Masterful Deflection

"Renly, today Natalie specially came to attend the premiere of the movie. May I ask, are you two dating?"

There was no breathing space at all as the journalist hurled the question directly at them. Clearly, compared to the release of an independent film, the rumors surrounding Natalie and Renly were much more interesting.

Rodrigo was somewhat bewildered, unable to wrap his head around it. Were Renly and Natalie really dating? Why was he completely clueless about this? Was it a good thing or a bad thing? Before he could process further, his thoughts were interrupted—the atmosphere was as restless as thousands of bees congregating, buzzing and filling every corner of the venue, with fans more excited than the journalists.

Natalie, primarily known for her work in art films despite starting as a child star, had always kept a low profile, and her rumored relationships were unremarkable. Now, not only was she linked to a rumor, but it was with a handsome young actor, and they chose to make it public on a platform like the Toronto International Film Festival?

This was simply too sensational, too high-profile, and everyone was instantly stirred up.

Countless gazes converged on Renly, the intense heat almost igniting his shirt, even Natalie standing beside him tilted her head up, her eyes fixed on the curve of Renly's jawline.

Despite the significant height difference, Natalie was at a complete disadvantage. She had to raise her chin high just to catch a glimpse of Renly's gaze, but it didn't seem to affect her in the slightest. Her brilliant smile exuded a powerful impact, hinting at a sense of dominance. No words were needed to evoke astonishment.

Renly's lips curled into a soft, straight line before turning upwards at the corners, outlining a playful and cunning arc. Bathed in the flashlights, he calmly faced the chaos and pressure of the scene. "According to the latest information I confirmed just fifteen minutes ago, my current date is Ryan Gosling."

His refined yet light voice carried a faint warmth, delivering an answer that left everyone dumbfounded. Reporters looked at each other in disbelief, and even the audience didn't know how to react. They all had the same question in mind: What's going on?

Was Renly coming out now? That... would be quite a leap, wouldn't it? One second he was asked about his rumored relationship with Natalie, and the next he's coming out? That seemed unlikely. Moreover, Ryan's past relationships were well-known, and the two didn't seem like a... couple. It was all too strange. Everyone could tell Renly was joking, playing evasive, avoiding the rumors, but why choose Ryan? What was the catch?

Only Gavin Hunt reacted. Unable to contain himself, he spat out his drink, choking on it. The sudden movement drew the attention of the reporters, hoping for an answer. But Gavin couldn't stop coughing, let alone explain the situation. So, the reporters turned back to Renly.

Renly seemed quite satisfied with everyone's reaction, lightly chuckling. "Seems like apart from this question, you don't have any others. Seeing Natalie and me together, you ask if we're dating; seeing me and Ryan together, you ask the same. Is this the extent of journalism skills nowadays?"

Though it was a jest, there was no lack of sharpness in his words, momentarily silencing the reporters. The fans behind them collectively laughed. To outsiders, Renly's description seemed no different from paparazzi news. For professional journalists, being classified as low-skilled paparazzi was the last thing they wanted.

Had Natalie said the same, reporters might have just laughed it off. But it was Renly, a newcomer. Immediately, a reporter shouted, "Then how do you explain Natalie coming specifically to attend the premiere today? It's a very intimate gesture."

What the reporter didn't finish was that most of today's top actors were preparing for the premiere of "The Town" later in the evening.

The movie was directed by Ben Affleck. As an actor, his skills were only mediocre, bordering on Razzie level. As a director, this was only his second work. Moreover, his previous highly publicized relationship with Jennifer Lopez had garnered much criticism, resulting in their breakup, which everyone applauded. But after marrying Jennifer Garner in 2005, Ben had turned over a new leaf, especially with the unwavering endorsement of his "good buddy" Matt Damon. Many actors were willing to support him.

So, Natalie's choice to skip "The Town" and attend "Buried" this afternoon raised suspicions.

"I don't know, does an actor attending another actor's premiere need a reason?" Renly didn't directly respond but instead countered. More importantly, he used "actor" as a pronoun, not "friend." This subtle difference in wording made a significant impact, highlighting a "professional" attitude.

Renly shrugged with a light laugh. "It seems journalism is evolving rapidly. I'm struggling to keep up." Once again, he sarcastically criticized the professionalism of the reporters—only paparazzi would behave this way.

Facing two soft nails in a row was quite unexpected. Although Renly had shown his wisdom and humor at the premiere of "The Pacific" and at the Emmy Awards, most reporters still didn't have a vivid picture of him. They only remembered him as the surprise winner of the Emmy Award for Best Actor—any news from Billboard or the internet was just gossip to them. Until today, the premiere of "Buried" seemed to be Renly's stage, presenting himself truly in front of the reporters.

"So, will you be attending the premiere of 'Black Swan' afterward?" The reporter didn't give up easily, changing the angle but essentially asking the same question.

"It depends on my performance today," Renly's answer surprised everyone. "Performance?" What did that mean? This sentence could be interpreted in many different ways. The reporters were suddenly excited, and then they saw Renly turn his head, looking at Natalie, smiling, "After meeting in Toronto, the only reason we could become friends is our identity as actors. I hope the performance of 'Buried' will live up to the title of 'actor.' "

A simple sentence concealed too much information: Had the two just met in Toronto? Then how did the previous rumors emerge? Was it love at first sight? Was "actor" the only connection between them? Did it mean they met professionally, or did their conversations revolve around their work? Why was the topic of "Buried" mixed in with the speculation about their relationship? Did Natalie's attendance at the premiere only involve professional exchanges?

Renly hinted at another possibility, implying that they were just ordinary friends.

It wasn't a "yes," nor was it a "no," not even a cunning dodge. Facing the reporters' questions, Renly gave an unexpected answer but revealed a lot of information. Especially Renly's gentlemanly demeanor in his words, lacking the familiarity between friends, instead showing a completely professional attitude, coupled with the brief confrontation just now, the situation seemed not to be progressing as the reporters expected.

In an instant, all eyes shifted to Natalie.

Natalie could feel Renly's polite yet distant gaze, subtly distancing their relationship. Importantly, Renly didn't directly disclose Benjamin's information or give a courteous response, nor did he cunningly avoid it. In other words, he didn't give Natalie a chance to evade the question—only leaving one path open, "Buried."

Regardless of Natalie's purpose for attending today's premiere or what scheme she was plotting, Renly's words had already shifted the focus back to the movie. If she continued to evade, the reporters would surely sense something amiss. So, the show had to go on, and she had to go along with the topic. This feeling of being bound, of being forced to follow orders, was something Natalie disliked, even abhorred.

But right now, she couldn't show it.

"Haha." Natalie chuckled lightly, teasingly saying, "Looks like you're brimming with confidence, otherwise, you wouldn't have invited me to attend the premiere, right?" Natalie could choose to play against Renly, but she needed the reporters to feel the sparks between them, so she had to offer praise. "As far as I know, you've faced a lot of challenges for 'Buried,' and poured countless efforts into it. I believe in your talent, and more so in your abilities. So, let's wait and see. I believe the audience will give a fair judgment. After all, this is the Toronto International Film Festival, isn't it?"

The last sentence was directed at the audience, and sure enough, at Natalie's call, the audience began to scream, some even whistled, cheering for Renly.

Renly didn't need to glance around to see the satisfaction in the reporters' eyes—Natalie's active support for "Buried," her proactive friendly gesture, was as clear as day, the perfect breeding ground for rumors. All of Renly's previous efforts seemed to have been in vain, falling back into Natalie's trap.

So, how should Renly respond now?