The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love. (GL) - Chapter 8

As dusk settled, the stifling heat of the day was replaced by a cool evening breeze. It swept gently across the skin, bringing a soothing clarity to a mind dulled by fatigue.

By the time Xu Zhiyan realized what she had agreed to, a flicker of regret flashed through her eyes.

Ahead of her, a slender figure moved gracefully, tall and poised.

Following behind, Xu Zhiyan trailed through the winding streets, turning left and right until they arrived at their destination.

…An arcade?

The cold-toned neon lights flickered incessantly, and the modern, high-tech décor stood out starkly against the surrounding traditional architecture.

The arcade was bustling with activity. Many background actors and extras, having finished a long day’s work, came here to relax and unwind. Keeping her cap brim low, Shen Buhui led Xu Zhiyan inside.

Perhaps it was the lingering excitement from handling real firearms earlier, but this time, upon entering the arcade, Xu Zhiyan didn’t rush straight to the claw machines as she usually did. Instead, she eagerly followed Shen Buhui to the shooting game section.

Rows of replica firearms were neatly arranged before them, with targets set up in the distance. Hitting the bullseye would earn corresponding prizes.

However, most people played for the sheer thrill of the game rather than for the prizes.

Shen Buhui lifted her gaze slightly, and among the displayed rewards, a strikingly realistic red fox plushie caught her eye.

Its wide, innocent eyes gave it an endearingly naive and adorable look. Behind it, a large, fluffy tail only added to its charm, making it irresistibly tempting to touch.

Just as she was admiring the plushie, Xu Zhiyan had already picked up a gun, eager to begin.

Striking a shooting stance, she turned her head. “Miss Shen, want to play together?”

Shen Buhui chuckled lightly. “Of course.”

A glint of competitiveness sparked in Xu Zhiyan’s eyes. Back at the training facility, Shen Buhui had already demonstrated her impressive skills—there was no denying that she was better. But now, with her own improvements, the outcome of this match was far from certain.

With that thought, Xu Zhiyan proposed, “Miss Shen, how about a little competition?”

Shen Buhui considered for a moment. “What are the terms?”

Xu Zhiyan glanced around before her gaze settled on a nearby promotional sign.

With a playful smile, she declared, “Let’s see who wins that plushie first.”

Following the direction of her finger, Shen Buhui looked over—right at the fox plushie she had just been eyeing.

Without hesitation, she replied, “Alright.”

Hearing her agreement, Xu Zhiyan’s lips curled into a delighted smile. Clearly, she was in high spirits.

Catching this moment out of the corner of her eye, Shen Buhui’s gaze flickered, but she quickly refocused on the game.

Now that the rules were set, and only one of them could win, they needed to balance both speed and accuracy.

Xu Zhiyan took a deep breath, focusing all her energy.

As the triggers were repeatedly pulled, the arcade soon filled with the rhythmic bang bang of simulated gunfire.

It was Xu Zhiyan’s first time playing a shooting game, and she had never realized how exhilarating it could be!

So stress-relieving—so satisfying!

She decided then and there that she would definitely come back and play more often whenever she had free time.

Especially when she landed a shot directly in the bullseye—the feeling was simply indescribable.

Engrossed in the thrill of the game, Xu Zhiyan no longer cared about formalities, seniority, or the need to be polite.

Finally, as she stared at the lone remaining target in front of her, she took a deep breath and, for the first time, glanced at her opponent.

Just as she turned her head, her gaze locked with Shen Buhui’s.

Their eyes met.

Xu Zhiyan blinked.

“Miss Shen, this is the deciding shot.”

Her serious expression was so captivating that Shen Buhui couldn’t help but smile.

Although her face was partially covered by a mask, her eyes curved with amusement, carrying an allure so striking that it left an inexplicable dryness in one’s throat.

For a brief moment, Xu Zhiyan nearly lost herself in those mesmerizing eyes.

It was only Shen Buhui’s voice that snapped her back to reality.

“Then let’s see who wins.”

What started as a simple game had now escalated into an intense showdown.

—Bang!

—Bang!

Two gunshots rang out in quick succession, the interval between them barely a millisecond—yet the outcome was already decided.

Shen Buhui’s bullet had struck the bullseye.

A flicker of disappointment passed through Xu Zhiyan’s eyes. She had thought that after all her training, she might be able to catch up to Miss Shen.

But before she could dwell on that feeling, a hand landed gently on her head.

Shen Buhui ruffled her hair lightly. “I’ve had a few years’ head start on you.”

The seemingly offhand remark was just enough to soothe Xu Zhiyan’s frustration.

She quickly let go of any lingering regret, and a radiant smile returned to her face.

“I’ll be counting on your guidance from now on, Miss Shen!”

“Mm.” Shen Buhui responded softly.

Setting her gun down, she walked over and retrieved her prize.

The arcade owner, who had been watching their match from the sidelines, approached them with an admiring look. “You two are amazing!” He gave them a big thumbs-up.

After a moment of consideration, he picked up a white porcelain cup from the prize counter and offered it to Xu Zhiyan. “Honestly, with how well you performed, you could take this prize too.”

Xu Zhiyan glanced at the cup and shook her head. “That’s alright, boss.”

Regardless of the arcade’s prize policy, the bet between her and Miss Shen had been based on winning the fox plushie. Any other prize held no significance to her.

Besides, the game had never really been about the rewards.

“Well, suit yourself.” The young arcade owner shrugged, a little amused.

At least he saved himself the cost of another prize.

As they left the arcade, Xu Zhiyan suddenly saw a flash of red before her eyes.

Shen Buhui was holding the fox plushie up in front of her.

“…This is?” She looked up in surprise.

“It’s for you.”

Xu Zhiyan blinked, momentarily taken aback.

Shen Buhui extended the plushie a little further. “Consider it a return gift for the bag of fruit from this afternoon.”

So that’s what this was about. Xu Zhiyan immediately understood.

Scratching her head somewhat sheepishly, she said, “It was just a bag of fruit, really, it wasn’t a big deal.”

“And this is just a plushie—nothing special.” Shen Buhui’s voice was calm as she replied.

Xu Zhiyan looked at her, startled. She hadn’t expected Miss Shen to say something like that.

Her gaze was direct, with no attempt to conceal her emotions.

Taking advantage of the fact that her mask hid her expression, Shen Buhui repeated, “Take it.”

With the way she insisted, Xu Zhiyan knew that refusing again would be unnecessary.

Besides… deep down, she found that she didn’t really want to refuse.

The moment she accepted the plushie, she saw Shen Buhui’s eyes curve into a subtle smile.

As soon as it was in her hands, she found herself instantly liking it.

The plushie was soft and fluffy, and as she hugged it close, the warm and cushiony texture made her want to bury her face in it and indulge.

Her contented expression seemed to lighten Shen Buhui’s mood as well.

The first time she had spotted the plushie, its large, fluffy tail had instantly reminded her of Xu Zhiyan.

Unconsciously, her mind had drifted to the thought that if Xu Zhiyan had a tail, it would probably look just like this.

At that thought, she lowered her gaze slightly and stole another glance at the person beside her.

…A big puppy plushie would have been even more fitting.

“Is there anything else you want to play?” she asked in a gentle tone.

Hugging the fox plushie, Xu Zhiyan shook her head. “Nope. I’ve had my fill of shooting games for now.”

Shen Buhui checked the time. “Then let’s head back.”

Outside, the sky had dimmed into a deep twilight. The golden-orange glow had faded, the clouds had thinned, and scattered stars were beginning to twinkle in the vast night sky.

The two of them walked along the same path they had come, their footsteps falling in deep and shallow prints. The occasional sound of cicadas chirping in the summer night filled the air, preventing the silence from feeling too heavy.

Just like before, Xu Zhiyan followed half a step behind Shen Buhui. As she focused her thoughts, that familiar light fragrance once again lingered at the tip of her nose.

She hugged the fox plushie tighter. The soft, plump toy filled her arms completely, yet she didn’t feel overheated holding it. Instead, it felt like she was drawing a quiet sense of security from it.

Lowering her head, she gently rubbed her nose against the plushie’s, then looked up again with a newfound resolve in her gaze.

“Miss Shen.” She called out.

Shen Buhui’s steps slowed slightly.

“What is it?”

Xu Zhiyan took two quick steps forward, closing the distance between them.

“Miss Shen, have I done something to upset you?” She asked cautiously.

Shen Buhui looked momentarily startled. She stopped abruptly and turned to face Xu Zhiyan, who stood there with unease in her eyes.

“Why would you think that?”

Xu Zhiyan glanced at her, hesitating before finally gathering the courage to speak. “It was our first meeting…”

Shen Buhui’s heart tightened.

“…Back when we first met, I could clearly feel that Miss Shen didn’t seem to like me very much.” Xu Zhiyan pursed her lips before continuing, “Even afterward, there were times when you looked at me, and you seemed… distant.”

It wasn’t something she could logically list as evidence—it was a feeling, a subtle awareness of how someone’s gaze landed on her, an unspoken emotion that she had undeniably perceived.

As Shen Buhui relaxed, her initial tension faded, but in its place, an unexpected wave of guilt crept in.

She shook her head. “I never disliked you.”

Xu Zhiyan’s eyes held a trace of skepticism.

Behind the mask, Shen Buhui let out a bitter chuckle—one that Xu Zhiyan couldn’t see. So instead, she fixed her gaze on Shen Buhui’s eyes, afraid of missing even the slightest trace of genuine emotion.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Buhui finally spoke. “At that time…”

Xu Zhiyan stared at her, unblinking.

Struggling to come up with an explanation, Shen Buhui faltered.

“…At that time, I was in a bad mood,” she finally said, piecing her words together. “I had just finished working on a film where a newcomer had been forced into the cast by investors. They caused a lot of problems on set, and it was frustrating. When I heard that Director Cheng’s new film had another rookie in an important role, I instinctively assumed you were the same type of person.”

She sighed lightly before continuing, “This role is incredibly important. When I found out it was going to a newcomer, and considering the timing of everything, I was overly suspicious.”

Hearing that, Xu Zhiyan suddenly understood.

Even though she had never worked in the industry before, she had followed enough celebrity news to know how common it was for investors to force new actors into roles. It wasn’t hard to imagine why Miss Shen might have had her doubts.

Now that she had an explanation, everything made sense.

Seeing that Xu Zhiyan believed her, Shen Buhui found it easier to continue. “Afterward, I started feeling like something was off, so I asked my agent to look into it. That’s when I realized you weren’t the kind of person I had assumed.”

Looking directly at her, Shen Buhui said sincerely, “I’m sorry, Xu Zhiyan.”