The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 37

The moment Xu Zhiyan saw Shen Buhui’s expression, she instantly understood everything.

“You always tease me with that!” she pouted in protest.

And yet—every time, she fell for it. So frustrating!

Shen Buhui’s fingers twitched slightly. She really wanted to ruffle that soft, fluffy hair of hers. But with just a screen between them, she could only give up with a hint of regret.

“Did you miss me?” she changed the subject.

She had left in a rush that evening, barely having time to send Xu Zhiyan a message on WeChat. It wasn’t until now that they finally had a chance to video call.

“Oh, please. You’ve been gone for less than twenty-four hours.”

Her tone implied: Missing someone after such a short time? Isn’t that a little ridiculous?

Shen Buhui conveniently chose to ignore her response, continuing on as if she hadn’t heard.
“I missed you.”

Xu Zhiyan’s face flushed pink. Teacher Shen had become so clingy after falling in love! Still… she couldn’t deny how sweet those words felt.

Late at night. Lovers. A video call.

Put those words together and it was easy for things to take on a soft, lingering intimacy.

“I really wish we could be together all the time,” Shen Buhui sighed. “Whether it’s working, resting, eating, or sleeping… I keep thinking, if only you were here with me.”

“But if we’re together every day, you’ll get tired of me,” Xu Zhiyan replied smoothly, not blinking an eye.

Maybe this was just the honeymoon phase. She loved this clingy, affectionate version of them—but a part of her feared what came after: when the fire faded, when things became calm, predictable, distant.

Just like every couple who once loved each other deeply… they eventually settled into routine. Love dissolved into the little things in daily life.

It wasn’t a bad kind of love. But in her heart of hearts, Xu Zhiyan couldn’t help but feel something would be missing.

After all, the surge of passion always slows, and if possessive desire goes unanswered, it can twist into something painful and broken.

Old memories remained etched deeply in her mind. Xu Zhiyan tugged at her hair, unsure why her thoughts were spiraling again.

“I won’t get tired of you,” Shen Buhui said. She was wearing a crimson lace slip dress tonight, her fair skin glowing with a rosy hue. “I’m very confident in myself. Even if I saw you like this year after year, I’d never get bored.”

Xu Zhiyan’s lips parted slightly. The words “year after year” struck a chord deep inside her.

“I’m glad to hear that,” she said, her grin turning sly. “I’m recording this, just so you know. If you do get bored someday, I’ll have the receipts to make you eat your own words!”

Shen Buhui laughed gently at her antics, letting her play around however she liked.

…

Early the next morning, Xu Zhiyan rushed to set. Coincidentally, the first scene of the day was with none other than Qi Helin.

When they crossed paths, Xu Zhiyan looked completely natural and composed. Qi Helin, on the other hand, had lost the usual warm and breezy smile he wore. He looked distant—cold, even.

But Xu Zhiyan didn’t mind. As long as it didn’t affect the shoot, she had no reason to care.

The filming for the movie was already in its final stages, and Xu Zhiyan had now been with the crew for nearly two months.

She hoped that during this last stretch, she could focus on finishing the project well.

But just as that thought passed through her mind—something happened.

Yuanyuan glanced down at her phone, then looked up at Xu Zhiyan, trying to comfort her.
“Zhiyan, don’t believe everything you see online. Hui-jie isn’t that kind of person.”

“…What?”

Xu Zhiyan blinked in confusion, staring at her.
“What happened?”

She instinctively reached for her phone to check, and only then did Yuanyuan realize—Xu Zhiyan hadn’t even looked at her phone this morning.

Yuanyuan smacked her forehead, regretting having said too much.

“It’s nothing really—just that Hui-jie was spotted having dinner with some guy. The netizens are gossiping and jumping to conclusions.”

Xu Zhiyan opened Weibo, and sure enough, the top trending topic was:
#ShenBuhuiOnADateWithMysteriousMan

Her brows furrowed immediately.

She and Shen Buhui hadn’t made their relationship public. Only a few people close to them were aware.

And Xu Zhiyan wasn’t planning on going public just yet either.
The difference in their status was still quite large. While she personally didn’t mind, she couldn’t help but feel self-conscious at times. She and Shen Buhui had discussed it—they would wait until Xu Zhiyan had built up more of a career before going public.

So now that this had hit the trending list, people online were feasting on the gossip. Most assumed Shen Buhui had taken time off to go on a secret date. Fortunately, the speculation hadn’t escalated into anything messier like love triangles or cheating scandals.

The photos were clear: Shen Buhui and a man getting into the same car, having dinner together, and even returning to the same hotel.

With paparazzi spin and suggestive captions, it was no wonder many commenters were convinced she was dating someone.

Xu Zhiyan’s face darkened as she scrolled.

Yes—Shen Buhui was dating someone, but that someone was her!

Yuanyuan cautiously handed her a glass of water.
“Don’t be mad. The paparazzi always make stuff up.”

“I know.” Xu Zhiyan drained the water in one go, but her expression remained thunderous.

Yuanyuan wanted to ask: If you know it’s nonsense, then why are you so mad?

Xu Zhiyan slammed the cup down with a huff.
“How does that guy even match her?! Those netizens’ standards are outrageous. The one who fits her best is obviously me!”

Yuanyuan: “…”

She opened the fan forum and held her phone up.
“Look. There are people who see the truth.”

Inside the CP forum, compared to the overwhelming flood of congratulatory posts outside, fans here were much more calm and rational. After some thorough analysis, many boldly declared:
“They’re the best match, period.”

Reading through those comments made Xu Zhiyan feel much better.

She trusted Shen Buhui—she knew there was nothing going on.
But still, you couldn’t stop people from making a spectacle of things online.

In the five years since Shen Buhui debuted, she had never had a scandal like this. And now, the first one that popped up—the photos were clear as day.

Even though the two weren’t holding hands, hugging, or kissing, their close proximity was obvious. The man was dressed in a sharp suit with an elegant presence, and Shen Buhui, a radiant A-list actress—it was only natural for netizens to fill in the blanks and create a whole fantasy around a domineering CEO and glamorous movie star couple.

Xu Zhiyan: “…”

She seriously wanted to delete her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look anymore.

Just then, a message from Shen Buhui popped up on WeChat.

Xu Zhiyan opened it and couldn’t help but smile.

Yuanyuan tried to hold back, but her gossip-loving nature won in the end.
“Did Hui-jie explain things to you?”

Xu Zhiyan replied calmly, as if she weren’t totally over the moon already.
“Mm.”

“She said I shouldn’t overthink it. That man’s her uncle—by bl00d.”

Ohhh, so that’s what it was.

Yuanyuan nodded in understanding, eyeing the way Xu Zhiyan’s stormy expression had suddenly cleared into bright skies. She couldn’t help but click her tongue in amusement.

Pulling out her phone, she logged into her alternate account and casually posted a message in the fan forum:
“I trust Shen Buhui.”
It was ambiguous, but enough.

Shen Buhui hadn’t gone into detail, but that one line was enough to dispel everything.

Xu Zhiyan looked at the comments online again. They didn’t sting as much now.

That is—until her eyes landed on one particular comment:

“Maybe it’s a dream come true for Shen Buhui—turning a secret crush into a real relationship! Could there be good news soon?”

Secret crush turning into something real…

Those four words made Xu Zhiyan’s smile falter again.

Her gaze dimmed. Lips pressed into a straight line, she exited Weibo without a word.

A few moments later, she asked Yuanyuan—who was casually scrolling through her phone—with a feigned nonchalance,
“Yuanyuan, have you ever… secretly liked someone before?”

“Huh?” Yuanyuan looked up. “I think I did, once.”

Xu Zhiyan clenched the tissue in her hand just a bit tighter, trying to sound airy.
“And… what happened? If you didn’t end up with them, did it feel like a regret?”

“Of course it did,” Yuanyuan replied with certainty. “I was just a teenager back then, and he was the first person I ever liked. That kind of thing stays with you—it’s different.”

It’s like your first love. Even if it wasn’t returned, it carried the weight of being the first—it etched itself into your heart.

That first unrequited love lingers, too.

Xu Zhiyan fell silent, her expression darkening slightly.

Yuanyuan grew curious.
“Why? Did you secretly like someone before?”

“…No,” Xu Zhiyan murmured quietly. “I didn’t.”

But someone had experienced it.

Clearly, Yuanyuan thought of the same thing. Her expression shifted slightly, and she fell silent.

…

By noon, the chaos finally came to an end with a post from Shen Buhui herself.

@ShenBuhui: No date. Just a business conversation.

Someone in the comments asked why they would end up going into a hotel after a “conversation.”
To everyone’s surprise—since she rarely replied to comments—Shen Buhui responded:

“Did the paparazzi forget to post the photos from ten minutes later when he left?”

As soon as that dropped, and with the tabloid source posting the rest of the pictures to cover themselves, the ridiculous scandal finally died down.

Netizens, having enjoyed quite the spectacle, reacted in all kinds of ways:
Solo stans rejoiced that their goddess was still single.
CP fans went wild—“I knew my ship was real!”

But Xu Zhiyan… was the only one truly hurt by this whole mess.

When Shen Buhui finally made it back that afternoon, the first thing she saw was Xu Zhiyan, clearly not in the best mood.

Shen Buhui frowned, assuming she was still upset about what happened that morning.

She opened her mouth to explain again, but Xu Zhiyan gently stopped her.

“I know there’s nothing between you two,” Xu Zhiyan said softly. “I trust you.”

Shen Buhui let out a quiet breath of relief. But a flicker of hesitation passed through her eyes, as though she was debating whether to say more.

Xu Zhiyan smiled, her eyes curving. “You already told me he’s your uncle by bl00d. If there’s anything else that’s inconvenient to explain, it’s okay. I understand.”

Everyone had their own boundaries. Even as lovers, people still deserved their private space.

Xu Zhiyan genuinely respected that.

Shen Buhui: “…”

Her brows eased slightly, but a trace of frustration lingered in her chest.

Xu Zhiyan’s thoughtfulness moved her—but that same carefully measured respect also made Shen Buhui feel… uneasy.

She wished that Xu Zhiyan would be a little more willful with her, a little less restrained. She longed for less distance, more vulnerability, fewer walls.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Shen Buhui massaged her temple and swallowed back the words on her tongue.

“Mm. If anything ever bothers you, just ask me directly,” she said gently. “We’re lovers. There’s nothing we can’t talk about.”

Xu Zhiyan nodded calmly. But inside, her heart wasn’t nearly as peaceful.

She suddenly wanted to ask—Do you still have feelings for the person you once secretly loved for so long?
But they were lovers now. Asking that seemed unnecessary… childish, even.

So she looked away, forcing herself to remain composed, to behave like she always did.

There was no one else in the dressing room. Xu Zhiyan looked at Shen Buhui’s flawless profile—and something inside her shifted.

After a pause, Xu Zhiyan’s lips curved into a smile.

“Lovers can talk about anything, right?”

“Right.”

Xu Zhiyan’s eyes sparkled as she smiled.
“Shen Buhui, I want to kiss you.”

She didn’t give her a moment to react. In fact, it wasn’t even a question—more like a declaration.

In one swift motion, Xu Zhiyan reached out, cupped the back of Shen Buhui’s head, and pulled her forward—pressing their lips together with the yearning she could no longer hold back.

This kiss was deeper, more urgent than any they’d shared before. Shen Buhui clutched at the fabric of Xu Zhiyan’s clothes, letting herself drown in the warmth and softness of her lips.

From outside the room, a breeze swept down the hallway and gently nudged the dressing room door, making it creak faintly.