Ren Chenbai appeared on the set of “Huo Miao.”

He was the provider of the documentary’s material, and also the son of Director Gong Hanrou’s old friend. He would have originally walked around the set. It was just that for some reason, this time, many people looked at him with strange eyes.

The assistant director, who was familiar with him, seemed not to see him. The script supervisor immediately lowered his head and turned away upon catching sight of him. Many familiar faces he usually had an impression of suddenly treated him as if he were non-existent air.

The production manager recognized him, his face suddenly changed, and he immediately put down his work, went over, and led away a few young actors who were playing together nearby and didn’t have any filming tasks.

Zhao Lan hurried over with her people and blocked Ren Chenbai, her face unfriendly. “What are you going to do again?”

Ren Chenbai stopped and recognized her identity. “Assistant Zhao.”

When he was negotiating with the film crew for Luo Cheng, Ren Chenbai had met Zhao Lan in a coffee shop and knew she was Director Gong Hanrou’s assistant.

…

He still remembered, Director Gong had said that Zhao Lan was that abducted university student. Later, she was rescued along with Xiao Zhi and escaped from that den of demons.

After being rescued, Zhao Lan’s family had never left her side, taking care of her. It took more than ten years to finally help her slowly walk out of the shadow of that nightmare-like experience.

Ren Chenbai had a good impression of her. He knew that Zhao Lan had come to apply to be Director Gong’s assistant because she had decided to face her past. His tone was very gentle, “It’s been a while since I’ve been here. I came to see Teacher Gong.”

“No need,” Zhao Lan frowned tightly. “Mr. Ren, Teacher Gong doesn’t want to see you.”

She moved sideways and gestured for the set manager to come and see him out. “Please go back.”

Ren Chenbai leaned on his crutch. The set manager didn’t dare to touch him rashly and just stepped forward politely to wait.

Ren Chenbai had felt something was wrong from the beginning and called out to her, “Assistant Zhao, did I do something bad?”

Zhao Lan’s gaze on him became stranger and stranger.

She stared at Ren Chenbai, repeating his words, “Did I do something bad?”

…

Zhao Lan couldn’t imagine how someone could be so shameless.

After their unhappy parting at the coffee shop last time, Gong Hanrou had immediately started searching for Huo Miao’s whereabouts.

It wasn’t difficult at all to connect Huo Miao’s identity with Luo Zhi’s—it was just that before this, the film crew, following their usual habit, would never rashly disturb the life of the person involved without permission.

When Ren Shuangmei told this story to her old friend, she had deliberately concealed Luo Zhi’s identity and blurred the key clues because she didn’t want Luo Zhi to be entangled and disturbed by the past again. Gong Hanrou of course knew this, so she had always only listened to the story and never crossed the line to ask further.

This tacit respect and protection, however, after the too-hasty departure of one party, unexpectedly turned into an ironic bystander’s inaction.

During that conversation at the coffee shop, Gong Hanrou had sensed an ominous sign from Ren Chenbai’s few words. She had someone check and found out that Luo Zhi had gone on a cruise trip—the film crew had even made relevant preparations. As soon as Luo Zhi returned, they would break the usual rules of documentary filming and forcibly take away the person involved on the grounds of a cooperative interview.

…

After filming this documentary for so long, this was the first time Gong Hanrou had no idea how to face her deceased old friend.

“You’ve been telling the film crew all along that that family was not good to Huomiao, but you were taking good care of him.”

Zhao Lan asked word by word, “You’ve taken care of him to this state, and now you come to ask us if you’ve done something bad?”

Only then did Ren Chenbai understand what she was talking about. “You’re talking about my younger brother?”

“Is there some misunderstanding? My younger brother is very well. I came this time on his behalf.”

Ren Chenbai was dumbfounded. “Isn’t Luo Cheng on the film crew? Although Xiao Zhi has long had no relationship with their family, he was still once his sister, after all. I came to see her on his behalf…”

He had just said goodbye to Xiao Zhi when he came. He had even promised to bring Xiao Zhi a dessert that was definitely made without egg whites.

It was really hard to buy. He had queued for a long time at the only shop, and his legs had become a little numb.

Listening to the murderer shamelessly spouting nonsense here, Zhao Lan’s face darkened and she was about to call the set manager to throw him out. But seeing Ren Chenbai’s seemingly completely genuine expression, a vague, groundless, eerie feeling suddenly arose.

Just then, Gong Hanrou’s voice also came from behind her. “Xiao Lan, go get busy.”

Zhao Lan turned around and couldn’t help but frown. “Teacher Gong, this person—”

“It’s okay,” Gong Hanrou said. “We’ll have to meet again sooner or later.”

The last time Ren Chenbai came to the set, everyone’s emotions had not yet been properly dealt with.

Not just Zhao Lan, but even Gong Hanrou had failed to control her intense anger and disgust, and had berated Ren Chenbai on the spot, telling him to get out of her film crew.

Gong Hanrou gestured for the set manager to prepare a reception room, then walked over and looked at Ren Chenbai.

She looked much older than a few days ago. Although she still maintained her usual sharp rationality, her eyes were already showing some tired bloodshot. “Since we’re going to talk, let’s talk.”

Ren Chenbai wanted to help her, but Gong Hanrou raised her hand to stop him.

Gong Hanrou looked at the person behind Ren Chenbai. “Why isn’t your assistant with you?”

Ren Chenbai was stunned for a moment, then turned his head to look at Xun Zhen, who was standing behind him with his arms crossed.

He looked at Xun Zhen. A few chaotic images suddenly flashed through his mind, causing a sudden, violent, throbbing pain in his temples. “You—”

“He’s been replaced. Mr. Ren’s health has not been very good recently,” Xun Zhen greeted politely. “Director Gong.”

Gong Hanrou recognized him. She had once made a documentary about the living conditions of mental patients and had dealt with Xun Zhen, so she knew his identity.

She greeted Xun Zhen, then glanced at Ren Chenbai thoughtfully. “It’s fine. Come with me.”

The headache came and went quickly. Ren Chenbai stood there blankly, only coming to his senses when Xun Zhen patted him on the shoulder.

“What’s wrong with my younger brother?” Ren Chenbai frowned tightly. “Why did they say I didn’t take good care of Xiao Zhi? Is Xiao Zhi sick?”

At that moment, he seemed to see Luo Zhi lying on a hospital bed. He had never seen that figure so pale and weak. A thick unease suddenly rose in his heart.

Ren Chenbai stood there, suddenly a little anxious. “I should go back and check first. I can bring him the dessert while I’m at it. He always forgets to eat when he’s painting…”

“Mr. Ren,” Xun Zhen interrupted him. “Your younger brother is very well. He doesn’t need your dessert.”

Ren Chenbai stopped talking and looked at him half-believingly.

Xun Zhen gestured in the direction Gong Hanrou had left, then walked over first without waiting for him.

…He knew Ren Chenbai would definitely follow.

Having understood the Ming family’s intentions, Xun Zhen had tried to guide Ren Chenbai based on the information sent by Ming Lu’s people.

The process was far simpler than he had imagined—Ren Chenbai didn’t even need much persuasion from him, almost eagerly believing and accepting this claim completely.

The current Ren Chenbai believed that after recovering from his injuries for those three months at the Seaview Villa, Luo Zhi had been formally brought home by his mother, completely breaking off relations with the Luo family.

After that, Luo Zhi had lived with the Ren family, with them. Later, his mother passed away from illness, and Ren Chenbai had been taking care of Luo Zhi until now.

Xun Zhen had originally wanted to save some face for the Ren family and let him finish this dream in the hospital room. It was Ren Chenbai himself who had insisted on coming to the film set.

No matter how strict a film crew’s management was, it was still a film crew. With so many people and so many eyes, it was impossible to truly keep any news a secret.

After today, what the Ren family’s heir, whose reputation was so good to the extreme, the most gentle, soft-hearted, and kind-natured person, would become in the eyes of outsiders, and how many layers of his seemingly human skin would be stripped off, Xun Zhen didn’t know.

…

Ren Chenbai followed Gong Hanrou to the reception room.

It was easy to see that this room was originally used for recording interview materials. Behind the large green potted plants used for cover, there was also a camera with a flashing red light.

Noticing Ren Chenbai’s hesitant steps, Gong Hanrou stopped and turned around. “We need interview material from the family members of the person involved. You’ve come at a good time.”

Gong Hanrou looked at him. “Is there any inconvenience?”

Hearing Gong Hanrou say “family member,” Ren Chenbai was stunned for a moment, then his expression softened considerably. “No.”

“You’re right. This part should indeed be recorded,” Ren Chenbai smiled. “I’ve been too busy recently. It seems I haven’t chatted with my younger brother for a long time… He’s been a little unwilling to talk to me recently. He’s probably going through a rebellious phase. It’s my fault. I should care about him more.”

Gong Hanrou sat in a chair not far away.

Ren Chenbai leaned on his crutch, walked to the sofa hidden by the green plants, and sat down, placing his crutch aside.

He seemed to be waiting for an opportunity like this to say these words, so that he could confirm it again and completely drive out the extremely bone-chilling, inexplicable fear that had taken root in his heart.

He was too satisfied with his current life, so satisfied that he felt as if he had had an extremely absurd nightmare that spanned half his life. Only now had he woken up and caught the fate that was originally within his grasp.

To be honest, even now, he still felt uneasy from time to time—that nightmare was too real, so real that it seemed to be right before his eyes. Fortunately, it was all fake. Fortunately, he hadn’t really done that.

Fortunately, he had finally woken up. If he had been trapped in that nightmare…

No, that was not possible.

There was absolutely no such possibility. He would absolutely not be fooled.

Ren Chenbai looked at his hands. He tried his best to recall the scene he had seen before coming to the film set.

—His younger brother was painting in the studio.

The afternoon sun was very good. That figure sat in front of the easel, the brush in his hand focused on applying and outlining on the canvas. There was even a little paint on his cuff.

He stood at the door and watched for a while before leaving. Perhaps because he was very quiet, the person in the room didn’t notice at all and was still focused on handling the details of that painting.

…

Xiao Zhi had indeed been a little unwilling to talk to him recently.

He always buried his head in his own business, and when he walked around the house, he also treated him as air… But it wasn’t his brother’s fault. It was his reason.

He had done some very bad things in the past. Those things were too excessive, so excessive that no matter when the old accounts were brought up, whenever he was given the cold shoulder, shown a sullen face, or lost his temper with because of these things, it was what he deserved…

Gong Hanrou asked, “Your family adopted him?”

“Yes, it was ten years ago.”

Ren Chenbai nodded. He seemed to recall the situation at that time, and a smile flashed briefly and quickly on his face. “He made a wish to be a family with us.”

Ren Chenbai said this slowly. He looked at his own palm. “My mother brought him home.”

“How is he?” Gong Hanrou asked. “Is he living well with your family?”

…