GUANGZHOU: Love may lead to hate. Once an obsessive fan of Canton pop star Andy Lau, Yang Lijuan has planned to sue the popular Hong Kong star for "his persistent indifference" to her and her family.

"My family's tragedy, including my father's death, was the result of Lau's indifferent attitude," said Yang, after a hearing against local newspaper the Southern Weekend on Monday in Guangzhou.

The Guangzhou-based newspaper was sued by Yang for its "unfair report on her family and the story of her star-chasing Lau".

Yang, a 29-year-old woman from Northwest China's Gansu province, has been so obsessed with Lau since 14 years ago that she sold the family's only house to travel to Hong Kong three times to meet Lau last year.

Lau has once met Yang but reportedly scolded her for being unfilial to her parents.

"Her father died only because of his indifferent remarks," Yang's mother, Tao Juying, told reporters.

Yang's 68-year-old father jumped into the sea in Kowloon on March 26 last year, one day after he and his wife took their daughter to meet Lau.

The father left a 12-page letter before his suicide, claiming that the family's trip to Hong Kong left them penniless and it was all Lau's fault.

Tao told that they planned to ask Lau for a public apology and 500,000 yuan in compensation to make up for the family's economic losses and emotional pain.

"My daughter is very smart. But unfortunately, she has fallen victim to Lau," said Tao, adding she and her daughter are struggling to make a living as both of them are jobless.

"We are now in a tough financial situation since we could only depend on the low social insurance to make a living," Tao said.

Yang's lawyer Li Tiantian told China Daily in an online interview yesterday: "Yang's tragedy should help arouse sympathy instead of indifference from the society."

The Shanghai-based lawyer has given financial help to Yang for the legal battle against the Southern Weekend.

"Yang will sue Lau in Guangzhou," said Li, adding that the timetable will only be issued after the trial against the Guangzhou newspaper.

No verdicts were reached in the trial on Monday and local court officials said another hearing will open next month.

(HK Edition 03/12/2008 page1)