The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 23.3
Though Xu Zhiyan found it odd that Qi Helin suddenly struck up a conversation, his tone was casual and without malice. She responded offhandedly, “Maybe it’s because Teacher Shen and I get along well.”
Qi Helin smiled at that.
Xu Zhiyan gave him a puzzled look. Lately, everyone around her seemed to be acting strangely.
She decided to ignore him and turned her attention elsewhere.
Qi Helin didn’t mind. Out of her line of sight, he glanced behind him. Seeing someone signal an “OK” with their hand, he bowed his head and began to fiddle with his phone.
That afternoon, Shen Buhui returned—unexpectedly alone. Zeng Yue didn’t accompany her.
Xu Zhiyan craned her neck to look behind her, confirming that no one else had arrived.
Shen Buhui laughed and patted her head. “What are you looking around for?”
“Nothing!” Xu Zhiyan quickly withdrew her gaze and looked up at Shen Buhui’s beautifully made-up face. She gasped in admiration. “You look stunning!”
Shen Buhui touched her unwashed face, raising an eyebrow. “I’m not beautiful on normal days?”
Xu Zhiyan shook her head and circled her once, stroking her chin thoughtfully. “Today you’re beautiful in a different way—strikingly chic, with a mature and commanding presence.”
And a hint of allure, she thought to herself.
Shen Buhui stood still, letting her admire her. Hearing her words, she nodded. “That was the concept for today’s shoot.”
Neither of them mentioned the irrelevant person.
Later, once Shen Buhui was seated in her car, Xu Zhiyan asked with concern, “Is your stomach still hurting?”
As she spoke, her hand instinctively reached out, gently pressing and massaging Shen Buhui’s lower abdomen.
Shen Buhui froze for a moment, then her expression softened completely. “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
“Oh…” Xu Zhiyan withdrew her hand, though on closer inspection, she seemed a little reluctant to let go.
Why had the pain gone away so quickly?
Realizing what she was thinking, Xu Zhiyan became thoroughly embarrassed. What on earth is wrong with me?! Why am I thinking like this all the time?!
It’s good that she’s not in pain! How could I have such impure thoughts?!
Unaware of her internal turmoil, Shen Buhui noticed the sudden awkwardness on her face and assumed she was thinking about the upcoming scene.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
“Hm?” Xu Zhiyan looked up at her.
Shen Buhui opened their shared script and pointed at a section. Propping her chin on one hand, she regarded Xu Zhiyan with a faint, almost imperceptible smile at the corner of her lips. “The kiss scene. We’re filming our first kiss scene this afternoon.”
She smiled. “Ready for it?”
“…”
Xu Zhiyan swallowed hard and nodded. “Ready.”
In truth, she wasn’t. She had spent the entire morning preoccupied with thoughts of the magazine shoot and hadn’t properly prepared. But she didn’t dare say that out loud.
Staring at the black-and-white words on the page, Xu Zhiyan tried to convince herself. It’s just a kiss scene, right? I’ve already had my first kiss anyway—what’s there to be nervous about?
Besides, she had crammed last night, even watched tutorials for preparation!
Shen Buhui, appearing satisfied, said with gentle encouragement, “Good. Let’s try to minimize the number of times the director has to call ‘cut.’”
Xu Zhiyan could only nod in agreement.
That afternoon, as the shoot began, Xu Zhiyan suddenly felt the nerves creeping in again.
I have to kiss Teacher Shen in front of everyone… just thinking about it is nerve-racking.
She looked around and noticed that the staff all seemed relaxed and unfazed, as if the upcoming scene was nothing unusual. Clearly, she was the only one making a big deal out of it.
Director Cheng poked his head out and reassured her, “Don’t be nervous. Relax—it’ll be over before you know it.”
Shen Buhui walked over and whispered beside her, “It’s just a normal scene. Don’t overthink it. I believe in you.”
Xu Zhiyan looked at her glamorous, alluring makeup and thought, I don’t believe in myself at all.
Even during the promo shoot I turned a fake kiss into a real one—now that it’s the real deal, what if I lose control again?!
As the clapboard snapped and the call of “Action” rang out, Xu Zhiyan forced herself to cast aside her errant thoughts and slip into character.
In this scene, Lin Yin, clad in military uniform, had returned home, intent on redeeming the person she loved—only to find that Liang Manye had changed her mind and no longer wished to leave with her.
Faced with Liang Manye’s cold refusal and unyielding expression, the last thread of Lin Yin’s composure snapped.
With a fierce look in her eyes, she yanked the woman in the silk qipao into her arms. One hand gripped her slender waist with unrelenting strength, while the other pressed against the back of her head, forcing her forward. Abruptly, she captured her lips in a kiss.
Lips crushed together, Lin Yin’s attack was intense. As tongues clashed and mingled, a glimmer of moisture glistened at the corners of their mouths—a scene of unabashed, decadent passion.
It was Lin Yin and Liang Manye’s first kiss—far from gentle.
But Xu Zhiyan delivered a flawless performance.
When the scene ended, she avoided Shen Buhui’s gaze, her eyes darting elsewhere.
Director Cheng, looking somewhat puzzled, suddenly commented to Shen Buhui, “You’re not allergic anymore?”
Huh? Allergic?
Xu Zhiyan forgot her embarrassment and glanced between the director and Shen Buhui in confusion.
Shen Buhui shook her head with a soft smile. “I guess I’m not allergic to her.”
The two of them seemed to be speaking in riddles no one else could understand.
Xu Zhiyan pressed her lips together. A strange discomfort stirred within her.
“All right, let’s keep going! Xu, maintain that same energy—you did great just now. Let’s get one more shot from a different angle and we’ll be done.” Director Cheng called out.
“…” Xu Zhiyan stiffened. Another kiss?
Shen Buhui patted her on the shoulder. “Snap out of it!”
“…Okay.”
Blushing, Xu Zhiyan wrapped her arms around Shen Buhui’s waist, which felt soft and boneless under her touch. In a whisper too low for the camera to catch, she murmured, “Apologies in advance, jie.”
A hint of color lifted at the corner of Shen Buhui’s eyes—a flash of allure that vanished the moment she blinked.
How could that be called an offense? It was, after all, a passionate kiss she had long looked forward to.
After yet another earth-shaking kiss scene, Xu Zhiyan’s sharp eyes couldn’t help but notice that Shen Buhui’s lips had been kissed red and swollen.
… Oh no. I performed too well.
Once filming wrapped, Xu Zhiyan, face flushed and trying to appear “calm and composed,” scooted over to Shen Buhui.
“Jie… are you okay?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Shen Buhui glanced at her flaming red ears, clearly enjoying herself. “What do you mean? Are you asking about my lips?”
Her slender, fair fingers gently tapped her still-swollen lips, her tone full of implication.
Xu Zhiyan ducked her head and murmured, “Mm.”
Seeing her so shy she could hardly face anyone, Shen Buhui chuckled softly. She ruffled Xu Zhiyan’s soft hair and reassured her, “It’s fine. It’ll go down soon.”