After walking for about ten minutes, they soon saw a wooden archway, carved with many patterns, including birds, beasts, fish, insects, and flowers.
Xiao Zhang introduced, "That recluse, Xian Ye Jushi, loved to paint. Everything carved on here are his artworks."
Brother Qiao immediately hoisted his equipment and began taking close-up shots of the over five-meter-high wooden archway.
Xiao Zhang hurriedly said, "Brother, I suggest you put that away. The villagers of Qifeng Village probably won't like seeing that thing."
Brother Qiao was a little displeased; putting away his camera was like walking blindfolded.
Director Huang came over and patted his shoulder, "What you've already filmed is enough for the opening sequence."
"Then what about the program? We can't just make it a PowerPoint, can we?"
"Let's go inside and communicate first."
In the previous season, the locals had welcomed the production crew with gongs and drums, firecrackers, and stilt walkers. The sound of suona would bring the entire village out!
This place, however, was quiet and lifeless.
"I'll only escort you this far."
Everyone was stunned, "You're not coming in with us?"
Xiao Zhang waved his hands, "I was instructed to escort you to the village entrance. Any further, and no one will be responsible if anything happens."
His words made everyone feel even more uneasy.
Director Huang thanked Xiao Zhang and arranged a time for him to pick them up on their next visit...
As Xiao Zhang left, he kept looking back at them, his sympathetic gaze sending chills down their spines.
Xia Weiliang looked around, "Teacher Xi, for the next suspense film, this place would be perfect for a 1:1 scale set. The atmosphere is spot on."
"Scared?"
Xi En had already walked up to her, standing at a comfortable distance, just close enough to reach her.
Xia Weiliang smiled and said, half-jokingly, half-seriously, "Let me tell you a secret, I've been reborn. I've even experienced death, so what is there to be afraid of?"
Xi En, like everyone else, assumed she was referring to her new life after leaving the Xia family.
He nodded, "In that case, that's true."
"Alright, let's all go in," Director Huang called out. Everyone instinctively squeezed together and filed in.
Passing through the archway, locust trees lined both sides, with a bluestone path in the middle, winding its way to a corner.
Someone shivered and said, "Who plants locust trees at the village entrance..."
Immediately, someone else chimed in, "There's a saying in our hometown, the character '槐' (huái, locust) is made of '木' (mù, wood) and '鬼' (guǐ, ghost). Those are trees that can connect the yin and yang realms! Ordinary families wouldn't plant these, let alone two rows at the village entrance!"
Zhang Miaomiao, startled, turned and glared, "Can you stop scaring people!"
Two crew members quickly shut their mouths.
Director Huang also said, "Just folk tales, not to be believed."
Xia Weiliang wasn't exactly brave, but this level of creepiness didn't faze her. After all, she had witnessed the worst of human nature.
"How about I sing a song for everyone?" she suggested enthusiastically.
Normally, such a suggestion would be met with collective rejection, and unanimously so.
But today, no one objected. In their words, it didn't matter if Niang Niang's singing was good or not; the key was that it could ward off evil spirits!
Da Zhuang was quick-witted and ran over to stuff a megaphone into her hand, "Niang Niang, sing with this! Sing as loud as you can! It'll boost our courage!"
Xia Weiliang: "..."
Was she spoiling them a little too much?
They were supposed to be here to make a program, but they had entered the village, and there wasn't a soul to be seen!
Just their group, shivering, walking on this bluestone path, the wind rustling the leaves of the locust trees on either side. And with the day drawing to a close, the sun setting, the atmosphere was truly terrifying, making something to lift their spirits essential! Sudan Novel Network
Honestly, Xia Weiliang had never felt such enthusiasm from people before, and it threw her off balance.