Anchor Effect - Chapter 24.1: You chase me

Rehearsal room 404 was indeed empty, perhaps having been used the night before. The thick curtains were drawn, blocking the sunlight outside the window.

Ye Yuchen placed his backpack on a chair, walked over to the window, and opened the curtains, instantly flooding the rehearsal room with light.

Yu Xiu stood in the middle of the rehearsal room, surveyed the space, and remarked, "I later learned that a reservation is required to use the rehearsal room."

"Most places are like that," Ye Yuchen replied, "but I don't bother with reservations."

"That's what they call having connections," Yu Xiu mused, without a hint of sarcasm, making it clear he meant no harm.

"What's wrong with having well-connected friends take you out for food and drinks?" Ye Yuchen countered.

Yu Xiu smiled and agreed, "True."

They both took a sip of water, stretched their facial muscles, and then faced each other, each adjusting to their performance mode.

Yu Xiu's story revolved around a thief who posed as a natural gas company employee to conduct an advance site visit, only to discover that the homeowner had been murdered, and the person who received the thief was the actual murderer.

In this scenario, Ye Yuchen portrayed the murderer. He bent down, mimicking dragging a body with his hands, and said to Yu Xiu, "I'm the murderer. I just killed someone. Now, I'm getting ready to deal with it. You can knock on the door."

However, Yu Xiu remained stationary and inquired, "What will you do?"

"Well," Ye Yuchen straightened up, placed his hands on his chest, and pondered, "if I encounter a natural gas company employee who unexpectedly comes to inspect, I can still calmly pose as the homeowner, showcasing my unwavering composure. Therefore, after committing a murder, I should either...either feign suicide or dismember the body and make it vanish."

Yu Xiu raised an eyebrow, commenting, "You're quite the strategist."

Ye Yuchen replied, "Shouldn't all possibilities be considered when writing a script?"

"Indeed," Yu Xiu nodded in agreement and questioned, "So, are you going to feign suicide now, or are you going to dismember the body?"

Ye Yuchen looked at the non-physical "corpse" at his feet and responded, "If we opt for a suicide pretense, it could be hanging, wrist-slitting, or gas poisoning. In any case, the death shouldn't be gruesome. However, when it comes to the corpse, it lacks impact, so I've decided to go with dismemberment."

Having said this, Ye Yuchen once again bent down, pretending to drag the "body" away, and remarked, "I'm currently moving the body to the bathroom."

"Ding dong," Yu Xiu mimicked the doorbell sound, "Hello, the natural gas company is conducting a routine inspection."

Ye Yuchen instantly transitioned into character, dragging the "body" for a moment, and his initial reaction was to pretend that the homeowner was not present.

"Ding dong," Yu Xiu rang the doorbell again, this time raising the volume, "Is no one home? If not..."

He abruptly broke character, gazed through the "wall" at Ye Yuchen, and commented, "Then I have no choice but to leave."

Ye Yuchen retorted, "..."

He placed the "corpse" on the floor and addressed Yu Xiu, "What's wrong with you? You act as if Harry Potter never attended Hogwarts, and the entire story ends abruptly."

"But I'm a thief. Finding out when the homeowner is absent could also serve as my motive," Yu Xiu explained, clarifying his character's motivation. "I don't need to meet the homeowner face to face."

"But if you do that, the story can't progress," Ye Yuchen reasoned. "I'm the murderer, and I'm still disposing of the body. I wouldn't open the door unless absolutely necessary."

Yu Xiu appeared conflicted, stating, "So, there's no way for the two characters to meet."

"You're a screenwriter; you need to create opportunities," Ye Yuchen offered, helping Yu Xiu analyze the situation. "Typically, thieves aren't straightforward when visiting places. However, since you dare to pose as a natural gas company employee, it implies you're no ordinary thief. You're clever, audacious, talkative, humorous, and have confidence in your acting abilities. You might even add drama by striking up a conversation with the homeowner to gauge their financial situation."

Yu Xiu nodded in understanding, saying, "I see."

"Alright," Ye Yuchen resumed dragging the "body" and declared, "Action."

"Ding dong," Yu Xiu rang the doorbell again, proclaiming, "Hello, the natural gas company has scheduled an inspection. I've made an appointment with you. Please open the door."

Yu Xiu's mind raced as he intentionally dropped hints about contacting the homeowner beforehand—though this was merely a ruse he adopted as a self-assured thief. Meanwhile, the murderer inside the house took notice. Given that the homeowner had scheduled a natural gas inspection but hadn't answered the door, it would inevitably raise suspicion.

Ye Yuchen moved the "corpse" into the bathroom and shut the door. Believing that there would likely be bloodstains on the wall, he pushed a cabinet over to conceal the crime scene.

Of course, all of this was part of a non-physical performance.

Yu Xiu playfully inquired, "What are you doing?"