Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 45

By the time Ran Lin returned to the hotel after work, it was already dark.

On Weibo, his team had posted a stern statement with a red stamp in both his name and the studio’s, succinctly explaining the situation. The statement clarified that all actors, including himself and Lu Yiyao, were staying in the same hotel for the film shoot, making the photographed scene a normal occurrence. The wording was serious, and the stance firm, indicating a readiness to defend their reputation through legal means.

Ran Lin believed that a legal notice would follow soon.

He and Lu Yiyao were innocent, and the studio was confident, so dispelling the rumors with a significant impact was preferred.

The comments were divided, representing various opinions:

Ran’s Family Spicy Noodles: [The filming for <Sword of Fallen Flowers> started on 9/6, and Ran Lin, along with other actors, checked into the XX hotel in Hengdian on 9/5. To date, all the actors are still staying there, including Lu Yiyao. After work, where else would the actors go if not back to the hotel? The rumormongers deliberately spread these lies despite knowing that both were part of the same film crew. It’s malicious.]

Not Helping When the Oil Bottle Falls: [It’s normal for actors from the same crew to stay in the same hotel but note the time of the photo—it was almost midnight. Work had finished long ago. What were the lead and second lead doing out at midnight instead of staying in their rooms? Or what were they doing just returning? If it were the male lead and female lead in the photo, it would be considered a scandal, so why is it a rumor with the second lead?]

Love Yao For Life: [I’m so tired of Ran Lin. Why does Lu Yiyao have to be friends with him? Every time it’s Ran Lin who causes trouble!]

Lu’s Long Road To Cultivation: [I’m a fan of Lu Yiyao, but I don’t think this is a publicity stunt by Ran Lin. He’s not interested in fame in the entertainment industry. Lu Yiyao’s studio has explained that it was three people going out for dinner, a normal interaction among crew members. This news is just malicious slander. Also, it’s obvious that Lu Yiyao and Ran Lin are friends; if we fans keep arguing, it will only make their relationship awkward and put Lu Yiyao in a difficult position.]

Teacher Lu’s Bear: [I think those worrying about fan wars making Lu Yiyao uncomfortable are overthinking. Having been a fan of Lu Yiyao for so long, I believe he’s not the kind to care much about public opinion. He might even be amused by these fan fights.]

Eat Carrots and Worry Light: [I have just one question: wasn’t it supposed to be three people at dinner? Where is Tang Xiaoyu?]

The truth was singular, but when evidence couldn’t conclusively prove it, people tended to believe what they wanted. Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao were indeed filming together—that was undeniable.

But this undeniable evidence couldn’t completely dispel the wild speculations about them entering the hotel together late at night.

Why was it the two of you going out at night?

Why not someone else?

What exactly were you two talking about?

Were those past instances of so-called ‘CP marketing’ just for show, not genuine emotions?

Ran Lin scrolled through comments for half the night.

He believed that, with the skills of Wang Xi and Yao Hong, this nonsensical drama would soon be over.

But he also realized that, after this incident, his relationship with Lu Yiyao might not be able to return to how it was before. Not to mention the distant past, just today, Lu Yiyao hadn’t contacted him at all.

Strangely, he felt surprisingly calm.

Perhaps it was the incident with Zhang Beichen a few days ago that had prepared him for such a future. When the situation played out as he had anticipated, Ran Lin felt a sense of relief that it was just a rumor.

Ran Lin thought that Lu Yiyao might regret becoming friends with him. It was just like what a fan of Lu Yiyao said: Ever since Lu Yiyao met him, he seemed to be constantly facing troubles.

Tired of reading, Ran Lin was about to close Weibo, but then he noticed a new post notification and habitually scrolled down.

After the familiar update sound, a new post appeared from Tang Xiaoyu, posted just two minutes ago—

[Many people have been asking where I was. Well, here I am! The third male lead has rights too. How can you just leave me out? 😭 [View Image]]

The photo was a selfie taken in the private room that night. In the picture, Tang Xiaoyu was closest to the camera, his face the biggest and his smile bright. Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao were further back, both looking down at their phones, not giving a single glance to the third male lead.

Suppressing his laughter, Ran Lin fell back into bed, shaking with mirth. Tang Xiaoyu’s Weibo post wasn’t particularly hilarious, but he just felt like rolling around. If possible, he even felt the urge to go next door and give that person a couple of kisses.

After calming down a bit, Ran Lin picked up his phone again, enlarged the photo, and couldn’t help but comment out loud, “When was this even sneakily taken…”

His voice was full of disdain. His eyes felt sore from the strain.

Tang Xiaoyu’s critical witness statement subtly shifted the direction of public opinion.

Ran Lin spent half an hour reading the comments under Tang Xiaoyu’s Weibo post. Although there were still questions like “Why didn’t they return to the hotel together after dinner?” and “Is the photo really from the same day?”, the fact that Lu Yiyao and Ran Lin’s outfits in the photo matched those they wore entering the hotel, and it aligned with the statement of “three people having dinner together,” convinced most of the previously undecided spectators. They began to believe that this was simply mudslinging for publicity and started a sentimental comment trend saying, “The third male lead also has rights.”

In less than an hour, “The third male lead also has rights” became a trending topic.

Amid this second wave of the drama, another friend contributed to the story—

[At least you’re in the photo. I just want to ask, why didn’t the dinner include the female lead! 😤 // @Tang Xiaoyu: Many people have been asking where I was. Well, here I am! The third male lead has rights too. How can you just leave me out? 😭 [View Image]]

This incident had nothing to do with Xia Ruohan, and she could have remained a mere spectator. However, she decided to get involved, completely diverting the narrative from “Late-night rendezvous between the male leads” to “A cry for humanity from the female lead and the third male lead”, taking it down an entirely unexpected path.

With this, all four main actors of <Sword of Fallen Flowers> were involved, as if summoning a mythical dragon.

Ran Lin, exhausted, finally went to sleep in the late night. Meanwhile, the energetic netizens kept the discussion alive, generating countless topics. Eventually, “This drama crew is too mystical” stood out, rising to the top of trending topics and inadvertently giving free publicity to <Sword of Fallen Flowers>.

The lingering doubts about this being a cover-up for a scandal between two men were drowned out by the flood of jokes and memes.

The next morning, both Lu Yiyao’s and Ran Lin’s teams released “hotel surveillance footage from that night”. The video from the elevator clearly showed the two men exiting on different floors, and the hallway footage conclusively proved that they each returned to their own rooms and didn’t come out again. The last vestiges of doubt evaporated.

This was different from the situation with Zhang Beichen and the two photos. Those photos could be interpreted as brotherly affection or a forbidden young love, open to interpretation. Even after Zhang Beichen’s explanation, people were willing to believe their own imaginations.

But in the case of Lu Yiyao and Ran Lin, with the female lead and the third male lead vouching for them, plus the hotel surveillance, there was no room left for speculation.

The sternly worded legal notice jointly issued by both teams put an end to the hotel drama.

From the incident’s outbreak to its reversal and the revelation of the truth, it took just one day and one night. Netizens began discussing the impact of malicious rumors on celebrities, expressing maximum sympathy for Lu Yiyao and Ran Lin, who were unjustly implicated. No one remembered what they were fervently discussing just a day ago.

……

When Ran Lin arrived at the set the next morning, Tang Xiaoyu was already there, getting his makeup done. Without waiting to sit down, Ran Lin said directly, “Thank you.”

Tang Xiaoyu’s head was being worked on by the stylist, so he could only respond through the mirror. “What’s there to thank? It was just the truth.”

Ran Lin didn’t dwell on pleasantries, just gave him a meaningful look. Tang Xiaoyu felt the pressure of that gaze, as if it conveyed a thousand words.

After makeup, the two handsome heroes strolled onto the set, only to find the female lead, unusually early, sitting on a regular chair waiting for the shoot.

“Good morning,” Ran Lin greeted her. Tang Xiaoyu followed with a smile, used to being in the background, as he was out of the female lead’s line of sight.

Unexpectedly, Xia Ruohan stood up and approached Tang Xiaoyu for a closer look. He felt a shock, reminiscent of a teacher’s gaze suddenly meeting his during a class question.

Swallowing nervously, Tang Xiaoyu waved and smiled weakly, “Morning…”

Xia Ruohan, seemingly satisfied, cheerfully responded, “Morning,” then added, “You too,” without looking at Ran Lin, before skipping back to her rest area.

Tang Xiaoyu, puzzled, asked Ran Lin, “What’s her angle here?”

Ran Lin thought for a moment. “Maybe she’s trying to… be friendly with us?”

Tang Xiaoyu looked despairing. “Does she fancy you, or has she taken a liking to me?”

Ran Lin, bewildered, replied, “You’re overthinking it.”

At lunch, Tang Xiaoyu came over with his meal, looking dejected. “Second Brother, I wasn’t overthinking. She really has taken a liking to me.”

Ran Lin, not understanding, asked, “Who?”

“Xia Ruohan,” Tang Xiaoyu whispered, showing his phone to Ran Lin. “She followed me on Weibo… I knew something was off when she reposted my Weibo yesterday. What do I do? I have a girlfriend…”

Ran Lin laughed so hard he couldn’t breathe. When he finally composed himself, he showed his phone to Tang Xiaoyu. “She followed me too.”

Tang Xiaoyu was stunned. “Last night?”

Ran Lin thought about it. “Probably. I saw it first thing in the morning.”

Tang Xiaoyu asked, “Did you follow her back?”

“Of course,” Ran Lin replied without hesitation. “I don’t want her to get impatient and come looking for me like she did with you this morning.”

Realization dawned on Tang Xiaoyu, his eyes weary. “No wonder she kept glancing at me all morning… Super creepy…”

Ran Lin cherished this lively fish.

While Tang Xiaoyu hurried to follow the female lead and send friendly signals, Ran Lin found himself thinking about the male lead. Lu Yiyao’s team B scenes would take three days, meaning they wouldn’t meet until the day after tomorrow, unless Lu Yiyao contacted him privately.

But since the leaked photos, Lu Yiyao hadn’t reached out to him.

Wang Xi advised Ran Lin to keep his distance from Lu Yiyao for the time being. Considering Yao Hong’s position, she would have likely given even more stern advice. If their roles were reversed and Ran Lin was a popular young star, he would unhesitatingly continue being friends with Lu Yiyao after the rumor was dispelled because he liked him and didn’t want to become strangers. But the reality was he didn’t have that standing; he was just emerging from obscurity. He liked Lu Yiyao, so he thought more for Lu Yiyao’s sake. Unable to help him, the least he could do was not be a hindrance.

So regardless of Wang Xi’s advice, Ran Lin decided not to impose himself on Lu Yiyao any further.

……

Lu Yimeng, or more precisely, someone sent by Mother Lu, finally cornered the three paparazzi in their room early that morning. Leading the team was Da Chu, Mother Lu’s most trusted bodyguard, skilled and educated and capable of handling tough situations. The approach was clear, as Lu Yiyao had explained through Lu Yimeng. After cornering the paparazzi, Da Chu first confiscated their phones, then handed them the two photos of entering the hotel.

The sweatpants, curly hair, and bald guy were already paralyzed with fear. Having been in the business for many years, they had seen furious celebrities and encountered bodyguards who resorted to violence at the drop of a hat. However, this kind of terror—being cornered without a word and suffocated by sheer oppressive force—was a first for them.

It’s not that they feared a confrontation; it was the silence that unnerved them. In the prolonged silence, they had imagined a thousand ways they could meet their end.

Curly hair, the most experienced of the trio, became the emotional anchor for the others. One clutched his left hand, the other his right arm, as if seeking refuge.

Swallowing hard, curly hair braced himself and spoke up from the carpet. “This-this is illegal detention!”

His point was valid, but his presence was weak, like a flickering candle in the wind.

Da Chu wasn’t really planning to harm them. After initially asserting his dominance, he moved on to a more emotional appeal. “Did you take these photos?”

His tone softened, more like a scholar than a bodyguard. Curly hair’s intellect, which had momentarily deserted him, slowly returned. Glancing at the photos, he realized the gist and quickly responded, “No, we didn’t take these photos, nor did we leak the information. That’s not even a leak; it’s just a rumor. Our studio only deals with real news; we never fabricate stories.”

Da Chu pondered for a moment before nonchalantly examining the photos. “Why should I believe you?”

The sweatpants guy retorted, “You can’t question the integrity of us journalists!”

Da Chu was momentarily taken aback by this sudden burst of professional pride and then couldn’t help but smile wryly. Curly hair sensed a change in the atmosphere. Initially, they were intimidated by the silence and imposing presence of the newcomers. But as they began talking, the situation seemed less frightening. Da Chu, in particular, seemed more like a business professional than a thug—someone who could be reasoned with.

“Look.” Curly hair pointed out, referring to the photos. “These are taken at eye level, indicating the photographer and subjects were at the same height. From this many floors up, even with a telephoto lens, it’s impossible to get such an effect.”

Da Chu nodded, seemingly convinced. But when curly hair relaxed, Da Chu added, “You don’t have to be based here permanently; you could have gone downstairs to take the shots.”

“You can check our cameras; we have two here. See if these photos are in them,” curly hair suggested.

“You could have transferred and then deleted them.”

This left curly hair exasperated. “It’s not us. What can I say to make you believe?”

“I believe you,” Da Chu said, standing up and nodding politely with a hint of apology. “Sorry for causing you distress.”

Curly hair was caught off guard, mumbling, “We’re not that delicate…” before being silenced by a pinch from the sweatpants guy and a punch from the bald guy.

Da Chu took out his notebook from his bag and asked politely, “Can I make a copy of the photos in both cameras?”

Curly hair, swallowing hard, asked, “Are you sincerely asking… or is this just for show?”

Da Chu just smiled silently.

The sweatpants guy and the bald guy, very cooperatively, handed over their memory cards.

Curly hair warned them, “You can copy, but don’t delete anything. There are other people’s photos too.”

Da Chu quickly copied and returned everything intact.

“Besides you, how many other paparazzi are working in Hengdian now?”

Curly hair: “We can’t betray our colleagues…”

Da Chu nodded to express his understanding, then simply cracked his knuckles to make a clicking sound.

“But they’re just fabricating stories out of thin air. They’re the scourge of our profession. I’ll start the cleanup myself. Just wait, I’ll go through our WeChat group and make a list for you…”

The sweatpants guy and the bald guy exchanged glances, both impressed by their leader’s quick thinking.

Having obtained the list, Da Chu left without further ado.

As the door gently closed behind him, the three men looked at each other, still unable to snap out of their daze.

The encounter had been so sudden and swift, lasting no more than half an hour. There had been no physical contact, just an overwhelming presence and gaze. If it weren’t for the memory cards in their hands, it would have felt like a dream.

“Quick, check if any photos are missing.” Curly hair was the first to react. He immediately handed the DSLR memory card to the bald guy and went to check the long lens memory card himself.

All the photos were there—except those of Lu Yiyao.

In fact, they hadn’t managed to capture any significant news about Lu Yiyao recently. Their days were just early starts, late returns to the hotel, and Lu Yiyao interacting with his co-stars, which could only make up a story of professionalism and dedication.

But clearly, the other party still didn’t like it.

“Should we call the police?” the bald guy asked.

Curly hair glared at him. “Call for what? Were you beaten or hurt? They were polite from start to finish and just came to ask some questions. Oh, and you think they have no right to keep an eye on you for 24 hours?”

“Should we leave then?” suggested the sweatpants guy.

Curly hair glared at him even harder. “Just because we face a bit of difficulty, we should leave? What about your ambitions, your ideals? A journalist must dare to confront challenges head-on…”

The sweatpants guy and the bald guy, tired of curly hair’s rhetoric, moved aside to whisper among themselves.

Baldhead: “Haven’t you always been following Lu Yiyao? Has something like this happened before?”

Sweatpants: “Absolutely not. I’ve never experienced anything like this.”

Baldhead: “Have you ever reported any news about Lu Yiyao before?”

Sweatpants: “…Not really. That’s why we also follow other leads besides Lu Yiyao.”

Baldhead: “Then how did he know we were here? And how could he send someone so quickly?”

Sweatpants: “……”

Baldhead: “Could it be that Lu Yiyao has always known about our presence, but he’s just open-hearted and didn’t want to confront us?”

Sweatpants: “Comrade, you’re starting to sound more and more like a fan of Lu Yiyao. Your stance seems a bit off.”

Baldhead: “I really do love this job.”

Sweatpants: “That’s great.”

Baldhead: “But nobody told me when I entered this line of work that being a paparazzi could be life-threatening…”

……

Lu Yiyao received a call from Da Chu in the evening of the next day. He trusted Da Chu to handle the situation well, so he waited patiently without contacting him.

“Are you sure?” Lu Yiyao asked after hearing the report. Li Tong, observing his boss’s increasingly somber expression, felt pressure for the first time. He had never known that the usually amiable Lu Yiyao could emanate such an aura.

“Sure,” Da Chu responded succinctly, focusing on the results. “The hotel entrance has its surveillance, which captures everything clearly. We also found the guy. He said the one who asked him to take those photos was Zhang Beichen’s manager, Wu Xuefeng. And to prevent being denied payment, he recorded every conversation. I’ve sent the surveillance photos and the recordings to your email.”

“Okay, I got it.” Lu Yiyao tried to keep his voice even.

“If there’s nothing else for me to do, I’ll be heading back to Beijing tonight. Director Fan is waiting for my report.”

“Thank you for your hard work.” Lu Yiyao genuinely expressed his gratitude and then, as if remembering something, added, “Tell my mom it’s nothing serious, all sorted.”

Da Chu hesitated before speaking. “I probably shouldn’t ask, but now that it’s been figured out…”

Lu Yiyao cut him off. “The rumors have been quelled, and there wasn’t any real damage. I just wanted to confirm my suspicion. Now that it’s confirmed, we just need to be cautious in the future.”

“What if he does something like this again?”

“We’ll deal with it then,” Lu Yiyao said, gazing at the darkening sky. “That’s how it is in this circle. Everyone is out to get each other. Since I’m part of it, I have to play by the rules. I can’t just eliminate everyone I don’t like.”

Da Chu was taken aback.

Despite occasionally using unconventional methods, like intimidating relatively innocent people, he was fundamentally a law-abiding professional bodyguard.

“Alright, I’m not joking anymore,” Lu Yiyao said seriously. “Just report it as I told you.”

Da Chu was silent.

Lu Yiyao understood. “You’re not satisfied?”

After a pause, Da Chu said heavily, “We can’t do anything illegal, but since he’s done this to you, you could at least get back at him…”

“No need,” Lu Yiyao interrupted. “A dog biting me doesn’t mean I have to bite back. Life is short, and I don’t want to waste a second on such people. As long as I manage my own affairs and life well, these people will naturally fade away.”

Da Chu asked, “How will they fade away?”

Lu Yiyao answered, “They’ll die of jealousy.”

Da Chu was speechless.

Every conversation with Lu Yiyao always left Da Chu feeling enlightened, his perspective elevated.

……

The truth of the matter wasn’t surprising. After all, the incidents happened too close together. Zhang Beichen’s old photos had just been leaked when he and Ran Lin were photographed in a well-orchestrated smear campaign. It was highly suspicious.

However, the perpetrator wasn’t just anyone; it was Zhang Beichen, whom Ran Lin considered a friend. Lu Yiyao couldn’t make baseless accusations without evidence, which was why he had involved his sister and called in Da Chu.

For the first time since his career began, he had involved his family in industry matters.

But it was worth it.

From his boss’s few words, Li Tong could guess it was about the hotel incident and that his boss had likely uncovered the mastermind behind it. But how his boss found out and who he used was beyond Li Tong’s knowledge, possibly even unknown to Yao Hong. Thinking about this, Li Tong felt a chill down his spine, sensing a dark cloud looming behind his boss, ready to extinguish any ill-intentioned approach.

Lu Yiyao, unaware of his assistant’s feelings from work to the hotel, was preoccupied with two people—Yao Hong and Ran Lin, especially the latter.

They hadn’t contacted each other in the past few days while working separately. Lu Yiyao was waiting for Da Chu’s investigation results and also contemplating his relationship with Ran Lin. If Ran Lin’s status was similar to his, things would be entirely different. Even their fans might accept their friendship. But the reality was their status differed significantly, and their relationship had been turbulent from the start, with various rumors constantly circulating. He was fine but Ran Lin must have felt the pressure.

Yet, they never discussed these issues.

Lu Yiyao valued straightforwardness in friendships. If he and Ran Lin were outsiders, things would be simpler. But in the entertainment industry, even simple matters become complicated.

After this incident, he felt it was necessary to have an open discussion with Ran Lin. But before that, he needed to contact Yao Hong.

Back at the hotel, Lu Yiyao downloaded the photos and recordings from his email, confirmed the facts, and then called Yao Hong. He didn’t discuss the process, just the results.

Yao Hong wasn’t surprised, asking the same question Lu Yiyao had asked Da Chu, “Are you sure?”

Lu Yiyao replied simply, “Yes.”

Yao Hong asked for evidence, and he confirmed he had photos and recordings.

Yao Hong didn’t probe further. Lu Yiyao had his methods and didn’t wish to divulge them, so she respected his privacy.

“What will you do next?” she asked. From the moment the incident happened, she and Wang Xi suspected Zhang Beichen’s involvement, but suspicion and evidence were different matters, and they had to extinguish the fire first.

Lu Yiyao maintained his stance. “I haven’t thought much about it, just be cautious in the future.”

Yao Hong suggested, “If you release the recordings, Zhang Beichen’s career is over.”

Lu Yiyao felt as if Yao Hong and Da Chu were reading from the same script. “Leave a way out for others, and you leave a path for yourself. Especially with villains, if you corner them, they might cause real trouble out of desperation.”

Yao Hong laughed. “Now it sounds like you’re educating me.” Though she felt these were rare, profound words coming from Li Yiayo.

Incidents like being smeared happen every day in the circle, and Lu Yiyao had been targeted before. This time, however, they had evidence, unlike in previous cases where nothing was done. If they were to settle scores, few in the industry would remain clean. Unspoken rules governed their world.

While Yao Hong was reflecting internally, Lu Yiyao was also not at peace. He suddenly realized that his philosophical response wasn’t a result of his own worldly wisdom but something his father, Lu Guoming, had taught him during countless summer and winter vacations.

It was a minor detail in the traditional education forcibly imparted to him, and he couldn’t even remember at what age he had heard it.

He thought he had forgotten it.

“Then let’s leave it at that.” Yao Hong, understanding the entertainment industry better than Da Chu, spoke pragmatically. “After all, the situation has stabilized without causing any substantial harm. Just focus on your filming and try to avoid any interaction with Zhang Beichen. There’s no need to even be polite to that kind of person.”

Lu Yiyao understood. He didn’t have much of a relationship with Zhang Beichen anyway, so the truth didn’t impact him much. His concern was for Ran Lin…

“By the way, Hong Jie.” Having discussed the investigation results, he moved on to another matter. “I’ve been shooting with Group B these past days and haven’t seen Ran Lin, but I will return to Group A tomorrow.”

Yao Hong picked up on the underlying meaning in Lu Yiyao’s word. “So you still plan to get closer to Ran Lin?”

“It’s not about getting closer or not, just continuing the friendship. Who I befriend is my choice. I won’t let news or fans dictate my decisions.”

“But you’re an artist. You rely on your reputation, popularity, and fans for your livelihood. Do you know how many fans you lost because of your collaboration with Ran Lin?”

“I feel like I’ve gained more fans, actually. There are so many CP fans asking for ‘sugar’ every day.”

“You always have an answer for everything!” Yao Hong laughed, despite herself.

Lu Yiyao joined in with a light laugh. Many things, he realized, weren’t that complicated. Once you understood them, the world seemed vast and open. “Hong Jie, being an artist is my profession. It’s my job, and I work to make life better and more fulfilling. I am Lu Yiyao first, and then an artist. If I have to hide who I really am, then what’s the point? Life would be upside down.”

Yao Hong remained silent on the other end of the line. If anyone else had said this, she would have dismissed it as cliché, old-fashioned advice. But her artist, Lu Yiyao, genuinely believed and acted on these words. He saw through many things clearer than anyone else, yet he neither cared for nor wanted to engage in them.

The most beautiful aspect of Lu Yiyao was his openness, purity, and sincerity towards others, himself, and life. This was what Yao Hong wanted to protect most, yet it was also what worried her the most.

“You’ve never really faced hardship…” The agent’s voice was a mix of helplessness and indulgence.

Lu Yiyao had heard this many times before, and as always, he responded cheerfully, “Well, I’ll worry about that when it happens.”

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Kinky Thoughts:

Might be sooner than you think.

On a side note, I really don’t understand fandoms (especially eastern fandoms). It seems to me they see artists as commodities more than actual human beings and would get angry or become anti-fans at the mere rumor if they are dating… As if they live in some kind of alternative reality that these artists they vie for would one day choose them or something.

Artists are humans too and deserve to experience things that any normal human should have (like dating). Love their art, support them, and leave their private lives alone.

But I digress.

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