Did the Movie Emperor Blow His Cover Today? - Chapter 34

Chapter 34

The temperature in Ji City was over 20 degrees Celsius lower than in Beijing. Tao Hui felt unwell the moment she stepped off the plane. She pulled a thick scarf from her bag, wrapping herself so only her eyes were visible. Turning around, she saw Han Buji striding out with his down jacket unzipped.

He looked undeniably handsome, but his thin, light-colored sweater seemed utterly inadequate for the cold. Tao Hui couldn’t help but feel cold on his behalf.

Just as she was about to warn him about the temperature, a chorus of screams erupted behind her. Tao Hui finally noticed the crowd outside the airport—all holding Han Meimei support banners.

Han Buji’s black banners with gold lettering were particularly striking, forming a dazzling golden sea.

Even the beautiful sight couldn’t lift Tao Hui’s spirits. The sheer number of Han Meimeis under those banners sent a chill down her spine.

Holy shit, Han Meimei!

A whole damn crowd of them from the Northeast!

Years ago, one of the anti-fans who had harassed her online—a woman from the Northeast—had declared with unwavering conviction:

[ What’s Tao Hui up to? Daring to frame my Brother? She’d better not set foot in the Northeast. If she does, I’ll punch her to death! ]

Tao Hui instantly cowered, ducking back into the cabin and slipping behind Han Buji’s team to stand with Miao Miao and Zhou Xun.

Han Buji’s popularity was truly overwhelming. Tao Hui watched as he stood among the Han Meimeis, smiling politely and signing autographs.

Looking at herself, Tao Hui felt utterly desolate. Not a single fan in sight—no followers, no wide rice noodles, no sweet potato noodles, no konjac noodles, no ice jelly… Ugh, maybe I’m just hungry.

Tao Hui sighed softly and tightened her scarf.

Since no one recognizes me anyway, I might as well not worry about appearances.

Just as she thought this, a young girl wearing a thick fleece hat squeezed through the crowd. Her support banner, white with pink lettering, stood out vividly among the sea of black and gold signs: “Rabbit Fur Meat, A-Zi, Goose-Take-Marsh-Day.”

That’s definitely my Rabbit Fur, Tao Hui thought, stopping to watch the girl stumble her way through the crowd.

“Rabbit! Can I get your autograph? I’m your biggest fan!” the Little Rabbit Fur shouted excitedly.

Tao Hui took the autograph board and pulled a pen from her pocket, signing her name with practiced ease. Noticing the girl’s pale face, she asked with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?”

The Little Rabbit Fur clutched her chest, her face flushed with surprise and delight. “N-no, I just have low blood sugar. It’s nothing! Rabbit, you’re so kind! I love you so much!”

“Low blood sugar?” Tao Hui tilted her head, recalling the time Han Buji had feigned low blood sugar to drink her coffee on set. Didn’t he say eating something sweet helps with that?

Tao Hui reached into her down jacket pocket, pulled out the last piece of dried tangerine peel candy, and gently handed it to Little Rabbit Fur. “Here,” she said softly. “Be careful on your way home.”

Little Rabbit Fur took the candy, staring blankly as Tao Hui walked away before snapping out of her daze. She unfolded her autograph board, revealing the other half—Han Buji’s signature.

After Tao Hui’s name, a small, simple heart had been drawn, followed by Han Buji’s name.

The signatures formed a perfect pair!

Little Rabbit Fur opened her other tightly clenched hand, revealing another piece of dried tangerine peel candy—identical to the one Tao Hui had just given her.

Earlier, Little Rabbit Fur had nervously approached Han Buji with Tao Hui’s fan sign, worried the Best Actor might be annoyed.

Instead, Han Buji glanced at the sign, his lips curving into a faint smile. He even gave her the candy that had come out with his autograph pen. Little Rabbit Fur was thrilled, earning envious glares from the Han-Lemon-Essence-Meimei fans.

Dried tangerine peel candy! Couple candy!

“Mom! This CP is too good! They even have couple candy! I’m going to stan them forever!” Little Rabbit Fur excitedly pulled out her phone, her hands trembling as she frantically posted three consecutive Weibo updates:

<i>We got Rabbit and Best Actor’s combined signatures! Aaaah, I’m so excited! There’s even a little heart in the middle! What is this?! It’s practically a marriage certificate! A marriage certificate! I’ve already thought of a name for their child: Han Little Rabbit!</i>

<i>Aaaah, Rabbit is so gentle and Best Actor is so gentlemanly—they’re a perfect match! Today, they both wore white down jackets—matching outfits, sisters! Waaah, this CP is too good to resist! I’m going to stan them forever!</i>

<i>Best Actor and Rabbit gave out the same candy—couple candy! The No Way CP is giving us sweets today! [Image]</i>

Within seconds of posting, comments from “No Way Girls” flooded in:

<i>Sisters! You’re so lucky! A combined signature! I’m green with envy today!</i>

<i>Couple candy! Aaaah, why does Rabbit have the same candy as Best Actor? Sisters, think about it! Analyze it closely!</i>

<i>Rounded up, this is basically wedding candy! It’s New Year’s for No Way Girls today!</i>

<i>Sisters, I was at the airport too! I saw Rabbit come out first, then when the Han Meimeis shouted Best Actor’s name, she startled, ducked her head, and scurried back inside! It was hilarious! Our timid Rabbit is too cute!</i>

Tao Hui had no idea how the “No Way Girls” online were celebrating. Only Miao Miao and Gao Meng’s eyes sparkled as they stared at something unseen.

After exiting the airport, the variety show guests boarded a bus directly to the filming location. Managers and assistants weren’t allowed to accompany them. Tao Hui and Han Buji waved goodbye to Miao Miao and the others as they boarded the bus.

Ji City’s winter was breathtakingly beautiful, unlike Beijing, where it rarely snowed all season.

As they drove deeper into Snow Village, the landscape transformed into a pristine white wonderland. Even the bare tree branches were coated in snow, a phenomenon the local staff called “tree frost.”

Tao Hui pressed her face against the window, her good mood bubbling over. She exhaled a misty breath onto the glass and drew a small heart with her finger. Turning to Han Buji, she asked, “Doesn’t this look like a fairytale ice kingdom?”

Han Buji, seated beside her, chuckled at Tao Hui’s childlike wonder as she gazed around in awe. He pulled out a hand warmer and offered it to her. “Don’t catch a cold.”

Snow Village was quite a distance from the airport. After a brief burst of excitement, Tao Hui leaned back in her seat and drifted off to sleep, eventually resting her head unconsciously on Han Buji’s shoulder.

When Tao Hui woke up, she noticed that the little heart on the window had mysteriously multiplied into two.

Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she gazed out the window at the rows of small houses, their roofs blanketed in thick snow, resembling a cluster of giant white mushrooms—utterly charming.

By the time they arrived at the filming location, the director and several other actors were already chatting. Variety shows tend to be physically demanding, so veteran actors and senior performers rarely participate. To boost viewership, the production team typically selects trending celebrities with built-in buzz and controversy. This time, the Sheng Jue production crew sent Han Buji, Tao Hui, and Xu Chang.

The show’s original cast included:

Meng Xianying, the reigning queen of dance and vocals

Tang Qingqing, a rising-star host

Fe Sili, an internationally renowned supermodel

Lu Teng, a comedic actor

And then there was the annoying special guest, Li Sijin.

As Tao Hui stepped off the bus, she glanced up and saw Li Sijin staring at her with an intense gaze.

Haunted by this ghost!

Tao Hui subtly tugged on Han Buji’s sleeve, shielding her face with her hand as she leaned in and whispered, “Han Buji, remember what we agreed on the plane? We’re a team, okay? Don’t forget.”

The words sounded childish, like the ever-shifting alliances of elementary school friendships: “You can only play with me today, don’t talk to XXX!”

Han Buji chuckled, leaning in close to Tao Hui’s ear and mimicking her gesture, shielding his mouth with his hand. “Then don’t forget what I asked you either.”

“Ah, okay…” Tao Hui agreed, feeling a bit confused. After all, she couldn’t think of any reason Han Buji would want to get close to her besides her gaming skills.

Noticing Han You’s absence, Tao Hui whispered, “Was Han You not invited to this variety show?”

“No, she wasn’t,” Han Buji replied.

Despite the casual tone, Tao Hui couldn’t help but sense a hint of support for her and Miao Miao in his words.

Before she could dwell on it further, the other guests arrived, interrupting her thoughts with greetings.

“Huihui! Brother Han! What secrets are you two whispering about? I was going to walk with you, but I heard we could see silly roe deer here, so I rushed ahead!” Xu Chang, who had been chatting with Tang Qingqing, sprinted over, tripped on the snowy ground, and landed with a thud on his knees in the snow.

“A secret?”

Tao Hui finally noticed how close she was standing to Han Buji, perhaps a little too intimate for onlookers.

She had initially felt a bit embarrassed by Xu Chang’s remark about a “secret,” but seeing him kneeling in the snow made her burst out laughing.

Having worked together on set, Tao Hui wasn’t a stranger to Xu Chang. She playfully quipped, “No need for such a grand gesture.”

The other guests who had followed Xu Chang to greet Han Buji and Tao Hui all chuckled.

Kneeling in the snow, Xu Chang looked up at Tao Hui and Han Buji standing side by side and suddenly blurted out, “Hey! Matching outfits?”

The laughter froze in mid-air.

Normally, Xu Chang, though boisterous, wouldn’t make such thoughtless remarks in public. After all, this was the entertainment industry, where randomly pairing people up could cause trouble.

But thanks to the previous night’s “Weibo Night” event, the more he thought about it, the more he convinced himself that Brother Han and Tao Hui were a perfect match. Now, whenever he saw them together, his brain automatically started playing the wedding march.

Xu Chang hadn’t yet realized he was about to become the first “No Way Boy.” After blurting out the remark, he felt a twinge of awkwardness.

Tang Qingqing, a former host, smoothed her chestnut-brown bob, ready to smooth things over. But Li Sijin interjected, “I’m wearing white too. Why isn’t anyone saying Rabbit and I are matching?”

There was a hint of pitifulness in his tone.

Everyone present was shrewd enough to understand why this young tycoon had suddenly appeared. They exchanged knowing smiles.

Tao Hui instinctively flinched, using Han Buji’s figure to shield herself from Li Sijin’s gaze.

Fe Sili, a renowned model standing at 179 cm, grinned brightly in her thick, bright blue down jacket. “Oh, so Lu Teng and I are wearing matching green hats? Is that couple’s wear too?”

Having grown up abroad, Fe Sili didn’t fully grasp the cultural implications of “wearing a green hat.” She remained oblivious to Lu Teng’s speechless expression as he stared at her, wearing a dark green hat.

Lu Teng, a comedic actor, was shorter than Fe Sili even in her heels. He could only look up at her, waving his hand modestly. “No, no, no. Teacher Han and Tao Hui are the real couple’s wear. Fe Sili and I? We’re more like mother-and-son wear.”

The guests burst into another round of breathless laughter.

Han Buji chuckled silently, while Tao Hui, amidst the harmonious laughter, discreetly pinched her burning earlobe.

By the time they reached Snow Village, it was already evening. They could only film a brief arrival scene; the main work would begin the next day.

That night, everyone gathered around a round table to enjoy a farm-style dinner. The steaming stew warmed Tao Hui’s shivering body and soothed her spirit.

The only discomfort came from Li Sijin’s relentless attempts to ingratiate himself. He kept serving her food, pouring her water, and steering every conversation back to her.

When the group discussed astrology, he declared that Tao Hui’s Pisces sign was a perfect match for his.

When they talked about blood types, he insisted that her O-type blood was a perfect match for his.

When they discussed hairstyles, he claimed that her curly hair was a perfect match for his.

Tao Hui was so annoyed she wanted to stuff a corn cob into Li Sijin’s mouth.

Meng Xianying, a bubbly singer-dancer with a penchant for gossip, snapped her fingers upon hearing Li Sijin’s repeated hints. “Huihui, since this is your first time on our show, are you aware of our tradition?”

“What tradition?” Tao Hui mumbled around the corn she was chewing. Her eyes widened suddenly as she added, “It’s not one of those prank segments where guests have to drink stinky tofu juice, is it?”

“That’s Pear TV’s show, silly! We’re Watermelon TV,” Meng Xianying said with a smile.

“Oh,” Tao Hui replied, a little embarrassed. “So, what’s the tradition then?”

Meng Xianying glanced at Li Sijin and, with a sly smile, set a trap for Tao Hui. “All our segments pair one man and one woman. Huihui, who do you want to team up with tomorrow?”

Han Buji had asked her the same question on the plane.

At that moment, Tao Hui’s only worry was that these overly enthusiastic people might try to pair her with Li Sijin.

The mere thought of this possibility made her feel ill. She blurted out, “I want Han Buji!”