To be honest, Old Zhang's reaction was within Lin Chen's expectations.
In the past few days, five or six customers had come to the cinema but were all scared away by the 380-yuan ticket price.
After all, despite rising prices, top-tier cinemas charged at most 30 to 40 yuan per ticket. Compared to that, 380 yuan seemed downright exploitative.
Thinking this, Lin Chen silently asked the system, "Can the ticket price be lowered? I don't think anyone will watch at 380 yuan."
"Please rest assured, host. The ticket price set by the system is absolutely fair."
Fair? Yeah right!
Lin Chen now had only 200 yuan left. If no customers came soon, he'd starve.
Just then, his phone rang.
The caller was Wang Chong.
Wang Chong was Lin Chen's university roommate, from a relatively wealthy family; his dad was an executive at a foreign trade company. After graduation, Wang Chong also worked at his dad's company and was doing quite well thanks to his eloquence and connections.
They had been close during university and kept in touch since graduation.
Before Wang Chong could say anything, Lin Chen answered: "Send me your location; I'm lost."
"Alright, I'll send it on WeChat."
After hanging up, Lin Chen sent the cinema's location on WeChat.
About ten minutes later, Wang Chong arrived with a girl.
"Lin Chen, your cinema is quite unique — I almost thought it was a haunted house." Wang Chong joked as he looked around the lobby.
Lin Chen wanted to complain about the decoration but couldn't. Everything — from the layout to equipment and even the sign — was the system's work. He wanted to redesign, but the system said his Permission Level was too low.
Wang Chong introduced the girl to Lin Chen at the bar: "This is my girlfriend Lu Xiaoran; this is my good buddy Lin Chen."
"Hello," Lin Chen nodded to Lu Xiaoran, then asked, "Have you eaten? Want something to drink?"
Wang Chong waved off the question: "Look at the time! Don't bother with that. I'm here to support your business today. Got any new movie recommendations?"
Lin Chen pointed at the monitor: "Only one film so far."
"A Wicked Ghost?"
Wang Chong was surprised, then happy. He had seen the film before and thought it was quite scary. Now was a good chance — watching a horror movie alone with his girlfriend might help him advance in their relationship.
He quickly took out his wallet: "Forget it, buddy. Two tickets, please!"
Lin Chen looked conflicted: "Alright, 380 each, total 760!"
He had already secretly asked the system if he could waive the fee. The system refused decisively.
"Don't mind! I'm here to support your business, pay whatever it costs!" Wang Chong thought Lin Chen was shy to ask for money and joked.
Lin Chen was serious: "I'm not joking!"
Wang Chong stared at Lin Chen. Seeing he was serious, his expression changed instantly.
What was Lin Chen thinking? Treating him as a brother, coming all this way to support his business, and he charged him 380 yuan a ticket? Was he playing him for a fool? And with his girlfriend here, Lin Chen didn't even show any face.
Only a few months out of university, and Lin Chen had turned like this. No chance for their friendship anymore.
But since he'd already said he'd support and was with his girlfriend, Wang Chong didn't dare leave immediately. They would watch the movie and then leave.
Lin Chen took the 760 yuan, and seeing Wang Chong's gloomy face, he explained: "Brother, trust me, this movie won't disappoint you."
Wang Chong's expression improved a bit but remained half doubtful.
Lin Chen didn't waste time. After collecting the money, he led them into the screening hall.
The cinema's interior had been modified by the system with black-tech equipment. Although it looked normal, the effect was vastly different.
The screening hall was 50 square meters but had only 8 seats and dim lighting, giving an eerie feeling.
After Wang Chong and Lu Xiaoran sat down, Lin Chen smiled mysteriously: "Brothers, enjoy!"
[System Prompt: This screening has 2 viewers. Play the movie?]
"Play!" Lin Chen silently ordered and quickly left the screening hall.
Watching Lin Chen leave, Lu Xiaoran looked strange and said, "Wang Chong, your buddy is a bit..."
Wang Chong understood her meaning but didn't want to say anything, awkwardly changing the topic: "Heh, the movie's starting. Let's watch."
As the movie began, the hall lights suddenly went out, and darkness swallowed the two.
The eerie music at the opening made their hearts tremble, a faint panic swiftly engulfed them.
Wang Chong had seen A Wicked Ghost before, but this time, it felt completely different.
It wasn't that the plot had changed but the sensory experience.
He had watched many 3D movies, but those just made images appear more three-dimensional.
Now, the movie felt real — as if it was happening right before his eyes.
The eerie background music seemed rooted deep in his mind, refusing to leave, sending chills through his body.
As the plot progressed, four characters in the movie started playing a séance game around a table.
Wang Chong knew the high-tension moment was coming: the first appearance of the ghost.
Instinctively, his body leaned back, wanting to distance from the screen.
Lu Xiaoran, who had seen the movie before, wisely closed her eyes.
But what happened next almost scared them to death!
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。