Chapter 291 - Different Paths
Shadow Winds Headquarters.
While Iris' halted showbiz career started taking off again with the now socially relevant film "Strong Yet Broken" and her soundtrack album, Lu Zihao was busy gathering power and resources for his group.
The authorities remained lenient towards the Shadow Winds, still considering them a vigilante group. Although they were already starting to become warier of the group, they hadn't become antagonistic yet. For now, at least.
Security in the Shadow Winds compound was tightened. Things inside became more organized, even starting to give off a militaristic feel. Not only was the group growing in power as a whole, but each of the individual members were also growing stronger. Training took up most of their time.
Inside the control room, Lu Zihao was currently reviewing a failed mission and reprimanding the assigned team when the leader of his hacker team asked for permission to speak to him.
"What is it?" he asked.
The hacker looked around, feeling hesitant to speak about the matter in front of other people.
Lu Zihao understood. "Leave for now. I'll call you again later to continue our discussion," he instructed his subordinates.
When the two of them were the only ones left inside the room, the hacker handed him a tablet.
"Boss Hao, we finally found traces of the person writing the biography about the Vetrov family. He was moving from country to country in the Mediterranean. We first tracked him down in Spain, then in Morocco. From there, he moved through North Africa until we lost track of him somewhere in Egypt. It's very hard for us to pinpoint his exact locations. We can only track him down when he's in places where internet is available. Whenever he goes to rural areas, we completely lose track of him."
"He's being very careful." Lu Zihao's eyes narrowed as he viewed the investigation results of his hacker team on the tablet.
His team concluded that the person's identity must be fake. No matter how hard his hacker team tried, they couldn't dig through his fake background and uncover his real identity.
"We know that several powers are helping and protecting him," the hacker continued. "Some of them are from governments of different countries while others are from criminal groups. They are also the ones feeding information to him so that he can write the biography. We know that he's writing it under the orders of someone else but as to who, we have no leads yet at the moment."
Lu Zihao tapped the tablet screen. It showed a photo of a middle-aged white male who looked gentle and quite dignified. He didn't recognize the man. He examined the photo carefully, trying to find traces of plastic surgery.
If the man really had his looks altered, then his plastic surgeon did an excellent job. However, it might also be that this was the man's real appearance and that Lu Zihao had never met him before. If so, finding the real culprits of the Vetrovs' downfall and total annihilation would only become much more difficult.
"Boss Hao, it appears that this man is wealthy in his own right even without the assistance of the various powers protecting him. But since we already know that his current identity is fake, we can't determine the origins of his wealth. It also seems that he has other identities that he switches to when it's convenient. One of those identities is that of an American investigative journalist. This identity is probably the one he'll use when he publishes the biography. We're unsure of his true citizenship as the identity he was using before we lost track of him is that of a Spanish citizen."
Lu Zihao wasn't surprised. Fake identities were common in the Underworld. Even he had several ones in his past life as well.
"You mentioned that he has helpers from several governments. Are they authorized by their respective governments or are they acting independently?"
Helplessness flashed in the hacker's eyes before he was able to smooth out his expression. But of course Lu Zihao caught it. He already knew the answer before the hacker replied.
"Sorry, Boss Hao. My team and I are already doing our best, but our current skill levels are still not enough to dig and gather all the information that you need. Not to mention that there are a lot of major powers involved that we have to evade as well, so as not to let them track us back instead. We're not sure whether the helpers from the government are authorized or not."
"I see." Lu Zihao sighed. He had the urge to massage his temples but fought against it. He wouldn't show any signs of weakness in front of his own subordinates. "Anything else?"
"Uh..." The hacker hesitated.
"Spit it out."
"I think that all of these will be so much easier if we have Boss DrakonâI mean Miss Xiulan working together with us. Her skill levels are several leagues more superior than any of us in the hacker team combined. So...uhm...what I'm saying is that, uh, if Boss Hao can just ask Miss Xiulan toâ"
"Enough!"
The hacker immediately shut up. The boss' aura was too scary! Fortunately, Lu Zihao was able to control himself.
"Good job in gathering all of these information so far. Continue digging and updating me. You may go now."
"Yes, Boss Hao!"
The hacker was relieved to be dismissed. He immediately fled out of the room.
As for Lu Zihao, he sank in a contemplative silence alone in the room. He read through the information on the tablet once again but felt that it was far from enough. The progress of his team's investigations was too slow.
Perhaps his hacker subordinate was right. Maybe he should ask his little sister toâ
No!
'She's already happy living her second life. Her career is doing well and will only improve in the future. She's also newly engaged and will soon build her own family. I should support her happiness and not involve her in this dangerous business.'
His hands clenched into tight fists.
'Yes, it'll be faster if I ask for her help but I can do this without her. This second chance in life has given me plenty of time. Let's take this one step at a time. Even if it takes years or decades, I swear that I'll have revenge. And even if something happens to me, she has Jin Liwei to take care of her and protect her from danger. I don't have to worry about her much.'
A determined look flashed in his intense eyes.
"I have to do this alone," he murmured to himself.
The two siblings had chosen different paths from each other.
One was growing her wings and flying as high as she could to reach her dreams and happiness. If she failed, she could still stand up and try again. If she succeeded, virtually nothing would be impossible for her anymore. She could do whatever she wanted.
The other chained himself to the past and was trudging towards the dangerous and deadly pits of vengeance. If he continued at this rate, he would eventually reach a point of no return where success and failure no longer mattered. The end result would be the same either way. He would burn in the fires of hell.
Would their paths remain separate? Or would their paths meet up somewhere along the way?
The wheels of fate were slowly sealing the destiny of these two siblings. It would be up to them whether to follow this destiny or fight against it.
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Chapter 292 Boss Iris VS - Prince Lin Lin
The elevated status of "Strong Yet Broken" to a socially relevant film improved its performance at the box office. The longer it played at the cinemas, the more interest it garnered. LX Productions managed to negotiate with the theatres to extend its cinema run. Its viewership was only growing with each passing day.
Its sales trajectory was also the exact opposite of the other movies released at the same time, including the blockbusters. Compared to "Strong Yet Broken" which opened modestly, the others already reached their peaks within the first two weeks. Their ticket sales began gradually declining and many of them were already taken off the cinemas. On the contrary, the sales of "Strong Yet Broken" were increasing in a steady manner week after week.
There were also several talks among experts in the film industry of its eligibility to join various international film festivals. They thought that the film had a good chance of making it to the final selections.
This speculation was only reinforced when they heard that LX Productions rejected offers of an international release in foreign movie theatres at this time. It was because most film festivals didn't accept movies that had been released anywhere other than their country of origin. Since LX Productions was containing the film within the country for now, then perhaps they were really planning to join international film festivals next year.
As for Iris' soundtrack album, it held a comfortable number 2 position in the music charts. JJ wanted her to overtake the number 1 song held by the formidable duo of veteran singers, but it was proving to be difficult.
This only made it apparent that Iris Long still had a long way to go. Her music was high quality, but there were other musicians especially the veterans who could also produce quality music. If both sides had music of similar levels, then the winner would be decided by status and popularity.
Iris Long was only beginning to stabilize her music career, while the two veterans had already grown deep roots in the industry for decades. Their experiences and connections to the masses weren't something Iris could obtain in a short amount of time.
Although she couldn't obtain the top spot in the music charts this time, she wasn't bothered. The music charts rankings were only an afterthought to her. Besides, she thought that the number 1 song was really good as well.
The music charts this time lacked drama. There were no fierce competitions. The fans wanted some action and excitement but they could only be disappointed.
That was until one day, Jin Chonglin posted an official announcement on his blog. He wrote:
"The year is almost ending. My hiatus will also be ending soon. I am excited to announce that I will be coming back some time after the new calendar year with a new album. This album is extra special because I wrote all of the songs myself. It's partly a rediscovery of my core musical style and partly a reinvention of myself as an artist. You'll soon be able to meet a new Jin Chonglin and listen to my new album before Spring Festival. Please look forward to my comeback because I can't want to see you all again. I hope that you'll support my upcoming album titled 'Hey, It's Me'. See you soon!"
The post was shared and confirmed by Bright Summit and the record label producing Jin Chonglin's music.
As soon as it was posted, his army of fans went into frenzy. The anticipation only heightened when Jin Chonglin began releasing a music video teaser and promotional posters. His upcoming album trended online and even became the headlines in the entertainment news.
Many were already predicting that Jin Chonglin would slay the music charts once he made his comeback.
That was until JJ's record label released its own announcement on its website and social media pages. The announcement said:
"We are beyond excited to announce that Iris Long will be releasing a new single with the rock band Pandemonium. Iris is the sole songwriter. She created the song specifically to perform it with the talented Blaze, Eros, Night and Thunder of Pandemonium. What's more, Iris will also be the single's official co-producer together with Mr. JJ! Release date is scheduled some time after the new calendar year and before Spring Festival. Title is to be announced, but we guarantee that it's a song that will rock your world!"
Iris, JJ himself, the Pandemonium members and Bright Summit all shared the announcement to their own followers.
Needless to say, the Black Stars and the Pandemonium fans all went crazy with excitement. After Iris and Pandemonium's impromptu performance in "MusicFest Tonight" when Eros got injured, both their fans wanted them to perform together again. Although Iris and Pandemonium expressed their desire to work together, their fans didn't expect that it would happen so soon. This time, Eros would also get to perform together with Iris. His burns already recovered, although the marks could still be seen on his skin.
Finally, someone noticed an important detail in both the announcements.
"WAIT A MINUTE!!! Is it just me or did someone else notice that Lin Lin's album and Iris' single with Pandemonium will be debuting at around the same time? Is this intentional?"
"Oh sh*t, you're right! Ohohoho! This is war!"
"Our Prince Lin Lin made the announcement first, so it's obvious that Iris and Pandemonium are the ones who intentionally set their release date to compete against our prince! How audacious! It seems that Iris had become too full of herself when she beat Prince Lin Lin in the music charts before!"
"Hey, poster above! Don't you dare blame our Boss Iris! The one who made the announcement is JJ's record label! It should be JJ's fault! And besides, there's nothing wrong with our boss and Pandemonium releasing a song at the same time with Jin Chonglin. It's not like Jin Chonglin has the only right to release music during that time!"
"Did you really read the announcement? It says that Iris Long is the co-producer! It means that she has the same authority as JJ to decide the release date!"
"Why the hell are you all fighting? I, for one, am glad that Jin Chonglin and Iris (oh and Pandemonium too) are releasing music at the same time. Both are excellent musicians! This just means that we have more great music to enjoy. I also can't wait to see another fierce competition between them in the music charts! This is going to be so fun!"
"Jin Chonglin VS. Iris Long: Who will win?"
"No! Please don't fight against each other, Prince Lin Lin and Boss Iris! You two are meant for each other! Perfect together! #TeamLinRis #WeLoveLinRis #LinRisForever"
Before the actual album and single were even released, there was already a fierce rivalry between Jin Chonglin's army of fans and the combined forces of the Black Stars and the Pandemonium fans.
Fortunately, the competition between the fandoms was quite friendly and respectful. Of course there were some stray insults being thrown around, but they weren't considered overly offensive compared to the usual fandom wars.
This was because the Black Stars and Jin Chonglin's army of fans already felt a kinship to each other, especially after going through the difficult time together when Fan Luo's scandals rained down upon their Boss Iris and Prince Lin Lin.
All of them couldn't wait for the New Year to arrive.
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Chapter 293 - Competitive Spiri
When Iris first informed JJ that she wanted to collaborate with Pandemonium, JJ didn't like the idea. He thought that she should collaborate "up" with veteran musicians rather than "down" with newbies like Pandemonium.
"We can collaborate 'up' as you say, Mr. JJ, but later. I want to work with Pandemonium now. I already wrote a song for us," she told him.
When it came to music, she knew what she wanted and could be very stubborn when persuaded to change her mind.
"You brat! My advice is for your own good but you never listen to me! Hmph! Where's the song then? Let me listen to it!"
Iris played the demo tape.
As soon as JJ began listening, shock appeared on his face. He frowned and looked at Iris.
"What the hell is this?!"
She nonchalantly sipped tea instead of replying to him. Her calm expression was the total opposite of JJ's. She wanted her music to speak for itself. Just as she had confidence in the music she created, she also had confidence in JJ's ability to judge quality music.
Seeing that she was ignoring him, JJ harrumphed and continued to listen to the song. The frown never left his face. In fact, it only deepened after the song ended. He played the song again, listening more intently this time. In the end, he listened to the whole song a total of eight times before stopping.
He was frowning the entire time. His frown, however, wasn't because he was displeased but because he was bewildered.
"Dammit, brat! Tell me the truth, did you really compose this song?"
"Of course," Iris replied, tilting her head to the side and raising her eyebrow at what she thought was a stupid question. Of course she composed the song. Who else?
"This...I don't know how to categorize this kind of music," JJ mumbled. Although he was frowning, there was excitement in his eyes. "It's hardcore rock but more fluid and melodic...and at the same time, it's also classical music. What the hell is this? It's like you've combined pieces of heaven and hell and made a harmony out of such incompatible elements."
"I think it's the most appropriate song for a collaboration between me and Pandemonium given that we have very different musical backgrounds. I want to collaborate with them but I'm not comfortable releasing an entirely rock music under my name. And I'm sure that they also won't appreciate leaving rock aside to perform my classical-inspired style. So why not merge the two?"
JJ looked at her in amazed disbelief. "You make it sound so easy. I'm sure that there are other musicians in the world who have done this before, but I bet that nobody could do this as well as you do, brat. This is a highly technical piece that needs a lot of finesse in order to make the merging of the different styles as seamless as possible. I have no doubt that this is a breeze for you, but can those Pandemonium brats even perform this?"
"Not sure," Iris replied in a careless manner, shrugging her shoulders. Then she continued to sip her tea.
"You! If they can't do it, we still have time to find a more capable rock band."
"No, Mr. JJ. I wrote this song because I want to collaborate with Pandemonium. If I can't perform this song with them, then I won't release it."
"You brat!"
After ironing out the details, JJ was able to frighten the smaller record label handling Pandemonium's music into lending the rock band to his record label for this one-time collaboration with Iris Long. JJ's record label would be producing the single.
Iris was also adamant on being a co-producer this time. She wanted the title and the experience. Surprisingly, JJ didn't put up a fight against the idea. He allowed her because he knew that she was capable of the role.
As a result, he appointed himself as her mentor, showing her the ropes in becoming a music producer. After all, a music producer's job wasn't just limited to recording songs inside the music studio. Good producers also needed to have extensive connections within the music industry.
But before anything else, Pandemonium needed to learn the song first. When they first listened to it, their eyes blanked out for a few moments. Could they even play this?
"Senior, are you sure this is the song that you composed for us?" Blazed asked her.
"Yes."
Eros had a worried expression. He clenched and unclenched his hands. "This kind of lead guitar...I think it's beyond my current ability."
The quiet Night also looked worried. However, determination flashed in his eyes.
"Giving up?" she asked them.
"No!" Eros said in a hurry. "I said it's beyond my 'current' ability. I'll train hard. I'm sure that I'll be able to play this. F*ck! This song is amazing. I want to play! I will play it!"
Night nodded his agreement.
"Oh oh! Goddess Iris, let's start! Come on! I can't wait! I'm so stoked!" Thunder was already bouncing in excitement.
While they were learning the song, they were also training to improve their technical skills. Iris took it upon herself to coach the four. She was very strict and her standards were extremely high. The four band members trained almost every day. They had never worked so hard like this in improving their technical skills.
The four were already talented to begin with. Iris was pleased that they learned fast, especially Night. He only needed to be shown something once or twice.
Finally, it was time to start the recording sessions.
Eros would play lead guitar, Night the bass guitar, Thunder the drums. Iris would play the piano in addition to being the lead vocalists together with Blaze. They also hired other musicians to play the flute, violin and cello.
As usual during the recording sessions, Iris and JJ butted heads like two evil dragons. The arguments were even more intense this time because Iris had more authority as co-producer.
The poor Pandemonium members who never experienced working with these two stubborn perfectionists quailed and quaked every time Iris and JJ halted the recording to bare their fangs and claws to breathe fireâCOUGH COUGHâto argue with each other. They already expected that JJ would be scary based on his reputation in the music industry. What they didn't expect was that Iris would be scary as well.
While they were busy recording, Jin Chonglin's announcement of his comeback album reached their ears. JJ became excited and wanted to release the single around the same time as Jin Chonglin's album.
"Mr. JJ, we are NOT rushing the production of this single," Iris said, displeased at the idea. "There's only about a month left before Senior Jin Chonglin makes his comeback and releases his new album. With our current slow progress, we won't make it in time. I don't want to release substandard music just because we're chasing a deadline."
"And whose fault is it that we're so slow? Tell me, brat! If you'll just listen and follow my suggestions, we would've finished this song ages ago!"
"Please, Mr. JJ. Why are you blaming me when your suggestions don't make sense?"
"What did you say, brat?!"
Before the two could start arguing again, the usually quiet Night interrupted them.
"I know that a big part of the delay is because our skills aren't up to your high standards yet. I have no problem with that. In fact, I want to improve my skills to make this song as perfect as we can. But I'm going to side with Mr. JJ this time. I want to compete against someone like Senior Jin Chonglin."
Blaze: "I want to compete, too! Senior Iris, please make it possible!"
Eros: "Competing against Senior Jin Chonglin? Hmm. Sounds interesting. I'm in!"
Thunder: "Goddess Iris, please let's do it! Come on! I'm so stoked!"
JJ straightened his back and crossed his arms over his puffed out chest, while looking at Iris with a smug expression on his face.
Iris swept her cold eyes across the four band members. Blaze and Thunder shivered under her gaze, but Night and Eros looked back at her with determined eyes.
"Fine," she said, sighing. But before they could celebrate, she added, "We'll only release it that time IF I'm satisfied with it. If not, even if we have to renege on a promise, we'll have to delay the release until the song meets my standards."
"Hmph! Of course we're going to meet the deadline with a high-quality song! Listen to me, you rascals! This brat, your senior, is hard-headed so put in all of your effort to convince her even if you have to vomit blood to do so! We're going to beat the sh*t out of Jin Chonglin in the music charts!" JJ declared.
"Yeah!"
Everyone was pumped.
Iris may look disinterested, but her competitive spirit already began burning inside.
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Chapter 294 - The Chua Family
Light snow started to coat the city, as December welcomed another cold winter season. Malls, shops, restaurants and other commercial places began to have festive Christmas decorations. Shoppers swarmed the malls in droves, attracted by the Christmas-themed sales and limited edition products.
Both Iris and Jin Liwei didn't celebrate Christmas. In her past life as Evelina, Christmas was celebrated sometime in January. And even then, it wasn't a joyous family-oriented occasion. Her mother used it as an opportunity to review the organization's yearly performance.
Even now as Iris, she didn't think much of Christmas. It wasn't a public holiday in the country, so she planned on working as usual. JJ and the members of Pandemonium wanted to release the single next month, so she needed to whip them harder to finish it in time.
In addition to this, she also continued to study with Professor Kalisha Schwarz and Professor Hisakawa Akio who returned to the country just for her. Not to mention her business lessons with Grandpa Lu.
She was also preparing for the launch of her gaming company, Planet Monkey, with Hou Liang sometime next year. And also to finish preparations for when the Bauer siblings arrived from Germany to start working on her other company, Orchidia Beauty.
In short, she was very busy this December.
However, Dom begged her and Jin Liwei to decorate both the mansion and the penthouse for Christmas. She agreed, feeling a bit guilty of not allowing him to go home to the Philippines to celebrate Christmas and New Year with his family. She needed him because it was a very busy month.
Although Dom never complained, she knew that he must be feeling disappointed and missing his family. So she made a win-win decision for both of them.
"Dom, why don't you bring over your family here instead? You can celebrate Christmas and New Year here together."
For the first time ever, Dom was speechless. After the initial shock, he burst into tears. He continuously thanked Iris while sobbing in happiness.
In just a week, Dom's family arrived from the Philippines. Jin Liwei lent one of his private jets after hearing about the matter. Iris also lent her penthouse at Gold Heights Condominium to them. Dom was so overwhelmed by both of his bosses' kindness and generosity that he swore eternal loyalty to them and their descendants.
Dom temporarily moved out of the mansion to spend time with his family at the penthouse. Of course, he travelled back to the mansion every morning to continue his work as Iris' assistant.
The ones who arrived were his mother (the undisputed boss of the family), father, older sister and her husband and their two children, his other older sister and younger sister. It seemed that his aunts, uncles and numerous cousins also wanted to go but he and his mother shot them down because they didn't want to be seen as taking advantage of Iris and Jin Liwei's hospitality.
His mother told them that if they wanted to go, they should buy their own plane tickets and book their own hotel rooms. When his mother spoke, it was the end of discussion. Nobody dared to face against this terrifying mother dragon.
The family visited the mansion the next day to have dinner with Iris and Jin Liwei. They all thanked them, especially Iris, for being good to Dom and for being so generous to them. They also brought a lot of souvenirs from the Philippines.
Afterwards, they visited the main branch of the Cao family. The Chua family was the Filipino branch of the Caos. Dom's father was a distant cousin to Cao Guang, Long Tengfei's assistant.
Despite all the excitement with the arrival of Dom's family, Iris continued to work hard. Dom's twenty two-year old younger sister named Clover accompanied Dom and Iris while they worked. Clover's exuberant personality was very similar to her brother. She also started calling Iris boss and Jin Liwei sir boss. The siblings both fangirled over Iris and Jin Liwei.
24th of December.
Even though Iris and Jin Liwei wouldn't normally celebrate Christmas, they ordered a Christmas Eve dinner at the mansion for the Chua family. Little Jun, Jiang Ying Yue, Yi Mei and all the household staff from the penthouse came over to the mansion to celebrate with them. Meimei also came, immediately getting along with Dom's younger sister. The twins Dom and Meimei became triplets with the addition of Clover.
Iris invited her big brother Lu Zihao, but he declined saying that he was busy. She was disappointed but didn't force him to come.
The Christmas Eve dinner was prepared in cooperation of Jin Liwei's private chef, Iris' penthouse cook, Dom's mother and first older sister. The chef and the cook were in charge of the Chinese dishes, while Dom's mother and older sister cooked Filipino food.
Before dinner, Dom's father connected a home karaoke system they brought from the Philippines. Iris was very entertained by the family because they all sang with gusto. Even when their singing voices weren't all that pleasing to the ears, it was still fun watching them because of their enthusiasm. They seemed happy all the time.
"Boss, please sing. We want to hear you sing live," Clover begged Iris. She spoke in English so that her family members could understand.
The only ones in their family who were proficient in Mandarin were Dom, Clover and their father. That was why both Iris and Jin Liwei also spoke English to communicate with them.
"Alright."
Iris wasn't shy. She took the mic and then started singing a classic song in English. Jin Liwei whipped out his phone and started recording his baby girl on video.
When everyone heard the opening tune, all the Chuas cheered. They stood up and started sway-dancing to the music.
"Left a good job in the city
Workin' for the man ev'ry night and day..."
The beat started to change. The Chuas' booties also started shaking and their bodies shimmying. Meimei joined them, copying their dance movies. Even Little Jun started bouncing in delight as he danced with her new playmates, Dom's 10-year old niece and 2-year old nephew.
"Big wheel keep on turnin'
Proud Mary keep on burnin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river..."
Iris winked at her darling who was recording her, as she danced and continued to sing the catchy song. Her voice also became stronger and growlier, reaching high notes that sent the Chuas into frenzy. They acted as if they were in a concert.
Everyone gave a loud applause when the song ended. Iris gave her small private audience a fancy curtsy bow.
"The best version of 'Proud Mary' I've ever heard in my life!" Dom's father declared, giving two thumbs up to Iris.
"Thank you, Uncle Domingo," she replied.
After their fun karaoke session, they finally ate a hearty Christmas Eve dinner. It was in buffet style, so everyone enjoyed the food at the same time, including the penthouse and the mansion's household staff.
Everything was delicious. Jin Liwei and Meimei ate more than usual, liking the taste of authentic Filipino food. Iris had to watch her figure as a celebrity, so she only ate the same amount as usual.
Jin Liwei's butler and other household staff couldn't believe how much the mansion had changed ever since Iris came to live with their master. It was warmer and felt more like a place where a family lived. They also felt more appreciated as employees. Like right now, they never would've imagined that they would be eating and chatting with their master and mistress and their guests like equals.
During dinner, Iris asked about Dom's sisters. The youngest, Clover, was going to graduate with a Business Administration degree in a few months.
"Do you already know where you're going to work after you graduate?" Iris asked Clover.
"Not yet. I'm eyeing a few companies in the Philippines but the competition among new graduates is fierce. Only a small number of us will get hired."
"What do you think about working here instead? Or do you want to stay in the Philippines?"
Clover's eyes lit up. "Oh! I would love to work here! That's why I did my best to learn Mandarin."
"Good. Come work for me then, if you want. I plan on creating a beauty company in the near future. You can help me set it up," Iris told her.
"YES!"
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Chapter 295 - My Present For You
It wasn't only Clover who answered. All of the Chuas answered with a resounding yes, looking very excited.
Iris chuckled. "Alright then. It's decided. Dom, help your sister process her papers so that she can come here immediately after her graduation."
"Yes, boss!" Dom answered right away.
"Oh boss! Thank you so much!!!" Clover clutched her chest, as she was overcome with emotions.
Their mother, Reina Chua, burst into tears. "Miss Xiulaaaaaan! You're an angel sent from heaven to my family! Thank you soooo much! Wuwuwu! Please continue to be good to my son, ha. I'll also leave my youngest daughter in your care. Wuwuwu! Can I hug you?"
"Of course, Auntie." Iris smiled at the emotional madam.
Reina hugged Iris tightly while sobbing hard because of gratitude and happiness. Her husband, Domingo Chua, also had glistening eyes but didn't cry like his wife.
Afterwards, Iris asked about the other sisters. Dom's eldest sister, Marjorie, was a stay-at-home mom to her two children. Her husband was a real estate agent.
Jin Liwei looked interested after hearing that. He then began talking to Marjorie's husband, asking him about his work. Jin Liwei was thinking that it would be nice to buy a vacation home in the Philippines for him and his bride.
Dom's second older sister, Linda Chua, was a marketing professional working for a Filipino company. Iris wasn't saying anything now, but she planned on poaching this sister to open Orchidia Beauty's Filipino branch in the future.
Later after dinner, everyone exchanged Christmas presents. Iris and Jin Liwei were very generous and extravagant in their gifts. Both the penthouse and mansion household staff received not only gifts but also bonuses in their salaries as well.
Of course, the children got the most presents. Little Jun, Ice Cream, Popcorn and Dom's two-year old nephew looked delighted at first but quickly became bored after opening only a few presents. The cats especially were only interested in the wrappings and boxes. They abandoned their mountain of gifts to resume playing with each other instead. It was Dom's ten-year old niece who was old enough to feel excited at all the presents and continued to open hers.
The Christmas celebration drew to a close. The children fell asleep and soon the adults felt tired as well. Everyone stayed and slept over at the mansion.
Iris and Jin Liwei returned to their suite. Both looked excited because they each had their own surprises for each other.
Jin Liwei stopped before they could enter their bedroom.
"Wait, love. I haven't given my Christmas present for you yet."
Jin Liwei opened a drawer at the suite's lounge room and took out a thick envelope. Then he handed it to her.
She tilted her head to the side when she felt the weight of the envelope.
"Open it," he urged her.
She did. When she saw what was inside, she frowned, feeling confused. Then as she read on, her eyes widened and she gasped.
"Darling! Is this real?"
"En. Merry Christmas, love," he said. "You like it?"
"I... This is too much..."
The envelope contained a purchase of business agreement. Jin Liwei bought the entire company of Gold Heights Condominiums and named Iris as its sole owner. Meaning, Iris now owned several buildings and properties across the country.
"Nothing is too much when it comes to you," Jin Liwei told her. "You deserve this and more."
"But darlingâ"
"It's yours." His tone was final.
Iris tried to negotiate. "How about this? Let's be co-owners instead. Okay?"
Jin Liwei put on a pitiful expression. "I'm already busy running the top company in the country. But if you really want to dump more work on my poor exhausted shoulders, then of course I'll do my best to be a co-owner and run this company with you."
Alas, Iris didn't catch that her darling was just acting to make her accept his Christmas present for her. Even though her emotional range already widened by a lot in recent months, her naiveté would still kick in sometimes.
"Oh. I'm sorry. I was too selfish and didn't think about how busy you are. Alright. I accept this present. I'll do my best to run the company and make it more prosperous. Don't worry. I won't let your purchase go to waste. Thank you, darling," she said, hugging his waist.
He hugged her as well and kissed her head. He felt a little guilty for duping her but it was for a good cause.
"I'm sure you'll run it well. And you're welcome, love," he murmured.
"Mmn." Iris inhaled his masculine scent that she liked so much. Still hugging him, she looked up at his face. "Darling..."
"Hm? What is it?"
"It's my turn to give my Christmas present to you."
"Oh."
"Let's go to the bedroom," she whispered.
He raised an eyebrow at her suddenly sultry tone but followed her like a puppy as she pulled him to their bedroom.
When they entered inside, his eyes widened in surprise. Petals of red roses were all over the bed and the floor. Scented red candles burned on tall golden stands, casting a soft, romantic glow across the room. He turned to look at his baby girl, silently asking her with his eyes what was going on.
She smiled and then ran her fingers over his clothed chest. However, Jin Liwei still felt the heat from her light touch.
"I'm not giving you any normal gifts because you can buy all the material things you want. So I decided that I'll give you a special treat tonight instead."
He took a sharp inhale of breath, his eyes darkening with desire. But before he could wrap his arms around her and carry her to the waiting bed, she pushed him away and stepped back.
"Go shower first. I'll read through this purchase of business agreement while I wait for you to finish."
"Let's shower together," he said in a husky voice
"No, thanks. You go first," she insisted.
He groaned and was about to persuade her to join him in the bathroom, but she already sat on the chaise longue and began reading the documents. Ignored by her, he sighed and entered the bathroom alone. He showered as quickly as he could, excited about what was soon to happen.
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Chapter 296 - I Won't Run Away
After using the bathroom at the fastest speed possible, Jin Liwei returned to the bedroom. He was already primed and ready for action. With just a towel around his tight muscled waist to cover his already half-hard little brother down below, he strode over to his baby girl who was still reading the documents on the chaise longue.
His desire, however, still needed to wait. Iris placed the documents safely inside a drawer and headed to the bathroom for her turn. He pulled her arm.
"Love, it's okay if you don't shower," he said.
She frowned. "I sweated a lot during our karaoke session earlier. I want to shower."
Sighing, he let her go. "Okay. I'll wait for you here."
She nodded. Her eyes lingered all over his bare muscled chest.
He could feel her heavy gaze on his skin like a burning touch. But before he lost control of his desire, she turned around and disappeared inside the bathroom. He blew out a shaky breath, trying to calm himself.
He could hear the water running inside the bathroom. He started to pace around the room, glancing at the closed bathroom door now and then. The temptation to open it and join her under the shower was strong, but he controlled himself. This was her Christmas present for him. He shouldn't ruin it and just allow her to run the show tonight.
After what felt like forever, the bathroom door finally opened. His heart rate and breathing sped up in excitement. Iris came out wearing a fluffy bathrobe. She looked flushed from her steamy shower.
'So sexy,' he thought, feeling saliva pool inside his mouth at the sight of her.
He started walking towards her, but she raised a hand to stop him and shook her head. Her eyes dropped at the noticeable protrusion underneath the towel wrapped around his waist. She became even more flushed but still managed to tear her gaze away from his groin area.
"Wait for me. I'll be back quickly," she told him. Her voice sounded low and husky. Then she hurried to the walk-in closet before he could reply.
Fortunately, she wasn't gone for too long. She returned in a minute, still wearing her bathrobe. She held two of his own neckties.
His eyes narrowed at the objects in her hand, but he didn't say anything.
"Remove your towel and lie on the bed," she ordered.
There was no need for her to tell him twice. Of course he immediately obeyed his queen. The towel dropped to the floor covered by red rose petals. His erection sprang free, pointing and waving at her.
Her eyes darkened with desire at the sight, but she didn't move or say anything. She just stood there, waiting for him to climb on the bed.
When he was lying on his back on the centre of the bed, she followed and crawled beside him. Then she started tying both of his hands with his own neckties to the slits of the headboard.
"What are you doing?" he asked, although he already had an idea of what she was up to. His erection got harder just thinking about it.
"Preparing my Christmas present to you," she replied.
"Love, no need to tie me up. I'm already yours. I won't run away."
She pouted. "That's not it. I'm tying you up to keep you still. Whenever we make love, you're always the one in control. This time, just lie back there, enjoy and let me do all the work. Okay?"
"Oh." The corners of his lips lifted into a sexy smile. He stayed still like a good boy and let her tie him up. He was already panting in anticipation.
Iris finished tying both of his hands. They may look loose at first glance, but she was trained to tie excellent knots in her past life. Her darling wouldn't be able to remove the bindings as easily as he thought. She sat back and admired the sight of him.
"Ready?" she asked in a whisper.
He answered her with a groan.
While looking at each other deep in the eyes, she slowly untied her bathrobe and let it fall from her shoulders. Her milky-white skin glowed under the soft candlelight. She tossed the bathrobe to the floor.
Jin Liwei inhaled sharply at the sight of her nude body. No matter how many times he saw her naked, he only felt more desire for her.
She leaned down and started raining light kisses all over his face.
He moved his head, trying to catch her lips with his mouth but she pulled away. A deep growl sounded inside his throat.
"Darling, relax. Okay?"
His eyes looked wild and he was gritting his teeth, but still nodded.
Iris continued torturing him with her oh so light kisses. After his face, she moved down to his neck. Her kisses were still light, but she started sucking his skin.
A pleased expression appeared on Jin Liwei's face, as he watched his baby girl leaving several tiny red marks on him. Every time the old hickeys started to fade on his skin, she would make sure to make new ones. He was never without hickeys anymore.
Of course, it was the same with her. Although he couldn't leave his marks on visible parts of her body, the undersides of her breasts, her inner thighs, lower back and buttocks were all filled with hickeys. These were the only places that she allowed him to mark.
After marking him, Iris pressed her body on top of him and finally gave him an open-mouthed kiss. The skin-to-skin contact ignited the already burning fire of desire within him even more.
His hands automatically moved to embrace her, but they were stopped by the bindings. He had forgotten that she tied him up! He wanted to touch her so badly. He tugged hard at the bindings but was surprised that he couldn't escape. He tried again, harder this time, but the bindings were still secured around his wrists.
"Be good," she whispered to his ear.
"I want to touch you."
"I told you that this is your Christmas present. Just relax and enjoy. Okay?"
He growled loudly, looking like a hungry beast about to lose control. However, Iris looked at him straight in the eyes and stroked his hair and face.
"Alright." He forced his arms to relax. If he continued to struggle against his bindings, he might pull off their bed's entire headboard instead.
She kissed him again. Her hand move downwards and wrapped around his erection. She started stroking him. His hips started thrusting in time with her strokes. Releasing his mouth, she climbed off him and moved to take him inside her mouth.
As soon as the wet heat of her mouth enveloped his hot rod, Jin Liwei closed his eyes and moaned. It felt so good! He opened his eyes once again to watch her pleasuring him. They maintained eye contact while her head bobbed up and down.
"Love, I want to taste you too."
"Later. Let me pleasure you first."
"We can taste each other at the same time," he told her.
Her head tilted to the side, confused. "How?"
"Come here. No. The other way," he began instructing her. "Sit on me. Yes. Like this."
Iris finally understood. They had never tried this position before. She lowered her hips until her wet core touched his mouth. He immediately started eating her, sucking her wet quivering folds, and thrusting his tongue inside her slit.
She moaned, enjoying it for a few moments before leaning down to take his erection inside her mouth once again. And just like this, they pleasured each other with their mouths at the same time.
Iris was the first one to reach her climax. She stopped sucking him and started crying out in pleasure.
"Oh Liwei!"
She continued to pump his d*ck with her hand in a clumsy manner, even as she orgasmed on his face. Her eyes were tightly shut, her body stiffening and trembling.
Jin Liwei lapped her, savouring her sweet, musky taste.
When her body calmed down, she opened her eyes and saw his erection around her hand. She almost forgot! She immediately returned to pleasuring him with her mouth and hands until he shot his release. She pointed it to his abdomen, not really wanting to swallow.
She climbed off him and kissed him on the mouth again, tasting herself on him. They continued to kiss until she noticed that his little brother down below was standing up once again, ready for round two.
"I want to be inside you," he told her. His half-lidded eyes looked dark and feral.
"Mmn. Okay."
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Chapter 297 - Only For You
Iris left the still tied-up Jin Liwei on the bed and headed to the bathroom. She returned with a small wet towel and cleaned him up.
"Can you untie me now?" he asked.
"Not yet."
"Hah..." He closed his eyes, trying hard to calm his inner beast whose sole desire was to devour her completely and make her cry out in pleasure again and again for the entire night.
Seeing his inner struggle visible on his facial expressions, Iris contemplated on releasing him from his bindings. However, she stopped herself. If she did that, he would just take control like always.
Although she was calling this her Christmas present for him, it was actually more of a treat for her than for him. Well, both of them were enjoying it so no harm done. Besides, she would still allow him to do whatever he wanted with her but only later. For now, she liked the feeling of being in control of their lovemaking. She intended to savour this experience before she relinquished the reins to him later on.
She tossed the towel to the foot of the bed. Then she reached over to the bedside table, taking out a box of condoms from a drawer. The sound of tearing foil made Jin Liwei's erection twitch in anticipation. Iris sheathed him with the condom, and then climbed on top of him.
Holding his hot throbbing rod, she positioned it over her wet entrance. She first rubbed it all over her folds, making them pant. Then she began to lower herself. They both groaned when she slid all the way down, taking his entire length inside of her.
She looked at him with half-lidded eyes, as she began bouncing up and down on top of him.
His hands struggled against the bindings once again. He wanted to hold her hips and set a firm and deep rhythm that he liked. However, she wouldn't untie him. He could only grit his teeth and allow her slow, sensual pace.
She leaned over and began kissing him on the mouth, as she continued to move. His hips began thrusting up, trying to increase the pace. She didn't complain, even matching the new rhythm with her hips. She sat up once again, throwing her head back and kneading her own breasts.
"I want to see you," he said in a low, urgent tone.
She didn't understand. Wasn't he seeing her already?
"Lean back, love."
"Oh. Okay."
Using her hands to support her from behind, she leaned back. The position gave him a much better view of their connected bodies.
"Open your legs wider for me," he said. His eyes were looking straight at their glistening wet connection.
"You're such a pervert, Jin Liwei," she told him but still opened her legs wider as he requested.
"Only for you. You're the only one who can make me feel this way, the only one allowed to use me this way."
She smiled and bounced harder on top of him. He also thrust his hips up, setting a wild and hungry rhythm together with her.
The pleasure began to build and burn hotter within them. Their moans, harsh breathing, and the wet slapping sounds of their flesh only intensified their desire for each other.
"Ah sh*t, baby! You feel so good. Yes, love. Don't stop."
Iris felt like she was drowning in a lava of pleasure. She reached one hand between her thighs and began rubbing herself, feeling their connected bodies at the same time. The sensations only heightened, as Jin Liwei pounded upwards even faster.
She reached her climax with a scream. Jin Liwei's roar followed soon after as he also orgasmed while still inside her.
Iris flopped over him like a limp doll, releasing sexy cries from her throat. He twitched a couple more times inside her wet convulsing heat before his length slid out of her.
When their breathing and heart rate calmed down, Iris lifted her upper body and looked down at him. A satisfied expression was obvious on her face.
"Merry Christmas, darling."
He chuckled. "Thanks, love. Best Christmas ever."
"You liked it?"
"En."
A bright smile broke out of her face.
His breath caught inside his throat. She looked so beautiful. He was once again reminded how lucky he was to have her as his lover, his fiancée, his future wife.
"I love you so much," he told her with such a sincere tone that it went straight to her heart.
"I love you too, Jin Liwei," she replied before giving him a light, sweet kiss on the lips.
Then they just looked at each other's face, smiling like idiots.
"So...can you untie me now?"
"Oh. Right."
Finally, Jin Liwei was freed from his bindings. He held his two neckties, looking at them with affection. He folded them neatly and placed them on the bedside table like treasures. He planned on framing them later as a memento of this wonderful night.
Iris discarded the used condom for him and cleaned up the two of them with the wet towel. Her eyes widened as she noticed something starting to harden and stand up once again.
He smirked seeing her reaction.
"I'm not finished yet," he told her.
"I noticed."
He pulled her and flipped her on her back to the bed. Then he climbed on top of her.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and willingly gave him control for the next round.
For the rest of the night, the sounds of their lovemaking filled their bedroom. This was their first Christmas together, and it was surely an unforgettable one.
###
The calendar officially changed to a new year. Like Christmas, both Iris and Jin Liwei didn't normally place much importance on the December 31-January 1 New Year, but the Chua family once again made the occasion special.
They celebrated New Year at the mansion with the same people as before when they celebrated Christmas a few nights earlier.
Iris once again tried inviting her big brother Lu Zihao. She was ecstatic when he finally accepted. Knowing that he was coming over, she instructed the household staff to make more delicious food.
The tripletsâDom, Meimei and Cloverâimmediately went into hyper fangirl mode when Lu Zihao arrived. They squealed and giggled, as if they were meeting their favourite idol in the flesh.
Lu Zihao flashed them his signature devilish smile when he noticed them ogling him. The three almost went crazy with excitement. Clover looked like she was going to faint. She thought that Jin Liwei was the most handsome man she had ever met, but she changed her mind upon seeing Lu Zihao.
Although Jin Liwei had the advantage in overall physical looks, Lu Zihao had a special charisma. He may look carefree and friendly at first, but there was a sense of danger in his aura. It was a very attractive combination.
The New Year celebration was once again very fun thanks to the Chua family. They were such a delightful group of people to be with. They seemed happy all the time. They were also very warm, loving and affectionate.
Dom's family stayed a couple more days after New Year before they prepared to return to the Philippines. Iris tried inviting them to extend their stay and celebrate Spring Festival a.k.a. the Lunar New Year with them. However, they declined with regret saying that they needed to return to work or school after the holiday season.
Iris was a little disappointed, but she didn't force them. It was already enough that they made Christmas and New Year special for her and Jin Liwei for the first time.
So the Chua family all flew back to the Philippines using Jin Liwei's private jet again. If everything went well, Clover would be returning in a few months after her graduation to work for Iris.
With them gone, Iris and Jin Liwei returned to their usual schedule. They both worked hard, especially Iris. Her single with Pandemonium was finally done. They also finished shooting the music video. She was just polishing it with JJ to make it better before they released it.
When Jin Chonglin announced the official release date of his album, JJ's record label followed suit. Of course, the release date of Iris' single with Pandemonium was also scheduled on the same exact day.
Now everyone was certain that Iris and Pandemonium wanted to directly compete against Jin Chonglin. Their fans escalated their rivalry against each other. Even though the combined forces of the Black Stars and the Pandemonium fans still couldn't compare to Jin Chonglin's large army of fans, they refused to back down.
Seeing the friendly fandom war online, Iris turned to Jin Liwei beside her.
"Darling, my music with Pandemonium is set to compete against your brother soon. JJ especially wants us to beat Brother Chonglin in the music charts. How are you feeling?" she asked him.
"Hm? Go beat him, love. I know you can do it. You're the best," he told her.
"But he's your own brother."
He shrugged. "He's a grown man. He can handle himself. Besides, you're my lover. I'm always on your side."
"You'll be accused of showing favouritism, you know," she told him, giggling.
"So what? I told you. You're the most important person to me now."
Once again, the couple spent a long time just staring at each other, smiling like idiots.
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Chapter 298 - Own The Stage Tonigh
Friday.
Another episode of "MusicFest Tonight" was about to be broadcast live in just a few hours. Exactly a week before the release of their new music, Jin Chonglin and Iris Long plus Pandemonium were all scheduled to perform this night.
As a result, the studio's audience was filled with almost all of their fans. Those who couldn't fit inside the studio waited patiently outside the TV station building, even though it was winter cold. They were declaring tonight's episode as a showdown between their Prince Lin Lin and Boss Iris plus their Pandemonium hubbies.
When Iris and Jin Chonglin learned about their fans' situation, it was as if they were of the same mind. They both ordered huge tents and portable heaters to be delivered in order to shelter their fans from the cold. Of course, Iris took care of the Pandemonium fans as well. She even went the extra mile and ordered some food and hot beverages to be delivered.
Jin Chonglin's army of fans watched the Black Stars and the Pandemonium fans in envy as they ate. The Black Stars weren't petty people, so they shared some of the food and drinks to them. The two separate groups intermingled and began to cross over the tents. It didn't look like a fandom war at all but a festival instead.
All of them were touched by the actions of their prince and boss, even though the two hadn't arrived at the location yet. The people among them shipping LinRis increased after this. Some even speculated that perhaps Jin Chonglin and Iris were together when they heard about their fans' situation because they acted almost at the same time.
Director He of "MusicFest Tonight" heard about the situation outside. Wanting the publicity, he ordered to have several big TV screens placed outside so that the fans could still watch the show.
Some hours later, "MusicFest Tonight" finally started broadcasting live.
Jin Chonglin was scheduled to be the finale performance, while Iris Long and Pandemonium would perform just before him.
Director He decided on this order because he was sure that the two would completely overshadow the other artists performing on tonight's show if they were to perform before anyone else.
As for the other artists, they felt more like opening acts for the main stars in a concert. They were already regretting having been scheduled to perform in the same episode as Jin Chonglin and Iris Long. It was obvious that most of the audience tonight were their fans and were waiting for the performances of these two.
###
The moment had come.
Iris and the members of Pandemonium were called for standby from their separate dressing rooms. They walked together with Tang Yiyi who looked excited and nervous at the same time. She knew that this performance was going to either make or break Pandemonium. She felt anxious because if the performance failed, Iris would also get dragged down with them.
"Don't worry, Big Sis Yiyi. We rehearsed this performance so many times until we puked. Besides, we have Senior Iris with us. She won't allow any of us to make mistakes," Blaze reassured their manager.
The other band members nodded in agreement.
Iris looked calm as always, even posing for Dom who was snapping photos of her. Some would be posted on her social media pages, while the majority would be sent to Jin Liwei.
They finally arrived backstage. To their surprise, Jin Chonglin was already standing there waiting for them. He was accompanied by his manager, Lin Dong. They greeted him because he was their senior at Bright Summit. Tang Yiyi and Lin Dong greeted each other with a nod.
"Sister Xiulan, didn't we already agree that you'll call me Brother Chonglin from now on instead of Senior? After all, we're already family," he said to Iris. His eyes roved in an admiring manner over her beautiful appearance.
"I understand, Brother Chonglin," she replied.
Lin Dong, Tang Yiyi and the Pandemonium boys all looked surprised and curious at how familiar the two were acting.
Although the boys wanted to know the relationship between the two, they didn't ask because it was none of their business. However, their eyes lit up at another part. So Xiulan was their Senior Iris' real name! So very fitting for such a beautiful woman.
As for Tang Yiyi, she intended to ask Iris about her relationship with Jin Chonglin later. Her eyes dropped at the diamond ring on her finger.
'Maybe her fiancé is...? No. Iris is straightforward and honest to a fault. She said that her fiancé is not from showbiz so it can't be Jin Chonglin. I'm just overthinking,' Tang Yiyi thought to herself.
Lin Dong was actually having similar thoughts as her. His eyes flitted back and forth between Jin Chonglin and Iris, suspicion clear in his eyes.
"Good luck, Sister Xiulan. And you too," Jin Chonglin told Iris and the Pandemonium boys. Then he gave them a confident smile. "You'll need it because I'm going to own the stage tonight."
Iris raised an eyebrow at his statement. "Thank you very much for your well wishes, Brother Chonglin. It's too bad that we're going to perform before you because people will be thinking of our performance instead when it's your turn."
The eyes of Lin Dong, Tang Yiyi and the Pandemonium boys all widened. They didn't expect for Iris to respond to Jin Chonglin's provocation. What was more, she even threw a more biting provocation back at him.
Even the staff and the other artists around them felt excited while watching the great stare-down between Iris and Jin Chonglin who were tonight's most important stars of the show. The competition between them was on fire!
"Ehehe."
Dom giggled quietly by himself and snapped a photo of the stare-down between the two. Then he sent it directly to Jin Liwei. The phone in his hand immediately rang.
"Aiya!" He yelped in surprise, almost dropping the phone to the floor. He picked up the call.
"Hello, sir boss? Okay, got it!" Dom turned to Iris. "Boss, it's sir boss! He wants to talk to you quickly."
Iris took the phone. "Hello, darling?"
Jin Chonglin narrowed his eyes when he heard her words, knowing already who was on the other end of the line.
"Yes, it's almost our turn... Oh. Brother Chonglin and I were just wishing each other good luck. Yes, of course. Thank you, darling... Hey! What are youâ"
Jin Chonglin snatched the phone from her, surprising not only Iris but also their managers and the others as well. What surprised them even more was that he began talking to who was obviously Iris' fiancé.
Lin Dong couldn't believe what was happening. Was Jin Chonglin crazy? Was he picking a fight with Iris' fiancé?
"Don't worry about your wife too much. I'm here. I'll take care of your wife in your steadâhuh? Hello? Hello, are you still there?" Jin Chonglin looked at the phone's display and scowled. "What the hell? He hung up on me? Am I still his broâhey!"
Iris snatched the phone back from him. Her cold eyes made him flinch a bit inside. The phone beeped. Her expression became gentle when she saw that it was a text message from Jin Liwei.
"You'll own the stage tonight, love. No one else can outshine you. I'll be watching you on TV and will be waiting for you to come home," he texted.
She sent a quick reply, giggling. Jin Chonglin rolled his eyes at the dog food being thrown at his face.
Finally, a staff member motioned for Iris and Pandemonium to get ready. Jin Chonglin stepped aside, ignoring the warning looks Lin Dong was giving him.
The countdown started.
Iris and the members of Pandemonium stepped onto the stage.
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Chapter 299 - Monster Of Insanity
"Performing this new single for the first time ever on television, please welcome Iris Long and Pandemonium singing 'Monster of Insanity!"
The audience all stood up and cheered like crazy when the hosts introduced the next act. They had been waiting for this moment. Finally, the first of the two most anticipated acts that night was about to start.
Although the stage was still covered in darkness, the Black Stars and the Pandemonium fans could already feel their boss and their hubbies' aura emanating from the front. At least, that was what they were imagining.
The lights turned on with a loud click, illuminating the stage.
Everyone gasped when they saw Iris Long wearing a beautiful black and purple ombré gown. Her dark and dramatic hair and make-up made her look like a stunning evil demonic queen. Her cold eyes swept across the audience, making them squeal and shiver in excitement.
The Pandemonium members were dressed like gorgeous and sinful vampires about to seduce mortals with their music. Even the musicians playing the flute, violin and cello looked striking in their dark outfits as well.
They hadn't started performing yet but some of their fans were already starting to feel faint. They cheered and clapped their hands with everything they had.
Iris slowly raised her index finger and pressed it over her blood-red lips, gesturing for everyone to be quiet.
Director He, the two hosts, the show's staff and the other artists watching backstage were all amazed when everyone was silenced by just a single action from Iris.
"What powerful charisma," Director He commented.
Iris lowered her finger and gave a lingering cold gaze to the audience before smoothly sitting in front of the grand piano at the centre of the stage. After positioning her hands over the piano keys, she closed her eyes and stopped moving. It was as if she froze into a beautiful statue.
The others were also frozen onstage, giving the audience a dark and alluring tableau of wickedly beautiful creatures.
Then Blaze suddenly opened his piercing eyes and swept his arms high up in the air. Thunder sharply beat the drums to match his action, making it more dramatic.
Silence once again.
Nervous anticipation and excitement made the audience tremble on their seats. Oh, they couldn't wait!
Blaze lowered his hands and wrapped them around the microphone and the mic stand. Then he began to sing in a whispering voice without music.
"I shout, oh I shout out loud
But nobody can hear my voice"
When he began to sing the next lines, Iris opened her eyes and her hands finally moved over the piano keys to play a mysterious melody.
"My words keep on drowning
Drowning in this sea of silence"
Then the beat changed. The drums suddenly upped the tempo for a short time, followed by a complicated opening riff from the lead guitar with the bass guitar adding texture. It transitioned to a mesmerizing piano melody, showing off Iris' swift fingers on the piano keys.
Both the guitars erupted now and then, yet they didn't overpower the piano. In fact, all the instruments harmonized in an unusually pleasing way. The violin and cello added another dimension towards the end of such a powerful opening.
The melody and tempo slowed down once again, making the listeners gasp in confusion. However, the thrill of the music boiled in their veins. What kind of music was this?
Blaze continued to sing in a stronger voice this time. Iris and the others played their instruments in a contrasting manner. It was light yet also foreboding at the same time.
"Demons in my mind, chaos in my heart
I lose control, oh I lose control
The world turns crimson
The darkness descends
I'm going insane, oh I'm going insane"
A haunting flute melody was like the call of the devil. The audience shivered until they were once again jolted by another change of tempo.
Iris sang next. Her voice was so sweet that it was the total opposite of the heavy music. Yet everything was oddly harmonizing. It should've sounded chaotic, but there was a seamless orderliness within the chaos of contrasting musicality in the song. It was so weird, yet very delightful.
"Cut me up, shoot me down
I'm a monster born from the heart
Your tainted love, your crazy love
Destroying me from deep inside
Save me, oh save me
I'm losing myself
I'm a monster created by love"
Blaze joined her and they sang together.
"Your love, oh your love
It's haunting me, it's turning me
Into a monster of insanity!"
The drums took over the music with Iris' piano providing the melody's undertone. Then to everyone's shock, the usually silent Night opened his mouth and began rapping. The original Pandemonium fans almost had a collective heart attack. What the hell?!
"Listen to me!
I cannot breathe
Your love is suffocating me
You think it's right but it's oh so wrong
Don't twist my words to hurt me more
I'm going crazy
I'm feeling dizzy
I still love you but I also hate you
You made me like this
I'm so insane
So drunk in love
There's no restraint
The rage inside is controlling me
It's a poison that's tainting me
It's like our world is made only of us
There's no one else allowed between us
You nurtured this monster inside of me
Our twisted love born from insanity!"
When Night finished rapping, the audience went crazy. So many panties got wet because of his shockingly amazing rap. But before they could even make sense of the situation, the melody changed yet again.
The drums slowed down and the classical instruments took over. Iris' fingers glided swiftly over the piano keys while the flute, violin and cello made the music soar. She began to sing, her voice so powerful and high that everyone got goosebumps.
"Take me away, oh take me away!
This sweet love, this poisonous love
It's killing me, oh killing me
Can someone hear me?
Can someone save me?
Oh that light, that glorious light
Is it salvation or just delusion?
Bathe me in the light
Cleanse me of this love
Oh, cleanse me of this tainted love
Ah ah ah~"
She punctuated it by singing in mind-blowing whistle notes. It sent the audience into frenzy. Everyone's minds went into hyper-drive. They couldn't think of anything else but the amazing performance in front of them. What the f*ck was going on with this performance?!
Then the seductive Eros stepped forward to the front of the stage for his guitar solo. More panties got wet (and also a lot of briefs and boxers). What was happening? Eros was playing so much better now compared to before his injury.
After the superb guitar solo, the melody and tempo reached crescendo. It was a brilliant harmony between heavy rock and classical music. Blaze finished up the song, almost shouting the lyrics yet still retaining the graceful melody.
"I'm a monster created by love
Your love, of your love
It's haunting me, it's turning me
Into a Monster, a Monster, a Monster of Insanity!!!"
The music abruptly ended.
One second. Two secâ
A deafening applause and cheers filled the entire studio and the tents outside the TV station building. Even the viewers watching the show at home couldn't help but join the studio audience in cheering for such a spectacular performance.
"I don't know what I just listened to but it's so freaking awesome!"
"Kyaaaah! Kyaaaaah! Kyaâ" This particular fan fainted in the middle of screaming.
Everyone chanted the names of Iris and all the members of Pandemonium. The situation was chaotic and insane. There was no order and the hosts couldn't find the chance to begin the after-performance interview.
Blaze helped Iris stand up from the piano bench like a knight, sending the fans into frenzy even more.
Iris faced the audience. Repeating her earlier actions before their performance, she swept her cold eyes across the audience. She slowly raised a finger and pressed it over her blood-red lips, gesturing for everyone to be quiet.
And just like before, everyone turned silent.
Director He laughed in delight, shaking his head in amazement.
Backstage, Jin Chonglin who was watching everything from the monitor closed his eyes. His hands clenched into tight fists. They trembled a bit. When he opened his eyes again, they looked dark and stormy.
His manager, Lin Dong, saw his reaction. Just like everyone else, he was also shocked beyond belief by Iris' performance with Pandemonium.
"What the hell is that song?" Lin Dong muttered under his breath.
Jin Chonglin gave a bitter smile. "F*ck. It's my turn next."
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Chapter 300 - Back To The Basics
Nobody really knew what kind of song Iris Long and Pandemonium were working on because unlike the usual pre-release promotions, they didn't release any music teasers. The people assumed that it was rock from the brief statement from JJ's record label. So it was quite a shock to hear such bizarre music from Iris Long and Pandemonium in this episode of "MusicFest Tonight".
For most of the people, it was the first time that they heard this kind of music. It was very strange yet oddly familiar at the same time. Although it was different, it fit Iris Long's musical style that she had been using ever since her first comeback. Dark and technically detailed but also soulful.
The after-performance interview started off with the hosts praising Iris Long and Pandemonium on their mind-blowing performance. Then they asked about the conception and development of the song.
"I wanted to work with Pandemonium, so I wrote a song that we could use for a collaboration. It was as simple as that," Iris answered in a straightforward, nonchalant manner.
Then all the members of Pandemonium shared their experiences working with her on the song.
Blaze: "The song was too hard that we couldn't record it right away. We needed to train first before we could even play it properly. Senior Iris helped improve our individual techniques. I've learned so much from her and my voice has definitely improved a lot ever since I started training with Senior."
Eros: "I actually had the most difficulty in keeping up with the song's advanced techniques. It's the first time that I realized how much a song can improve if the lead guitar pays more attention to every little detail of the entire song. Now I know that lead guitar doesn't mean to be the flashiest but to actually 'lead' and make sure that everything sounds good together. So I'm very thankful to Senior Iris for squeezing that into my brain."
Iris responded to their words with a smile.
The hosts turned to Night next. The female host looked especially interested in him. She was one of the many whose panties got wet while listening to Night rapping earlier. Her eyes sparkled as she asked him directly.
"I think that one of my most favourite parts of the performance is when you rapped. Night, you were so good! We didn't know that you can rap so well! How did this rap part come about? Were you assigned to do it since the beginning?"
Night looked at Iris first, silently asking if it was alright to answer the question. Iris nodded.
"No. The rap part wasn't actually part of the original song. It was only added later on," he replied. "Mr. JJ wanted to add a rap. He and Senior Iris argued a lot about it. In the end, Senior gave in to Mr. JJ when the majority of us voted to have the rap added. So she wrote it and made all of us try it out. In the end, she chose me to do it."
"I actually was almost chosen to do it! Made me so stoked!" Thunder interjected.
Blaze: "No way. Senior said that your rapping sounds too baby-ish for the song."
Everyone laughed when they heard that. Thunder pouted but wasn't offended at all. He even laughed with everyone else.
"Thunder is also a talented rapper. His tone just doesn't fit this particular song very well. With the right song, his rapping style will shine for sure," Iris said.
"Yay! Goddess Iris praised me! I'm so stoked!" Thunder bounced on the balls of his feet. He looked adorable while doing so. He was the type of guy that awakened the maternal instincts among females.
The interview ended after Iris and Pandemonium promoted their single "Monster of Insanity". The show went into a commercial break. Iris and the band members spent some time waving at their fans before returning backstage. They saw Jin Chonglin preparing for his turn.
"Great performance," he told them. "Magnificent song."
"Thank you, Brother Chonglin," Iris replied with a smile. "Do your best on your performance."
"Oh, I will."
Another great stare-down occurred between Iris and Jin Chonglin.
Finally, the commercial break ended and Jin Chonglin walked to the dimly lit stage for his performance.
Iris and the Pandemonium members stayed backstage to watch. She looked calm, but the band members looked nervous. They sided with JJ to release the song earlier in order to directly compete against Jin Chonglin.
Although Iris was the one exchanging provocations with Jin Chonglin, it wasn't actually her idea to compete with the big star. Blaze, Eros, Night and Thunder wanted to win against Jin Chonglin. However, they weren't praying for him to fail. On the contrary, they wanted him to perform his best. It was only right because they also did their best during their just finished performance.
Iris sat down and watched the show on the monitor. The hosts were still speaking to the audience, increasing the suspense for the finale performance. She couldn't wait to watch Jin Chonglin's performance. He was a talented artist who had great versatility.
It was just that in recent years, he focused a lot more on sexy R&B songs and hip hop. Based on the teasers he released for his new album, it seemed that the sexy element was either toned down or completely removed from his new music. He went back to the basics, obtaining inspiration from his own emotions rather than relying on his natural sex appeal like he had been doing so for the last few years.
"Back to the basics. The total opposite of our technically complicated and detail-oriented single. He's going to be a tough opponent," she murmured.
The Pandemonium members heard her. They straightened and became more focused. They looked straight at the monitor, not wanting to miss anything from the performance. Their hands were clenched tight.
Iris saw their reactions and chuckled.
"Why do you all look so nervous? Sit back and relax. Music is meant to be enjoyed. Don't ruin the music experience by thinking too much about it."
"You're right, Senior."
They forced themselves to relax. However, they still couldn't stop themselves from feeling nervous. They never could've imagined that one day they would be going against a big star like Jin Chonglin.
This only became possible because of Iris Long. They were telling the truth when they said that they were grateful to her during the interview. She not only gave them the opportunity to go head-to-head against someone as impressive as Jin Chonglin, but she also helped them improve their musical techniques.
"Thank you, Senior Iris," they told her.
She looked at them and smiled. At that exact time, the hosts finally ended the suspense and began introducing the much-awaited final act of the night.
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