Translator: CinderTL
A strange sensation washed over him, causing him to frown slightly.
A few seconds later, the light and shadows before his eyes shifted, and the rain above him disappeared. When he came to his senses, Jiang Cheng found himself sitting in a corner of a café.
It seemed that night had already fallen. The café wasn't particularly crowded, and he noticed a few familiar figures sitting at a long table in the middle.
They were a group of young people, with one man at the head of the table speaking animatedly while the others occasionally chimed in with suggestions.
At one particularly intense moment, a young man in a black T-shirt stood up and walked toward the staircase in the corner that led upstairs.
He returned a few minutes later, holding a camera.
He then began adjusting the camera's angle while speaking to the others, as if discussing the feasibility of filming something.
Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes, coldly observing them.
Two men and three women.
The one holding the camera was likely Qiao Yu, the café owner's younger brother.
Among the others, apart from Li Maoshen and Yu Youwei, whom he had seen earlier, were Zhao Jiajia and Song Xiaoyou.
They were gathered together, discussing the feasibility of using Lin Chen to shoot a paranormal video.
What they didn't realize was that Lin Chen wasn't entirely unaware of their plans.
Jiang Cheng sat in the corner, next to a large floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the street shrouded in night.
A familiar figure stood outside the window, silently watching everything unfold inside.
Behind this woman, whose appearance and figure were rather ordinary, the neon lights gradually blurred.
Jiang Cheng heard that strange sound again.
This time, the unfamiliar sensation was even stronger than before, and he couldn't help but feel the urge to do something for this woman—even if it was just to take her hand and lead her away.
In a daze, Jiang Cheng's gaze paused, and when he came to, he found himself lying in a bed, the blanket pulled up to his chin.
It was a small bedroom, but it was cozy and warm, with the lingering scent of lavender on the white blanket.
As if compelled by some force, he got up, slipped on a pair of fluffy slippers by the bed, and left the bedroom, walking into the tiny living room.
Against the wall stood a large easel, with a chair placed in front of it. A small, hunched figure sat there.
The loneliness of her silhouette was heartbreaking.
"Rustle."
The sound of pages turning, soft and slow, reached Jiang Cheng's ears. Suddenly, it was as if he remembered something.
He quickly walked over and noticed that the woman had her knees pressed together, a diary resting on her lap.
"May 7th: My account got banned again. The platform's management is too strict—no edgy content allowed. Shooting ordinary videos won't get me anywhere. So frustrating."
"May 10th: I suddenly had a great idea. If it works, it's bound to go viral!"
"May 12th: I decided to call everyone over to discuss it. After all, this isn't something I can do alone. It's just annoying that I'll have to split the profits with them. Ugh, a bunch of opportunists."
"May 14th, Yu Youwei is truly a treasure of a girl. Why didn't I think of it before? Secret filming! Yes, we'll use secret filming to make it more authentic. Qiao Yu is right, we should use the mockumentary technique. It's very popular abroad. Haha, he really is a professional!"
"May 17th, the team has been assembled. The location isn't urgent; the most important task now is to win her over."
"May 21st, she's very resistant. It seems my approach is wrong. Maybe I should really listen to Song Xiaoyou's advice."
"May 23rd, indeed, women understand women best! Song Xiaoyou is right. As long as she loves me, everything will be easy. I can threaten her with a breakup. This foolish woman."
"May 24th, damn it, doing it myself is too slow. I'll listen to Qiao Yu and buy the video course online. Qiao Yu, you better not be lying to me."
"May 27th, this stuff really works! She's starting to obey. Haha, tomorrow I'll try not letting her drink water for the whole day."
The scribbled notes clearly revealed the author. Jiang Cheng took a deep breath, suppressing the frustration in his heart, and continued reading.
The woman's entire body trembled slightly. "Plop." A tear fell onto the diary, shattering into pieces.
"May 31st, there's some trouble, but after I threatened to break up, she got scared. It's time to start the next step. Yes, yes, the tutorial says to gradually uncover her scars, to see what she fears most deep down. It's crucial to ensure she obeys during the filming process!"
"June 5th, she's been crying for several nights, begging me not to leave her. I'm such a genius. It's almost time, it should be ready. I need to start setting up the location."
"June 7th, the location is set. The equipment can be left to Zhao Jiajia and Qiao Yu. They're professionals. Haha."
"June 10th, it begins."
The page ended here. Jiang Cheng had seen the latter part of this notebook before, on the tablet Hua Luo had brought.
It was said that Yu Youwei and Li Maoshen had a falling out over the spoils, and she had leaked it herself. Unexpectedly, someone had quickly taken screenshots.
Jiang Cheng's eyes paused.
He had thought the diary ended here, but there was more.
"June 12th, today was the first day of filming. Everything went smoothly, except for some lighting issues. Oh well, it's not a big deal. I'll just have Qiao Yu pay attention to it. But I must say, that foolish woman's performance was truly remarkable."
"June 15th, the second scene. The location Yu Youwei arranged was good, and the filming went well. But... oh well, maybe I'm overthinking it."
"June 19th, the third scene. What's going on? What's happening? Why do strange things always happen during filming? Qiao Yu captured a black figure, but Song Xiaoyou, who was supposed to be dressed as a ghost, hadn't even appeared yet! Is the equipment malfunctioning? Qiao Yu, you useless fool."
"June 24th, the fourth session. After resting for a few days, I thought the matter was over, but no! Things are getting stranger. Yu Youwei said that when she hid under the bed, someone grabbed her foot, and she also said... she said that foolish woman was acting strange! When she tried to scare her, her head could instantly turn to the back, and from both the front and back, she had no face—just hair on both sides!"
"What should I do? The previous videos have already gone viral. No, no, no, I can't give up! It's all an illusion, a story concocted by those bastards to get more money."
"Tomorrow, I'll go to the temple to pray. As for them, those damned scoundrels, still trying to cheat me out of my money, damn it, these lowlifes deserve to die!!"
(End of the Chapter)
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