Chapter 14
In front of the mahogany shrine in Zhou Yuchen's apartment, the ashes of burnt incense sticks were scattered all over the ground, carrying a sense of decay and death.
The black, twisted wooden statue of a little devil enshrined in the center had its originally scarlet eyes now dull and lifeless. A fine but clear crack had even appeared on the surface of the statue, extending from the corner of its hideous mouth to its forehead, like an ugly scar.
Zhou Yuchen slumped onto the cold floor, his back against the cold wall, trembling uncontrollably. His face was ashen, his lips were bluish, and his forehead was covered with large, cold beads of sweat.
A few minutes ago, an indescribable, chilling backlash, seemingly emanating from the deepest hell, pierced through the void without warning and crashed into his body! That power, carrying the little devil's extreme resentment and fear before his death, was like a million ice needles piercing his bone marrow, freezing his blood and tearing his soul apart!
Like a fish out of water, he opened his mouth in vain, but no sound came out, only a strange "hoarse" sound from his throat. His internal organs felt as if they were being gripped and kneaded by an icy hand, and the intense cramping pain made him curl up into a ball.
Even more terrifying, he felt as if a piece of his "luck" had been forcibly ripped out, and a deep-seated sense of weakness and gloom enveloped him.
The brat... was wiped out! Completely and cleanly annihilated!
Zhou Yuchen's cloudy eyes were filled with extreme fear and lingering dread. The little ghost he had spent a fortune, nurtured with sinister secret methods, had been instantly annihilated when it went to deal with Lu Xiao, that insignificant ant?! Not even a trace remained! What kind of being could achieve that?!
Behind Lu Xiao... is a powerful figure! A terrifyingly powerful figure capable of annihilating his greatest reliance with a mere wave of his hand!
A profound fear, like a cold, venomous snake, coiled around his heart, almost suffocating him. He stared at the crack in the shrine, as if seeing a harbinger of his fate. Resentment, suppression, pride… all became a joke before this absolute, incomprehensible power of terror!
All he wants now is to survive!
The next day, on the set.
Zhou Yuchen appeared. He was wearing sunglasses, his face was still pale, and his steps were somewhat unsteady, but his expression was unusually... honest. It could even be described as humble.
When questioned by the director, he lowered his head and apologized, saying that he hadn't been in good shape yesterday due to personal reasons and had caused trouble for everyone. His sincere attitude made the director feel a little uncomfortable.
When Zhou Yuchen's gaze swept over Lu Xiao, who was rehearsing his lines with Zhuo Hua, his body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and his eyes behind his sunglasses were filled with deep apprehension and fear. He quickly looked away, not daring to glance at Zhuo Hua beside Lu Xiao.
The girl in the ordinary costume, standing quietly, was more terrifying to him than the most vicious ghost!
The subsequent filming went exceptionally smoothly. Zhou Yuchen, who played "Xiao Cheng," toned down all his sharp edges and acted dutifully according to the script. Although he was still subtly suppressed by the restrained and heavy aura of Shen Yan, played by Lu Xiao, he no longer tried to provoke or suppress him. Instead, he presented a sense of realism, as if he were being swept up by fate and was somewhat dejected. Although the director felt that he lacked the domineering aura that a prince should have, he could barely accept this unexpected feeling of "fitting the character's later decline."
The atmosphere on set became somewhat subtle. Although no one knew what had happened, everyone keenly sensed the huge change in Zhou Yuchen's attitude towards Lu Xiao. That almost deliberate avoidance and apprehension caused many people to gossip privately, and their gazes towards Lu Xiao and Zhuo Hua became more inquisitive.
Zhuohua had no interest in this. She leaned against a pillar of the set with her arms crossed, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping across the film set, but inwardly she was conducting an extremely meticulous internal examination.
A faint, yet real, warm current, like a stream thawing in early spring, quietly flowed through the depths of her meridians, which had been dormant for who knows how long and were like a dried-up riverbed!
Although it was so faint as to be almost negligible, this wisp of power carried the aura of the primordial divine power that she knew all too well—the aura of the Zhuohua Immortal Lord's original divine power! It was no longer the meager spiritual power that could only dispel the cold, but a true projection of the vast divine power that belonged to her at her peak!
One percent?
It might be far less than one percent. But the return of this wisp of power is of great significance!
Like a star thrown into an ancient well, it instantly illuminated the darkness that had been silent for millennia! It proved a hope she had almost given up—her divine power had not completely dissipated, but had simply fallen into silence! It was still there! As long as a method was found… there was a possibility of restoration!
And the source of all this... Zhuohua's gaze fell silently on Lu Xiao, who was intently studying the script not far away.
Was it because that little devil was annihilated last night?
Is that filth condensed from the evil thoughts and vengeful spirits of mortals also considered a kind of "energy" at the level of the laws of the universe? Annihilating it is like clearing away a small piece of "pollution," so... the stingy laws of this world rewarded her with a trace of "origin" as a "reward"?
This guess instantly replaced the slight itch in her heart with a clearer and more intense joy! It was like trekking through an endless desert and finally seeing the glimmer of an oasis!
Having lived for hundreds of thousands of years, the tranquil lake of my heart was now rippling with clear waves because of the return of this faint power.
Tsk.
In a good mood.
Zhuohua withdrew her introspective gaze, her fingertips unconsciously tapping lightly on her arm. Looking at Lu Xiao's profile—his focused profile under the light, intently studying the script—a thought popped into her head.
"Hello." She spoke, her voice not loud, but it clearly pierced through the noise of the film set and reached Lu Xiao's ears.
Lu Xiao suddenly looked up, his glassy eyes questioning him. Since that night, there had been a hint of barely perceptible awe in his gaze towards Zhuo Hua, but his dependence and trust had only deepened.
“Tonight,” Zhuohua looked at him, her tone casual as if she were talking about the weather, “I’ll treat you to dinner.”
Lu Xiao was stunned, then his eyes lit up instantly! Like light bulbs that had been turned on in a flash! A huge, undisguised surprise flooded his face, and he even stammered excitedly, "Really...really? You...you're treating me to dinner?!"
Zhuohua found his flattered expression somewhat amusing, and subtly curved her lips into a smile: "Okay. That's all for today."
"Okay! Okay! I'll go right after work!" Lu Xiao nodded vigorously, a huge, radiant smile spreading across his face, instantly dispelling all the gloom brought on by Zhou Yuchen and the fear of that night. Zhuo Hua had taken the initiative to invite him to dinner! This made him even happier than landing a third male lead role!
The hustle and bustle of the workday had not yet subsided when Lu Xiao, like a cheerful puppy, followed closely behind Zhuo Hua, his steps carrying a light, bouncy rhythm.
Zhuohua didn't take him to any fancy places, but instead turned into "Old Zhang's Noodle Shop" deep in the back alley, just like she always did.
The noodle shop was still clean and warm, filled with the rich aroma of bone broth. Grandpa Zhang saw them and smiled kindly: "You're here? What would you like to eat today? Plain noodles again?"
"Two bowls of beef noodles." Zhuohua unusually took the initiative to order, and even added meat. She found a seat by the window.
Lu Xiao sat opposite her, restless with excitement. He secretly glanced at Zhuo Hua; in the dim light, her cool and aloof features seemed to have softened a bit. Was it because she was in a good mood? He recalled the somewhat refined, indescribable aura she exuded on set, and his heart skipped a beat again.
Steaming hot noodles topped with a thick layer of braised beef were quickly served. Lu Xiao ate with great satisfaction, his cheeks bulging, occasionally stealing a glance at Zhuo Hua. He felt that the noodles were especially fragrant tonight, the soup was especially delicious, and even the air smelled sweet.
He chattered on about the fun things that happened during the day's filming, and talked about his new understanding of the character, his eyes sparkling as if they were filled with tiny starlight.
Zhuohua listened quietly, occasionally humming in agreement, and slowly ate her noodles. The faint divine power flowing gently through her meridians brought a long-lost, refreshing feeling, like withered trees blossoming in spring. Even the chattering mortal before her seemed much more agreeable to her.
She even did something unprecedented: she used her chopsticks to pick up the largest piece of beef from her bowl and put it into Lu Xiao's bowl.
Lu Xiao froze when he saw the extra piece of glistening, fragrant beef in his bowl! He abruptly looked up at Zhuo Hua, his glassy eyes wide with disbelief and overwhelming, almost overflowing, sense of being flattered! His cheeks flushed instantly, and even his ears burned!
“Zhuo…Zhuohua…” His voice changed, he was so moved he could hardly speak.
"Eat." Zhuohua said succinctly, putting away her chopsticks as if she had only done something very ordinary.
Lu Xiao nodded vigorously, carefully picked up the piece of beef, put it in his mouth, and felt that it was the most delicious thing in the world. A warm current flowed from the tip of his tongue all the way to the deepest part of his heart, so sweet that it was almost cloying.
After finishing their noodles, the two walked side by side back to the film studio's dormitory area. The late autumn night breeze was chilly, but Lu Xiao felt warm inside. He secretly glanced at Zhuo Hua's long shadow cast by the streetlights, his heart pounding a little. Everything tonight felt as beautiful as a dream.
However, this peaceful sweetness was abruptly shattered when they stepped into the courtyard where the film crew's temporary office area was located!
The courtyard was brightly lit, yet an unusual atmosphere of tension and panic permeated the air. A group of people huddled around a monitor—the director, assistant director, cameraman, script supervisor… all pale-faced, their eyes filled with fear, arguing heatedly in hushed tones.
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Cameraman Lao Wang's voice trembled noticeably as he pointed to the footage playing on the monitor. "Look for yourselves! It's crystal clear! There are five! Maids in pink! I counted them several times when the camera panned across them!"
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