The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 33

In the end, Xu Zhiyan didn’t go to retrieve her script. Instead, she messaged Shen Buhui, saying she’d pick it up after the opening ceremony and return together with her then.

Shen Buhui replied with just a simple “OK,” offering nothing more.

The opening ceremony was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and would be held in the school’s grand auditorium.

After lunch, no one in the dorm took a nap. Some were changing clothes, others doing their makeup—everyone busy with preparations. Everyone, that is, except Xu Zhiyan, who remained seated, unmoving.

Su’er nudged her. “Aren’t you going to wash your face and put on some makeup?”

Xu Zhiyan replied casually, “It’s not like I’m the one giving a speech. Doesn’t really matter.”

She was never one for makeup anyway. On a normal day, she’d slap on some sunscreen and maybe a bit of lipstick. And with her face caked in makeup every day on set recently, she’d finally gotten a break—and the last thing she wanted was to put herself through that again.

Su’er glanced up at her and muttered, “Fair enough. You’re pretty enough already. Just a bit of lipstick for some color and you’re good.”

Even in a school like Sichuan Film Academy, where beauties were everywhere, Xu Zhiyan’s looks never lost their edge.

She wasn’t on the level of a showstopper like Shen Buhui, but she was absolutely one of those people who’d draw your eye in a crowd—a natural attention magnet.

Another roommate chimed in, “Seriously, Zhiyan. I don’t know how you take care of your skin. It’s flawless. I’m so jealous.”

She sighed and reached for her concealer, trying to hide the tiny blemish around her nose.

Feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise, Xu Zhiyan shifted the topic. “If you’re all done getting ready, let’s head out soon. We should grab a good seat close to watch Senior Shen.”

Photos of Shen Buhui on campus had already surfaced earlier that afternoon, spreading like wildfire through every student chat group. At the peak of her career, with both acting talent and looks, she had fans everywhere—including among her juniors, who were already gearing up to secure the best seats in the house.

Su’er instantly picked up the pace. “Right, right! Maybe I’ll get lucky and snag a to-sign!”

Once all three roommates were ready, the four girls locked their dorm door and headed to the auditorium.

On the way, they joined a growing stream of students heading in the same direction. Xu Zhiyan glanced around, estimating that the hall would be packed today.

Sure enough, when they arrived, it was already nearly full. Fortunately, they weren’t too late and still found seats, though the dream of “prime viewing” had officially died.

Su’er craned her neck, scanning the crowd. “So many people… Guess getting an autograph was just wishful thinking.”

Xu Zhiyan tugged at her sleeve, a mischievous thought forming. After all, Su’er had given her quite a few helpful tips in her romantic misadventures—it was time to return the favor.

“You really want Shen Buhui’s autograph that badly?”

“Of course! But I’m aiming for a special one.”

Su’er already had a few standard signed photos at home, but those were mass-signed. What she wanted was something personalized.

Xu Zhiyan pressed her lips together, then offered, “If you want, I can try to ask her for one.”

Su’er blinked. “You can get one?”

Then it hit her—Xu Zhiyan had been filming recently. If she was somehow connected to Shen Buhui through work, then it wasn’t impossible.

“But will it be a bother for you?”

“It’s not that difficult,” Xu Zhiyan smiled. But as she thought about what might happen after the ceremony, her smile grew a little stiff.

Even if she got rejected… getting a signature shouldn’t be that hard, right?

Su’er had no idea about Xu Zhiyan’s inner turmoil. Hearing her confident reply, she was reassured.

She’d been busy lately and only knew that Shen Buhui was filming a new movie. Aside from knowing the lead was Shen Buhui and the director was Cheng Xu, she hadn’t looked into the rest of the cast—so she had no idea that Xu Zhiyan was the one playing opposite Shen Buhui.

Still, a tiny bit of doubt crept in. “You know… now that I think about it, your name does sound familiar…”

But Xu Zhiyan didn’t hear her mumbling. Her eyes were on her phone—it was already 2:25.

Inside the hall, the host had gradually quieted the room. The big screen lit up, no longer a blank slate but now playing a five-minute historical video about the school’s century-long legacy.

Xu Zhiyan leaned back into her chair, letting her body relax as she quietly watched the campus history unfold.

Opening ceremonies were usually all the same, but what made this school different was the level of fame its “outstanding alumni” brought to the stage. When it came time for speeches, the people standing up there weren’t just names on a list—they were stars.

She watched as a middle-aged film emperor, decorated with numerous domestic awards, stepped down after a powerful and hopeful speech about welcoming new bl00d into the film industry.

Next up was Shen Buhui.

Xu Zhiyan unconsciously straightened in her seat.

There she was—walking onto the stage in a sharp black pantsuit, her black wavy hair cascading down her back. She was even wearing glasses, a rare sight. Xu Zhiyan couldn’t quite make out the style from this distance, but under all that black, the boldest color was the crimson red on her lips.

Sleek yet sultry, elegant yet commanding—she owned the stage.

Beside her, Su’er was nearly squealing with excitement. “She looks so powerful! Total top energy. She’s stunning!”

Xu Zhiyan turned her head to glance at her, feeling… not entirely pleased.

Su’er looked puzzled. “Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?”

Xu Zhiyan knew she hadn’t. Shen Buhui looked stunning today—undeniably elegant and attention-grabbing. But as she lifted her eyes to the stage, watching that radiant figure bask in applause and admiration, and listening to the voices of others around her full of awe and starry-eyed wonder, a strange discomfort settled faintly in her chest.

She pressed her lips together and chose to stop listening to the chatter, instead turning her focus to the one standing center stage.

Shen Buhui’s eyes swept slowly over the crowd before finally settling on a section near the back on the left.

When she spotted Xu Zhiyan—who had just turned away and was chatting with the person next to her—her gaze darkened slightly, something unreadable flickering through them.

Her speech continued. Whenever she hit a particularly moving note, thunderous applause would erupt from the audience. Only when she finally delivered her closing message—full of encouragement and hope—did her speech come to an end.

The host stepped in to ask a few follow-up questions. After handling them with professional ease, Shen Buhui descended the stage gracefully, her heels tapping crisply against the floor.

Xu Zhiyan’s eyes followed her the entire time, reluctant to look away even after she’d disappeared from view.

It had been days since she’d looked at her this closely—this seriously.

“You totally deserved it,” she muttered to herself.

Why had she run that night? Wouldn’t it have been better to get rejected cleanly and move on? Besides, even if she was rejected, it wasn’t like she couldn’t try chasing her again.

Su’er looked over, confused. “Huh? What are you talking about?”

She didn’t dwell on it, though, and turned back to her own agenda. “Anyway, if I don’t get a chance to snag that special signature from Senior Shen before she leaves campus, I’m counting on you.”

She gave Xu Zhiyan a friendly pat on the shoulder and added cheerfully, “Don’t worry, I won’t let you work for nothing. If you manage to get it for me, I’ll repay you—with my exclusive collection and, depending on the situation, some valuable experience too!”

Xu Zhiyan: “……”

Xu Zhiyan: “???”

She gave Su’er a full once-over, utterly baffled.

Su’er just grinned, completely unbothered. “Look, chasing someone isn’t just about having a sincere heart. You need technique—experience. Otherwise, even if you win them over, how are you gonna make sure they’re happy, huh?”

“…Is that how you got your girlfriend wrapped around your finger?” Xu Zhiyan asked, disbelief in her voice.

Su’er scratched her nose and chuckled again, smug in a way that said everything without saying a word.

Xu Zhiyan: “……”

I’m beginning to suspect none of you are normal human beings.

Still, her thoughts drifted—back to that embarrassing moment during the filming of the bed scene, and that DVD Shen Buhui had brought out from her bedroom.

Xu Zhiyan paused, face growing slightly warm.

…Could it be that Shen laoshi also had certain needs?

Her phone vibrated again.

She looked down. A new message from Shen Buhui:

[I’m at the café near the auditorium. Come meet me there.]

Xu Zhiyan locked her phone, turned to Su’er, and muttered a quick goodbye before sneaking off.

When she arrived at the café, she followed the directions to a small private booth. As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw her.

Shen Buhui was reclining lazily on the sofa, one hand supporting her chin as she gazed out the window, lost in thought.

Su’er had mentioned that the windows in these booths were one-way glass—no need to worry about prying eyes.

Xu Zhiyan hesitated at the threshold, then broke the silence.

“…Jiejie.”

The word came out softly, but once she said it, she didn’t know what else to say.

Shen Buhui turned around, her gaze playful and teasing. “Not calling me Shen Buhui anymore?”

Xu Zhiyan’s eyes darted away, avoiding hers entirely.

Head lowered, she heard a soft laugh, followed by a voice that gently broke the silence:

“Sit down first. Why are you standing there like that?”

She looked just like a guilty puppy, head down, waiting to be scolded. The sight made Shen Buhui’s heart soften.

Once she sat, Shen Buhui reached into her bag and pulled out the script she’d brought, sliding it across the table toward Xu Zhiyan with a subtle lift of her chin.

“Here. The script you left at my place. You didn’t even bother coming to get it these past few days.”

Blushing, Xu Zhiyan took the script.

She looked so reserved and timid now, nothing like the bold girl who had once called her by name and said plainly, “I tried to seduce you because I like you.”

Shen Buhui’s gaze lingered on her, softened through the lens of her glasses, the light reflecting off them adding a dreamy haze.

She added casually, “And there’s still the slipper.”

“That one slipper you left behind—when are you going to come to my room to pick it up?”

Xu Zhiyan’s face turned bright red. The memory of fleeing barefoot from Shen Buhui’s room came flooding back in vivid detail.

She looked up at her—and realized there wasn’t a trace of rejection or coldness in her expression.

Xu Zhiyan opened her mouth but didn’t answer the question. Instead, she closed her eyes briefly and asked in a low voice, “Jiejie… that day… you still haven’t given me an answer.”

Shen Buhui raised a brow, her lips curving slightly. “And whose fault was that? You bolted before I even had the chance to open my mouth.”

Xu Zhiyan: “…”

That was on her.

“W-well… you can still say it now.”

Xu Zhiyan fidgeted with her fingers, awkward and shy, but her gaze stayed locked on Shen Buhui—firm, expectant, and full of courage.

Shen Buhui looked down, falling silent.

Xu Zhiyan’s heart clenched. Her fingers trembled slightly against her lap.

Her lashes fluttered endlessly—like a butterfly that had fallen into a frozen river, struggling desperately to fly again before the cold took hold. Panic overwhelmed her.

And in that moment, she realized—

She liked Shen Buhui even more than she’d thought.

Liked her so much, she wasn’t sure she could survive hearing the words “I don’t feel the same.”

The silence stretched too long. Xu Zhiyan’s lips parted, her voice barely above a whisper, shaking as if she were on the verge of tears:

“I-it’s okay… if you… if you don’t like me…”

Her words wavered like a paper-thin sheet in the wind.

Shen Buhui’s breath caught. Her long, dark lashes fluttered open, revealing a pair of eyes full of warmth and quiet joy.

“No—”

Xu Zhiyan’s heart sank.

But then— “I like you. I do.”

A calm, gentle voice, not too loud or too soft, carried her answer straight to Xu Zhiyan’s heart.

And in that instant, the butterfly broke free—soaring toward the light. Sunlight seemed to dance across its wings, turning them gold, celebrating its miraculous escape from despair.

In that moment, her heart bloomed, and her eyes sparkled like starlight.