Even with Lan Heโs thick skin and strong mental fortitude, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed by Song Qiyun’s words, especially considering he often boasted about being a fierce general… Perhaps it was also due to the unintentional implication from Song Qiyun about the writer’s intent.
Was it really okay to summarize it like that? Xiao Song was just written a bit more lively, right? Director Song’s wording made him feel quite embarrassed.
So Lan He hesitantly glanced at Song Futan and asked, “Teacher, cute, huh?”
Song Futan only hesitated for a moment before admitting, “Yes.”
Lan He: “…”
Lan He felt his ears burning. Although it was an era where even boys were often praised for being cute, hearing it from a friend made him especially embarrassed, even a little flustered.
“How about it, did you find the feeling?” Song Qiyun pressed further.
“Yes, yes,” Lan He said thick-skinned, “It’s quite cute…”
Only then did Song Qiyun nod in satisfaction, letting him continue.
Lan He continued to read the script, initially a bit distracted, noticing that Song Futan seemed to still be looking at him, but he was soon drawn in by the content.
Although Xiao Lai was modeled after Lan He, the whole story had its own meaning.
However, Lan He could also see ghosts, had walked in the underworld before, and as the person being modeled after, he could say that aside from Song Futan, he understood this script faster than anyone else.
With every page he read, it felt like he was getting closer to Xiao Song. The story wasn’t based on Lan He’s real experiences, but in the descriptions and dialogue, he could see faint traces, and the author’s thoughts seeped through every corner.
It was like looking at himself and Song Futan from a magical angle. Lan He found it novel, and a unique feeling kept welling up in his heart. After reading a few scenes and the outline, he naturally began discussing his thoughts with Song Qiyun.
“People don’t know that bones are present in others, and only after it’s over do they realize that ghosts have no skin. The skeleton gradually decays, yet it remains fierce; the heart and lungs are completely gone, but it’s suspicious. Actually, the world of ghosts and gods is closely connected with the living world, or rather, it reflects everything in the mortal realm. The ghosts Xiao Lai sees…”
Song Qiyun was extremely satisfied, even more so than he had expected!
Originally, he thought Lan He was only suitable in terms of character and appearance, but he didn’t expect that just by reading the script for the first time, Lan He grasped it very well, catching the essence of the storyโs reality and fantasy, truth and lies.
His son hadn’t said anything all this while, so he couldn’t help but ask, “What do you think?”
Song Futan looked deeply at Lan He, “I think he understood it very well.”
“Yes, yes,” Song Qiyun agreed, “I think we can tentatively reach an agreement. Once it’s officially approved, weโll have you sign the contract.”
“Thank you, Director Song.” At this moment, Lan He didn’t feel nervous anymore. Instead, he was more focused on exploring and thinking about the script. Of course, there was also anticipation. Which actor wouldnโt be excited to work with Song Qiyun?
“Iโm going to make a call, hold on.” Song Qiyun wanted to inform Dou Qishan of the good news. Lan He completely met the requirements, and his son had no objections.
After Song Qiyun left, that subtle feeling returned to Lan He. He could only half-jokingly ease the situation, “I really want to praise Teacher Xuanguang’s script, but Iโm afraid Iโd come off as too narcissistic.”
Song Futan couldnโt help but chuckle. After Lan He read part of the script and delved into his writing, what delighted him the most was… Lan He didnโt find it repulsive and his reaction was very cute.
Now, it seemed like there was a wonderful feeling flowing between them, with a faint sweetness, making Song Futanโs heart feel light and soft.
Song Futan handed the script to Lan He, “You can take it home and continue reading.”
“Is it okay? We haven’t signed the contract yet.” Lan He felt it might not be appropriate.
Song Futan countered, “Do you still need a spoiler about what could happen between the ghost and Xiao Lai?”
Lan He: “…”
“Thatโs true,” Lan He took the script. In fact, he wanted to read the whole thing, aside from its inherent meaning. Reading the script felt like communicating with Xiao Song across time and space. He blushed slightly, “Then Iโll keep it safe. Iโll leave it with the beasts at home.”
Song Futan: “?”
…
Lan He: “This is for my work, it’s important. When I’m home, Hu 79, can you keep an eye on it for me?”
As soon as he got home, Lan He said this to Bai Wu and Hu 79.
“Of course, of course! Isn’t that exactly what we’re here for?” Hu 79 immediately replied, even though she was still a trainee house deity. She glanced at Lan Heโs expression, “Did something good happen to you? You’ve been smiling since you walked in.”
Lan He touched the corner of his mouth. Really?
“Oh… I got the male lead role, it’s pretty much set. Canโt I smile a bit?” Lan He said, “Tonight Iโll make a meter-high incense tower for you, won’t that make you smile?”
Hu 79 smiled so widely that her fangs were showing, and she even drooled with gratitude, “Thank you, my dear master, I’m so happy!”
Taking advantage of a situation is gratifying, and continuously taking advantage is even more so. Serving as Lan Heโs (trainee) house deity, she was overjoyed.
After a while, Bai Wu’s voice of gratitude drifted out from the God of Wealthโs tower, “Thank you…”
“By the way, I’m going to record ‘Yan Jing Yearbook’ the day after tomorrow again. How’s the little bird doing?” Lan He asked.
Speaking of which, the little sparrow quickly stopped using foul language after returning and was corrected by Hu 79. It now sings melodious songs for two hours every day, which is very refreshing. Hu 79 wasnโt exaggerating; she really knows how to raise birds.
“Listen to more songs, what’s the rush? It’s Xiao Song’s anyway, and you two are getting along well. I’ve even reserved the bay window for him,” Hu 79 said, but she noticed that Lan He coughed a few times heavily. She asked in confusion, “Are you not feeling well? Should I give you a massage?”
Bai Wu, still in the God of Wealth tower, chimed in, “Iโll do it.”
“I’ll do it!” Hu 79 shouted fiercely.
“No need,” Lan He said with a sweat drop, “I just coughed casually.”
“If something’s wrong, you must say…” Hu 79, who usually seemed youthful, suddenly revealed her older side by nagging. But in an instant, she changed the topic, “From now on, I’ll accompany you to the recording. I’ll live in the matchbox.”
“Just let out a little wind, donโt scare all the dogs in the neighborhood. I heard theyโve been too scared to pee latelyโฆ Is Yi Ping going?” Lan He asked. He knew he probably wouldnโt go, but he asked casually anyway.
Bai Wu slowly emerged from the breeding box, resting his two short paws on the edge, and after thinking for a long time, he said, “I want to get a reply from my clan; it’s already been delayed by five days.”
Lan He, amused by the image of the hesitant hedgehog, could guess what he was thinking. Holding back his laughter, he said, “Afraid? But there aren’t that many people in our neighborhood, right?”
Bai Wu didnโt reply.
Hu 79 said, “He even finds it too crowded at home. You haven’t noticed he hardly leaves the God of Wealth tower. Even when I’m sitting here, he’d rather hold it in than come out to empty the incense ash just to avoid talking to me. Hehe, so I keep challenging him unilaterally.”
โ And then she gets pricked in the heart by the hedgehog.
Lan He pointed at her in warning and said to Yi Ping, “Where do your elders live? If you donโt want to go out, can’t you burn incense to invite them to talk directly?”
Bai Wu slowly replied, “I usually try to avoid meeting with the elders whenever possible. Writing letters is better.”
Lan He: “…”
Right, he almost forgot that the ‘death omen’ clan was collectively antisocial… This made him think that if a hedgehog had a home, it should be octagonal, so thereโd be enough corners for the whole family to occupy.
Lan He said, “Got it. Then you can stay in the matchbox. You donโt have to come out until we reach our destination to get the letter.”
Only then did Bai Wu clasp his paws together, bowing to him, “Thank you, Master.”
In the past, the elders said that after becoming a household deity, people would bow to him. But now that he was at Lan He’s house, it was him who bowed to Lan Heโฆ This must be what Hu 79 referred to as the difference between buyer’s show and seller’s show.
.
This episode of “Yan Jing Yearbook” was filmed at the clay figurine shop outside Dongyue Temple, which is an old establishment.
While they were recording inside, there was quite a crowd outside, watching and filming. Chen Xingyu even waved to everyone from time to time, “Lots of people on a weekend.”
“Yes, a lot,” Lan He also waved outside, but not at the people.
In his eyes, the area outside Dongyue Temple was teeming with ghosts moving through the crowd, their forms dispersing and gathering as they were drawn towards the temple by the power of the ceremony, making for a spectacular sight.
And a white-clad Impermanence was guiding them. It was none other than the human-friendly Old Bai.
The world Lan He saw was different from theirs.
Song Futan, who wasnโt in the shot, stood to the side. When Lan He looked over, their eyes briefly met, and although neither spoke, Lan He knew that Song Futan saw the same thing he did and understood what he was thinking…
The recording had already started, and the host introduced, “In the past, the temple fairs at Dongyue Temple were especially famous in the capital. During this time, Master Jin would be particularly busy. Itโs said that Dongyue Temple has four bests: spiritual, fast, abundant, and absolute, and Master Jinโs family has some connections with this. Let’s discuss them from the last to the first. The four bests refer to the templeโs miraculous ghosts, translucent steles, golden beans, and the notion of not getting a raw deal.”
“Aren’t the miraculous ghosts and translucent steles from Huguo Temple?” Lan He asked curiously. “And the golden thresholds and doorstops are also from that area.”
He had heard this from local colleagues while working on “Geometry of a Dream,” particularly because it involved golden mice, so he remembered it clearly.
“There are two. I know this,” Chen Xingyu explained, “Thereโs also a translucent stele here, which is a type of carving technique. As for the miraculous ghosts, the miraculous ghosts at Huguo Temple refer to the skeleton ghosts that were once dug up. The miraculous ghosts here are the two little Taoist boys carved on the stele base inside the temple.”
The host nodded, “Yes, exactly. Itโs said that these two little Taoist boys absorbed the templeโs spiritual energy, and at night, they would carry lanterns and walk around the temple fair. It’s said that the owner of this clay figurine shop secretly followed the Taoist boys and discovered their identity. He then covered the lantern of one figurine with paper and tied the otherโs foot with a string, and from that time on, they were never seen again. Even now, their statues still have that appearance.”
“Is that true, Master Jin?” Chen Xingyu asked.
The boss, Master Jin, candidly replied, “Hahahaha, if you walk around the nearby shops, many will tell you that they were the ones who tied the miraculous ghosts. But when I was a kid, I heard the story that the Taoist boys went to buy maltose.”
Chen Xingyu: “…”
This is also a characteristic of “Yan Jing Yearbook,” where divine guests and locals often break away from the script.
The host, both amused and helpless, continued the explanation. Finally, he turned to Master Jin and said, “How about you take it from here?”
Master Jin continued, “The statues in Dongyue Temple were originally sculpted by a Taoist named Liu Yuan. The ghosts and gods under his hand were extremely lifelike, and people competed to invite him to sculpt statues. Our familyโs craft started by observing the statues in the temple, seeing how Liu Yuan sculpted them, and then integrating that into our own techniques. So, every year, we still burn incense for Liu Yuan. It’s just that now, those statues by Liu Yuan are long gone, and some of the remaining ones arenโt as scary as the ones I make…”
As he spoke, he suddenly pulled out a pair of ghost clay figurines from behind his back, about the size of a palm, with long tongues sticking out.
Lan He was directly facing the scene, and immediately put on an exaggerated look of being frightened: “Ah!!”
Then, coming to his senses, he praised, “It’s really terrifying, the eyes look almost alive, and the ghostly aura is chilling. Truly a masterpiece!”
Song Futan: “…”
Hu 79 and Bai Wu: “…”
Act, just keep acting…
Although Lan He’s acting was quite convincing, and although Song Futan knew he could be scared, Lan He getting scared by that pair was unlikelyโafter all, those figures were modeled after the Black and White Impermanence!
Lan He also noticed the matchbox moving and heard some faint complaints, so he discreetly reached out to press it down.
What’s the big deal? Haven’t you seen anyone creating a show effect before?
…
After the recording ended, the owner of the clay figurine shop gifted each of them a figurine of themselves. The Black and White Impermanence figurine was just for effect; of course, it wasn’t something he’d normally give away.
Chen Xingyang suggested, “Why don’t we take a stroll through Dongyue Temple? It’s really beautiful inside, and we’re right at the entrance. We can sneak in from the back; no one will guess we’re there.”
Lan He stuck to his persona: “No, I don’t do temple visits.”
“I agree. The temple has been holding ceremonies these past days; it’s better not to disturb them,” Chen Xingyu also disapproved.
Song Futan quietly asked, “You’re at your workplace but not going to clock in?”
Lan He: “…”
Right, Xiao Lai of the Eastern Peak Underworld, not only had never been to Eastern Peak, but even when he was right in front of Dongyue Temple, he refused to enter for a visit.
However, he had just been here a few days ago for a ceremony and had already checked inโthe pastries provided by the Taoists were really delicious…
They decided against Chen Xingyang’s suggestion to enter the temple, but on the way to the parking lot, they inevitably passed by it.
Since Lan He was walking with Chen Xingyu, a lot of onlookers gathered around. From Lan He’s perspective, the crowd was mixed with ghosts, flowing into the temple like a tide.
“Hurry up, hurry up, get in from here,” Old Bai weakly shouted while fanning himself. He had been working continuously while Lan He recorded the show.
Old Bai seemed to notice he was being watched. He turned his head and, seeing that it was Lan He, floated over and stopped in front of him. Remembering that he couldn’t reveal himself, he turned around, pretending to talk to himself, “So tired…”
With his experience taking care of Old Bai, Lan He knew that “so tired” meant he wanted money. Before Lan He could say anything, a car stopped at the entrance of Dongyue Temple, and out stepped a silver-haired, energetic Taoist priest.
For the believers at the temple gate, this Taoist priest was more famous than Chen Xingyu and the others. He was Jiang He, a renowned Taoist priest from Dongyue Temple, well-known among the faithful in the capital.
Jiang He casually glanced at the sky and was about to step inside when he noticed Old Bai squatting nearby.
He changed his course, walked over, and bowed deeply to Old Bai as a sign of gratitude.
“Please, no need,” Old Bai quickly stood up, returning the bow to this highly respected elder before scratching his head and returning to workโafter all, even ghost messengers care about face, and he momentarily forgot to ask for his allowance.
But remember, Old Bai is a ghost, and people can’t see him.
So, from the perspective of everyone else, it looked like the Taoist priest, who exuded an immortal aura and whose white hair drew attention, suddenly walked over, bowed deeply to Lan He, and then left as swiftly as he had come. But it was sincere, leaving no room for misunderstanding that he was just picking up trash.
Everyone: “???”
Lan He, seizing the moment before anyone else could react, exclaimed with a fluctuating tone, “Ah, what does the Taoist priest mean by this?!”
“???” Chen Xingyang asked, “You don’t know? You don’t recognize him?”
The surrounding onlookers were equally puzzled, whispering among themselves about why a Taoist priest would bow to an unfamiliar celebrity. Most of the believers outside the temple didnโt recognize Lan He; he looked quite young. What was Jiang He doing?
Lan He innocently shook his head, “How would I know a Taoist priest?”
True, given Lan He’s usual behavior…
Chen Xingyang shivered slightly, looking around, “Uh, I hope he wasn’t bowing to you because of something… I heard that there used to be an archway across from Dongyue Temple to suppress something.”
His wild guess wasn’t entirely off the mark, but Lan He pretended not to know, “Don’t talk nonsense.”
In fact, he and Jiang He had briefly locked eyes, and he was a little worried. But it turned out Jiang He didnโt associate him with that old master.
โAfter all, Taoists couldn’t quite believe that a living person could swagger in front of the real Impermanence like an overbearing father.
Living people who walk the path of Impermanence usually just assist the legitimate ghost messengers, even doing the heavy lifting. Theyโre mostly like them, earning their keep in the underworld while taking on jobs in the mortal world. So, seeing a glamorous celebrity, itโs hard to make the connection.
Chen Xingyu wasn’t entirely disbelieving but dismissed it, “Don’t talk about such things at night. Maybe the Taoist priest recognized Lan Heโs righteous aura and knew he had helped many people.”
Chen Xingyang said, “โฆAlright, maybe it’s just that overwhelming righteous energy that moved the Taoist priest.”
“It could also be due to the ceremonies at Dongyue Templeโthey’ve been holding rituals lately,” Song Futan added nonchalantly. Although it was a redundant comment, coming from him, and given everyone’s unfamiliarity with the specifics of the rituals, they all nodded in agreement.
Lan He didn’t take it to heart and later took Yi Ping to retrieve the letter.
Bai Wu’s clan had written back to him, expressing admiration and envy for his luxurious new residence, calling him the hope of the Bai family. They were encouraged by his success and hoped that Bai Wu, while in the city, could spare some time to help keep an eye out for other families who might need a household deity. They also mentioned that some hedgehogs in the clan would need to pass a major test in ten years, and wondered if he could keep an eye out for potential places for them.
Lan He laughed, “Wow, hahaha, Yi Ping still has ten years before passing the test, and they’re already starting to prepare? Are they giving you time to be socially anxious?”
Bai Wu: “Who???”
That was Bai Liu… Bai Wu hesitated, then decided to drop the subject _(:ะท)โ )_
…
After the recording of “Yan Jing Yearbook” began, it quickly sparked discussions online. Besides the participation of Chen Xingyang and his sister, along with Lan He, what caught people’s attention even more was the rumor that Xuanguang would also appear as a guest.
Initially, many people didn’t believe this, but as more details emerged, including confirmation from Song Qiyun’s studio, the rumor was proven true, which surprised many.
As a result, the paparazzi photos from “Yan Jing Yearbook” became highly anticipated. Xuanguang rarely appeared in public, and the few images of him that did exist were often blurry or obscured, making many people curious about his true appearance.
In the first batch of photos, everyone noticed a handsome man who seemed to be present throughout the shoot. He appeared in some shots, but it was still unclear if he was Xuanguang.
In the second batch, the handsome man appeared again, but before people could analyze further, another topic sparked discussion: outside Dongyue Temple, a famous Taoist priest in Beijing bowed to the little-known Lan He.
Even those who didnโt follow Taoism knew, after a quick search of Jiang Heโs background, how significant this was. It’s said that some celebrities couldnโt even afford to hire him for rituals, so why would he bow to an eighteenth-tier celebrity like Lan He?
Could it be that Lan He had some mysterious identity unknown to the public?
Thread Title: Has anyone seen the new paparazzi photos from “Yan Jing Yearbook”? A huge question is nagging at meโwhy did Jiang He bow to Lan He? Whatโs their relationship?
Content: As the title suggests.
1L: After seeing Lan He, I rushed in to blindly answer: because heโs good with kids! Maybe Jiang He was impressed by how he solved some child-rearing issues!
2L: ??? What child-rearing? Jiang He is a monk.
3L: First floor fail, hahaha! Itโs all Lan Heโs fault for going around babysitting everyoneโs kids before.
4L: I saw the first and second floors, and instantly forgot what I wanted to sayโlaughed so hard my head fell off!
5L: Waiting for the truth. Does anyone have insider info?
6L: Oh my god, could it be something about his unique face that the Taoist saw at first glance?
7L: Even if it were, would a face that special warrant a bow? Even if he saw that Lan He would one day become the secretary general of the Taoist Association, it wouldnโt be enough for that.
8L: I didn’t expect this thread to be so funny.
…
At the Yu family residence.
“So it really is Xuanguang, he actually went on the show,” Yu Hangjia said, holding an iPad with pictures from the recording of “Yan Jing Yearbook.” “Hmm, Lan He is there too. With ‘Chase’ about to release its trailer, it makes sense for him to get more exposure…”
He also hadnโt realized that Song Futan was there because of Lan He.
“Is that Xiao Lan?” Mrs. Yu peeked over to have a look. “I saw online that some people are saying Jiang He bowed to him. Whatโs that about?”
Yu Hangjia laughed, “Haha, it must be a misunderstanding. I asked a Taoist priest about it. Apparently, itโs because the area was filled with heavy Yin energy, and Jiang He, with his Yin-Yang eyes open, was bowing to a hardworking ghost messenger nearby. That ghost messenger just happened to be standing next to Xiao Lan.”
Mrs. Yu responded with an “Oh,” which made more sense to her. After all, Lan He wasnโt someone who believed in or feared anything, which was why they had invited him to their place before. She quickly typed out a message to debunk the rumors for those curious.
Melonhead Immortal, gnawing on a chicken leg, was lazily wandering around the Yu residence. When he saw the picture, he paused. “Hmm, isnโt that the sickly red lotus? Lord Laiโs friend.”
He then looked at the person standing next to Song FutanโLan He. He had seen him before but hadnโt paid much attention. Now, seeing him next to Song Futan, Melonhead Immortal narrowed his eyes, feeling a faint sense of familiarity, especially those eyes. Even though one belonged to the underworld and the other to the mortal world, even though one usually floated around arrogantly and the other stood there obediently…
Hmmโฆ hmmโฆ?
Just then, Yu Hangjiaโs fingers swiped to the next imageโa slightly blurry motion shot taken from a distance, showing the shop owner pulling out two clay figures, and Lan He jumping in shock.
Mrs. Yu chuckled after seeing it, feeling she had figured out the showโs intended effect. Lan He, with his usual boldness, was just reacting in a rather amusing way.
Melonhead Immortal: “…”
Sigh, I was overthinking it. Melonhead Immortal rubbed his head, thinking, *Someone so timid, how could they possibly be Lord Lai?*
Author’s Note:
Melonhead Immortal: Iโve seen the truthโthis person is a coward.
Yu Hangjia and his wife: Weโve seen the truth tooโhis cowardice is just an act.
Bai Wu: No, you all know nothing…
our 79 so fierce, songbird fixed and upgraded!!
Lan He deffo does not have anything about him at all ๐ …