The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 4

Since the lunch meeting was scheduled for noon, Xu Zhiyan had plenty of time to prepare.

When she arrived at the reserved private dining room, she immediately spotted Director Cheng Xu sitting inside. Her eyes lit up.

A familiar face! A wave of relief washed over her.

Cheng Xu also noticed her and greeted her warmly. “Ah, it’s Xiao Xu! Come, come—how’s the script reading going?”

Xu Zhiyan sat down across from him, composed yet enthusiastic. “I finished it and took plenty of notes.”

Cheng Xu flipped through the script she brought with her, noticing the densely written annotations filling the margins. He smiled in satisfaction.

Not only did she fit the role perfectly, but she was also diligent. On top of that, she was his senior’s daughter—it was impossible not to be pleased.

Taking a sip of tea, he spoke to her in the tone of a mentor. “Today’s gathering isn’t large—just the two leads and the screenwriter. It’s mainly a chance for everyone to exchange contacts and get familiar before filming starts.”

This had always been his habit. He firmly believed that lead actors needed to develop chemistry before stepping onto set, and arranging a small pre-shoot gathering for key members of the production was the perfect way to do that.

Xu Zhiyan nodded eagerly in understanding.

As they chatted idly about movies and everyday life, they waited for the others to arrive.

Meanwhile, outside the hotel, a sleek black car pulled up.

Shen Buhui stepped out, dressed inconspicuously with a hat and face mask. As soon as she did, Zhao Yue also got out. “I’ll go in with you.”

Shen Buhui cast her a glance.

Zhao Yue quickly explained, “I haven’t seen Director Cheng in a long time—I can’t just let this opportunity slip by. I’ll greet him and then leave.”

Shen Buhui smirked knowingly. She understood exactly what Zhao Yue was up to.

See Director Cheng? More like checking out the other lead.

But she didn’t bother exposing her. With a small nod, she walked toward the entrance.

Inside the private room, Xu Zhiyan stood up politely to greet the new arrival.

The screenwriter, Wu Xiaozhong, didn’t look very old, but she carried herself with an air of decisiveness and capability.

Upon seeing Xu Zhiyan, Wu Xiaozhong exchanged greetings before laughing cheerfully. “So this is our other lead? Just as the director said—absolutely perfect for Lin Yin.”

As the creator of the character, no one understood Lin Yin better than Wu Xiaozhong. At first glance, when she saw the youthful and spirited smile on Xu Zhiyan’s face, she immediately understood why Director Cheng had chosen this relatively unknown newcomer.

She looked just like Lin Yin.

Xu Zhiyan’s cheeks reddened slightly at the compliment.

Wu Xiaozhong grinned. “I think I just saw Zhao Yue outside. That means we’ll all be here soon.”

Xu Zhiyan blinked in surprise. Zhao Yue—Shen Buhui’s manager?

Realizing that she was about to meet Shen Buhui, she unconsciously straightened her back and adjusted her posture.

Then—

Knock, knock.

The sound of knocking echoed through the room.

Xu Zhiyan held her breath, her eyes fixed on the door.

At the sound of Director Cheng’s invitation—“Come in”—the crisp clicking of high heels on the floor resonated as someone stepped in.

One step.

Another.

Xu Zhiyan had thought Shen Buhui’s on-screen presence was already dazzling, beauty at its peak. But the moment she saw her in person, she found that no words could adequately describe the sight before her.

Her mind was blank.

Only two words circled in her head—

So beautiful.

Born a true admirer of beauty, Xu Zhiyan found herself reaching the peak of aesthetic appreciation at that moment.

She had never seen someone this breathtaking in real life.

Perhaps she wasn’t the absolute most beautiful person in the world, but she was exactly Xu Zhiyan’s type—so perfectly aligned with her sense of aesthetics that it was almost overwhelming.

Silently, Xu Zhiyan put down the script in her hand.

Then, she sat up even straighter.

As Shen Buhui took in the room’s occupants, she hesitated for just a fraction of a second.

The sharp click of her heels momentarily paused.

Then, as if nothing had happened, she continued forward and took a seat diagonally across from Xu Zhiyan.

Her brows lowered slightly, and she gave a soft smile, her tone carrying a hint of apology. “I’m sorry for being late.”

No one noticed the fleeting flicker of something unreadable behind that smile.

Zhao Yue chimed in with a lighthearted explanation to smooth things over.

Cheng Xu chuckled heartily, completely unconcerned. “You’re not late at all! Besides, I know how busy you are—it’s no problem.”

Zhao Yue flashed a bright smile. “Buhui has been reading your script thoroughly these past few days. She’s incredibly excited about this project.”

She didn’t even blink as she made up the lie. Shen Buhui was satisfied with the script, sure—but to say she was that excited? Not exactly.

But of course, she couldn’t say that out loud.

Zhao Yue subtly glanced at the woman sitting beside her, fully expecting Shen Buhui to neither expose her nor affirm her statement.

To her surprise, Shen Buhui actually nodded in agreement.

Zhao Yue’s heart skipped a beat.

Cheng Xu was even more delighted. When the script was completed, the first actress he had thought of for Liang Manye was Shen Buhui. It was practically a role tailor-made for her. His only concern had been finding a suitable actress for Lin Yin—but now, that problem was solved.

He let out a satisfied chuckle, looking nothing like the strict, temperamental director he was known to be on set. “Good, good! It’s great that you’re looking forward to it. We’ll be starting soon. You know how I like my lead actors to meet before filming begins.”

Then, he gestured toward the young woman sitting across from Shen Buhui. “This is the actress playing Lin Yin—Xu Zhiyan.”

As he introduced her, Shen Buhui’s gaze naturally shifted to the girl.

Cheng Xu then turned to Xu Zhiyan and smiled. “And this one, I don’t think I need to introduce, do I?”

Xu Zhiyan quickly nodded, her fair face bright with an enthusiastic smile. Two small dimples appeared faintly at the corners of her cheeks.

“I know Shen Laoshi,” she said cheerfully. Her eyes, shimmering like stars, landed on the elegant and striking woman across from her. Her voice was light and animated. “Shen Laoshi, it’s such a pleasure to meet you! I’m a huge fan—I absolutely love all of your films!”

Having spent the past week binge-watching Shen Buhui’s works and interviews, she spoke with complete sincerity.

But then—

Xu Zhiyan noticed that the warmth and grace Shen Buhui had shown while speaking to Director Cheng subtly shifted the moment she looked at her.

The change was barely perceptible at first, but as she processed Xu Zhiyan’s words, her expression noticeably tensed.

The warmth faded.

Her features, once soft, grew distant—almost rigid.

A cool detachment settled over her, so subtle that only those paying close attention would notice.

Xu Zhiyan’s heart tightened, caught off guard.

She pressed her lips together. The brightness in her eyes dimmed slightly.

Cheng Xu stood up, looking at the two women who stood in stark contrast to each other. “Come on, shake hands. Consider this your official introduction.”

Huh?

Xu Zhiyan blinked at him, momentarily thrown off.

Shen Buhui, on the other hand, lowered her gaze slightly, her fingers briefly rubbing together in thought. She remained silent.

Seeing their hesitation, Cheng Xu urged, “What are you two looking at me for? Shake hands already.”

To him, a handshake was a sign of formality—once they greeted each other properly, the collaboration would truly begin.

Xu Zhiyan quickly pushed aside the faint unease settling in her chest. Whatever had flickered across Shen Buhui’s face earlier, she convinced herself it was nothing.

She masked her momentary hesitation with a dazzling smile and extended her hand.

“Shen Laoshi, hello!”

Shen Buhui’s voice, cool and composed, finally rang out. “Hello.”

Then, after a brief pause, she added, “Xu Zhiyan.”

Their fingertips barely brushed before Shen Buhui swiftly withdrew her hand—so quickly that they hadn’t even truly shaken hands. Their palms had barely pressed together before the contact was severed.

Xu Zhiyan’s breath caught in her throat. The smile on her lips faltered slightly.

But Shen Buhui acted as though nothing had happened. As if she had simply completed a formality. She turned to Cheng Xu and asked, “Director Cheng, has the filming schedule been finalized?”

Under the table, her fingers subtly curled and uncurled, waiting for the lingering sensation in her palm to fade.

Xu Zhiyan quietly lifted her glass and took a sip of juice, saying nothing.

Cheng Xu exchanged a brief look with Wu Xiaozhong before responding, “If all goes well, we’ll start filming in early August.”

Early August…

Xu Zhiyan lowered her head slightly and did a quick mental calculation. That meant they’d likely be joining the production team in just about ten days.

Zhao Yue, having noted the timeline, withdrew her subtle gaze from Xu Zhiyan and smiled. “We’ll adjust our schedule accordingly. We’ll make sure she clears all other engagements by then.”

She knew Director Cheng’s rules well—no overlapping projects, no last-minute scheduling conflicts. When filming his movies, the cast had to be fully committed.

Cheng Xu nodded in approval. Clearly, he was pleased with her professionalism.

Seeing that the main goal of the meeting had been accomplished, Zhao Yue decided it was time to leave. She had already gathered enough information.

Rising from her seat, she bid her goodbyes and left the private room.

Once Zhao Yue left, the room felt noticeably emptier.

Throughout the meal, as chopsticks clinked and dishes were passed, Xu Zhiyan found herself making eye contact with Shen Buhui more than once.

Yet, without exception, each time their gazes met, it was Shen Buhui who looked away first.

By the end of the lunch, under Director Cheng’s suggestion, the two exchanged WeChat contacts.

After leaving the restaurant, Xu Zhiyan stood outside, watching the flow of cars and pedestrians. The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a soft golden glow over her neatly tied-up bun.

Thinking back to the atmosphere during lunch, she felt slightly uneasy.

Then, the sound of rhythmic, crisp footsteps echoed behind her.

She stiffened for a second before turning around. Sure enough, it was Shen Buhui.

Almost instinctively, she flashed a bright, sweet smile. “Shen Laoshi, hello.”

The calm, shadowed gaze beneath her baseball cap met Xu Zhiyan’s briefly before Shen Buhui gave a slight nod.

Xu Zhiyan wanted to say something more, but before she could, Shen Buhui spoke first.

“I’ll be leaving now.”

“…Ah. Oh.”

The black car pulled away, disappearing into the city streets.

Only then did Xu Zhiyan withdraw her gaze and step into the car waiting to take her home.

—

Back at home, Lin Ya was waiting in the living room. Seeing her return, she asked, “How was the meeting?”

Xu Zhiyan’s eyes flickered slightly, but her expression remained as cheerful as ever. With a bright smile, she said, “It went really well! Director Cheng said we’ll start filming in early August.”

Lin Ya nodded in acknowledgment. Just as Xu Zhiyan was about to head upstairs, she suddenly remembered something and called out, “And how was it working with your senior?”

Xu Zhiyan paused. “It was good! Shen Laoshi is very polite and gentle.”

Hearing that, Lin Ya relaxed. “That’s good to hear. Alright, go on up and make sure to study your script.”

With her mother’s approval, Xu Zhiyan dashed upstairs.

However, instead of opening the script, she took out her phone.

The entire ride home, she had resisted checking WeChat, but now, as she stared at the still-pending friend request, the corners of her lips slowly lowered.

Shen Laoshi truly was polite and well-mannered.

But the distant, detached aura that surrounded her was something Xu Zhiyan could clearly feel.

And what was even more obvious—this wasn’t how she treated everyone.

It was just her.

Fingers tightening around her phone, Xu Zhiyan felt a little lost.

At this moment, her mind wasn’t occupied with Shen Buhui’s breathtaking beauty.

Instead, all she could see were those cool, indifferent eyes that had glanced back at her.

“…Sigh.”

She let out a soft breath. What is even going on?

Just as she was lying back on the sofa, relaxing her nerves and slowly drifting toward sleep—

Ding.

In the silent room, the sound was particularly clear.

Her phone screen lit up.

—”Your friend request has been accepted. You can now start chatting.”