After all, without any creation submission requirements, the gallery’s expenditure is purely an investment.

Faced with underage artists, the gallery cannot demand quarterly submissions like they do with formally contracted artists.

If you depress young artists, even if the court doesn’t rule you as exploiting child labor, the media can still criticize you severely.

As Koizumi Katsuko said, Tokyo Gallery mainly pays a high price for the right of first refusal.

Spending this small million dollars is primarily for when she makes her official debut at art exhibitions as an adult.

With the same conditions, Tokyo Gallery has the right to secure Matsuko’s first formal agency contract, which is when the real investment pays off.

"The additional terms include not engaging in actions that harm my public image. One clause specifies not publicly announcing any romantic relationships on social media during the contract period."

In the 21st century,

It’s becoming more popular for artists to be treated like celebrities, especially after the rise of trendy artists in the 2010s, making this trait even more pronounced.

Artists like KAWS and Takashi Murakami have turned art from being a privilege of the upper class into the darling of the public.

Online traffic is the one true god in modern media.

No matter how artistic an artist’s work is, it must still cater to popular tastes; esoteric works won’t sell well.

With scandal stunts, red carpet walks, orchestrated tabloid gossip, and NFT digital art sales, male artists dating female celebrities—all are seeking the limelight to gain traffic.

While young artists aren’t as strictly prohibited from dating as Korean pop idols, galleries prefer Ms. Shengzi not to announce any relationships publicly too soon.

"Boyfriend fans" and "girlfriend fans" exist wherever fashion and media intersect.

After all,

Not everyone understands art, but everyone can appreciate a beautiful woman.

Many beautiful independent female artists loathe being judged on looks, believing it overshadows their effort and talent.

However,

Whether one admits it or not, the fact remains that beautiful single female artists tend to find fewer obstacles throughout history.

Beauty was often the initial ticket for Western women artists to enter high society art circles in the past.

Russian, French, German, and Italian female artists of the 18th and 19th centuries who became notable were often the beautiful wives of wealthy merchants or muses to great painters.

During the early days at Paris Galleries, young customers regarded Mary Cassatt, the first female Impressionist master, as a goddess of art and an object of pursuit.

Even though Miss Sakai did not initially object to marrying Koshiba Tarou, her Instagram seldom showed any intimate photos of them.

In fact, not publicly announcing relationships, having underground affairs, or even hidden marriages is the most beneficial choice for Koizumi Katsuko.

"I don’t care, when the time comes, I’m willing to tell the whole world I like you." Koizumi Katsuko whispered gently to Gu Weijing.

...

"Housekeeping? Prepare a car for me, I need it immediately."

Mrs. Sakai hung up the guest room phone irritably, glanced at the clock on the wall, and got up to open the wardrobe resentfully.

It was almost midnight.

The thought that her daughter wasn’t back yet made Mrs. Sakai restless.

Thinking of some "country bumpkins" trying their best to woo her flower-like daughter frustrated Mrs. Sakai to the point of almost breathing fire through her nostrils.

Countries like Spain and Sicily, Italy, along the Mediterranean belong to more conservative regions of Europe in terms of gender relations.

Traditional Roman Catholic families emphasizing chastity comprise a large portion of the population structure.

They were even once jokingly called the "nuns of Europe."

Mrs. Sakai doesn’t insist her daughter live like an ascetic, but during dating, girls often don’t know how to protect themselves.

As for the boys...

Humph,

Does she not understand what those rascals are thinking during their romantic pursuits?

They talk of beauty, art, the sensual colors of Caravaggio, Renoir, and Rubens, while deep down wanting to turn the girl into a model from those works.

They’re all experts at seducing innocent young women.

Mrs. Sakai heard all about these tricks back in art school.

"Arrange to paint together, hehe, that might fool naive girls, but trying that with me, kid, you’re still too immature."

Mrs. Sakai chuckled coldly, twisting her neck.

She wouldn’t trust these hooligans’ self-control driven by hormones.

The original intention might indeed have been painting.

But on dark and stormy nights, impassioned affairs might arise—seeing her attractive daughter, would he really restrain himself?

Pacts and agreements,

could be entirely forgotten.

If he really had "bad" intentions, her daughter might not refuse—and with her gentle demeanor, Shengzi might not resist at all.

That’s unacceptable,

She’s willing to give her daughter some personal space, but waiting any longer would be parental negligence.

Mrs. Sakai opened the family shared map on her iPhone, first glancing at Yakai Ichiro’s location.

Uncle Sakai, busy with work, couldn’t stay in Myanmar long and had already returned to Japan to his studio.

His current location wasn’t home nor his studio; his phone indicated he was at a yakitori shop serving late-night barbecue in Tokyo’s Chiyoda District.

"Humph, they’re all so disobedient. High blood sugar, high cholesterol, fatty liver, getting as round as takoyaki, yet here he is indulging; wait till I get back to deal with him."

Mrs. Sakai smiled the kind of smile that would make any middle-aged husband break out in a cold sweat.

She didn’t have time to deal with her husband, who’s striving to match a sumo wrestler’s physique, and saw Shengzi’s avatar located at a welfare orphanage named "Good Luck" in Yangon Laidar District.

Seeing that the location wasn’t a hotel relieved half her concern.

But being next to Gu Weijing at midnight always presented instability.

Mrs. Sakai put on her high heels, opened the suite door, not intending to call Shengzi beforehand, giving her a chance to escape.

The lady decided it was time to go there personally to bring Shengzi back.

Ding~

An Instagram update notification from [Shengzi] popped up.

Before the image loaded, Mrs. Sakai saw the caption "My dearest love."

Seeing those words, her face immediately contorted, almost angrily tossing her phone.

To correctly express her feelings at this moment,

it’s like seeing your daughter quit a decent job, come home with a big belly, and introduce a motorcycle gang boyfriend with dyed hair to meet the parents—a typical mother’s feelings.

So irresponsible!

It’s not just about losing followers; it’s about breaching contract.

Mrs. Sakai may not care about a new artist’s contract nor the hundred thousand dollars penalty,

but it’s the breach of trust.

An artist must never offend a gallery, just like a celebrity doesn’t want to offend their entertainment company; no one likes signing artists with a history of breaching contracts.

Even if it’s just an emerging contract, a signature is a signature.

Given Professor Yajima’s connections, Tokyo Gallery might not pursue Shengzi’s responsibility over something this minor—but this isn’t how things should be handled.

"She’s dating, being foolishly romantic... huh?"

The image finished loading, and to her surprise, it wasn’t the goofy face of Gu Weijing she expected, dissipating some of Mrs. Sakai’s anger.

Her steps paused as her gaze scanned a partially obscured photo.

At first glance, she noticed it was a nice artwork, then realized it wasn’t her daughter’s work.

Koizumi Katsuko had never painted in this style.

Not Shengzi’s?

Then could it be Gu Weijing’s?

"Hey, this is quite interesting."

Mrs. Sakai slowly stopped in her tracks as she was about to rush out.