Chapter 108: Idol Drama |
“Heh.” Yu Xiao kept her face neutral. “Hi.”
The woman didn’t let go of her hand, but squeezed it tighter, her eyes shining with admiration. Or was it greed? “I’m Wang Chun (王纯: “a pure king” or “a simple monarch”), but you can call me ‘My Husband is Di Jia’. That’s my nickname.” She leaned closer to Yu Xiao, as if sharing a secret. “Dragon sister, you’re my idol. You have no idea how much everyone at the Fourth Hospital looks up to you.”
“…Really?” Yu Xiao knew exactly how they looked at her, but she pretended to be clueless.
Wang Chun nodded eagerly, still holding onto Yu Xiao’s hand like a lifeline. It took another girl to pry her off, dragging her away by the arm. Wang Chun let out a whimper as she released Yu Xiao’s hand.
The other girl smiled apologetically at Yu Xiao, then offered her hand. “I’m Liu Si Si (柳思思: “a thoughtful willow” or “a pensive sallow”), but on forum I go by ‘Eternal God of Hemp’. I share a ward with that gal who just left, and I’m also a big fan of yours.”
Yu Xiao took her hand briefly, then pulled it back. She didn’t like all this physical contact. It felt like they were trying to leech off her energy.
Liu Si Si didn’t seem to mind. She clapped her hands over her mouth and bounced on her toes, squealing, “Oh my god, Dragon sister, you’re so awesome, so badass!”
Yu Xiao: “…”
The only one who hadn’t greeted her yet was a man in his thirties, with a plain face and a bland expression. He didn’t look too excited or too indifferent. He just looked bored. After watching the two girls fawn over Yu Xiao, he decided he should at least be polite, so he walked over and held out his hand.
“Likewise,” Yu Xiao said, shaking his hand briefly. Then she couldn’t help but ask, “So, why do you guys from Third Hospital need us from Fourth Hospital to guide you through a mission?”
“…”
Xie Ping’s face froze, then turned a bright shade of red. He looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die, or punch Yu Xiao in the face, or both. He stammered for a few seconds, then managed to spit out, “Well, don’t you guys from Fourth Hospital need them from Sixth Hospital to guide you?”
Lu Xu stepped in, laughing nervously. He wrapped his arm around Xie Ping’s shoulder and pulled him away. “Hey, hey, no need to get defensive. We’re all friends here, right? We’ll have plenty of time to chat later. By the way, where’s the doctor? Shouldn’t he be here by now?”
Wang Chun, who had been hovering nearby, seized the opportunity to pester Yu Xiao. “Dragon Sis, Dragon Sis!” she said, rubbing her hands together. “You have talismans, right? Lu Xu said you have talismans. Can I buy some?”
Yu Xiao shot Lu Xu a dirty look, then sighed. She reached into her backpack and pulled out a few talismans. “How many do you want?”
“All of them!” Wang Chun said, her eyes shining.
Yu Xiao paused, then smirked. She lowered her voice and said, “Are you sure you have enough money?”
She put her backpack on the ground, unzipped it, and opened it wide. Wang Chun gasped as she saw the rows of talismans inside.
Wang Chun, Liu Si Si, and Xie Ping stared in awe. Was this woman secretly a millionaire? How did she get so many talismans?
Wang Chun wanted to buy them all, of course. She knew she could make a killing by selling them at the Fourth Hospital. But she and Liu Si Si didn’t have enough points to afford them all. So she bit her lip and settled for a few.
“Dragon Sis, Dragon Sis.” She tucked the talismans into her pocket and looked at Yu Xiao with puppy eyes. “Can I have your number?”
Yu Xiao shook her head. “Nope. That’s extra.”
Luo Jin, who had been standing in the background like a prop, suddenly spoke up. “He’s here.”
Everyone stopped and listened. They heard footsteps coming closer. They turned to the door and saw an old man in a white coat and white hair walk in. “Hello, hello! You’re all here!”
Yu Xiao blinked. This was the doctor for this mission?
She had done a lot of missions before, and she was used to seeing hot guys and gorgeous girls as doctors. But this old man was a different story. He had dark skin, wrinkled face, and a worried look. He looked less like a doctor and more like a farmer who had ploughed the fields his whole life.
“Hello, hello.” He waved his hands with a forced smile. “I’m your doctor, Mr. Wang.”
“???”
The patients were all confused. Mr. Wang? Wasn’t he the ghost who got fired from the morgue for taking bribes? How did he end up as a doctor here?
Mr. Wang went around shaking hands with everyone, then he let out a heavy sigh and said, “You know, you guys were all cured and ready to go home, but…”
Lu Xu, always a nosy parker, was a perfect straight man. He shook Mr. Wang’s hand and asked eagerly, “But what?”
“But the hospital has been taken over,” Mr. Wang said angrily, pointing in a direction. “There’s a dying patient who, out of spite for this world, made a deal with the devil to blow up the whole hospital before he kicks the bucket, so that everyone would go down with him.”
“Jesus Christ, that’s nuts,” Lu Xu gasped. “You didn’t come here just to tell us this, did you? Is there a way out?”
“Yes, there is, and it’s up to you guys,” Mr. Wang said. “I begged that patient for a long time, and he finally gave us a chance. A chance that only you young and brave souls can take!”
“Yes, we can grab it,” Yu Xiao said, patting Mr. Wang on the shoulder. “Mr. Wang, cut the crap, and take us there.”
Mr. Wang led the eight of them through the maze of the hospital until they reached a ward at the end of a hall. He pushed the door open, and a strange smell hit Yu Xiao’s nose. It was like a mix of disinfectant, sweat, and something else she couldn’t identify. Something rotten.
She wrinkled her nose and followed Mr. Wang inside. The ward had a balcony, and a wheelchair was parked there, facing the outside. A man sat in it, his back to them. He had a fringe of hair around his bald head, and black ink on his neck. Tattoos, maybe, but Yu Xiao couldn’t see them clearly. He also wore a red string around his neck, with something dangling from it. A charm, perhaps.
Mr. Wang walked up to the man and said, “Movie Director Liao (廖), I’ve brought them. The ones you wanted. Are they good enough?”
The wheelchair creaked as the man turned to face them. Yu Xiao caught a flash of his face and wished she hadn’t. He was greasy and flabby, with a fringe of hair around his bald head. He wore a Buddha around his neck, a cross on his wrist, and a rosary on his fingers. He also had something tied to his ankle, but Yu Xiao couldn’t make it out.
His eyes were the worst part. They appeared dull and cloudy, resembling a pair of dirty windows.
With a lifeless gaze, he scanned the surroundings, as if searching for something or someone. Then, in a hoarse and raspy voice, he asked, “Has anyone here ever experienced love?”
Yu Xiao blinked. What kind of question was that? She glanced at the others, but they looked just as confused. “What kind of love do you mean?” she asked.
“Romantic love,” he said. “Passionate, unconditional love.”
Yu Xiao felt a pang in her chest. She had never loved anyone like that. Neither had Zhou Xiao Zhen or Zhao Lan, as far as she knew. Was this part of the script? Did it have something to do with love?
Lu Xu frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?” he asked. “Do we need to have loved someone to pass your test?”
“No,” the man said, his eyes still blank. “I’m just curious.”
Zhou Xiao Zhen shivered. “You’re creepy, you know that?” she whispered.
Mr. Wang coughed and stepped forward. “Director Liao is a filmmaker with a high artistic vision,” he said. “He agreed to spare the hospital if you can make a good movie for him.”
“A movie?” Liu Si Si squeaked. “How the hell are we supposed to do that?”
Mr. Wang grinned and produced a cardboard box. “Relax, Director Liao will guide you. We just need to pick the roles. Actors and a director. Let’s draw lots.”
They exchanged nervous looks. Zhao Lan spoke up. “Fine, let’s do it.”
They each grabbed a slip of paper from the box.
Mr. Wang explained. “If you have a number, you’re a director. If you have nothing, you’re an actor.”
Yu Xiao unfolded her slip and saw nothing. Great, she was an actor. She looked at Zhao Lan, who shook her head and showed her empty slip.
“I’m a director!” Zhou Xiao Zhen cheered. “What does ‘3’ mean?”
Lu Xu checked his slip. “I have ‘2’. What about you, Lao Luo… oh, you’re an actor.”
Wang Chun raised her hand. “I’m a director too! Are there three of us?”
They finished drawing lots and turned to Director Liao. He was facing them now, in his wheelchair. He looked like death. His voice was rough and nasty, his skin was dark and sickly. Not a tan, but more like a stain of death.
“I’ve made many movies in my life, but I never made mine. I got sick before I could. Too sick to direct.” He sounded sad and bitter.
“If you can make my movie for me, I’ll let you go. And die by myself.” He reached into his pocket with a shaky hand.
He fished out a photo and showed it to them. It was old and yellow, like it had been soaked in tea. It was a woman in a red dress, smiling under a willow tree. She had long hair and a pretty face.
“This is my wife, the only person I ever loved,” Director Liao said, his eyes wet. “She died twenty years ago.”
“Wow, you kept her photo all this time.” Xie Ping said from the side. “You must have really loved her, huh?”
Xie Ping sounded like he understood, but the others didn’t care. They just looked bored, like they had never loved anyone.
“Yes, I loved her very much,” Director Liao went on. “I was a poor kid back then. I wanted to be a director, but I had no money or connections. I couldn’t even get a job as a coffee boy on a decent set, let alone directing. I was about to give up, when I met her. She was an actress, a small one, but she had the looks and the skills to make it big. She was sweet, gentle, and I fell for her the first time I saw her. I was living with my best friend then, and she came over a lot, so we became a trio. I didn’t know it until it was too late, but he had fallen for her too…”
Yu Xiao rolled her eyes. What a cheesy story, she thought. If they made a movie out of this, it would be a flop.
She was right. Director Liao’s story got worse from there.
Yu Xiao rolled her eyes. It sounded like a bloody soap opera. Could it be that next his brother-in-law hadn’t died, but had instead discovered a martial arts manual, mastered it, and now returned seeking revenge?
Liao sobbed like a baby, clutching a tissue in his hand. “My wife was an angel. She didn’t deserve any of this. First, someone put a curse on her, and then she saw a man kill himself for her sake. She was so traumatised, she lost our child. And then… and then…” He couldn’t finish the sentence, his voice breaking.
Mr. Wang patted his shoulder sympathetically and handed him another tissue. Liao wiped his face and tried to compose himself. “After that, I never looked at another woman. I threw myself into my work. I became a famous director, but I was always haunted by my past. Now, I want to tell my story to the world.”
He scanned the room with a fierce gaze. “I don’t have much time left. I’m dying, and I don’t care. But I won’t let anyone ruin my film. If you don’t meet my expectations, you’ll all go down with me.”
Mr. Wang stepped in, waving his big, calloused hand. “Okay, listen up. The director and the actors can’t mix, so whoever got the director’s card, follow me.”
Yu Xiao pouted. “That’s not fair. I want to be the director too.”
“Too bad. You can’t switch.” Mr. Wang snapped, shooting her a dirty look. “What’s wrong with you kids these days? Don’t you have any respect for the rules?”
Yu Xiao snorted. “Respect? Coming from you? That’s rich. You’re the one who took a bribe from Liao, right, Mr. Wang?”
Mr. Wang: “…”
His face, already dark from years of sun exposure, turned a shade darker. He muttered something under his breath and led the three directors away.
The remaining five left the ward as well. Yu Xiao scanned the hallway, feeling uneasy. “This is too easy. There’s got to be a catch.”
“Easy?” Zhao Lan echoed. “Are you kidding me? Making a movie is hard work.”
Yu Xiao shrugged. “That’s not what I meant. I meant, there’s always some kind of danger in these places, right?” She glanced around, searching for anything out of the ordinary. “So where’s the danger this time?”
Zhao Lan thought for a second. “Maybe the danger is failing to please Liao with our work. Maybe that’s his way of threatening us.”
Luo Jin shook his head slowly. “That’s dangerous, alright. But not dangerous enough.”
Xie Ping nodded. “He’s right. The dangers here are everywhere, not just at the end.”
**
Mr. Wang dragged the three of them to a huge room on the first floor that looked like a dressing room. It had tables, mirrors, and some fancy equipment.
“This is your prison until the movie is done,” Mr. Wang said, gesturing to the equipment. “Your job as Film directors is to write the script and tell the actors what to do through these things. There are three of you, and you have to make three different movies.”
He pulled out a cardboard box from somewhere. “Let’s see what you got. Draw a paper and see what genre you’re stuck with.”
Zhou Xiao Zhen was excited. She had never been a movie director before, and she wanted to try it out. She grabbed a paper and opened it. It said “Horror movie.”
Lu Xu groaned. He waved his paper in the air. “I got comedy.”
Wang Chun stared at her paper in disbelief. She said, “I got… idol drama.”
Zhou Xiao Zhen blinked. “What’s wrong with that? Idol dramas are fun.”
Wang Chun snorted. “Fun? How are they fun?”
Zhou Xiao Zhen grinned. “They have hot guys and pretty girls. And all kinds of ships!”
Wang Chun stared at her, speechless. She wished she could trade places with Zhou Xiao Zhen. She would love to make a horror movie.
Mr. Wang flashed a grin, showing his yellow teeth. “You better work hard on your script, kids. You have seven days to finish the filming. Or else, Movie Director Liao will blow up the hospital, and you’ll go down with him.”
Lu Xu said, “What about the others?”
Mr. Wang shook his head. “The actors are busy acting, of course. Poor souls, they have no control over their lives. It’s all up to the directors.”
He pushed the door and left, leaving the three confused.
**
Yu Xiao and Zhao Lan wondered what kind of danger was hidden in this movie.
Liu Si Si said, “Maybe there are ghosts among the crew. There’s no movie without extras, right? What if the extras are ghosts?”
Luo Jin dismissed the idea with a flick of his hand. “Nah.”
The others stopped and looked at him. Xie Ping raised an eyebrow. “So you’re saying it’s not a ghost, just a random extra?”
Luo Jin shook his head gravely. “Some movies don’t have extras. Like when they bury someone alive.”
A collective silence fell over the group. They all wondered what was going on in his head.
Yu Xiao couldn’t help but smirk. “You do realise we’re not making that kind of movie, right? Did you even listen to Mr. Liao’s story? It was pretty damn lively.”
Zhao Lan sighed. “There’s no point in guessing now. We should wait for Mr. Wang to come back and see if he has any more clues for us.”
As if on cue, Mr. Wang showed up.
He walked with his hands behind his back, his spine so bent that he looked like a question mark. His beady eyes darted to Yu Xiao and shot her a dirty look. He was still pissed about what she had said earlier.
“Ugh!” Mr. Wang snorted and rolled his eyes at Yu Xiao. “Hurry up, will you?”
Yu Xiao rolled her eyes back. She thought he was such a grumpy old fart. She bet he had been reported for his nasty attitude. Well, he better watch out, because she wouldn’t hesitate to report him too if she got the chance.
They followed Mr. Wang down to the basement in silence. The elevator plunged down to the eighth floor, making Yu Xiao think of all the horror stories she had heard about hospital elevators.
Ding~!
The elevator doors opened and they stepped out. They gasped as they saw what was waiting for them. There was a whole other world hidden on the eighth floor.
The huge space was split into three sections. One looked like a rocky cliff by the ocean, another was like a cosy living room, and the last one was a replica of a school.
It was a film set!
The scenes were so realistic that they felt like they could walk into them. The ocean even had waves that crashed against the rocks, creating a mesmerising effect.
Wow, they were all stunned by the sight. They had never seen anything like this before. They were just amateurs, so being awestruck was natural.
“Your task is to complete all the performances based on the director’s cues from the broadcast,” Mr. Wang said, as he dumped another cardboard box on the floor. “Come on, don’t be shy. Pick out the roles you need to play.”
**
Zhou Xiao Zhen scanned the documents she had snatched from the table. “The main roles are ABCDE, seriously? Who names characters like that?”
“Who cares, it’s not like anyone’s going to watch this crap,” Lu Xu said, scratching his head with the pen, his face a picture of distress. “How the hell do you write a script? I suck at Chinese, I barely scraped by in school.”
“Figure it out yourself,” Wang Chun said, glaring at the blank script in her hand as if it had killed her father. “How am I supposed to write an idol drama? I’ve only watched a few of them while cramming for exams.”
“A script is easy,” Zhou Xiao Zhen said, swinging her leg casually. “Director Liao has already given us the basic plot. Now we just need to dress it up as an idol drama horror movie.”
Lu Xu, sensing an opportunity, flashed a grin and leaned towards Zhou Xiao Zhen. “Little Sister Zhen, can you give me a hand?”
“Pfft.” Zhou Xiao Zhen rolled her eyes. “Who’s your little sister?”
“Big Sis Zhen.” Lu Xu switched gears quickly. “Please help, we’re partners now, we have to survive this together.”
**
Yu Xiao flashed her note. “Looks like I’m B. What about you guys?”
Luo Jin lifted his paper with a shrug. “A. Not very original, huh?”
“D for me,” Zhao Lan chimed in.
Liu Si Si rolled her eyes as she showed her note. “E. Seriously? They couldn’t come up with something more creative? This is supposed to be a comedy horror, not a kindergarten alphabet lesson.”
Xie Ping sighed and held up his paper. “C. I don’t mind the name, but I have no idea how to act. How am I supposed to survive this?”
Yu Xiao waved her hand dismissively. “Acting schmacting. Who cares about that? We’re all sick patients here, not Hollywood stars. If this thing depends on our acting skills, then we’re all doomed. Well, maybe not all. I’d say ten percent of us have a chance.”
Zhao Lan nodded sagely. “Smiley has a point. Maybe the real challenge is not acting, but figuring out what the directing team wants from us.”
Yu Xiao perked up. “Hey, that’s a good idea. Why don’t we ask Mr. Wang for some tips?” She turned to Mr. Wang, who was standing near the elevator. “Yo, Mr. Wang, any advice for us poor souls?”
Mr. Wang shot Yu Xiao with a look of pure loathing. “Advice? Oh, I have plenty of advice for you. Stay the hell away from the upper floors. Each one is worse than the last, up to the seventh. There are horrors beyond your wildest nightmares waiting for you there. If you value your life, you’ll stay right here where it’s safe.”
He pressed the elevator button and stepped inside, leaving the others in stunned silence.
Liu Si Si gazed at Yu Xiao with stars in her eyes. “Dragon Sis, you’re so amazing. What’s our next move? I’ll do whatever you say.”
Yu Xiao scratched her head. “Um…”
“Come on, don’t be modest. Everyone knows you have the most awesome techniques in this place.” Liu Si Si nudged her. “Show me what you can do.”
Yu Xiao gave a weak smile. “Actually, my techniques are nothing special. They’re just making stuff up about me.”
Zhao Lan bit her lip. “Do we have to stay here forever?” She glanced around nervously. “I’m worried about Precious. What if something happens to her?”
“… Hey, are you listening?” Zhou Xiao Zhen’s voice interrupted Zhao Lan’s thoughts. She sounded cheerful and excited. “Let’s have some fun here, shall we? How about we play an idol drama? The title is ‘Why Do I Have to Make a Choice,’ and this is Scene One!”
— Welcome to Braised Egg High School, the best high school in the world. Here, you will meet two very dazzling twin stars. They are Poor Boy A and Rich Boy B. They come from different worlds, but they are best friends. Every morning, they walk to school together…”
Yu Xiao frowned as she heard the broadcast. What was this nonsense? She tried to ignore it, but then she felt a strange force pulling her.
“… Everyone in the school admires A’s handsome and melancholic face…”
Yu Xiao gasped as she found herself walking next to Luo Jin, who looked as confused as she did. Their movements were stiff and unnatural. Suddenly, Luo Jin lifted his hand and flicked his bangs, making a sad expression.
“… Everyone in the school adores B’s handsome and flamboyant demeanour…”
While walking, Yu Xiao abruptly stopped, raising her hands in a shooting position, as if making a basketball shot…
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