Why didn't you tell me earlier that my little sister is still waiting for me?

Seeing the speechless faces of the crowd, Lin Bufan realized that he had asked a very unnecessary question. How could they possibly know something that even he, the lead actor and investor, did not know?

Lin Bufan didn't say anything more, turned around and ran back to his room, closed the door and dialed Qu Xiaoxiao's number.

The phone rang a few times before being answered. Qu Xiaoxiao's usual slightly coquettish and nonchalant tone came through: "Hey, handsome Lin! Did the sun rise in the west today? You actually called me on your own initiative? What, missing me? If you really miss me, just say the word, and I'll immediately shower myself clean, fly over to you, and guarantee impeccable service, I promise you'll be satisfied~"

Lin Bufan ignored Qu Xiaoxiao's words and asked directly, "Has 'The Duel at the Forbidden City' been released?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by Qu Xiaoxiao's somewhat guilty voice: "You... you know?"

"I'm both the lead actor and the investor," Lin Bufan said calmly, but with a hint of accusation in his voice. "And then the movie was released, and I only found out about it from someone else. Qu Xiaoxiao, you have to give me a reasonable explanation!"

"Oh, I just saw you've been so busy lately~" Qu Xiaoxiao's voice became even sweeter, trying to smooth things over: "From Yunmiao Village to doing scientific research, you've been so busy! I was thinking that once the movie is released and the box office is a huge hit, I'd tell you this amazing news and give you a surprise~"

surprise?

Lin Bufan raised an eyebrow: "If that's the case, the movie has been showing for five days now, why haven't you told me about it yet?"

Qu Xiaoxiao was silent for a few seconds before speaking again, her voice betraying her guilt and a hint of despair: "But... there hasn't been any good news since the movie was released... so I didn't dare tell you..."

No good news—then it's all bad news?

Lin Bufan was taken aback, then realized the meaning behind her words and blurted out, "Wardfa..."

……

At dinner time, the aroma of food wafted from the communal kitchen of Youfeng Courtyard. Everyone sat around the table, but the atmosphere was somewhat awkward because of the news that Lin Bufan had just announced.

"Tomorrow night, it's a group activity." Lin Bufan picked up his water glass, took a sip, and glanced at everyone at the table: "I've already bought tickets for everyone. Please come to see 'The Battle of the Forbidden City.' Everyone must attend; no one can be left out."

Hu Youyu was picking up food when he heard this, and his chopsticks paused. A troubled look appeared on his face: "Teacher Lin, tomorrow night... I probably can't go. There's a performance at the bar, it's already booked, and the boss..."

He was speaking when he suddenly felt a gaze fall on him. Looking up, he met Lin Bufan's eyes—a calm, even emotionless gaze, but for some reason, Hu Youyu felt a chill run down his spine, and the words he was about to say abruptly changed direction: "...But I...I can ask the bar owner for leave! It's a special case, it's Teacher Lin's movie premiere...uh, a group screening, I have to support him! I'll definitely be there!"

Lin Bufan withdrew his gaze with satisfaction, then turned to the barley that had been about to speak but had been preempted by Huyouyu!

Da Mai swallowed nervously, then immediately promised, "I... I'll definitely make the most of my time writing tomorrow during the day! I'll finish the update ahead of schedule! And tonight... I'll definitely have time to go see a movie tonight!"

"Very good." Lin Bufan nodded, his tone still calm but carrying an unquestionable meaning: "As this is a group activity of our Windy Courtyard, please be sure to treat it with care. After watching, each person should write a 500-word reflection and hand it in to me."

"Huh?" Nana exclaimed instinctively.

Xu Hongdou's eyes widened as well.

Chen Nanxing immediately put down his chopsticks, raised an eyebrow, and was about to slam his hand on the table: "Lin Bufan! Don't go too far..."

She stopped abruptly before she could finish speaking.

Lin Bufan casually picked up a small white ceramic soup spoon from the table, and seemingly casually pinched it between his thumb and forefinger—

"Click..."

A very faint, yet perfectly clear, cracking sound.

In Lin Bufan's outstretched palm, the small spoon had turned into fine, even white powder, which was falling softly through his fingers.

The area around the dining table fell into a deathly silence.

All eyes were fixed on the pile of powder, then slowly shifted to Lin Bufan's expressionless face.

Chen Nanxing's throat moved, but he couldn't say anything more, and his momentum visibly diminished.

Lin Bufan clapped his hands slowly, brushed the powder off his palms, looked up at Chen Nanxing, and asked in a calm tone, "Nanxing, what were you trying to say just now?"

Chen Nanxing felt the encouraging and "sisters are counting on you" looks from Xu Hongdou, Nana, Bai Manjun, and Hu Youyu beside her. She glanced at the pile of porcelain dust on the table, her heart pounding. She took a deep breath, and amidst their expectant gazes, suddenly changed the subject, forcing a fawning smile:

"I... I was thinking, wouldn't 500 words be too little? It would make it seem like we don't value Mr. Lin's work enough! How about... we change it to 1,000 words? Everyone can analyze it carefully and delve into it in order to write a high-quality review!"

Xu Hongdou: “…”

Nana: "..."

Hu Youyu: "..."

Bai Manjun: "..."

The look in their eyes as they looked at Chen Nanxing instantly shifted from encouragement to undisguised contempt—traitor! What happened to the promise of fighting together?!

Only DaMai seems indifferent; it's only a thousand words, a piece of cake, a little padding will do, right? I have no idea what you guys are so anxious about!

Chen Nanxing pretended not to see it, and focused on eating her rice, but the tips of her ears turned red.

Lin Bufan's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile, then he straightened his face again: "Then let's do as Nanxing said, one thousand words. Read carefully and write diligently."

……

After dinner, the soft clattering of pots and pans in the kitchen gradually subsided. Lin Bufan seemed to be in a good mood, and was the first to get up. He said, "I'm tired, I'll go back to my room first," and then strolled back to room number five, closing the door behind him.

The four women were left by the sink and the dining table, their movements slowing down. The sound of water stopped, the rags were put down, and Xu Hongdou, Chen Nanxing, Nana, and Da Mai exchanged glances, their eyes flickering.

"Um..." Chen Nanxing wiped his hands, glancing towards room number five, and tentatively asked, "Hongdou, tonight... shall we go over there again?"

Xu Hongdou placed the washed dishes into the drain rack, her movements unhurried: "Why go over there? Won't it be hot sleeping in such a cramped space? Besides, we weren't in room number five yesterday when we were camping, were we? It's fine...

Xu Hongdou spoke calmly and slowly, revealing no particular emotion.

Nana immediately nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, I slept quite well in the mountains yesterday, and I didn't see... um, that Miss Liu came looking for us. Maybe she really has already confirmed that she won't be coming back?"

Da Mai, holding the cleaned soup pot, whispered, "What if it was that Miss Liu who got lost last night? After all, we didn't tell her when we left!"

As Da Mai finished speaking, everyone's eyes immediately focused on her.

Da Mai felt a little embarrassed by the stares, her face flushing slightly. She quickly waved her hands and explained rapidly, "I... I was just saying it offhand... It's just a possibility! After all, that Miss Liu is a ghost, a ghost... Maybe she has no sense of direction? Yes, no sense of direction! Or maybe she was off work last night? Anyway... Anyway..." Her voice trailed off as she spoke, and finally she gave up, put the soup pot in the cupboard, and muttered softly, "Okay, if I'm not going, I'm not going. Forget I said anything."

The group exchanged glances, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

Xu Hongdou broke the silence first, her tone returning to its usual gentle and calm: "Alright, everything's packed up. Everyone should go back to their rooms and rest. Aren't we going to see a movie tomorrow?"

So, the group said no more and went back to their rooms.

In room number six, Xu Hongdou had just changed into her pajamas and was combing her hair when Chen Nanxing, shuffling in slippers, mumbled, "I'm going to the bathroom," opened the door, and slipped out. Xu Hongdou raised an eyebrow at herself in the mirror, said nothing, and continued to slowly and methodically comb her hair.

Outside room number five, Chen Nanxing looked around furtively, then gently turned the doorknob—the door wasn't locked. She slipped inside, closed the door behind her, and just as she breathed a sigh of relief, she looked up and froze.

The room lights were off, with only the moonlight and streetlights filtering in from the window. But it was enough for her to see clearly that Lin Bufan was leaning against the headboard, and Nana and Damai were already sitting on either side of the bed! Nana was holding an apple and eating it, while Damai was hugging his knees, looking like a well-behaved visitor.

“You guys…” Chen Nanxing opened his mouth.

Nana took a bite of her apple and mumbled, "I'm afraid of the dark, so I came to ask President Lin for some 'yang energy' to boost my courage."

Da Mai added quietly, "I...I'm here to look for inspiration for my new book."

Chen Nanxing: "..."

Just then, the door was gently pushed open a crack. Xu Hongdou appeared in the doorway. She glanced at the "spectacle" inside, her face expressionless, but her gentle eyes clearly said, "I knew it!"

She didn't say anything, walked straight in, found an empty spot on the bed and sat down, casually took the orange that Lin Bufan had just peeled from his hand, broke off a segment and put it in her mouth.

Chen Nanxing rolled her eyes at Xu Hongdou, kicked off her slippers, climbed onto the bed, squeezed past Xu Hongdou, and took the seat next to Lin Bufan—it's my turn tonight, don't even think about taking my seat.

……

The next afternoon, while it was still early, everyone gathered and set off. There was no movie theater in town, so they had to go to the old town; therefore, they needed to leave early.

Lin Bufan borrowed a seven-seater van from Xie Zhiyao, which was just enough to seat everyone.

When we arrived in the ancient city, the streetlights were just coming on, and the quaint streets were bustling with tourists. With more than an hour to go before the movie started, everyone decided to have dinner first.

After walking along the bustling pedestrian street for a while, a hot pot restaurant with bright red decorations and steaming hot pot caught their attention.

"Let's go with this one! It looks lively!" Chen Nanxing suggested, pointing to the signboard.

No one objected, and they pushed open the door and entered.

"Welcome!!"

Two extremely loud, drawn-out shouts, thick with local accents, suddenly rang out in their ears, startling the unsuspecting group.

Looking in the direction of the sound, two energetic young men with dyed yellow hair, dressed in hot pot restaurant uniforms, stood at the entrance, grinning and shouting enthusiastically. One of them, tall and thin, with a hint of arrogance in his eyes, was none other than Xie Zhiyuan, who had run away from home long ago!

Xie Zhiyuan recognized the person who had entered, and his professional smile froze instantly. His eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost. Almost reflexively, he threw down the rag he was using to wipe the table, turned and ran towards the kitchen, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Everyone: "..."

Xu Hongdou looked bewildered, glancing at Xie Zhiyao and then at the empty doorway: "Why...why did he run away?"

Lin Bufan stroked his chin thoughtfully, then looked at Xu Hongdou seriously: "Hongdou, did you forget to put on makeup when you went out today? You scared the child."

"Then why didn't it scare you away?"

Lin Bufan chuckled and whispered in Xu Hongdou's ear, "Have you forgotten? I'm a professional ghost catcher, especially female ghosts."

Xu Hongdou reached out and gently slapped Lin Bufan's arm: "Get lost!"

At this moment, the owner of the hot pot restaurant heard the noise and rushed over, apologizing repeatedly and leading everyone to sit down at a large table.

After ordering, the hot pot broth and dishes were served one after another. The red oil bubbled and the aroma filled the air. Not long after everyone started eating, Hu Youyu, with his sharp eyes, nudged Lin Bufan next to him with his elbow and gave him a wink to the side behind him.

Behind a pillar not far away, Xie Zhiyuan was peeking out half his head, looking furtively in their direction with an expression that was both apprehensive and curious.

Hu Youyu smiled, put down her chopsticks, waved to him, mouthed "come here," and wore a friendly smile.

Xie Zhiyuan hesitated for a moment, then slowly crawled out from behind the pillar, glancing back every few steps as he approached the table, his eyes full of vigilance.

"Sit down, let's eat something together." Hu Youyu pulled over an empty chair.

Xie Zhiyuan didn't sit down, but stood there, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes, and asked in a low voice, "You...you didn't come here to take me back?"

Xu Hongdou said gently, "Of course not. We came to see a movie and just happened to come here for dinner. Xie Zhiyuan, have you... always worked here?"

Xie Zhiyuan nodded, his expression relaxing a bit, but still a little stubborn: "Yes, I've been here for almost a month."

Next, the group asked him some more questions, and Xie Zhiyuan chatted with them casually. When they had finished talking, Xie Zhiyuan finally revealed the purpose of his visit: "Um... could you... please not tell my brother about my job here?"

Seeing his nervous yet stubborn expression, Xu Hongdou understood and gently reassured him, "Don't worry, we won't tell him on our own."

Upon hearing this, Xie Zhiyuan visibly relaxed, his shoulders swaying slightly.

Just then, Lin Bufan picked up a piece of tripe and dipped it in the pot, saying without looking up, "Anyway, he already knew."

"What?!" Xie Zhiyuan's body tensed up instantly, his eyes widened, and his voice changed: "He...he knew all along?!"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Xu Hongdou glared at Lin Bufan in annoyance, then turned to Xie Zhiyuan. Just as she was about to offer some words of comfort, she saw Xie Zhiyuan shout with a face full of grief and indignation.

He knew?!

Does he know why he didn't come to find me?!

Does he know how many dishes I've washed here, how many times I've been yelled at, and how many mosquito bites I've gotten sleeping in this rented room?!

Did he stop wanting me as his younger brother a long time ago?

No! I have to go back! I have to go back and get to the bottom of this!

I'm going to complain to my father and grandmother! They know perfectly well, but they still won't do anything about it!

Xu Hongdou opened her mouth, but seeing Xie Zhiyuan's "righteous indignation" and eagerness to go back and "demand an explanation," she was speechless for a moment.

This isn't about being afraid of being found out; it's clearly about wanting to go back but being too ashamed to admit it. They want everyone to pass on a message to Xie Zhiyao!

My worries were completely unnecessary.