Chapter 112: If Their Relationship Is This Close, They Must Be Related

At that exact moment, there was certainly no shortage of people clicking in just like Zhang Junlin. Many had even formed the habit of refreshing the creator’s homepage every day, just to see if their "Little Angel" had posted an update. With such a prominent pinned post on the front page, how could they possibly miss it?

Consequently, a massive influx of viewers flooded the video page in a very short time. Even Zhang Junlin, while listening to the prelude, felt the webpage lag slightly.

"Finally updated! How long has it been..."
"I confess my love for Goddess Luo!"
"Just hearing the melody, I knew the wait was worth it."
"Looks like I have a new ringtone."
"Strange, why is it posted here? Isn’t Goddess Luo a creator on the Stardust platform?"
"..."

It was no wonder the fans were so excited. There hadn't been an update in nearly a month. Had they not been patient enough to understand that original content takes time, they would have assumed Goddess Luo had decided to quit being a creator altogether. The problem was that Luo Shui Tianyi still hadn't signed an exclusive contract, which left the fans feeling uneasy. Some loyal followers had even gone to the Stardust platform to stir up trouble, only to give up helplessly after the platform explained that the creator herself was unwilling to sign.

The short prelude passed quickly. The moment the singing began, the fans felt that the month-long wait had been worth every second.

"Mocking those who flaunt their beauty, how can we match without a heart?
The ring bells chime clear, the lantern light flickers between the curtains.
You and I, the most perfect pair.
...
Only without you is it original sin, only without a heart can we be well-matched.
You in rags, I in painted attire, walking side by side through mountains and rivers.
You are haggard, I will be radiant for you.
..."

Completely different from the light and cheerful style of the past, this melodic and soulful tune brought a sense of melancholy and sorrow. Combined with the ornate lyrics and the captivating vocals, even Zhang Junlin couldn't help but immerse himself in the song, humming along softly.

"Finger gestures trace the mundane world like flowing water.
On the three-foot red stage, all things turn into song and music.
Singing of long partings, sorrow no longer feels like sorrow; at the height of red, it turns to ash.
May someone remember someone, in the best of years."

At the climax of the piece, many mesmerized fans felt as if they were melting. They frantically flooded the screen with comments, almost drowning out the video entirely.

"I knelt the moment they started singing!"
"So good it makes me want to cry!"
"Great lyrics, great music, great art, and even better vocals!"
"The traditional opera style is amazing!"
"Bravo! The month-long wait was worth it!"
"Goddess Luo, I love you!"

Zhang Junlin was also incredibly excited. He joined the ranks of fans, posting over a dozen comments before stopping. By the end of the song, he felt as if his very bones had lightened, and the lingering sound of Goddess Luo’s voice left him feeling restless and longing for more.

As the progress bar reached the end, Zhang Junlin, who had intended to restart the video, suddenly stopped his hand. Having watched many videos by the "Filthy King," he had become accustomed to waiting for the progress bar to finish on its own, just in case there was a surprise.

Sure enough, as the singing faded, a line of text appeared over the breathtaking background illustrations in the video:

*Silk-Pulling Opera*
Vocals: Luo Shui Tianyi, Yan He
Composition: A-Ling
Illustration: Xin Hua
Lyrics: Sect Leader

Is this the production credit list? Zhang Junlin recalled it had been shown at the beginning of the video, but he had been too busy with the comments to notice. Who were these other people? He had never heard of them. Zhang Junlin was naturally not the only curious viewer; in fact, quite a few people were interested.

"None of these names sound familiar. Could they be aliases for some big-shot legends?"
"Why worry about that? I’m claiming the illustrator for myself; these drawings are so beautiful they made me cry!"
"Then I’ll take the composer A-Ling and the lyricist Sect Leader as a package deal."
"Haha... does that mean both original singers belong to me?"
"Everyone above, stop asking for trouble! They are all mine!"
"..."

As Zhang Junlin listened to the song and watched the chaotic comments, he realized that this cheerful atmosphere wouldn't do—they were still bickering over who "owned" whom. Did he really notice something wrong that no one else did? If he was going to be confused, he might as well let everyone else be confused with him. Zhang Junlin opened the comment box, typed out what he had been thinking, and sat back, waiting for their frustrated reactions.

"Is there really no one else who noticed something off? This is the Filthy King’s personal website; why is Goddess Luo’s music video here? Look at the lyrics, and think about the fact that Goddess Luo still hasn’t signed a contract. Does anyone suspect anything?"

Many viewers only realized after seeing this comment that they weren't watching on the Stardust platform. If it hadn't been pointed out, they wouldn't have noticed! This was a personal website, not Stardust!

"Could it be that these two masters know each other in real life? And are they close enough to forgo a platinum contract on Stardust for each other? Not to mention those lyrics, which sound a bit ambiguous."

And what else could a man and a woman be when they are that close? Given that this involved two master-level creators, the gossip mill naturally started churning, with everyone speculating about their relationship.

"An affair! There must be an affair!"
"This is an untold story."
"Could they be lovers? Otherwise, how could the video be posted on the Little Angel’s personal site?"
"Don’t talk nonsense. Maybe it’s just a pure friendship, a favor between friends?"
"You believe that? Because I don't!"
"Fine, neither do I."

Many of Luo Tianyi’s fans were unwilling to see their beloved Goddess Luo in an intimate relationship with any other man. Even the possibility made them jealous. Fortunately, most of the viewers here were also fans of Luo Chen, so while they didn't want to believe it, they remained relatively calm. At the same time, they were silently cursing the jerk who posted the comment—weren't they just trying to make them miserable?

Watching these comments, Zhang Junlin felt a sense of shared suffering. After a moment of thought, he decided to stir the pot one more time, if only to give these people some peace of mind. After all, he couldn't leave them in such despair.

"Maybe they’re brother and sister!"

As soon as the comment appeared, the viewers seemed to freeze for a moment before they all caught on.

"Well said! Lovers always end up as siblings!"
"Why didn't I think of that? If they're that close, they must be related."
"Exactly, exactly! Siblings #1!"
"Siblings #2!"
"Siblings #3!"
"..."
"Siblings #10086!"

Although everyone knew it was unlikely, it was at least a small comfort.
"Maybe they really are siblings?"