Did the Movie Emperor Blow His Cover Today? - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Beijing, autumn. The weather was clear and sunny.

Tao Hui stood downstairs, waiting for her manager. She wore oversized sunglasses and a Burberry scarf loosely draped over her delicate chin, leaving only the tip of her wind-flushed nose visible.

“One last team fight and it’s over. Their ADC is seriously terrible—I could scatter some rice on my phone, and even a chicken would have better positioning. And that Zhuang Zhou on their team? He’s practically living in a dream! He’s been sleepwalking through the entire match!”

It was early morning, and residents hurried through the residential area on their way to work or school. Only Tao Hui leaned against the advertising board by the stairwell, speaking unhurriedly. Her clear, crisp voice seemed out of place amidst the morning’s hustle and bustle.

With earbuds in, Tao Hui stared intently at the game on her phone. Her slender fingers danced across the screen, and soon the word “Victory” flashed across the screen. She smiled, tilted her chin slightly, and blew a small, translucent bubble with her gum, a triumphant gesture.

She shook her stiff wrist, and a new message notification briefly appeared at the top of her phone screen.

[ Teacher Tao, another round? ]

Tao Hui glanced at the time, estimating her manager’s imminent arrival. She sent a voice reply: “Can’t carry you this time, Little Fanboy. I have work soon.”

The other party responded with an “OK” emoji.

The person messaging her on WeChat was a Little Fanboy she’d picked up while gaming. He was good at the game, not clingy—or rather, he had a good temper and wasn’t clingy. In King’s Canyon, he’d go to whatever lane she told him to, use whatever hero she asked him to, and attack wherever she directed him. He was incredibly obedient and well-behaved.

He rarely spoke much, mostly just replying with “mm-hmm” and “okay” when voice chat was on. He was the sunny, puppy-like type—gentle and comforting.

While his skills were only average, he stood in stark contrast to those toxic male gamers who were terrible themselves but still cursed out everyone’s families and ancestors.

Tao Hui was quite satisfied with her Little Fanboy.

However, neither the Little Fanboy nor the passersby in the neighborhood knew that this internet-addicted girl leaning against the stairwell entrance was none other than Tao Hui, the rising star whose radiant smile graced the massive Hua Li phone advertisement across the street. The netizens had dubbed her the “sweet but not cloying sugar girl.”

The sun was shining brightly. Tao Hui lazily stretched, her elbow brushing against something that fell to the ground—a business card.

She picked it up and gasped:

[ Lonely nights? Let a sexy wildcat keep you company. Call now! ]

The yellow flyer featured a busty woman in a provocative pose, her silicone breasts propped up by her arm, her abs so tightly clenched her face was contorted. A pair of cheap cat ears, the kind you could buy a dozen for twenty yuan, perched atop her head, sending shivers down Tao Hui’s spine.

Beep-beep!

The sudden honk startled Tao Hui out of her chill. She looked up and saw her manager leaning out of a silver-gray sedan.

“Sister Xun!” Tao Hui stuffed the flyer into her pocket and ran over, pulling open the passenger door and hopping in. “Why are you driving your own car? Didn’t you go to the office?”

Zhou Xun expertly reversed the car. “Driving my car keeps things low-key. If the director doesn’t like you, the media will be all over you again.”

Unlike other strict managers who wouldn’t even let their clients touch bubble tea, Zhou Xun was a constant worrier, always nagging: “It’s freezing! Why aren’t you wearing long johns?” “Staying up late is bad for you! Go to bed!” “It’s so dry out! Eat some pears to cool down!” He sounded like a mother hen, earning him the affectionate nickname “Sister Xun” from Tao Hui.

The dignified manager had been reduced to a pimp in name only.

Zhou Xun, clearly used to the nickname, steered the car out of the residential area and casually asked, “Hui-ah, did you rest well yesterday?”

Tao Hui, engrossed in her mobile game’s battle stats, blurted out, “Amazing! I was MVP every round, carrying the team like crazy! My skills were off the charts! I even led my Little Fanboy to an eight-win streak!”

The next moment, Tao Hui felt a sharp tap on her forehead. Her sunglasses slid down, barely hanging on her nose as she clutched her head, looking utterly aggrieved.

Zhou Xun, holding a rolled-up advertising flyer, kept his eyes on the road ahead while tapping Tao Hui twice more. “We finished going over the script at midnight last night, and you still managed an eight-game winning streak? If each match takes twenty minutes… Tsk, did you stay up until three again?!”

“I was nervous about meeting Director Chen! Playing games helped me relax!” Tao Hui snatched the paper tube from Zhou Xun and waved it with determination. “Sister Xun, I’ll give it my all today! I’m definitely getting into Director Chen’s production crew!”

“As long as you don’t screw up, you’ve got a ninety percent chance,” the manager said. “Just keep your mouth shut and answer questions politely. Director Chen is notoriously strict on set. Someone with your level of experience is already pushing the limits of his patience.”

Tao Hui was also looking forward to Sheng Jue. The thought of joining a production crew filled with seasoned veterans brought a faint smile to her face.

She slowly unrolled the “weapon” Zhou Xun had just used—the rolled-up advertising flyer. But her smile froze as she saw Han Buji’s loathsome face staring back at her.

Anima Menswear: The Gentleman’s Choice

In the photo, Han Buji’s features were sharp and defined, a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his high, straight nose. His deep-set eyes, with their languid phoenix-like slant, and the subtle upward curve of his lips exuded both the gravitas of a mature man and the rebellious spirit of a youth. A tailored suit hugged his perfect physique.

After all, he was the nation’s male god—undeniably handsome.

But a gentleman? Hah! What a joke!

Tao Hui pinched the corner of the promotional page, curling her lip in disdain. Her sharp eyes darted to Manager Zhou Xun, who was wearing the same suit as Han Buji. The effect on him, well… uh…

She glanced back at the page.

A man with millions of adoring fans must have real talent. No wonder his followers showered him with such extravagant praise.

“Brother’s legs aren’t legs, they’re the spring waters of the Seine; Brother’s back isn’t a back, it’s a Bulgarian rose; Brother’s waist isn’t a waist, it’s Duoming Sanlang’s curved blade; Brother’s lips aren’t lips, they’re the clear waters beneath Anhe Bridge.”

Tao Hui recalled the words, clutching her throat and gagging dramatically. “Ugh!”

She didn’t actually know Han Buji, but their brief 45-second encounter had left her with a visceral aversion to his handsome face. Even a casual glimpse of him on TV sent her eyes rolling so far back they nearly disappeared into her skull.

She pulled out the yellow flyer from her pocket, spat out her chewing gum, and stuck the sexy kitten ad to Han Buji’s face. Then, she rummaged for a permanent marker and, with a bold stroke, wrote the four large characters “买一送一” (Buy One Get One Free) across his forehead.

Zhou Xun, focused on driving, didn’t notice Tao Hui’s antics. He continued his nagging, “Make sure you perform well later. Director Chen’s production crew has high standards. This drama is full of veteran actors. Even running errands on set can teach you a lot…”

After Zhou Xun had been droning on for ages, they stopped at a red light. As he braked and parked, he turned to see Tao Hui, cap in her mouth, meticulously drawing a turtle on the Best Actor’s face.

Zhou Xun: “…”

Three hours later, the silver Accord pulled into the film studio complex and parked by the roadside.

Tao Hui removed her sunglasses and put on a wide-brimmed autumn orange hat. She cinched the belt of her trench coat, accentuating her slender waist. Pressing her lips, painted with caramel persimmon-colored lip gloss, she blew a kiss toward the studio gates. “I’m here!”

As a female star, Tao Hui transformed completely once she was “on.” Her every smile and glance was both delicate and alluring, a true beauty.

After watching her manager drive away, Tao Hui lowered the brim of her hat slightly.

Sheng Jue was a grand historical drama set in a fictional world, already a month into filming. As a newcomer parachuting into the production crew, Tao Hui knew it was best to keep a low profile.

If any scandalous rumors surfaced before she even joined the crew, Sister Xun might just hang himself from the crooked tree at the base entrance with his tie.

While pondering how to greet Director Chen, she stepped into the elevator.

Two other people were already inside. Tao Hui lowered the brim of her hat, her gaze falling on a pair of handcrafted, bespoke men’s leather shoes.

She liked this brand too, and couldn’t help but glance at them twice before letting her gaze drift upward.

Tao Hui’s eyes swept over long, straight legs encased in light-colored casual pants, and she blinked.

Nice legs.

Above the legs were hands tucked into the pants pockets, the pale wrists clean and unadorned. A biscuit-colored trench coat was draped over the forearm of the other arm.

Good taste in clothes too.

Further up was a sapphire-blue shirt with a subtle pattern, its hem tucked into the casual pants, accentuating a trim waist.

Those legs, that waist, that figure!

Tao Hui wanted to grab the Best Actor’s millions of wives and give them a piece of her mind: “See this? This is the spring water of the Seine! This is the rose of Bulgaria! This is the curved blade of Duoming Sanlang!”

With a body like that, there was no reason not to check out his face.

Tao Hui slowly and deliberately lifted her head, trying to appear casual.

His jawline was sharp and masculine.

His lips were well-shaped, thin yet sensual.

His nose was straight and proud, radiating an air of arrogance.

And those eyes… those phoenix eyes were notoriously difficult to pull off. Aside from Han Buji in advertisements, this was the first time she’d seen someone who looked… wait a minute!

Holy shit, it was Han Buji himself!

Tao Hui snapped back to reality like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She instantly ducked her head under her hat and spun around, so mortified she wanted to grab Sister Xun’s tie and hang herself from the nearest crooked tree.

She felt like she had thorns in her back, acutely aware of Han Buji and his manager’s gazes scrutinizing her spine.

A soft “hmm” came from behind her, followed by a gentle tug on her sleeve.

She turned her head sharply and saw Han Buji’s manager smiling politely, pointing to her trench coat. “You have gum stuck to your coat.”

“Thank you,” Tao Hui mumbled, guiltily lowering her head. Sure enough, there was a sticky patch of chewing gum on her trench coat.

But where had it come from?

Oh, right. She’d popped it into her mouth that morning before leaving and chewed it while playing games.

Later, she’d even used it to stick a yellow flyer onto Han Buji’s promotional poster. It must have gotten stuck to her coat when she got out of the car.

Wait! The promotional poster?!

Tao Hui jerked her head up in horror, just in time to see Han Buji’s manager unfurling the rolled-up poster. Panic seized her, and she blurted out, “No!”

Too late. It was all too late.

The turtle drawn on “Han Buji’s” face, the yellow flyer stuck to his ear, the “Buy One Get One Free” scrawled across his forehead—all were now laid bare before Han Buji and his manager.

The truth had been revealed, and the dagger plunged straight into Tao Hui’s heart.

She wanted nothing more than to vanish into the ground. Stiffly turning her head, she saw the Best Actor across from her slowly lift his eyelids. His languid, phoenix-shaped eyes narrowed slightly as he drawled, each word a deliberate, heart-piercing strike: “How… creative.”