Did the Movie Emperor Blow His Cover Today? - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Tao Hui watched Han Buji walk in, anxiously holding up her sign.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t hopeful. The past hour had been agonizing. When she saw Xu Chang and Li Sijin frantically stuffing shit-flavored crispy balls into their mouths while Han Buji stood motionless at the table, she had nearly despaired.

But then, a twist of fate: Han Buji had nonchalantly raised the chili water and downed it in one gulp.

Now, watching him enter, Tao Hui felt like leaping up and performing a Thomas full twist, followed by a tuck double front flip with a 180-degree turn to catch the bar…

But I need to maintain my composure, she reminded herself.

Han Buji took a few steps, then suddenly raised an eyebrow, a half-smile playing on his lips. This small gesture sent a jolt of fear through Tao Hui.

What’s going on? Is he going to back out? Does he not want to be on my team anymore?

Outside the window, two snowmobiles—one white, one black—were rapidly approaching. The big screen flashed: “Xu Chang is about to reach the finish line!” “Li Sijin is about to reach the finish line!”

Tao Hui stared intently at Han Buji, her eyes conveying a tense, scornful message: Han Buji, if you don’t choose me, you’re doomed! If you don’t choose me, you’re a treacherous, heartless, faithless liar!

Han Buji, dressed in all black, stood under the spotlight, stopping in front of Tao Hui. He pointed to the name tag in her hand and asked with a smile, “Not switching?”

A chorus of screams erupted from the crowd.

To those unaware of the situation, the Best Actor exuded overwhelming dominance. He had fearlessly raced back first on his snowmobile, then stood before the female guest he wanted to choose, demanding even though she held another contestant’s name tag, “Not switching?”

Huh? Switch what?

This man is outrageous! Does he expect me to switch to someone else’s name tag before he even chooses me?

Tao Hui stared at Han Buji in bewilderment, reluctantly glancing down at the name tag in her hand. The three characters “Li Sijin” nearly made her fall off her chair in shock.

Wasn’t I holding Han Buji’s name tag?!

Seeing Li Sijin dismount his snowmobile, Tao Hui hastily tossed the Li Sijin tag aside and struggled to retrieve Han Buji’s tag from the pile, holding it up high.

Han Buji seemed to chuckle, the sound drowned out by the screams of the staff and other female guests. He raised his hand again, smiling as he pointed at Tao Hui, his knuckles reddened from the wind during the snowmobile ride. His tone was casual yet resolute: “I choose Tao Hui.”

After many twists and turns, Tao Hui finally teamed up with Han Buji!

Holding up her sign, Tao Hui nearly burst into tears of joy. Without waiting for the staff to announce the results, she rushed over and grabbed Han Buji’s sleeve, shouting excitedly, “Han Buji! You have such excellent taste!”

The other female guests looked on, bewildered.

After Han Buji made his choice, Xu Chang, Li Sijin, and Lu Teng also arrived at their destinations.

The final teams were:

Team 1: Han Buji & Tao Hui

Team 2: Xu Chang & Tang Qingqing

Team 3: Li Sijin & Meng Xianying

Team 4: Lu Teng & Fe Sili

The second segment involved searching for clues.

This variety show always leaned into suspense, but the suspense was so subtle it was almost nonexistent. Rumor had it that the director originally intended to create a live-action escape room format.

However, the clues and puzzles were so laughably simple that the show failed to attract fans through mystery and deduction. Instead, it gained popularity through the comedic contrast of “even the most clueless contestants could get these wrong,” transforming into a full-blown comedy show that consistently ranked among the top three most-watched variety programs.

As with previous episodes, the second segment required the guests to split into teams and search for clues. There were numerous clues, both genuine and misleading. The more clues they gathered, the more information they would have to reference when opening the password-protected boxes in the final segment, thus increasing their chances of winning.

Just before setting off, Li Sijin approached Tao Hui, his voice dripping with sincerity. “Rabbit, would you like to team up with me? I’ll protect you.”

Tao Hui was bewildered. She pointed to Han Buji. “I already have a partner.”

Li Sijin’s gaze bypassed Tao Hui to glance at Han Buji behind her before lowering his eyes. “Rabbit, I came here to protect you.”

Tao Hui forced a dry laugh. “Th-then… thanks, I guess.”

Han Buji flashed Li Sijin a lazy smile, waved, and said casually to Tao Hui, “Let’s go.”

Snow Village was breathtakingly beautiful, an endless expanse of white stretching in every direction.

Tao Hui trudged through the deep snow, muttering under her breath, “Protect me? From what? He makes me sound like a disabled person with rusty prosthetics. As if I’d trip walking on flat ground!”

Before she could finish her sentence, she stepped on something hidden beneath the snow, stumbled, and nearly fell. Han Buji grabbed her by the collar and yanked her upright.

Damn, my face stings! I jinxed myself the moment I opened my mouth.

Tao Hui, her prosthetic leg creaking with rust, awkwardly glanced at Han Buji. As expected of the Best Actor, he remained unfazed by her clumsiness. Instead, he looked genuinely concerned and said, “Be careful, the road’s slippery.”

Han Buji is so kind! Her heart raced again, overwhelmed by his gentleness.

Should I get an EKG when we get back? Why has my heart been pounding so much lately? It keeps racing at the slightest provocation!

Tao Hui felt guilty about raising the wrong nameplate earlier, convinced she had let Han Buji down.

He had endured drinking chili water and racing cars, working tirelessly to secure first place, only to walk in and see her proudly holding up someone else’s nameplate.

How mortifying!

“Han Buji!” Tao Hui called out, stumbling through the ankle-deep snow, patting her chest. “You just rest for a while. I’ll handle finding clues and the brainwork!”

Han Buji, walking ahead, chuckled and repeated, “Brainwork? You’ll handle it?”

Tao Hui planted her hands on her hips, indignant. “Am I not smart?”

Han Buji smiled inwardly, thinking, She looks smart enough, with that sharp look in her eyes. But she always seems to fumble at crucial moments.

No matter how hard she tried, the girl couldn’t figure out why he was approaching her. Did she really have such blind confidence in her gaming skills?

Wouldn’t a normal girl with a functioning brain wonder, “Does he like me?” when a man deliberately approached her?

Tao Hui didn’t. Not only did she not wonder, but she actually believed her gaming skills were so impressive that even the Best Actor would want to cling to her for support.

Han Buji shook his head in exasperation.

Wasn’t he the one who always shielded her from damage in the game?

Wasn’t he the one who whittled down enemies to a sliver of health before letting her secure the kill?

Han Buji remained silent, which only irritated Tao Hui further. “Han Buji, do you not trust me? Do you think your teammate isn’t worthy of your noble Best Actor status?”

She glared at him, her expression daring him to answer in the affirmative.

“No, I just don’t want you to get too tired,” Han Buji replied without hesitation.

Tao Hui pouted, took a few steps, and then spoke again. “Hey, I’ll give you a riddle. See if you can solve it.”

“Hmm?” Han Buji responded.

“There’s a boy named Xiao Ming,” Tao Hui began. “He was eating when the power suddenly went out. He quickly shoveled down two more mouthfuls of rice, and then the lights came back on. Why do you think that happened?”

Han Buji calmly rubbed his stomach twice, pulled a piece of dried tangerine peel candy from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth. He slowly shook his head and asked, “Why?”

“Can’t figure it out, huh?” Tao Hui tilted her chin, a smug glint in her eyes, and bounced forward two steps, landing right in front of Han Buji. “Because of Balala Energy!” she declared loudly.

After revealing the answer, Tao Hui burst into laughter, her bright eyes crinkling into slits as she clutched her stomach, swaying back and forth. Han Buji watched her for two seconds before joining in the laughter.

“Hey, let me ask you another one!” Tao Hui gasped between giggles, barely steadying herself by tugging on Han Buji’s sleeve. “What does a Wangwang Snow Biscuit turn into when it gets hot?”

“What?” Han Buji asked.

Tao Hui wasn’t really expecting an answer. She just wanted someone to share these corny jokes she’d once read.

The corny jokes she’d once read alone, huddled under her blanket.

Tao Hui slapped Han Buji’s shoulder, laughing so hard she could barely speak. “It… it turned into… Wangwang kicking off the blanket! Hahahaha!”

Han Buji, born and raised in Beijing, wasn’t particularly familiar with thick snow that crunched underfoot.

Just as he stepped on a hidden patch of ice and was about to warn Tao Hui, she slapped his shoulder, laughing uproariously, and stepped onto the ice herself. Grabbing Han Buji, they both tumbled onto the snowy grass.

The fall didn’t stop Tao Hui’s laughter. It was as if someone had flipped her “burst into laughter” switch. Even lying in the snow, she shook with laughter.

Han Buji didn’t rush to get up. Watching the snowflakes drift lightly from the sky, he asked Tao Hui, “Do you know why foxes slip?”

“Huh?” Tao Hui wiped tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes, suppressing her giggles as she looked around. “Did you see a fox?”

“Because foxes have slippery paws,” Han Buji said with a straight face.

“Pfft! Hahahaha! Cough! Cough!” Tao Hui laughed so hard she started coughing, struggling to stand up. “Han Buji, Ultraman fighting a monster—guess the Chinese character!”

Han Buji sat in the snow, propped up on his arms, and looked up at Tao Hui, whose face was flushed with laughter. He shrugged. “I can’t guess.”

“片!” Tao Hui jumped up, striking a pose like Ultraman. “Ha ha ha! Doesn’t it look just like it? 片! Ha ha ha!”

The world stretched vast and white, blanketed in snow.

In Han Buji’s phoenix eyes, Tao Hui’s radiant laughter shone like a sun in the desolate white landscape. He lowered his gaze and joined in her hearty laughter.

Their laughter echoed across the empty snowfield, lingering long after it began.

A few minutes later…

“Hey, Han Buji, do you think the cameraman behind us thinks we’re crazy?” Tao Hui cautiously twisted her head to glance at the dark lens. “Can you ask him to delete this part and not air it?”

They had been laughing so hard, she’d completely forgotten they were filming a variety show. If Han Buji hadn’t stopped her just as she was about to roll around in the snow…

Tao Hui covered her face, utterly mortified. I can’t live with this!

Han Buji, however, remained calm. “The Director will decide what to cut during post-production. Don’t worry about it.”

The two began searching for clues in earnest. Tao Hui, eager to prove her intelligence, searched with remarkable zeal, unearthing several treasure chests from the snow.

Each chest contained a route hint. Tao Hui stared at the arrows for a moment, her eyes darting back and forth, before turning to Han Buji. “Yesterday, Qingqing, Xianying, and Sili told me the production team always gives out fake clues. I think we should ignore these directions.”

Han Buji had only agreed to participate in the show to spend time with Tao Hui, so he readily agreed to whatever she suggested. His stomach was also starting to ache more intensely, making it easier to go along with her.

With each chest they opened, Tao Hui deliberately took the opposite route indicated by the hints. After finding three envelopes containing clues, they stopped encountering any more treasure chests.

The cameraman behind them grew increasingly anxious, watching helplessly as the good-looking pair strayed further and further from the planned route, eventually wandering into a desolate forest halfway up the mountainside.

Yet the two continued their trek with undiminished enthusiasm, their strides bold and carefree.

While Tao Hui and Han Buji were discussing their route, the cameraman seized the opportunity to pull out his phone and call the Director. The Director agreed to let the cameraman guide them back. The cameraman sighed in relief, hung up, and turned around—only to find that Tao Hui and Han Buji had vanished!

Two guests, gone?

The vanished Tao Hui, clutching her waist, glanced upward and asked worriedly, “We’ve slid so far down—can the cameraman even keep up?”

When she didn’t hear Han Buji respond, Tao Hui turned to see a bead of sweat dripping from the tip of his nose, melting a small hole in the snow.

“Han Buji? What’s wrong? Did you hit something when we fell?” Tao Hui asked urgently, scrambling over to him on all fours.

Earlier, Tao Hui had slipped on a dry branch, and Han Buji had tried to catch her, resulting in both of them tumbling down the slick slope. They slid a considerable distance before finally stopping on a gentler stretch of ground.

Tao Hui felt no pain and had actually enjoyed the ride, like a giant slide. But judging by Han Buji’s expression, he didn’t seem to be having quite as much fun.

Han Buji shook his head. “I didn’t hit anything. I’m fine.”

“Then what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Tao Hui asked, studying Han Buji. He looked anything but fine.

Han Buji’s complexion was usually pale, but today, perhaps due to the snow’s reflection, his face was even whiter. Sweat glistened on his forehead and the tip of his nose, making him appear to be in considerable discomfort.

The snow was deeper in this area. Tao Hui struggled to her feet and reached out to help Han Buji. “Come on, stand up. You look terrible.”

Han Buji gazed at her small, slightly pink hand, chilled by the cold. He placed his large palm over hers and used the leverage to rise.

His stomach was throbbing with pain, and the fall had only worsened the discomfort.

As Han Buji stood, his brow furrowed slightly, a detail Tao Hui noticed immediately. She kept hold of his hand, feeling a faint dampness in his palm, the kind that comes with intense pain or distress.

Tao Hui’s small face crumpled with worry as she gripped Han Buji’s hand. “Han Buji, what’s really wrong?”

Seeing Tao Hui’s worried expression, Han Buji squeezed her fingertips reassuringly and smiled. “You wouldn’t believe me if I said it was nothing, and even if I told you, you couldn’t help.”

“That’s not true! How can you know I can’t help if you don’t tell me?” Tao Hui’s voice trembled with anxiety, tinged with a hint of tears. “Aren’t we… close? Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling unwell?”

He hadn’t wanted to worry her, but he had to admit that drinking that chili water today had been reckless. In his youthful arrogance, he’d never met a girl who could make him act so impulsively. Now that he had, he decided to indulge himself just this once.

Han Buji lowered his gaze to their clasped hands, then suddenly pulled Tao Hui into his arms, his voice low and husky. “Tao Hui, my stomach hurts.”

The girl in his arms stiffened for a moment but didn’t resist the embrace. After a moment, she asked softly, “Will this make it feel better?”

“Mm-hmm,” Han Buji murmured, burying his face in her shoulder. “Holding you makes it feel a little better.”

To hell with taking things slow, he thought.