Did the Movie Emperor Blow His Cover Today? - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Dinner was quite lavish. The portions in Snow Village were enormous, with every dish served in heaping platters that looked utterly appetizing. Unlike the restaurants in Beijing, where Tao Hui had once ordered sweet and sour pork ribs only to receive a beautifully plated dish with a mere nine pieces—enough to make her furious.

Farm-style cuisine lacked such refinement but possessed a casual warmth.

Tao Hui particularly enjoyed the warm corn juice, drinking two cups and thinking she should bring some to Han Buji.

Han Buji left the table less than ten minutes after dinner began, his departure lacking the swagger he’d displayed earlier in the day. His steps seemed sluggish. Tao Hui watched his retreating figure, convinced his stomach pain hadn’t fully subsided, and a flicker of concern stirred within her.

Tao Hui didn’t know much about Han Buji’s stomach condition, but she secretly speculated that something warm might soothe him.

After all, wasn’t it said that drinking hot water cured all ailments?

The dining hall buzzed with energy as the group of talented individuals reveled in their camaraderie, already reenacting embarrassing moments from their industry.

Amidst Xu Chang’s boisterous laughter (“Ahahaha, that’s hilarious!”), Tao Hui quietly slipped into the kitchen, her face radiating innocence as she asked the cook, “Excuse me, Auntie, is there any more of that warm corn juice?”

“Of course, dear! There’s plenty left. Auntie will pour you a bowl,” the kitchen auntie said warmly, showering Tao Hui with compliments from head to toe. “You’re such a pretty young lady! How do you stay so radiant? Your sweet face is just so endearing…”

After praising Tao Hui, the auntie began peering into the dining area. “There’s also a young man in there I absolutely adore! I used to love watching him on TV, and he’s even more handsome in person!”

“He is quite handsome,” Tao Hui blurted out, then awkwardly touched her nose, trying to change the subject. “Auntie, is it okay to drink corn juice when you have a stomachache?”

“Oh dear, absolutely not! Corn is considered a coarse grain, you know, hard to digest. It’s best to avoid it when your stomach’s upset,” the auntie explained matter-of-factly, then asked, “What’s wrong, dear? Stomachache?”

Tao Hui glanced around the restaurant before cautiously replying, “It’s my friend who has a stomachache—the one you like so much. He ate something spicy today, and now he’s feeling terrible.”

The auntie clapped her hands. “Ah, no worries! My old man has the same problem. I’ll warm up a glass of milk for him. That’ll fix him right up!”

Is it really that simple? Tao Hui wondered. Can a glass of milk really relieve a stomachache?

Tao Hui blinked in surprise, then quickly thanked the woman. “Thank you, Auntie. I’ll go find my thermos.”

Zhou Xun had insisted Tao Hui bring the thermos when they left Beijing yesterday. At the time, Tao Hui had thought Zhou Xun was having another “mom moment,” thinking to herself that his “old mother” was getting increasingly dramatic. She wasn’t going to use the thermos for wolfberry tea anyway—it would be useless!

Now, Tao Hui was incredibly grateful she had brought it.

Clutching the large thermos of warm milk, Tao Hui planned to sneak through the dining hall unnoticed. After all, the boys’ rooms were in a different wing from the girls’, and being seen together would be awkward.

Tao Hui crouched low, hugging the wall like a cautious kitten, and crept toward the door. She had barely taken a few steps when she spotted a pair of shoes in her path…

Mission failed!

Resigned, Tao Hui slowly raised her head and saw Li Sijin’s smiling face.

Li Sijin’s narrow, single-lidded eyes crinkled with amusement. “Rabbit, where are you going?”

Clutching her thermos, Tao Hui straightened up and hesitated. “…To find someone.”

“Han Buji?” Li Sijin asked casually, removing his gold-rimmed glasses to polish them with a cloth before putting them back on. “Is that right? Going to see Han Buji?”

Tao Hui had never been good at lying. She sighed and replied, “I’m going to bring Han Buji some warm milk. His stomach’s been acting up.”

Li Sijin pushed up his glasses with the pad of his index finger and said slowly, “Rabbit, can we talk for a bit?”

Tao Hui had noticed him glancing at her several times today, sensing his unspoken words. It was inevitable they’d have to talk eventually. With him being a wealthy businessman and her an actress, their association was bound to spark gossip. She felt it was time to have a proper conversation with him.

“Alright, where should we talk?” Tao Hui wrapped her thermos tighter against her chest.

Li Sijin exhaled in relief. “The backyard? Should you grab a coat? It might be a bit chilly.”

“I’m fine. Let’s go,” Tao Hui said.

As they walked toward the backyard, Li Sijin suddenly began, “When I was about twelve, my parents took me to Beijing. I was quite naive back then, and a trafficker tricked me into following him. I only realized something was wrong when he started leading me down increasingly remote paths, away from the Peking Duck my parents had promised me.”

“Huh?” Tao Hui turned to look at him, puzzled. “And then what happened?”

She didn’t quite understand why Li Sijin was suddenly telling her about his childhood. She almost wanted to snap, “I’m not a kidnapper, you know! Are you haunting me for revenge?”

And Young Master Li, you were twelve years old back then! How could you still fall for a kidnapper’s tricks? Did they promise to top up your Q coins or something?

What a brilliant achievement!

Li Sijin slowly unbuttoned his coat and continued, “Then I hid in a crack between some rocks. Later, an old cowherd rescued me, took me to an orphanage, and even reported the incident to the police.”

An orphanage?

The artificial mountain in the backyard was anything but romantic, resembling a set piece from a horror movie. Tao Hui’s sensitive ears caught the word “orphanage,” and she stopped beneath the artificial mountain just inside the backyard entrance.

She remained silent, watching Li Sijin slowly finish unbuttoning his coat. Suddenly, she blurted out, “Do you have some kind of exhibitionist streak?”

“…No,” Li Sijin replied, draping the coat over Tao Hui’s shoulders. “Rabbit, we met a long time ago. I’ve been searching for you ever since.”

Tao Hui froze, then carefully asked after a long pause, “Was the orphanage you went to called Hope Village?”

She hadn’t returned to the orphanage since she was ten and had only vague memories of the children there. Could Li Sijin have grown up with her?

Tao Hui asked, “Are you that chubby kid who used to eat boogers and always told me they tasted like the ocean?”

“What?!” Li Sijin looked disgusted, struggling to deny it. “…I am not!”

Years ago, Li Sijin had escaped from human traffickers, unaware that he had been taken to a remote village near Beijing. When an old cowherd found him, he had been starving for nearly two days. The frail child, weakened by hunger and a high fever, had collapsed.

The illiterate cowherd only knew that Hope Village was a place for orphans, so he took Little Li Sijin there. It was only at the Dean’s urging that he reported the incident to the authorities.

When Little Li Sijin woke up, the first thing he saw was a three-year-old girl peering timidly at him from the bedside. Her large, beautiful eyes held a green apple riddled with insect bites.

That three-year-old girl was Tao Hui. Little Tao Hui blinked her eyes and sniffled, “Big Brother, are you new here?”

Still feverish and groggy, Little Li Sijin glanced around the orphanage’s dilapidated room. After coughing a few times, he managed to ask, “Where am I?”

“Where is this?” Little Tao Hui shook her head, confused. “Dean Sister said this is our home.”

“Your home is really run-down,” Little Li Sijin frowned, surveying the dilapidated surroundings. Even the plastic cup by the bed was old and worn, its printed rabbit design half-peeled off, leaving only half a face.

Having been pampered since birth, Little Li Sijin had grown into a sheltered young master, still clueless about the world at over ten years old. He had never seen such a dilapidated place before, and unable to contact his parents, his attitude turned sour. “I won’t drink from that! Your cup isn’t even as clean as my family’s mop bucket.”

As Li Sijin recounted the past, he removed his long scarf and wrapped it around Tao Hui’s neck, smiling. “You were so young back then, yet you already knew how to talk back. You asked me, ‘Does your family live in the Imperial Palace?'”

“…I don’t remember that,” Tao Hui said. But she did remember the cup Li Sijin mentioned. She had used it until she was five or six years old, by which time the rabbit design had completely peeled off, leaving only the faded, yellowish-pink plastic.

“I know you don’t remember me,” Li Sijin said with a smile, “but I remember you. You even gave me your green apple, even though it had a wormhole and I threw it away.”

Tao Hui paused for two seconds, her expression blank. “Oh, you were such a jerk. That might have been the only green apple I ever got as a child.”

Thank goodness she doesn’t remember, Tao Hui thought. Otherwise, she might want to strangle this silver-spoon-fed, so-dumb-he-got-kidnapped-at-twelve, and oh-so-temperamental Young Master Li with the scarf right now.

Li Sijin chuckled. “Rabbit, you were just as well-behaved as a child as you are now. Back when my parents couldn’t find me, you were the only one in the orphanage who would talk to me. I still remember it clearly.”

“What did we even talk about?” Tao Hui asked, puzzled.

How could I have been so annoying as a kid? Actively chatting with a guy who was clearly up to no good?

Li Sijin’s laughter grew louder. “You were so thoughtful back then! I have no idea what went on in that little turtle-headed brain of yours, but you’d come tease me every day, asking why I hadn’t gone back to the Imperial Palace yet.”

Tao Hui couldn’t help but let the corners of her mouth twitch upward.

“When I was twenty, my mom really wanted to have a little sister for me. I used to think, ‘If only she could be as adorable as you were when you were little.’ But sadly, the baby didn’t make it.” Li Sijin pinched the bridge of his nose, then suddenly turned serious. “Rabbit, I’ve always thought of you as my little sister. The older I get, the more scheming and backstabbing I see. Thinking about how you were as a child always makes me happy.”

“Huh?” Tao Hui was completely bewildered.

Is this tycoon bipolar or something? Didn’t he just say he wanted to date me?

Now he’s calling me his little sister again?

Li Sijin lowered his gaze and chuckled, a glint of cunning flashing in his narrow eyes. “Confused? Pretending to be so fond of you was deliberate. Celebrities need exposure, so I wanted to bring you some attention. And, of course, it helped me fend off the arranged marriage my family was pushing on me.”

Tao Hui’s mind struggled to keep up. She could only focus on the key point: “So, Li Sijin, you don’t actually like me?”

“It’s not that I completely dislike you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble for you. I’m a very busy man, you know. Do you have any idea how much money I make per hour?” Li Sijin said.

Tao Hui was all too familiar with that line. Li Sijin had said it to her on the phone years ago, back when he was even more blunt: Do you know how much money I make in an hour, you little brat?!

Tao Hui suddenly lifted her foot and stomped hard on Li Sijin’s foot. “I’ve been putting up with you for too long!”

After talking with Li Sijin, Tao Hui was once again convinced that this Sichuan-Chongqing tycoon wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Even though they were both wealthy, Han Buji was much easier to communicate with.

Thinking of Han Buji’s warm lips, Tao Hui’s face flushed hot again. Seizing the moment when no one was watching, she grabbed her thermos and dashed to Han Buji’s door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Tao Hui tapped lightly on the door and whispered, “Han Buji, it’s me.”

“Come in, the door’s unlocked,” Han Buji replied.

Tao Hui had been freezing in the backyard with Li Sijin for an hour. Without thinking twice, she opened the door and slipped into Han Buji’s warm room. Before she could even make out his figure, she blurted out, “Is your stomach feeling better?”

“Hmm?” Han Buji turned around at the sound of her voice.

Only then did Tao Hui realize Han Buji was wearing a bathrobe, his hair still wet, water droplets trickling down his half-open robe onto his bare chest…

This is… this is too scandalous!

The Sexy Best Actor, fresh out of the shower, live and in person!

Caught completely off guard by the scene, Tao Hui stumbled backward, her waist slamming into the doorknob. She winced in pain, her face contorting in a grimace.

The guests on the variety show each had their own rooms, but they weren’t very spacious—just like a typical guesthouse, with a bathroom, a bed, and a set of table and chairs. Tao Hui, clutching her aching waist, found herself with nowhere to hide, feeling utterly lost.

For some reason, she felt like she had stumbled into a wolf’s den with no escape.

Moreover, Han Buji didn’t seem to be in a good mood. His jaw was tense, as if he were displeased.

Tao Hui suddenly felt a pang of resentment. She had rushed over here to bring him warm milk, yet he was treating her so coldly.

But just as her resentment simmered for two seconds, Han Buji shook his head in self-compromise, walked over, and gently patted her head. “You should be more careful,” he said helplessly. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s okay,” Tao Hui mumbled, unable to bear Han Buji’s gentle tone. She was afraid she might burst into tears. Lowering her head, she muttered, “What about you? Does your stomach still hurt?”

Han Buji’s hand remained on her head, the room filled with his signature scent of rich cedar and sandalwood.

Meeting Tao Hui’s expectant gaze, Han Buji wiped a drop of water that had dripped from her hair onto his nose and raised an eyebrow. “A little. Why?”

Tao Hui’s excitement burst forth. “That’s great!” she blurted out.

Han Buji: “?”

“No, no, no! Don’t misunderstand! That’s not what I meant!” Tao Hui quickly explained, seeing Han Buji’s expression. She then pulled a thermos from her arms like a treasured gift. “Here, for you. The kitchen auntie told me warm milk helps with stomachaches.”

Han Buji paused, surprised. “The kitchen’s still open?”

“No, it was closed when I came over,” Tao Hui replied, unscrewing the thermos lid. “I went early, right after dinner. I wanted to bring you some corn juice, but the auntie said you shouldn’t have coarse grains when your stomach hurts, so I brought milk instead.”

As the lid came off, the sweet, milky aroma wafted from the thermos. Tao Hui continued to murmur, “Good thing I brought the thermos. If Li Sijin had kept me any longer, it would have gotten cold.”

Tao Hui lowered her head slightly, her long lashes casting shadows over her face, her entire small face bathed in the rich, milky scent. Her nose twitched slightly as she spoke, making Han Buji’s heart itch.

He had initially thought dating this girl would be exhausting, that she was just a clueless, big-hearted fool. But this little fool had easily won over Han Buji’s heart with a single cup of warm milk.

Han Buji wasn’t one to eavesdrop. He had only heard a snippet of conversation at the back gate before retreating, naturally leaving him in a foul mood.

The room was filled with the sweet scent of milk, and Tao Hui stood obediently with her head bowed. The scene completely swept away his lingering bad mood.

“Tao Hui,” Han Buji called out.

Tao Hui lifted her head, her legs suddenly weak at the sound of his voice. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she stammered, “W-what is it?”

She could clearly feel Han Buji’s hand resting on her head, his fingertips gently tracing patterns through her hair. He asked softly, “Why did you bring me milk?”

“Because… I was worried about you,” Tao Hui replied in a small voice.

Their eyes met, her lips parted slightly, as if she couldn’t get enough air through her nose and was about to suffocate.

Han Buji leaned closer, watching Tao Hui’s trembling eyelashes. He pressed, “Why were you worried about me?”

Why was she worried about Han Buji?

Tao Hui could feel her heart pounding and her breathing growing shallow. She swallowed nervously, gazing into Han Buji’s deep, dark eyes. After a long moment, she whispered, “Maybe… because I like you.”

Han Buji’s hand froze on her head, a galaxy of light erupting in his eyes. He suddenly lowered his gaze and smiled, a genuine, joyful laugh that echoed through the bedroom.

Tao Hui’s face flushed crimson, and she muttered, “What are you laughing at?”

“Sorry, I’m just so happy,” Han Buji said.

“Oh,” Tao Hui said, her face flushing even deeper as she turned away. “Don’t you drink milk?”

“I do,” Han Buji replied, taking the thermos and tilting his head back to drink slowly, sip by sip.

The sound of his swallowing was particularly audible in the small bedroom. Tao Hui couldn’t help but steal glances at Han Buji’s throat, where his Adam’s apple bobbed rhythmically.

So sexy.

This man was truly captivating—handsome, accomplished, gentlemanly, intelligent, and gentle… Tao Hui’s gaze lingered on his throat, and the corners of her lips curved upward.

So this is what the person I like is like.

Han Buji, still tilting his head back, glanced sideways and caught the curve of Tao Hui’s lips. He abruptly lowered the thermos and said, “I’m jealous.”

“Huh?” Tao Hui looked at the thermos, completely bewildered.

Wait, you were drinking your milk just fine. How did you suddenly get jealous?

“I saw you talking to Li Sijin in the backyard,” Han Buji explained. “I’ve been feeling a bit down since then. I guess that’s jealousy.”

“…I only exchanged a few words with Li Sijin,” Tao Hui said, struggling to explain. “There’s nothing between us.”

She had never been in love before, nor had she ever had a crush. But she was fiercely protective of those she cared about—just as she would defend Miao Miao and Zhou Xun, she would now defend Han Buji. Tao Hui didn’t want the person she liked to be unhappy because of her, but she didn’t know what to say.

Tao Hui opened her mouth, looking a little troubled, and finally mumbled, “Are you unhappy? What should I do?”

She was so obedient that Han Buji couldn’t bear to tease her any further.

“Tao Hui,” Han Buji called her again, his hand sliding from the top of her head to her neck. He tilted her chin up with his thumb and asked, “Want to kiss?”

Tao Hui didn’t answer. She closed her eyes and obediently parted her lips.

Han Buji leaned down, pulled Tao Hui into his arms, and kissed her passionately.

Unlike the tentative kiss from earlier that afternoon, there was no longer the refreshing sweetness of dried tangerine peel between their lips. Instead, a cloying milky fragrance filled her mouth as Han Buji’s tenderness turned possessive. Tao Hui remained passive, her tongue retreating repeatedly until her legs went weak, and Han Buji lifted her onto the table.

Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from her chest.

Han Buji, I’m going to suffocate. But… I don’t really want you to pull away.

Tao Hui gripped the sash of Han Buji’s robe tightly. After what felt like an eternity, a muffled chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Tao Hui,” he said, “I’m not wearing anything underneath. Stop pulling, okay?”