The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 11

After spending the entire day wearing makeup, Xu Zhiyan felt her face heavy and sticky, which made her uncomfortable.

So the moment she returned to the hotel, she immediately started removing her makeup.

A step behind her, Yuan Yuan noticed and quickly tidied up the room, intending to leave early so as not to disturb Xu Zhiyan’s rest.

For a while, the room was quiet, aside from the occasional clinking of bottles and jars as they each busied themselves with their tasks.

Then, suddenly—

“Zhiyan, you’re trending!”

Yuan Yuan’s eyes widened in surprise as she stared at her phone, thrilled.

Just as Xu Zhiyan finished wiping her face clean and was about to head to the shower, she froze mid-step and turned around. “Is it good or bad?”

“Uh…” Yuan Yuan let out an awkward chuckle. “I haven’t checked yet.”

God knew how excited she had been when she saw Xu Zhiyan’s name on the trending list—she hadn’t even clicked into it yet!

But after thinking about the hashtag, she guessed, “It should be good?”

Frowning slightly, Xu Zhiyan picked up her phone and logged into Weibo.

The moment she opened the trending page, she saw #Symbiosis Shen Buhui and Xu Zhiyan# ranked third on the list.

Both leads’ names were included.

Now fully awake, Yuan Yuan sat down on the sofa. The two of them each held a phone as they checked the trending topic together.

The first post under the tag featured a photo from the opening ceremony—Director Cheng, Xu Zhiyan, and Shen Buhui standing together for the press interviews.

The image quality was decent—not HD, but not blurry either—at least, it was clear enough for people to recognize their faces.

Xu Zhiyan only glanced at the photo briefly before heading straight to the comments.

As expected, the top comments were from Shen Buhui’s fans, expressing excitement for the new film. Occasionally, there were a few scattered questions asking, “Who’s the newcomer?”

Scanning through the reactions, Xu Zhiyan felt relieved.

As long as it wasn’t a negative trending topic or filled with harsh criticism, she had no reason to worry.

However, one particular comment caught her attention.

“I heard Symbiosis is a dual-female-lead film? With quite a few emotional scenes? But judging from the photos, the two leads have absolutely zero CP chemistry.”

There were plenty of responses agreeing with this take.

• • • • “Yeah, they have no tension at all. I don’t think I can ship this.”

• • • • “LMAO, to this day, I’ve never seen anyone who has CP chemistry with my wife, let alone this rookie.”

• • • • “Come on, just watch the movie for the story. Why does everything have to be about shipping?”

• • • • “This? Even a dog wouldn’t ship it.”

Xu Zhiyan stared at that last line.

“…Even a dog wouldn’t ship it.”

For some reason, that one stung a little.

She knew that Miss Shen had a reputation for being “cold and untouchable,” and she certainly hadn’t planned on intentionally creating CP buzz, but still—

Having people outright say they looked completely unfit together felt like a direct rejection.

What made it worse?

That comment had 520 likes.

Which meant… a lot of people agreed.

Biting her lip, Xu Zhiyan turned to Yuan Yuan, who was still scrolling through Weibo, and asked seriously,

“Yuan Yuan, let me ask you something.”

Yuan Yuan, sensing the gravity in her tone, immediately straightened up. “Go ahead.”

“At the opening ceremony today, when I stood next to Miss Shen… did we really have no CP chemistry?”

At first, Yuan Yuan thought something major had happened, but after hearing the question, she blinked in confusion.

Seeing Xu Zhiyan’s expectant gaze, she furrowed her brows in thought.

“Is it really that hard to answer? You actually have to think about it?” Xu Zhiyan muttered in frustration.

“No, no! Not at all,” Yuan Yuan quickly shook her head. “I just want to find the right words to describe it.”

After a moment, she concluded, “Actually, you and Miss Shen look really good together!”

She wasn’t thinking about the formal press photos from the ceremony. Instead, she recalled how the two interacted in private.

Especially this morning, when they had left together—their silhouettes side by side had looked undeniably harmonious.

Xu Zhiyan squinted at her. “You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?”

“Of course not! I’m being 100% honest!” Yuan Yuan insisted.

Xu Zhiyan felt a little better.

But then—

She noticed Yuan Yuan staring at her with a knowing, amused look.

Immediately, her stomach tightened.

“…What?” she asked cautiously.

Yuan Yuan smirked. “Zhiyan, why do you care so much about whether or not you and Miss Shen have CP chemistry?”

Now that was a good question.

Why was she even thinking about this?!

Her focus should be on acting well—not worrying about whether she had CP chemistry with someone!

Since when did she let random online comments influence her thoughts?

Xu Zhiyan frowned, wondering if she had spent too much time indulging in CP pairings on Weibo. Was she subconsciously projecting her own fandom habits onto herself?

Across from her, Yuan Yuan was still staring curiously, waiting for an answer.

Xu Zhiyan could only come up with a random excuse to brush it off.

“It’s just my first time acting—I’m overthinking things.”

Yuan Yuan nodded in understanding. She had worked with rookie actors before, and many of them tended to have a lot of unnecessary concerns when starting out.

She reassured her, “Zhiyan, don’t worry. You two have plenty of CP chemistry!”

No, what CP chemistry?!

She wasn’t worried about that at all!

Not wanting to continue the conversation, Xu Zhiyan changed the subject. “It’s been a long day. You should get some rest.”

Once Yuan Yuan left, Xu Zhiyan filled the bathtub and treated herself to a long, relaxing soak. The fatigue of the entire day melted away in the warm water.

By the time she finished her nighttime routine and lay in bed, she finally had the mental space to think about other things.

Seeing her name trending on Weibo for the first time, she suddenly remembered—she wasn’t signed to any agency.

Although this film role was technically a part-time gig, once September rolled around, she would still be active in the entertainment industry.

More importantly…

Xu Zhiyan thought about Miss Shen’s impressive filmography on Baidu.

A hint of expectation stirred in her heart.

Would she also be able to build a strong portfolio and have an iconic film of her own one day?

After today’s first real experience of acting, she realized that she genuinely loved performing.

So in the future, good scripts and strong roles were things she would need to actively pursue.

Just as she was deep in thought, her phone rang.

“Mom? How come you’re calling so late?”

On the other end, Lin Ya’s voice was warm. “I figured you’d be free now, so I wanted to check in. How was your first day of filming?”

A sense of warmth filled Xu Zhiyan’s heart. “Everything went smoothly, Mom. Don’t worry.”

How could she not worry?

Of course, Lin Ya didn’t say that aloud. After a few more questions about the shoot, she shifted the conversation.

“Did you see today’s trending news?”

Xu Zhiyan lowered her voice. “Mm.”

Lin Ya spoke calmly. “Since you’re stepping into this industry, have you thought about signing with a management company?”

Technically, an actor didn’t have to sign with an agency—starting a personal studio was also an option.

However, Lin Ya didn’t think it was the right time for Xu Zhiyan to go independent.

For one, she was still young and about to start university. Managing everything on her own would distract her from acting.

Secondly, running a personal studio wasn’t easy. While Lin Ya and Xu Qingyi could help guide her, they shouldn’t have to restructure their own careers and lives to fully manage hers.

Everyone was an independent individual—family members could help each other, but they shouldn’t sacrifice their own lives for one person.

That was true for spouses, and it was true for parents and children.

Xu Zhiyan understood this well, which was why she had never considered setting up her own studio right now.

If she wanted to do it, she would wait until she had the ability to handle it herself.

With a small smile, she said, “I was just thinking about that, and then you brought it up.”

Lin Ya chuckled. “Since you’re considering it, I’ll start keeping an eye out for good opportunities.”

Xu Zhiyan grinned. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Mom!”

She trusted Lin Ya completely. Her mom had many industry connections and would never let her fall into a bad deal.

After a few more words, they ended the call.

Feeling much more at ease, Xu Zhiyan checked the time, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.

Over the next few days, Xu Zhiyan absorbed a wealth of knowledge on set.

Whenever she wasn’t filming, she would sit on the sidelines, watching other actors perform. She paid close attention to their expressions, movements, and blocking, and she listened intently to the director’s critiques. Each piece of advice felt like a precious treasure that she eagerly stored away, applying them to her own understanding of acting.

Among all the performances she had watched, the one that left the deepest impression on her was Miss Shen’s.

No matter the scene, her transitions were seamless, her emotions effortless. It was as if the role truly belonged to her.

Xu Zhiyan made a firm decision—she would learn everything she could from Miss Shen!

Lunch in the Trailer

That afternoon, since Xu Zhiyan didn’t have a personal assistant van, Shen Buhui invited her to eat in her trailer.

By now, Xu Zhiyan was much more familiar with Miss Shen, so she didn’t hesitate. She grabbed her boxed meal and hopped inside.

The moment she stepped in, a wave of cool air-conditioning hit her, instantly soothing the heat from outside.

Seeing the slight flush on Xu Zhiyan’s cheeks, Shen Buhui’s eyes flickered with concern.

“Here, have some chilled tea to cool down.”

Without hesitation, Xu Zhiyan took the cup and gulped it down in one go.

After finishing, she beamed. “Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Shen!”

They sat across from each other, chatting casually while eating their meals.

When Xu Zhiyan mentioned she was looking into signing with an agency, Shen Buhui paused mid-bite.

“You’re considering signing with a company?”

Xu Zhiyan nodded. “I think it’ll make things much easier for me in the long run.”

Shen Buhui’s expression turned thoughtful.

After finishing the last bite of her meal, Xu Zhiyan looked up and asked, “Do you have any recommendations, Miss Shen?”

A subtle emotion flickered in Shen Buhui’s gaze. Pressing down an unspoken thought, she smiled lightly.

“You trust me that much? Aren’t you afraid I’ll mislead you?”

Xu Zhiyan shook her head without hesitation. Her fair, beautiful face was filled with unwavering trust.

“I believe Miss Shen would never do that.”

Her bright, sincere eyes held a warmth so open, so completely trusting, that it made Shen Buhui’s heart tighten.

Lowering her gaze, she reflexively tightened her grip on her chopsticks.

Then, in a serious voice, she promised, “I will never betray your trust.”

Sensing the sudden shift in atmosphere, Xu Zhiyan offered a reassuring smile. “Miss Shen, you don’t have to feel pressured. If you don’t have a recommendation, it’s completely fine.”

She had only brought it up casually—she didn’t want Miss Shen to feel obligated to worry about her affairs.

A soft laugh escaped Shen Buhui’s lips. “This is just a small matter. It’s no trouble at all.”

Since Xu Zhiyan had been actively considering agencies, after their meal, Shen Buhui carefully introduced several companies she knew well.

**“Lan Hua Entertainment has strong resources, but its internal politics are chaotic—especially now, with intense power struggles among the higher-ups. Not the best time to join.

Hai He Agency is a veteran company with many big-name artists. Quite a few famous actors have come from there. But from what I’ve heard, they just signed a wave of new trainees…”**

As she listed various agencies, Xu Zhiyan listened attentively, occasionally passing Shen Buhui a cup of water.

Then, curiosity piqued, she asked, “What about Xingmang Entertainment?”

Xingmang Entertainment—the company Shen Buhui was currently signed to.