Chapter 65: Horror Movie X Female Star

  "The first half of this movie is exactly like my childhood experience."

  "So you're worried that a murder like in the script will actually happen on set?"

  "No, I'm not worried about this. On the contrary, it's because of this script that I've become more determined to take on this film. Because I think the person behind the entire operation of this movie is Chen Xiao Jian. I don't know what his intentions are, but I hope I can bring him out. Back then, I didn't go look for him and because I had a high fever and was unconscious for three days, I didn't tell his family in time, causing them to miss the best opportunity to find Chen Xiao Jian. I hope I can see him again and apologize sincerely. And also, there are some secrets hidden within the Guan Jie Acrobatic Troupe."

  "Alright then, our Wuyi Society accepts your commission."

  "Thank you."

  After Chen Xue Xia left, I immediately called back Rong Ruo Lan and Chen Qiu Yang. As soon as Rong Ruo Lan heard that this time's task was to accompany Chen Xue Xia in filming a movie, she couldn't help but shriek with excitement, just like an innocent and naive young girl of eighteen years old, the more infatuated she became, the more infatuated she got.

  She said: "Thirteen you are really great, I always wanted to see Chen Xue Xia in person, in 'Second Grade' he is really super handsome and warm."

  I stared at Chen Qiuyang, originally thinking that the rough and manly Chen Qiuyang wouldn't be so tacky as to like a young idol, but it turned out she was just a girl after all. This was the most feminine Athene Rulan had ever been.

  Three days later, we packed our bags and set off. We first arrived at the meeting place informed by Chen Xue Xia, we arrived on time, while Chen Xue Xia and others also arrived early.

  "Wow, he's a big star and yet so punctual. These days, which of those big stars doesn't like to be fashionably late?"

  I said: "Yulan, when you meet him in a bit, remember to control your drooling..."

  "Go away, I'm not one of those brainless girls who are crazy about celebrities. I've long passed that age of chasing after stars."

  We got off the car, and Chen Xue Xia also got off the car very politely, smiling and greeting us. I noticed that Rouran had a conditioned reflex to lick her mouth with her tongue, as if she saw delicious food, and was afraid that once she opened her mouth, saliva would flow down three thousand feet.

  Chen Xue Xia wore a white silk shirt, soft and smooth, very suitable for his elegant prince temperament.

  "Hello."

  "This is my two assistants, this is Chen Qiuyang, and this is Kui Ruolan."

  "Hello, they all call me Xiao Lan, you can just call me Xiao Lan too, hehe."

  Chen Qiuyang and I almost fell to the ground. This was the first time I heard Huierlan speak so softly, like a little girl, even more tender than Lin Zhiling's baby voice, and she called herself "Little Lan", even more girly than Chen Qiuyang. To be honest, usually Huierlan speaks in a very rough tone.

  Chen Xue Xia said to Kui Ruo Lan, "Hmm, hello, Little Lan." Then, he very carefully let us sit in the back of a small bus. When we got on the bus, Kui Ruo Lan's face was red all along. Later, Chen Qiu Yang said that at that time she looked like "a shy and timid virgin waiting for her husband to go to bed".

  "Kui Ruo Lan kept saying: "The real-life Chen Xue Xia is even more delicate and handsome than on TV, why are his eyelashes so long? Why is his skin whiter and more tender than mine? His voice is so nice to listen to, soft and gentle, like glutinous rice, it's even softer. His smile is sweet and warm, like honey, warm like the sun..."

  This time it was my turn and Chen Qiuyang couldn't take it anymore. I suddenly had the illusion that there were two Chen Qiuyangs sitting next to me.

  There were four other people on the minibus besides us three, all of whom were Chen Xue Xia's assistants and personal stylists. Three girls and one boy, they just nodded at us as a courtesy and then hid in the back seats chatting about their own topics. From their eyes, I could tell that they didn't think much of us either, so we didn't show too much enthusiasm and sat in the third row of seats at the front of the minibus.

  We are going to the filming location in Nansha - a small island. The area of Nansha Island is not large and has not been developed yet, so the crew of "The Haunted Couple" rented this island for a month to shoot outdoor scenes. From Longcheng, it takes 3 hours driving south, then take a boat from the dock to Nansha Island.

  The ocean is vast and endless, with misty rain filling the air. The sky is a dull gray, very overcast, so visibility on the sea surface is not high either. We stood on the deck, blowing in the cool sea breeze, but Chen Qiuyang said: "Actually, I have a deep fear of the ocean, it's called bathophobia."

  "I asked curiously: 'Deep-sea phobia? I only know of claustrophobia. What is deep-sea phobia? Are you afraid to swim in the ocean?'"

  Chen Qiuyang shook his head and said, "No, it's just that when I was a kid, I often had nightmares about the deep sea. But at that time, I had never seen the ocean or the scenery of the deep sea."

  I suddenly became interested and said: "You've never seen the ocean, yet you can have dreams of the deep sea? What did you dream about?"

  "It's hard to describe that feeling in words, it's like I'm swimming naked in the ocean with the deep sea currents, everything is pitch black, but I can feel fish moving around me in the darkness. Those fish are not like the ones we usually eat, they're all strange and terrifying creatures, like monsters from ancient times, their green eyes glowing in the dark as they size me up, and I'm just a piece of seaweed drifting aimlessly in an endless black universe. In short, in my dream, I can feel that sense of fear."

  "Experts have studied this and say that the reason we have such dreams is not because of the deep sea, but rather it's a memory from when we were in our mother's womb surrounded by amniotic fluid. Some experts also say that this feeling is an ancient memory of the deep sea left in human brains. Because some scientists have studied and said that humans didn't evolve from apes, but rather from fish in the deep sea that gradually evolved."

  "It feels amazing, humans are really amazing."

  We chatted sentence by sentence, and I walked to the mast to take a look at the sea. The seawater splashed against the side of the ship, forming a white wave, but the water was not clear or blue, it was dull gray, with many white bubbles on the surface, emitting a very strong smell of rotting fish. On the surface of the water, there were also many scattered pieces of trash and debris, it seems that human over-development has indeed caused more and more pollution to the ocean.

  I suddenly saw a baby floating up and down on the surface of the sea, and just as I was about to shout for help, the waves lifted it out of the water, allowing me to see more clearly that it was a wooden puppet without four limbs. The puppet had only a head connected to its body, looking strange, with a hole in its left eye.

  As the boat was sailing away, I only had a glimpse of it for a few seconds before it was swallowed up by the white waves behind.

  "Is it a wooden puppet again?" I had a faint sense of unease.

  "Wow wow - wow wow - " A white seagull flew over our heads, its cry sounding strange too.

  Finally, an island appeared in front of us, and it really was a deserted island. The island wasn't high but very long and narrow, from afar it looked like a green belt floating on the surface of the sea. There weren't even any beaches around this island, just some hard coral reefs.

  The boat docked at a relatively flat wharf, and we disembarked. Chen Xue Xia walked in the front, his assistants helping him with luggage. The crew of "The Devil's Path" had arrived at the pier to welcome Chen Xue Xia early in the morning.

  On this small island, there is a type of tree that I don't know the name of. The trunk has many short and thick thorns, the whole body is black, only the top of the tree has huge green leaves, somewhat like a coconut tree. These strange trees are densely packed, each one with a height of over three stories. In addition, there are also many fine-leafed figs.

  We followed the staff for about 20 minutes and arrived at the filming location of "The Haunted House". The scene was very large, open-air, with several huge tents, lights, cameras, various props, and at least hundreds of people. It was my first time to watch a movie being filmed on site, so I was full of curiosity and felt very fresh.

  The director of "Horror in the Dark" is a Hong Kong native named Chen Ke-xin, a renowned horror movie director. Last year, his horror film "The House That Never Dies" was released on the mainland and unexpectedly grossed 500 million yuan at the box office, breaking the record for mainland horror films.

  Director Chen Ke came over enthusiastically, took Chen Xue Xia to one side and gave some instructions. The three of us made use of the spare time to wander around the set.

  "Kui Ruo Lan said: "The male lead in 'Shattered Soul' is Chen Xue Xia, but the female lead has been absent for a long time. I really want to know which star will be paired with him."

  Chen Qiuyang said, "The female lead is so mysterious. If it were Lanlan who played the female lead, this horror movie would definitely have a scene where the male lead heroically saves the beauty."

  "Alas, I'm not a star," said Huier Lan. We were walking along the edge of the set when suddenly a staff member with a loudspeaker spoke up: "The third scene of 'Couple's Horrific Split' is about to start filming, please take your positions." Chen Qiuyang, Huier Lan and I hastily retreated to the side and watched from afar as they filmed.

  Sound engineers, lighting technicians and various people holding reflectors, holding up audio recorders, and huge photography equipment, under the command of director Chen Ke Xin, are proceeding in an orderly manner. A beautifully dressed girl walked out from the side, surprisingly it was the popular star Yang Han. Yang Han is currently a first-line flower dan, extremely popular.

  Yang Huan was seen running around in a fluster, her face full of panic. Then, she let out a very professional "ahh" scream and fell to the ground. "Cut, very good, extremely good!"