HEIFEIGU -Chapter 78

No matter how Qian Shuyun called out to Yin Wenshan, there was no response.

His throat grew hoarse from shouting, and the air in the basement became thinner. Their time was running out.

Xie Jixing caught Qian Shuyun’s gaze and suddenly remembered what had happened when they first moved into Room 714.

If the ghost in the mirror was Yin Wenshan, then the one devouring other spirits at the film base, even trying to harm people, must be the person who had died in the basement.

Their soul was still present.

If persuasion didn’t work, then… deceive!

With that thought, Xie Jixing mouthed to Qian Shuyun: “Deceive him. Fight.”

Deceive him? Fight?

The tacit understanding developed during their training on Nanxia Bay Island clicked instantly. Qian Shuyun remembered what Xie Jixing had told him over the phone.

He changed his tone and spoke to Yin Wenshan with a serious and urgent voice:

“Yin Wenshan, Kurihara’s spirit is still causing havoc, constantly harming people in the hotel. We’ve fought several times but couldn’t defeat him.”

“You are the strongest ally we could find. Come fight with me, drive them completely out of China. Are you willing?”

The moment he finished speaking, the figure on the rack trembled violently. When he opened his eyes again, they were unfocused.

Yin Wenshan had returned.

Ally?

Did he even have allies?

After years of underground work, Yin Wenshan had long been accustomed to walking alone and was ready to die for his beliefs.

Though he knew that millions shared his goal of a new world, the word “ally” still felt unfamiliar.

Could he trust this ally?

Yin Wenshan hesitated, perhaps thinking it was a trick.

But recalling that the person had been by his side, sharing even half the pain from having his bones shattered by iron tools, Yin Wenshan felt he could take a gamble.

At worst, he would only risk soul dispersion. What was there to fear?

Outside the illusion, Xie Jixing opened the small pouch hanging from the ten-thousand-gold tassel of his sword. His voice drifted down as if from the distant sky:

“Yin Wenshan, are you willing?”

This time there was no hesitation. Yin Wenshan’s voice was weak but resolute:

“I am.”

The figure on the rack vanished. The basement began to collapse rapidly, large chunks of debris fell, kicking up dust. The mirror’s image grew blurrier, gradually swallowed by gray, hidden in a cloud of dust.

The full-length mirror returned to normal, reflecting a pale, cold-sweating face, utterly drained of color.

Qian Shuyun in front of the mirror went weak all over and collapsed to his knees.

Xie Jixing quickly collected Yin Wenshan’s soul and steadied him from behind. Qian Shuyun’s body trembled continuously. Eyes closed, jaw clenched, his newly changed clothes drenched in sweat again.

“How are you?” Xie Jixing sat behind him, letting Qian Shuyun rest against him, layering a thin veil of Yin fire on his hands, repeatedly stroking Qian Shuyun’s back.

After some of the pain eased, Qian Shuyun slowly opened his eyes. His vision focused for a moment, confirming he was back in reality. He rested his head lightly on Xie Jixing’s arm, closed his eyes again, and forced a faint smile:

“Thank you, Teacher Xie… it hurts so much.”

His voice was soft but sharp, piercing Xie Jixing’s chest like a thorn.

A strange aching spread through Xie Jixing’s heart. The person in his arms had bitten his own lips to draw many small spots of blood; cold sweat still ran down his temples. He must have been in a lot of pain.

Even Xie Jixing, witnessing the scene in the illusion, felt the pain in his bones. Not just the Qian Shuyun attached to Yin Wenshan, but himself outside the illusion.

He didn’t quite understand why Qian Shuyun was willing to sacrifice so much for a ghost he barely knew.

Where did this pampered boss summon the courage to accomplish all this?

The ache in his chest intensified; even the bridge of his nose felt sore. A single tear fell, landing on Qian Shuyun’s face. Xie Jixing finally realized—he was crying.

Ah! Thankfully, Boss Qian didn’t see this. How embarrassing!

No sooner had he reassured himself than the person in his arms opened his eyes, looking at him.

Those moist eyes, still glimmering with tears, met his smoky-gray gaze unexpectedly. Time seemed to freeze.

It felt like an eternity had passed, but it was only an instant.

Caught off guard, Xie Jixing’s ears flushed like a startled kitten.

He quickly looked away, sniffed, and bared his teeth: “What are you staring at?!”

Feeling a sudden relief in his own aches, Qian Shuyun forced a smile, stretching his hand upward: “Teacher Xie, help me! It hurts so much, I can’t get up!”

Don’t think I didn’t see you sneaking a smile!

Xie Jixing scowled, refusing to help: “Nope, roll yourself up.”

“Teacher Xie is so cruel,” Qian Shuyun replied, teasingly provocative, “then I won’t get up. I’ll lie here a bit longer.”

Frustrating!

But there was nothing he could do.

“Yue!”

Xie Jixing shook the ghost resentfully.

Yue Qinyao floated back with the unlucky charm. Seeing the scene before the mirror, she gasped—progressing so fast, are they preparing for a wedding soon?

“Do you want me to close my eyes?”

Xie Jixing looked at the person resting on his arm and couldn’t bear to push him off. He ground his teeth and threatened: “If you don’t get up, I’ll hang you and throw you out!”

So annoying! Why does Boss Qian get so cheeky without ghost suppression?

“Pfft.” Qian Shuyun didn’t dare tease further, but to linger longer, he asked seriously: “How’s Yin Wenshan?”

“I collected him into the money pouch,” Xie Jixing said, pointing to the gold coins on the side. “His soul was badly damaged; he needs time to recover.”

“Good, then I’m at ease.” Qian Shuyun closed his eyes again, ready to continue sleeping.

But no sooner had his eyes shut than something lifted him from Xie Jixing’s arms.

The thing below him felt like a tightly woven net, not uncomfortable at all. Qian Shuyun, floating, looked at Xie Jixing in surprise: “Who’s this? Teacher Xie, aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Xie Jixing flicked a small ball of Yin fire at him. Qian Shuyun looked up to see a frail young woman in a Xiuhé dress holding him by hair.

She waved kindly when he looked over.

Then Boss Qian was helplessly deposited on the bedroom bed, still performing: “Teacher Xie, I’m hurt! Is this how you treat the injured?!”

“Not even helping to pull me up?”

Xie Jixing tried to calm himself, stretching a hand into the air for Yue to pull him up: “My legs are numb too, how could I pull you?”

Qian Shuyun: Pfft!

Ignoring this crumbling persona, Xie Jixing rolled his eyes and went to fetch the first-aid kit.

Although the bones weren’t really shattered, the strikes in the illusion had left marks on Qian Shuyun’s body.

A two-finger-wide bruise appeared on his right cheek; his forearms and calves were covered with extensive purples and blues—shocking to the eye.

Since they were here to shoot martial scenes, the kit Xiao Zhong prepared for Xie Jixing was very complete. Yet, before he used it, he applied it first to his own boss.

Xie Jixing took out the medicated oil, tossed it on the bed, and without looking at Qian Shuyun, said: “Rub it yourself.”

Boss Qian immediately acted: “My arm hurts so much, I can’t use any strength. I heard that massaging the bruises helps them heal faster…”

Fine, fine. Xie Jixing took out his phone: “Alright, I’ll call the crew doctor to help you rub it.”

“Are you sure?” Qian Shuyun smiled faintly. “If it gets out, how will you explain a fading actor covered in bruises on your bed?”

Xie Jixing: ?

Xie Jixing: !

“Boss Qian, your persona is falling apart too fast!” Xie Jixing, unwilling, approached, poured the medicated oil on his hands, and started vigorously rubbing.

Seeing that he might genuinely be angry, Qian Shuyun laughed and soothed him: “Maybe it’s because something that’s been troubling me has finally been resolved. I’m so happy, a bit reckless, letting myself go.”

“Sorry.” His tone suddenly became serious. “Although in these past few years it seems like it hasn’t had much impact on my career or life, only I truly know the effect it’s had.”

“I gave up the thing I loved most, turning from an actor into a businessman. Sometimes, when I see Meng Zezhou landing a good script, I even feel jealous…”

“But I can’t allow myself to be jealous. I can’t be happy, I can’t get angry. If my emotions get too intense, my body reacts badly.”

“Moreover, the ghostly aura around me constantly radiates a cold, chilling feeling. Even my closest family no longer wants to get near me.”

“At first, it was really hard to accept. It took me a long time to force myself to get used to it. I stopped talking to people proactively, stopped approaching others, and poured all my energy into work. Only when I was utterly exhausted each day could I manage to sleep a little…”

“Everyone thought Qian Shuyun had become the aloof, cold, untouchable Qian Boss of the entertainment world. But that person… wasn’t me at all…”

Xie Jixing’s palm, warmed from rubbing the medicinal oil, pressed firmly on the bruises on Qian Shuyun’s calves.

“Ah!” Qian Shuyun gasped sharply, pain shooting through him. “Teacher Xie, you’re killing me!”

As the bruises slowly eased, Xie Jixing’s expression softened too. He raised an eyebrow teasingly. “You’re hard to kill.”

Qian Shuyun laughed heartily, and in the laughter, a few tears slipped from the corners of his eyes, quickly vanishing. The bottled-up frustration in his chest over the years seemed to dissipate completely.

His hands continued to attentively massage the bruises. Qian Shuyun reached out and held Xie Jixing’s wrist.

Xie Jixing had to stop, puzzled, looking up at him. “What now?”

The smoke-gray eyes staring back were filled with emotions Xie Jixing couldn’t read, making him slightly uneasy.

He wanted to pull away but couldn’t bring himself to. Somehow, looking away first felt like admitting guilt.

What do I have to feel guilty about! I’m upright and honest!

“Sp… speak up!” Xie Jixing puffed himself up like a bluffing pufferfish.

“Thank you… for letting me be the Qian Shuyun I used to be.”