The man carried him downstairs.
Jing Jiujiu tensed up: "Turn right, third room."
Bai Yuhuai's steps faltered, then he turned right and arrived at the third room's door.
It was a double door, intricately carved with complex patterns. The left side was heavy with yin energy, the right side brimming with yang energy. These two normally incompatible forces were joined together by the meeting of the two door panels.
Left yin, right yang - this was a seal to subdue fierce ghosts.
No wonder the youth, despite having the ability of a violently slain ghost, didn't have a horrifying appearance or completely lost humanity.
The man stood motionless for a long time. Jing Jiujiu couldn't hold back anymore and asked, "Don't you know how to open the door?" He added, "Though it's understandable, this door can prick your hands."
Prick your hands?
It wasn't just pricking - the left door was drawing out the yin energy from his body, while the right door was scorching him.
The youth in his arms, however, was oblivious to this.
"I'd better open my own door," Jing Jiujiu said softly. Suddenly, an umbrella flew up, its tip pointing inward, and pushed the door open.
That umbrella must have been left by the door for quite some time.
He probably often used this to open the door.
Had he learned his lesson after being hurt a few times?
"The door's open, you can put me down now," Jing Jiujiu said dryly.
He realized that this man wasn't afraid of him at all. But he was a bit afraid of the man. The man was taciturn, cold, and eerie.
Bai Yuhuai didn't respond, but carried the youth straight inside.
The bedroom was extremely spacious. On the left side upon entering was a large European-style bed with lace curtains, and on the right were a sofa, coffee table, and desk. Against the right wall was a large bookcase covering the entire side.
For some reason, all the books had been removed from it.
Books with their printed text, the characters square and upright, naturally carried the righteous energy of heaven and earth.
So they were often considered capable of warding off evil and subduing ghosts.
The door had a seal to subdue fierce ghosts, yet the books had been deliberately removed.
It was a bit strange.
Bai Yuhuai lowered his gaze and walked to the sofa, setting the youth down.
He asked, "Did you leave the tangerine?"
Jing Jiujiu's eyes lit up.
Oh?
He actually got it!
And he knew it was my thoughtful preparation!
"Did you eat it? Was it good?" Jing Jiujiu asked eagerly.
Of course Bai Yuhuai hadn't eaten it. Who would eat a tangerine that had been wrapped in a ghost's yin energy?
It was also quite strange for a ghost to prepare tangerines for people.
"Was it sour?" Jing Jiujiu asked again.
Bai Yuhuai met his gaze. The youth was looking at him expectantly, full of curiosity and longing.
Bai Yuhuai took out the tangerine, peeled it, and ate a segment: "It's sour."
The youth sighed upon hearing this: "It must be because that tree had too many bugs, so the tangerines turned out sour."
Bai Yuhuai: "It's just not ripe yet."
Jing Jiujiu: "...Oh."
Jing Jiujiu blushed a little.
Bai Yuhuai didn't linger. He didn't make any more hand seals either. He curled his long fingers, clasping the unfinished tangerine in his palm, then turned and walked out.
"Do you want me to help you open the door?" Jing Jiujiu asked.
"No need." Bai Yuhuai said, pushing the door open with one hand and walking out, showing no signs of his hand being pricked.
This door is targeting me, Jing Jiujiu thought.
Bai Yuhuai paused at the doorway, turned back, and asked coolly, "Do you want a share of tomorrow's breakfast?"
He's treating me like a person! Jing Jiujiu felt relieved.
Since he doesn't know I'm a ghost, it means I haven't lost face as a ghost! My dignity is intact!
Jing Jiujiu quickly shook his head: "No need." After a moment's thought, he added: "Thank you."
Bai Yuhuai had never seen such a polite and gentle ghost.
He didn't ask anything more and truly turned to leave this time.
The ghost wall in the stairwell had disappeared. The MCs, including the director's team, were timidly climbing up the stairs while calling out: "Brother Bai? Brother Bai, where are you?" "Did something old give way and you fell into some hole, Brother Bai? Just make a sound and we'll hear you!"
"Brother Bai!"
Bai Yuhuai slowly walked down the stairs: "Nothing much upstairs, just broke a picture frame."
Everyone was startled at first, then laughed in relief: "That was scary, we thought Brother Bai had disappeared."
"Brother Bai, did you encounter anything else upstairs? Like, being stuck in one place no matter how much you walked?"
"No," Bai Yuhuai said.
Hearing this, everyone felt even more relieved.
The cameraman scratched his head awkwardly: "Could it be that my senses were wrong?"
Old Cao laughed: "Brother Yang, did you stay up late last night? Having hallucinations?"
Cameraman Brother Yang couldn't explain it either: "Maybe."
Yun Xin couldn't help but ask: "Then... what about the tableware?"
"What tableware?" Bai Yuhuai asked.
"There was an extra set of tableware in the sink, arranged neatly and beautifully. It even had 'Jing' engraved on it, like it was an expensive custom order..."
Bai Yuhuai's eyes flickered slightly.
Obviously, it was left by that youth.
Bai Yuhuai suddenly thought of how the youth had looked at him, eagerly asking if the tangerine was tasty.
How many years had he been dead?
Was it because he hadn't tasted mortal food for so long that he cherished it so much? Even though he knew he couldn't eat anything, he still carefully set out the tableware, as if he had enjoyed a meal like a living person, and didn't forget to put the dishes in the sink.
Bai Yuhuai concealed his thoughts and calmly asked back: "Isn't that a common horror movie trope?"
"Right, Brother Bai is correct! We were just too nervous," Old Cao chimed in.
Meanwhile, the little robot had returned upstairs. It entered Jing Jiujiu's bedroom and asked, "How did it go?"
Jing Jiujiu shook his head: "He's not afraid of me at all."
The little robot thought, it seems so. When that man returned to the first floor, he was still as calm as ever.
"I need to think of something," Jing Jiujiu muttered.
Soon it was 9:30 PM, and everyone started to allocate rooms.
"Ji Meng can stay in the first room on the left on the second floor."
"Xiangqi in the second room on the left."
"It seems like there aren't enough rooms on the second floor..."
Yun Xin asked: "Isn't this castle supposed to be very big?"
"We can only stay together in the main building. If we spread out to other buildings, it would be unsafe. Forget ghosts, even a thief would be trouble," Old Cao explained.
"Then..." Yun Xin frowned.
Bai Yuhuai spoke up: "I'll stay on the third floor."
Kong Xiangqi swallowed: "Nobody's staying on the third floor, how can Brother Bai stay there alone?"
Yu Shaoguang also looked surprised: "Yeah, didn't Kong Xiangqi say that Young Master Jing died in a bedroom on the third floor?"
"It's fine," Bai Yuhuai said calmly.
Ji Meng bit his lip and said: "How about I keep Brother Bai company on the third floor? That way there'll be more room on the second floor. And we can give each other courage."
Others also wanted to take this opportunity to curry favor with Bai Yuhuai.
So they all chimed in: "Forget it, I'll go stay on the third floor. I just finished filming a zombie movie, so I have some experience." "Brother Bai, switch with me."
"No need, I like the quiet. It's a good chance to review the script," Bai Yuhuai cut off their eagerness with one sentence.
Everyone paused, remembering that Bai Yuhuai was about to start work on a new project.
Wasn't it Director Cui's film?
It was bound to be another award-winning masterpiece!
How could they dare to disturb him? So they all nodded, not forgetting to compliment him: "Brother Bai is still studying the script while filming a variety show, so dedicated!"
The room assignments were settled, and Ji Meng's face flashed with disappointment, but he quickly hid it.
Next, the MCs carried their own luggage upstairs.
Midway, Bai Yuhuai helped the two female celebrities with their bags, then carried his own suitcase up to the third floor.
After this, the production team would not accompany them.
They would leave a few cameramen and numerous cameras here, while the rest of the staff retreated to the foot of the mountain, including the pre-arranged medical team. They would wait there, only coming up the mountain periodically to resupply, until the show finished recording.
This was done to create a better atmosphere, to avoid the show seeming too fake and losing the audience's interest.
As the staff withdrew, the castle quickly fell into silence.
Several lights came on one after another.
"There's electricity?" Jing Jiujiu looked up at the crystal chandelier above, which was now shining brilliantly.
The production team, to avoid unnecessary accidents, had applied to the electricity department in advance to restore power supply before coming.
Jing Jiujiu could vaguely guess this.
It had been a long time since he had watched TV, after all, relying on ghosts for electricity was very tiring.
Without thinking, Jing Jiujiu immediately turned on the TV in the bedroom and searched for a few movies.
From "Home Alone" to "The Naked Gun," and then to "La Vie en Rose"... he watched them all with great enthusiasm.
The little robot couldn't help but want to remind him not to let these things distract him from his purpose.
Jing Jiujiu, however, was crouching in front of the cabinet, pulling out a few more discs, labeled "Ju-on," "The Ring 2," "The Human Lantern"...
He picked one from among them.
Little robot: ?
"I'm going to learn how other ghosts scare people," Jing Jiujiu licked his lips, self-aware as he said, "I might not have a natural talent for being a ghost."
"But learning will help. Work experience comes from accumulation!" He was very confident.
The little robot opened its mouth.
Well, that did make some sense.
So it stopped disturbing him and quietly retreated.
To fully experience the horrifying atmosphere and apply what he learned, Jing Jiujiu specifically turned the volume to maximum, then started playing.
Everyone had just finished showering and returned to their beds.
The shower head was long broken, and there was no hot water supply in the mountains, so they had to rely on boiling water with electricity to wash their hair and bodies. Although it was a bit troublesome, at least they could wash.
Kong Xiangqi, wrapped in a bathrobe, curled up sitting on the bed, carefully surveying the room.
This castle was truly beautifully built, the murals on the walls were lifelike, every detail exuded elegance. But once covered with the shadow of death and the dust of years, those beautiful patterns became eerie instead.
Don't be afraid, it's fine.
It's not the first time recording such a program.
Kong Xiangqi reassured herself, then lay down.
In the night so quiet that one could barely hear insects chirping, a low talking voice slowly seemed to emerge.
Were they chatting? Kong Xiangqi felt a bit panicky in her heart, instinctively clutching the blanket tighter, and turned over.
But after turning, the murmuring voice seemed to become clearer.
It was also accompanied by the sound of nails scratching the floor.
Kong Xiangqi's hair stood on end.
In the next room, Ji Meng, hugging a pillow and carrying a bag of snacks, walked out. He took a shallow breath, suppressing his instinctive fear of darkness, then walked straight up to the third floor and raised his hand to knock on the door.
The door opened quickly.
Bai Yuhuai stood there wearing a loose bathrobe: "What's the matter?"
Ji Meng nervously said, "I'm a bit, a bit scared." He looked up at Bai Yuhuai: "Brother Bai, can I stay in your room tonight?"
"No."
"..." Ji Meng choked, not expecting Bai Yuhuai to refuse so bluntly.
Ji Meng asked softly, "Brother Bai, didn't you hear that... that sound like someone talking? And there's another really strange sound mixed in..."
Bai Yuhuai: "I heard it."
This close, if he couldn't hear it, he'd be deaf.
"It's this sound, it's so scary! Brother Bai, please let me stay with you!" Ji Meng looked like he was about to cry from fear.
This young man, who had been so composed during the day, now had watery eyes as he looked at Bai Yuhuai.
"The sound is louder upstairs, if you go back to your room, or stay with Old Cao, you naturally won't hear it anymore." Bai Yuhuai didn't want to talk much with him. He said coldly, "I still need to review the script."
With that, he closed the door.
Ji Meng stood there stiffly, clutching his pillow tighter.
He wanted to knock again, but didn't have the confidence that Bai Yuhuai would let him in.
The eerie sound lingered endlessly in his ears, making Ji Meng increasingly uneasy.
He didn't have the courage to stay, so he had to return to the second floor first.
Who knew that just as Ji Meng reached the second floor.
In the silent night, a shrill scream suddenly rang out, a scream that didn't quite sound like it came from a human.
"Holy shit! Old Cao! Old Cao!"
"Open the door, quick, open the door!"
All the MCs were startled, scrambling out of their beds, knocking on doors, gathering together.
Bai Yuhuai on the third floor heard the sound and frowned imperceptibly.
It wasn't a ghost.
There were no signs of yin energy invasion.
Bai Yuhuai got up and walked to the door of that ghost boy's room, knocked twice, but it seemed no one heard inside. So he directly pushed the door open: "What are you watching?"
In the flickering light of the bedroom, the boy was curled up in a ball.
On the TV opposite, a scene was playing of a woman in white, her body contorted, slowly crawling down the stairs.
The boy suddenly flew up, turned his head to see Bai Yuhuai, then abruptly dove into his arms.
Bai Yuhuai stiffened: "..."
This female ghost is so scary!
Why are horror movies so terrifying!
Jing Jiujiu bit his lip hard, unable to say a word.
Bai Yuhuai instinctively reached out to support his waist, ... which was thin and soft.
Jing Jiujiu clung tightly to the person in front of him.
Great!
It's a human!
There's a living person here, wuwuwu!
It was only then that Bai Yuhuai vaguely felt from the boy... he was trembling.
Bai Yuhuai: "..."
Is he afraid of ghosts?
The little robot arrived late, standing numbly at the door, watching the ghost and human embracing inside, listening to the howling and screaming downstairs, as the intimidation progress bar skyrocketed.
It was too dumbfounded to even make a sarcastic comment.
What the hell kind of reverse intimidation technique is this?