The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 17

Xu Zhiyan and Yuanyuan got into Shen Buhui’s nanny van. When choosing seats, whether by coincidence or not, Xiaofang and Yuanyuan both picked the front row.

At the very front, the driver steered steadily. In the row ahead, Xiaofang and Yuanyuan tilted their heads—either asleep or lost in their own worlds, listening to music or playing on their phones. Meanwhile, Xu Zhiyan and Shen Buhui sat in the row behind them, their legs lightly touching as they leaned back against their seats in comfortable silence.

After a while, Xu Zhiyan spoke in a hushed voice.

“Teacher Shen…”

As she lifted her eyes, she met Shen Buhui’s warm, smiling gaze. The words she had originally intended to say caught in her throat, and she changed course instead.

“Sister, if I ever do something that makes you uncomfortable, please let me know.”

Shen Buhui raised a brow. “Why would you say that?”

Outside the car window, the scenery flashed by in streaks of light. Xu Zhiyan absentmindedly pinched her own fingernails.

“I’m afraid that I might upset you without realizing it.”

Shen Buhui was slightly taken aback. “That won’t happen.”

How could she possibly be upset with her?

Xu Zhiyan pursed her lips. “But today, I felt like you were a bit distant with me.”

She had finally said it.

This had been bothering her all day. Only after wrapping up filming and having a chance to chat with Shen Buhui did she muster the confidence to bring it up.

“Distant?” Shen Buhui echoed, puzzled.

As she furrowed her brows, recalling her own demeanor throughout the day, Xu Zhiyan stared at her intently. In the dim, confined space of the car, her eyes shone brightly, as if capable of piercing through the mist and seeing straight into one’s soul.

“I was never distant with you,” Shen Buhui explained earnestly. “If my attitude felt different today, it was because of… my own reasons. It had nothing to do with you.”

Well, perhaps it did, in some way. But compared to what had happened earlier that afternoon and the news she had just received, all those tangled emotions seemed far less significant now.

The only sound remaining was the faint hum of the moving vehicle. Xu Zhiyan met Shen Buhui’s sincere, gentle gaze, feeling a bit self-conscious as she hunched her shoulders.

“As long as I didn’t make you upset,” she murmured, breathing out a quiet sigh of relief.

Shen Buhui was the first senior Xu Zhiyan had gotten to know after entering the industry. She was also the one she had grown closest to. In some ways, Xu Zhiyan even regarded her as a trusted friend. She didn’t want their relationship to become distant over some unnoticed mistake.

Shen Buhui chuckled softly. “I will never be angry with you.”

Xu Zhiyan’s eyes widened in surprise. “But… but people can’t just decide never to get angry. That’s not how emotions work.”

In any relationship—whether between family members or close friends—disagreements and conflicts were inevitable. To say that one could never get upset with another person felt too absolute, too unrealistic.

“So you shouldn’t make such sweeping statements that can easily be contradicted.”

Yet, Shen Buhui’s smile remained, her gaze filled with a warmth that Xu Zhiyan couldn’t quite decipher. “If I say I won’t, then I won’t.”

Her voice was firm and unwavering.

Something about the way she was looking at her made Xu Zhiyan feel oddly unsettled. She shifted slightly in her seat, feeling a strange tightness in her chest.

“…Fine, if you say so,” she muttered under her breath.

If Teacher Shen ever did get upset, she would definitely point it out!

Shen Buhui reached out and gently patted her head, as if she hadn’t just heard that quiet grumble.

But after a moment of thought, Xu Zhiyan spoke again. “Sister, if you ever have something on your mind—something that’s bothering you—you can talk to me. I promise I’ll be a good listener!”

She pressed her thumbs and index fingers together at the corners of her lips and mimed zipping them shut, signaling her ability to keep a secret.

Worried that she might be seen as too young to be reliable, Xu Zhiyan quickly added with great seriousness, “Don’t underestimate me just because I’m younger than you. I understand more than you think.”

So if you ever feel down, you really can come to me!

Her big, earnest eyes conveyed exactly that message.

Shen Buhui felt a warmth bloom in her chest. She nodded. “Alright. If I need someone to talk to, I’ll come to you.”

Hearing that, Xu Zhiyan beamed in satisfaction.

Shen Buhui didn’t want to dwell on the topic any longer. The frustration and jealousy she had carried from the previous night had somehow faded away, washed away by the presence of the person sitting beside her.

Maybe, just maybe, she could try to open her heart a little more.

“When we get back to the hotel, make sure to rest well. Tonight’s scenes are heavy—we’ll likely be filming until late.”

Xu Zhiyan nodded. She had already memorized the shooting schedule for the next few days and was well aware of what tonight would entail.

Both of them instinctively avoided mentioning last night’s unexpected incident—one that, if taken seriously, carried a hint of subtle intimacy.

After Shen Buhui’s van arrived at the underground parking lot of the hotel, Xu Zhiyan took the elevator with her to the top floor. They parted ways in the hallway, almost simultaneously unlocking their respective doors.

Just before stepping inside, Xu Zhiyan suddenly turned her head and curved her lips into a soft smile.

“See you tonight, Sister.”

Then, with light, brisk steps, she entered her room.

Having cleared up a baseless misunderstanding with Shen Buhui and successfully completing her first-ever acting shoot, Xu Zhiyan hummed happily as she took a quick shower before settling down for a nap, preparing herself for the night’s work.

By 7 PM, the sky was already dark.

When Xu Zhiyan finished changing and opened the door, she wasn’t surprised to hear familiar sounds from the room across the hall.

In a cheerful mood, she called out, “Teacher Shen, let’s go.”

The two of them headed to the set together, parting ways upon arrival to go to their respective dressing rooms. After getting into costume and having their makeup done, they reemerged.

Their scene wouldn’t be filmed until later, as the crew was currently shooting Zeng Yue’s segment.

By the time Xu Zhiyan and Shen Buhui arrived on set, Xiaofang had already set up chairs for them. Shen Buhui adjusted her slightly tilted chair before sitting down. The two were seated quite close—within what could be considered an intimate range in terms of social distance.

But Xu Zhiyan didn’t seem to notice. Or rather, she had already grown used to it.

With a focused, studious expression, she watched Zeng Yue act, completely absorbed in observing every detail.

So while Xu Zhiyan’s eyes remained fixed on the scene in front of her, Shen Buhui, in turn, glanced at her from the side—unnoticed and unhurried.

After a while, noticing that Xu Zhiyan had been staring at Zeng Yue for too long, Shen Buhui spoke to draw her attention back.

“Did you notice anything?”

Xu Zhiyan retracted her gaze, stretched her folded legs, and hugged her script to her chest.

“Sister Zeng Yue’s acting is amazing. I still have so much to learn!” she sighed, lightly tapping her calf in mock frustration.

Shen Buhui narrowed her eyes, shifting her focus to Zeng Yue, who was mid-scene, wiping away tears. Her misty eyes and delicate, sorrowful face added to the poignancy of the moment.

Licking her lips slightly, Shen Buhui asked, “Then did you notice the flaw in her performance just now?”

“A flaw?” Xu Zhiyan instinctively turned back toward the set. By this time, Zeng Yue’s character had risen from the floor. From her angle, Xu Zhiyan had a perfect side view of her expression.

After a moment of contemplation, she hesitated before speaking. “When she cried earlier… it seemed a little stiff?”

Her voice carried uncertainty as she turned to Shen Buhui, hoping for confirmation.

“Mm.” Shen Buhui cast her a look of approval before explaining, “You see, in that crying scene, the emotions should have transitioned through three distinct layers: disbelief, then grievance, and finally anger. But she only captured two—she skipped over the middle stage too quickly.”

Unconsciously, Xu Zhiyan tapped her chin with the tip of her pen, deep in thought.

Now that she replayed the scene in her mind, she realized that she had indeed noticed it. With Shen Buhui’s explanation, everything suddenly clicked into place. Reviewing the moment in her head again, she was thrilled to have identified the issue.

Earlier, when she had watched the scene, she had only felt that something was slightly off—stiff, even—but she hadn’t been able to pinpoint the exact issue.

Seeing that Xu Zhiyan had grasped the point, Shen Buhui gave an approving nod.

Sure enough, the director had already called for a retake.

Xu Zhiyan chuckled. “Teacher Shen is truly amazing! I’ve learned so much just by following you around these past few days.”

Shen Buhui raised an eyebrow and gave her a teasing look.

Xu Zhiyan quickly realized her mistake. She slapped her forehead and said playfully, “Oops, I forgot to change how I address you again. I promise I won’t do it next time!”

Satisfied, Shen Buhui nodded.

She had no particular interest in Zeng Yue, but she couldn’t help feeling a faint displeasure at how long Xu Zhiyan’s attention had been focused on her. However, when faced with Xu Zhiyan’s open and unreserved praise, she merely smiled modestly.

“Teacher Zeng’s acting is quite good, too,” she remarked.

As she gazed into Xu Zhiyan’s bright, sparkling eyes, a thought suddenly occurred to her.

“How has your self-study at the set been going?”

Xu Zhiyan replied without hesitation, “Every actor on set is like a teacher to me. They’re all more experienced than I am, and I’ve learned a lot just by observing them.”

“Especially when the director has time to give me pointers. That, combined with my own acting practice, has helped me improve a lot.”

She smiled, though she knew that her greatest progress had come from repeatedly acting alongside Shen Buhui in real-time rehearsals.

Shen Buhui listened, deep in thought.

The set was a complex environment, and while Xu Zhiyan had been watching and learning from the other actors, the reality was that the lessons she could glean were limited. Some of those so-called experienced actors might not even be as talented as Xu Zhiyan herself.

She simply lacked experience—but when it came to acting, talent was far more crucial than anything else.

“That’s good,” Shen Buhui nodded in approval.

Just as Xu Zhiyan was about to turn her gaze back to the front, Shen Buhui spoke again.

“If you ever have any questions or anything you don’t understand, you can come to me.”

Her expression was gentle, her words laced with sincerity. “You have great talent. While observing and learning from others is helpful, it’s not the most efficient way to improve. So, whenever you need guidance, don’t hesitate to ask me.”

Xu Zhiyan’s heart thumped wildly, excitement spreading across her face.

“Really? Wouldn’t that be too much trouble for you?”

She wasn’t sure whether she was more thrilled about finding a mentor willing to help her or if it was something else entirely—but whatever it was, she couldn’t hide her joy.

It suddenly dawned on her that, ever since their unexpected meeting on that quiet little road last night, her relationship with Shen Buhui had progressed at an astonishing pace in just a single day.

Yet, she didn’t dislike this newfound closeness. In fact, she found herself enjoying it.

Shen Buhui stood up from her chair, stretching her legs before responding with certainty.

“Of course. It’s no trouble at all.”

If anything, she was more than willing.

Xu Zhiyan tilted her head up to look at her, beaming with joy.

“Thank you, Sister!”

Shen Buhui found herself drawn to Xu Zhiyan’s fair, delicate face, an unfamiliar itch stirring in her heart. She clasped her fingers together behind her back, rubbing them against each other as if trying to suppress the urge to do something impulsive.

Yet, she couldn’t stop her expression from softening. Overcome by Xu Zhiyan’s infectious happiness, she reached down and ruffled her hair with a rare tenderness.

It was an expression that seldom appeared on her face.

At that exact moment, Zhao Yue—who had just arrived on set looking for Shen Buhui—paused in his steps, momentarily stunned by the scene before him.

Meanwhile, Zeng Yue, who had just finished a scene and was reaching for her water bottle, caught sight of the interaction from the corner of her eye. Her hand hesitated mid-motion, fingers tightening around the bottle cap.