The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 40
Xu Zhiyan wrapped up her final scene in the morning. After finishing Lin Yin’s last shot, she wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and cheered with a bright smile, “Wrap completed!”
It was her first time acting in a production and the first time she had successfully completed such a task. The joy and the reluctance in her heart were growing in equal measure.
Director Cheng smiled and said, “It’s a wrap. Xiao Xu did very well over these past two months.”
Shen Buhui sat with her left leg slightly bent, leaning her body against her knee. Her eyes were filled with gentle affection as she watched Xu Zhiyan laughing and chatting.
Xu Zhiyan was still dressed in a bl00d-stained qipao, her hair disheveled, but her eyes sparkled with an unmistakable light.
Dressed in a bl00d-splattered military uniform, Xu Zhiyan turned around and met Shen Buhui’s warm and smiling gaze. Her own smile grew even brighter.
“Happy wrap, Teacher Shen!”
Xu Zhiyan ran over with quick steps and gave Shen Buhui a big, heartfelt hug.
“Happy wrap, Zhiyan.” Shen Buhui rubbed her hair, which she had just taken the hat off of, and said joyfully.
As she finished speaking, Shen Buhui stood up, following the force from Xu Zhiyan’s hug, and waved to Xiao Fang. Xu Zhiyan saw her running over with a large bouquet in her arms.
“Is this for me?” Xu Zhiyan asked as she took the flowers from Shen Buhui’s hands and looked up at her.
Cheng Xu had already walked over and handed her another bouquet prepared by the directing team. “You’re the only one wrapping up this morning. If it’s not for you, then who else?”
As if that had been the signal, countless bouquets followed—gifts from the staff, from her seniors—until Xu Zhiyan could barely hold them all.
She was about to leave, saying goodbye to the crew she’d worked with for two months. A part of her still felt reluctant. After taking group photos with the staff and posing with Director Zeng, Qi Helin, and others, she finally considered the day officially over.
Before she left, Cheng Xu reminded her, “Don’t forget the wrap party at 8 PM tonight!”
Once they got into the van, Shen Buhui glanced at her and noticed her lingering sadness. After a moment of thought, she comforted her gently, “Coming and going, parting and meeting again—that’s the nature of this job. Who knows, maybe we’ll work together again someday. Don’t overthink it.”
Xu Zhiyan held the bouquet Shen Buhui had given her and took a deep breath of its fragrance before replying quietly, “I know. I’ll be fine after a while.”
A few minutes later, Xu Zhiyan murmured, “After today, I won’t be able to be with you every day anymore.”
Now that the filming was done, she would return to school tomorrow and resume her life as a university student—quiet and uneventful, with no more days and nights spent side-by-side with Shen Buhui.
That thought wiped the smile off Shen Buhui’s face as well.
She had already been trying not to think about it.
“If I’m not working, I’ll visit you often.”
Xu Zhiyan’s eyes lit up but quickly filled with worry. “Won’t it interfere with your schedule?”
“It won’t. I don’t have many jobs lined up. That was planned from the start.” Shen Buhui shook her head. She and Zhao Yue had already discussed her workload for the second half of the year. Other than necessary promotions, she wouldn’t be taking on any new roles—and certainly wouldn’t be leaving the city.
Xu Zhiyan couldn’t help but smile. “Then I’ll visit you often too!”
“Good,” Shen Buhui said softly. “I’ll be waiting.”
Later that afternoon, when Shen Buhui wrapped her scenes, Xu Zhiyan made a special trip to the set to witness it. She handed over the very first bouquet and took the very first photo together.
Following suit, other staff members came over with flowers and photos.
Xu Zhiyan couldn’t help but notice that, compared to her, Shen Buhui was clearly more popular—the crowd around her was noticeably larger.
She raised her eyebrows slightly, but didn’t mind. She believed that one day, she too would reach that level.
As her gaze shifted, Xu Zhiyan noticed something else. Unlike in the morning when her assistant had delivered the bouquet on her behalf, Zeng Yue came in person this time, carrying a large and exquisite bouquet. Unlike the others, which were clearly randomly chosen, Zeng Yue’s bouquet looked carefully curated—and even included several of Shen Buhui’s favorite flowers.
Zeng Yue smiled gently, her expression warm and sincere as she leaned against Shen Buhui to take a series of photos.
When the phone was lowered after the photo session, Xu Zhiyan met her gaze—but in the blink of an eye, both of them looked away.
For some reason, Xu Zhiyan sensed a hint of coldness in that fleeting exchange.
She paused in thought. Had Zeng Yue noticed something?
Even as she returned to the hotel to change clothes, that momentary glance still lingered in Xu Zhiyan’s mind.
She hesitated, uncertain whether Shen Buhui knew that Zeng Yue had feelings for her. If she didn’t, Xu Zhiyan was afraid that bringing it up might make things awkward between them, ruining their natural rapport. She also feared that she might carelessly reveal someone else’s private thoughts.
Just as she was about to enter her room, Shen Buhui called out to her.
“What were you thinking about just now on the way back?”
Xu Zhiyan hesitated for a moment before deciding not to say anything.
“Nothing much. I was just thinking about what to wear later.”
Shen Buhui studied her for two full seconds. Her gaze briefly darkened before softening into a faint smile. “You’ll look good in anything.”
When Xu Zhiyan turned with reddened ears to unlock her door, Shen Buhui inserted her key card and opened her own door. In that instant, one stood in light, the other in shadow. The golden sunlight pouring in at an angle sharply divided them into two worlds.
Leaning against the door, Shen Buhui stared into the dim living room without a word.
The sunlight was blocked by tightly drawn curtains, and with no lights on, the room was shrouded in darkness. A quiet, stifling atmosphere settled over the space.
She had hesitated just now. Why hadn’t she said it?
Whenever she was with Xu Zhiyan, Shen Buhui naturally devoted all her attention to her. So, it hadn’t escaped her notice that Xu Zhiyan had been distracted the entire way back.
But when she asked, Xu Zhiyan had chosen to dodge the question.
A surge of possessiveness rose within Shen Buhui, darkening her eyes. She couldn’t stop herself from imagining the worst.
This isn’t right…
She dug her nails hard into her palm, her breathing growing uneven.
“She likes you,” Shen Buhui murmured. “She confessed to you herself. She admitted it honestly and willingly…”
As if trying to reassure herself.
“…But all of this was because you deliberately seduced her,” she whispered painfully. “And this isn’t the first time she’s hidden things from you.”
Back when Xu Zhiyan’s name had trended online with Xie Ye, Shen Buhui had rushed back from the studio to confront her—only to be met with denial.
Once someone starts hiding things from you over and over again… they eventually leave.
Just like before.
Shen Buhui closed her eyes in agony, unwilling to think further.
After finishing her preparations, Xu Zhiyan knocked twice on the door across from hers before it opened.
Shen Buhui’s face was unusually pale, but her lips were bright red and striking.
Xu Zhiyan reached up to touch her face, concern filling her eyes. “You look so pale. Are you feeling unwell?”
Shen Buhui shook her head. “It’s probably just the lipstick shade making me look that way.”
“You’re the one who said you liked it when I wore this color,” she said nonchalantly, flashing a small smile. “I wanted to wear it for you.”
“…How did you know?”
Caught red-handed, Xu Zhiyan looked a little embarrassed.
“I noticed,” Shen Buhui said softly. “Don’t be shy. If you like me, then wear it.”
“I’m not shy…” Xu Zhiyan mumbled defensively.
Shen Buhui smiled gently, pretending not to hear, and pulled Xu Zhiyan into the room.
“Let me change quickly, then we can head to Yuehu Hotel.”
Having just come out of the shower, she was still in a bathrobe. Xu Zhiyan obediently sat on the sofa and nodded. “Alright.”
About five minutes later, sounds came from behind the bedroom door.
Xu Zhiyan looked up just in time to see Shen Buhui pressing a hand against her back, her brows lightly furrowed as she said in mild distress,
“Zhiyan, could you help me with my zipper?”
“Oh—sure!”
She was wearing a strappy evening dress with a zipper at the back. Shen Buhui had only managed to pull it halfway up before giving up, but thankfully, someone was still sitting in the living room.
With a simple motion, Xu Zhiyan zipped it up. The exposed, pale skin of Shen Buhui’s back was quickly enveloped by the sheer fabric of the gown.
The soft green of the floor-length dress softened the vivid sharpness in Shen Buhui’s features, adding a touch of gentleness to her aura.
As Xu Zhiyan brushed her hair aside, her delicate, fair collarbones were revealed, and she couldn’t help but exclaim, “You look stunning.”
“Do you like it?” Shen Buhui asked.
“I do. I really do,” Xu Zhiyan replied. “I like it so much I don’t even want anyone else to see you like this.”
It was meant as a playful exaggeration—something casually said without much thought. But to her surprise, a flicker passed through Shen Buhui’s eyes, as though she had taken it to heart.
“Then… what if I don’t go?”
“Huh?” Xu Zhiyan blinked, caught off guard. “Why not?”
“So that only you can see me,” Shen Buhui said softly. “No one else will get to.”
Xu Zhiyan had assumed it was just a joke, but when she looked up, she found nothing but sincerity in those clear eyes.
“But… this is your wrap party…” she murmured, trailing off.
The unspoken message: How can the guest of honor not attend her own celebration?
Shen Buhui didn’t seem to mind. Her voice remained gentle. “If you don’t want me to go, I’ll let Director Cheng know.”
Xu Zhiyan fell silent.
Shen Buhui continued to gaze at her with that same soft expression, as if she were only waiting for Xu Zhiyan to say one word—okay—before she’d pick up the phone and cancel.
After a pause, Xu Zhiyan seemed unable to resist the depth of her gaze. She quickly turned her head aside and mumbled,
“Let’s go. Director Cheng is still waiting. If you’re not feeling well, we can just stay for a bit and then come back.”
Shen Buhui gave a quiet smile, lowering her gaze. “I’m not unwell. I was just teasing you. Let’s go.”
She stepped past Xu Zhiyan and walked to the foyer to change into matching shoes. Once she finished, she looked back to find Xu Zhiyan still standing dazed in place, lost in thought.
Raising an eyebrow with a slight smile, she said,
“What are you spacing out for? If we don’t leave now, we’ll be late.”
“Oh! Right—coming!”
Xu Zhiyan snapped out of it. As they passed through the foyer, she grabbed her phone, and when the door clicked shut behind them, she glanced at Shen Buhui walking gracefully by her side.
Without a word, Xu Zhiyan inched closer. So close that aside from the gentle rustle of their skirts brushing together, not a sliver of space remained between them.
Actually… maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad if we really didn’t go.
The thought popped into Xu Zhiyan’s mind while she stood inside the elevator.
Yuehu Hotel was a few kilometers from where they were staying—about a ten-minute drive.
By the time Xu Zhiyan and Shen Buhui arrived at the underground garage, the driver and Xiao Fang were already waiting.
“Yuanyuan and Xiao Fang are coming too?” she asked.
“Mhm,” Shen Buhui replied. “If we drink too much, they can help us get back safely.”
After a moment’s thought, she added,
“In the future, when attending events like this, it’s best to bring an assistant along with the driver—just in case.”
Crowded occasions like this, especially when alcohol is involved, often lead to unexpected situations. Shen Buhui had seen it happen to others and had experienced it herself when she first debuted. Fortunately, her strong stance and rising career had since kept such incidents at bay.
But it never hurt to stay cautious.
Xu Zhiyan nodded with understanding. “I got it.”
“But still,” she added with concern, “try not to drink too much. Hangovers the next day are terrible.”