Did the Movie Emperor Blow His Cover Today? - Chapter 24

Chapter 24

God opened a window for you, revealing that the person who insulted you for 45 seconds three years ago wasn’t Han Buji. At the same time, God also slammed your front door shut, and you didn’t have your key.

Tao Hui took three seconds to process this reality before glancing back at Han Buji, who was leaning casually against the doorframe. She couldn’t bring herself to ask, “Can I come in for a while?”

After all, Tao Hui felt she had never truly understood Han Buji.

In Tao Hui’s eyes, Zhou Xun was meticulous, always remembering to bring tissues when going out. He avoided greasy, sugary, and high-calorie foods, and his personality was like that of an overprotective mother, whose main concern throughout the winter was reminding her and Miao Miao to wear long underwear in their group chat every day.

Miao Miao was even simpler. Her greatest passion was eating. She worked to earn money, but the money was ultimately for eating delicious food. Whether it was hidden street snacks that even Beijing’s urban management couldn’t find or overpriced, trendy restaurants, nothing escaped her notice. The word “eat” permeated every aspect of her life.

Han Buji was different. Tao Hui’s initial impression of him stemmed from that 45-second misunderstanding. Her current impression was based on the opinions of online fans and the Han Meimei fan group. Even though he stood right in front of her, Tao Hui couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something unfathomable lurking beneath the lazy smile in his phoenix eyes.

She simply couldn’t understand Han Buji.

Sister Xun had once remarked that both she and Miao Miao were “brainless,” the kind of people who would be sold out by a clever person and then happily help them count the money.

Han Buji stood there, silent yet radiating an air of superiority, as if daring her to beg him for shelter. Tao Hui glanced at his lowered eyelashes and nervously shrank back.

Confirmed: this is a clever person I can’t afford to cross.

Never mind. I’ll just go find Miao Miao.

Tao Hui pulled out her phone and called Miao Miao.

She had always refused to leave a spare key with the building management. There was a rumor in the entertainment industry about a female celebrity whose spare key was stolen from the property management office. The thief then used it to secretly live in her apartment while she was away filming, even installing hidden cameras to take compromising photos—utterly deranged.

Tao Hui had two spare keys: one with Zhou Xun and the other with Miao Miao. Zhou Xun had taken advantage of Tao Hui’s trip back to her hometown to visit his elderly parents, leaving Miao Miao alone in Beijing.

“Hey, Sister Huihui! What’s up? Did you change your mind and decide to marry that Sichuan-Chongqing tycoon? Don’t forget, if you get rich, don’t forget your…” Miao Miao’s cheerful voice rang through the phone, only to be cut off by Tao Hui’s deliberate cough.

“Ahem!” Tao Hui held the phone to her ear, gazing up at the hallway light above. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Han Buji’s gaze was fixed on the back of her head. Feeling awkward, she touched her earlobe. “Miao Miao, do you still have my spare key?”

“Ah! Sister Huihui! I need to confess!” Miao Miao’s voice instantly deflated, becoming a mumbled confession. “Remember when I was hospitalized recently? Well, before I went in, I threw up on my jacket. It sat in the closet for a few days and got moldy… so I threw it away.”

Tao Hui’s expression remained blank. “So, my spare key was in your moldy jacket?”

Miao Miao fawned, “Aiya, Sister Huihui, you’re so smart! Your IQ is off the charts!”

Off the charts, my ass! I’m probably only slightly smarter than you, you idiot!

“What use are you?!” Tao Hui demanded.

Miao Miao was being her usual sycophantic self. “Aiya, you see? I’m actually useful! If you marry a Sichuan-Chongqing tycoon, who’ll be your bridesmaid? Who’ll help you devour the shark fin and bird’s nest soup at the wedding banquet? Who…”

Tao Hui hung up, exhausted. Turning, she saw Han Buji leaning against the doorframe, having already opened the gift box. He held the woody-scented perfume and sprayed a spritz into the air.

The fragrance was truly captivating, a blend of woody notes and tobacco that evoked the warmth, groundedness, and refined masculinity of a mature man.

Amidst this alluring scent, Han Buji said casually, “Come in.”

Tao Hui hesitated for a moment before following him into his home.

Han Buji didn’t ask her to change shoes, but she instinctively kicked off her ankle boots, stepping carefully in her socks onto the gleaming floor. She shuffled over to the gray leather sofa and sat down, murmuring, “Sorry for the intrusion.”

Unlike the stereotypical image of a messy bachelor’s pad, Han Buji’s home was even tidier than her own. The monochrome palette of gray, white, and black gave the impression that its owner was a reserved, serious, and somewhat aloof individual.

As Tao Hui’s mind wandered, Han Buji poured her a glass of warm water and showed her the community’s property management WeChat account. “The office is closed for the day, so getting a locksmith will have to wait until tomorrow. What do you want to do?”

After asking, Han Buji glanced down and noticed Tao Hui’s pure cotton socks with a small dog print. “I’m sorry, we don’t get many visitors. I should have been more prepared.”

Tao Hui was still preoccupied with how she would spend the night. When she snapped back to reality, Han Buji was kneeling in front of her, unwrapping a pair of new disposable slippers, the kind you find in hotels. They were quite large, clearly men’s size.

She stared, slightly dazed.

Kneeling, Han Buji was a little shorter than her. His eyes were lowered as he carefully used a small silver scissors to remove the tags from inside the slippers. He was wearing black loungewear, and his neatly trimmed nails were meticulously peeling off the labels.

This was the first time Tao Hui felt genuinely curious about Han Buji.

What kind of person is he, really?

Just when you think he’s a short-tempered, petty man, he acts impeccably polite. When you think he’s a courteous gentleman, he says something like, “You want to kiss me.” And when you think he’s narcissistic and arrogant, he shows a patience and gentleness that seems completely out of character.

This scene is so gentle, Tao Hui thought.

“I only have men’s slippers,” Han Buji said, placing the slippers beside Tao Hui’s feet.

“Thank you,” Tao Hui said, slipping into the oversized men’s slippers. She looked at Han Buji, still kneeling before her, and tentatively asked, “My dear minister, please rise?”

Han Buji chuckled, pointing to the perfume on the table. “I really like this fragrance.”

Curious, Tao Hui asked, “I smelled this brand’s ‘Puppy’ scent on you earlier. Which one do you prefer?”

“Which one do you prefer?” Han Buji countered, repeating her question.

This habit of echoing my words… is he acting like a Little Fanboy on his male period? Tao Hui wondered.

After a moment’s thought, she answered honestly, “I prefer the woody one.”

Several seconds passed without any response from Han Buji. Just as Tao Hui was about to wonder if he hadn’t heard her, he suddenly asked, “When you were eighteen, you wanted to call me. Why?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Tao Hui gripped her water glass tighter and asked softly, “Did you… see the video of me being cornered by reporters at the hotel in Iceland?”

“I did,” Han Buji replied.

Tao Hui instinctively covered her neck with her hand. “Do you also think that mark… was a kiss mark?”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Han Buji replied, “Not at all.”

Perhaps it was due to her childhood experiences. Tao Hui’s long and lonely childhood had made her particularly moved whenever someone expressed belief or care.

So when Han Buji said, “Not at all,” Tao Hui resolved to show him the birthmark on her neck.

“Do you have makeup remover?” Tao Hui asked.

“?” Han Buji looked puzzled. “No.”

“Then, what about facial cleanser?” Tao Hui persisted.

Without asking further questions, Han Buji stood up and gestured for Tao Hui to follow him. As she followed him inside, Tao Hui was surprised to discover a spiral staircase leading to an upper floor.

Stepping onto the stairs, Tao Hui felt a bit dazed.

Wait, if you really think a 98-square-meter apartment is so cramped, why live in this complex at all? Wouldn’t your mansion be better?

Buying two floors and converting them into a duplex would cost enough in renovations to buy another apartment, right?

Tao Hui’s face wore a numb expression of “the wealthy really are so unpretentious,” as she followed Han Buji to the upstairs bathroom.

This bathroom was as big as her bedroom!

Is this the new trend in flaunting wealth? Buying two houses and combining them into one massive space instead of just living in a villa?

Han Buji glanced at Tao Hui, unable to decipher the indignation on her face. He simply pointed to the facial cleanser on the vanity and left.

The concealer on Tao Hui’s neck was incredibly stubborn. It took three washes with Han Buji’s cleanser to completely remove it. She wiped the water from her neck with a tissue, a few droplets falling to the floor.

In the mirror, Tao Hui found herself wearing the same white wool dress she’d worn three years ago—as if the explanation no one had wanted to hear back then could finally be spoken today.

She smiled at her reflection, took a deep breath, and opened the bathroom door.

“Han Buji, don’t be too surprised. I…” Tao Hui’s words were cut short by her oversized slippers. Her left foot stepped on the right slipper, the wet sole causing her to slip. With astonishing speed, as if propelled by a rocket, she lunged toward Han Buji.

Crash! Han Buji was knocked to the ground.

Tao Hui stared wide-eyed, her vision filled with the black fabric and mother-of-pearl buttons of Han Buji’s loungewear.

She heard Han Buji say, “…I’m actually quite surprised by this.”

“I didn’t! I didn’t mean to! Don’t make things up!” Tao Hui panicked, terrified that Han Buji might think she was making a move on him. She immediately switched into “accuse the accuser” mode. “Who told you to make your floor so spotless? It’s like an ice rink! I just slipped…”

As she spoke, Tao Hui pushed herself up from Han Buji’s chest.

They had hugged during filming before, but today felt different. Tao Hui was unusually flustered, even sensing the warmth of Han Buji’s body through the thin loungewear.

The thought made her even more panicked. Her limbs stiffened, and when she tried to push herself up with her knees, one knee pressed down on Han Buji’s hips.

“Ugh,” Han Buji groaned softly.

The sound made Tao Hui’s legs buckle. She collapsed back into his arms, her chin bumping against his chest.

This was truly awkward. Seeing Han Buji’s furrowed brow, Tao Hui didn’t even dare to imagine exactly where her knee had landed. She desperately wanted him to say something—anything.

I’m fine. I’m okay. I’m alright. Anything would do. Tao Hui could easily follow up with a casual remark and then nonchalantly climb off him.

But Han Buji remained silent.

Tao Hui, feeling utterly cowardly, thought: What if my bony knee accidentally… uh… accidentally turned thousands of Han Meimeis’ husband into… a eunuch? What do I do? Help! Urgent!

Just as Tao Hui felt herself freezing into a stone statue, Han Buji finally spoke: “Tao Hui, are you staying over tonight?”

Tao Hui: “?”