After My Cross-dressing Cover Was Blown, the Movie Star Became My Accomplice - Chapter 30

Chapter 30

◎ You’re a man?! ◎

As soon as they entered the Mountain God Celebration venue, Qu Fu grabbed Kong Yanfei and vanished into the crowd. Their cameramen quickly followed. Qu Fu dragged Kong Yanfei along because she felt bad for the girl’s ordeal that morning and insisted on buying her a gift.

Bi Tu saw that Qu Fu and Kong Yanfei had already disappeared. He rubbed his cold fingers and turned to ask Cheng Zeyì:

“Film Emperor Cheng, Xiao Qu and Little Yanfei have gone to enjoy the festival. Shall we wander around together?”

Cheng Zeyì gave a polite smile and shook his head in refusal.

“Little Yanfei wasn’t the only one affected today; Xiao Yao also needs looking after. I’ll accompany Xiao Yao as we browse.”

Bi Tu turned to look at Mu Yao, the center of the topic, and found him staring at a nearby pavilion. Shrugging his shoulders, he gave up on inviting Cheng Zeyì further.

“Fine, then I’ll just wander around as a lonely man… wait, no, I still have my camera brother. Come on, brother, let’s go explore together!”

As he turned to leave, Bi Tu shot Mu Yao another glance. Mu Yao happened to look over at that exact moment. Bi Tu smiled at him, but his eyes carried a hint of schadenfreude—mockery mixed with gloating.

This left Mu Yao a bit dazed. His mind hadn’t been on the filming at all. Even though the celebration was lively, he wasn’t interested.

If there were no cameramen following him, he would have chosen to buy a drink and sit in the pavilion, resting while reviewing the recent events and asking locals about Auntie Zhou’s situation.

The people resting in pavilions were mostly village elders—the perfect targets for small talk and the most well-informed people in the village. Between casual chats, one could find out everything about everyone.

What just happened? Why did Bi Tu look at me like that?

While Mu Yao was still bewildered, Cheng Zeyì had already stepped up beside him.

“Xiao Yao, let’s go look around the celebration too. Let’s see if there are any souvenirs we haven’t bought yet; you can bring some back for friends and family.”

“Oh, okay… so he was gloating just now.”

Hearing Cheng Zeyì’s invitation, Mu Yao instantly understood the deeper meaning in Bi Tu’s gaze. He muttered to himself, feeling a sense of impending doom.

The journey was coming to an end. On the final day, he would have to change back into his own clothes and take off the voice changer. At that point, his gender could no longer be hidden. Meanwhile, Cheng Zeyì was still looking after him as if he were a girl. When the truth was finally revealed, it wasn’t going to be easy to settle!

Am I really going to offend the Film Emperor because of this?

Mu Yao felt a chill in his chest, fearing his future career was bleak. But then he cheered up.

Even if I offend him, it’s fine. It’ll just mean an early retirement from the entertainment industry so I can go home and care for my mother. If I’m not making money, the company probably won’t cling to me so tightly.

With that thought, Mu Yao’s steps became lighter as he followed Cheng Zeyì through the celebration grounds.

There were many small vendors at the venue selling local snacks and handicrafts, along with street performances rich in ethnic character.

The two stopped and started, eating, buying, and watching. Before they knew it, they were holding quite a few trinkets.

When a large grove of peach trees appeared nearby, Mu Yao realized they had unconsciously walked to the edge of the village. The entire village served as the venue for the Mountain God Celebration, but there were fewer people here at the outskirts, though there were plenty of rest areas.

“We actually walked all the way here. Shall we rest for a bit?”

After letting go of his worries, Mu Yao spoke to Cheng Zeyì much more easily.

“Sure. We can look at the peach blossoms while we’re at it. You didn’t get a good look that other day.”

Cheng Zeyì took the small items from Mu Yao’s hands and placed them on a nearby chair, then sat down next to him.

“I really didn’t. At the time, I knew Auntie Zhou lived nearby and only thought about returning the hairpin to her. In the end, I didn’t succeed.”

Mu Yao looked at the surrounding peach blossoms and pulled the hairpin from his pocket.

“Auntie Zhou should still be at the clinic, right? If we pass by later, let’s go see her and return her daughter’s thing to her.”

Cheng Zeyì’s gaze fell on the hairpin as he made the soft suggestion.

“Yeah, sure. There are some festival stalls near the clinic we can check out, too.”

Even if Cheng Zeyì hadn’t mentioned it, Mu Yao wanted to return the pin. He nodded decisively.

“Eh? Are you two talking about Little Zhou? Looking closely, you two seem to be the ones who saved her.”

As they were talking, an old voice abruptly chimed in. They turned to see an elderly woman with clouded eyes.

“Grandmother, we were talking about Auntie Zhou who lives by the peach grove. Saving her was just a coincidence.”

Cheng Zeyì answered the old woman politely.

“Ah? Saving Little Zhou for what?”

The old woman spoke loudly; she hadn’t heard Cheng Zeyì clearly. Cheng Zeyì paused, about to repeat himself, but Mu Yao spoke up loudly first.

“Grandmother! Saving Auntie Zhou was a coincidence! You’re amazing for recognizing us! We plan to go to the clinic later to see her.”

“Oh, I heard you! Little girl, you’ve got great spirit! This old woman heard you clearly!”

The old woman nodded and pointed toward Auntie Zhou’s house.

“If you want to see Little Zhou, don’t go to the clinic. She’s back! She’s at home right now!”

Mu Yao froze, instinctively looking toward the house.

“Auntie… Auntie Zhou is back?”

“Yes, little girl! Let me tell you, Little Zhou found a blessing in disguise! She’s normal now! She can finally live a good life. It’s wonderful!”

The old woman’s mouth quirked up, her wrinkled face breaking into a bright, heartfelt smile.

“A blessing in disguise?”

Mu Yao chewed on the words. He turned to look at Cheng Zeyì, whose eyes also showed confusion; clearly, he didn’t understand the old woman’s words either.

I’m so stupid. Why am I looking at the Film Emperor? He wasn’t there last night, so how could he know what the Investigation Bureau arranged for her?

“Grandmother, what do you mean by ‘blessing in disguise’?”

The old woman looked at the cameramen behind Mu Yao and Cheng Zeyì. The two cameramen shared a glance and tacitly turned off their equipment. Auntie Zhou’s story couldn’t appear on camera; this footage didn’t need to be recorded, and the village didn’t want the story spreading.

“You should know about Little Zhou’s situation, right? She went mad because her child went missing. This old woman watched it happen and felt so much pity for her. In all those years of madness, this was the first time she tried to kill herself. We all thought she’d wake up still being crazy, but unexpectedly, she became normal because of the suicide attempt!”

The grandmother lowered her voice and slapped her thigh, her old voice carrying a hint of pleasant surprise.

“She forgot the child. Not only that, she forgot her husband who died young. Oh, including her parents who passed away from illness, and she doesn’t remember the Village Chief either. Her eyes are clear now, just like when she was a young lass. It makes me so happy to see!”

“She forgot everything!?”

Mu Yao’s eyes widened. He finally knew how the Investigation Bureau had handled Auntie Zhou’s problem.

Time cannot be reversed, but memories can be modified through magic. The root of Auntie Zhou’s pain was the Village Chief, her parents, her husband, and her daughter. Forgetting them was equivalent to deleting the painful past of those years.

A newly awakened Auntie Zhou would not remember the lover who broke his promise, the parents who oppressed her, the husband who broke her heart, or the daughter who drove her to madness.

“Yes, she forgot it all! Forgetting made her clear-headed! She’s like a young girl now, with endless energy. She just needs to get used to her age; she isn’t young anymore!”

“From what you’re saying, it seems Auntie Zhou’s memory reverted to a long time ago—junior high or high school?”

Cheng Zeyì asked curiously, his expression full of amazement.

“Probably junior high, maybe even primary school. Anyway, she doesn’t remember that Zhang Hao boy at all. Whatever, as long as Little Zhou is happy!”

The grandmother waved her hand, speaking dismissively.

“Then Auntie Zhou really does need to adapt to her body. She can’t go jumping around like she did when she was a kid; her body won’t take it.”

Mu Yao thought back to his own childhood. He put himself in her shoes: if he woke up to find his primary-school self had become an older person… well, that would take a long time to get used to!

“If you’re going to see Little Zhou, go now. She’s at home. Otherwise, she’ll be running out to join the celebration in a bit.”

The grandmother reminded them. Auntie Zhou, whose memory had returned to a time before she ever met the Village Chief, was no longer the madwoman who had to be confined to a room. She had the right to walk out and the energy to enjoy life.

“Then we’d better hurry and see her! Grandmother, thank you for telling us about Auntie Zhou.”

Mu Yao snapped to his feet, grabbing Cheng Zeyì and heading toward Auntie Zhou’s house, not forgetting to thank the old woman as they left.

“Why the rush?”

Cheng Zeyì followed behind, letting Mu Yao pull him along.

“I want to confirm her condition as soon as possible. Um… do you think I should still give it back? Her daughter’s hairpin. It should be very important to her, but if she’s forgotten her daughter, will this trigger her memory to return?”

Mu Yao had been walking fast, but his steps gradually slowed. He pulled out the hairpin and looked at it blankly. He suddenly felt he shouldn’t appear before her—he shouldn’t break the rare peace of her normal life.

“Give it to her. Just say it’s a hair accessory she accidentally lost. She’s reverted to her student years; wearing a cute rabbit hairpin is perfectly normal.”

Seeing Mu Yao’s lost and helpless expression, Cheng Zeyì spoke decisively.

“Is it really okay?” Mu Yao asked uncertainly, still worried.

“It’s fine. It’s a white lie. It returns her precious item while protecting her peace. For someone who woke up and suddenly found herself old, a youthful hairpin is just right.”

Cheng Zeyì continued firmly.

“Alright then! Returning it now!”

Mu Yao made up his mind and quickened his pace again.

Arriving at Auntie Zhou’s yard, Mu Yao knocked politely on the door.

“Coming! Who is it?”

A voice answered from behind the door—one that carried the traces of time but was full of youthful energy. It was completely different from the voice Mu Yao had heard the previous night.

“Auntie… Auntie Zhou, hello. I’m here to return something. You dropped a hairpin a few days ago.”

When the door opened, Mu Yao saw Auntie Zhou wearing a bright long dress. Her eyes were clear and energetic, and her hair had been meticulously groomed, looking smooth and shiny. She had even applied light makeup.

“Uh, Auntie? Little sister, how about you call me Big Sister?”

Auntie Zhou frowned; she didn’t seem quite used to her age yet.

“That works. Sister Zhou, my friend and I are here to return your hairpin.”

Mu Yao hesitated for a second then immediately changed his address.

“Hey, such a cute little rabbit hairpin! Mm, it’s exactly the style I like!”

Auntie Zhou looked at the pin twice, then took it excitedly and pinned it in her hair. She didn’t question where it came from, nor did it trigger any memories. Right now, she was truly simple; someone came to return an item, so she accepted it.

“Thank you for returning it. Would you like to come in and sit? You handsome guy and beautiful girl—are you celebrities? You’re very good-looking! I heard people say the village is great now, and stars have come to film some show. The village is going to get better and better.”

“Sister Zhou is well-informed. We are indeed staff members filming in the village. Maybe before long, you’ll see us on TV. We’re still working right now, so we won’t come in for a visit. We’ll head out now.”

Cheng Zeyì waved his hand, declining her invitation. He used work as an excuse to say goodbye.

“Still working? Then I won’t keep you. I’m so curious about your job; I’ll definitely check it out if I get the chance! Go on with your business. Thank you for making a special trip to return my hairpin.”

Auntie Zhou didn’t insist on them staying. She smiled and thanked them, only closing the door after Cheng Zeyì had led Mu Yao some distance away.

“Thanks to you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known how to turn her down.”

Mu Yao rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. Seeing such a bright Auntie Zhou was something he wasn’t used to yet.

“I wasn’t lying. We are working.”

Cheng Zeyì pointed to the cameramen behind them, indicating that it was an easy excuse.

After returning the hairpin, the two continued wandering the village. Gradually, the sky darkened. A bonfire was lit in the center of the village, and villagers gathered around it, singing and dancing. The production guests also gathered there.

Qu Fu and Kong Yanfei returned with full bags. The gloom that had followed Kong Yanfei since her fainting spell that morning had vanished; she was happily bouncing around with Qu Fu.

Bi Tu found a tea table and sat down, drinking tea and eating cold appetizers. He claimed that at his age he couldn’t dance anymore and would just be a spectator.

Mu Yao looked at the hand Cheng Zeyì held out. He thought that since he’d accompanied him all afternoon, dancing one more dance wouldn’t hurt. He reached out and took the other’s hand. The two walked into the crowd and began to dance.

The celebration lasted until late at night. The guests returned to the inn to pack their bags. They were overwhelmed with packing but looked forward to the journey home the next day.

The next morning, Mu Yao finally took off the dress he had worn for days and put on his own clothes. He carefully put away the dress and accessories, returning them along with the voice changer to the production team.

Not long after he returned the clothes, Bi Tu, Qu Fu, and Kong Yanfei arrived on the first floor dragging their luggage. Mu Yao helped them move their bags.

“Oh, I’m so used to seeing you in women’s clothes. Seeing you in men’s clothes now feels a bit strange.”

Qu Fu circled Mu Yao, sighing with emotion.

“Yeah. I’m so used to calling you ‘Sister,’ calling you ‘Brother’ now feels weird too.”

Kong Yanfei stuck out her tongue playfully.

“Cut it out. You’re clearly switching just fine.”

Mu Yao poked her forehead. He knew she switched addresses very quickly.

“Hehe.”

Exposed by Mu Yao, Kong Yanfei swayed her head and laughed.

“It’s rare to see someone like you, Mu Yao, who looks so wonderful as both a man and a woman. I wonder what kind of expression the big Film Emperor will have when he comes down?”

Bi Tu sidled up. This time, he finally stopped hiding his schadenfreude.

Mu Yao’s smile froze. That was the question he wanted the answer to, as well.

I deceived him so audaciously; he’s probably going to be very angry, right? I heard his temper is terrifying when he’s mad. Will he give me a beating behind the cameras? If we hadn’t been forced to work together by this task, could we have been friends? No… how could a big Film Emperor be friends with me? I’m just a minor ‘flop’ star; I’m not qualified to be his friend. He probably wouldn’t even deign to hit me.

Mu Yao looked at the task card in his hand, a bitter smile unconsciously appearing on his face.

Sometimes, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Just as Mu Yao was thinking about whether he should apologize and offer a gift, Cheng Zeyì appeared at the top of the stairs on the second floor. He stood there silently, staring in a daze at Mu Yao, who was back in men’s clothes.

“Hey, Film Emperor Cheng! Come down quickly, we’re about to set off!”

Bi Tu, never one to miss a chance for trouble, called out. Everyone’s gaze turned toward Cheng Zeyì. Mu Yao nervously wiped his face, feeling as though he were being roasted on a fire.

Step by step, Cheng Zeyì carried his suitcase down. He walked up to Mu Yao with long strides, his expression full of shock. His voice carried uncertainty and a noticeable tremble:

“Mu Yao, you… what exactly are you… You’re a man?!”