Chapter 201 - She Likes Me Very MuChapter
The next day, Hou Liang quit his office job. A couple of his friends also quit their jobs to join him. They all worked at the same company. Surprisingly, one of his friends was Wu Chen (a.k.a. iEatSlippers) who was an accountant.
Hou Liang and Wu Chen worked at the same company but in different departments. Hou Liang worked at the IT department; Wu Chen at the Finance Department.
When Hou Liang announced to his friends that he would quit his job to form his own gaming company with the help of a business partner, Wu Chen was the first one to follow him without asking any question. His other friend who was a programmer asked a few questions before following them. His other friends were hesitant to quit their jobs. However, they said that they would join him after he actually formed his company.
Hou Liang didn't tell Wu Chen yet that Iris would be his new business partner. So Wu Chen had no idea that his new future boss would be Boss Iris.
Iris advised Hou Liang to stay put for now. She said that she still needed a few days to consult with her business mentor and financial manager.
In the meantime, Hou Liang and his programmer friend chose one of their most ambitious video game ideas to work on. The current sample they had was horrible and extremely skeletal because they didn't have the resources or the manpower to even create a decent sample. With just the two of them, they couldn't do much but they were determined to improve on their initial concept.
While the two were busy, Wu Chen logged online as iEatSlippers and once again led the Slippers Army to defend their Boss Iris' name against the haters.
###
Iris just finished a magazine photo shoot and interview. Tang Yiyi, Dom and Jiang Ying Yue accompanied her. It went well and they were on their way to another interview, but this time on a music program at a cable TV channel.
Inside the executive van, Iris was busy completing translation exercises given by her two instructors.
Ring! Ring!
Tang Yiyi answered her phone.
Iris was very absorbed in what she was doing that Tang Yiyi's phone conversation and Dom's constant chatter failed to penetrate her concentration. It was only when she felt someone shaking her shoulder that she forced herself out of this flow state.
"Hm?"
"Sorry to bother you, Iris," Tang Yiyi said. "But I have something important to tell you."
"What is it?"
"The film producer just called me. He wanted you to know that they're finally releasing the trailer soon. Of course, the new version of 'Phantom of Your Love' will also be featured since it's the theme song. It seems that JJ has already been informed. His record label will release a sample audio of the song and promote it around the same time the trailer is released."
"I see. That's great to hear," Iris said before returning to her translation exercises. She instantly became immersed once again.
Tang Yiyi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "That's it?" she asked. She was so excited yet Iris acted like it was a very normal occurrence, even looking somewhat disinterested.
"Ehehe. That's just how boss is," Dom said.
Tang Yiyi had no choice but to share her happiness with Dom instead. She wanted to suggest that they go somewhere for dinner tonight to celebrate, but it seemed that Iris was very busy. When the film released, she would drag Iris for sure to celebrate whether she liked it or not.
###
Jin Corporation
As the true owner of LX Productions, of course Jin Liwei was informed of the news about the film trailer's upcoming release. He had first priority to see everything about the film. He already saw several versions of the trailer.
He wasn't a film expert, so he left the final decision to the person he appointed to run LX Productions. However, he had one request. It was about the font size of the credits showing "Original Music by Iris Long".
"It's too small. Make it bigger!" he ordered. "I can barely read her name."
"But President, they've already given Miss Long's name its own frame in the trailer..."
Jin Liwei frowned. "The font is still too small. Make it big enough that it fills the entire screen."
"Uh...understood, President."
In the end, they only increased the font size a little. Jin Liwei was unhappy but Xu Tian assured him that it was a great trailer and that Iris' name was the most noticeable one among the credits.
The production team was still polishing the trailer until they officially release it.
Jin Liwei wondered if his baby girl already knew about it. He looked at his wristwatch. She should be on the road by now for her next interview. He knew her schedule because Dom always gave it to him. He decided to give her call.
"Hello?" His baby girl's lovely voice answered, sounding distracted.
Ah, she must be studying again. As a good boyfriend, he should leave her alone for now and allow her to focus on her studies. However, he wanted to talk to her. She was still asleep when he left for work this morning. He was already missing her.
"Hi baby," he greeted.
He asked if she knew about the film trailer yet. She told him that Tang Yiyi just informed her.
"Congratulations on completing the film score. I'm so proud of you, baby."
"Thank you."
He knew that she was smiling which made him smile as well. Then he changed the subject.
"Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"Yes. I'm ready to meet your grandmother and mother. Do you think they'll like me?"
"Baby, don't worry too much. Just be yourself. I'm sure they'll see how amazing you are."
She giggled. "Okay." There was some noise on her end of the line. "Oh, we've arrived. I need to go."
"Alright. Take care, baby. See you later at home."
"You too, Liwei. See you later."
"I love you."
"I like you very much."
His eyebrows rose and his whole expression became happy. Even when the call ended, he continued to grin like an idiot. Before, she would just stay silent or say "thank you" whenever he said "I love you". But now she replied. Granted, it wasn't "I love you, too" but it was already a great progress.
When Xu Tian entered his office to submit some reports, he immediately became concerned.
"P-president? Are you alright?"
He chuckled. Yes, the President "chuckled"! Xu Tian would never describe his boss' weird laugh as a "giggle"! Never! This was a "chuckle", not a "giggle"!
"She said she likes me very much," Jin Liwei told him, continuing to giggâchuckle.
"Uh...congratulations, President..."
"Xu Tian, you're a great and loyal assistant. I'll give you a raise and a bonus this month!"
Xu Tian immediately bowed. "Thank you very much, President! I always pray that Miss Long's feelings for you deepen every single day!"
"Good man! I'll give you another bonus next month!"
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Chapter 202 - Surprise
It was a windy day, yet Iris and Jin Liwei still bravely rode his helicopter. The turbulence was a little alarming but the pilot deemed that the windy weather was still within the safe limits the aircraft and his abilities could handle.
The wind grew stronger as they reached the mountains, yet true to the pilot's word, the aircraft soldiered on like a bulldozer.
Finally, the helicopter landed. Iris and Jin Liwei disembarked together with his two subordinates.
"Welcome back, Master Liwei!" A man greeted him. It was the same man who greeted Grandpa Lu and Iris before. His eyes widened in surprise when he recognized Iris.
He was about to greet her as well when Iris stopped him with a look. He seemed to understand because he stopped himself and reverted to a neutral expression. Indeed, he was a professional.
"The two Madams and Sir Lu are waiting for you inside," he informed them.
"Oh? Grandpa Lu is here as well?"
"Yes, Master Liwei."
Jin Liwei turned to Iris, pulling her close to his body. "Baby, there's one more person that I want you to meet. We aren't blood-related but he's a very important part of our family. I consider him as my grandfather. He can be a little weird but that's just the way he is. Don't feel offended at some of the things he might say. He's a jokester but he has a good heart. Okay, baby?"
She nodded. She almost burst into laughter at how Jin Liwei described Grandpa Lu. If Grandpa Lu could only hear what Jin Liwei said about him, she bet that the elderly man would scold Jin Liwei for an entire day.
They began walking up the stone steps. It was colder than when Iris first came here. Even with a thicker coat, a scarf, and gloves, she still felt cold. Jin Liwei pulled her closer to his body. He rearranged her scarf so that it covered her more and pulled her hood over her head. Then he kissed her between the brows.
The eyes of the man leading them almost popped out of his head. He couldn't believe that Master Liwei was acting so intimate with a woman. What was even more shocking was that the woman was none other than Miss Xiulan who the two Madams fell in love with. What was going on? He had the impression that Sir Lu wanted Miss Xiulan for his own grandson. If that was the case, why was Miss Xiulan suddenly with Master Liwei?
Finally, they reached the huge brick country house.
"There you are, Liwei my boy! I heard that you're introducing your girlfriend today so I came! Oh! Looks like it's really a girl! Good! Very good! Ahaha!" Grandpa Lu's voice immediately boomed when they entered.
Iris' face was covered by her scarf and hood, so only her eyes were visible. Grandpa Lu and the others didn't recognize her yet.
"Grandpa Lu, good to see you," Liwei greeted.
"Close the door," Grandma Li ordered. The man who led them inside obeyed and closed the massive wooden doors. "Liwei, my dear. It's so windy today. We could've postponed this until tomorrow or when the weatherâ"
Grandma Li wasn't able to finish her sentence because she saw Iris taking off her hood and her scarf. She immediately recognized her.
"Xiulan?" she asked.
"Oh!" Huang Yuyan covered her open mouth with a delicate hand.
"Oy oy oy! What are you doing here, my girl?! And why are you with Liwei boy?! I want to know! Wait! Don't tell me that you two areâno way!"
Iris smiled sweetly and walked towards them, leaving behind an utterly confused Jin Liwei.
"Hello, Grandma Li, Grandpa Lu, Auntie Yuyan," she greeted them. "It's so great to see you all again."
Grandma Li held Iris' upper arms. "Xiulan my dear, what's going on?"
She already had an idea as evident by her excited eyes, but she still wanted the confirmation.
"Yes, I want to know what's going on as well," Jin Liwei said as he also walked and stood beside Iris. "Baby, what's going on? You met my family before?"
"B-baby?! What did you just call my granddaughter, boy?!" Grandpa Lu's expression of disbelief was a sight to see. He also looked enraged at the same time.
Jin Liwei frowned. "Grandpa Lu, why are you calling my girlfriend your granddaughter?"
"Girlfriend?!!! No!!!" Grandpa Lu looked like his world just ended. He turned to Iris, looking very heartbroken. "Xiulan my girl, tell Grandpa you're not really this boy's girlfriend."
"What are you saying, you old buffoon? My grandson just said that Xiulan is his girlfriend." Grandma Li looked at him in triumph.
"Hmph!" Grandpa Lu decided to ignore her for now and turned back to Iris. "Well, my girl?"
"Grandpa Lu, Liwei is indeed my boyfriend."
"You naughty girl! Why didn't you tell me?! I want to know!"
"Yes, my dear. Why didn't you tell us?" Grandma Li asked as well. "Did you know about our relationship with Liwei when you met us before?"
"At first, I didn't know. It was only when Auntie Yuyan confirmed his two son's names did I learn of Liwei's connection to you. Please forgive me for not telling you right away. I wanted to surprise you."
Grandma Li laughed in delight. She gently patted Iris' cheek. "Silly girl. Don't worry. I'm very happy that you're my grandson's girlfriend. In fact, this is the best situation that I can hope for."
"Son, is it really true?" Huang Yuyan asked Jin Liwei.
"En."
"Oh!" Huang Yuyan burst into tears.
"My dear! Why are you crying?" Grandma Li went to her daughter-in-law and rubbed her back.
"I-I'm just so...happy! I already...love Xiulan and I want her to be my...d-daughter. And now she has r-really become my daughter!"
Grandma Li chuckled.
"Hmph! What are you talking about, Yuyan?! What daughter?! Xiulan is only the boy's girlfriend! They're not married yet!"
"Oh, be quiet," Grandma Li snapped at Grandpa Li.
"What did you say, you old hag?!"
"What did you call me, you old gorilla?!"
"Auntie Yuyan, please don't cry," Iris said.
"Oh, Xiulan!" Huang Yuyan ran and threw herself at Iris, hugging her tightly.
Afterwards, the three led Iris away to the living area.
Jin Liwei stood in a daze, as he watched his baby girl being led by his family. What was going on? They were too preoccupied with her that they completely forgot about him!
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Chapter 203 - Kids These Days
Everyone was already settled in the living area when Jin Liwei regained his senses and followed them. He watched how his family interacted with his baby girl from a distance. He could see that they absolutely adored her. His mother was stuck to her like glue, sitting beside her and even holding her hands.
Iris caught sight of Jin Liwei. She tilted her head to the side and smiled mischievously.
The others saw her expression. They followed her sight and saw Jin Liwei.
"What are you doing standing there all alone?! Are you a ghost?! Come here, boy!" Grandpa Lu sounded like he was in a bad temper. It didn't help that Grandma Li was giving him a triumphant smile like she defeated him in some kind of a contest.
Jin Liwei moved and headed towards his baby girl. She and his mother scooted over to give space for him on the sofa. When he sat down, his arm snaked around her waist pulling her closer to his body. His eyes never left hers. They stared at each other, oblivious to his family watching them.
When Jin Liwei's face started inching closer to Iris' face, Grandpa Lu couldn't bear it anymore. "Control yourself, you lusty boy! Is that how you behave in front of your elders?!"
"Who are you calling lusty? That's my grandson, you noisy baboon!" Grandma Li snapped at Grandpa Lu. Then she turned to Jin Liwei. "Liwei my dear, how about you...Liwei?"
Grandpa Lu: "Hah! Look at him! This is the result of not having girlfriend and being celibate for thirty-one years! When he finally gets a girlfriend, his brain is completely filled with nothing but sperm!"
"You are so gross," Grandma Li told him in a disgusted tone.
Although Iris was also caught up in desire, she was still able to hear the two elders' squabble unlike Liwei who was already far gone. Her neck and face heated up. Jin Liwei looked like he still wanted to kiss her in front of everyone, so she grabbed his face and turned it forward to the direction of the elders.
Jin Liwei frowned. "Baby, whatâ"
Then he finally noticed his family looking at him. He actually forgot where they were! His baby girl was just too beautiful that everything around him just faded away, leaving nothing but her in his consciousness. He cleared his throat and straightened on his seat but still didn't release his baby girl's waist.
Iris sighed in relief. She glanced at the two elders. Grandma Li was looking at them in amusement, while Grandpa Lu looked displeased. Then she glanced at Huang Yuyan beside her who was also blushing like her.
"How about you tell us how the two of you met?" Grandma Li asked to make conversation.
Iris recounted exactly how she and Jin Liwei met at the hotel lobby. Grandpa Lu and Grandma Li didn't bat their eyes about the part of her knowing the criminal activities of a Russian company called Galaktika. After all, she was a Cross Academy student. She was currently studying Foreign Languages, so it wasn't surprising that she knew Russian.
Grandpa Lu was also aware that she was a hacker, so he figured that she became aware of Galaktika through hacking. It seemed that Grandma Li also already knew about it based on her expression. It was only Huang Yuyan who looked confused, but she just accepted the story as it was.
"Liwei was very rude and arrogant. I really didn't like him. At one point, I almost hated him," Iris continued.
Jin Liwei scowled when he heard her.
"But he repeatedly seduced me and I discovered that I also feel attracted to him. Now I like him very much."
His scowl instantly transformed into a delighted expression. Without thinking, he was already kissing her lips right in front of everybody.
"Oh!" Huang Yuyan exclaimed. Sitting beside them, she had a direct view of their kissing scene.
"See? I told you! Your grandson has sperm brain!" Grandpa Lu told his friend in a booming voice while pointing at the kissing couple.
Grandma Li's mouth twitched, not knowing what to say. She also couldn't believe that her usually indifferent and well-behaved grandson was acting like a teenage boy who couldn't keep his hands away from his first girlfriend.
"Liwei!" Iris firmly pushed Jin Liwei away, her face and neck turning even more crimson. "We're in front of your family!"
"Hm?" It took a few moments for Jin Liwei to get a hold of himself. He just lost it when his baby girl said she liked him very much in front of his family. Happiness filled his heart.
"Can you behave? This is embarrassing," Iris whispered to him.
He chuckled. "Okay, baby. Sorry." Well, he wasn't really sorry but he wouldn't let her know that. Why would he ever feel sorry when kissing her? Never.
"Xiulan my girl, if this boy is too much for you to handle, you can always tell me and Grandpa will give him a good spanking!"
Iris burst into a fit of giggles. The image of Grandpa Lu spanking Jin Liwei who was taller than him was just too funny. "Thank you, Grandpa, but I'm alright. I think I can handle Liwei by myself."
"Oh?" Jin Liwei raised an eyebrow at her and smirked. "Really? You can handle me?"
Feeling challenged, she raised her chin. "Of course."
"Alright, you two! Stop flirting!" Grandpa Lu scolded them. "Hai! Kids these days! They don't have any sense of propriety anymore!"
"Oh, be quiet," Grandma Li told him. "They're not doing anything immoral."
"Hmph!"
"Why don't you just be happy for the two of them?"
Grandpa Lu sulked. "I am! Liwei boy is also my grandson, you know, so I'm happy! But I was hoping to pair up Xiulan with my Haohao soâ"
"Absolutely not!" Jin Liwei's voice was cold. "Grandpa Lu, Xiulan is mine. Besides, Zihao and I are brothers. He would never dare steal my woman from me."
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Chapter 204 - Passionate Lover
The atmosphere became uncomfortable. Jin Liwei looked cold as always, but everyone in the room was familiar with him. They knew that he was seething underneath his cold demeanour.
Grandpa Lu realized that he went a little too far this time. He loved Jin Liwei and considered him as a grandson. However, he still couldn't help but prioritize his own flesh and blood grandson, Lu Zihao.
Iris was just too beautiful and brilliant that he wanted her for his own grandson. He inwardly hoped that the children she birthed would bear the name Lu, not Jin. But Jin Liwei's words reminded him that the two boys were best friends and brothers. Stealing the woman of one's brother was a grave sin.
Realizing his selfishness and unfairness to Jin Liwei, Grandpa Lu felt ashamed of himself. He sighed.
"Sorry, my boy. Grandpa was just too caught up in his emotions. Don't worry, I will erase this kind of thoughts from now on and support your relationship with Xiulan. You're all my grandchildren. I want you all to be happy."
Jin Liwei still felt provoked but since this was Grandpa Lu, he forced himself to nod. He knew that the elder didn't mean any harm.
Grandpa Lu cleared his throat. "I hope that you and Haohao will forever treat each other as brothers like your grandfather and I. Haohao is returning to the country in a few days. He's not in the best of health, so he'll need you brothers."
"En." Jin Liwei nodded more readily this time.
Having been reminded of his Fifth Brother's health, the negative feelings inside Jin Liwei slowly faded away. Indeed, their brotherhood was forged by a strong bond of loyalty and trust throughout the years. It wasn't something that was easily broken.
The tense aura dissipated. Grandma Li and Huang Yuyan released sighs of relief. Both of them knew that Jin Liwei had an extremely serious personality. Once provoked, he could be ruthless when he decided to retaliate, even to his loved ones.
"Is Grandpa Lu's grandson your Fifth Brother, Liwei?" Iris asked.
"En."
"Oh. So he's coming back soon? Will I meet him?"
Jin Liwei observed her. "You want to meet him?"
"Of course. He's your brother. I already met Eldest Brother, Second Brother and Teacher Yu Mo. Your Fifth Brother is the only one I haven't met yet. You told me before that your brothers are my brothers too, so I want to meet him."
He didn't answer right away. He continued to look at her for a few moments. Finally, he told her, "Alright, baby. I'll introduce you when he's settled down after arriving. Let's give him a week or so to adjust from jet lag."
"Okay."
The conversation gradually moved to lighter and more pleasant topics.
Jin Liwei finally realized that the genius girl his grandmother was talking about when she phoned him before was his own baby girl. He also learned that Grandpa Lu was his baby girl's business mentor. Of course he was happy and proud of her, but there was a small part of him that wanted to be the one to guide her through the business world. However, he would never complain because he knew that Grandpa Lu was a business genius. There was no doubt that she got the best business mentor available in the country.
Later, they all ate a sumptuous dinner. It was extra special because of Iris and Jin Liwei's revelation of their relationship. Grandma Li and Huang Yuyan were delighted for them. The awkwardness between Jin Liwei and Grandpa Lu already disappeared as well. Everyone was in great spirits.
As they ate and chatted, the two elders and Huang Yuyan observed the couple. There were so many instances that they caught the two just staring into each other's eyes.
Jin Liwei also couldn't keep his hands to himself, constantly touching Iris. He would hold her hands, stroke her hair, touch her face, or nuzzle her shoulder. Although Iris didn't initiate any of their public displays of affection, she didn't reject him. In fact, she felt at ease and pleased with all his ministrations. Sometimes, as if she couldn't help herself, she would also respond with her own little touches.
There was a moment when Iris excused herself to go to the washroom, Jin Liwei also stood up with the intent of following her.
"I can go by myself," Iris told him.
"I'll go with you. You might get lost. This is a big house," he replied.
"I've been here before. I know where I'm going. I won't get lost. Stay here and chat with them, okay?"
"No, I also need to go."
"Oh. Okay, then."
When they were gone, the two elders and Huang Yuyan immediately talked about them.
"I never expected for my son to be like this," Huang Yuyan said. "I always thought that he'd be cool and detached like his personality when it comes to romance, but it appears that he's actually quite the passionate lover. I'm very surprised as his mother."
Grandma Li looked nostalgic. "He reminds me of his grandfather. They're very similar. You think at first that they're ice blocks but in reality, they're blazing hot volcanoes inside. The Jins have always been intense men. It's only Little Chonglin who's a bit of a wishy-washy. Well, it's true that he's intense when it comes to his career but as for the other aspects of his life? Hai."
"Mother, Chonglin has matured a lot in recent years..."
Huang Yuyan felt defensive for her youngest son. She felt that her mother-in-law was being too critical of the poor boy ever since he got engaged to Fan Luo. She couldn't understand why her mother-in-law didn't like his son's fiancée. Fan Luo was such a nice girl.
Grandpa Lu sensed that the two ladies were about to argue, so he deliberately butted in and sharply changed the topic. He made some jokes to make them laugh.
It was at this moment that Iris and Jin Liwei returned.
Iris looked a little flushed. Her lips were noticeably swollen. Beside her, Jin Liwei looked like a cat who ate the canary. He had a smug smile on his face, looking completely pleased with himself.
The three immediately figured out what the two had been doing while they were gone. However, they pretended not to notice, welcoming them back. Huang Yuyan couldn't stop herself from blushing, though.
Later that night, the pilot informed Jin Liwei that the windy condition worsened. It wasn't safe to fly. Iris and Jin Liwei were forced to sleep over.
Grandma Li instructed for two separate bedrooms to be prepared for Iris and Jin Liwei. However, one of her maids later informed her that Jin Liwei's bedroom was empty. It only meant one thing. He decided to sleep together in the same room with his girlfriend.
"Oh well. Maybe I'll have a great-grandchild sooner than I thought."
With a chuckle and a sigh, Grandma Li turned off the lights in her room and went to sleep, dreaming of her beloved husband.
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Chapter 205 - Strong Yet Broken
The film trailer was finally released. If it were any other indie film, it wouldn't garner much attention. After all, most indie film productions didn't have the resources to widely promote their films unlike major production studios.
This film, however, wasn't just any other indie film. It had LX Productions as its backer. Although the film couldn't be promoted through traditional means like on TV or radio commercials, the web was another matter.
As soon as the trailer was released, it became top featured on video streaming websites. It also played as an online ad in all major websites. This kind of heavy promotion was something only major production companies could afford. It immediately caught people's attention.
The film was titled "Strong Yet Broken". It was based on a true story. A life story that was familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time.
It was familiar because it featured the story of Guan Jintao, the blind Paralympian gold-medalist swimmer who was the most famous disabled athlete in the country. His fame rivalled that of famous Olympian athletes because his inspiring life story was already adapted into movies, documentaries, and books. He was undoubtedly a legend in the country.
Given his fame and influence, why then was this new film an indie one?
The answer was simple. The film wasn't about Guan Jintao. It was about the unfamiliar life story of his mother.
It seemed that major production studios weren't interested in making this film because the main character was a broken woman. It was, in simple terms, a very dark story.
Unlike the hopeful and triumphant adaptations of Guan Jintao's life story, this indie film about his mother heavily focused on the subject of dealing with depression after the death of a lover which morphed into postpartum depression that never really went away, eventually ending in suicide. It was the story of a woman desperately trying to stay strong for the sake of her disabled child when she was all broken inside from the death of her lover.
It was emotional, heavy, dark, and suffocating. An eerie sense of hopelessness and death permeated the story.
No major film production company wanted to make this kind of depressing film. Some of them expressed interest if more focus was given to Guan Jintao's character rather than on his mother, but doing so would change the essence of the story.
In the end, it could only be made into an indie film.
When people started watching the trailer, the reactions were mixed. Some were instantly drawn to it, while some were turned off by the dark tone. However, halfway through the trailer, their attentions were piqued once again.
An oddly familiar voice started singing familiar lyrics.
They finally realized what was going on.
The song was "Phantom of Your Love" by Iris Long!
It sounded so different from the original version. Only the lyrics were the same. The melody only retained a shadow of the original. Even Iris Long's voice sounded differentâlower, deeper and more haunting.
"OMG! It's the mysterious film that Iris Long has been working on. Look at the credit. It says 'Original Music by Iris Long'!"
"I'm having chills. I think this new version of 'Phantom of Your Love' sounds even better than the original."
"Poster above, I disagree! I like the original version better. I don't like this new version at all! It sounds too dark. Thank goodness the trailer didn't play the entire song. I think I'm gonna have nightmares if I listen to the whole song. Ugh. I'm shuddering just thinking about it."
"Yeah! This new version is too dark! But based on the trailer, I think that it fits the film very well."
"Wow! It doesn't sound like Iris Long. The voice sounds more like the goddess of death. So dope!"
An hour later, JJ's record label made an official announcement.
"We are proud to announce that the new version of 'Phantom of Your Love' by Iris Long will be used as the official theme song of the upcoming independent film 'Strong Yet Broken', based on the riveting true life story of the late mother of Paralympian gold-medalist swimmer Guan Jintao. Iris single-handedly composed the entire film score. We are also excited to announce that we will be releasing the new version of 'Phantom of Your Love' together with the entire film score as a soundtrack album. It will be Iris Long's third official album with our record label. Please support the film and Iris Long's music. Thank you very much!"
JJ's record label also released an official sample audio of the song.
Iris and Bright Summit shared this post to their own followers. Because of this, "Strong Yet Broken" received even more attention. By the end of the day, the trailer became the number 1 trending video on the web. In extension, Iris' new version of "Phantom of Your Love" was also receiving a lot of attention.
When it was first announced that Iris Long was rearranging "Phantom of Your Love" to be more cinematic to make it suitable as a film's theme song, many fans made their own cinematic covers of the song. They even set up a betting pool online, competing against each other to see whose cover would be the most similar to Iris Long's version.
Now, however, after listening to the official audio sample, they unanimously agreed that nobody among them came even close to Iris' version. They didn't expect that she would make the already dark "Phantom of Your Love" even darker to the point that it sounded like music that came directly from the netherworld.
It sounded so eerieâthe melody and most especially Iris' voice. Her vocals lacked the usual showmanship of high notes and modulation. This new version of "Phantom of Your Love" sounded like pure longing and darkness. It was beautiful to the point of being scary.
Those listening would feel their hair standing on end, like darkness was embracing and suffocating them, making their hearts tremble. The feeling was so unusual yet oddly thrilling at the same time. They couldn't wait to listen to the whole song. It was also making them want to watch the film.
Of course, the entire Black Stars were there to support their Boss Iris. With LX Productions' powerful promotions, the film was already making waves on the internet. But with the addition of the Black Stars and the buzz around Iris' new version of "Phantom of Your Love", an indie film managed to outshine other film trailers intended to become blockbusters by major production companies.
While all of this was happening online, Iris and Jin Liwei were on their way to Lin Yehan's farm villa. Jin Liwei was finally going to introduce his baby girl to his Fifth Brother.
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Chapter 206 - Meeting Fifth Brother
While Jin Liwei was driving, Iris couldn't stop herself from staring at him. They had been living together for quite some time that she should be used to him by now. After all, she already saw every inch of his body. After seeing so much of him, there shouldn't be anything interesting about him for her anymore. However, she just couldn't tear her eyes away from him at the moment. She thought that he was becoming more and more attractive lately.
He could feel his baby girl's eyes on him. He let her ogle as much as she wanted. Happiness filled him. When he glanced at her, she was still looking intently at him. His mouth curved up into a lazy smile.
"Like what you're seeing, baby?"
"Mmn...yes."
The lazy smile immediately turned into a smug smile.
"Liwei."
"Hm?"
"I like you very much," she suddenly said. Her voice was so soft, it was almost a whisper.
His heart skipped a beat. He glanced at her again and saw that she was looking at him more deeply. If only he wasn't driving, he would've kissed her already. Unfortunately, they were currently on the highway. He couldn't randomly stop just to kiss her.
"I love you, baby. So much."
She smiled softly. "I like you very much, Liwei." Then she asked, "How will I know if I'm falling in love with you?"
His heart started beating like crazy. His hands trembled a bit on the steering wheel. He took a couple of deep breaths to steady his emotions. He forced himself to be calm down.
"You'll just have to realize it for yourself, baby," he told her in a serious tone. "Even I've never fallen in love before but I just knew it deep inside when I fell for you. I never expected that you'll be the woman I'll end up loving."
She listened to him, memorizing his every word. His voice felt like warm caramel, sweet and sticky. She gradually felt her chest swelling with feelings that she couldn't determine.
"I really hope that you can love me too," he continued. "I'll do my best to make you fall for me."
"I'm looking forward to it."
When they stopped at a red light, both leaned towards each other for a deep, hungry kiss. Nobody initiated. They simply did it at the same time. They had to stop when the cars behind them started honking.
Jin Liwei had no choice but to keep on driving. Her eyes never left him. He could feel her looking at him the entire time. As a result, he was in a constant semi-aroused state. He kept on chatting with her about different things to distract himself.
It didn't help that every time they stopped at a red light, they would start making out. And each time, they were forced to stop and continue driving. Damn green light for lighting up so quickly! The cars honking behind them were also very annoying. He wanted to stop the car so badly and just continue kissing his baby girl.
Iris noticed that Jin Liwei was starting to lose his cool. Maybe they shouldn't kiss each other anymore while he was driving. It wasn't safe. Sighing, she stopped looking at him, turning her head to look outside the window instead.
He immediately noticed it when her eyes left him. He felt empty and disappointed but told himself that this was for the best. Any more kissing and he might lose control. A car crash was the last thing he wanted his baby girl to experience again. This thought was like a bucket of ice water dumped over him, instantly killing his arousal.
Finally, the scenery started changing from urban to rural. After driving some more, they finally arrived at their destination.
They drove inside the gated property and entered the farm villa. A few minutes later, they parked in front of Lin Yehan's big country mansion. There were other cars parked. Jin Liwei's brothers already arrived before them.
Jin Liwei opened the door for her. He wrapped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close to his body. The weather was chilly. They didn't waste any time and quickly climbed up the steps to the mansion. The big doors were unlocked, so they just entered. The comfortable warmth inside greeted them.
"Ah, speak of the devil. Here they are," they heard Lin Yehan say.
"Third Bro! Xiao Xiu! What took you so long? We've been waiting for you!" Yu Mo asked them.
"Let them warm up first, Fourth Brother," Wang Yingjie advised.
Jin Liwei clasped hands with Iris, as they walked to the living area where his brothers were currently lounging. Iris greeted the brothers while Jin Liwei nodded at them.
She was immediately drawn to the unfamiliar figure beside Yu Mo. He must be their Fifth Brother. Their eyes met, curious at each other. She gave him a friendly smile. His mouth also curved up.
Jin Liwei began the introductions.
"Baby, this is our Fifth Brother, Lu Zihao. He's Grandpa Lu's grandson."
Iris studied Lu Zihao. Indeed, he resembled Grandpa Lu. Both looked mischievous.
He was handsome in a different way from Jin Liwei. Lu Zihao was attractive in a wild and roguish way, while Jin Liwei was the cold and serious type.
"Fifth Brother, this is my girlfriend, Long Xiulan."
"Hello, Fifth Brother," Iris greeted him. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Xiulan, I've been looking forward to meeting you. I've heard so much about you." He shook hands with her. He didn't release her hand right away.
Iris didn't find it odd that their handshake lasted a bit longer than necessary. She thought that he was a nice person just like the rest of the brothers. He had a relaxed and easygoing manner about him. However, she began to feel a little uncomfortable when he continued to look at her. His expression looked laid-back but Iris felt an inexplicable intense pressure from his gaze.
There was something familiar about the feeling. She frowned, and then lightly shook her head. What familiar? This was the first time she was meeting him. She must be overthinking.
Finally, Lu Zihao released her hand before turning to Jin Liwei. "Third Brother, how lucky you are. Your girlfriend is a beauty."
"En," Jin Liwei replied with a nod.
Lu Zihao shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He looked at Iris again. "So you're the old man's new granddaughter?"
"Yes. Grandpa Lu has been taking care of me," she answered.
"Hmm..." One corner of Lu Zihao's lifted into a devilish smile. "Did you know that the old man intended to pair you up with me? He can't stop raving about you. If you weren't already with Third Brother, you'll probably end up as my girlfriend instead."
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Chapter 207 - Familiar
The atmosphere instantly became uncomfortable. Jin Liwei was quiet and unmoving, but they knew that he must be boiling with fury inside, as evidenced by his tense jaw and body. His hands were also clenched into tight fists. His cold eyes looked straight at Lu Zihao, silently telling him to back off.
However, Lu Zihao didn't even look at him. He was still looking at Iris, acting oblivious to Jin Liwei. With hands tucked inside the pockets of his jeans and his devilish smile, he looked very much like the handsome rogue that he was.
Iris tilted her head to the side and frowned. There really was something familiar about Lu Zihao, but she was certain that she had never met him before. She couldn't pinpoint in what way he was familiar. It was making her feel confused.
His words sounded like he was out to make trouble with her and Jin Liwei, but she couldn't sense any bad intentions from him. And also for some reason, she couldn't make herself dislike him. Her intuition was telling her that Lu Zihao wouldn't harm her.
"You're weird," she told him.
Indeed, she thought that he was weird. How else would she feel familiar to someone she had never met before? To her, that was weird.
Lu Zihao blinked a couple of times before throwing his head back in laughter. Then he clutched his abdomen and continued laughing.
His brothers looked at him like he was going crazy right in front of their eyes. Jin Liwei's brows scrunched together. The coldness in his eyes dissipated, replaced by concern for his Fifth Brother.
"Why are you laughing?" Iris asked in confusion. "You're a really weird person."
"Pft." Wang Yingjie's expressionless face cracked, but he was able to stop himself from laughing.
Both Lin Yehan and Yu Mo looked perplexed.
Lu Zihao calmed down, but there was a big smile on his face after laughing so much. "Yeah, I guess I'm weird. And you're very straightforward, little sister."
Iris felt her heart jump when he called her "little sister". Excitement stirred within her but confusion drowned it. She didn't know exactly what she was feeling.
Before she knew it, she was already smiling. She couldn't help it. His smile was infectious. She felt very much at ease with Lu Zihao. She didn't understand why, so she just shrugged it off. Perhaps he was just a naturally friendly person.
She grabbed Jin Liwei's arm and hugged it. "Weird Fifth Brother, even if Grandpa Lu intended to pair us together, I won't end up as your girlfriend. I don't think I'll like you the same way that I like Liwei."
"Hmm..." Lu Zihao's eyes narrowed a bit seeing her clinging to Jin Liwei's arm. This only lasted for a second before he reverted back to his usual carefree expression. "Well, regardless of what could've been, you're now Third Brother's girlfriend, so it means that you're now my little sister. Let's get along, little sister."
"Yes!" Iris beamed.
Lu Zihao froze at her smile, his breath catching in his throat. He wasn't the only one. All of the brothers stared at her beautiful smile.
Jin Liwei gently grabbed her chin and turned it so that she was facing him. Then he rubbed her lips with his thumb. Iris opened her mouth and bit his thumb, looking up at him mischievously. His eyes darkened with desire. He was about to dive in for a kiss when he was interrupted.
"Alright, that's enough flirting." Surprisingly, it was Lu Zihao.
"Ahaha! Yeah! Stop flirting in front of us single dogs, Third Bro and Xiao Xiu! I'm gonna get diabetes with all the dog food." Yu Mo said.
Lu Zihao was smiling in amusement, but the observant Wang Yingjie noticed the sharp look in his eyes. Wang Yingjie rubbed his chin, continuing to silently observe everyone, most especially their Fifth Brother who he had not seen for a long time.
After joking around, everyone sat down in the living area. A maid served fresh cups of hot tea blend to Iris and Jin Liwei.
Iris inhaled the steam from her cup. She couldn't determine right away what tea it was. She took a sip. The taste of cranberry, hibiscus and cinnamon were the most detectable. There were other flavours within the tea but they were too weak that she couldn't identify them all.
"Good tea," she murmured, nodding in appreciation.
Lin Yehan heard her. "You like it? I bought it from Canada when we picked up Fifth Brother. Actually, Fifth Brother was the one who chose it."
"You have good taste, Fifth Brother," she said.
"Of course," Lu Zihao replied. He picked up his own cup and sipped tea as well.
The atmosphere was very light. Everyone was chatting with each other. Iris and Lu Zihao seemed to be getting along rather well. Jin Liwei paid close attention at the two of them, but otherwise left them alone. After all, they weren't doing anything other than chatting with each other.
Wang Yingjie quietly observed Iris and Lu Zihao. His sharp eyes noticed a few peculiarities. The way his Fifth Brother and Iris handled their teacups were very similar to each other, even the way they sipped and appreciated the tea. Both looked very elegant and natural in doing so. He didn't think much about Iris because she was already very elegant when he met her. But as for his Fifth Brother, when did he start acting so elegantly?
After some time, Jin Liwei's phone started ringing. He glanced at the caller.
"I need to take this call. Wait for me here. Okay, baby? I'll be back."
"Okay."
He gave her a quick peck on the lips before leaving the living area to answer the phone call.
At that moment, Yu Mo was telling the story of Iris' first visit to the farm villa to Lu Zihao.
"We were so shocked when Third Bro suddenly brought a girlfriend. I was even more shocked because Xiao Xiu is my beloved Systema student."
Lu Zihao turned to Iris. "Do you like Systema?"
She nodded.
He changed the question. "Do you like fighting?"
"No. I don't like fighting."
"Hmm..."
Yu Mo continued regaling about Iris.
"She was so cool! She hit the bullseye with every shot and what's even more amazing was that there was only one hole where all the bullets went through! I mean, who else can do that? Eldest Bro was so excited that he tried recruiting her to be a shooting athlete!"
"Hmm..." Lu Zihao was slightly smiling, looking very relaxed, but his eyes looked deep.
"Oh oh! I forgot to mention something very funny!" Yu Mo exclaimed. "Xiao Xiu jumped over the fence because a goat was chasing her. She thought that the goat was going to kill her! Ahaha!"
Iris scowled.
"That's enough, Fourth Brother. You're laughing too much," Lin Yehan gently reprimanded.
"You're afraid of goats?" Lu Zihao asked Iris.
She reluctantly nodded.
Yu Mo: "Ahahaha!"
She huffed, pursing her lips at Yu Mo.
"Are there other animals that you're afraid of?" Lu Zihao continued to ask.
Iris paused before answering. "No."
"How about cattle? Like bulls, for example."
Her body involuntarily shrank back, her eyes widening in horror.
Yu Mo: "Whoa. Seriously? You're also afraid of bulls?"
She glared at Yu Mo.
Yu Mo: "Well, I guess being afraid of bulls makes much more sense than being afraid of goats. Anything else you're afraid of, Xiao Xiu? Come on and tell Teacher! I promise I won't laugh at you anymore. Ahahaha! Oops."
She decided to ignore him, sipping tea instead.
"You're afraid of animals with horns," Lu Zihao said. It wasn't a question. He said it in a way as if he was certain of it.
Iris looked at him, not answering right away. Finally, she nodded.
"Hmm..." Lu Zihao gently swirled the tea remaining in his cup. "Don't worry, little sister. There's no need to be afraid. Big brother will protect you from all horned animals."
She froze, her eyes widening.
Yu Mo: "That's right, Xiao Xiu! You have us, your four big brothers, plus your boyfriend! With the five of us to protect you, there's no need to be afraid of anything!"
Iris ignored Yu Mo. Her brows knitted together, studying Lu Zihao who looked relaxed. "Fifth Brother, have we met before?"
One corner of his mouth curved up. "Maybe."
Her frown deepened. "I don't remember meeting you, but you feel very familiar."
"Eh? What do you mean by that, Xiao Xiu?" Yu Mo asked.
Lin Yehan and Wang Yingjie also looked very interested.
Not getting an answer from Iris, Yu Mo turned to Lu Zihao instead. "Fifth Bro, do you also find Xiao familiar?"
"Mmn... Of course. We've certainly met before, but it seems that she doesn't remember me anymore."
Yu Mo: "What?! How? When? Tell us!"
Iris was very confused. She had an excellent memory. Did they really meet before? She combed through all the memories of the original Iris Long but she couldn't find anything about Lu Zihao.
"Ah, my dear Evelinka. You haven't changed one bit. You're still as straightforward as ever. I can read you so easily."
Lu Zihao spoke in Russian.
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Chapter 208 - Dangerous
Iris froze, feeling the blood drain from her face. She stared at Lu Zihao, her expression filled with incredulity. Her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. So many thoughts ran chaotically inside her mind, but she couldn't make sense of any of them.
Was it really possible that he could be...?
"Eh? Why are you speaking in Russian? Who's Evelinka?" Yu Mo asked. As a Systema instructor, he knew some basic Russian. However, Lu Zihao spoke too quickly for him to catch everything he said.
Lu Zihao ignored him, continuing to look at Iris. His posture and expression looked relaxed and carefree, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable.
Lin Yehan was about to open his mouth to say something but Wang Yingjie stopped him with a gesture. The three brothers were confused about what was going on between their Fifth Brother and their Third Brother's girlfriend.
After a minute of silence, Iris hesitantly spoke. "B-big brother?" she asked in Russian.
This time, Yu Mo understood it clearly. He didn't think anything was wrong with Iris calling Lu Zihao big brother. After all, just based on age, all of them were her big brothers. But why were the two of them speaking in Russian?
"I'm back, little sister," Lu Zihao replied with a soft smile.
Torrents of tears gushed down Iris' eyes. Her lips trembled, releasing soft whimpers.
The three brothers were alarmed.
Yu Mo: "Eh? What's wrong, Xiao Xiu? Why are you crying?!"
Lin Yehan: "Xiulan, are you alright?"
Wang Yingjie silently observed her, but his brows knitted together. She was looking too pale.
"Come," Lu Zihao said, opening up his arms to her.
The next scene shocked the three brothers.
Iris jumped from her seat and dove into their Fifth Brother's arms. She clung to his waist and started wailing, her whole body shaking. The harder she cried, the harder her body shook. Their Fifth Brother was murmuring something they couldn't hear, but whatever he was saying, it was just making her cry even harder.
"Looks like they really know each other," Wang Yingjie commented.
Iris' cries were getting louder and more sorrowful that it alarmed even the servants. They ran to the living area to see what was going on. Seeing the scene, they didn't know how to respond. They decided to stand back and await their master's instructions, if there were any.
###
The phone call Jin Liwei received was an important business one. He took it in a nearby room so that he could speak in private. He just exited the room after finishing the call when he heard the loud cries. He immediately recognized the voice. His heart stopped for a moment before racing wildly inside his chest.
He ran back to the living area as fast as he could while trying to control his panic. When he arrived, an unbelievable sight greeted him.
His baby girl was wailing while hugging his Fifth Brother's waist. He had never seen her cry this hard before.
"What the hell is going on?" His cold voice cut through the confusing atmosphere.
Everyone turned to look at him except for his baby girl and Fifth Brother. The two felt like they were in their own little bubble separated from the rest of the world. He didn't like it at all.
Since Lu Zihao was still sitting down on the couch, Iris looked like she was laying on top of his lap.
An ugly feeling surged up within Jin Liwei. He marched towards the two and pulled his baby girl up from his Fifth Brother. She flopped like a limp doll in his arms, still crying. He held her tightly in one arm while his other hand reached for the front of Lu Zihao's shirt.
"What the hell did you do to her?" he growled.
Lu Zihao didn't reply, but he looked at him with extremely cold eyes.
For a moment, Jin Liwei was taken aback by the coldness in his Fifth Brother's eyes. But then he felt his baby girl trembling in his other arm and the fury returned in full force.
"Third Brother, calm down. Let's listen to the two of them first," Lin Yehan tried to reason but he was ignored.
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"Let me go," Lu Zihao said. He wrapped his hand around Jin Liwei's wrist and squeezed hard.
Jin Liwei's hold on Lu Zihao's shirt loosened. He felt surprised at his Fifth Brother's strength. However, he still didn't let go of the shirt.
"We need to calm her down first," Lu Zihao added, looking at Iris.
"Stay away from her!" Jin Liwei didn't want to listen. In his anger, he unconsciously tightened his hold of Iris, making her groan in pain.
Before he knew what was happening, his hand holding Lu Zihao's shirt was grabbed and twisted. He winced as his arm was bent into a painful position. His other arm released Iris and she staggered to the couch.
"How dare you hurt her, you bastard?" Lu Zihao hissed at Jin Liwei. His eyes looked cold yet feral at the same time.
"Third Brother, Fifth Brother, don't fight!" Lin Yehan stepped forward, but backed away again. His instincts were telling him not to go near the two.
"Fourth Brother, break them apart," Wang Yingjie instructed. He looked calm but the furrow between his brows and his narrowed eyes betrayed his anxiety.
Yu Mo didn't respond right away. He was still shocked at his Fifth Brother's smooth move. It was an advanced joint lock. A little more angle and Jin Liwei would've been thrown to the ground. A little more force and his arm would've been broken. To Yu Mo's expert eyes, Lu Zihao was holding back but not too much. It was obvious that Jin Liwei was in extreme pain, even though he was doing his best not to let it show.
"Hurt her again and I'll break your arm," Lu Zihao threatened in a low voice.
Jealousy filled Jin Liwei until it was all he could feel. "Why do you care so much about Xiulan? What's your relationship with her?"
"You stupid bastard." Lu Zihao's aura completely changed, turning murderous.
Even the martial artist Yu Mo flinched and stepped back.
The sense of impending danger penetrated through Iris' chaos of emotions. Alarm cleared her thoughts, finally allowing her to clearly see what was happening in front of her. Jin Liwei was bent into a painful position by Lu Zihao.
When she saw Lu Zihao shape his other hand into a claw and aim for Jin Liwei's throat, her body moved before she could even think. She leaped over to them and started attacking Lu Zihao, trying to make him release Jin Liwei.
Lu Zihao blocked all her moves, releasing Jin Liwei in the process. Once Jin Liwei was released, she stopped attacking and went over to Jin Liwei. She quickly checked him for injuries, sighing in relief when he looked alright.
Her heart was still thundering in her chest. If Lu Zihao was really her brother, then that claw would have crushed Jin Liwei's windpipe. It was one of her brother's favourite moves in the past. It almost always resulted in death.
She hugged Jin Liwei, placing her body between the two men. Her eyes were wide in fear. In this position, she looked like she was seeking comfort from Jin Liwei but in actuality, she was protecting him from danger.
"Big Brother, please don't hurt Liwei."
This time she spoke in Mandarin. Everyone understood her.
Lu Zihao didn't reply, continuing to release a threatening aura.
Jin Liwei, who was still drowning in jealousy, frowned. "Baby, let me go. He can't hurt me."
"You stupid man!" Iris snapped at him. He had no idea how dangerous a situation he was just in.
He was taken aback by her reaction. All he could do was look at his baby girl in confusion.
Iris turned to Lu Zihao again. "Big brother, please. I like Liwei very much."
"Fifth Bro...let's stop this, alright?" Yu Mo finally stepped forward and cautiously put a hand on Lu Zihao's shoulder.
Everyone was very confused but the priority was to break up the fight first. To their relief, Lu Zihao relaxed and reverted to his usual easygoing self. The threatening aura also disappeared. He stuck his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. Then he looked straight at Jin Liwei's eyes.
"Third Brother, I don't see EveliâXiulan in the same way that you see her. For me, she's a precious little sister. Don't let jealousy turn you stupid. My relationship with her is purely that of a brother and sister. Let's sit down and talk, shall we? I'll explain everything."
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Chapter 209 - Not Again
They all sat back down. Everyone was still feeling tense, except for Lu Zihao who appeared very relaxed. He even requested one of the maids for a fresh cup of tea and pastries.
Jin Liwei's entire body was taut. It was taking almost all his willpower to control his temper. Jealousy was still whirling inside him.
Similarly, Iris' emotions were in turmoil. Waking up in another body was already unbelievable. But if it happened to her, was it possible that it happened to her brother as well?
Jin Liwei wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to his body, almost making her sit on his lap but not quite. He was very tense. It wasn't helping her deal with her own emotions.
"Liwei, he's my big brother," she whispered to him. "Don't fight anymore. Okay?"
He looked at her troubled face. She wasn't crying anymore, but her eyes still glistened with tears. Her cheeks were wet, her nose and lips tender. She looked beautiful even with such a pitiful expression. He couldn't help but soften seeing her like this.
He removed a handkerchief from his pocket and began gently wiping her face. Afterwards, he lightly kissed her lips and then her forehead. He frowned. Her skin felt too cold.
"Liwei...darling." Her eyes implored him.
Although he still felt jealous, he just couldn't say no to her. "Okay, baby. I won't fight with him. So don't cry anymore, okay?"
She nodded, smiling a little.
Opposite them, Lin Yehan was very unhappy. He didn't know what was going on between his Fifth Brother and Iris. All he knew was that two of his beloved brothers were fighting because of a woman. His prejudice against Iris from before started coming back. He wouldn't allow someone like her to destroy their precious brotherhood.
Wang Yingjie seemed to notice the direction of Lin Yehan's thoughts. "Eldest Brother, Xiulan is a good person. We recently heard from Grandpa Lu himself that she's his student and that he's very pleased with her. If her character really has a problem, with Grandpa Lu's personality, he would immediately refuse her as his student. I think we should hear Fifth Brother's explanation first before we judge the current situation, don't you think?"
With this voice of reason, Lin Yehan's mind opened up. He was a naturally gentle person but his protectiveness towards his brothers tend to make him close-minded at times. Grandpa Lu was someone who never took sh*t from anybody, so they all trusted the elder's judgment.
"Is everyone ready to listen to what I have to say?" Lu Zihao asked. He lounged on his seat, looking relaxed and sipping tea.
"Yeah! We want to know what's up with you and Xiao Xiu!" Yu Mo said.
The others nodded.
Jin Liwei's lips pressed together into a thin line. Iris felt him tense up again, so she pressed herself closer to him. He kissed her temple and relaxed but only for a bit.
"Xiulan and I were online friends since long ago. That's how we knew each other. We met in an online computer game. Since then, we often played computer games together. We sent each other photos of each other so we knew what the other looks like, but we didn't know each other's real names. I only know her as Evelinka which was one of her online usernames. And she just calls me Big Brother."
Iris blinked, not showing any reaction. She needed to corroborate with whatever he was saying. Inside, however, she was criticizing his made-up story.
'What a stupid story,' she thought.
"However, we lost contact more than two years ago. Now I know that both of us got into serious accidents and were even comatose. What a coincidence, right? Perhaps that's why she wasn't able to recognize me earlier. I lost a lot of weight since my accident."
Iris was displeased with the story, but still nodded, agreeing with everything he said.
Yu Mo: "Oh! So that's why you were calling Xiao Xiu Evelinka. But why were you speaking in Russian earlier?"
Lu Zihao shrugged like it was no big deal. "EvelinkaâI mean Xiulan has always been multilingual. She mentioned before that Russian is one of her favourite languages. Before the accident, I wasn't really interested in learning other languages but during my recovery, I suddenly had a lot of free time. I decided why not use my free time to learn some new languages? So I learned Russian because I remembered her. Not to mention that it's really helpful in picking up some hot Russian ladies."
Yu Mo snickered. He and Lu Zihao high-fived.
Iris fought the urge to roll her eyes. This stupid story was making her feel dizzy. Although she was now starting to accept that Lu Zihao might really be her Big Brother Nikolai from her past life, there was a part of her that resisted this idea. A trace of panic was starting to grow from within her. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself but her current emotions were still too chaotic.
"Is it true, baby?" Jin Liwei asked her.
She nodded immediately, not daring to hesitate for fear of arousing suspicion. "Yes, everything that Big Brother said is true."
Jin Liwei was still a little suspicious but he knew that his baby girl spent a lot of time online. He even needed to compete with her stupid computers sometimes. So Lu Zihao's explanation sounded reasonable to him.
"Wow! This is so cool!" Yu Mo exclaimed. "Fifth Bro and Xiao Xiu actually knew each other from way before."
He seemed to accept the story as it was.
"Fifth Brother, have you ever felt attracted to Xiulan?" Lin Yehan asked.
Jin Liwei immediately tensed up again.
Yu Mo: "Eldest Bro! What are youâ"
Lin Yehan raised a hand to stop him. His eyes were determined, looking straight at Lu Zihao.
"Eldest Brother, I already said that I only see EveliâXiulan as a precious little sister. For us, we are brother and sister. I don't practice incest. Besides, even if we don't have this kind of sibling relationship, she's too young for my taste. I prefer my women mature and well-developed," Lu Zihao said, smirking at Jin Liwei.
Yu Mo: "Ahahaha!"
Lin Yehan's mouth twitched.
"Pft." Wang Yingjie's expressionless face cracked.
Jin Liwei scowled while Iris pouted. She threw a sullen look at Lu Zihao.
He winked at her.
After that, the atmosphere lightened up greatly. The brothers chatted. They decided to move on to other topics. Lin Yehan also returned to his usual gentle self, smiling once again at Iris.
Yu Mo asked Lu Zihao about the smooth joint lock move he executed earlier. "That was so awesome, Fifth Bro! Where did you learn it?"
"Oh, that? I just randomly watched an online video showing that technique. Didn't know it'd be so effective," he replied nonchalantly.
Yu Mo: "What?! Are you for real?"
"Yeah."
The brothers continued to chat and the conversation revolved around martial arts techniques. All the brothers, except for Lu Zihao, were trained in martial arts. Yu Mo was, of course, a licensed Systema expert. Jin Liwei, Lin Yehan and Wang Yingjie were all karate black belters. Lin Yehan had a second-degree black belt, Jin Liwei third-degree, while Wang Yingjie surprisingly had a fifth-degree black belt. The three, however, weren't active practitioners anymore.
While they were talking, Iris began to feel unwell. She felt lightheaded and dizzy. It was becoming hard for her to breathe. Her head dropped heavily on Jin Liwei's shoulder.
"Baby?" He looked down and touched her in concern. She was pale, cold and sweating profusely.
Her only response was a soft groan.
Jin Liwei began to panic. "Second Brother!"
Wang Yingjie stood up and quickly walked over to them. "Fourth Brother, get my medical bag from my car."
Yu Mo immediately ran out.
Iris was still conscious but she already lost awareness of her surroundings.
When her eyes started to roll back in her head, Jin Liwei went into full panic mode.
"No no no. Not again. Baby, stay awake! Answer me!"
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Chapter 210 - Face The Phantoms
Everyone started crowding around Iris. Jin Liwei cradled her in his arms, repeatedly calling her name. Although her eyes were closed, she still appeared conscious. They could hear her soft whimpers. However, she was totally unresponsive to them.
"Third Brother, calm down. Lay her down on the couch," Wang Yingjie instructed.
Jin Liwei immediately obeyed.
"All of you, don't crowd too close. Let her breathe."
Wang Yingjie began instructing everyone on what to do.
Iris began mumbling something. They thought she was just speaking incoherently due to her condition. Nobody understood her except for Lu Zihao who was standing near. She was actually mumbling in Russian.
Lu Zihao's eyes darkened hearing her words.
Yu Mo finally returned with the medical bag. Wang Yingjie immediately went to work, taking out his medical instruments to examine Iris. First, he took out scissors and moved to cut Iris' shirt open.
Jin Liwei looked enraged and was about to snatch the scissors but Wang Yingjie calmly explained, "She needs to breathe."
Iris was wearing a long-sleeved body-hugging turtleneck shirt. It wasn't too tight but in her current condition, it was definitely restricting her breathing. Wang Yingjie cut the shirt open, including the bridge of her bra. It exposed her upper body, but the cups of her bra still covered her breasts.
"Don't look!" Jin Liwei barked at everyone. He could tolerate Wang Yingjie because he was a professional doctor but not the others.
Lin Yehan, Yu Mo and the servants quickly looked away. Lu Zihao, however, continued to look. His eyes looked unfathomable. Fortunately, Jin Liwei was too preoccupied with Iris to notice.
"Second Brother, will Xiulan be okay?" he asked. His distress was clear in his voice.
Wang Yingjie didn't respond, concentrating on checking her blood pressure.
"She'll be fine," Lu Zihao suddenly said. "She needs to go through this. This is necessary or she won't be able to move forward."
Jin Liwei glared at him.
'What's he talking about?' everyone thought. However, nobody asked Lu Zihao to clarify what he meant. They were all too concerned about Iris to bother with him. They waited anxiously for Wang Yingjie's verdict.
"Her vitals are too low for my liking," Wang Yingjie finally said. "I don't think she's in any danger but I want her in the hospital to find out what's really happening to her. Let's go to my hospital. It's nearer here than the hospital Xiulan usually goes to. I'll contact Dr. Ching to let him know what happened to his patient. We're acquaintances."
Yu Mo ran out to prepare the car. Wang Yingjie rearranged his instruments back into his medical bag, continuing to instruct everyone on what to do. Jin Liwei covered Iris with a thick blanket provided by a maid and then carried her out to the car. Lu Zihao moved to follow them.
"Stay here with me, Fifth Brother," Lin Yehan stopped him. "Second Brother is with them. He's a doctor. Xiulan is in good hands."
"I'm going with them."
"Fifth Brother, your health isn't the best. You'll just get tired and stress yourself out if you go with them. Just stay here and rest."
"No, I'll go." Lu Zihao's tone was final. His usual easygoing self was nowhere to be seen. There was intensity in his expression that silently dared anyone to go against him.
Lin Yehan felt intimidated. He could only watch as his Fifth Brother followed the others outside into the waiting car.
###
Within the world of endless white mist, she sat frozen on the ground. Her eyes were wide in fear staring at the huge mirror in front of her. Behind her was nothing but endless whiteness, yet the reflection on the mirror showed the Vetrov estate during its final moments before their annihilation.
She wanted to run away but it was as if she was rooted in place, forced to watch the nightmare all over again. She closed her eyes, refusing to look any further.
"Why are you closing your eyes?" a beautiful voice asked.
Her eyes snapped open. The reflection on the mirror showed a woman in a white dress standing behind her. The woman's golden hair and emerald eyes were very familiar to her.
The image of past self, Evelina, gracefully knelt down and embraced her from behind. She rested her chin over her shoulder and pressed their cheeks together. Their reflections on the mirror showed two very different yet equally beautiful women.
One was her face from her past life while the other one was the face of Iris Long, her current self. Though at the moment, Iris' face looked pale and horrified.
There was actually nobody behind her. Everything was only in the reflection. However, she could feel the phantom embrace of her past self even if nobody was there.
"Even if you close your eyes, your past will still be there. It will never disappear. Our past will always exist," Evelina whispered.
"I am...Long Xiulan now," she managed to croak.
"Yes. But you are also Evelina."
The mirror started to waver and tremble. The images on the reflection started to seep out of the mirror over to her side.
"No!"
She wanted to run away but Evelina held her tightly, locking her in place.
"You can't run away from your past. And you definitely can't run away from yourself. Aren't you happy? Big Brother Nikolai is back."
She sobbed. Of course she was happy. She loved her big brother very much. However, she was also afraid. She wanted to start a new life as Iris Long, and that was what she had been doing ever since waking up in her new body. But now her Big Brother Nikolai turned out to be Lu Zihao, a very close person to her lover Jin Liwei. His existence alone was a strong connection to her past life.
"Why are you crying? Your big brother and lover are both with you. You are all together. Isn't it wonderful? You have the best of both worlds. You should be happy."
Best of both worlds? Past and present?
"No!" She didn't want it. She wanted the past to stay in the past and not interfere with her present. She didn't want to be caged again.
Evelina's expression instantly turned cold. Her embrace also tightened until she gasped in pain.
"Just because you're Long Xiulan now doesn't mean that you were born as her. Don't forget who you are. You're Evelina Armanovna Vetrova living inside Long Xiulan's body. You can try running away from your past, but you can never escape from who you are."
"I..."
"Why are you still afraid? So what if your past is intersecting with your present? You are not what happened to you. You are what you choose to become. You can never be free if you keep running away and being afraid. You can only be free if you accept your past and use it to live your present and create the future that you always dreamed of."
Iris conversed with her own phantom in this dream-like state. This place had no concept of time. She didn't know how long she had been in this world of endless white mist. All she knew was that she needed to face the phantoms of her past before she could leave this place.
The fear within her didn't disappear. It was still there, but she realized that as time passed, it didn't overwhelm her as much as before. She began to accept that her past life would always be a part of her. It was futile trying to run away from it.
While all of these were happening within herself, she had no idea that everyone was in a panic because of her.
By the time she was admitted to the hospital where Wang Yingjie worked, she already fell unconscious. An hour after being admitted, she began to suffer from high fever, alarming everyone. Despite this, she remained unconscious. Wang Yingjie and the other doctors managed to control her fever, but they still couldn't wake her up.
Later that night, Wang Yingjie pronounced Iris as comatose once again.
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