The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 19
“Zhiyan, do you like calling a lot of people ‘Sister’?”
Shen Buhui’s gaze was piercing, watching her intently, not letting even the smallest change in her expression slip past.
Though she found the question a little odd, Xu Zhiyan still answered honestly. “Not really.”
“Not even when you’re surfing the internet?”
Surfing the internet?
Xu Zhiyan touched her chin in thought. “Occasionally. Mostly when I don’t know how to address someone—it’s always safe to call them ‘Sister.’”
Especially when she was following celebrities. Unlike some fans who liked using “husband” or “wife,” she found that calling someone “Brother” or “Sister” was much more common.
But she didn’t elaborate on that last part, worried that Shen Buhui might ask who she admired.
And if she did ask… how was she supposed to answer? Should she say she enjoyed shipping CPs? That didn’t seem like the most reliable response.
Shen Buhui seemed thoughtful. “But sometimes, it’s better not to call someone ‘Sister.’ You know, some people are very sensitive about their age. If you call them that, they might think you’re implying they’re old.”
“?”
Xu Zhiyan was dumbfounded. “People overthink that much?”
Shen Buhui remained serious. “The world is full of all kinds of people. Some are especially sensitive. And with the way the internet loves to blow things out of proportion, it’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble.”
Xu Zhiyan pondered for a moment, realizing that she had indeed encountered someone like that before. Back then, she had somehow ended up in a completely baffling argument. Now that Shen Buhui brought it up, the memory resurfaced.
“Alright,” Xu Zhiyan nodded. “I’ll stop calling people that. I’ll just stick to ‘Teacher’ instead.”
Now that she was in the industry, addressing people by their last name followed by “Teacher” would always be a safe bet. Even online, adding “Teacher” to a nickname would work just fine.
Shen Buhui narrowed her eyes slightly. The thought of Xu Zhiyan sweetly calling others “Teacher” made her just a little bit annoyed—but it was still better than hearing her call someone else “Sister” or “Brother.”
Now that her goal was achieved, she let go of her earlier concerns and smiled. “But you can still call me ‘Sister.’ I don’t mind those things.”
Xu Zhiyan nodded obediently. “Okay, Sister.”
Shen Buhui chuckled, feeling a small sense of satisfaction. She reached out and ruffled Xu Zhiyan’s hair before opening up the script.
The two of them sat together, immersed in their discussion of the script. Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, more than an hour had gone by.
When Xu Zhiyan finally closed her notebook, filled with notes, she realized it was already quite late.
She also noticed that, at some point, she had unconsciously leaned closer to Shen Buhui—so close that, for the first time, she could clearly pick up the faint, pleasant scent surrounding her.
She wasn’t sure if it was from body wash or perfume, but the sweet, lingering fragrance was incredibly enticing.
Unthinkingly, she took a small breath in.
Then, realizing what she had just done, her face turned red.
Oh god. What was she doing? That was so creepy.
Hoping Shen Buhui hadn’t noticed, Xu Zhiyan quickly stood up and subtly put some distance between them.
“Sister, thank you for tonight. It’s getting late—you should rest soon. I’ll head back now.”
Shen Buhui smiled and nodded, standing up as well to walk her to the door.
Leaning casually against the doorframe, she exuded an effortless, relaxed air as she looked at Xu Zhiyan and said in a gentle voice, “You should rest early too, Yanyan.”
Yanyan.
Xu Zhiyan’s heart skipped a beat. A strange, tingling warmth spread through her chest.
It was the first time someone had called her that so intimately.
She couldn’t help but glance up at Shen Buhui’s expression, only to find that her face still carried the same warm, familiar smile—as if the name had naturally slipped from her lips, completely unremarkable to her.
Realizing that she was probably overreacting, Xu Zhiyan gradually relaxed.
“Goodnight. Bye-bye,” she said softly before heading back to her room.
“Goodnight, bye-bye.”
Before going to sleep, Xu Zhiyan sent a WeChat message to Lin Ya, then closed her phone and rolled over to sleep.
The Next Day
After finishing a phone call, Xu Zhiyan felt a sense of ease as she and Shen Buhui headed to the set together.
Lately, their schedules had become increasingly synchronized. Whenever they had scenes to film, they would arrive and leave together. Sometimes, they even shared meals at lunchtime.
Their interactions appeared natural and close. Many in the crew were initially shocked to see Shen Buhui—who had never been one to form close friendships within the industry—getting along so well with a newcomer.
But after seeing them together so often, the surprise wore off. Now, most people simply sighed in admiration at how well they clicked.
At lunchtime, Xu Zhiyan carried her boxed meal and went looking for Shen Buhui.
Not far away, Zeng Yue had just stepped out, intending to find someone, when she spotted Xu Zhiyan entering Shen Buhui’s van with practiced ease.
Her expression turned unreadable.
She let out a quiet sigh. “That newcomer really has good fortune.”
Debuting as the lead in a high-profile film, coming from an acting family, and now forming such a close bond with Shen Buhui—a person who had always kept others at a distance… One thing after another, all opportunities that others could only dream of.
The assistant beside her kept her head down, not daring to speak.
Zeng Yue hadn’t expected a response anyway. She glanced toward the van in the distance before shifting her attention back to her assistant.
“Follow up with Yao Zhiye and ask about that magazine shoot he was trying to secure for me.”
The assistant nodded quickly.
Without saying anything further, Zeng Yue adjusted her heels and walked away.
Completely unaware of this small interlude, Xu Zhiyan sat inside Shen Buhui’s van, engaged in conversation.
Seeing the delight in Shen Buhui’s eyes, she repeated her question once more.
“Sister, does your invitation for me to join your studio still stand?”
“Of course it does!”
Shen Buhui’s eyes lit up with excitement, her voice brimming with anticipation.
“You’ve really made up your mind? No regrets?”
Xu Zhiyan smiled, her gaze filled with trust. “I’ve made my decision. I won’t regret it. Besides, I trust you.”
She trusted her own judgment—and even more, she trusted Shen Buhui’s character.
A soft warmth spread through Shen Buhui’s chest. Holding onto the unspoken trust from the person in front of her, she said seriously, “I will never treat you unfairly.”
Xu Zhiyan’s cheeks tinged pink.
Those five words—never treat you unfairly—had an unexpectedly suggestive undertone.
She wasn’t sure what was happening to her lately. She kept having these strange, scattered thoughts, and the worst part was that she couldn’t seem to control them.
Immersed in her happiness, Shen Buhui didn’t notice Xu Zhiyan’s reaction.
Once Xu Zhiyan finished her meal and left, Shen Buhui couldn’t contain herself any longer—she immediately picked up her phone and called Zhao Yue.
“She agreed?” Zhao Yue’s expression was complicated.
Shen Buhui smiled. “Yes.”
Seeing her so elated, Zhao Yue sighed inwardly but chose not to comment further.
Pushing aside her personal thoughts, she said, “Since she’s decided to join, I’ll start drafting the contract. Also, I think it’s time we officially announce the establishment of your personal studio.”
Shen Buhui straightened her expression and said to Zhao Yue with a serious tone, “I want you to be the one to manage her.”
Zhao Yue: “…”
She had already seen this coming.
But it wasn’t an unreasonable request. Right now, Shen Buhui was the only artist under her management. And given that Shen Buhui was no longer an inexperienced rookie but an established name, she didn’t need constant oversight. Taking on a new artist was a natural progression.
Besides, Xu Zhiyan wasn’t bad. She had talent, and more importantly, she wasn’t the type to stir up unnecessary trouble. From every angle, it seemed like a good fit.
A dozen thoughts flashed through Zhao Yue’s mind in the span of just two seconds. Then, she nodded in agreement.
Shen Buhui was pleased with her response. She continued, “As for the contract, I have a few ideas…”