The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 14

Suddenly, Xu Zhiyan felt like she needed an enormous amount of courage just to open the door and step outside.

Just thinking about it made her tongue tingle again.

She hesitated in front of the door, blocking Yuanyuan behind her. Since she wouldn’t move forward, Yuanyuan couldn’t reach the door handle either. And asking her assistant to open the door for her would be far too strange.

Before she could make a decision, the doorknob twisted on its own, and the door swung open.

Xu Zhiyan stared at the empty, quiet hallway. She couldn’t tell whether she felt relieved or disappointed, but at least the tension in her chest eased slightly.

They were staying on the top floor of the hotel. Given Shen Buhui’s status as both a lead actress and a major star, the production team had booked the presidential suite for her well in advance.

As for Xu Zhiyan—although she was also a lead, she was still a newcomer without any influential background. By all logic, she shouldn’t have been placed on the same floor.

Yet, for some reason, the room assigned to her was indeed on the top floor.

Apparently, the production team had reserved the entire level, meaning that aside from Shen Buhui, the only other people Xu Zhiyan might encounter here were hotel staff.

Every morning, she would inevitably run into Shen Buhui in the hallway. But today, for the first time, she was nowhere to be seen.

As her nerves settled, her mind started wandering.

Does Miss Shen… still remember what happened last night?

With that question in mind, Xu Zhiyan got into the production car, heading toward the filming location.

Today’s schedule included individual promotional shots and costume portraits, as well as several duo photoshoots with different themes and outfits.

When she arrived, the first thing she noticed was the familiar black nanny van parked outside.

That meant Shen Buhui had arrived long before her.

As soon as Xu Zhiyan stepped out of the car with Yuanyuan, a young woman wearing a staff badge approached her with a bright smile.

“Miss Xu?”

Xu Zhiyan nodded.

The woman gestured politely. “Miss Xu, please follow me.”

As they walked, she explained, “Miss Shen is currently shooting her individual portraits. I’ll take you to the makeup room to get ready.”

Xu Zhiyan followed her inside, passing by several busy crew members. After a moment, she asked, “When did Miss Shen get here?”

The woman glanced at her watch. “About an hour and a half ago.”

Xu Zhiyan looked at her phone. There were still ten minutes left until the official call time.

She came that early?

She muttered under her breath, “So early.”

The young woman led her to a white door, then pushed it open. “This is your makeup room. If you don’t need anything else, I’ll leave you to it.”

“Alright,” Xu Zhiyan glanced at her staff badge, “Thank you, Miss Wang.”

She chose to address her with a respectful title, considering her position.

Wang Yuyan was momentarily stunned before her smile became more genuine. “It’s nothing at all.”

Once she left, Xu Zhiyan settled onto the sofa to wait for the makeup artist. Yuanyuan poured her a cup of water before propping her chin on her hand with a playful grin.

“Zhiyan, you’re so nice.”

Xu Zhiyan blinked. “Huh?”

Yuanyuan explained, “Around here, you have to call every artist Teacher. If they’re in a good mood, they’ll acknowledge you; if not, they might even take their frustration out on you—especially lower-ranked staff.”

“…Aren’t they afraid of ruining their public image?”

Xu Zhiyan knew that many celebrities crafted personas—some were known for being professional, some for being approachable, and others for staying down-to-earth. But even if it was all an act, wouldn’t it make sense to at least pretend to be polite?

Yuanyuan chuckled. “As long as they maintain the illusion in front of the cameras, their public image won’t collapse.”

As for what happened off-camera? If someone dared to leak it and got caught, they’d be the one losing their job. So, most people simply wouldn’t risk it.

Xu Zhiyan fell silent. “I wouldn’t say I’m nice, just… a normal person. Besides, I’m still a newcomer.”

Yuanyuan didn’t argue, but she knew very well that not all newcomers were like Xu Zhiyan.

The conversation made Xu Zhiyan think about her search for a management company. She looked at Yuanyuan, considering how well they had worked together these past few days, and hesitated before speaking.

“Yuanyuan, after this project ends, would you like to keep working with me?”

Yuanyuan’s face lit up. “Of course, boss!”

Xu Zhiyan laughed and covered her face. “I’m not paying you yet. You can call me that when I actually start paying your salary.”

“Got it, boss!”

They both burst into laughter.

Just as Xu Zhiyan was about to ask about Shen Buhui, the door to the makeup room swung open.

Quickly regaining her composure, she took her seat in front of the vanity mirror, letting the makeup artist begin her work.

An hour later, fully dressed and with her makeup done, Xu Zhiyan smoothed down her hair and asked, “Are we ready?”

“Yes, let’s head to the studio.”

A large group made their way toward the photography set. As they turned a corner in the hallway, they unexpectedly ran into someone.

“…Miss Shen.”

Just a few steps away, the woman stood with exquisite makeup, wrapped in a soft pink cheongsam that accentuated her graceful figure. A cream-colored knit shawl draped over her shoulders, and her short, wavy hair framed her delicate face. She exuded a breathtaking mix of purity and sensuality.

For a moment, Xu Zhiyan was utterly stunned.

The distance between them grew smaller, closer—

Shen Buhui’s smile was gentle, yet there was a slight stiffness to the curve of her lips. She nodded faintly, greeting Xu Zhiyan as if nothing had changed.

As if things had gone back to how they were before.

“Good luck,” she said softly.

And yet, it still felt different.

A subtle fragrance lingered in the air as she passed, and that simple “Good luck” made Xu Zhiyan’s lips curve into a small smile.

With her mood inexplicably lifted, she entered the photography studio in high spirits.

She pulled aside a staff member who had clearly been working here for a while and asked, “Has Miss Shen finished her solo shoot?”

“Yes, she said she’d take a short break before coming back.”

Xu Zhiyan nodded in understanding.

Once everything was set up, Xu Zhiyan donned a pale yellow brocade dress, cradling a poetry book in her hands as she followed the director’s instructions.

“Look over here—yes, keep your gaze fixed at this point. Good, hold that pose.”

The camera clicked continuously, filling the space with rhythmic shutter sounds.

As the flashes momentarily paused, Xu Zhiyan blinked to relax her eyes.

She had struggled at first, but under the director’s guidance, she gradually eased into it, finding her rhythm as the shoot progressed.

After finishing that set, she changed into a cheongsam, then a military uniform, with corresponding makeup adjustments in between. By the time all her solo shots were done, nearly two hours had passed.

“Finally!”

Yuanyuan quickly handed her a cup of water.

Xu Zhiyan gulped it down in one go.

“I was dying of thirst.”

The director glanced at the time and called out, “We still have time—let’s shoot the duo photos too!”

The assistant beside him hesitated, checking the clock. “It’s past eleven. Should we break for lunch first and finish the shoot afterward?”

Xu Zhiyan perked up the moment she heard lunch first, then work. She cheerfully went off to change.

At noon, as she grabbed her boxed meal, she habitually headed toward Shen Buhui’s makeup room, only to find it empty.

Neither Shen Buhui nor Xiao Fang was there.

Her fingers curled slightly against the doorframe before she pressed her lips together and turned away.

After a quick lunch and a brief rest, Xu Zhiyan returned to the studio.

Once again, she was a step late—Shen Buhui was already in the changing room. Her gaze briefly lingered on the tightly closed white door before she followed her stylist into another fitting room.

The first outfit: a military uniform.

Having gained experience from the morning shoot, Xu Zhiyan swiftly changed.

The black military jacket buttoned up tightly, secured all the way to the top. A leather belt cinched her waist, emphasizing her slender figure, while the polished metal buckle gleamed under the lights.

With a crisp click, the belt snapped into place.

Her black leather boots struck the floor, producing sharp, authoritative sounds that echoed in the room. The friction of her movements exuded an air of icy command.

She adjusted her military cap, deciding to wear it only if needed later.

As she stepped out, Yuanyuan’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “Ahhh! No matter how many times I look, you’re still so cool, so fierce, so stunning!!!”

She wasn’t the only one.

The surrounding staff also showered Xu Zhiyan with endless praise, compliments spilling out without restraint.

Surrounded by a chorus of admiration, Xu Zhiyan’s ears turned slightly red. Her gaze flickered uncomfortably as she tried to evade the attention—

Only to land on someone.

Shen Buhui.

Dressed in a red high-slit cheongsam, her curves were elegantly wrapped in silk, the fabric clinging to her delicate frame without a single gap. Compared to the one from the morning, this outfit was bolder, more seductive—practically the pinnacle of allure.

The slit ran daringly high, revealing glimpses of fair, porcelain skin as she walked.

A tantalizing contrast of red silk and pale flesh—

Xu Zhiyan’s world seemed to quiet in an instant.

Her ears stopped registering the surrounding noise.

Her eyes lost sight of everything else.

At this moment, in this space, only one thing existed—

That striking blend of red and white.