Did the Movie Emperor Blow His Cover Today? - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

In Beijing’s Red Maple Villa, guests mingled amidst clinking glasses and cheerful chatter.

Han Buji wiped his lips with a napkin, glanced at his phone—4 PM. After exchanging a few polite words with those around him, he picked up his coat and discreetly slipped out the villa’s back door.

He had barely stepped onto a few autumn-dried fallen leaves when footsteps sounded behind him.

“Brother Han, leaving so soon? I was hoping to have a couple of drinks with you!” Gu Yi called out, chasing after him from inside the villa, a glass of red wine in hand. He blocked Han Buji’s path with a grin. “Brother Lu’s leaving early to be with his wife, but you—no girlfriend? Why not stay and have a drink with us?”

Gu Yi was the younger son of former Best Actor Gu Yuan, a jewelry designer who ran a publicly listed jewelry company. Today’s exhibition was being held by his company, and he had invited Han Buji, who held an 8% stake, to join the gathering.

Han Buji turned back, a faint smile playing on his lips. “Making fun of your Brother Han for not having a girlfriend?”

“Aiyo, Brother Han, how could I dare? By the way, now that I have some free time, how about I design a necklace for you? I was so inspired by your movie the other day!” Gu Yi clapped his hands, deliberately adding, “But the design I had in mind was for a couple’s necklace. Since you’re always alone, I’m not sure how to proceed?”

Gu Yi was a chatterbox, and Han Buji hadn’t intended to listen to his rambling. But when he heard the words “couple’s necklace,” Han Buji stopped in his tracks, turned his head, and asked with amusement, “Couple’s? One for men and one for women?”

Gu Yi grinned teasingly. “If you have any special requests, I can make two men’s versions into a couple’s set too.”

“Get lost,” Han Buji retorted with a laugh, gesturing to his lower abdomen. “Make it this length, then. Something that doesn’t look like a couple’s set at first glance, but when you put them together, you can tell they’re meant to be. A proper couple’s design.”

“Holy shit…” Gu Yi, who was sipping red wine, nearly spat it out. “Dude! Bro! You’re really putting your little brother on the spot here!”

After his outburst, Gu Yi suddenly realized something and shrieked, “Brother Han! You—you you you! You have a girlfriend?!”

Han Buji’s handsome phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of contemplation in them. “No, she doesn’t fancy me… yet.”

“…Who is she? Damn, if I were a girl, I’d marry you in a heartbeat. How could anyone not fancy my Brother Han?” Gu Yi stared at Han Buji in disbelief, noticing the helpless yet indulgent expression on his face. He shuddered involuntarily. “R-really? Is this for real?”

Han Buji chuckled. “It’s true. She doesn’t even want to see me face-to-face, preferring to rely on a chance encounter in the vast sea of people.”

Gu Yi didn’t quite understand what Han Buji meant, but that didn’t stop the young master’s mind from churning out a fresh batch of half-baked schemes. “Brother Han, leave this to me! I’ll design a one-of-a-kind necklace that will make you impossible to miss, even for a girl with questionable eyesight, no matter how crowded the place is!”

“Alright, it’s in your hands then,” Han Buji said with a light laugh, waving goodbye. “See you later.”

Despite his gentlemanly demeanor, Han Buji drove back to the Film and Television Base from Beijing at breakneck speed, repeatedly flirting with the limits of the law.

The black Maserati left a blur in the night as it screeched to a halt in the hotel’s underground parking garage.

Han Buji switched off the engine and sat back, closing his eyes. He recalled a certain night—the salty sea, and a girl who had pulled him relentlessly toward the surface.

“Back so early?” Wu Yue knocked on the car window. “I thought you wouldn’t be back until late.”

“Yeah, wanted to get some rest,” Han Buji replied, opening his eyes. The two men stepped into the elevator.

Han Buji was in a good mood today, but his good spirits evaporated the moment the elevator doors opened on the first floor.

Tao Hui stood by the elevator door, her exhaustion palpable. Her eyelashes drooped, her cheeks flushed, and her lips were dry and cracked.

Most concerningly, though she had initiated the conversation, her voice sounded worryingly weak.

And then, this fragile girl had collapsed into his arms.

Tao Hui felt like she had been drifting through a series of hazy dreams, desperately trying to wake up, but her consciousness refused to obey her will.

When she finally opened her eyes, she saw a humidifier hissing out a plume of mist and a bag of medicine. One pill was missing from the aluminum blister pack of fever reducers.

A white alarm clock displayed the time: 11:45 PM.

Tao Hui was covered with a white blanket, its faint cedar and sandalwood scent nearly made her fall off the bed in shock.

Mom! I’m doomed! I deserve to be blacklisted!

I actually slept in Han Buji’s… bed!

Tao Hui wished she could transmigrate back in time and slap herself awake.

Even if she had tripped and face-planted on the floor, even if she had gotten a bump on her head, she shouldn’t have collapsed into the Best Actor’s arms!

He was the Best Actor! The Best Actor with millions of devoted female fans!

“I’m finished,” Tao Hui muttered, her eyes glazed over. “Han Meimei will kill me, then hang me by Sister Xun’s tie from the crooked tree at the base entrance, and then whip my corpse!”

So, before Han Meimei and her fan group discover me, I need to get back to my own room!

Tao Hui, her head still dizzy from the receding fever, propped herself up and glanced around the room. A soft “Eee—” escaped her lips.

Can you believe it? Your male god, the effortlessly cool and charming Han Buji, has a Xiao Sakura sticker on his laptop!

The bed beside her dipped under the weight of a rose gold Apple laptop. The protective case was adorned with a Xiao Sakura sticker, so adorably cute that Tao Hui was speechless for a full minute.

But when she glanced at the laptop screen, all expression drained from her face.

A chat group was open, filled with pink, fluffy avatars, all excitedly discussing “Rabbit” and the “Best Actor.”

Wait, Rabbit? Isn’t that the nickname fans use for me?

And who’s this Best Actor? It can’t be Gu Yuan, the retired actor in his fifties, right?

It’s… it’s Han Buji?!

[ ~I could watch that GIF of Rabbit pinning the Best Actor a million times! ]

[ ~Remember that magazine shoot where Rabbit wore a suit? So damn cool and A-list! I want to see her corner the Best Actor like that! ]

[ ~Ugh, I’m so down for that! I want to see Rabbit pin the Best Actor against a wall and kiss him! ]

[ ~Yes! A wall slam! A forceful, stolen kiss! ]

Tao Hui stared at the screen, her face a mask of existential doubt. What kind of bizarre organization are these pink, fluffy avatars?

They actually want me, someone who’s only 165 cm tall and can barely see Han Buji’s face without craning my neck, to pin him against a wall?

And then forcefully steal a kiss?

If I jumped, would I even reach Han Buji’s knee?

If anyone’s going to be pinned against a wall, it should be me, with Han Buji cornering me. He’d have to lean down, tilt my chin up, and make me look at him.

Wait a minute…

Tao Hui’s eyes snapped wide open, and she shook her already dizzy head.

Why… am I… fantasizing… about kissing Han Buji?!

Startled by her own thoughts, Tao Hui flailed and tumbled off the bed with a muffled thud. Thankfully, the hotel room was carpeted. She scrambled to her feet, clutching her head, and belatedly noticed the pale pink bathrobe hanging on the door.

She also belatedly heard the sound of water running in the bathroom.

Han Buji is wearing a pink bathrobe?!

No, wait! Tao Hui slapped her forehead.

Han Buji is showering! Is he… is he wearing clothes?!

Tao Hui tugged at her hair, wanting to cry but unable to. Of course not! she thought. No sane person would shower with their clothes on, especially not Best Actor Han!

As Tao Hui’s empty brain raced with wild speculations, the sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped.

Tao Hui’s senses sharpened instantly.

She heard rustling sounds from the bathroom, saw a blurry figure moving behind the frosted glass door, and noticed wisps of steam seeping from the gap beneath the door.

Tao Hui stared at the pink bathrobe hanging on the bathroom door, her expression complex.

To avoid facing Han Buji in his bare, completely naked state, Tao Hui closed her eyes and scrambled back into bed, pulling the covers over herself as the figure approached the door.

Does a cold have lingering effects? My heart feels like it’s racing…

Did Han Buji give me the wrong medicine?

With her eyes still closed, Tao Hui planned to wait until Han Buji had put on his bathrobe before pretending to wake up naturally.

But the person emerging from the bathroom made no sound of dressing. Instead, footsteps approached the bed directly, and someone gently tucked the blanket around Tao Hui.

Tao Hui’s palms grew clammy, and she swallowed nervously.

Suddenly, she froze, feeling a hand lightly touch her face.

Startled, Tao Hui abandoned all pretense of sleep, opened her eyes, and roared, “Han Buji, you bastard! You pervert! You… uh…”

Over ten thousand more curses were abruptly choked back.

Tao Hui and Gao Meng stood facing each other by the bed.

Gao Meng, dressed in a tracksuit, had been startled by Tao Hui’s sudden outburst. Her hands trembled as she cautiously asked, “Rabbit, your fever seems to have broken.”

Tao Hui didn’t want to talk. She just wanted to go back and borrow a tie from Zhou Xun.

“Were you… were you having a nightmare just now?” Gao Meng ventured.

Tao Hui felt guilty. “Probably…”

Knock, knock, knock.

The sudden knock interrupted Tao Hui’s awkwardness. While Gao Meng rushed to answer the door, Tao Hui pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a soft sigh of relief.

“President Han! Manager Wu! Did you go out for late-night snacks?” Gao Meng’s cheerful voice called out.

Tao Hui’s eyes widened as she saw Han Buji and Wu Yue enter, both wearing thick cashmere coats. Wu Yue carried two large bags from Jinji Congee Shop.

Seeing Tao Hui awake, Wu Yue greeted her with a smile. “Tao Hui, you’re awake! I called Zhou Xun—he’s at the hospital with your assistant. President Han and I bought congee. Come eat some.”

“Wow, there’s some for me too! Rabbit, come on, it’s still warm! It smells delicious!” Gao Meng chimed in enthusiastically.

Tao Hui froze, glancing at Han Buji. He had just removed his checkered scarf and leather gloves, his pale fingers reaching past Gao Meng to firmly press down on a bowl of congee. “Ginseng and wolfberry congee is for the patient. You can have something else.”

She had sworn to stay away from Han Buji before joining the production crew, yet somehow she found herself growing closer to his team.

Now she was even sharing a late-night meal with them.

For a moment, the faint aroma of rice from the congee in the living room warmed Tao Hui’s heart.

She slowly walked over, pulled out a chair, and murmured her thanks, “Thank you.”

Wu Yue and Gao Meng were bickering over a bowl of seafood congee with dried scallops when Han Buji suddenly leaned in, his voice low and serious. “Who are you thanking?”

“Thank you, Teacher Han,” Tao Hui replied with genuine sincerity.

“Really?” Han Buji’s phoenix-like eyes glanced at her through his long lashes, a meaningful curve tugging at the corner of his lips. “Then I must have misheard someone calling me a ‘pervert bastard’ at the door earlier?