Chapter 1391 Credibility
Iris saw an apologetic Dom a few feet away. She read his lips.
He said, "Sorry, boss! I tried delaying Big Sis Yiyi as much as I could but she became super-duper angry when she discovered the livestream of your interview online."
She gave him an "it's fine" wave of her hand.
"Iris, are you listening to me?" Tang Yiyi demanded.
"Elder Sis Yiyi, I don't regret what I said," Iris told her.
"Of course, you don't," her manager grumbled. "You never do."
"Manager Tang, I support everything that my wife said to the reporters," Jin Liwei interjected.
This time, Tang Yiyi grumbled in her heart, not daring to say it to CEO Jin's face. 'Of course, you are. You always are.'
Despite this, she still continued lecturing Iris. Jin Liwei wanted to interrupt but Iris stopped him with a look.
The lecture didn't last too long, only a couple of minutes or so.
When she was done, Tang Yiyi sighed. "Why do I even bother lecturing you? You're always like this, saying whatever you want."
Iris felt amused at her manager. She wasn't upset at all at being lectured.
"You've been managing me for this long. You should be used to my temperament a long time ago."
Tang Yiyi glared at her again. "It's because that I've been managing you for this long that I feel frustrated that you refuse to be a little, just a tiniest bit tactful, you know?"
"I'm already being tactful at this point," Iris countered. "If I wasn't, I would have said much worse things about that cheating couple."
"You!" Tang Yiyi sighed again, shaking her head.
Iris shrugged, not at all sorry about the things she said in front of the reporters. Was it wrong to call out the cheating couple?
It was the truth, anyway. It wasn't like she was pulling lies out of nowhere. Everything she said about Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue was the truth and nothing but the truth.
Tang Yiyi didn't know how many times she had sighed and shook her head as she looked at the biggest artist that she was personally managing. Her goal was to make Iris Long into a superstar, even bigger than Jin Chonglin.
They could only achieve this goal if Iris made another successful showbiz comeback and produced new hits after another. Now that she was married and a mother, the majority of the usual opportunities to advance her career had been greatly reduced.
This was normal because showbiz was one of the most fickle industries in society. Showbiz demanded younger and fresher talents who were preferably single and childless.
As a result, Tang Yiyi felt a little desperate to do everything involving Iris' career as perfect as possible. She hoped that Iris would learn a bit more tact when speaking to the media. Unfortunately, her hopes always ended up being dashed.
Iris remained as straightforward as ever and refused to compromise no matter what.
On one hand, Tang Yiyi admired Iris for her straightforward personality. It was because Iris was this straightforward that her fans always felt assured of everything she said. When she said something, she really meant it. This gave her something extremely important and rare especially in showbiz.
Credibility.
Too many celebrities lacked credibility. They were too easy to buckle under pressure. They would say one thing, and whenever they got into trouble because of it, they would take it back to protect their reputations.
Iris Long right now didn't have this kind of issue. Despite her turbulent showbiz career during her teenage years, she managed to successfully rebuild her image into something not only respectable but also brilliant.
And on the other hand, Tang Yiyi felt exasperated at Iris' straightforward personality. This kind of artist who didn't fear offending anyone by her words was too stressful to manage.
"Iris, I swear you'll give me a heart attack someday," Tang Yiyi complained but her tone had already softened.
"I don't think that I'm that unruly," Iris replied with a raised eyebrow. "Compared to Brother Chonglin, I think that I'm quite easy to manage."
Tang Yiyi was about to retort but then remembered her colleague. Lin Dong already began balding a little because Jin Chonglin often caused him too much stress.
Indeed, compared to Jin Chonglin, Iris was rather easy to manage. Jin Chonglin had excellent work ethics but his innate rebellious nature often caused his manager a lot of headaches.
The good thing was that Jin Chonglin seemed to have grown more sensible when it came to women. He had been a notorious womanizer before. Perhaps his nightmarish experience with his ex-fiancée traumatized him out of his womanizing tendencies.
Instead of dating and sleeping around, he now had become more focused in his career, and of course, in running LXC Studio. Lin Dong didn't have to clean up after Jin Chonglin's messy dating life anymore.
"Hey, are you talking crap about me?" Jin Chonglin appeared and asked after hearing his name.
It had been difficult to extricate himself from the group of reporters and the other guests who became overexcited at his arrival. Fortunately, Lin Yehan arranged for excellent security at this gala. Peace and order were quickly restored and he was finally able to enter the hall.
"Not crap, just facts," Iris replied.
"En." Jin Liwei nodded.
Tang Yiyi's mouth twitched. Well, she did agree, though.
Jin Chonglin snorted. He was about to say something when a familiar figure entered the corner of his sight.
Chen Fei had also just entered the hall. She was with Long Jinjing and Lu Zihao. Following them was a yawning Meimei who looked like she was about to sleep while walking. Dom fetched them and showed them their tables.
"The gala is about to start," Lin Dong said, looking at his watch. "Let's head to our tables, too. It's not good for us to steal the attention from the national shooting team when they arrive later. We'll be criticized if we do."
Everyone agreed.
Then Grandpa Lu arrived with Grandma Li and Huang Yuyan. Grandpa Lu sat at the same table as Lu Zihao and Long Jinjing. Grandma Li and Huang Yuyan sat with Iris and Jin Liwei.
Wang Yingjie managed to come as well. Seated beside him was Yu Mo. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
On the other side, Jin Chonglin maintained a pleasant expression. His words, though, were filled with dissatisfaction.
"Why am I seated beside you?" he asked the person next to him.
"That's what I want to ask, too," Chen Fei replied. Like him, she showed a smiling expression to avoid the onlookers from overthinking. "You think I like to sit beside someone like you?"
"What do you mean someone like me? You mean a tall, rich, handsome and ultra-talented superstar?"
"No, I mean a damned narcissistic diva man."
"You littleâ"
"Ssssh!" Lin Dong was quick to reprimand them. "Chonglin, stop it. You too, Miss Chen. This isn't the right time or place to quarrel. Do you want gossip of the two of you dating to appear in the headlines tomorrow?"
Chen Fei looked appalled. "Eeew! No way!"
Jin Chonglin was insulted by her reaction. "Excuse me but did you just say eeew? How dare you?!"
"Stop it!" Lin Dong scolded them.
At the table behind, the Pandemonium members heard them. They snickered among themselves. Jin Chonglin was one of their bosses alongside Iris and Jin Liwei so they came today to represent LXC Studio. Even so, they still quietly made fun of Jin Chonglin.
He was a superstar and yet he was still being disdained. Orchidia's COO Chen Fei was amazing!
Back at Jin Chonglin's side, Yu Mo also heard them. He leaned over from his table.
"I heard that Eldest Bro had to make last minute seat rearrangements because Madam Wei Lan and René Alejandro asked to be invited a couple of days ago. You were supposed to be in the same table as Third Bro and Xiao Xiu but you were moved there instead to make space for Madam Wei and René Alejandro."
"Dammit," Jin Chonglin swore while flashing his iconic killer smile.
He couldn't show a negative expression or it would most likely end up in tomorrow's headlines with crazy speculations.
Chen Fei wasn't pleased either. She wanted to sit beside her best friend, Long Jinjing. How did she end up sitting beside this annoying diva man instead?
Unbeknownst to her, she was really supposed to sit beside Long Jinjing. However, a mischievous Cupid managed to switch her seat beside Jin Chonglin instead just before she arrived.
Dom ehehe-d in excitement as he watched Jin Chonglin and Chen Fei bickering with each other while maintaining their smiles. He was proud of his machinations. He wanted to gossip about it to others but Meimei was already starting to nod off in her seat.
He could only wait for Randy to arrive. Speaking of the Zumba instructor, how come he hadn't arrived yet?
It must be because Wei Lan insisted on being late again, believing that the most important people always arrived late.
Lin Yehan and Jiang Ying Yue finally entered the hall. The host and his partner's appearance signified that the gala was about to start any second now.
The two of them sat in the same table as Iris and Jin Liwei. Originally, Lin Yehan and his partner were supposed to sit with the coaching team. However, he decided to change it to make Jiang Ying Yue more comfortable.
He was the gala's host anyway. He didn't want to make the seating arrangements too formal. It was more important to make everyone as comfortable as possible especially his own girlfriend.
Lin Yehan was about to gesture at the emcee to officially start the gala when the hall's large double doors opened and in strutted Wei Lan like a model on a catwalk flanked by a handsome Spaniard and a flamboyant muscle-man.
Chapter 1392 A Slipper Out of Nowhere
Those from high society recognized Wei Lan. However, the ones related to the national shooting team had no idea about the woman and the two men's identities.
Even though the trio arrived just in time and wasn't technically late, they didn't make a good impression on the coaching team and the athletes' families and friends at all. These people didn't care much about knowing the lives of high society members whose statuses were out of their reach anyway. All they felt was annoyance at the trio who didn't have the courtesy to arrive ahead of time and delayed the start of the gala dedicated to the athletes.
At the front-row tables, Iris sighed while Jin Liwei frowned. If this was their own party, they wouldn't care if Wei Lan was late or not. But they weren't the hosts this time.
Others knew that Wei Lan was Iris Long's mother and Jin Liwei's mother-in-law. No matter what Wei Lan did, it would always reflect on both Iris and Jin Liwei one way or another.
To be honest, Iris didn't care much. She was just annoyed. Jin Liwei, on the other hand, was more irked. He didn't like anything that would affect his wife's reputation in a negative manner even if it was his own mother-in-law. He sent Dom a meaningful glance.
Dom understood. He understood and ran to the meet Wei Lan's group to show them to their seats.
Lin Yehan cleared his throat and gestured for the emcee to start the scheduled programme.
At last, the gala finally began.
The guests shifted their attention (and annoyance) from Wei Lan and focused on the event.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the incredible, inspirational and phenomenalâour country's pride, the national shooting team!"
Everyone stood up and rained applause on the athletes as they finally entered the gala hall. The age range of the athletes was quite diverse. The youngest was only sixteen years-old while the oldest was already in his fifties.
The sixteen year-old was by no means the youngest and neither was the fifty year-old the oldest shooting active professional athletes in the world but their ages still awed their countrymen.
The teenager was still so young and yet he already brought glory to his own country. Similarly, the middle-aged athlete was already at that age and yet he still continued to sharpen his skills without losing motivation.
"They're so amazing," Iris commented while joining everyone in clapping for the athletes.
Lin Yehan heard her. "If you had only agreed to my offer to train you back then, you would have been in the national shooting team as well. Maybe we would've gotten gold instead. Winning in the Olympics is not impossible either."
She only smiled but didn't agree or disagree.
Jin Liwei, however, nodded. He agreed with what his eldest brother said. He knew how skillful his wife's shooting was and how accurate she could shoot. Even when she was just throwing things, her accuracy was no joke.
Then he glanced at his brother-in-law. Lu Zihao only clapped three times before stopping. He didn't look interested in the gala at all.
Jin Liwei knew that the best shooter in this place wasn't the athletes or even his wife but his brother-in-law instead. Unlike his wife, his brother-in-law had been able to apply his shooting skills in numerous real life and death situations.
If Lu Zihao became a shooting athlete, he would probably become a legend that no one had ever witnessed before in the history of the sports. He would most likely decimate all of his opponents, leaving them no room to even catch up to him.
Lu Zihao noticed someone's gaze on him. His eyes met Jin Liwei's. He raised an eyebrow. Jin Liwei didn't avoid him. They looked at each other for a few seconds before looking away almost at the same time.
"What's wrong?" Iris asked after noticing the two men's interaction.
Jin Liwei shook his head.
She had no time to ask him anymore because the speeches finally started.
As the host, Lin Yehan went on the small stage and officially welcomed everyone.
He was one of the minor coaches of the team. A few years ago, he had been the main coach after his retirement as an athlete but decided later on to step down and focus on running his agricultural business. It was only because his colleagues, students and even the committee begged him not to leave that he stayed as a minor coach.
Although the credit was obviously lesser, it still worked for him. He could continue being active in his passion in sports shooting and groom the next generation of athletes while also running his business at the same time. The most important thing was that he was happy.
Next, the main coachâa former teammate of Lin Yehan and later became a colleague after their retirement as athletesâalso made a speech.
Then finally, the athletes themselves. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
The cheers and applause almost never stopped especially when video clips of the team's highlights in the world championships were played.
"Not bad," Iris commented. "The teenager is indeed quite talented but still lacks a little control and experience."
Jin Liwei studied her expression. "If given a choice again, would you have wanted to be an athlete like them?"
She shook her head without hesitation. "As much as I admire athletes, I have no passion in the sports. You know what I'm passionate about. I won't give up music and computers for this."
"I know." He raised her hand and kissed it, not at all concerned about the onlookers.
Fortunately, most of the guests' attention was on the stage. However, there were still some who witnessed the husband and wife's public display of affection. The reporters especially didn't miss the opportunity to take videos and several snapshots of the couple's intimacy.
The gala didn't only involve these speeches and food and drinks. Lin Yehan also arranged for a number of performances to entertain everyone.
All the members of the Pandemonium band stood up and performed their most popular songs. Since most of the guests weren't the type to like rock music, the band decided to rearrange their songs to become less hardcore. This was their limit. They refused to completely discard their rock essence in order to please their audience.
As the band's bosses, Iris and Jin Chonglin also wouldn't allow them to completely eliminate the rock aspect of their music. Pandemonium was a rock band. Period. If they took this away, then they would not be Pandemonium anymore.
Exploring other genres and melding them into their rock core was more than welcomed like how Iris Long taught them, but they would never abandon their true origins as musicians. Doing so would only destroy the heart of their artistry.
As expected, not everyone enjoyed their performance, especially those who were past a certain age and most of the members of high society. Pandemonium didn't care, neither did Iris nor Jin Chonglin.
They were all musical artists. There were some things that they would never sacrifice for wider acceptance and that included their artistic principles in their musical craft.
Besides, it had always been impossible to please everybody anyway.
Pandemonium felt better when they saw that most of the national shooting team athletes were digging their performanceâthe younger ones anyway. The oldest one in his fifties was like the others who couldn't relate but his younger teammates were enjoying themselves.
After the music stopped, the athletes all stood up and cheered. The oldest athlete and many of the guests who had been unable to relate to the performance could only give the rock band some polite applause.
Blaze, the main vocalist, spoke, "That's our final song. Thank you so much! And HUGE congratulations to the national shooting team. You guys are awesome!"
"That's the end?"
"More!"
"One more song!"
Those who enjoyed the performance begged for more, including some of the athletes.
The band members asked the emcee if that was okay. The emcee then went to Lin Yehan who gave a thumbs up.
Blaze grinned. Then his gaze landed on Iris.
"We can do one more song. There is a song that we really want to perform again with the original person who wrote it. We're not sure if she'll agree but we'll try our luck anyway."
Iris raised an eyebrow. Surely, they wouldn't do what she suspected, right?
"Boss Iris! Please join us on the stage! I know that it's abrupt but we're really excited to perform together with you again! Please!"
Blaze and his band members all gave her a bow, begging her to agree.
Tang Yiyi's expression turned dark. She looked like she was about to march onstage and twist the ears of the naughty boys.
"Relax, Manager Tang," Jin Chonglin told her. "I see no problem with the boys' request."
"No problem?!" Tang Yiyi was aghast at his nonchalance. "Iris didn't rehearse with them at all!"
Lin Dong sighed. "Chonglin, just stop talking, alright?"
"You controlling bastard," Jin Chonglin grumbled under his breath but still obeyed his manager and stopped talking.
Chen Fei snorted at him.
"I'll deal with you later, you rude, bossy woman," he muttered.
She snorted again, not at all worried about his threat. What could he possibly do to her? She didn't fear him at all.
Back at Iris' table, she chuckled at Pandemonium's surprise invitation. Everyone was waiting for her decision.
"Boss Iris, please accept!" someone shouted.
It was one of the athletes. Others followed suit in trying to persuade her to accept, including the sixteen year-old athlete. In fact, the teenage athlete pulled out a slipper from out of nowhere and waved it a little before hiding it again, afraid that their coach would scold him.
Iris saw this and laughed. Then she stood up amidst the cheers and applause.
Chapter 1392 A Slipper Out of Nowhere
Those from high society recognized Wei Lan. However, the ones related to the national shooting team had no idea about the woman and the two men's identities.
Even though the trio arrived just in time and wasn't technically late, they didn't make a good impression on the coaching team and the athletes' families and friends at all. These people didn't care much about knowing the lives of high society members whose statuses were out of their reach anyway. All they felt was annoyance at the trio who didn't have the courtesy to arrive ahead of time and delayed the start of the gala dedicated to the athletes.
At the front-row tables, Iris sighed while Jin Liwei frowned. If this was their own party, they wouldn't care if Wei Lan was late or not. But they weren't the hosts this time.
Others knew that Wei Lan was Iris Long's mother and Jin Liwei's mother-in-law. No matter what Wei Lan did, it would always reflect on both Iris and Jin Liwei one way or another.
To be honest, Iris didn't care much. She was just annoyed. Jin Liwei, on the other hand, was more irked. He didn't like anything that would affect his wife's reputation in a negative manner even if it was his own mother-in-law. He sent Dom a meaningful glance.
Dom understood. He understood and ran to the meet Wei Lan's group to show them to their seats.
Lin Yehan cleared his throat and gestured for the emcee to start the scheduled programme.
At last, the gala finally began.
The guests shifted their attention (and annoyance) from Wei Lan and focused on the event.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the incredible, inspirational and phenomenalâour country's pride, the national shooting team!"
Everyone stood up and rained applause on the athletes as they finally entered the gala hall. The age range of the athletes was quite diverse. The youngest was only sixteen years-old while the oldest was already in his fifties.
The sixteen year-old was by no means the youngest and neither was the fifty year-old the oldest shooting active professional athletes in the world but their ages still awed their countrymen.
The teenager was still so young and yet he already brought glory to his own country. Similarly, the middle-aged athlete was already at that age and yet he still continued to sharpen his skills without losing motivation.
"They're so amazing," Iris commented while joining everyone in clapping for the athletes.
Lin Yehan heard her. "If you had only agreed to my offer to train you back then, you would have been in the national shooting team as well. Maybe we would've gotten gold instead. Winning in the Olympics is not impossible either."
She only smiled but didn't agree or disagree.
Jin Liwei, however, nodded. He agreed with what his eldest brother said. He knew how skillful his wife's shooting was and how accurate she could shoot. Even when she was just throwing things, her accuracy was no joke.
Then he glanced at his brother-in-law. Lu Zihao only clapped three times before stopping. He didn't look interested in the gala at all.
Jin Liwei knew that the best shooter in this place wasn't the athletes or even his wife but his brother-in-law instead. Unlike his wife, his brother-in-law had been able to apply his shooting skills in numerous real life and death situations.
If Lu Zihao became a shooting athlete, he would probably become a legend that no one had ever witnessed before in the history of the sports. He would most likely decimate all of his opponents, leaving them no room to even catch up to him.
Lu Zihao noticed someone's gaze on him. His eyes met Jin Liwei's. He raised an eyebrow. Jin Liwei didn't avoid him. They looked at each other for a few seconds before looking away almost at the same time.
"What's wrong?" Iris asked after noticing the two men's interaction.
Jin Liwei shook his head.
She had no time to ask him anymore because the speeches finally started.
As the host, Lin Yehan went on the small stage and officially welcomed everyone.
He was one of the minor coaches of the team. A few years ago, he had been the main coach after his retirement as an athlete but decided later on to step down and focus on running his agricultural business. It was only because his colleagues, students and even the committee begged him not to leave that he stayed as a minor coach.
Although the credit was obviously lesser, it still worked for him. He could continue being active in his passion in sports shooting and groom the next generation of athletes while also running his business at the same time. The most important thing was that he was happy.
Next, the main coachâa former teammate of Lin Yehan and later became a colleague after their retirement as athletesâalso made a speech.
Then finally, the athletes themselves. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
The cheers and applause almost never stopped especially when video clips of the team's highlights in the world championships were played.
"Not bad," Iris commented. "The teenager is indeed quite talented but still lacks a little control and experience."
Jin Liwei studied her expression. "If given a choice again, would you have wanted to be an athlete like them?"
She shook her head without hesitation. "As much as I admire athletes, I have no passion in the sports. You know what I'm passionate about. I won't give up music and computers for this."
"I know." He raised her hand and kissed it, not at all concerned about the onlookers.
Fortunately, most of the guests' attention was on the stage. However, there were still some who witnessed the husband and wife's public display of affection. The reporters especially didn't miss the opportunity to take videos and several snapshots of the couple's intimacy.
The gala didn't only involve these speeches and food and drinks. Lin Yehan also arranged for a number of performances to entertain everyone.
All the members of the Pandemonium band stood up and performed their most popular songs. Since most of the guests weren't the type to like rock music, the band decided to rearrange their songs to become less hardcore. This was their limit. They refused to completely discard their rock essence in order to please their audience.
As the band's bosses, Iris and Jin Chonglin also wouldn't allow them to completely eliminate the rock aspect of their music. Pandemonium was a rock band. Period. If they took this away, then they would not be Pandemonium anymore.
Exploring other genres and melding them into their rock core was more than welcomed like how Iris Long taught them, but they would never abandon their true origins as musicians. Doing so would only destroy the heart of their artistry.
As expected, not everyone enjoyed their performance, especially those who were past a certain age and most of the members of high society. Pandemonium didn't care, neither did Iris nor Jin Chonglin.
They were all musical artists. There were some things that they would never sacrifice for wider acceptance and that included their artistic principles in their musical craft.
Besides, it had always been impossible to please everybody anyway.
Pandemonium felt better when they saw that most of the national shooting team athletes were digging their performanceâthe younger ones anyway. The oldest one in his fifties was like the others who couldn't relate but his younger teammates were enjoying themselves.
After the music stopped, the athletes all stood up and cheered. The oldest athlete and many of the guests who had been unable to relate to the performance could only give the rock band some polite applause.
Blaze, the main vocalist, spoke, "That's our final song. Thank you so much! And HUGE congratulations to the national shooting team. You guys are awesome!"
"That's the end?"
"More!"
"One more song!"
Those who enjoyed the performance begged for more, including some of the athletes.
The band members asked the emcee if that was okay. The emcee then went to Lin Yehan who gave a thumbs up.
Blaze grinned. Then his gaze landed on Iris.
"We can do one more song. There is a song that we really want to perform again with the original person who wrote it. We're not sure if she'll agree but we'll try our luck anyway."
Iris raised an eyebrow. Surely, they wouldn't do what she suspected, right?
"Boss Iris! Please join us on the stage! I know that it's abrupt but we're really excited to perform together with you again! Please!"
Blaze and his band members all gave her a bow, begging her to agree.
Tang Yiyi's expression turned dark. She looked like she was about to march onstage and twist the ears of the naughty boys.
"Relax, Manager Tang," Jin Chonglin told her. "I see no problem with the boys' request."
"No problem?!" Tang Yiyi was aghast at his nonchalance. "Iris didn't rehearse with them at all!"
Lin Dong sighed. "Chonglin, just stop talking, alright?"
"You controlling bastard," Jin Chonglin grumbled under his breath but still obeyed his manager and stopped talking.
Chen Fei snorted at him.
"I'll deal with you later, you rude, bossy woman," he muttered.
She snorted again, not at all worried about his threat. What could he possibly do to her? She didn't fear him at all.
Back at Iris' table, she chuckled at Pandemonium's surprise invitation. Everyone was waiting for her decision.
"Boss Iris, please accept!" someone shouted.
It was one of the athletes. Others followed suit in trying to persuade her to accept, including the sixteen year-old athlete. In fact, the teenage athlete pulled out a slipper from out of nowhere and waved it a little before hiding it again, afraid that their coach would scold him.
Iris saw this and laughed. Then she stood up amidst the cheers and applause.
Chapter 1394 Murder is a Crime
Back at the gala, Iris did her iconic curtsy bow after her performance of "Monster of Insanity" with Pandemonium. The hall was filled with deafening applause, cheers and whistling. Even those who didn't particularly enjoy rock music couldn't help but feel absorbed by the performance.
There was just something about the way Iris Long performed that completely grabbed everyone's attention and focus. It was like being spellbound. Even when the song finally ended, they still felt it resonate within them like a buzz from a fine, exotic wine.
While Iris and the Pandemonium band members were basking in the audience's adoration, Jin Chonglin felt a little threatened. Just a bit.
"Damn, Sister Xiulan's voice levelled up again," he muttered while clapping.
Lin Dong nodded. "Her voice sounds more mature."
"Not only that. It sounds fuller and richer. Her high registers have always been amazing, but it's her low registers that underwent a major evolution this time. I've never heard her reach this kind of low notes before. It sounds as amazing as some of her high notes. She makes it sound easy but not a lot of women can reach such a low pitch."
Lin Dong rubbed his chest. "My heart hurts a little."
Jin Chonglin sniggered at his manager's comment but the truth was that he also felt the same. The way Iris sang this time gave them literal heartache. It wasn't just a feeling. Their chests really felt a bit painful.
Painful in a way that felt good at the same time. It might sound masochistic but it was the truth.
They wanted to listen to Iris Long sing more even though she might make them feel too emotional that it hurt.
"What's up with her?" Jin Chonglin continued muttering under his breath. "Does giving birth really changes the quality of a person's voice this much? Or maybe it's because her boobs have become bigger? Her bigger boobs increased her lung capacityâOUCH!!! What the hell are you doing?!!! Stop it, you crazy woman!!!!!"
Chen Fei ground the tip of her stiletto heel on his foot before withdrawing it. She sneered at him, not at all apologetic for what she did.
"You dirty pervert. How dare you talk about your sister-in-law's breasts? Just wait until your brother hears about this. He'll fucking kill your perverted ass."
Jin Chonglin panicked after hearing what she said. He didn't doubt her words. His elder brother might really kill him. He endured his hurting foot and quickly grabbed her.
"Let me go, you dirty pervert!" Chen Fei was infuriated. She struggled against him. "Get your dirty paws off me!"
"Quiet!" Jin Chonglin covered her mouth with his hand.
"You two, what are you doing?!" Lin Dong's eyes almost popped out of his head. He stared at them in disbelief.
Jin Chonglin and Chen Fei froze. They looked around and realized that everyone was staring at them.
Iris and the Pandemonium band members had already gotten off the stage without any of the two of them noticing. Iris raised an eyebrow but still continued walking with easy grace to her husband's side.
On the other hand, the Pandemonium band members started snickering and waggling their brows. Their eyes shone with mischievous glint as they threw their Boss Lin Lin and Orchidia's COO Chen Fei a lot of suggestive looks.
Chen Fei immediately pushed Jin Chonglin away. They both straightened and pretended that all was well.
"I'm gonna fucking kill you after this, you damned bastard," Chen Fei said in a low voice while giving everyone a "forced" natural smile.
"Don't shift the blame on me, you troublesome woman," he replied in a similar way. "This is all your fault. You were the one who started shouting like a lunatic and attracted everyone's attention."
"You shitty motherfucker. How dare you blame me? You're the one who grabbed me with your dirty paws."
Lin Dong glared at them. "Stop it, you two! Now you've really done it. Expect tomorrow's headlines to feature a sensational lovers' quarrel between the two of you!"
The two followed his line of sight. They saw the reporters taking countless photos and video footage of them like sharks who smelled blood in the sea.
"Oh, shit." Chen Fei was out of her element. She wasn't a celebrity so she didn't know what the best thing to do in this kind of situations.
Jin Chonglin sighed before waving at the reporters and flashing them with a big smile. Then he did something that made Chen Fei want to beat him up.
He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close until the sides of their bodies were pressed against each other.
Chen Fei immediately started struggling but he whispered a warning to her, "If you want the situation to become worse, then go ahead and start making a ruckus."
She stiffened. "Then what's the plan?"
"Just go along for now. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. I'll handle the aftermath."
"Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "I'll trust you just this once. But if you get me into a deeper mess because of this, I'll bury you alive, you bastard."
Jin Chonglin didn't reply. He just started chatting with Lin Dong and the others at their table as if there was nothing wrong in the world.
Lin Dong stared at Jin Chonglin for a few seconds before going along with him as well.
Chen Fei restrained the strong urge to clobber Jin Chonglin and joined the conversation as well. His hand on her waist felt hot and sticky.
Disgusting!
She wanted to slap it away (and maybe even break a few of his fingers) but she tamped down on her increasingly violent thoughts.
'Murder is a crime, murder is a crime, murder is a crime,' she kept chanting in her mind.
Fortunately, there were other performers who went onstage and shifted the audience's attention from Jin Chonglin and Chen Fei.
The next performers weren't all celebrities. Many of them were talented civilians like folk dancers, hip-hop dancers, ballroom dancers, acrobats and even magicians. Although they couldn't compare to the star power of Iris Long and Pandemonium, their performances still entertained the audience.
The people had already temporarily forgotten about the stimulating scene between the superstar Jin Chonglin and Orchidia's COO Chen Fei.
At the latter half of the gala, Iris went onstage once again and began performing some of her best hits, including "Phantom of Your Love", "Black Star" and "Rebirth".
Inspired by what Pandemonium did earlier, she also called Jin Chonglin to the stage for another impromptu performance. They sang the famous theme song "Shining Eyes" from the hit drama "Our Love, Our Destiny".
The audience went crazy.
Iris Long's natural charisma was already off the charts. But when Jin Chonglin's superstar power was added into the mix, the result was simply incredible.
After their duet, Iris Long once again stepped off the stage amidst a deafening standing ovation. She noticed the teenage athlete wiping tears as he clapped for her with all his might.
She stopped mid-walk and faced him and the other members of the national shooting team. Then she did an extra-deep and extra-elegant version of her iconic curtsy bow to give respect to the amazing athletes.
The applause became even more deafening.
It took a while for the audience to calm down. However, they were unable to take a breather because Jin Chonglin owned the stage in the next moment. From out of nowhere, a group of people appeared and started dancing with him.
He even brought his own back-up dancers!
As expected of a superstar.
His professionalism was top-notch.
Iris couldn't even feel envious while watching her brother-in-law. All she could feel was admiration.
One of her goals was to surpass Jin Chonglin as a superstar.
Showbiz was a field where one couldn't just rely on appearance, talent or hard work alone. It also needed a lot of luck.
If one was destined to be a superstar, then one would become a superstar whether one intended it or not.
Iris wanted to be a superstar that would be remembered beyond her death. She dreamed of her music being enjoyed by the future generations and inspiring more talents into developing their craft.
As she watched Jin Chonglin giving his all while performing in a small stage like this, Iris felt a deeper appreciation for the world of music. Her musical style differed to Jin Chonglin's style yet they continued to inspire each other into improving their artistry.
Beside her, Jin Liwei watched his wife's reactions more than his younger brother's performance. He could sense his wife's thoughts and emotions just from her expressions alone. He raised her hand and kissed it.
She smiled at him.
There were no words needed between them at this point. She could see his utmost support for her dreams. She laid her head on his shoulder while they enjoyed Jin Chonglin's performance together.
They noticed the arrival of Yang Jiahui but didn't remark on it. She slipped inside the hall while most of the audience was engrossed in the performance.
The gala was so much fun that nobody had time to think or even gossip about Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue's wedding. Even their original wedding guests who bailed on them and attended today's gala instead forgot about it.
There was tomorrow for gossiping (and ridiculing). Today was the time to enjoy themselves and celebrate the silver medal victory of the national shooting team.
After Jin Chonglin's performances, the gala entered a more casual state where the guests ate and drank, and of course, went around the hall to chat with each other.
Iris and Long Jinjing left their husbands' sides while Chen Fei felt relieved to leave her seat beside Jin Chonglin. The three women met up and nodded at each other before heading straight to the national shooting team and their coaches.
Chapter 1395 Fiasco
When Iris Long approached the national shooting team, almost all the athletes started acting like overexcited children who received the most wonderful presents on their birthday. They surrounded her and marvelled at her existence.
"Boss Iris!"
"Oh, my gosh! I'm seeing finally seeing Boss Iris in the flesh!"
"Boss Iris, can you sign an autograph for me?"
"Can we take a picture together?"
Iris chuckled and agreed to all their requests. There was nothing to worry about because the coaches were keeping a sharp eye on them, not to mention that there were many important people in attendance in today's gala. None of the athletes would dare to do anything bad to her and risk destroying their sports career.
The teenage athlete was a little shy in front of Iris. He waited for his turn and allowed his seniors to interact with her first before whipping the slipper that he waved earlier.
"B-boss Iris, can you s-sign this slipper for me, please?" he asked, blushing a little.
"Sure." Iris grabbed the clean, new-looking slipper and signed it with relish. Then she posed with the shy teenager and took a photo together.
Although not everyone in the team was a Black Star or a member of the Slippers Army like the teenage athlete, all of them still asked for Iris' autograph and took photos with her. Even the oldest athlete among them knew who Iris Long was despite not having that much interest in celebrities or showbiz in general.
Iris Long's hit songs were still being played on the radio and public establishments on a regular basis. Her music wasn't only enjoyed by a single demographic. She had fans from almost every age group.
In addition, advertisements for Orchida (Beauty, Mommy and Baby) were everywhere. Be they commercials, posters, billboards and web adsâshe did the majority of them. Even the commercial jingle for Orchidia was written and sang by her. She was her own company's biggest endorser.
This was one of the main ways that she was able to stay relevant despite her maternity hiatus.
The athletes finally calmed down after the autograph-signing and photo-taking session with Iris.
Long Jinjing and Chen Fei could finally return to her side. Although they knew that she was a famous celebrity, they still would sometimes forget how crazy other people could get when seeing her.
Even world-class athletes were her fans. How awesome was that?!
Orchidia's trinity of goddesses requested to speak with the coaching team and the athletes to discuss an offer to become product endorsers.
"I'll do it!" the teenage athlete said without any hesitation. "My mom and sister love Orchidia Beauty products. I also use Jin Chonglin's men's line because my mom forced them on me at first. But now, my skin can't tolerate other brands' products anymore. It only likes Orchidia Beauty now."
"I'll do it, too!"
"Count me in!"
"Coach, please accept the offer for us, okay? We promise to train harder!"
Iris was pleased with the athletes' enthusiasm but it was still the team's coaches and the managers who had the final say. They didn't accept or reject right away but requested for more details and time to think about it.
Chen Fei took over at this point. Iris and Long Jinjing left her to discuss with the coaches and managers while the two of them continued chatting with the athletes.
While the three women were busy, Jin Chonglin was once again surrounded by reporters asking him about his relationship with Orchidia's COO. He glanced at where Chen Fei stood in the other side of the hall.
Then he flashed the reporters with another one of his iconic killer smiles and said something to answer their question.
His answer made everyone excited.
###
The following day, last night's successful victory gala in honour of the national shooting team were featured all over the news.
Iris Long's unreserved statements about her elder half-brother Long Hui and his new wife Mao Qiuyue quickly became controversial. The terms she used to describe the newly-married coupleâ"toxic parasites" and "shameless character assassins"âbecame viral.
As usual when it came to news stories about her, the reactions were mixed.
Those who liked her, especially the Black Stars, took her side. They all agreed with everything she said and even shared some of their personal experiences about encountering similar types of peopleâthe so-called "toxic parasites" and "shameless character assassins".
On the other side of the spectrum were those who disagreed with her, be they her perpetual haters or those who simply didn't share her viewpoints. They thought that she was being too harsh and merciless to her own biological brother.
The next news story featured the pitiful turnout of Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue's wedding. The photos they posted on their social media accounts all looked beautiful and happy. However, the reality wasn't anything close to how they portrayed their wedding on social media.
There were people who revealed the true behind-the-scene situation during the wedding ceremony and the banquet. Some of them were the actual guests while the others were the staff hired for the wedding.
These revealing photos and videos showed many empty seats and the depressing expressions of the bride and groom and their families. Just by looking at these photos and videos, the viewer could sense the tense atmosphere.
Compared to the gala's liveliness and impressive list of guests and performers, the wedding was like a desolate funeral instead of a wedding. The stark contrast was embarrassing for Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue.
Many ridiculed them especially after Mao Qiuyue tried so hard to publicize her wedding with Long Hui not too long ago and even dragged Iris Long and her husband's names in the media.
"This is karma! A cheating couple like them deserve humiliation."
"Look at Mao Qiuyue's expression. She looks like she swallowed a dead rat. Then look at Long Hui's face. He looks drunk and unaware of what's happening around him. Their wedding is a huge embarrassment! I'm actually amazed that they were about to go through the entire ceremony and banquet."
"Is it just me or did anyone else notice that CEO Long Tengfei's wife didn't accompany him to the wedding banquet but appeared at the gala later instead?"
"Poster above, I noticed that, too! I bet that if Long Hui wasn't CEO Long Tengfei's eldest son, CEO Long would have also left with his wife and attended the gala instead. Look at his expression. Is that the face of a happy father watching his son get married?"
The ridicule continued but only a few people focused on the wedding. People paid more attention at the gala's main purposeâto celebrate the national shooting team's silver medal victory at the world championships.
Words of congratulations poured from almost everyone. They were all proud of the athletes' achievement in the world stage. People felt like they also won through the athletes' impressive finish.
In addition, interest in sports shooting also increased. Although many were scared at the idea of holding and using firearms, they still thought that it was cool after watching the video highlights of the world championships.
As the victory gala's host and one of the national team's current minor coaches, Lin Yehan's background was also featured in the news. His past as a professional shooting athlete was dug up. Photos of his younger self were shown posing with different sports-approved firearms. He looked quite cool.
However, it was his background as an agricultural tycoon that attracted more attention. His contributions to the country's agricultural innovations and widespread support of the farmers and lowest-level workers in the industry gained a lot of praise from the people and the government.
After knowing more about Lin Yehan, the people couldn't help but feel indignant on his behalf after remembering how he had been defamed by Long Hui last year. Such an upright citizen who had countless accomplishments in both the fields of sports shooting and agriculture was dragged through the mud by someone whose only known achievement so far was to be born into a wealthy family.
It didn't matter that Long Hui looked more handsome than Lin Yehan. Appearance didn't always matter especially when the heart was black.
Before anyone knew it, Lin Yehan had become one of the nation's most eligible known bachelors. So many women declared their love for him and wanted to be Mrs. Lin.
"To those fantasizing about Mr. Lin Yehan, I'm sorry, ladies, but he already has someone in his heart. Look at some of the gala photos. You can see him holding hands with a heroic-looking woman in a tuxedo suit."
"What the hell? Isn't this woman Long Hui's ex and the mother of his child?"
"Holy shit! You're right. Then does this mean that Long Hui's accusations about Mr. Lin and Miss Jiang are all true?"
"Stop trying to speculate! Watch Iris Long's interview again. She said that Lin Yehan and Jiang Ying Yue have clear conscience. Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue were the ones who cheated, not them."
"I believe in Boss Iris' words. If she says that Mr. Lin and Miss Jiang have a clear conscience, then it must be true. Besides, I think that it's very possible that feelings have blossomed between Mr. Lin and Miss Jiang while both of them were embroiled in the defamation lawsuit against that trash, Long Hui. They experienced such a tough time together that they must have ended up falling in love with each other. How romantic!"
"Lin Yehan doesn't deserve a used woman like that bodyguard. She already has a child from a previous relationship and she's still flirting with another man. How shameless!"
"Go away, you troll! How dare you discriminate against single moms?! Single moms deserve happiness and a second chance in love, too! Your prejudice is disgusting!"
Lin Yehan's unconfirmed relationship with Jiang Ying Yue created a bigger buzz than Long Hui and Mao Qiuyue's embarrassing wedding fiasco.\
Chapter 1396 Game of Pretend
Not all news from last night garnered mixed reactions. A video footage of the sixteen-year-old athlete and current youngest member of the national shooting team, Ren Jiyu, became viral. It was when Iris Long was performing "Monster of Insanity" with Pandemonium at the gala.
Ren Jiyu was caught whipping out a slipper from out of nowhere and waving it around before quickly hiding it from his coaches. Another video footage showed him asking Iris Long to sign the slipper with a shy expression.
The Black Stars, especially the Slippers Army, were ecstatic to find that such an impressive youth and world-class athlete was actually one of them.
His actions endeared him to the masses, not only to Iris Long's fans. As a matter of fact, his action of waving a slipper from out of nowhere became a trending meme.
He also became some kind of a mascot for the Black Stars' Slippers Army. Their slogan temporarily changed from "Slippers of Justice" to "Slippers of Glory" because Ren Jiyu brought glory to the country and also to glory to the Slippers Army.
Perhaps the biggest news from last night's gala that swept the nation was Jin Chonglin's alleged romantic relationship with Orchidia's COO Chen Fei. This dating rumour was all over the headlines.
Video footages and photos showed the two sitting together at last night's gala. Not only that, Jin Chonglin was also seen hugging Chen Fei and covering her mouth. Their faces were only inches apart as they glared at each other. Most people concluded that they were having a lovers' quarrel.
The next photos showed them smiling like they had put aside their quarrel and would continue it later in private. Jin Chonglin's hand on Chen Fei's waist was too visible. It showed possessiveness, and of course, intimacy.
Jin Chonglin's army of fans was in uproar. They dug any information that they could find about Chen Fei's background.
Most knew her as Orchidia's COO and one of Iris Long's closest friends. Based on the information that Jin Chonglin's fans found, Chen Fei had a degree in marketing and graduated from the same business school and year as Long Jinjing, Iris' half-sister, who was also Orchidia's CFO. Both of them were two of the top students among their cohorts.
After their graduation, the two immediately went to help Iris Long launch her company, Orchidia Beauty, which was now known as Orchidiaâone of the current fastest-growing businesses in the country.
Appearance-wise, Chen Fei was not even near as beautiful as the stunning Iris Long. Well, only very few people could rival Iris Long's beauty anyway so this wasn't even an insult to Chen Fei at all. Iris Long was a league on her own. Not a lot of women could compare to her in terms of physical appearance.
But Long Jinjing was still also a bit prettier than Chen Fei. Despite this, Chen Fei could still considered a very attractive woman because of the strong and confident aura she projected. Her expressions were very sharp as if she could pierce through a person's bullshit.
She was also the one who often represented Orchidia at media events after Iris went into maternity leave. She was articulate, educated and skilled. Based on her performance as COO so far, it was clear that she was also an excellent leader.
Orchidia's avid consumers trusted her. After Iris Long, Chen Fei was the second most-known person from the company.
Third was Alric Bauer who was always credited as the main developer of most of Orchidia's products. Without him, there would basically be no Orchidia. The company's fans sometimes dubbed him as the "mad scientist".
The fourth most-known person from Orchidia was Long Jinjing. Her presence wasn't as noticeable as the others because she often hid behind the scenes. It was only because the other three would frequently mention her strictness in controlling the company's budget that the public remembered her.
The efficiency of Jin Chonglin's army of fans in digging for information about Chen Fei's background was quite impressive. They were able to collect this much within a day. Discussion about her compatibility with their Prince Lin Lin filled various forums.
"Although COO Chen Fei is not what you'd call a traditional beauty, she's pretty enough. At least, she's not horrendously ugly. Besides, her education and current career position are all top-notch. Even when our Prince Lin Lin decides to take a break from his showbiz career, COO Chen can still support him."
"Prince Lin Lin doesn't need any woman to support him. He's a freaking member of the Jin family!"
"Calm down. It's just a figure of speech."
"I don't like this! Prince Lin Lin is everyone's husband. Nobody deserves him! What if he meets another psycho like that evil Fan Luo? No way! I'm gonna protect Prince Lin Lin for his whole life!"
"You're the one who's a psycho! We may belong in the same fandom but I refuse to associate with such a crazy fan like you! If you really love Prince Lin Lin, then you must treat him as a human being and not as a product that you can control! He has a right to fall in love, marry the woman he loves, and build his own family just like the rest of us."
"I love Orchidia Beauty products. COO Chen Fei is an incredible woman worthy of my respect. I support her relationship with Prince Lin Lin! She's definitely not a psycho like that murderous she-devil Fan-what's-her-name who bewitched our Prince Lin Lin for such a long time."
"Let's not make all this wild speculations. I'm sure that Prince Lin Lin would clarify whatever kind of relationship he has with COO Chen. Let's wait for what he has to say before overreacting."
The dating rumour between Jin Chonglin and Chen Fei continued to fester and even grow into bigger proportions. The video footage showing him covering her mouth during the gala inspired many fan fictions. Some of them even had strong, kinky overtones.
###
Orchidia.
With the help of the company's security (and the ever cute and mighty Ketchup), Jin Chonglin was able to slip inside the building without anybody untrustworthy noticing him. The employees in the know about his arrival were all discreet and professional. They even helped him cover his tracks.
He was now sitting in the COO's office and sipping a nice cold latte from the company's own high-end café. He looked so comfortable. It was as if he was inside his own home.
Chen Fei glared at him and was even hissing at him. She looked like she was about to murder him.
"Are you fucking kidding me, you shithead?! Pretend to be your girlfriend?! Are you insane?! No way! I refuse to join in this kind of shitty game of pretend!"
Jin Chonglin sighed and put down the latte on the table. "I'm doing this to protect you!"
She was incredulous at his claim. "Protect me?! Now I'm sure that you're dumber than I initially thought. How does pretending to be your girlfriend protect me or even solve this dating rumour between the two us? You're not going to protect me this way. I'm sure that your fans will eat me alive instead! No, I refuse this. I don't want to be involved with you in this way."
Then she shuddered and rubbed her arms. "I'm having goosebumps just thinking about it."
He clicked his tongue. "You rude woman, how dare you call me dumb? You're the dumb one!"
She gave him the finger with both hands. "Fuck you, Jin Chonglin!"
"How dare you?! You're so vulgar! We're inside your office! Where's your professionalism?!"
"You dare to call out my professionalism? You're the one who barged into my office like a lowly thief! Then you even dare to spout all this nonsense about me pretending to be your girlfriend? There's really something wrong with your brain!"
Jin Chonglin was almost near his tolerance limit for the woman. She was talented, alright. Talented in making him angry!
He took several deep breaths to calm himself down. His purpose in coming here in spite of all the danger of being recognized by the public and causing mass hysteria was not to fight with Chen Fei. He came here to make a deal with her.
"Let's talk like adults," he said. "All this shouting will get us nowhere."
"Hmph!" Although she was like this, she still stopped yelling at him and sat down in another seat before crossing her arms over his chest. "Now explain."
He sighed but still explained why he came up with the ridiculous idea of pretending to be in a relationship.
"To be honest with you, this kind of gossip will go away on its own even without us doing anything," he said.
"Let's not do anything then," she replied.
"If you're ready to be face a lot of criticism and even insults, then let's not do anything." He shrugged.
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I'm a man. What's more, I'm Jin Chonglin, a superstar."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. A narcissistic braggart as always."
A visible vein started throbbing in Jin Chonglin's forehead. He restrained his temper and decided to ignore the woman's infuriating words.
"People already expect me to be a magnet of ladies because of who I am. It doesn't really bother me. There had been countless females throughout my career who tried creating dating rumours with me for clout. Most of the time, I ignore the rumours and just let my team handle them. But there are times that I had to make a personal statement to deny the relationship. It depends on the situation.
"What I've noticed is that the females are always the ones who are in the losing end in this kind of dating rumours. Women tend to be the ones who suffer while I remain the superstar that I am."
Chapter 1397 I'm My Own Sugar Mama
Chen Fei went silent. She didn't doubt what Jin Chonglin said. He was right. It was often the women who suffered from almost any scandals.
The men would also have a difficult time but only at the beginning when the height of public criticism was at its peak. Then they would recover almost scot-free. As a matter of fact, some immoral men wore their past scandals like a badge of honour.
In contrast, most women only had one way to goâdown. Those who were resilient enough to rise up could only live with tainted reputations. They had no choice but to change their image into something more provocative if they wanted to continue surviving. Their original clean reputations were gone forever.
Chen Fei understood this but still felt reluctant to accept Jin Chonglin's idea. "I don't think that our situation is as extreme as a scandal. It's only a dating rumour. There's no reason for us pretend to date."
He sighed. "You still don't fully understand. I'm Jin Chonglin! A superstar!"
She rolled her eyes again. "Yeah, yeah."
"Because of my fame and high status in showbiz, people always care about what's going on in my life especially my dating life. It's not only my fans who care but also other people. If a woman is rumoured to be involved with me, then everyone would want to know everything about the woman and dissect everything about her life. Even if the rumours are proven to be false, the damage to the woman is already done. I can't control this.
"Like I said, I usually don't care but you're different. I may not like you because you're a rude, bossy woman but you're still my sister-in-law's close friend, not to mention that I have to work with you again when my next line of men's product for Orchidia begins development. I can't just ignore you even if I want to!"
Chen Fei pursed her lips. His description of her angered her but he did make sense.
"So what's the point of me pretending to be your girlfriend?" she asked.
"It's to give you a status so that the criticism won't be too harsh on you. If my fans and the people know that I pursued you and made you my girlfriend, then they have no choice but to accept it. Sure, there will still be some who will dislike it but those ones will always dislike any woman who becomes gets romantically linked with me anyway. Those obsessive fans only want me to belong to everyone and not have any real-life lovers."
She pondered over his reasoning. Although he made sense, she still thought that his idea was ridiculous.
If it were only her, she wouldn't care about the public opinion at all. However, she was now the COO of Orchidia. As one of its highest executives, she had the responsibility to maintain a good image in order to uphold the company's reputation. She couldn't taint Orchidia because of her personal issues.
"Ah, fuck this."
Jin Chonglin clicked his tongue when he heard her swearing again. "So you still don't agree? Fine, then." He shrugged. "I tried protecting you but you still refuse my goodwill. Whatever happens from here on isn't my problem anymore."
She glared at him. "How long do we have to pretend to be in a relationship?"
He raised an eyebrow at her question. It seemed that she was starting to change her mind.
"Depends on the amount of attention we continue to get. My manager suggests that we 'date' for at least three months. Because if we 'break up' too soon, the public will start finding out why. I'll be okay as always but you'll be the one who'll have to face another wave of negative public opinion. They might say that I found you inadequate or something like that."
"People don't know shit." She sneered. "I, Chen Fei, am inadequate? Hah! Unless they're certified geniuses like Xiulan, then they have no right to talk crap about me."
"That's true. But what do you expect from haters? They'll always gonna hate no matter what you do." He finished his latte and stood up. "I gotta go now. I still have a taping later. Just think about my offer but don't take too long to make a decision or we'll miss the optimal time."
She also stood up. "Fine, I accept."
He was startled. "You what?"
"I said I accept! Are you deaf?"
He ignored her testy attitude. "You really accept?"
"Yes!"
His iconic killer smile spread across his face. Then he stroked his chin. "Admit it. You're just pretending to hate me when in fact, you really like me. You can now finally grab the chance to be my girlfriend even if it's just pretendâ"
"You hooligan!" She threw a business magazine at him.
All the executive assistants watched their furious COO chasing a laughing Jin Chonglin out of the office. They looked at each other, their eyes filled meaning. Then they smiled and continuing working as if nothing unusual happened just now.
Chen Fei chased the infuriating narcissistic diva man until he disappeared in the elevator. Then she returned to her office, gasping slightly from all the running. When saw her reflection in the mirror, she slapped both of her cheeks.
"What the hell are you doing? No, this is not blushing. This is just a normal physiological effect after a workout. Yes, that's right. My red face has nothing to do with that womanizer."
She tapped her cheeks again before forcing her attention back to the work piled up on her desk.
###
Just as Jin Chonglin predicted, there were many people who started criticizing Chen Fei. Most of them were his obsessive fans. It became worse later than night when most of the night owls were active.
Inside her own home, Chen Fei felt furious after reading some of the mean and unreasonable comments about her. There were those who called her ugly.
She couldn't help but look at herself in the mirror.
"Which part of me is ugly? I may not be as gorgeous as Xiulan but I don't think I'm at the level to be called ugly. I'm pretty enough."
Other comments called her a gold digger and social climber.
She scoffed.
"Me, a gold digger and social climber? I may not come from a high-society family but my parents are veritable high-income professionals just like me. There's no need for me to target that diva man's wealth and status."
She tossed her hair over her shoulder.
"Do people think that I'm using Jin Chonglin as a sugar daddy? I don't need a sugar daddy. I'm my own sugar mama! Hmph!"
Finally, she stopped looking at all the bashing directed at her online. It was too toxic. Even if she didn't care much, she still felt offended and hurt by some of the meanest ones. Continuing to look at them was not worth her mental health.
She was about to call it a night and head to bed when her phone rang.
"What now?"
"Tsk tsk, rude as always," Jin Chonglin's voice replied. "But I was raised to be a gentlemen so hello to you."
Chen Fei wanted to retort but all the mean comments about her popped up inside her mind again. She sighed and felt deflated.
"Oh, what's this? You're not retorting?"
"It's late. I'm tired. What do you want?"
Thankfully, Jin Chonglin didn't continue teasing her anymore.
"I plan to make an official announcement about our 'relationship' first thing tomorrow. You also have to coordinate with me and make your own confirmation."
"Tomorrow? So soon?"
"What so soon? Do you want to continue being attacked online for longer?"
She was unable to retort. Her mood fell even further. Being attacked online by a bunch of strangers was no fun at all.
Then she remembered that Iris went through the same thing with Jin Chonglin before. No, what Iris experienced was so much worse than what Chen Fei was experiencing right now.
Iris even almost lost her life back then. It was because of the nonstop rumours about her chasing Jin Chonglin that made his ex-fiancée Fan Luo go crazy from jealousy and attempt to murder Iris. If Iris had been unlucky and died, nobody would have known about Fan Luo's evil scheme.
Even when Iris miraculously woke up from a year-long coma, made an almost complete recovery, and then successfully returned to the showbiz limelight, people still continued to criticize her because of Jin Chonglin.
Chen Fei hated Iris before but not anymore. It was because Iris kept on bullying Long Jinjing back then.
Now, however, Iris was one of their closest friends.
Chen Fei felt furious on behalf of Iris. She couldn't help but blame Jin Chonglin. "Everything is your fault!"
Jin Chonglin had no idea about the extent of her thoughts. He thought that she was only blaming him about their current situation.
"Alright, alright. It's my fault. Happy?"
She was unhappy but didn't want to argue with him anymore. Everything that happened today made her exhausted in a way that she had never felt before. She almost found it hard to breathe.
'Xiulan is amazing to survive all that,' she thought.
Then she said, "Fine, let's follow your plan for tomorrow."
The next morning, Jin Chonglin once again visited Orchidia. Like yesterday, he was inside Chen Fei's office.
"No, delete that photo," she said while trying to grab his phone. "This angle makes my jaw look wider. Let's take another photo."
Jin Chonglin sighed and took another hundred photos of them together before she was satisfied with just one.
"Can I post it now?" he asked, already feeling tired when it was still very early in the morning.
She nodded. "Yes. Don't forget to tag me."
"I know, I know. Jeez, you're so bossy!"
Chapter 1398 Mrs. Superstar
Jin Chonglin posted the photo of him and Chen Fei together on his social media account. He already received his manager's permission to do so. The photo had the following caption:
"Meet my girlfriend, Boss Chen Fei of Orchidia."
It was short and simple yet caused a massive explosion among his fans and the media.
A few seconds later, Chen Fei liked and shared his post using her own verified account. Then she wrote the following caption:
"Meet my boyfriend, endorser of Orchidia Beauty's men's line, Jin Chonglin."
Even in a situation like this, she didn't forget to use Jin Chonglin to advertise Orchidia.
Within a few hours, both of their posts received millions of likes and comments. Their "relationship" also reached the top in the trending lists.
Chen Fei's followers also increased at a frightening rate. She kept on monitoring the public opinion about her. She couldn't help it.
Although there were still a lot of bashers, most of Jin Chonglin's fans were supportive of his "relationship" with Chen Fei. It was just like what he told her yesterday. The majority of people had no choice but to accept the reality especially if it was what he chose for himself.
The sudden change in public opinion into a more positive direction made Chen Fei release a big sigh of relief. They couldn't please everyone but at least the bashing had reduced a lot compared to last night.
Truth be told, she hadn't expected for Jin Chonglin's plan to be this effective.
"Not bad," she mumbled.
Jin Chonglin had already left earlier. He was a busy man. As soon as they made their posts in the morning, he didn't stay around in her office and rushed to a taping.
Her family and friends kept on calling her. Even some of her former classmates, not-so-close acquaintances and ex-friends were messaging her nonstop to ask if it was true that she was Jin Chonglin's girlfriend.
The girl squad already knew about her pretend relationship with Jin Chonglin beforehand because she shared it in their group chat last night.
Although her friends had reservations about it, they still supported her because it was her own decision at the end of the day. Jin Chonglin didn't force her. She was the one who agreed.
Her parents also called her. She had no choice but to promise them to bring Jin Chonglin for an official introduction. There was no way that she was going to admit to her own parents that she agreed to be in a fake relationship. She might be crass in front of other people but would turn into a sweet little girl in front of her strict parents.
Knock! Knock!
"Come in."
Her assistant entered her office.
"Congratulations on your relationship with PrinceâI mean Jin Chonglin, COO Chen!"
Chen Fei scowled. "This is the third time that you congratulated me. Will you stop it now?"
The assistant giggled before becoming serious. "Our security reported a crowd of paparazzi outside our building. President Long sent a team of bodyguards to protect you. They arrived just now."
Chen Fei was worried at first but immediately felt relieved after learning that Iris sent a bodyguard team for her. She knew the skill levels of the guards at Dragon Palace Palace Home #10. They were elites. Even Jiang Ying Yue had grown so much more intimidating since she started working there.
Her assistant added, "Jin Chonglin also left a bodyguard to protect you. It seems that he already anticipated this outcome with the paparazzi."
"Hmph!"
Although Chen Fei acted like this, she still felt touched by the man's thoughtfulness. She would never admit it to him, though. What if he became even more pompous?
She wouldn't be able to bear it! If he became even more narcissistic than he already was, she might really end up beating him one day out of annoyance.
###
Dragon Palace Home #10.
"Well, hello there, Mrs. Superstar!" Dom greeted Chen Fei as soon as she arrived at the nursery later that day.
She kicked towards his direction. They were too far apart so of course there was no chance of her actually hitting him. It was just a symbolic kick.
"Hehehe." Dom waggled his eyebrows while shimmying his body.
Iris chuckled. She was sitting on the carpet with her twins.
Long Jinjing also smiled at her best friend. She was on the rocking chair bottle-feeding Little Dima. Her other son, Little Misha, just finished being fed and was entertaining himself in the crib.
Chen Fei ignored their meaningful gazes and greeted each of the four babies and the grumpy Ice Cream. She brought presents for them as well. Little Jun and the cats also had a share. She would give it to them later. For now, she needed to talk with her friends and hopefully feel better about everything that was happening to her and Jin Chonglin.
"Where's Sis Yue?" she asked while bouncing Little Mochi on her lap.
"On duty," Iris replied. Little Matcha was snuggling up to her on the carpet.
"So...be honest with me. What do you think about my fake relationship with Jin Chonglin? I want your honest opinions, okay?"
"Why fake relationship?" Dom asked in a mischievous tone. "Just make it real!"
"Shâshush, Dom!"
Chen Fei almost said "Shut up, Dom" but managed to change her words in time. She was still conscious that there were kids in the room. She didn't want to be blamed for corrupting her friends' children.
The friends chatted for a while. Later, Jiang Ying Yue also arrived after her shift. She brought Little Jun, Popcorn and Gravy with her.
"Lin Yehan isn't with you?" Chen Fei teased her.
Jiang Ying Yue blushed but her smile was filled with happiness and sweetness. "Yehan already dropped by earlier this morning. He's a little busy these days but we still see each other almost every day. If we can't meet, then we talk on the phone."
"Ugh! I think I'm having a diabetes attack." Chen Fei pretended to shudder.
"I would tease you, too, but your relationship is fake," Jiang Ying Yue said.
"Of course, it's fake. There's no way in hell that I'll be in a relationship with Jin Chonglin. Never!"
Everyone raised their eyebrows at her.
"What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Long Jinjing pouted at her. "Never say never, Xiaofei. I also thought that I'll never marry Lu Zihao but look at me now. I even gave birth to his children."
Iris nodded. "Same here. I also never thought that I'll fall in love with Jin Liwei. I border-line hated him before but now I love him the most."
Jiang Ying Yue agreed with them. "I also didn't think that I would be in a relationship with Lin Yehan especially after...you all know about what I went through with my ex."
Dom released an exaggerated sigh before clutching his French-manicured hands together in a prayer position. "I wish that I could say the same as all of you. Dear future lover, when will you come and sweep me off my feet? I also want a happy ever after!"
Little Mochi laughed at his Uncle Dom's dramatic gestures while Chen Fei rolled her eyes.
Her friends' reminder about how they fell in love with their men made her stop saying never. She still didn't think that she would ever become true lovers with Jin Chonglin, though. She just didn't want to jinx herself.
"Fine, since you asked for our honest opinion, then I'll give it to you," Iris said.
Chen Fei straightened her back. "I'm ready."
"I think that it's incredibly stupid to pretend to be in a relationship with anyone. If you want to deceive other people, then you must act against your true feelings."
Both Dom and Jiang Ying Yue nodded. Only Long Jinjing didn't. The others didn't think much about it because she was Chen Fei's best friend in the first place. They thought that she was just sticking to her best friend through thick and thin. Nobody noticed her slightly embarrassed (and guilty) expression.
Iris continued, "But if you already have some feelings for the other person, then you're not only deceiving other people but also yourself."
Chen Fei became defensive in an instant. "Hell no! Me? Have feelings for that womanizer? Impossible."
Iris shrugged.
"Let's not talk about Jin Chonglin anymore," Chen Fei said, annoyed.
"You're the one who wanted to talk about him in the first place," Iris replied in an amused tone.
"Yeah!" Dom piped in. "You're the one who asked for our honest opinions."
Long Jinjing and Jiang Ying Yue stayed quiet but their teasing smiles were enough to embarrass Chen Fei. They continued teasing her for a few more minutes before stopping.
Chen Fei was relieved. Then she changed the topic to business.
"The national shooting team finally agreed to accept our endorsement offer. How do you want to go on about it?"
Iris carried the sleepy Little Matcha back to the crib. "Ren Jiyu will endorse the regular men's line that we're planning to launch soon."
"That diva man will be upset," Chen Fei muttered.
Iris raised an eyebrow. Chen Fei wanted them to stop talking about Jin Chonglin and yet here she was mentioning him again.
"Brother Chonglin will continue endorsing his own line," Iris said. "His line is a special one. We also need to have a regular line of men's product. Ren Jiyu will be perfect for that. He's young and a great source of inspiration. We'll tap the teenage market through him."
Chapter 1399 Two Little Princes
Iris discussed with Long Jinjing and Chen Fei about her plans for the national shooting team's endorsement with Orchidia Beauty. Dom also shared some opinions which Iris welcomed. She trusted her best friend and assistant. However, the final decision would still rest on her.
Afterwards, Chen Fei closed the small notebook that she brought after jotting down Iris' instructions.
"I'll work on the team's endorsement as soon as possible," she said.
Iris nodded.
Long Jinjing sighed. "I wish I could help. This endorsement project sounds fun."
"Sis Jing, don't be too impatient!" Dom told her. "Little Misha and Little Dima are still so small. Wait until they're a bit bigger and you can slowly return to work like what Boss is doing right now."
She nodded. "I know. Thanks, Dom."
While the girl squad members enjoyed the rest of the evening together, an exhausted Jin Chonglin headed to one of his secret apartments to avoid the paparazzi surrounding his known residences. He had been extremely busy earlier today.
Although he already expected that things would get crazy once he announced his "relationship" with Chen Fei, he still felt slightly underprepared at the onslaught of paparazzi, reporters and interview requests. His social media accounts had blown up with his fans' comments and messages.
His assistant left after cleaning up the takeout boxes that he ate for dinner. Then he took a quick shower and got ready for bed. He was about to fall asleep when his phone rang.
He tried ignoring it at first but it was persistent.
"Dammit."
Then he checked the caller display and all the irritation he felt disappeared.
"Hello, Mom?"
"Son, is it true that Chen Fei is now your girlfriend?" Huang Yuyan immediately asked without even greeting him back.
Jin Chonglin sighed and sat up in bed. His brain made a quick analysis about the pros and cons of admitting the truth to his mother.
In the end, he said, "Yes, it's true."
"Oh." She paused. "I only heard about the news this evening because I spent the entire day at your grandma's mountain villa."
"I see. How's Grandma?"
"She's fine but not as energetic as before. She's getting old now. You and your brother should visit her more often. I'm sure that she'll be delighted."
"Okay, Mom."
"Good. But don't change the subject! We're talking about your relationship with Chen Fei. When did the two of you get together?"
"Not long. Just a few days ago before the gala." This was what he and Chen Fei agreed upon.
"Oh." His mother paused again. "I'm happy that you have a girlfriend again. I thought that you're still traumatized after what happened withânever mind. Chen Fei is a good girl."
He had to stop himself from snorting at his mother's claim. Chen Fei was a good girl? Really? Why didn't he know it?
Huang Yuyan continued, "Her way of speaking might be, er, unrestrained...but she's still a nice, pretty, young woman who has a bright future especially as the COO of your sister-in-law's company. I like her."
Jin Chonglin pursed his lips. He didn't know how to reply to his mother.
"I'm glad that you got together with her, son. Don't play around and hurt her, you hear me? And stop always fighting with her."
His heart skipped a bit. He felt a bit guilty. However, he and Chen Fei already made this decision so they had to go through it until the end.
He could only reassure his mother. "Alright, Mom. I understand. Don't worry too much."
"You must bring Chen Fei and have dinner here at the old house with me, okay? Or maybe we can go to your grandma's mountain villa and eat together with her."
He felt even guiltier but still said, "Okay, Mom."
His mother left him a few additional reminders before hanging up. Finally, the call ended.
Jin Chonglin stared at the phone. He no longer felt sleepy.
"Three months. Just three months and this play will be over. That rude, bossy woman and I will 'break up' amicably and go on our own lives just like before. No hard feelings. I'll just tell my fans that the two of us made the mutual decision to separate after realizing our incompatibility. Yes, that's the plan."
He knew based on experience that three months would fly by quickly. Right now, however, it felt like it would be a long time.
###
Jin Corporation.
Today was another extremely busy day for the company. There were a lot of projects that needed constant supervision. This week was just the start. It was expected that this kind of hectic schedule would continue for at least a month.
It wasn't possible to do everything remotely from home so Jin Liwei could only oversee everything in person. He was reluctant to spend so much time away from his family but his schedule was really tight.
Even if it would be more convenient to sleep in his office bedroom, he still insisted on going home to his family every night. His wife and children might be all asleep but at least he could still hug and kiss them.
If it wasn't for his understanding wife, he might have already abandoned his work and left it to his subordinates in order to spend more time with his family.
At the moment, Jin Liwei was in the conference room and having a meeting. His expression wasn't too good. He found the plan for this particular project to be unsatisfactory.
"Redo it!"
The person-in-charge of the project quailed but still obeyed. "Understood, President. My team and I will redo it immediately and present you with a better one!"
"Don't just present me with a better one. I want the best one!"
"Yes, President. Understood!"
Continuing this meeting for this project was now pointless. They could only reschedule it until the revised plan was finished.
Jin Liwei felt annoyed because this meant a waste of time and resources.
The current team left and the next team entered the conference room. This time, they were more competent. The plan that they presented for another project was well-thought-out.
Jin Liwei only made a few adjustments to the original plan. This meeting felt a lot more productive than the one before it.
"Dismissed," he finally announced.
"Thanks for the guidance, President!"
"Have a good lunch, President!"
"En, thanks." He nodded.
His assistant, Xu Tian, read a message from his phone. Then he whispered something to Jin Liwei's ear.
The others in the room watched as their President Jin's expression light up. Then he ran out as quick as the wind with Assistant Xu following in his heels.
"The lady boss must be visiting today."
"I think so, too. Only Boss Iris can make President Jin have a cheesy expression like that."
"How dare you use the word 'cheesy' in the same sentence as President Jin?"
"Well, it's true, isn't it?"
"That's...true. Yeah."
Pause.
"Hey, guys. Do you think that the Young Madam brought us lunch today as well like she always do whenever she visits?"
"I hope so but don't expect it every time. That's not a good mentality!"
"I know. I'm just so hungry...."
Then one by one, each of them received messages from their respective department's group chat.
"Yay! Boss Iris is so great! She really ordered a buffet lunch for everyone at the company today."
"Come on, everyone. Let's hurry! Lunch is only so long. We can't waste even a second!"
Outside the company building, a large executive van parked in front of the main entrance. It was sandwiched between a rather intimidating line-up of black cars. Several bodyguards in sharp suits climbed out of the black cars and made a protective circle around the executive van.
The van's sliding door opened. Dom stepped out first but he continued to reach inside. Then he carried out a baby wearing a hat with a thin yet opaque cloth covering the face.
Next to step out was Iris who also carried another baby wearing a similar hat. After her were two nannies each carrying a large baby bag filled with supplies.
The company's front security guards were already standing outside to welcome their lady boss' arrival. The other employees who were in the lobby also went to welcome Iris and her entourage.
When they saw Iris and Dom carrying the babies, everyone became excited. The company forum and group chats blew up.
"Oh, my gosh! Our lady boss just arrived. And guess what? She brought our two little princes with her!"
"Kyaaaaaah! The two little princes are so cuuuuuuuuuute! Their faces are covered and I can't see what they look like but their little hands and socked feet are so adorbs!!!!!"
"I heard one of the twins laugh! Ah, my heart just melted from the cuteness!"
The receptionists and the employees in the lobby all greeted Iris' group. There were also some visitors waiting for their appointments who noticed and recognized her.
Iris smiled and greeted everyone. "Did that food arrive yet?"
"Yes, Young Madam. The caterers are now starting to serve lunch."
"Excellent. All of you should eat, too."
"Thank you, Young Madam. We will."
Iris looked at those who had visitor badges. "Give these people lunch, too. The caterers should have prepared a lot of food."
"Understood, Young Madam."
The visitors heard her instructions.
"Thank you, Iris Long!"
"Bless you and your beautiful twins!"
She smiled at them. Then she noticed the arrival of Xu Tian. Her husband must have sent his assistant to welcome them at the lobby.
"Young Madam, Little Master Haoyu, Little Master Lingyu, Dominic," Xu Tian greeted. "President is eagerly waiting for you in his office. Please follow me."
She gave the people in the lobby a wave before her group headed to the elevator.
"Is my husband surprised at our visit today?"
Xu Tian nodded. "Yes, Young Madam. But he's also very happy."
Chapter 1400 Wailing Wei Lan
Iris was pleased at her surprise for her husband. "Good job for keeping this a secret from your dad, Ketchup."
"Ehehehe!" Ketchup laughed inside the elevator. "Thanks, Mommy! The cute and mighty Ketchup also wants to see Daddy's surprised face. Oooooh, it's super-duper to the highest level awesome! I'll send a copy to Mommy. Meow~"
Finally, they reached the top floor. As soon as the elevator door opened, they saw an eager Jin Liwei waiting for them. He hugged his wife and kissed her and their babies. Then he took the baby that Dom was carrying.
The hats with face covers were removed. Iris had been carrying Little Matcha while Jin Liwei was now carrying Little Mochi.
Both babies' eyes lit up as soon as they saw their dad. Little Mochi was particularly sticky to his father. Little Matcha also couldn't stop staring at Jin Liwei as if making sure that his dad was real. For the twins, it felt like they hadn't seen their father for a long time.
Jin Liwei did his best to video call home every day from work and talk to his wife and their babies this way. However, spending time together in person would always be better than anything else.
The family entered his office where the caterer already prepared food for them. Dom, Xu Tian and the others stayed in the dining area to eat their own lunch.
Little Mochi and Little Matcha sat in their own high chairs while their parents fed them puréed foods.
Jin Liwei was extremely happy while looking at his family. The food was also extra delicious today because of his wife and their babies' presence.
"The twins have been really good today," Iris shared. "They didn't whine or throw a tantrum when I put on their little hats that covered their faces."
He looked at their twins and felt proud of them. "It's good that I had a crib, these high chairs, and other baby stuff brought to my office bedroom a while ago just in case. I didn't expect that we're going to use them today. Thanks for bringing our twins here, love."
She smiled. "We miss you. I'm still on maternity leave so I can bring our family to you when you're too busy to accompany us."
"You and the twins should take a nap here later before you head home. I'll find some time for a little break in the afternoon to be with you."
"Alright, darling. Work hard but not too hard that you'll neglect your health."
"En."
Iris' heart ached for her husband's hectic schedule. She could sense how much he missed them. She missed him, too.
He would come home very late at night. She and the twins would already be asleep by then. He would also wake up very early in the morning. Although she would try to wake up and see him off, sometimes it was too hard. She was also tired taking care of the babies' needs whenever they woke up in the middle of the night.
Jin Liwei's stomach was full after lunch. His heart was also full.
His only complaint was that lunch time was too short. He was tempted to delay his next meeting appointment but Iris stopped him from doing so.
"Go. The twins and I will stay here for a little longer."
He sighed and kissed all of them. He was about to leave when Xu Tian made a report.
"Ketchup just informed me that there is a big group of paparazzi and reporters waiting outside the building. Young Madam's arrival with the two little masters must have been leaked to the media."
Jin Liwei frowned but Iris looked relaxed.
"I wasn't exactly trying to hide our arrival," she said. "It's fine. The babies' faces are covered anyway. And I made sure to bring a lot of bodyguards."
Even though she made ample preparations, Jin Liwei still called for extra bodyguards from home and amped up the company's security. He would never risk his family's security ever. It was better to be safe than sorry.
After dawdling for a few more minutes and kissing his wife and their babies a few more times, Jin Liwei finally left his office for his next meeting with great reluctance.
Little Mochi and Little Matcha were starting to become drowsy. Iris and Dom carried them to the adjoining bedroom. They put the twins in the large crib. The nannies also went to check the bedroom's baby supplies and added what was missing from the ones they brought.
Iris sang a lullaby and the babies quickly fell asleep.
She and Dom quietly chatted while watching over the twins.
Ring! Ring!
Iris frowned when she saw the caller ID. She went outside the bedroom into her husband's office and picked up the call.
"Hello?"
Then she flinched at the loud sound on the other end of the line. It took her a few seconds to recognize that it was the sound of someone wailing.
"M-mother?"
Wei Lan continued to cry as if her entire world had ended. It was a gut-wrenching cry that pierced the eardrums.
"Mother, what's happening?"
"Xiuuuuuuulaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!!! Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!"
The cries were so loud that they could be heard even when the call wasn't set to loudspeaker. Dom followed Iris out to the office in concern.
Wei Lan continued wailing. Iris became impatient asking questions without getting any answers so she handed the phone to Dom instead. Dom was more patient than her. After a few more minutes, he was able to gather the real reason why Wei Lan was acting like this.
Long story short, Wei Lan received a call informing her that her husband had been involved in a serious accident somewhere in the Caribbean. She didn't know the full extent of the accident or even the cause. All she knew was that her husband, the Spanish viscount, had been seriously injured and was fighting for his life at this very moment.
Even though Iris didn't care about the viscount who she had never met in person before, the man was still the current husband of her body's biological mother. In short, the viscount was her body's step-father. She couldn't just ignore the situation especially since Wei Lan was wailing to her like this.
"Does René Alejandro know about this already?" Iris asked.
"Yeeeeeeeeeeeeees, he knows!!!! Xiuuuuuuulaaaaaaan, what should I doooooooooooo?!!!!! Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!! I don't want to become a widoooooooooooooooow yet!!!!!"
Iris was starting to have a headache from Wei Lan's wailing. However, she still remained calm and thought about what to do, or specifically, if she should do something.
In the end, she arranged a private jet to fly Wei Lan and René Alejandro to where the viscount was reportedly hospitalized. They could leave as soon as today.
After the call, Iris texted her husband about it. He had a few private jets so there shouldn't be a problem with her dispatching one of them for Wei Lan.
His reply came quickly.
Jin Liwei: "OK."
Iris didn't disturb him anymore. He must be in the middle of another important meeting. She could handle the other arrangements according to how the current situation developed. There was no need to bother her husband about it.
At the same time, she called Bacon to contact his Uncle Zihao.
Lu Zihao immediately called her back. Iris told him what happened. She didn't have much information to offer him because Wei Lan herself didn't know much.
"I'll have my subordinates check on the viscount's situation," Lu Zihao told her.
"Okay, Big Brother. Thanks."
"Send me Wei Lan's flight schedule. I'll send some of my people with her."
"Alright. I'll send the details to Bacon when I get them. Oh, right. I almost forgot. René Alejandro might also be in the flight."
Lu Zihao grunted.
Iris knew that her brother began to hate the Spaniard even more after Jin Liwei used René Alejandro to goad Lu Zihao into waking up from his latest coma. He became even more possessive of Long Jinjing especially after hearing that René Alejandro visited last time with Wei Lan.
His bad temper only eased after learning that the babies gave the Spaniard a hard time. One nanny reported hearing Lu Zihao whisper some dubious words to the babies the next day.
"I'll teach the four of you how to beat up all the bad men like that Spaniard when you grow up," was what he allegedly said to the children.
Long Jinjing became angry and lectured him after hearing about it from the nanny.
On the other hand, Iris only chuckled. Her big brother was indeed still her big brother. His first instinct of solving anything was through violence. Of course, she wasn't supportive of him teaching the babies to beat up other people without any valid reason. However, she agreed that teaching the children self-defence was important.
After talking with her brother on the phone, Iris returned to the bedroom and watched over the sleeping babies while doing homework given by her language professors. She had Dom look out for news about Wei Lan's husband.
###
René Alejandro's expression was ugly as he and his brothers stuffed their small luggage in the vehicles. He and half of their group would be flying with Wei Lan tonight via Jin Liwei's private jet that Iris sent for them. Half of their other brothers would be left behind to continue coordinating with the Matador's team in the country.
"I still think that this is some kind of a sick joke," one brother said. "Uncle isn't a weakling."
"I hope you are right, brother," René Alejandro said. "It's good that we are using Liam's private jet instead of having the organization send us one. It is safer and gives us excellent alibi, yes?"
"Indeed, brother. But you all need to be careful and discreet. Liam will most likely send a few of his most elite bodyguards. We can't look down on those people."