The Yaoguai: Part One (special preview)

As a photographer, Sun Bao, had worked an odd variety of jobs to make ends meet. He’d worked at a chain photography studio, trying to get families together in order to capture the ‘perfect moment’ for a christmas card. He had done crime scene photography, having seen things grisly, heartbreaking, and enough slabs of dead bodies to turn him off meat all together. Wildlife photography had been fine, save for the fact he was allergic to bees and one outing had him in the emergency room.

In any case, Sun Bao had always known his fate would be found in the lens of a camera. So, on a rather chilled evening during a charity event to save historic works of art, he was tasked with taking candid photos of the festivities for the charity’s website. While he meandered around, trying to remain unseen by the crowd, he spotted a girl through the lens of his camera.

She was beautiful, quite tall too, and with long hair that was styled so it was sleek and shiny. Her eyes turned, locking on the lens right as Sun took the picture. For a moment it was stillness, like two deers caught in headlights. She then smiled, then he smiled.

“You weren’t supposed to look!” He teased.

“I certainly hope you won’t be using that.” She touches her soft cheek and Sun could see the red paint on her nails. “I’ve never been one for cameras.”

“I find that hard to believe.” Sun was instantly smitten. “I could send you a copy for approval, if you’d like?”

She smirked. “Very sneaky, Mr. Photographer. You best give me your card, I think it will be better if I find you.”

Sun handed her his business card, but he wouldn’t know her name until some time had passed. He later received an email with an inquiry for a job to take pictures at a wedding. After accepting the job, Sun was asked to come by the venue so that he could take engagement photos for the invitations.

Usually, these things took place at a church, maybe a garden, or some other location with beautiful scenery. Sun ended up at an old hotel, one that appeared to be crumbling from the outside. The old grotesques and gargoyles on the building were faded beyond recognition and there was no sign of paint on the walls. 

The doors nearly screamed as they were opened, and rather than a ghost or demon shambling out, it was her; the beautiful girl from the charity. She waved as Sun approached, a joyous smile on her face.

“They’re not here yet,” she said of the couple to be. “So why not come in and scout some places?”

Sun smiled, forgetting how creepy and dilapidated the place appeared. “So it isn’t your wedding?”

“Goodness no,” she chuckled. She then extended her hand. “I’m Mari Qiangwei, it’s my brother, James, who is getting married.”

Sun couldn’t stop smiling. Mari was beautiful, tall, with a pear-shaped figure. She showed him around the old hotel, which must have been grand once in its heyday, but now, it looked like the sort of place you’d go to die rather than have a wedding.

“My family has owned this place for generations,” she says of the shambling tower. “This is the Wild Rose. The ballroom is just over here, where the main ceremony will be taking place.”

The once vivid red carpets were now stained and browning. The embellished wallpaper was peeling away from the walls while the ghost of odors past wafted by on their merry way. The ballroom wasn’t as grand as Sam had pictured either. It was quite narrow and the marble floor had seen better days. 

“Our parents are giving my brother this place as a wedding present,” Mari said.

Sun was taking a few shots to check the lighting and how the dingy room photographs in general. “What does he plan to do with it?” To Sun, it felt like a cruel joke. He would rather receive a crisp five dollar bill than this crumbling nightmare. 

“He’ll do what our family has done for generations, run it.” Mari watched Sun with a keen eye before approaching him. “It’s not operational right now. But James’ fiance is quite wealthy and wants to invest in something with him. They can’t have children so-” She stopped herself as if realizing she was sharing things too intimate with just a stranger photographer.

“Will you be helping them?” Sun asked out of curiosity. “I mean, with the hotel and all.”

Mari looked at him, her soft eyes darting over his face before she gave him a soft smile. “I’m hoping to do some traveling before I come back here.”

“Where would you want to go?”

Mari scrunched up her face in thought. “Anywhere really,” she answered with a shrug. “Where would you want to go?” 

Sun had traveled to many places, but there was always one he wanted to visit, just to see where it would lead him. “Probably China,” he answered. “I’ve never been, and I would like to find my family there.”

Mari’s brow knit together. “What do you mean?”

Sun sighed and let a soft smile out to hide his own uncertainty. “You don’t wanna hear my sob story. You’ve got your own plate, I have mine.”

Mari stepped closer to him. “What about over dinner?”

Sun looked at her with surprise. 

Mari’s cheeks were flushed and she was fidgeting in place. “After this shoot is done. How about you and I go have dinner somewhere and talk about our plates?” 

It was the first of many dates with Mari. Sun told her how he was adopted. Mari revealed her family was struggling and heavily relying on her brother’s marriage. There was also a lot riding on Mari to find a rich and successful husband, a goal she didn’t quite appreciate. 

“My family has some very strange traditions,” Mari told him. “Not to mention my brother and I are practically all that’s left aside from my mom and uncle.” She always seemed nervous when discussing her family. Sun had noticed, when introducing her to his family, she seemed to attach more to them. He had barely met her family, aside from her brother, whom he had to do business with.