Case Files Chapter 93: Horror at the Studio (3)

Translated by Vivian of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Addis

 

Lu YunShen leaned closer and said in a low voice, “YunYang called me and said someone had died at the set you were at, and that you were frightened.”

Yan Qing rolled over to face Lu YunShen. “It’s not like I’m made of porcelain. It’s just the first time I’ve seen someone dead like that, so I was just a little nauseous and shocked.”

“YunYang said your face was pale from the fright.” Lu YunShen inspected his face. “You don’t look so well.”

Yan Qing chuckled. “You even believe what your little brother says. I’m just a little tired from shooting so many scenes, since this movie is very involved.”

“Don’t take movies like this next time.” Lu YunShen frowned.

Yan Qing caressed his face and said in a slightly coquettish tone, “I am the best actor, and if I don’t make any breakthroughs, I’ll get surpassed by newcomers.”

Lu YunShen didn’t say anything else about the matter, and he sat up. “Little Wang said that you haven’t eaten anything?”

“I didn’t have an appetite just then. But now I’m hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“Hm… the scrambled eggs with sesame oil that you make.”

Lu YunShen froze briefly before smiling. “Wait here, I’ll make you some.”

“Hey!” Yan Qing stopped him. “I was just joking, you must be tired, just get the chef to make it.”

Lu YunShen pressed him back into the bed. “You can go back to sleep.” Then, he went out the door and downstairs.

Yan Qing hugged the blankets and rolled around in the bed, his heart just as warm as the sheets.

*****

“The victim is Zhao Qi, who’s from City M. He had been working in City S for almost two years, and he had worked in many prop crews. He was never in one place for a long time. His social relations seemed to be pretty simple, and currently, there’s no evidence to show that he had any conflicts with the other crew members of Guilt, though we still need to investigate this further,” said Gu Xiang.

“It doesn’t seem like someone like him would have been killed in such a manner. The killer hasn’t gone serial, so it’s just for revenge, right?” Chen QiaoYu looked at Lu YunYang.

“Since there’s only one victim, it’s hard for me to say. However, you guys should know, he was drained of his blood, just like in the script. If someone had just wanted to kill him, they didn’t need to spend this much time and effort doing so. The killer’s motive and mental state are not very straightforward,” said Lu YunYang.

“We don’t know where the murder itself took place, so let’s first take a deeper look at the leads we have,” said Wen JingHan.

Guan Jin hadn’t said anything yet, and he was looking down at his feet, lost in thought. Suddenly, he looked up. “During our questioning, Yan Qing was a little hesitant, and even his assistant was holding something back. They’re clearly hiding something.”

Lu YunYang looked at him in surprise. “You suspect him? No, with his fame and reputation, how could he get into such a serious dispute with a mere temporary staff member?”

Guan Jin narrowed his eyes. “Ah, it’s seldom that your judgement is as subjective as today. Has that intellect that you’re so proud of become as worthless as your lung?”

Lu YunYang didn’t say anything, and merely looked at Guan Jin with a ruminating gaze.

The tension was palpable, and the others tactfully buried their heads in their own work, for fear of stepping onto a land mine.

“If that’s so, then I’ll leave this matter to you two. Work hard to search for evidence to prove your inferences!” Wen JingHan, who had always enjoyed fanning the flames, left irresponsibly after saying this.

*****

“You must be hungry after working so long, right?” said Lu YunYang as he drove. “Let’s eat out today, what do you think about going to that Cantonese restaurant you couldn’t get enough of last time?”

“Anything’s fine, I’m starving.”

“I’ve already made a reservation and ordered the dishes, so we can eat once we arrive.”

Guan Jin glanced at him. “Good service, I can consider rewarding you.”

“What?”

“I’ll allow you to stay overnight today.”

The car swerved on the road with small waves of ecstasy.

“I’ve specially granted you A-Gua’s warm bed,” gloated Guan Jin.

“…His bed’s too small, so I’m afraid it won’t work. I’d like to sleep in Your Majesty’s bed instead,” Lu YunYang said shamelessly.

“I have a habit of cleanliness.” 

“I promise I’ll wash your sheets to be as good as new.”

“…Have a little dignity, will you?”

“I do, which is why I am determined not to sleep in the same bed as a dog.”

“…” Guan Jin’s stomach growled out of hunger, and he didn’t have the energy to bicker with him further. He simply rolled his eyes and let the matter slide.

“You’re not in a very good mood today,” Lu YunYang said slowly after a pause.

“How can you tell?”

“I can feel it. You haven’t quipped at me for a while.”

“…Are you a barometer?”

“Your personalized barometer.”

“Knock it off. You don’t have the qualities of a professional at all. You were practically all over that actor just because he looked good, clearly favoring him indiscriminately. Do you think I should feel happy with a partner like this?” Guan Jin’s gaze was chilly. “Ah… he wasn’t your ex-lover, was he?” His tone was strange.

Lu YunYang grinned. “Little Jin darling, you’re jealous.”

Guan Jin humphed. “Don’t use such a disgusting word on me. It’s just that I despise fickle people, especially after they make a vow to stay forever.”

Lu YunYang’s grin became even wider. “At least it shows that I’m not an irrelevant person in your heart. I do favor him, but not in the way you think. Tomorrow morning I’ll take you somewhere to prove that, are you willing to believe me?”

“Didn’t your credibility get swallowed by an octopus in the Pacific Ocean a long time ago?” Guan Jin’s words weren’t forgiving, but he had already leaned back in his seat, no longer as hostile.

Lu YunYang glanced at the rear-view mirror and smiled. “These past few days, I went to the ocean and made a tremendous effort to get it back.”

“You really went to steal food from a mollusk? How embarrassing for mammals.”

“…”

*****

That night, Lu YunYang ended up staying on the sofa in Guan Jin’s house. Although he hadn’t been able to warm the bed, letting him stay overnight was already progress.

In order to make more progress, Lu YunYang woke up very early to clean the house, walk the dog, and then prepare breakfast, before finally knocking on the bedroom door.

“Your Majesty, your breakfast is ready.”

As Guan Jin ate his breakfast with bleary eyes, he didn’t forget to criticize it before going back to change in contentment. 

“Where are you planning to take me?”

“To corroborate Yan Qing’s alibi.”

“It sounds like you’re very familiar with even his private matters.”

“I don’t know his private matters, I know someone else’s.”

“You’re just saying that to keep me in suspense!” Guan Jin was dissatisfied, but because of his dignity, he had to be arrogant and disdainful.

They inched along with the traffic before finally arriving at a district of villas.

The doorman asked for a parking permit strictly.

Lu YunYang rolled down the car window and nodded at him.

Guan Jin, who was sitting in the back, looked at the back of his head silently. The doorman recognizes him, which means he’s a frequent guest. He doesn’t remember his car, which means he’s not a resident… Could it be where he keeps his concubine?! Fuck!

The car stopped in front of a villa near the back.

Guan Jin got out of the car to see how Lu YunYang would get in.

Lu YunYang walked up to the door and pressed a button on the intercom. “It’s me.”

“Second Young Master, you’re here.” A girl’s voice came from the intercom, and afterwards, the carved, European-style iron door opened slowly. 

After walking through a small garden, a girl wearing an apron waved at them from the door. “Second Young Master, come in quickly, it’s very cold outside. First Young Master isn’t going out today, but I don’t remember him saying that you were going to come.”

“It’s okay, I’m not here to stay for a meal, so I’ll be leaving in a bit.” Lu YunYang walked inside and smiled.

“Is this your friend? Would you like something to drink, sir?”

Guan Jin, whose eyes had been roving around the main hall, looked at her. “No need, we’ll be leaving very soon.”

As he followed Lu YunYang further inside, Guan Jin looked around. The decoration was simple and atmospheric, yet with a touch of warmth in the details. To be honest, Guan Jin liked this room.

As he was scanning the room, footsteps suddenly sounded from the staircase behind him, and Guan Jin abruptly turned around.

Yan Qing was coming downstairs from the second floor, and he was wearing casual clothes and slippers. He gazed down at the people downstairs blankly.

“H-How come you’re here?!” Yan Qing’s voice was a little sharp, and his expression was dark.

Guan Jin’s expression hardened, but before he could say anything, Lu YunYang walked over so that Yan Qing could see him. “I needed to see my older brother for something, so I took him along for a quick visit.”

Older brother?

A quick visit?

Guan Jin and Yan Qing looked at each other in surprise.

“What are you doing here?” Lu YunShen walked to the stairs and looked at the three frozen people. “Why is no one moving?”

Lu YunYang blinked innocently. “I came here uninvited, so don’t be offended. Yesterday, Yan Qing got involved in the case, so I’m here to express my sympathy.”

Lu YunShen slowly walked next to Yan Qing and wrapped an arm around him. “That’s it?”

Guan Jin rudely sat down on the sofa and waved at the maid standing in the doorway. “A cup of coffee, please, with extra milk and no sugar.”

“Brother, stop putting on airs, else your brother-in-law is going to leave.” Lu YunYang winked.

Lu YunShen raised an eyebrow in surprise and led Yan Qing, who was trying to break free of his grasp, downstairs as he scrutinized Guan Jin, who was sitting on the sofa with his legs crossed.

“Lu YunYang, this is the truth you wanted me to see?” Guan Jin shifted his gaze to Yan Qing. “That day, when you didn’t tell the truth, it counts as perjury and obstruction of evidence, understand?”

Before Lu YunShen could even react, Lu YunYang sidled up to Guan Jin. “Little Jin, we’re all family, so don’t be so strict on him.”

“When did I become family with him?”

“You two are brothers-in-law…”

Yan Qing’s expression was a little uneasy, and Guan Jin directly glared at him. “Brothers-in-law? Am I married to you? No. And may I ask if this actor is married to your brother? Also no.”

This seemed to have struck a chord with Lu YunShen, and he frowned. “YunYang, won’t you reconsider your choice?”

“See, even your family won’t accept me. He might even try to break us up, so you’d best give up and go find an obedient, gentle person, instead of coming to disturb my peace,” gloated Guan Jin after hearing this.

“…Little Jin, how can you hinder me at a time like this?” Lu YunYang’s expression was plaintive. “You’re supposed to firmly stand by my side and rebel against the shackles of the feudal family!”

…You’re crazy, are you addicted to acting? This time, Guan Jin and Lu YunShen both ignored Lu YunYang and looked at each other instead.

“Are you a policeman?”

“Guan Jin, Special Cases Unit of the Bureau. I’m responsible for investigating the murder case at the movie set. Before, since Yan Qing was very hesitant when telling us his alibi, it’s my responsibility to follow up.”

Yan Qing sighed. “I was staying here that day, and YunShen wasn’t home that night, but the chef and maid can both corroborate my alibi. The doorman can as well. However, you probably understand how the entertainment industry works. Everything I said was the truth, I just left out some of the details.”

“…The entertainment really can’t accept, um, homosexuality?” Guan Jin was a little curious.

Yan Qing looked at his inquisitive expression and suddenly let down his guard. He smiled bitterly and said, “Not only is it homosexuality, it’s also because of YunShen’s prominent identity.”

Guan Jin frowned and seemed to be deep in thought.

“Ah, it’s best for a family to get along,” remarked Lu YunYang. “Brother, are you not going to work today?”

“I’m going in the afternoon.”

“Why haven’t you gone home recently? Mom called to say that she misses you, as if it’s me who’s not letting you go home.”

“I’ve been too busy.”

As the two brothers talked about family affairs, Guan Jin suddenly pounded his fist into his palm. “I got it!”

The three people looked at him. “What?”

“You don’t want to get exposed because you’re afraid people will try to bribe you with sexual favors!”

… 

Lu YunYang: How are you so off this time?

 

Yan Qing’s expression was a little stiff, and Lu YunShen directly pointed at the door, his expression dark. “Lu YunYang, bring him with you and get lost!”