His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1281
"We've already been engaged for a year before our wedding," Jin Liwei told the reporters in a cold tone. "The moment I proposed to XiuâIris Long, I already wanted to marry her and make her my wife right there and then. It was only because she wasn't ready yet at that time that we delayed our marriage. I respect her choice and was willing to wait for her until she feels ready to finally commit herself in marriage with me."
His eyes flashed with anger as he glared at the reporters. "How dare outsiders like you suggest that I only married my wife because she became pregnant? Pregnant or not, I would have still married her. In fact, I'm thrilled that she's giving me a child to make our family more complete."
The reporters were cowed by him. He was indeed the CEO Jin Liwei. His aura was no joke. It would take an average person a lot of guts to just stand before him without running away.
Most of the reporters decided that it was time to retreat from this topic. However, the more courageous ones (or foolish, depending on the perspective) didn't want to give up just yet. They steeled themselves and pushed their mics forward despite shaking in their boots from CEO Jin's almost murderous eyes.
"Iris Long, why did you keep your pregnancy a secret for so long and only revealed it now? Is it because you didn't want to destroy your image to your fans and the public or give up your showbiz career, that's why you tried so hard to hide your pregnancy? Or did you feel ashamed that you got pregnant before marriage?"
Jin Liwei's expression turned blacker. He was about to erupt but a firm tug on his arm stopped him. He looked at his wife beside him and saw her smiling. Her eyes, however, was cold and filled with strength. He only hesitated for a couple of seconds before stepping back and letting her take the lead against the aggressive reporters. If this was what she wanted, then he would give the moment to her. He just needed to stand beside her and become her strongest backer.
"You're wrong," Iris told the reporters, looking at the aggressive ones straight in the eyes.
Some turned away and avoided her gaze while a few didn't care and even challenged her by looking at her directly in the eyes as well.
"I never felt ashamed becoming pregnant. Why should I? I'm carrying the child of the man I love and one who loves me back. Just like what my husband told you just now, we were already committed to each other long before our marriage. We married because we love each other and not solely because I became pregnant.
"To answer your question, I hid my pregnancy for so long exactly because of people like you who don't have any respect for people's privacy. Celebrities like me are people, too. We have the same rights just like everyone else. My husband and I want to exercise our rights in choosing the right moment to reveal that we are expecting the fruit of our love. As parents, we don't want to make our child become prey to unwanted media attention even before being born.
"Also, you mentioned my fans. Please take back your words. I believe in my fans. They don't have narrow minds. They respect me as a human being, not just as a commodity for entertainment. I know that the Black Stars will feel happy for me now that I became pregnant. Surely, they'll also help me protect any children of mine just like how they do their best to protect me."
"Yes, that's right! The Black Stars will always protect Boss Iris!"
"Scram, toxic reporters and evil paparazzi! We'll go to war with you if you try to harm our Boss Iris' precious baby!"
"Boss Iris' baby is the Black Stars' precious baby!"
The voices of the Black Stars were heard throughout the red carpet. Others looked at them, including the reporters.
Earlier, the Black Stars had been orderly, polite and respectful of the spectator rules. They refused to imitate other fans who would go crazy seeing their favourite celebrities without any regard for everyone else.
Now, however, they looked furious on behalf of their Boss Iris. Their numbers might not be as many as the fans of superstars like Jin Chonglin, but their fighting power wasn't in any way inferior.
The Black Stars appeared particularly intimidating due to the suits they were wearing which made them look like dangerous triad members. They looked like they were about to jump over the barricades to beat up the presumptuous reporters with their own hands.
"Comrades, raise your mighty slippers and protect our Boss Iris and our precious baby!"
It was only then that people remembered that the Black Stars had an infamous battle (troll) unit called the Slippers Army. Usually, the Slippers Army only operated online to defend Iris Long's name and reputation but there were some instances that these soldiers (trolls) proved that their fighting power were just as destructive in real life as they were online.
The reporters couldn't help but step away from the barricades. The more aggressive ones, however, sent the Black Stars challenging looks just like what they did to Iris Long earlier, trying to provoke her fans to attack so that the reporters could sue them for physical assault.
Iris Long made eye contact with Zhou Mei'er (a.k.a. CaptainBlackStar) and raised her hand into a stop sign. Zhou Mei'er immediately controlled her fellow Black Stars. Iris sent her fans a smile of gratitude before facing the bloodthirsty reporters once again.
"Thank you for your time but I'm afraid I'm starting to feel cold," Iris said. "I just recovered from being sick. If something happens to me or my baby because I'm forced to stay longer with you...."
She stared at the aggressive reporters. Beside her, Jin Liwei's threatening aura was enough to fill the rest of her sentence.
"Yes, yes. Please hurry and go inside to warm up. It's not good for pregnant women to stand for too long."
The quick-witted reporters immediately tried to soothe the tense atmosphere.
After a final glare, Jin Liwei escorted his wife inside the venue.
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1282
Jin Chonglin also sent the reporters a cold look before following his brother and sister-in-law. He also wanted to give the reporters a piece of his mind but his manager, Lin Dong, stopped him. Lin Dong came with Dom and Iris' manager, Tang Yiyi.
With cold eyes, Jin Chonglin remembered each and every face of the disrespectful reporters. He would blacklist them from all events hosted by LXC Studio in the future. There were plenty of other reporters who didn't need to resort to this kind of offensive tactics to do their jobs and still generate wide interest from the public. He would tell everyone at LXC Studio that they didn't need to entertain any reporters who had no morals.
Unlike Jin Chonglin who had his manager to stop him, JJ didn't give a damn as he lambasted the reporters to their faces for treating his protégé that way.
The music producer was infamous for his horrible temper. Everyone in the industry knew this.
His close friend, DJ Song, pretended to stop him but those with keen eyes knew that the radio host and music critic was also displeased at how the reporters treated Iris Long just now. It wouldn't be a surprise if DJ Song criticized the reporters' behaviour in the next episode of his radio program.
Inside the auditorium, the organizers led Iris, Jin Liwei and Jin Chonglin to their seats at the front row. Dom and the two managers were seated in a different section while the bodyguards had their own area with the event's staff.
The other already seated celebrities who had no idea of what transpired outside the red carpet looked shocked upon seeing the very pregnant Iris Long.
All Pandemonium membersâBlaze, Eros, Night and Thunderâleft their seats in the middle row to greet Iris' group. As the first artists to sign a contract with LXC Studio, the Pandemonium members now had to call Iris, Jin Liwei and Jin Chonglin as their bosses. Of course, they were also some of the first ones to discover Iris' pregnancy when she came to attend meetings at LXC Studio.
Ever since they experienced working with Iris on the critically acclaimed "Monster of Insanity", they learned a lot from her and managed to improve their techniques and overall sense of musicality.
"Monster of Insanity" had opened a new door for them. They were no longer constrained in the limited world of rock music. They were now willing to experiment and try incorporating various other genres into their music.
Their skills were still far from Iris Long's level so their creative experimentations often failed, but whenever they succeeded, the feeling was unbeatable. They wanted to experience this sweet feeling again and again.
Now that they were LXC Studio artists, they had more creative freedom. Their motivation was at an all-time high.
"I'm looking forward to your performance later," Iris told them.
"Thanks, Boss Iris!"
She chuckled and wished them good luck.
Finally settled in their seats, Jin Liwei focused on making sure that his wife was comfortable. If not for her firm protest, he would have already knelt down in front of her to massage her tired feet despite being in public.
It didn't take long for the show to finally start.
"Welcome to the Harmony Music Awards!"
The male and female hosts hyped the crowd with their opening words. Then the camera focused on Iris Long and Jin Liwei. The two hosts directly addressed the couple. It seemed that the organizers added this part of the opening at the last minute.
"It seems that congratulations are in order for my favourite power couple."
"Indeed! Our sincerest congrats to Iris Long and CEO Jin. We hope that you give birth to a healthy and fat baby!"
Iris smiled at them before waving at the camera. Even the usually cold Jin Liwei had a subtle smile on his lips.
The female host asked Jin Chonglin next, "Prince Lin Lin, are you excited to be an uncle?"
A squatting staff pushed a mic to him. "Of course. I'll definitely dote on my niece or nephew as if he or she is my own kid."
"What do you say about that, CEO Jin?" the male host asked.
The mic was pushed towards Jin Liwei who replied while looking at his younger brother, "I already told you, make your own baby!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
The entire auditorium erupted into squeals and laughter.
"Make a baby! Make a baby! Make a baby!"
Everyone started chanting these words to make fun of Jin Chonglin. For his part, he took everything in stride and gave everyone a sheepish version of his killer smile.
Jin Liwei's "make your own baby" to his brother, Jin Chonglin, was quickly made into a meme. It would become one of the most popular meme and catchphrases in the country.
The opening words concluded followed by the night's first performance by a young and promising artist. Iris and Jin Chonglin watched it with interest. As the co-bosses of LXC Studio, they were always on the lookout for talented artists with potential.
Iris had to wear special earphones to decrease the volume of everything around her. Beside her, Jin Liwei didn't care about the performances at all. His entire focus was on his wife. He made sure to check on her every few seconds or so.
Afterwards, the first set of Golden Trebles were awarded to the winners. After another couple of performances, it was time to announce the People's Choice Award for the Most Popular Male and Female Artists.
Unlike the other winners which were carefully chosen by the music awards selection body, the winners for the People's Choice Awards were determined via fan voting.
Iris Long and Jin Chonglin won these last year. They were on the running again this year.
Jin Chonglin had always won this award for many consecutive years now. This year, he had another large lead from the second place. Even without the announcement, people were already certain that he would win once again.
That was for later, though.
The People's Choice for Most Popular Female Artist would be up before the male one.
Who would it be?
People glanced at the pregnant Iris Long.
Would it be her again?
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1283
Before tonight, Iris Long had been alternating between the fourth and fifth places in the voting poll for the People's Choice Award for Most Popular Female Artist. Her long absence from the public eye had taken its toll.
Despite the efforts of the Black Stars, they couldn't push their Boss Iris up the the rankings to the top spots. They refused to tarnish their Boss Iris' reputation by resorting to cheating like other celebrities who they suspected hired water armies. They wanted to win fair and square.
In the end, they reluctantly accepted that their Boss Iris might not be able to defend her last year's title of People's Choice Award for Most Popular Female Artist. It didn't matter anyway compared to the real awards chosen by the experts. Given their Boss Iris' musical talents and skills, she would surely nab at least one of the awards tonight.
Male host: "The people have chosen!"
Female host: "The reigning Most Popular Female Artist isâ"
Both hosts: "Iris Long!"
The word "reigning" had already clued in many to the winner. The camera focused on the surprised Iris Long.
She truly didn't expect that she would win the People's Choice Award for Most Popular Female Artist this year. She saw the voting polls earlier before she and her husband headed to the red carpet. She had been sitting in fourth place that time. Therefore, it was surprising for her to win this award again.
Jin Liwei helped her and escorted her up the stairs but didn't join her on the stage. Iris gave a short speech thanking her fans and everyone who voted for her. Then she returned to her seat with Jin Liwei while holding the first award that she received tonight (and hopefully not the last).
For her, the People's Choice Award was a nice extra treat. She was thankful to win it again and defend her title as the Most Popular Female Artist but she considered the awards to which she received official nominations to be much more important.
Jin Liwei leaned closer to her and whispered the possible reason why she won. According to him, her showing up with a big belly earlier on the red carpet definitely put her on the live headlines. The revelation of her pregnancy was a huge bombshell. After all, she was Iris Long and her husband was Jin Liwei.
This shocking bombshell might have prompted the people to vote for her at the last minute, eventually pushing her up to the top of the rankings.
"I see," Iris murmured.
She hadn't foreseen this outcome at all. Unlike other celebrities who would use every possible tactic to increase their popularity, Iris didn't care too much for this kind of petty publicity methods. She preferred to use her own creative body of musical work to speak for themselves instead.
Afterwards, Jin Chonglin won the Most Popular Male Artist as everyone expected. His feat of winning it for so many consecutive years was already a legend in the history of Harmony Music Awards. He was truly a superstar in every sense of the word.
It was finally the latter half of the show when the major awards were scheduled to be given out. The atmosphere was more energetic and tenser (in a good way).
Female host: "Welcome back to the Harmony Music Awards! Now it's time for our next categoryâBest Songwriter!"
Male host: "And the nominees are...."
Three songwriters were introduced.
Female host: "Jin Chonglin, 'Passionate Flames'!"
His army of fans went wild.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaah!!! Go, go, go, Prince Lin Lin!"
Female host: "Iris Long, 'Shining Eyes'!"
The Black Stars did their best to support their boss.
"You can do it, Boss Iris!!!"
"Win it again this year, Boss! You're the best!!!"
Male host: And the Golden Treble for Best Songwriter goes to...."
Both hosts: "Iris Long, 'Shining Eyes'!!!"
The hit song 'Shining Eyes' began playing in the background as Iris hugged Jin Liwei and Jin Chonglin beside her.
"I knew that you'll win this," Jin Chonglin said with a sigh. "Congrats, Sister Xiulan."
"Thank you, Brother Chonglin."
Fortunately, Jin Liwei didn't separate the two by force. Jin Chonglin made sure to keep the hug as brief as possible to prevent the public from making any malicious speculations about the relationship between the three of them. Jin Liwei also knew this, hence why he restrained himself.
On the stage, Iris beamed as she held the Golden Treble trophy. Even if she didn't win the other awards that she was nominated for, she would already be satisfied.
Winning the Best Songwriter Award was important to her as an artist because it proved her excellence in the aspect of not only performing but also in composing music.
"First and foremost, I would like to thank my husband for being the inspiration behind this song. I was able to write 'Shining Eyes' and pack it with the most heartfelt emotions of love because of you. Without you, I wouldn't be able to dig deep within my heart and translate my feelings into a love song.
"Next, I would like to thank my brother-in-law. Brother Chonglin is one of the most talented artists that I respect. Singing 'Shining Eyes' with him is one of the most fun experiences I have as an artist.
"Also thank you to my music producer, Mr. JJ. You've always been very supportive of me. Although we clash a lot during productions, I'm always assured that the final products we produce are of the highest quality.
"Of course, I can't forget everyone who made the TV drama 'Our Love, Our Destiny' a huge international success. Thank you for trusting me to compose the drama's theme song.
"Thank you to my fans, the Black Stars, as always. You've been there supporting me through thick and thin. I hope that you continue to join me in this journey of my career."
"And finally, big thanks to my music mentors who are always guiding me to improve my craft as a musician. Teacher Enrique Valdez and Maestro Ludovico de Luca, your student will do her best to make you two proud.
"Thanks, everyone!"
Iris blew a kiss before cradling her swollen belly and carefully lowering herself into an elegant curtsy bow.
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1284
The major awards in other categories were given out one after another interspersed between varieties of performances.
JJ lost the Best Producer Award this year. It was clear from his scowling expression that he was displeased by the results.
Pandemonium rocked the entire place. Although the song that they performed was released before they became LXC Studio artists, they decided to rearrange it for tonight's performance following Iris Long's advice when they happened to meet at LXC Studio. The result was a more fine-tuned emotional and soulful head-banger.
Iris was pleased by their performance. There was still a lot of room for improvement but the guys always showed their desire to learn new things. She was looking forward at how much they would improve in the future as LXC Studio artists.
Afterwards, it was time for another category to which Iris received a nomination. This time, however, she shared it with another person.
Male host: "Here are the nominees for Best Song by a Duo or Group!"
Two other nominees were introduced first.
Female host: "'Shining Eyes' by Iris Long and Jin Chonglin!"
Iris and Jin Chonglin were showed on the same camera frame together.
Male host: "Oh what do we have here? The final nominees are..."
Female host: "'Passionate Flames' by Iris Long and Jin Chonglin!"
Indeed, their two songs were competing against each other. Actually, it wasn't only that.
Another song performed by another duo was originally written by Iris Long. Technically speaking, she had three songs nominated in the same category. She wrote and performed 'Shining Eyes', performed in Jin Chonglin's 'Passionate Flames', and wrote the other duet song that they were competing against right now.
Male host: "The Golden Treble for Best Song by a Duo or Group goes to...."
Both hosts: "'Shining Eyes' by Iris Long and Jin Chonglin!"
Loud applause and an outpouring of congratulations.
Iris and Jin Chonglin stood together.
"Dammit," Jin Chonglin muttered even as he showed an ecstatic smile to the camera. "I thought that my song got this in the bag."
"Better luck next time, Brother Chonglin," Iris replied while smiling.
Jin Liwei also stood up and proceeded to escort his wife despite the presence of his younger brother. Then he told Jin Chonglin, "Face it. My wife is the best."
"Big Bro, I also won this award, you know."
"My wife can win even if she didn't sing this song with you."
"Tsk."
This short exchange went unnoticed by other people as Jin Liwei didn't go up the stage and just watched his wife and younger brother receive the award together.
His eyes were only for his wife. Everyone seemed to be blurred out, even completely erased from his vision, including his younger brother. Only his beautiful and breathtaking wife remained in his sight.
Next award category was Best Music Video.
'Shining Eyes' wasn't nominated at all because most of the music video consisted of a montage of scenes from the TV drama. Only a small portion of the music video showed Iris Long and Jin Chonglin singing. It was a musical masterpiece but the music video left much to be desired.
If it received a nomination, Iris Long would be the first one to doubt the fairness of the music awards. She knew that the music video didn't reach the standard to compete with the other deserving nominees.
In contrast, 'Passionate Flames' was nominated. The music video was creative and well-thought-out. The choreography and cinematography were all complicated and visually stimulating. The background and props were all high quality. Jin Chonglin really pulled all the stops for the music video.
Among the nominees, it had the most views online. Watching Iris Long and Jin Chonglin dancing with their sweaty bodies surrounded by pillars of fire was indeed a treat to the eyes.
Even Jin Liwei couldn't watch it without becoming aroused. His wife was too sexy and seductive. Before Iris became pregnant, she would dance 'Passionate Flames' in front of him whenever she wanted to seduce him. It always worked. He would always pounce on her before she could finish the whole choreography.
Back to the awards show, nobody was surprised when 'Passionate Flames' won the Golden Treble for Best Music Video. Once again, Iris Long and Jin Chonglin climbed the stage together to receive the award.
When they returned to their seats, Jin Chonglin said, "We'll keep these awards that we share at LXC Studio."
Iris thought that it was good idea. "Alright."
The show entered the final part. Only three of the major and best awards were left.
For Best Album of the Year, Iris Long's soundtrack album for the film "Strong Yet Broken" was nominated. Unfortunately, it didn't win.
JJ was furious. He felt more indignant than when he didn't win the Best Producer Award earlier.
"What the hell was the awards committee thinking?! The brat's soundtrack album is the best among the nominees! Are the committee members' brains filled with holes?! Dammit! I'm going to complain! This is outrageous!!!"
"Now, now. Calm down for now. This isn't the time. The camera's on you." DJ Song was doing his best to soothe his close friend.
Deep inside, DJ Song agreed with his friend. In terms of quality and excellence in musicality, Iris Long's film soundtrack album was indeed many leagues superior compared to the other nominees. However, he also understood that her album didn't sell so well in the domestic market.
Yes, it became popular especially after Iris Long won an international award in France for her work and also after the indie movie "Strong Yet Broken" received critical acclaim and achieved masterpiece status in the country's film industry.
The issue was that the film, and in extension, its soundtrack didn't really appeal to the masses. It only resonated to some specific groups of people.
Generally, Harmony Music Awards catered more towards pop songs. This wasn't an absolute rule but more obscure music would find it difficult to enter the notice of the music awards.
DJ Song suspected that Iris Long's film soundtrack album only managed to be nominated because it did quite well in the music charts when the film "Strong Yet Broken" was at its hottest.
And of course, because she was Iris Long who already established herself as an award-winning musician.
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1285
As a radio host and most importantly a respected music critic, DJ Song thought that Iris Long's soundtrack album for the film "Strong Yet Broken" was more suitable for film awards than music awards. It was such a shame, really, but that just how the industry worked.
DJ Song glanced at his friend, JJ, who continued to vent his complaints about the loss of Iris' soundtrack album. He could only sigh.
Iris also sighed but it didn't affect her that much. She made a similar conclusion as DJ Song. It was already quite surprising that the soundtrack album was even nominated here in the first place.
For her, the soundtrack album already received enough recognition at the Sommet International Film Festival last year. Compared to this music awards which was only limited to the country's music industry, winning at an international film festival held more prestige and significance.
Jin Chonglin had already left his seat to prepare for the first part of his performance. At the same time, Iris was starting to feel uncomfortable from sitting for too long. Her back was killing her.
Jin Liwei immediately noticed his wife's discomfort. "Shall we leave?"
She shook her head. "It's ending soon."
He frowned but still gave in. "We'll leave as soon as it ends."
"Okay."
"Don't hide it if you're not feeling well."
"I know, darling."
Only then did he stop but his worry didn't ease. He snuck her a couple of sweet bonbons which she ate while hiding behind his wide shoulders. The people behind their seats chuckled upon seeing their antics.
Feeling better after eating sweets, Iris thought of something. She whispered to Jin Liwei whose frown deepened. However, she managed to persuade him. In the end, he called the event staff and spoke to them.
The commercials ended. It was now time for Jin Chonglin's first performance to make way for the final two and most anticipated awards of the night.
It was dark.
Only a small part of the leftmost part of the stage was lit. The two hosts stood there and introduced the most awaited performer of the night.
Female host: "Ladies and gentlemen, the person you've been waiting for is finally taking the stage!"
Male host: "From the international TV hit phenomenon, 'Our Love, Our Destiny', please give it up forâ"
Both hosts: "Jin Chonglin singing 'Shining Eyes'!!!"
Across the stage, colourful autumn leaves raining down were projected. Then a chamber orchestra and a four-piece pop band were arranged in an elevated section. A single acoustic guitarist sat in a separate section with a grand pianist. Back-up singers were also present close to them.
The acoustic guitarist finger-picked a silky five-chord melody. The familiar melody caused a wave of squeals from the audience.
Eternal passion.
That was how the song was branded in the hearts of people who loved it.
The violin joined along with the other stringed instruments. Then the flute and the rest of the woodwind instruments.
Everything was light and airy at first, like a soothing drizzle after a hot sunny day. Calm but memorable, deceptively easy but full of meaning.
The piano brought fullness to the melody, making the music more emotional. It made the listeners a little breathless in anticipation.
Then the spotlight lit up the centre of the stage.
Screams filled the place as a familiar figure of a man was slowly lifted up the stage from underground.
Jin Chonglin had his eyes closed, his expression filled with emotions. He looked like a prince with his light-coloured suit that softly sparkled under the bright lights.
He opened his eyes and looked directly at the camera. More screams sounded as the audience felt like he was looking at them straight in the eyes.
"Walking down the town of life
I caught a glimpse of you
Your beautiful self
Making even the flowers smile back"
He was about to sing the next stanza when another voice was heard. His eyes widened and he found the source.
Another spotlight was directed below the stage. The very pregnant Iris Long held a mic and sang her own parts, sounding effortless and smooth like warm butter.
"Smitten I followed you around
Not expecting anything in return
But you always knew
So your shining eyes saw me"
Iris was standing by the front row seats, her husband still sitting beside her. Jin Liwei looked up at his wife with the gentlest expression ever seen on him in public.
The Black Stars almost went crazy when their Boss Iris made a surprise performance all of a sudden. Tears of joy and excitement flowed down their faces.
Similarly, Jin Chonglin's army of fans filled the auditorium with their deafening screams. Some of them had already long fainted from overstimulation.
Jin Chonglin's professionalism kicked in. He quickly recovered from his surprise and harmonized with Iris as if they had rehearsed this performance many times before tonight.
"Time stopped in that moment
The sun paled in your presence
Birdsong filled the air
As you chose me"
Iris stayed below the stage while Jin Chonglin stayed up the stage. Despite the physical distance, their harmony blended perfectly and made their listeners fall in love with their beautiful voices and the song.
"Smitten I had followed you around
Not expecting anything in return
But you always knew
So your shining eyes saw me"
Iris reached out beside her and held Jin Liwei's hand. This time, she looked at her husband instead of her duet partner. The squeals intensified even more after her actions.
Too much sweetness!
Compared to the original version, Iris' voice this time was mellower, deeper and fuller.
Perhaps it was because she couldn't strain herself too much reaching for the high notes due to her pregnancy. It wasn't an issue anyway.
In fact, her different way of singing gave the song a heavier flavour like fine wine. It induced many teary eyes among the listeners.
"As I'm singing I look into your eyes
And know you see me like I do you
Even as we grow old I never forget
The man who saw me that day"
As Iris and Jin Chonglin continued to harmonize, she didn't break eye contact with her beloved Jin Liwei and sang the love song to him.
Only him.
"But you always knew
So you gave me all I could ever want
I GOT YOU~"
She mouthed to her husband, "I love you".
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1286
The duet performance was a great hit, especially since everyone was already expecting a solo performance by Jin Chonglin.
Seeing the pregnant Iris Long's swollen belly at the beginning of the awards show, the fans had no choice but to accept that she wasn't in any condition to perform on the stage with Jin Chonglin.
Hence, it was a huge pleasant surprise that she still decided to at least perform the love song "Shining Eyes" even if she stayed at her front row seat below the stage the entire time.
The different timbre of her voice was also a welcome change from her usual vocal acrobatics. Although it wasn't as technically impressive as before, it packed more emotional punch on the listeners. She also sounded more mature in a good way.
As a result, the song became even more memorable. It fit the idea of love evolving from the first sweet love into a long-lasting mature love.
This image was cemented even further by how Iris Long and CEO Jin Liwei looked into each other's eyes as she sang the love song to him.
Poor Jin Chonglin.
He had once again become the unimportant background character whose only role was to make the scene between the male and female leads more romantic.
The standing ovation and deafening cheers lasted for quite a long time compared to the earlier performances by other artists.
After the performance, it was now time to present the final two awards of the night.
Male host: "And the nominees for Song of the Year are...."
Three other nominees were introduced. And then....
Female host: "'Shining Eyes' by Iris Long and Jin Chonglin!"
Female host: "'Passionate Flames' by Iris Long and Jin Chonglin!"
Their fans were going insane.
"Go get it, Boss Iris!"
"You're the best, Prince Lin Lin! You can do it!"
"LINRIS! LINRIS!!! LINRIS!!!!!"
A certain married man sitting in the front row was wearing a dark expression amidst the chant. He wanted to shout at the top of his lungs for everyone to stop chanting the annoying combined name. His wife belonged to him, not to his younger brother.
Iris sensed her husband's jealousy. She patted his arm and smiled at him.
"Don't mind it, darling. Consider it as a team name, not a love team."
Only then did Jin Liwei's jealousy eased but only for a bit. He lifted his wife's hand and kissed it. The camera caught the moment and everyone saw it.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
"That's so romantic!"
"I suddenly want to marry someone and have my non-existing husband kiss my hand like that in front of people!"
The "LinRis" chant stopped. Jin Liwei's mood improved.
After the hosts calmed everyone down, the award presentation resumed.
Male host: "The Golden Treble for Song of the Year goes to...."
Both hosts: "'Shining Eyes' by Iris Long and Jin Chonglin!"
Just like before, Iris was escorted up the stage by Jin Liwei. Her movements were noticeably more laboured this time. Jin Chonglin appeared from backstage and hurried to support her before joining her at the centre of the stage. They once again received the award and gave their speeches together.
Iris returned to her seat afterwards while Jin Chonglin once again headed backstage to finish preparing for the finale performance.
It was now time for the final and most sought-after award of the night.
Female host: "It's here, ladies and gentlemen! We have the honour to present to you the amazing nominees for the Artist of the Year!"
Four nominees were introduced first.
And then....
Male host: "Iris Long!"
Male host: "Jin Chonglin!"
Iris was doing her best to stifle a yawn as she waited for the hosts to announce the award winner. It was taking all of her effort to fight off drowsiness. She felt Jin Liwei raising her hand and kissing it once again. Of course, the camera caught the moment just like earlier. It seemed that the director assigned a camera solely to catch sweet moments between the husband and wife.
Female host: "And the Golden Treble for Artist of the Year goes to...."
This time, the dramatic sound of heartbeat was deliberately prolonged to amplify the suspense.
Last year, Iris Long beat Jin Chonglin and nabbed the night's biggest award of Artist of the Year. Would she defend the title for the second year in a row?
Both hosts: "Jin Chonglin!!!"
It seemed that the superstar was still a superstar after all. He was able to redeem himself from last year's loss and reclaim the title of Artist of the Year from Iris Long.
His army of fans jumped up their seats and pumped their hands in the air to celebrate their victory.
"Prince Lin Lin! Prince Lin Lin!!! Prince Lin Lin!!!!!"
The Black Stars felt a little disappointed but they still congratulated their Brother-in-Law Prince Lin Lin.
As for Iris Long, she joined everyone to applaud Jin Chonglin's victory. Her brother-in-law might have triumphed over her with this award but she didn't feel defeated at all. Not one bit.
For her, the most important award was the Best Songwriter and she was able to win it tonight. In addition, she was still one of the biggest winners tonight, nabbing a total of four Golden Trebles for the major categories plus the People's Choice Award for Most Popular Female Artist.
Granted, she shared the Golden Trebles with Jin Chonglin but three of them were for "Shining Eyes", the song that she composed herself. She considered it as her own win as the songwriter.
For this reason, she technically nabbed more wins than Jin Chonglin tonight.
Also deep in her heart, she knew that her chance to win the Artist of the Year had significantly decreased the moment she started limiting her public appearances due to her pregnancy in the latter half of last year. Jin Chonglin had to increase his promotional activities to make up for her absences.
It only made sense that he won the Artist of Year over her. He worked harder to make up for her absence so he fully deserved the win.
"Next time, I'll take it back from you," Iris swore in her heart while clapping for Jin Chonglin.
"Next time, you'll take it back from him," Jin Liwei told her in a whisper at the same time.
She giggled at how well his thoughts matched hers.
"Yes, I will."
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1287
After Jin Chonglin received his Artist of the Year Award, he immediately went on to perform the finale. Pillars of fire shot around the stage as sweaty dancers pumped their bodies in time with the music.
True to his original plan, Jin Chonglin performed "Passionate Flames" by himself. There was no need for a substitute female partner. As a superstar, he could hold an entire show on his own without any issue.
The drowsy Iris was completely awakened. She started bouncing on her seat in time with the energetic beat of the music. Jin Liwei had to remind her to take it easy. She acquiesced but it was hard not to let the music affect her.
Performing on stage was something that she terribly missed. She couldn't help but feel a little envious of Jin Chonglin. As a man, he didn't need to take any extended breaks from live performances due to pregnancy.
Beside her, Jin Liwei could sense his wife's mixed emotions while watching his younger brother perform on stage. He knew how much she loved performing in front of a live audience.
"Don't worry, love," he reassured her. "This is only temporary. You'll definitely stand on the stage again and perform to your heart's content. Our twins will then be able to see how amazing their mom is."
She leaned her head on his chest and smiled. "Thanks, darling."
"Don't mention it, love."
This year's Harmony Music Awards finally ended. Jin Chonglin was the winner of the biggest award but Iris Long's number of wins in the major categories couldn't be ignored either.
Although the two shared most of the wins, nobody could deny that "Shining Eyes", the song that she wrote, defeated Jin Chonglin's "Passionate Flames" in all the categories that the two songs were nominated together.
In the end, the media could only conclude that LXC Studio was the ultimate winner of the night. The newest entertainment company in the country had the biggest backer, Jin Liwei, so only idiots would underestimate its capabilities.
It had only been operating for a few months but the number of new applicants who wanted to become LXC Studio artists were increasing by the month. The increase became sharper after the music awards.
Everyone saw how well LXC Studio produced Jin Chonglin and Pandemonium's performances. They weren't stingy at all when it came to the props, back-up dancers and supporting live musicians.
Most importantly, LXC Studio's PR Department handled Iris Long's surprise revelation of her pregnancy at the music award's red carpet very well. The malicious attacks on her were minimized while the positive comments were emphasized.
This only proved that LXC Studio had the potential to rival the big, long-established entertainment companies in the country like Jin Chonglin and Iris Long's old one, Bright Summit.
It was still too early to see if LXC Studio could withstand the test of time, but from how things were going, it seemed that the new entertainment company was on the rise. It just needed to cement its status by nurturing another superstar like Jin Chonglin or produce hit after hit.
Another topic that the media chewed on was about one of Iris Long's speeches when she thanked the legendary hitmaker, Enrique Valdez, and the classical music legend, Maestro Ludovico de Luca, as her mentors.
This wasn't a big surprise because she indeed had several close interactions with the two foreign music legends. She was also reportedly still working on her collaboration with Enrique Valdez. It was rumoured that the legendary hitmaker was still staying in the country until now because of their collab.
What made people disgruntled about the entire situation was Iris Long's seeming reliance on the façade that she was very close to Enrique Valdez and Maestro Ludovico de Luca. They didn't believe that she was actually close in real life with the two music legends. They thought that she was just using both of their names to increase her reputation.
It should be her husband, Jin Liwei, who was using his power and influence to ask Enrique Valdez and Maestro Ludovico de Luca to cooperate with his wife.
This kind of skeptical commentary was not new or uncommon. Ever since Iris Long's rise to fame after waking up from coma, she had always caused extreme polarity in public opinions.
Throughout the weekend following the music awards, all kinds of news circulated in the media. The buzz around the award winners, including Iris Long, hadn't died down yet when the following Monday, Ã la Mode magazine released its latest issue.
It was the magazine that released an exclusive feature of Iris Long and Jin Liwei's private wedding last year.
This time, they once again caused media shockwaves with their latest feature. The cover showed the pregnant Iris Long in an elegant draping white dress posing inside her own mansion with her husband, CEO Jin Liwei.
Inside the magazine showed several photos of Iris Long and a few with CEO Jin along with two of their adorable cats.
Iris wore different outfits, but in each and every one of them, she looked absolutely blooming with radiance. Her belly hadn't been as big in the magazine photoshoot as it was shown in the music awards.
The only unfortunate thing was that Iris and CEO Jin remained tight-lipped on the gender of their child and the due date. Nevertheless, the wife and husband couldn't hide their excitement in welcoming the newest addition to their family.
This latest issue of à la Mode magazine sold out the same day. Fortunately, they were ready this time. They already experienced the same phenomenon when they featured the couple's private wedding. Additional copies became available the next day and the following day and so on....
Many praised Iris Long for maintaining her beauty and overall figure despite her pregnancy. In fact, she looked more beautiful and radiant than before now that she was pregnant. She really was the perfect target of envy for other pregnant women.
During the magazine interview, she was asked, "How do you maintain your beauty and figure?"
She smiled and replied with familiar words, "Natural beauty is Orchidia Beauty."
It was Orchidia Beauty's famous tagline.
Those who read the interview thought that her answer to the question was quite corny.. Nevertheless, her deliberate attempt to endorse her own company was very effective.
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1288
Iris Long also used the opportunity at the magazine interview to announce two new brands that she would be launching soonâOrchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby.
This meant a reorganization in the original Orchidia Beauty.
The company itself would now be known as just Orchidia while Orchidia Beauty, Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby would become brands under it.
Of course, Orchidia Company would still remain under its parent company, Eve Holdings. That wouldn't change.
The administrative management of Orchidia wouldn't change much either. Iris Long remained as the President-CEO, Chen Fei as the COO and Long Jinjing as the CFO. However, the newly expanded company now hired additional staff to fill in the necessary positions to keep everything running smoothly.
"My sister who is the CFO of Orchidia is also pregnant like me," Iris Long said in the interview. "The two of us made the decision to add these two new Orchidia brands in order to cater to women like us who are pregnant and will soon become parents. We are committed to using our own firsthand experiences to provide consumers with safe and high-quality products that are also as eco-friendly as possible. Our Chief of Product Development, Alric Bauer, and all his fellow researchers and developers are always doing their best to innovate and even invent new technology for all the products Orchidia sells to our precious consumers."
The announcement was a hit.
Existing loyal Orchidia Beauty consumers who were also mothers couldn't wait for the launch of Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby. They already knew the excellent quality of each and every Orchidia Beauty products. They felt that it was only natural that Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby, or any other future brands under Orchidia for that matter, would also adhere to the company's promise of safe and high-quality products.
That same week, Iris Long led the extensive promotional activities for the launch of Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby. For events where she couldn't attend in person, she would still give a few words via live video chat or even just recorded video messages.
During this time, pre-orders were opened. In just two days, the pre-orders for both Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby products were sold out.
The wait for the official launch didn't last long.
Just another week later, Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby finally launched at the same time. Due to the advance state of her pregnancy, Iris Long opted to throw a rather simple launch party for the two new Orchidia brands.
It was even smaller than the opening ceremony of Eve Holdings held earlier this year. Despite this, the launch of Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby still received widespread media attention.
Iris Long even composed catchy commercial jingles for both Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby. The jingles were so catchy that schoolchildren could be heard singing them.
The product variety for now was quite limited but Iris Long promised that Orchidia would release more in the coming months after the products completed and passed their intensive safety tests.
Orchidia.
The exhausted Chen Fei dragged her high-heeled feet to the President-CEO's office. There, she found Iris and Long Jinjing who were both pregnant, munching on a rather impressive spread of snacks and sweets. Lots and lots of sweets.
Eating with them was the perpetual chatterbox Dom with his bottomless stomach. He was actually eating more than the two pregnant ladies combined but his belly remained flat.
Truly an annoying creature especially for those who had to control their food intake just to avoid getting fat.
Chen Fei grabbed a random sandwich from the table and plopped down on the couch beside Dom, the glutton.
"Fuck me," she grumbled while tearing into her sandwich. "This year is so hectic!"
"Sis Xiaofei, you're pretty and successful, so if you want to be fucked, I'm sure that there will be lots of guys lining up to sleep with you," Dom said.
Chen Fei rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Dom."
"Hehehe. Maybe a certain superstar with a killer smile will take you up on your offer."
She glared at him. "Him? Eeew! No way!"
"Why not?" Dom countered. "Prince Lin Lin is the object of many fantasies, you know."
"Not mine! So what if he's a superstar? As if I care. I'm not interested in a playboy like him. What if I catch a venereal disease from him? So dirty! Yuck!"
"Xiaofei, you're being too harsh," Long Jinjing said.
"Whatever. I'm just being honest."
"I don't think Brother Chonglin has dated anyone after what happened with Fan Luo," Iris commented.
Dom's expression turned ugly. "Fan Luo, that evil witch! I'll never forgive that monster! Just saying her name is dirtying my gorgeous self! Pweh!"
Everyone became quiet.
The topic of Fan Luo, Jin Chonglin's ex-fiancée who orchestrated the deadly car crash which sent Iris into a year-long coma, had always been a touchy subject.
"Let's not talk about this anymore," Long Jinjing said in an effort to recover from the heavy atmosphere.
She glanced at her younger sister with worry. When she saw that Iris looked normal, she inwardly sighed with relief.
Iris noticed her concern and smiled. "Don't worry. Fan Luo is already paying the price for her crimes. There's no need to be careful when talking about that woman around me. I'm not that fragile."
"Yeah, you're a boss bitch," Chen Fei said. "You can't be a boss bitch if you're fragile. Hell, I'm a boss bitch myself. Even Jinjing who's usually shy is also a boss bitch. Just watch her whenever someone overspends company budget and she'll chew that person's head out with vengeance."
"Xiaofei!" Long Jinjing's face turned red.
"Hahahahaha!"
Everyone laughed because it was true.
Long Jinjing might not be usually as assertive as either Iris or Chen Fei, but she would always transform into a fire-breathing dragon when it came to safeguarding the company money. It was always a huge hurdle for anyone to make her cough out extra money without any careful deliberation.
She pouted while looking at her friends laughing at her expense.. But she was also glad that they finally moved on from the dark topic about Fan Luo.
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1289
After eating her sandwich, Chen Fei brought the conversation back to business.
"Two of the factories that we're trying to buy out changed their initial asking price," she said. "They want more money after seeing that we sold out all our current Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby inventory."
"Leave them," Iris replied with a cold expression. "They're not the only factories in the country. If time isn't so tight, we don't have to buy out ready-made factories and just focus on building our own from the ground up. Building from scratch takes longer but we can design the factory according to our exact specifications. It's important to own our factories to limit counterfeit products and also to have full power when it comes to management, quality control and things like that."
The others nodded in agreement.
"We'll still go ahead and build our own factory," Iris continued saying. "In the meantime, we have to buy out other factories to fill up our current inventories. If we're having trouble with domestic factories, we can explore the possibility of opening up a factory in the Philippines."
Dom's eyes lit up after hearing a mention of his mother country.
"Linda Chua is already working on opening up our Orchidia Filipino branch anyway. I'm sure that if we really wanted to, she can find a way to open up a factory for us, too."
Dom was quick to reassure Iris. "Don't worry, boss! My second sister won't let you down! If you want to open a factory, my sister will open one for you!"
Chen Fei pursed her lips and thought about it before nodding. "That's something we need to think more about carefully. The Philippines has different legal requirements for foreign businesses after all."
"I'll consult with Liwei about that," Iris replied. "He has some experience working with Filipino partners before."
"What about the funding?" Long Jinjing asked next.
"Eve Holdings will take care of Orchidia's current expansion in the international market so don't worry about that. Just take care of the domestic funding for now."
"Okay, I understand." Long Jinjing looked relieved that she didn't need to readjust the company budget once again.
They talked about business for a little longer before finishing up. Dom helped Iris up while Chen Fei supported Long Jinjing.
"Fucking hell, you two look like you're about to pop!" Chen Fei exclaimed.
"What do you expect?" Iris replied. "We're both expecting twins."
"You're truly sisters," Chen Fei mumbled.
Iris only smiled at Chen Fei's comment. In her mind, she didn't think that the twins came about due to her being sisters with Long Jinjing. There had been no precedent of having twins in the Long genealogy.
Although it might be a fantastical idea, Iris was keen to believe that her and Long Jinjing becoming pregnant with twins wasn't due to them being sisters but more on the fact that she and Lu Zihao had been siblings in their past life.
Madam Vetrova, their mother in their past life, came from a family that produced a number of twins.
Iris glanced at Long Jinjing. Her sister of the flesh had been impregnated by her brother of the soul.
Long Jinjing caressed her huge belly. Unlike Iris, Long Jinjing's pregnancy was rather smooth-sailing. She didn't experience any difficult morning sickness. She just felt sleepy, fatigued, and of course, hungry all the time.
In fact, she developed like other normal pregnant women. She gained a lot of weight and became quite chubby. As a result, she no longer looked smaller than Iris but bigger instead.
Just by comparing their sizes alone, others might conclude that Long Jinjing was the one who got pregnant first than Iris.
At first, Long Jinjing was bummed out and worried that Lu Zihao might disdain her new fatter self. She only gained more confidence when he reassured her that he liked her with more meat. She was softer to hold. He especially loved her bigger boobs.
She couldn't stop the pink tinge from spreading on her cheeks upon remembering how her fiancé used his actions in bed to reassure her.
"Uuuuuuuuy~ I bet Big Sis Jing is thinking about something naughty! Ehehehe," Dom teased.
Long Jinjing covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.
"So both of you are having all boys?" Chen Fei asked.
Iris and Long Jinjing nodded.
"My gosh!" Chen Fei then patted both of them in the back and said in a serious tone, "Good luck."
Before the pregnant women could thank her, Chen Fei added, "I hope your sons don't take after their fathers."
Iris frowned.
"What do you mean by that?" Long Jinjing asked.
"One is too cold and domineering, the other is a muscle-headed brute."
Iris scowled.
"Hey!" Long Jinjing felt offended for her man.
Chen Fei ignored their obvious protests and continued, "Imagine four mini Jin Liweis and Lu Zihaos. Ugh! That's, like, having four mini devils running around and wreaking havoc everywhere. It's gonna be worse if they inherited their fathers' possessive nature towards their mothers."
She hugged herself and shivered.
Iris and Long Jinjing fell silent. The image that Chen Fei described played inside their own heads.
"That...uhm, that's actually possible," Long Jinjing admitted.
She glanced at her belly and started to worry.
Iris shrugged her shoulders. "If they become mini devils, then so be it. Be it devils or not, they're still going to be our children."
"That's right!" Dom agreed.
"Che, always acting so cool," Chen Fei stopped acting and rolled her eyes at Iris who seemed unaffected.
Iris chuckled.
To be honest, Iris still felt terrified at failing as a mother. It was only thanks to her husband's constant encouragement that she had grown more confident in raising their children. She wasn't alone. Jin Liwei was there to help her and vice versa.
There were also their loved ones who would surely be there to shower their children with additional love and care. Her fear was still ever-present, but as long as she trusted in her husband and their loved ones, then she would surely be able to correct herself in time if she ever went down the road of becoming a bad mother.
Even if she couldn't trust in herself, she trusted in Jin Liwei.
This was why she didn't mind if her sons became mini devils.. Their father would surely discipline them.
His Genius Wife is a Superstar Chapter 1290
Dragon Palace Home #10.
Jin Liwei exited the bathroom and headed straight to the bedroom with just a towel wrapped around his tight, muscled waist. He used another towel to wipe his wet hair. He found his beautiful wife sitting on the chaise longue with her swollen belly exposed from her semi-opened pyjama top.
Iris was massaging an anti-stretchmark moisturizing lotion (safe, all-natural and super-effective special formula by Orchidia Mommy, currently sold out) all over her huge baby bump. At the same time, she was humming a lullaby to the twins to settle them early for the night.
"Let me," Jin Liwei said and took the lotion from her before taking over in massaging her belly.
He was pleased that the naughty boys seemed to have fallen asleep and not troubling their mother with their rough plays.
Iris leaned back and enjoyed her husband's gentle ministrations. Everyone would always comment that she maintained her original slender figure beneath her swollen belly and boobs but that wasn't what it felt like. She actually felt swollen all over, like she was going to pop like a balloon if someone just poked her.
The twins were growing bigger with each passing day. The discomfort from carrying them was also becoming almost too much to handle.
Despite all this, she treasured this limited period of time that she was still carrying her babies inside her womb. Her love for her babies continued to grow every day even before meeting them in person.
She wanted to meet them soon. But there was also a part of her that wanted to prolong this time of her being pregnant with them.
Feeling them move inside her had been frightening at the beginning. Now it was exciting albeit sometimes painful. It amazed her that she and Jin Liwei had created two new humans together.
All of a sudden, her maternal thoughts were interrupted by a stray touch from her belly to the underside of her breast. She glanced at her husband who continued massaging her belly with the lotion.
His expression remained the same.
Maybe she was just being too sensitive.
Then her breath caught when his hand grazed her breast again in the middle of his massage. This time, Iris didn't believe that his action wasn't deliberate.
"Darling," she whispered.
"Hm? Sleepy now?"
The nerve of the man! Still pretending to be innocent, huh?
The provoked Iris unbuttoned the rest of her pyjama top. It spread open and slid down her smooth shoulders.
Jin Liwei's breath hitched and his hand stopped massaging as he stared at the full mounds sitting on top his wife's swollen belly. His mouth watered at the sight of the beautiful nipples. He swallowed hard while feeling a familiar heat spreading low in his stomach.
"I read that breasts can also get stretch marks during pregnancy," Iris said. "Massage them with the lotion, too. Okay, darling?"
His breathing started to get heavy as he continued to stare at his wife's delectable breasts.
"Darling?"
Jin Liwei's self-control snapped. He tossed the lotion bottle, grabbed his wife's head and smashed his mouth against hers.
"Mmm!"
Iris was startled at first but quickly melted into her husband's hot and deep kiss. His tongue was relentless and demanding. She felt herself going soft and allowed him to satiate himself.
Jin Liwei was now panting when he ended the kiss to give his wife a scorching look. "Seductress!"
She smiled. "You're the one who started it."
"I wanted to slowly get us in the mood but you just had to make me lose control."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared at his face.
"What is it? Is there something on my face?" Jin Liwei asked when she continued staring at him without doing or saying anything else.
"Be honest with me, Liwei."
"Okay," he replied without any hesitation.
"Do you really still desire me even when my body is like this now?"
He frowned. "What kind of question is that? Of course, I still desire you."
"Really?"
His expression turned serious. He framed her face with both his hands and forced her to look straight into his eyes.
"Evelina, listen to me."
She nodded.
"Do you not know? I actually find your body more beautiful now that it's carrying my babies inside you. Seeing your body change each day because of what I did to you turns me on. It's like watching a delicate flower bud that I water regularly start to bloom and eventually bear fruits for me in front of my very eyes. It's beautiful, love. You're beautiful."
Iris couldn't help it. Her eyes began to water after hearing his words. She could see the sincerity in his eyes.
"Thank you, Liwei."
"What are you thanking me for? I should be the one thanking you. You're willing to go through all this just to give birth to my children. You're so amazing, Evelina. I'll always be grateful that you're my wife and the mother of my children."
She laughed amidst her tears. He kissed her tears with such tenderness that Iris' heart trembled with the gravity of her love for this man.
"You always know what to say to make me feel better," she murmured.
"No. I just tell you what I feel in my heart."
She gave his hard chest a light hammer before running her hands all over his fit torso. His abs tightened from her touch.
"I love you," he whispered. "So much."
She smiled at him. "I love you, too."
Jin Liwei smiled back before dipping his head and kissing her again on the mouth. Then he moved to her chin, neck and finally, her mouth-watering mounds. He cradled each soft, full breast with his hands and used his thumbs to play with her nipples.
The nipples hardened. He couldn't wait any longer and took one into his mouth, sucking it gently.
Iris moaned and held his head while arching her back. He used his mouth, tongue and hands to pleasure both of her breasts. The increase in sensitivity left her in a moaning mess in just a short period of time.
He chuckled and stood up before tugging the towel wrapped around his waist.. Then he took her hand and wrapped it around his hard length.