Chapter 004 Shadow of the Movie King (4)
The tone just now was steady, without any ups and downs. Jiang Lin had just said the same words once, and this was not Jiang Lin's tone at all.
And, yes, it said what Jiang Lin said, it was... imitating its master?
It must be a shadow.
It can come out alone and does not need Jiang Lin to be present!
It can even talk!
No, that's not entirely correct. It might not be simply imitating Jiang Lin like a parrot. It might have said this with intention. Tao Xing stepped on it all morning today, and it is annoyed and doesn't want Tao Xing to step on it again?
But it may not say a lot, it is more of an imitator. Its owner said this sentence and it just happened to be able to use it, so it imitated it?
It can only imitate words and sounds, but not tone and emotions, so the tone is steady without ups and downs.
But no matter what, it is enough to show that it has thoughts, so it is easier to communicate with it!
Tao Xing was extremely excited and quickly opened the door. In the dim corridor, lights were flickering and the vases and green plants on both sides cast mottled shadows on the ground.
The flowing shadow was spreading forward. The carpet in the corridor was embroidered with large clusters of red flowers. The black shadow moved slowly on it, passing over the bright red flowers.
"Wait a moment." Tao Xing's heart was beating like thunder and she called softly.
The black shadow stopped, and a round shape emerged from the irregular mass. That should be its head. It turned its head as if looking back.
The round head tilted, paused for a few seconds, and then continued to crawl forward.
"No, can you understand me?" Tao Xing chased after him. There were surveillance cameras in the corridor, which might not capture the vague black shadow on the carpet, but Tao Xing's behavior would definitely be captured clearly, so he didn't want his movements to be too obvious.
The black shadow seemed not to hear anything and did not respond, just walking straight forward.
Seeing that it had come to an end, Tao Xing made up his mind and stepped on his tail: "Don't leave yet."
The black shadow finally stopped again, and the round head popped out again. There was clearly no face, no eyes, and even the outline of the head was not very clear, but Tao Xing still felt that it was looking at him.
After "watching" for a while, the outline of an arm emerged from the ball and grabbed the stepped tail.
The black shadow pulled back its tail, then stuck its head into the door of the room at the end, and its entire body followed in.
"Hey..." Tao Xing was anxious and took a quick step, but failed to catch that last bit of shadow.
He stood at the door, shaking his head helplessly.
I heard the door open with a click.
Jiang Lin looked at him from inside the door: "What's wrong?"
Tao Xing sighed silently and stroked his eyebrows: "I took the wrong way." After that, he turned around and left without looking back.
"It can talk and can stay a certain distance away from Jiang Lin. I wonder if there is an upper limit to this distance." Tao Xing paced back and forth in the room, "How can I communicate with it?"
080 suggested: "It is Jiang Lin's shadow after all. If Jiang Lin knows about this, will it be easier to deal with it?"
"It just so happens that only his shadow can become a spirit. We don't know the details of this Jiang Lin yet, so we can't let him know."
"Then... let's build a good relationship with Jiang Lin. If we get close to him, it will be easier for us to get close to Shadow."
"Come on, he already thinks I have intentions towards him." Tao Xing thought for a moment, "Since Shadow was able to get rid of Jiang Lin and come out alone once, he can do it a second time. I have to find a way to lure it out."
"What can the host do?"
"Shadows... maybe they like light? Generally, they will only show up when there is light." Tao Xing stroked his chin and pondered, "Let's give it a try."
Since the shadow was able to leave Jiang Lin, Tao Xing understood a previous question: when it was cloudy and there was no light, including the situation just now when the lights in the hall were too bright to cast a shadow, the shadow did not disappear, it just hid.
It exists independently from Jiang Lin and will never disappear.
The balconies of this row of rooms all face the hotel's garden, where there are some stone tables and tea sets for guests to relax. On cool summer nights, groups of people come for a stroll and chat, each chatting on their own without disturbing each other.
Tao Xing quickly placed an order for a small lamp, which was delivered in half an hour. He picked up the lamp, brushed his hand over the lush grass and branches, came to the garden, and sat down at the stone table near the end of the corridor. The light beside him flickered, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.
There were lights everywhere in the city, but the shadow was not seen moving around. He guessed that ordinary lights that were always on were useless, and a more special light was needed, for example, one that twinkled like stars. Anyway, he decided to give it a try.
What he bought is an atmosphere light. The light is not big and not very bright. It flickers slightly, like the blinking of a star.
The breeze brings the fragrance of flowers and a few fireflies dance.
After waiting for a while, I saw a black shadow slowly sliding down from the glass on the balcony of Jiang Lin's room.
Tao Xing's heart tightened and he held his breath. He wanted to get up, but he was afraid of disturbing the shadow and being questioned by the people in the room. He still kept his chin in his hand while sitting at the table, nervously watching the shadow flow towards him.
"Light is indeed useful." Tao Xing was excited that he had guessed the other party's preferences at once. He held his breath and watched the movement of the black shadow. He gently pressed the small light with one hand, planning that if the other party came over, he would use the light to lead it away and then have a good talk.
The dark shadow poured down from the glass, crawled to the ground, and flowed on the steps.
However, the shadow hanging on the steps was like a sticky and thick glue that was about to fall... and did not move forward any further.
"Why isn't it moving?" Tao Xing frowned, and fiddled with the lamp a few times, adjusting the flashing frequency faster.
The shadow moved, and its head flowed down the stairs.
Tao Xing was just feeling happy when she saw it stopped moving again.
He quickly adjusted the frequency again, but this time no matter how he adjusted it, the shadow stopped moving, but it didn't go back either.
The star lights are helpful, but there don't seem to be many.
This was too close to Jiang Lin's room, so it was not convenient for Tao Xing to go over and talk to Shadow. He sighed and waved lightly at the fireflies on his shoulder. Yes, the fireflies were here again.
These fireflies are quite close to him, but he is not in the mood to appreciate the scenery. However, there are really not many places where you can still see fireflies. I wonder how the ecological environment of this suburb is maintained.
After the fireflies were dispersed, they flew and stopped among the flowers and leaves, turned twice, and finally fell into his hand.
"I should no longer have the scent of the pond on me, so why do you still like me?" Tao Xing smiled helplessly. Seven or eight fireflies fell into his palm, gathering their bright light, like a ray of moonlight falling into his hand.
"It must be because they like you, the host." 080 complimented.
Tao Xing smiled complacently and moved his gaze towards the stairs again.
This sight startled him slightly.
The black shadow flowed forward again, flowed down the steps, and slowly moved on the soil, silently, without disturbing the flowers and plants, and meandered towards Tao Xing.
Tao Xing was pleasantly surprised and watched its movements carefully.
Seeing it getting closer and closer to him, his breathing stagnated slightly, and he bent down slightly and slowly stretched out his hand.
When we meet formally, we have to shake hands, right?
I don't know if I can touch it.
There was a sudden tap on my shoulder, and the fireflies flew away in fright. I heard the director's laughing voice behind me: "Xiao Tao, why are you here? Are you here to enjoy the cool air too?"
Tao Xing's breath, which she had been holding, was suddenly released. She frowned and turned around to see the director, producer and a few others. They were probably strolling in the garden and saw Tao Xing.
"Yes, what a coincidence, you are here too." Tao Xing replied unhappily, then turned around and saw the black shadow retreating, passing through the flowers and plants, returning to the steps, like water flowing backwards.
I finally managed to attract it, but it was scared away again!
The director and his companions did not leave after arriving. They had a pot of tea brought to them and sat around the stone table: "Xiao Tao, come sit with us. You're welcome. Hey, your little lamp is so unique..."
The black shadow had completely retreated into the window and could no longer be seen. It probably would not come out again. Tao Xing chatted with the directors perfunctorily for a while and then left.
By the time the director and others left the garden, it was already past eleven o'clock. It was too late, and everyone else in the garden had also dispersed. Going back now would seem like a pervert, and there was no way to explain it, so Tao Xing gave up.
It is certain that the shadow likes the twinkling light, and the star lights aroused some interest in it, but not much. It seemed that it just came out to take a look and had no intention of chasing after it.
So what really made it come over?
The next day the sky was cloudy, but it did not affect the filming. Tao Xing had a role today, and the director arranged the first few scenes relatively simply, with the second male lead and the female lead traveling together. There were not many close-up shots, which did not test the acting skills too much. However, the second male lead was set as a botanist, and he had to teach the female lead some basic knowledge about plants to show his personality, which was more of a test of the lines.
Although Tao Xing can't act, he remembered all his lines. Those long sections of popular science were not easy to memorize, so the director had no hope and planned to let him dub them later. However, when filming started, he was surprised to find that he had memorized them word for word.
The shooting went smoothly and the scene was harmonious. There was no sun today and no shadows appeared. They must have hidden somewhere.
In this case, could it be explained as it being on vacation, Tao Xing wondered.
Since Shadow was not there, there was no need to pay attention to Jiang Lin. And now he knew that Shadow could come out alone, so there was no need to look for it around Jiang Lin. There were so many people around now anyway, and they couldn't do anything even if they saw it. Besides, they didn't have any scenes together today, so Tao Xing didn't even look at Jiang Lin the whole day.
As a newcomer, he performed well, with almost no NGs. During the break on the set, the director kept praising him: "Xiao Tao, you are very talented. You will definitely be famous in the future."
Everyone praised him several times, and in just two days, Tao Xing went from being ignored to being the center of attention. The enthusiastic Xiao Yang looked at him with even more passion.
However, Jiang Lin's assistant Xiao Wang was not happy when he saw this scene: "You're not even famous yet, but you're already showing off. Your eyes are on the top of your head. Teacher Jiang, he didn't even look at you today."
Another assistant was puzzled: "It's not good not to watch it. Does this mean that he is no longer pestering Teacher Jiang?"
"But..." Xiao Wang frowned. That being said, they wanted to kick Tao Xing out of the crew and didn't want him to get close to Teacher Jiang, but...he suddenly didn't even look at them. Why did it still make people unhappy?
Inexplicable thoughts.
Jiang Lin glanced in the direction of Tao Xing through the shadows and said calmly, "I warned him last night."
"Oh, no wonder, he is scared and has restrained himself temporarily." Xiao Wang suddenly realized.
A whole day of shooting ended and it was already dark when they finished work. Tao Xing was asked by the director to stay and familiarize herself with the positions for tomorrow. When they went back, there were fewer people on the road. They walked on the small road covered by street lights, with a gentle breeze and fireflies flying around.
The director joked, "These fireflies are like little lights flashing in your palms. By the way, I saw fireflies around you in the garden last night. It's really unfair. You are so pretty, little pottery man. Do even fireflies like you?"
Tao Xing was startled for a moment, and suddenly thought of something.
Yes, fireflies!
There were fireflies the night I first discovered it, and there were also fireflies when I lured it here last night. Actually... it was attracted here by the fireflies, right?
It likes the light of fireflies.
Tao Xing was very happy. He made some excuses to the director, saying that he wanted to see the scenery. The director left first. When the people were far away, he quickly stretched out his hand and saw the fireflies moving gently in his palm. He whispered, "Thank you for your favor. Please do me a favor and come with me."
As he spoke, he walked carefully holding the fireflies in his hands. The tiny, bright fireflies fluttered their wings and stayed in his palms, flying forward with him.
Seeing this, 080 asked, "Host, are you going to attract the shadow out again?"
"yes."
"But isn't there someone who wants to meet you tonight? Someone who might be related to the original owner."
"He said eleven o'clock. It's not even eight o'clock now. It's still early." Tao Xing had just discovered a way to attract shadows and was eager to try it out. He didn't want to wait.
Just like last night, I went to the stone table in the garden. The faint light of fireflies was like dancing stars, and the light spots were like a dream in the misty night.
On the glass of the balcony of that room, a dark shadow was flowing, just like last night, slowly flowing down the window, down the steps, and slowly coming out from among the flower stems and grass roots.
It really works, it just likes this light!
The black shadow brushed past the branches at its feet, stopped in front of Tao Xing, and poked out its round head.
It was looking at him.
Tao Xing slowly stood up and stepped back holding the firefly.
The shadow went around the corner of the table and followed him.
Tao Xing's eyes lit up and she didn't dare to breathe. She took the light and stepped back step by step, exiting the garden, walking out of the hotel, walking along the brightly lit road, and heading towards the quiet country road.
The dark shadow followed step by step through the garden, out of the hotel, winding across the road, and lying on the small path where flowers were flying and fireflies were dotted.
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