Did the Movie Emperor Blow His Cover Today? - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The furious curses, delivered in a thick Sichuan-Chongqing dialect, that erupted from the phone felt like a potent fever-reducing shot, piercing straight into Tao Hui’s heart.

Her dizziness vanished, her fever broke, and even the palm gripping the phone grew subtly damp.

After quietly explaining that she wasn’t close to Han Buji, Tao Hui felt an urge to check if her heart was still beating. She was convinced she could perform an instant death scene without needing Sister Xun’s tie.

Xiao Yuanlian and Xiao Shouhou remained silent… silent… silent…

Then, the acne-faced, energetic Xiao Shouhou suddenly couldn’t hold back his laughter.

Xiao Yuanlian joined in, kindly trying to ease Tao Hui’s embarrassment. “We were just, uh, joking around. It’s totally fine if you don’t have Best Actor Han’s number. Really, it’s not awkward at all.”

Xiao Shouhou added, still chuckling, “This happens to a lot of celebrities. Not having contact info and stuff, it’s totally normal, really.”

Tao Hui stared blankly at the two, their faces flushed from suppressed laughter, completely bewildered by what they found so funny.

Why were they so insistent on saying “really,” and why did they sound like they were trying to spare her embarrassment?

And what was with their pitying expressions?

After a moment of stunned silence, Tao Hui suddenly realized.

They hadn’t recognized him at all! The person on the phone was Han Buji!

And they were even sympathizing with her!

They thought that after working with Han Buji for a month, she didn’t have his number and had just dialed a random number to fill the gap!

Tao Hui’s eyes widened in disbelief.

No way! Is Han Buji’s “born-and-bred Beijing native” persona really that solid?!

Even in this 90% fail situation, they didn’t suspect a thing?!

Amidst the entertainment reporters’ stifled laughter and comforting words, Tao Hui reluctantly left the film set. The cold wind immediately triggered another headache. Back at the hotel, she found some fever-reducing medication and took it.

The medicine made her drowsy, and she curled up on the sofa, clutching her phone, and fell asleep.

She slept for less than two hours, and her sleep was restless. In her dreams, Han Buji’s persona collapsed, making him a trending topic for all the wrong reasons. Then, she dreamed of a sunny day on a Beijing street when a ragged beggar grabbed her leg.

Startled, she looked down to see Han Buji, his face covered in mud and his lips cracked, snarling, “Fuck! Give me some food! I haven’t eaten in three days, all thanks to you, you idiot!”

Tao Hui jolted awake, kicking her leg. She felt something clinging to it and panicked, only to realize it was just the blanket wrapped around her leg.

Tao Hui exhaled deeply, wiping the sweat from her forehead, and suddenly felt a surge of anxiety.

What if today’s interview airs and more people see it? What if some old friend of Han Buji’s comes forward and reveals his true personality? Would he really get dragged on social media and go bankrupt?

After all, before Han Buji debuted, the young artist signed to his Unruly Entertainment had been blacklisted in exactly this way.

The artist had just starred in a film and was on the rise when a poster featuring a delinquent youth theme was released. A middle school classmate then exposed him, claiming he had been a real delinquent in school—smoking, drinking, and leading school bullying against other students. In college, he had reportedly slept around everywhere. Han Buji immediately terminated his contract and blacklisted him.

The more Tao Hui thought about it, the more uneasy she became.

The two entertainment reporters hadn’t recognized Han Buji’s voice, but what if someone else did?

Terrified, she leaped up from the sofa, threw on a pair of sneakers, and bolted out the door. Without waiting for the elevator, she sprinted up eight flights of stairs and pounded on Han Buji’s door.

“Just a moment,” Han Buji’s voice called through the door.

Tao Hui lowered her head, frantically trying to figure out how to explain herself to Han Buji without ending up strangled with his tie.

The white door swung open, and the small metal bell beneath the room number “808” chimed crisply. A warm, cedar-sandalwood scent washed over Tao Hui, its damp freshness evoking the image of a snow-covered plain where spring’s first thaw had begun.

Tao Hui looked up and saw Han Buji standing before her, dressed in a loose black hoodie.

He had likely just showered; his hair was still damp, and his pale skin carried a faint blush, likely from the hot water.

Tao Hui froze, stunned. She had never seen Han Buji look so youthful.

They say time waits for no one, but it seemed to have shown extraordinary mercy to this 27-year-old man.

His face bore not a single trace of age. When he wasn’t working, his phoenix-shaped eyes held a detached air that made him look like a cocky 17 or 18-year-old.

Who named him “Buji”? Tao Hui wondered. It fits him perfectly.

Han Buji lowered his gaze, amused by Tao Hui’s dazed stare. He snapped his fingers playfully and chuckled, “Teacher Tao, daydreaming about faraway lands?”

“Huh?” Tao Hui snapped out of her reverie, recalling Han Buji’s earlier address. She asked suspiciously, “What did you just call me?”

Han Buji paused for two seconds before replying, “Slip of the tongue.”

“Oh,” Tao Hui replied, not thinking much of it. After all, the production crew was full of “Teacher X,” “Teacher XX,” and “Teacher XXX” types, so occasional misnaming was perfectly normal.

However, as a junior member of the crew, Tao Hui had only ever been called “Teacher Tao” by her Little Fanboy in the game. No one else had ever addressed her that way.

With the afternoon’s interview on her mind, Tao Hui decided not to dwell on the matter. She took a deep breath, preparing to tell Han Buji about the phone call earlier. After all, he had unleashed a tirade over the phone, likely unaware of whom he was scolding.

Just as she was about to speak, music began playing from inside the room.

Han Buji glanced back at the interior and waved Tao Hui over. “Wait a moment, I need to take this call. Come in and sit down.”

Following his gesture, Tao Hui entered Han Buji’s room and stood quietly by the door, taking the opportunity to observe her surroundings.

The room was permeated with the same faint cedar and sandalwood scent that clung to him. A few coats hung on the rack, but otherwise, there were no particularly distinctive features.

From the bedroom, she could hear Han Buji’s terse responses on the phone: “Mm-hmm,” “Mm-hmm,” “Mm-hmm,” “Okay,” “Okay.”

It reminded her of how Little Fanboy acted during their gaming sessions—his replies were always brief, but his voice was gentle and warm, like that of a sunny, affectionate puppy. When he occasionally spoke in longer sentences, it almost sounded like he was pouting.

Han Buji’s voice was different—deep, steady, and undeniably sexy, a baritone that resonated with authority.

Lost in her thoughts, Tao Hui didn’t realize how comfortable she was becoming with Han Buji. In the past, she would never have actively sought him out, let alone entered his apartment.

But now, feeling tired of standing, she took the liberty of settling into the sofa.

A small, black electronic device on the table caught her eye. She glanced at it curiously, noticing several tiny buttons labeled with text: “Sunshine Junior”?

What the hell is this?

Just as Tao Hui was about to sneak a closer look, Han Buji emerged from the bedroom. She immediately withdrew her hand and sat up straight.

“Sorry for the wait,” Han Buji said with a nod.

Tao Hui quickly spoke up, “Han Buji, I think I’ve caused you trouble again…”

Han Buji looked genuinely surprised, studying her for a moment. “You know?”

“Well, I had that interview today, you know, the one with the Entertainment Reporter on set. When they interviewed me, they asked me to call you. I was going to say no—” Tao Hui’s words trailed off as her eyes widened. “Wait, what do you mean ‘you know’? No way, it’s already trending?”

“You saw the trending topic too? It just came out,” Han Buji said, stroking his chin and raising an eyebrow. “You came to see me about this?”

Tao Hui’s mouth hung open in shock for three seconds before she finally closed her eyes and stammered, “I’m sorry. If you ever end up homeless and begging on the streets, clinging to my leg, I’ll definitely take you out for a meal. I’ll even get you some Gangben… cough!“

Overwhelmed by panic, Tao Hui choked on her own saliva. The final word for “coins” came out as “Gangben” (Okamoto) instead. (t/n: Gangben/Okamoto, a well-known condom brand in Chinese)

Han Buji chuckled. “Gangben?”

“Coins! I meant coins!” Tao Hui shouted, her face flushed. “What’s wrong with you? How can you joke at a time like this?!”

The sophisticated Beijing gentleman persona you’ve cultivated for years is crumbling!

Why are you still making jokes?!

Han Buji poured a cup of tea and handed it to Tao Hui. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve already assigned Wu Yue to handle it. Don’t worry, the heat will die down in an hour at most.”

Tao Hui was stunned by Han Buji’s composure.

See? He truly deserves to be Best Actor. No wonder he’s on the Forbes rich list—he doesn’t even flinch when he’s trending for all the wrong reasons!

Could trending on social media or damaging his public image be trivial matters to Han Buji?

With this thought, Tao Hui felt relieved and let out a sigh. Only then did she have the presence of mind to carefully recall Han Buji’s words.

What did he mean by “You don’t need to worry either”?

Tao Hui felt the air conditioning in Han Buji’s room was set too low; she was starting to feel warm. She fanned herself with her hand and explained, “I’m not worried about you. After all, you ended up trending because of me. I just feel guilty. Guilt and worry are different.”

Han Buji listened quietly until she finished, then glanced at his phone. “Hmm… it seems most of the criticism is directed at you. About 99% of it, I’d say.”

“What?!” Tao Hui leaned over to look at Han Buji’s phone.

She was about to explode with anger. Why was she getting all the blame for Han Buji’s image blunder?!

But when she saw the image on Han Buji’s oversized phone screen, Tao Hui froze.

Not just a regular freeze—a completely, utterly, mind-boggling freeze.

The photo showed Han Buji carrying Tao Hui in a princess carry. He was dressed in a suit, and the background was the hotel corridor. The image had likely been photoshopped, as there was a blurred area beside him.

Tao Hui stared blankly at the picture, then glanced at the accompanying text, which only deepened her confusion:

[ Shocking! Tao Hui Feigns Fainting at Hotel, Best Actor’s Kindness Exploited! ]

The following passage describes Tao Hui feigning unconsciousness in the elevator and being carried back to Han Buji’s room. The author wrote it with such vivid detail, as if they had witnessed it firsthand, creating a dramatic narrative that resembled a scheming woman’s rise to power in an inspirational novel about a cunning woman who finally wins over the CEO.

Tao Hui lifted her head, her expression blank. “Was this… the day I had a fever?”

Han Buji nodded. “I’ve already had Wu Yue clarify the situation. It’s fine. That was Gao Meng’s room next door, 806, and both Gao Meng and Wu Yue were present the entire time. Medical staff also came.”

Tao Hui didn’t know how to feel. She had worried her panicked phone call would land Han Buji in hot water, but instead, she was the one trending for all the wrong reasons.

Wu Yue worked quickly. By the time Han Buji refreshed the page, the trending topics had shifted:

1. Gentleman Han Buji
2. Han Buji’s Fans Bombard Marketing Accounts
3. The Truth Behind Tao Hui’s Princess Carry

Without her phone, Tao Hui could only crane her neck to peek at Han Buji’s screen. As he scrolled through the comments, it seemed the drama had already moved past her:

[ ~Wow, Brother is so handsome! A princess carry, ughhh! I’m so jealous today! ]

[ ~Damn marketing accounts, always stirring up trouble! Brother, focus on filming and keep up the good work! ]

[ ~Brother is so warm-hearted! Oh my god, I wish I could be his co-star and get carried like that when I faint! ]

Wait a minute! Weren’t you all just criticizing me? Why aren’t you mentioning me now that you’re praising him?!

Amidst the flood of “Brother’s amazing,” “Brother’s such a gentleman,” and “Brother’s so handsome” comments, Tao Hui finally spotted her name. She grabbed Han Buji’s sliding thumb. “Wait!”

Han Buji paused, glancing at Tao Hui’s small hand gripping his.

Instead of the expected “Go, Rabbit! Crush it in the new drama!” comments, she found a message that made her cringe:

[ ~Am I the only one who thinks Tao Hui and Han Buji actually look really good together? ]