Hollywood: The Greatest Showman

Chapter 158: Gossip

At this moment, everyone's attention was fixed on the conversation between Renly and Chanel. A dozen or so fans had gathered around Chanel, a mix of men and women, each with an incredulous look in their eyes. Although the film festival itself was meant to bridge the gap between actors and fans, allowing for close contact and candid sharing, such face-to-face conversations were almost impossible in reality, let alone when both parties were joking around.

It was truly surreal.

Involuntarily, all eyes turned towards them, without cheers or screams, but the focus shifted silently. Both the journalists and the fans, standing in the center, still kept Natalie as the center of attention, but the dispersal and shift of focus were palpable.

Tessa Britton stood beside Chanel, feeling a bit overwhelmed. At just fifteen years old, her sole purpose in attending the Toronto Film Festival was to meet Ryan Gosling.

Two years ago, her sister rented a DVD called "The Notebook" almost casually, not expecting much, but Tessa unexpectedly fell in love with Ryan. Since then, she had been eager to find an opportunity to get close to him and express her admiration, but had never succeeded.

At the premiere of "Blue Valentine" the day before yesterday, there were too many people present, and she couldn't even squeeze into the front row, only catching a glimpse of the back of Ryan's head, let alone saying hello to him. This left her deeply frustrated.

Hearing that Ryan would attend the premiere of a film called "Buried" today, which was a last-minute event that most fans were unaware of, was a rare opportunity for Tessa. However, Ryan didn't show up, but she unexpectedly saw Natalie Portman, which was also a gain.

But who was the man in front of her?

Tessa looked up, scrutinizing the tall man in front of her with a critical eye, and unexpectedly met his deep brown eyes. Though calm, they were profound and dark, as if a slow-flowing stream hid deep within, with countless stars swirling in the current. The breathtaking moment made Tessa's heart stop suddenly.

At that moment, the man seemed to notice her scrutiny. His clear brow arched slightly, his sparkling eyes revealing a hint of curiosity, assessment, and doubt. After a brief pause, he blossomed into a warm smile, the bright and sunny expression emanating from his eyes and then gracefully forming on his lips.

The world seemed to stop spinning at that moment.

Laughter and screams suddenly erupted, not overwhelming but thunderous in Tessa's ears. She suddenly snapped back to reality, feeling the crowded chaos around her like a paper boat in a wave, yet her gaze still couldn't leave the man's figure - he turned and left, causing the sudden eruption of noise.

Unable to resist, Tessa's gaze followed the man as he walked away, her heart beating steadily and forcefully, one after another, fiercely pounding against her eardrums until the flashes of the journalists' cameras dissipated, completely engulfing the figure.

She couldn't help but turn her head, gently patting Chanel standing beside her, "Hello, I'm Tessa. May I ask, was that man an actor just now?"

If it were someone else hearing this question, they would surely burst into laughter, but it was Chanel, who didn't mind at all and cheerfully replied, "An actor? I guess so. The film premiering today is starring him."

"The film premiering today?" Tessa was stunned. She had come solely for Ryan and had no knowledge of the movie at all. "What's his name?"

"Renly Hall."

"Renly, look here!" "Smile, Renly." "Here, here, Mr. Hall"... Responding to Tessa's question, the journalists' continuous shouts drowned out Chanel's answer, becoming the main melody of the red carpet.

At this moment, the journalists finally regained their senses. Even though they had no interest in "Buried" and were lukewarm towards Renly, they certainly wouldn't miss out on any rumors between Renly and Natalie.

A few days ago, some reporters saw Renly and Natalie together, seemingly preparing to watch a movie together. But after they encountered the reporters, they claimed it was just a chance encounter and chat, then parted ways. Natalie watched the movie with Benjamin, the choreographer of the "Black Swan" crew.

Now, it seemed those were just cover-ups. Natalie unexpectedly attended the premiere of "Buried," claiming to support a friend, but in the eyes of the reporters, it was obviously more than that. How could the reporters easily overlook the other protagonist of the rumors?

Such actions ignited the enthusiasm of the fans. Everyone began to cheer, and amidst the cheers and shouts, the hospitality of the Toronto Film Festival was displayed to the fullest, and the entire premiere scene became exceptionally lively, presenting a prosperous scene. For an independent film, this was simply unimaginable.

Natalie's smile on her cheeks was somewhat stiff. She missed the opportunity to leave. If she left now, all her efforts before would be in vain, so she had to stay. However, staying was also a good thing. At least, while Renly dealt with the reporters, she could manage the situation as much as possible.

But Natalie didn't like this feeling. The feeling of powerlessness as the focus gradually slipped away, the feeling of being sidelined silently but embarrassingly, standing under the spotlight yet being pushed to the edge, was shameful.

Natalie's mood couldn't help but become restless, but before losing control, she adjusted her breathing and regained her composure. Adjusting her smile, relaxing the muscles of her body, following the gaze of everyone, she looked towards Renly walking towards them, polite and friendly, showing her posture first. She knew he wasn't an easy guy to deal with, so she had to be on her toes.

Under the gaze of the public, Renly and Rodrigo finally reached the end of the red carpet, meeting Natalie. Now the fans and journalists were even more excited, and the cheers reached a climax at that moment.

Natalie approached them amiably, giving Renly a casual hug, displaying the familiarity and intimacy between friends; Renly also gentlemanly hugged Natalie, as if oblivious to anything, as if they were just normal friends.

All cameras were aimed at Natalie and Renly, and inadvertently, Rodrigo was left out. However, judging by his expression, he seemed to enjoy this neglect, and his nervousness was finally relieved slightly.

After releasing the hug, Renly and Natalie faced the journalists, smiling and posing. The flashes reached their peak at that moment, cascading down like a waterfall, filling the entire theater entrance with bright light, even overshadowing the afternoon sun behind them.

Renly knew very well that Natalie's presence was irreversible now. It could be expected that no matter how he explained it, the media would inevitably continue to hint at their rumors. At least for today's occasion, it was unavoidable. So, since Natalie had come uninvited, before the issue was resolved, Renly didn't mind making good use of Natalie's fame to lay a solid foundation for the promotion of "Buried."

Through her lens, Daisy scrutinized the two people in front of her, but inexplicably felt a sense of absurdity: disharmony.

It wasn't that the two were incompatible or had discrepancies; it was a discordance in their

overall appearance and demeanor. Natalie, today, wasn't dressed in an extravagant evening gown, her attire not overly ostentatious but still showing her regard for the event. There was a sharpness to her fashion, hinting at her intelligence, and exuding a sense of sophistication. For the premiere of an independent film like "Buried," she effortlessly became the center of attention.

But what about Renly? Today, he wore a smoke-gray vertical striped shirt, collarless in design, appearing youthful and casual. Compared to the typical British style, it emphasized more of the French romanticism and nonchalance. Below, he chose a pair of charcoal gray casual trousers, paired with navy blue boat shoes, emanating an artist's aura. Amidst his elegance was a hint of decadence, and within his clarity was a touch of recklessness, blending the contradictions of the lower class and elite nobility seamlessly with the independent film premiere.

Separately, they both seemed perfectly fine to be photographed. But together, they appeared out of place. Especially Natalie, who seemed too formal, too deliberate, giving off an impression of exertion. Moreover, as a guest, Natalie's overpowering radiance seemed too aggressive.

This was abnormal, truly abnormal.

Initially, Daisy thought it was just her female intuition playing tricks on her, but as she carefully observed the expressions of the two, she found it increasingly intriguing - evidently, the two had rehearsed their lines beforehand, but now found themselves on different wavelengths. But why?

Screams, flashes, cheers, questions, all intermingled, the scene boiling like a pot of water. At 4:15 PM local time in Toronto, the premiere of "Buried" became a black hole in the city, gradually drawing in all the surrounding light and focus. This was absolutely unexpected.

Finally, the noise subsided, but before Renly could speak, a reporter couldn't wait to raise their voice, "Renly, today Natalie came specifically to support the premiere of the film. Are you two dating?"

The rumor cloud exploded directly.

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Woah we actually reached 200 powerstones...