Wenrui’s voice was gentle as water. He lightly tapped his chin with his finger, his pale skin stained with a trace of blood, his expression bearing a sickly regret.

He stood before the door, staring for a long time, before turning to leave reluctantly.

The next morning.

Shen Wenrui gently saw Yu Chu out the door. Standing by the flower bushes in front of the house, he suddenly smiled and asked: “Have you ever heard the story of Bluebeard?”

A nobleman of strange appearance, with a blue beard, married several wives, but all went missing. He married a new wife, and before traveling far, handed her a ring of keys, allowing her to inspect any room in the castle except for the tiny room at the very bottom, which was absolutely forbidden to open. The wife was extremely curious and eventually opened it, only to discover with horror that the corpses of Bluebeard’s previous wives hung inside, blood covering the floor…

“Actually, wouldn’t it be better if the young wife hadn’t opened that room? Secrets remain secrets, and she could have lived an ignorant yet happy life.” Shen Wenrui seemed to imply something.

Yu Chu didn’t understand why he suddenly brought this up, but still expressed his thoughts seriously.

“Even if she hadn’t entered that room out of curiosity at the time, Bluebeard had killed multiple wives; he was a psychopathic killer. Ultimately, he would still have laid hands on her; a happy life was impossible.”

Shen Wenrui pondered and nodded: “True. If I were Bluebeard and had a secret room in my house, even if you didn’t actively go look, I would still take you with me later to appreciate it properly.”

Yu Chu’s expression stiffened. These words were likely a joke, but his heart couldn’t help but shudder, a trace of panic rising.

“I have to go to class.” Yu Chu waved, turning and quickly bidding him farewell.

Only when he stepped out of the house’s shadow and into the warm sunlight did he breathe a sigh of relief.

As he walked, he inexplicably looked back.

He discovered that Shen Wenrui was still standing in the shadow of the doorway, staring at him. His silver-white hair looked as if it were covered in thick ice and snow—born of darkness, raging in darkness, completely cut off from the light.

Yu Chu suddenly didn’t think the silver hair was beautiful anymore; instead, it exuded an overwhelming sense of bizarreness and creepiness.

He shivered, gave a forced smile, and turned to walk faster.

***

The director yelled “cut,” extremely satisfied; the scene was cleared in one take.

Pei Liu acted by immersing himself in the character, sinking deep into it. The mental toll was significant, and every time he finished a shoot, it took him quite some time to separate himself.

Just like now, facing Shen Jin, he couldn’t control his mind from thinking of the psychopathic villain in the drama, feeling some fear.

Turning his head, he also saw the floating female ghost, the screenwriter’s deceased wife, staring straight at them with blood-red eyes.

They were very close!

He felt like he could almost smell the stench of rotting flesh.

Pei Liu gasped, and without a second thought, immediately lunged toward Qin Wu, wanting to press against him to absorb some yang energy and keep the ghost away.

Qin Wu was caught off guard, his arm grabbed by Pei Liu. When he reacted, he immediately looked toward Shen Jin in terror.

Sure enough, the god’s face had turned cold.

Qin Wu hurriedly backed away to pull some distance between them.

Pei Liu decisively pressed close again.

Qin Wu: “…” I’m dead. Buy me a coffin.

***

During the night.

Pei Liu lay on the bed, half-asleep.

In another room not far away, Xiao Tian and the big dog were sleeping. Ever since Xiao Tian came to his house and said Xie Wuyu wasn’t beside him, he indeed hadn’t encountered any more strange events, assuming that ghost had gone elsewhere, and slowly let his guard down.

But tonight, the dark shadow wrapped around him from behind again.

Xie Wuyu revealed his form, holding his fingers with possessive grip, his other hand touching his face.

Even though he had changed his appearance, the frequent contact and growing intimacy hadn’t eased.

The entity became more and more unsatisfied.

He wanted to appear openly, to make Pei Liu know who he was.

In his groggy state, Pei Liu slowly realized something was wrong, his body feeling that familiar bound sensation. He instinctively curled his fingers, touching an icy, broad hand belonging to a man—no, it wasn’t a human’s hand at all…

He woke up completely in an instant.

His body couldn’t help but tremble slightly, trying to escape.

He had thought he was free, but that evil ghost still clung to him like a shadow, refusing to let go.

“Help!”

The entity held him from behind, firmly locking him in his embrace, and whispered by his ear: “Don’t think of running away; no matter where you go, I will catch you.”

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