The Paranoid Film Queen Hooked Me, and I Fell in Love - Chapter 55

The next morning, Xu Zhiyan had barely dragged herself out of bed—having stayed up late—when she noticed a peculiar expression on Shen Buhui’s face.

“What’s going on?” she asked groggily, rubbing her eyes.

Last night, after reminiscing for hours with Shen Buhui, Xu Zhiyan had uploaded her latest story update to Weibo before finally drifting off to sleep.

“You’re trending,” Shen Buhui replied calmly.

Xu Zhiyan froze mid-rub, eyes wide with alarm. “Don’t tell me… our relationship got exposed?!”

Her mind instantly flashed through eight hundred imagined posts from Shen Buhui’s diehard solo stans jumping ship.

Although her bottom line about going public had gradually softened, she still held fast to one rule:

—She would never publicly confirm their relationship until after the film had been released.

Xu Zhiyan didn’t care much for fame, but as an actress, she had her own sense of integrity. She didn’t want her name as an actress to be overshadowed by news of her romance.

Shen Buhui: “……”

She handed over Xu Zhiyan’s phone from the bedside table.

“Relax. It’s not that.”

Taking the phone, Xu Zhiyan quickly opened Weibo. With a habitual flick of her finger, she refreshed the trending topics—and sure enough, there were several hot tags related to the film crew.

Just then, a message popped up in their work group chat.

Xu Zhiyan glanced at it and let out a breath of relief. “Ah, it’s just pre-release marketing for the movie.”

Shen Buhui took a sip of water, her voice nonchalant as she said, “Scroll down a little more.”

At her prompting, Xu Zhiyan, who had been about to put the phone away, swiped further down the list.

#QiHelinXuZhiyan YouAreMyPreciousTreasure

Xu Zhiyan: “???”

Her years of CP fan instincts flared to life in an instant.

She scrolled down to the trending thread and saw loads of CP-flavored comments flooding the plaza.

Xu Zhiyan frowned, puzzled. “Aren’t we supposed to play siblings in the movie?”

So where did this very ambiguous, obviously shippy trending tag come from?

Thinking back to how Qi Helin had been sticking to Xu Zhiyan like glue these past few days, Shen Buhui let out a cold laugh. “He’s probably trying to ride on some ‘sibling affection’ angle to stir up attention.”

Is that so?

Xu Zhiyan rubbed her chin thoughtfully, and took the opportunity to tell Shen Buhui about the time Qi Helin approached her with that suggestion.

She had thought her refusal had ended the matter, but judging from this, it seemed he had simply changed tactics—dropping the romance angle to push the “sibling bond” narrative instead.

Shen Buhui immediately called Zhao Yue, relaying their suspicions and asking her to keep an eye on things.

Once the call ended, she covered her phone with her hand and reminded gently, “Let’s just focus on doing what we came here to do. Don’t worry about him.”

They were here to relax—and maybe show off a little PDA. Shen Buhui wasn’t about to let Qi Helin ruin the mood.

Xu Zhiyan nodded, “I know. Haven’t I been doing a great job these past few days?”

She shot Shen Buhui a smug, proud look.

Shen Buhui, reminded of Qi Helin’s poor blistered hands from yesterday, couldn’t help but chuckle. “You have.”

But then again, that was self-inflicted.

The minor morning drama didn’t faze either of them, and when they saw Qi Helin again, they acted as normal.

Though it couldn’t be confirmed whether the CP trending topic had come from his team directly, there was a high likelihood they had at least helped fan the flames.

Naturally, Shang Qi had seen the trending tag too. Having been in the industry for years, she instantly recognized that the film was beginning its official pre-release campaign.

Coincidentally, during a casual conversation about what everyone liked to do in their free time, Shang Qi mentioned her love for movies, and smoothly brought up the topic.

“You four were in a movie together, right? Symbiosis, was it? When does it premiere? I can’t wait to watch it.”

Xu Zhiyan and Shen Buhui exchanged a quick glance and smiled.

They understood right away—Shang Qi was helping them promote it. And as luck would have it, the director had just mentioned the same thing in the group chat earlier that morning.

Xu Zhiyan smiled and replied, “The director said, unless something changes, it should release on the first day of the Lunar New Year. We’ll be counting on your support then, Shang Qi-jie.”

“Of course,” Shang Qi grinned. “I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll book out a whole theater if I have to!”

Zeng Yue chuckled softly. “No need to go that far, Shang Qi-jie. Just a ticket will do.”

Looking around at everyone, Shang Qi joked, “That won’t do. I’m counting on all of you to return the favor and book out the theater when my movie comes out!”

“So that’s your plan all along, Shang Qi-jie!”

Laughter broke out among them, the atmosphere cheerful and lively.

After resting the entire morning, all six of them had regained their energy and were ready for action again.

Right then, the director appeared, holding a loudspeaker, and announced a new task.

“Everyone’s done an amazing job these past few days. As a reward, we’ve bought some fresh beef from the local market—meat upgrade incoming!”

Having eaten fish for several days in a row, Xu Zhiyan couldn’t help but glance toward the director’s left side, where a black plastic bag sat on the ground—heavy and clearly packed with meat.

“But—” the director’s tone shifted.

“This beef isn’t free.”

“?” Xu Zhiyan couldn’t help but protest, “Didn’t you say it was a reward?”

The director said righteously, “It is a reward. But there’s no such thing as free beef in this world. To earn it—and an additional 300 yuan bonus—you’ll need to help some villagers with a special task.”

“Three hundred?” Chen Xingguang’s eyes lit up. With that amount, the six of them wouldn’t have to worry about food for the next few days.

“What’s the task?” Zeng Yue asked.

“There’s a soon-to-be-married couple in the village, and they’ll be hosting their wedding here. Your mission is to assist them in ensuring everything goes smoothly and beautifully.”

Seeing their surprise, the director added, “Don’t worry, the couple has fully agreed to this arrangement. That’s the only reason we’re doing this. And all the materials you’ll need for the wedding will be provided.”

Xu Zhiyan nodded. Since the couple themselves had given their blessing—and they were broke and meatless—it wasn’t like they could say no.

Following the clues provided by the production team, the group set off.

After heading to the east side of the village and checking in with a few locals, the six of them finally arrived at Lin Jiao’s home.

“You’re here!” Lin Jiao greeted them warmly, opening the door with a big smile.

After some small talk, Shang Qi, acting as the team’s spokesperson, was the first to speak. “Jiaojiao, do you have any specific requests or dreams for your wedding?”

Lin Jiao smiled sweetly, her face glowing with joy. “I’m open to anything, but I’ll need to check with my wife first.”

The moment she said “my wife,” something stirred in Xu Zhiyan’s chest. She turned slightly to glance at the person beside her.

As if telepathically linked, Shen Buhui lifted her eyes at that exact moment and looked at her.

Their gazes met—and unexpectedly, Xu Zhiyan felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. She looked away first.

“Would your wife be available to chat with us?” Shen Buhui asked gently.

“Absolutely, you can speak with her over video call.”

After dialing in the other bride, the six of them spent the better part of the day discussing the theme, key details, and expectations for the wedding.

The wedding would take place the morning after tomorrow—which meant they had less than two days to pull everything together.

Time was tight. The group returned and started noting down essentials, forming a checklist for things they would need to purchase.

Head-to-head with Shen Buhui, Xu Zhiyan sighed, “I’ve been to a bunch of weddings before, but this is the first time I’ve had to plan one.”

Shen Buhui nodded. “Same here.”

After a beat, Xu Zhiyan looked around and, seeing that no one else was paying attention, leaned in a little closer. “What did you feel when you saw Lin Jiao today?”

Shen Buhui looked up. “Hmm?”

Xu Zhiyan licked her teeth and whispered, “Did today… make you think about wanting your own wedding someday?”

Shen Buhui immediately understood.

“Even if I did, what would be the point?” she replied with a subtle expression. “Do the math—how old are you right now?”

Xu Zhiyan: “……”

She was eighteen—still two years away from the legal marriage age.

All that anticipation for nothing. Just like that, Xu Zhiyan’s sweet daydream popped like a bubble, and she was pulled back to reality.

She sat up straight and dutifully focused on the task briefing Shang Qi was giving them.

Maybe it was because she and Shang Qi had talked more comfortably the night before, but this afternoon, when assignments were handed out, Shang Qi paired her directly with Shen Buhui.

“Decorating the bridal suite…” Xu Zhiyan and Shen Buhui glanced at each other, then quickly looked away.

Once everyone had dispersed to begin their tasks, Xu Zhiyan leaned closer and asked, “Do you… have any experience?”

Shen Buhui cast her a sidelong glance. “Who exactly do you think I would have experience with?”

Still organizing the supplies, she added flatly, “If I did have experience, now that would be the real problem.”

Xu Zhiyan was momentarily stunned—then immediately realized how ridiculous her question sounded.

It wasn’t their wedding. Why was she getting so excited?

Noticing her flustered and regretful expression, Shen Buhui’s lips curled slightly in amusement.

The others had all gone out, so Xu Zhiyan and Shen Buhui stayed behind, searching online for ideas. Xu Zhiyan even called Lin Ya to ask if she had any tips.

Sticking to a meticulous attitude, the two of them drafted several rough plans together, making their way through the process with a few bumps and laughs before tidying up and heading to the kitchen to cook.

The rest of the group still hadn’t returned, and as they moved around the kitchen, they unconsciously fell back into their familiar rhythm from the apartment—one cooking, one assisting, seamlessly in sync.

When Zeng Yue came back and stepped inside, she was greeted by the scene of the two working side by side in perfect harmony.

Expressionless, she approached—and just as she was about to speak, she heard Xu Zhiyan’s voice from the kitchen.

“I don’t think I’ve ever asked you—what exactly is it you like about me?”

That afternoon, they had happened to overhear Lin Jiao and her fiancée sharing their love story. And now, alone in the kitchen without cameras or microphones, Xu Zhiyan couldn’t help but ask.

Zeng Yue paused at the doorway, holding her breath and quietly listening in.

“What do I like about you?” Shen Buhui’s voice came from inside. “I like your warmth, your kindness, and your sincerity.”

As children, it was Xu Zhiyan’s enthusiasm and gentle nature that made them fast friends.

Later, the more she watched Xu Zhiyan, the harder it became to look away.

Those qualities slowly built a complete, unique person that was undeniably Xu Zhiyan.

“But most importantly,” Shen Buhui added gently, “I love you because you’re you—because you’re Xu Zhiyan.”

Her voice was soft, filled with affection.

Outside the kitchen, Zeng Yue leaned against the wall, her fingers curling tightly into her palm.

Because of her warmth, kindness, and sincerity…

Zeng Yue lowered her head slightly, lost in thought.

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