Chapter 531 - The Guests Arrive Part I
The next day was chilly and overcast. Yet a massive number of people crowded around a big convention centre in the outskirts of the city. They endured the cold weather, refusing to leave even when the sky drizzled on and off since early morning.
Fortunately, this wasn't a busy area compared to the city centre. There wasn't much traffic either. The great crowd didn't inconvenience others except for the few residents and people working in the area. They were also generally peaceful and didn't create too much trouble. Despite this, the police still sent more officers to patrol around the convention centre's vicinity to make sure that the people obeyed the law.
The crowd was mostly made up of fans. They weren't a single fandom. All of these people came to support different celebrities. However, one group stood out from this sea of fans. Every single one of them wore black suits, looking very much like triad members and alarming some of the passersby into reporting them to the patrolling police officer nearby.
This particular group was already used to dealing with the police whenever they wore their iconic tuxedo suits together to support their boss. They didn't panic and stayed calm while explaining to the police that they were law-abiding citizens and not a violent triad group.
It happened so often that most of the city's police officers already recognized their group upon sight, even chatting with them like old friends. A few of the police officers even became part of the group and wore suits on their day off in order to support their beautiful boss.
The fans weren't the only ones making up the great crowd. There were also a lot of members from the media. Media trucks with well-known logos of their broadcasting news stations were parked around the convention centre. The reporters and the cameramen had already started scouting the area and interviewing the fans waiting outside.
When passersby saw the great crowd of fans and the media, they wondered what was happening.
"Which celebrity is having a concert at the convention centre today?" one of the passersby asked. "There are so many of you who came. It must be a famous celebrity."
"It's not a concert. It's launch for a beauty company," a fan replied.
"What? A company launch? What kind of company launch would garner this many people? I thought that it would either be a concert or a major sports event. But a company launch? This is nuts."
"It's for this new company called Orchidia Beauty. It's very popular right now in the beauty community. Almost all of the major social media influencers are raving about it, including some celebrities. Our Prince Lin LinâI mean Jin Chonglin even endorses it alongside Iris Long. It's because of the two that a lot of us fans came here today. We already confirmed that our Prince Lin Lin and Iris Long will be attending the launch later."
"Oh, I see. So that's why. I like their song 'Shining Eyes'. I also watch the drama. It's so good! Their song is still #1 in the music charts ever since it debuted which is super impressive. So all of you here are Iris Long and Jin Chonglin's fans?"
"Most of us are. But it's not only us. There are also other fan clubs who came. There are other celebrities who confirmed that they will be attending the launch later, so their fans came here today as well. Plus the social media influencers and other internet stars who were invited have their own followers. I think many of them are here too."
"Wow! Really? What kind of company is this Orchidia Beauty to be able to invite all of these celebrities? Is it really a new company? This is basically an all-stars event!"
"I know, right? That's why in addition to coming here today to support our favourite celebrities, we're also all very curious about the owner of Orchidia Beauty. They're keeping the owner's identity a secret for now. So mysterious! But we'll all know who it is later! I'm so excited!"
"My gosh, me too! Is it okay if I join your group? I want to stay here and see all the celebrities coming later."
"Sure! Come join us, new comrade!"
Scenes like this were common around the convention centre. It was still morning but the crowd of fans and onlookers kept on coming and growing.
More police officers were also called over to keep the crowd from going out of control. However, the police were paying more attention to the members of the media, preventing any of the daring reporters without press badges from sneaking inside the convention centre.
Orchidia Beauty invited the media long ago but only a few of them responded and confirmed their attendance. As a result, only very few of them were given official press badges. But after Iris and Jin Liwei's bombshell of an announcementâconfirming their relationship during the Sommet International Film Festival in Franceâalmost all the media outlets clamoured to attend the grand launch. Iris and Jin Liwei were hot trending topics in the country right now. So many people wanted to see them together and confirm their relationship with their own eyes.
Unfortunately, Orchidia Beauty only gave a few additional press badges after the original batch. The ones who didn't receive press badges complained, but Orchidia Beauty only apologized politely before giving the reason "limited space" for being unable to give more.
Whether this was true or not, they couldn't be certain. After all, it was them who snubbed the company's invitation first. They had no choice but to make do without the official press badges and find an effective way to cover the event outside the convention centre instead.
The ones who responded to the company's invitations were now thanking their good decision. At first, they planned on sending their newbie reporters who needed experience. They didn't think much about the new company at all. But now they decided to send their major star reporters to personally cover the grand launch party.
It wasn't only Iris Long, Jin Liwei and Jin Chonglin who would be the biggest attractions of the event. There were also many other celebrities and important figures who would be attending. The media had already confirmed that the leaked guest list was indeed authentic.
Morning. This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.
Then noon.
The weather wasn't the most pleasant today, but the great crowd didn't mind. They stayed put and chattered in excitement among themselves.
Finally, the grey and drizzly sky gradually cleared. The sun peeked through until it blazed in its full glory and splendour, pushing the thick clouds away. The chilly weather warmed up a little, making the crowd feel more comfortable.
Later in the afternoon, security was tightened at the main entrance of the convention centre. Once the place was cleared, the red carpet became visible. It looked glamorous and very similar to movie premiers and award shows. Was this really a company launch?
The fans and spectators arranged themselves behind the barricades. The media who didn't have official press badges were assigned their own section. Like the fans and spectators, they weren't allowed to step on the other side of the barricades to the red carpet itself.
Just before twilight, the first batch of guests started arriving. The temporary warmth from the sun earlier was now gone. It had become chilly again. Fortunately, the event organizers were thoughtful. Tarpaulin tents were set up over the barricade areas to shelter the crowd from the chill in the air. There were also heaters providing warmth to them.
The first guests who arrived were mostly beauty influencers. Many of them were very popular on the internet. A handful of them were considered internet superstars with mind-blowing number of followers far surpassing those of mainstream celebrities. A couple of them were so famous that their massive online fan base extended outside the country. They had loyal fans from different countries all over the world.
And these internet superstars were attending this new company's launch?
These beauty influencers were the ones who gave positive reviews to the Orchidia Beauty products sent to them as PR packages by the company during the summer. They liked the products so much that they raved about them even without getting financial payment. They couldn't wait for the company's official launch, so of course they would accept the invitation for today!
Their fans also crowded outside the convention centre. When these beauty influencers arrived, the loud screaming and shrieking started.
The main stars, Iris Long and the brothers Jin Liwei and Jin Chonglin hadn't arrived yet, but the excitement was already shooting through the roof.
Chapter 532 - The Guests Arrive Part II
After the beauty influencers, more guests started arriving. The shrieks and screams coming from the massive crowd of fans intensified.
Members of the Pandemonium band: Blaze, Eros, Night and Thunder.
"Kyaaaah! My husbands have arrived!"
"Charming as always, Blaze!" The debut release of this chapter happened at Ãøvâ¬l-B1n.
"OMG! Eros looks so sexy! My gosh! Someone catch me. I'm gonna faint!"
"Night! You're so cool, Night! I love you so much, Night!"
"Ah, I'm so stoked to see my cute Thunder! Baby, look here and come to Momma!"
So many panties got wet when these four hot guys arrived. Pandemonium had become one of the hottest rock bands in the country after their successful music collaboration with Iris Long. Their song, "Monster of Insanity", instantly achieved legendary status after Iris Long won a special technical award for composing it. The song was now their biggest hit in their career so far.
In addition, their individual skills had made significant improvements after collaborating with Iris Long. They became more meticulous in their techniques and music composition. Thanks to her Spartan training when they were working on "Monster of Insanity" back then, all Pandemonium members had evolved into better musicians. They would forever be grateful to her. She helped them become better versions of themselves.
Next, JJ and DJ Song also arrived on the red carpet.
Tang Yiyi and some Bright Summit higher-ups, including the entertainment company's big boss.
Director He and the two hosts of "MusicFest Tonight".
Feng Wan and her three friendsâSi Xinyue, Bai Li and Kung Mian.
Police officers personally escorted the four posh ladies because they considered Si Xinyue as their madam. She was their Police Chief's beloved wife after all.
Despite this VIP treatment, the four posh ladies acted poised and classy. They didn't make it a point to show off their police escorts. Not only was it not their characters to do so, but it would also reflect badly on Si Xinyue and her Police Chief husband. They didn't want the public to accuse the Police Chief of nepotism.
The Black Stars among the crowd recognized the four posh ladies as their fan club's PR Officers.
"MrsLovePhantom, you're so beautiful! OMG!"
"JJNumber1Fan, JJNumber2Fan, JJNumber3Fan! Please change your usernames! They suck!"
JJ, who was being interviewed by an entertainment reporter a few metres away on the red carpet, heard what this particular fan shouted. He scowled.
"What do you mean their usernames suck?! You don't know shit! They're the best usernames I've ever come across in my entire life!" After shouting at the fan, JJ turned to the four posh ladies and flashed his best smile. "Ladies, I approve of your usernames. No need to change them! This award-winning music producer is glad to meet you again."
Feng Wan's three friends became flustered after JJ talked directly to them. One of them even looked like she was about to faint. Indeed, these three ladies were all JJ's fans. Feng Wan and DJ Song could only smile helplessly at each other, as they each dragged their friends away from each other to prevent any embarrassing situation from occurring on such a highly publicized event as this.
JJ and DJ Song stayed on the red carpet for interviews, while the four posh ladies skipped the reporters. They weren't celebrities so they didn't bother granting any interviews, especially Feng Wan who preferred to live a low-profile life. It was only because of her adoration for Iris Long and her position in the Black Stars that she allowed herself to become visible to the public like this.
Next to arrive on the red carpet was the vivacious talk show host, Feng Jiu. It was on her talk show, "A Closer Look with Feng Jiu", that Iris Long first revealed that she was engaged to a mysterious man. Feng Jiu was also secretly the cousin of Madam Feng Wan. Both middle-aged ladies preferred to live low-profile lives.
Another luxury vehicle dropped off the next guests.
CEO Hou Liang (a.k.a. MonkeyFace and Emperor Monkey) and CFO Wu Chen (a.k.a. iEatSlippers and I Am Slipperlord) of Planet Monkey.
As soon as the Black Stars and the members of the Slippers Army saw the two, they all became excited. They became even more boisterous than when the four posh ladies appeared just moments ago.
Hou Liang and Wu Chen were, without a doubt, the two most famous members of the Black Stars right now. Wu Chen, as iEatSlippers and founder of the notorious troll group Slippers Army, was already online (in)famous in his own right before. But when it was revealed that the two were the CEO and CFO of the gaming company, Planet Monkey, the two instantly shot to fame.
The gamers among the crowd went crazy when they discovered that the top executives of Planet Monkey had arrived. It didn't matter whether they were members of the Black Stars or not, they idolized Hou Liang and Wu Chen.
Why?
Because their company, Planet Monkey, was the one that created their current most favourite game, "Supreme Ascension"! The computer game was only becoming more and more popular each month. In fact, it was now the #1 most popular computer game being played in internet cafés.
"Emperor Monkey! Please give us some game cheats!"
"The latest slipper attacks you released are so awesome and cool! My favourite is Slipper Bazooka!"
"Mine is Gatling Slipper! It's such a ridiculous-looking attack but actually very powerful! If you successfully combo the skill, it increases the chance of critical hits! And did you see it when I Am Slipperlord demonstrated the skill in the arena? It was so freaking funny! He sucked so badly! Ahahaha!"
Wu Chen scowled upon hearing the gamers trashtalking him. He was about to trashtalk them back and threaten them with his mighty slippers, but the quiet Hou Liang left him behind.
"Hey, bro! Wait for me!!!"
Unfortunately for Hou Liang, they couldn't escape the reporters' attention. The two of them had been featured on TV, magazines and newspapers repeatedly in the past few months ever since "Supreme Ascension" became a domestic hit.
While the two resigned themselves to the red carpet interviews, more guests arrived.
Yin Meixing with the other cast and crew of "Strong Yet Broken". Guan Jintao and his wife came with them.
As soon as the crowd saw Yin Meixing, they descended into another round of deafening screams and shrieks. Like Iris Long, Yin Meixing's fame and reputation skyrocketed after winning the Best Actress Award in the Sommet International Film Festival. She gained more fans. Her status within the acting industry also increased by several levels.
"Congratulations, Yin Meixing!"
"You look plain on screen but you're actually pretty in person! Yin Meixing, I'm a new fan!"
Hou Liang released a sigh of relief when Yin Meixing's arrival diverted the annoying reporters' attention away from him and Wu Chen.
More celebrities arrived on the red carpet. Most of them received Orchidia Beauty product samples from Iris when she worked with them. They liked the products and raved about them on their own blogs, websites, and social media pages. Some of them were managed by Tang Yiyi, so they were basically like Iris' siblings in Bright Summit.
All they knew was that Iris Long and Jin Chonglin were endorsers of this new company, Orchidia Beauty. They didn't know anything more than this. Who was the owner? They had no idea.
Chapter 533 - The Guests Arrive Part III
The screams and shrieks became even more deafening after the arrival of all the celebrities one after another. Everyone was so excited and caught up in the moment that they kept on screaming and shrieking even when they didn't have any idea who the next people arriving on the red carpet were.
Qiao Yu, Iris' financial manager.
"Kyaaaaaaaah!"
Lin Yehan and Yu Mo.
"More handsome guys! OMG!"
Long Tengfei, Yang Jiahui and Meimei.
"Aaaaaaah! It's Boss Iris' Father!"
"Comrades, Boss' family has come! Let's give them a warm welcome!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"
Grandma Li escorted by Wang Yingjie.
"Ah? Isn't that Dr. Wang? He was the doctor who performed my emergency surgery last year! Dr. Wang, thank you for saving my life...and you're so handsome!!! Kyaaaaaah!"
Huang Yuyan escorted by Jin Chonglin.
"He's here! Our Royal Prince has arrived!!! So handsome as always!!!"
"PRINCE LIN LIN, WE LOVE YOU!!!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
"Who's that pretty lady he's escorting?! Don't tell me they're dating! I'm gonna cry!"
"Dumbass! That's his mother!"
"Huh, what?!! No way! She looks so young!"
"Yeah, that's why the Jin brothers have such great genes! That pretty lady who looks young is Prince Lin Lin's mother. She's our Queen Mother! And the beautiful and elegant elder lady who walked before them and was escorted by that aloof man is Prince Lin Lin's grandmother. She's the Old Dowager Queen!"
As one of the main attractions of the event, Jin Chonglin spent a longer time on the red carpet interacting with the fans and reporters compared to the other celebrities who arrived before him. The fans and the reporters couldn't get enough of him. They didn't want to let him go.
He could use his superstar status to escape, of course, but why would he do that? First of all, he loved interacting with his fans like Iris Long. Second of all, he wouldn't be the big star that he was today without the support of the people. Spending extra time interacting with them was his way of showing his appreciation.
After asking about his endorsement for Orchidia Beauty, the grand launch itself, and his latest work, the reporters shifted to another topic.
"Jin Chonglin, what are your thoughts about the engagement between your brother and Iris Long?"
"I approve of it," he replied. "Junior Iris is a great match for my brother. They're too in sync with each other that it's unbelievable. All I can say is that they must be true soul mates."
The reporter turned to Huang Yuyan who was standing quietly beside her son. "How about you, Madam? What do you think about your son's engagement to Iris Long? Do you approve of her as your future daughter-in-law?"
Jin Chonglin's pleasant expression darkened and became sharp. The change wasn't too noticeable, but the reporter felt an aggressive aura coming from him all of a sudden. Jin Chonglin shifted his body a little and assumed a protective position around his mother. He was usually more than happy to grant interviews but that didn't extend to when reporters started bothering his family.
Huang Yuyan tightened her hold on her son's arm but a determined expression appeared on her face. She smiled warmly, albeit shyly.
"I agree with what my son Chonglin said. I also think that dear XiuâIris is perfect for my eldest son. So yes... I approve of their relationship and can't wait for them to marry. I'm looking forward for Iris to become my official daughter-in-law," she replied.
The reporters' eyes lit up after hearing her answer. It also caught the attention of the other reporters. It seemed that everyone was straining their ears to hear this particular interview despite all the noise on the red carpet and from the fans. The reporter was about to ask Huang Yuyan another question but Jin Chonglin blocked him.
"Thanks, bro," he said, flashing the reporter with his killer smile. He was already pulling his mother away. "Let's continue this next time."
In the end, Jin Chonglin wasn't able to completely escape from the media. He gave his brother's friend a meaningful look, prompting Wang Yingjie to take over escorting Huang Yuyan.
Wang Yingjie ended up escorting the two Jin Madams. Everyone wanted to hear the two Jin Madams' opinions on Jin Liwei and Iris Long's relationship. After saying that they approved of it, Wang Yingjie took the two madams away from the red carpet, ignoring the reporters' requests for more in-depth interviews.
The three left Jin Chonglin to deal with the media by himself. He was used to it, anyway. Then they entered the convention centre.
"This is Orchidia Beauty's official launch. Let's focus on that, shall we?" Jin Chonglin suggested to the reporters who kept on asking him about his brother and Iris.
He was interrupted by another wave of loud screaming and shrieking from the fans behind the barricades. He wondered who arrived on the red carpet to induce such excited reactions from the crowd. But before he could turn his head to see, he already knew who it was after hearing a familiar loud and booming voice.
A sprightly old man with a perfectly groomed white mustache walked the red carpet. His wise eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked at the banners bearing his grandson's name and image.
"Kyaaaaaaaaaah! It's Lu Zihao! OMG! That scar on his face is soooo sexy!"
"Hunter, oh Hunter! You're a predator and I'm your prey! Feel free to shoot me with your arrow of love! Kyaaaaaaaah!"
"Aaaaaah! I'm gonna faint! He's too HOT!!!"
Grandpa Lu burst into laughter, his voice boomed loud and clear, when he heard what the crowd was screaming.
"Bahahahaha! Listen to what they're saying, Haohao my boy! Bahahaha! These kids are too funny!"
Beside him, Lu Zihao maintained a roguish but neutral expression. A slight devilish smile lifted the corners of his mouth. At first glance, he appeared happy-go-lucky but his eyes were cold and sharp.
"Why are you not saying anything, boy?! What do you think about all of these people screaming for you? Is your head getting bigger? Are you getting full of yourself? I want to know!"
Lu Zihao ignored the old man's annoying questions and the noisy crowdâsuch a bother. Instead, he focused on scanning his surroundings and making sure that everything was safe before the arrival of his sister on the red carpet.
"Hmph! Your beloved grandpa won't allow you to become full of yourself! If your head becomes too big for your own good, this old man will smack your butt like when you were still a naughty little boy!" The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to N0v3l--B1n.
Lu Zihao inwardly rolled his eyes. He didn't notice that something warm, sweet and slightly sad filled him inside after hearing what the old man said.
"Grandpa, I don't care about them. I'm not like my little sister who's a celebrity," he said in a breezy tone.
"Good! Very good! That's my boy! You really are this old man's beloved baby grandson! Bahahaha!" Grandpa Lu "patted" his grandson's back.
The loud thumps made some of the surrounding people wince and look at Lu Zihao with worry. However, Lu Zihao remained unaffected as if the old man's heavy "pats" were nothing but feathers.
Chapter 534 - The Guests Arrive IV
As one of the founders of Jin Corporation, the current number one company in the country, many people were impressed and intimidated by Grandpa Lu. It wasn't surprising that the media also clamoured to interview him on the red carpet.
Lu Zihao attempted to escape the media attention, but Grandpa Lu pulled him back in a vice-like grip, preventing him from leaving him alone.
"You be a good boy, Haohao, and accompany your beloved grandpa!"
"Grandpa, I saw my brothers over there. They're with Grandmother Li and Aunt Yuyan. Let me say hello to them," Lu Zihao tried to reason with the old man.
"We'll say hi, hello, good evening, how are you and whatever to them later TOGETHER! Why are you trying to leave your poor old grandpa here alone? I want to know! Don't you know that this old man is already advanced in age and need to be assisted everywhere by my beloved grandson? Be a good, filial boy and stay!"
The reporters and the other people around them snickered while listening to the grandfather and grandson's conversation. Lu Zihao glanced at them with cold eyes. They stopped and looked away.
Lu Zihao could only sigh and stay with Grandpa Lu. If he insisted on leaving, the old man would most likely create a ruckus on the red carpet. Lu Zihao didn't want to be the centre of attention. It was already a big annoyance trying to avoid all the people screaming his name. There were so many celebrities that they could scream for, so why did they need to latch on to him? Such a bother.
When Grandpa Lu was sure that his grandson would be staying beside him, he nodded in satisfaction. Then he resumed his interview with the reporters. His "my pace" personality prevented the reporters from leading the direction of the interview.
Although it made it difficult for the reporters to get proper and meaningful answers from the old man, they couldn't feel annoyed because he was so entertaining. They could only resign themselves to being led around the nose by the old man for the entire duration of the interviews.
Next to arrive on the red carpet were Long Jinjing, her mother Sun Jingfei, and her best friend Chen Fei. The three women walked together.
The crowd and the media didn't recognize them. However, they became curious when the event's staff straightened their backs and hurried to welcome the three ladies. They were especially respectful to the two young women and even started saying something to them. It looked as if the staff members were reporting to the two young women.
Although the people were curious about them, they were more preoccupied ogling the handsomeness of both Jin Chonglin and Lu Zihao who were still on the red carpet.
As for Long Jinjing, her mother, and Chen Fei, they didn't bother waiting for the reporters to interview them. They headed straight inside the convention centre to check the venue.
They met with Meimei inside who was already munching on some refreshments available for the guests. Meimei was with Yang Jiahui and Long Tengfei, while Long Jinjing and Chen Fei were with Sun Jingfei.
The younger generation then realized why the atmosphere felt awkward all of a sudden.
"Hello, how have you been?"
"Hello, how are you?"
Yang Jiahui and Sun Jingfei greeted each other at the same time. After realizing what they did, the two ladies laughed. Their genuine laughter melted the awkwardness away.
Long Tengfei's expression eased a bit upon watching his past and present women chatting politely with each other. He was relieved that these two were kind and gentle, unlike the others.
Then a furrow formed between his brows, remembering that a certain someone was also invited in this event. He hoped that the woman wouldn't create a scene that would embarrass all of them.
Back to the red carpet outside, more lights were turned on as the sky grew darker. The sun was setting and on the verge of disappearing from the horizon to be replaced by the thin, dim moon.
A bunch of foreigners started arriving. The people didn't know who they were. Nevertheless, they were still impressed that so many foreigners were attending Orchidia Beauty's grand launch.
Alric and Alona Bauer.
Similar to when Long Jinjing and Chen Fei arrived a few moments ago, the staff members also personally welcomed the blonde siblings, acting respectful to them. It made the crowd and the media curious about their identities. However, the two headed straight inside the convention centre as well, not bothering to stop for interviews.
Next to arrive were more foreigners.
Amanpio Kileksy.
Florence O'Sevan.
Theresa Blipsburg.
AJ Zheneres.
Ashandra Knightson.
And Giulia Moretti.
The people didn't recognize most of the new foreign arrivals, but a few from the crowd and even on the red carpet managed to recognize Ashandra Knightson. They were art students, artists themselves, art enthusiasts, and art collectors.
"Holy shit! Are my eyes playing tricks on me or am I really seeing the current goddess of the art world right at this moment?"
"OMG! It's Ashandra Knightson! Kyaaaaah! What is she doing here?!"
"Ashandra, I'm a big fan! Wuwuwu! I can't believe I'm seeing my number one inspiration as an artist right now. I'm so happy..."
"What the?! I just bought one of her artworks in Italy a few days ago! I wasn't able to meet her then. I can't believe I'll have another chance to meet her in person tonight."
"Wow! Miss Knightson is actually attending this event? Despite being extremely popular in the art world, she actually has a reputation of being a recluse, preferring to focus on making art away from prying eyes instead of going around and promoting her works. She rarely shows herself to the public. Now I'm so curious about how Orchidia Beauty was able to invite such a big shot in the art world!"
Even if only a few recognized Ashandra Knightson, their obvious shock and excitement upon seeing her caught the attention of the people around them. Soon, word spread that a big-name artist was attending the event.
The reporters requested an interview from her.
"Miss Ashandra Knightson, we heard that you are a celebrated artist who have already won many important awards. What is a distinguished figure like you doing in an event like this?" a reporter asked in English.
"I still have a long way to go to reach the status of a 'distinguished figure' as you put it," Ashandra said with a pleasant smile, her voice low and mesmerizing. "As for why I'm attending this event... Of course, I'll attend. The owner of Orchidia Beauty is my friend. I would never miss such an important milestone in her business career."
"Oh! You're friends with the owner? Actually, we still have no idea who the owner of Orchidia Beauty is. Can you tell us?"
Ashandra chuckled but shook her head. "It's not my place to reveal it. Have patience. You'll know soon. Thank you. I'll be on my way. My companions are waiting for me."
She joined her group and greeted Grandpa Lu and Lu Zihao. Then they all headed inside the convention centre together. Their group was very eye-catching, making the people wonder how they knew each other, and most importantly, how they were all related to the mysterious owner of Orchidia Beauty. The debut release of this chapter happened at Ãøvâ¬l-B1n.
One question remained in the people's minds.
Who was the owner of Orchidia Beauty?
Chapter 535 - The Arrival
The sky had now turned completely dark. There were no visible stars. Only the dim crescent moon lit up the sky above.
It was cold and dark in the outskirts of the city. However, the area surrounding the convention centre was warm and bright. The crowd only kept growing and became more excited. They sweated, not feeling the chill in the air at all.
Moments later, someone arrived with much pomp and circumstance. A team of ten bodyguards alerted the people that a VVIP was about to appear. The event's staff also stood by, ready to greet the new arrival.
Then Wei Lan stepped out of the vehicle in a beautiful, sparkling, gold long dress. It was high-collared and sleeveless. She also wore a pair of white satin gloves that reached to her elbows. Her outfit made her look conservative compared to the kind of revealing dresses she typically wore before.
"It's Vizcondesa Lan!" someone shouted.
All attention fell on her.
She was almost unrecognizable by how elegant and classy she now looked. Seeing her like this, the people thought that she looked very much like a proper lady of nobility.
"Oooooh! It's Boss Iris' mother! Wow! I can really see the resemblance between them! Both mother and daughter look so beautiful and sophisticated!" The debut release of this chapter happened at Ãøvâ¬l-B1n.
The Black Stars cheered for Wei Lan, paying their respect to her as the mother of their boss, especially now that the two seemed to have repaired their relationship and had grown closer to each other.
Wei Lan waved at the people in a lady-like manner. Her security was eye-catching like when she attended the red carpet events at the Sommet International Film Festival in France.
Some thought that she was acting too full of herself, while the others looked impressed. Regardless of what these people thought of her, the person herself didn't care. All she cared about was maintaining her image as an elegant and classy viscountess.
The media couldn't wait to interview her. Wei Lan being revealed as a Spanish viscountess was one of the biggest bombshells dropped while in France, in addition to the relationship announcement of her one and only daughter to the President-CEO of Jin Corporation.
Wei Lan was having the time of her life being adored by a massive crowd like this. She also enjoyed the envious stares of some of the other guests on the red carpet. However, she didn't show her glee on her expression, maintaining her image of a viscountess instead.
While finishing up her interviews, the crowd went crazy all of a sudden. Wei Lan was frightened, thinking that there was a violent stampede in the crowd.
"What's happening?!" she panicked.
"Madam, please calm down. There's nothing wrong," one of her bodyguards told her in a low voice. "The people are just reacting to the next guests."
"Huh? Who are theyâ"
The crowd went even crazier. Their screams were so loud that the noise made it feel like the entire place was vibrating from the invisible sound waves.
Wei Lan turned her head. She wanted to know the people who were currently stealing her moment. Then she saw them.
Maestro Ludovico De Luca walked on the red carpet, looking very regal in his custom black suit. His greying hair and the bald spot on top of his head gave him a wise and honourable appearance. He looked kind yet intimidating at the same time.
Walking beside the maestro was Enrique Valdez. His electric hazel eyes, chiselled features, olive skin, and toned body made a lot of people almost hyperventilate regardless of gender. The man was just too gorgeous! Those who didn't know about his personal details would never believe that Enrique Valdez was already almost in his sixties with his youthful appearance.
The two walked together. Maestro De Luca's wife didn't come with him this time.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!"
"Enrique Valdez!!!"
"Maestro De Luca!!!"
"Am I dreaming?! Or am I dead?! Am I really seeing these two music legends in the flesh?!!!"
The crowd almost went insane with overexcitement. They kept screaming and shrieking. It was a good thing that the police was present or the crowd would have already gone out of control.
"Why are Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez here? Are they related to the owner of Orchidia Beauty as well? What kind of person is the owner to be able to gather all of these influential figures?"
"Aren't those two close to Iris Long? Maybe they're attending this event because Iris Long is one of the endorsers."
"No way. Coming to China just to support an endorser? I don't believe that even for a second. This event is for Orchidia Beauty, not for Iris Long. She's only the endorser. Why would the maestro and Enrique go all the trouble of travelling so far for Iris Long? I think it's more plausible that the two are related to the owner of Orchidia Beauty. Didn't you see that gorgeous foreign lady earlier? I heard that she's a super famous artist and that she's friends with the owner. Maybe Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez are the same."
"Yeah, you're right. I think that's more logical. If that's really true, then the owner of Orchidia Beauty must be someone very impressive, powerful and influential. How can a regular businessperson gather all of these VIPs in one event? I really can't wait for the big reveal tonight."
"Me too!"
The curiosity and anticipation for Orchidia Beauty's mysterious owner only grew stronger as the red carpet event reached its final stretch.
Maestro Ludovico De Luca and Enrique Valdez's arrival meant that everyone's attention was on them. The media was almost beside themselves trying to grab this rare opportunity of interviewing the two world-famous music legends.
The two granted short and brief interviews. It was mostly the maestro speaking. Enrique Valdez only needed to look with his gorgeous hazel eyes and the interviewers would immediately become tongue-tied and muddleheaded, unable to remember what the hell they were asking him.
The man knew full well the effect he had on other people, so he used his overpowering charisma to literally shut people up. It worked to his advantage because he wasn't the type of person to waste his words over meaningless chatter. He treasured his words as if they were more precious than gold.
Everyone was so preoccupied with the two music legends that nobody noticed the final vehicle arriving. A tall, handsome man and a beautiful woman stepped out of the vehicle onto the red carpet.
Seeing that nobody was paying attention to them, Iris was delighted. She chuckled, her voice sounding like tinkling crystal bells.
"Look, darling. No one knows that we've arrived. I think we could sneak inside and nobody would even notice. Clover is correct. There will be less attention on us if we arrive right after my two mentors. Clover is really capable. I should give her a raise. She's also becoming more used to the way we do business here in China. If she continues her excellent work, I can finally promote her for an executive position in Orchidia Beauty as early as next year."
Jin Liwei nodded. "The Chuas are good, hardworking and loyal people. We are lucky to have them."
"Yes."
Taking advantage of the current situation of nobody paying attention to them, Jin Liwei leaned forward and kissed his baby girl directly on her luscious lips.
But right at that moment...
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAH! It's CEO Jin and Boss Iris! They're kissing in public!!! KYAAAAAAAAH!!! How daring!!!"
Chapter 536 - Dangerous Path
After that one fan noticed the final arrivals, everyone turned their heads so fast that they almost broke their necks (okay, that was an exaggeration). Many of them caught the moment when Iris Long pulled her head away from Jin Liwei's kiss after realizing that they had now become the centre of everyone's attention.
She looked a little flustered and shy. On the other hand, Jin Liwei looked smug, like a cat who ate the canary, before arranging his face into his usual cold and indifferent expression. He might look like the usual emotionless Jin Liwei but the possessive arm he wrapped around Iris Long's tiny waist was anything but cold and indifferent.
The Black Stars immediately went into full cheering mode as soon as they saw their boss. They waved their special banners in the air and screamed for her at the top of their lungs.
"Boss Iris is here!!! The boss is here!"
"All hail the Emperor and the Empress!!!"
"Our mighty slippers welcome the boss!!!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! Boss Iris is so beautiful! CEO Jin is so handsome! Their babies are gonna be so CUTE!!! I can't freaking wait!!!"
Maestro Ludovico De Luca and Enrique Valdez were soon forgotten. Yes, they were music legends and huge superstars, but Iris Long and Jin Liwei were currently one of the hottest trending topics in the country. Everyone wanted to see and confirm with their own eyes if the two were really in a relationship.
The two music legends had no problem of having the people's attention diverted away from them, especially since it was because of their own student. It even made them proud.
"I heard that people still don't know that Xiulan is the owner of Orchidia Beauty. It's the biggest mystery of the night. Everyone will be so shocked after they learn the truth," Maestro De Luca whispered to his friend.
Enrique Valdez nodded. Then he paused, his expression showing deep thought. "She might be our music student, but she's also Jianhong's student in business. She learned how to effectively hype up her business from that wily old man."
Maestro De Luca laughed out loud. "Jianhong is one of the most shameless people I've ever met in my entire life but nobody can deny his ingenuity and that great devil luck of his when it comes to business. Xiulan is also becoming shameless in business but I think that's a good thing. It means that nobody will be able to take advantage of her. She also has Liam beside her. That young man is a formidable and reliable leader. He'll be able to help Xiulan stay on track when she becomes overenthusiastic in implementing all of her ideas at once. She has a tendency to do that."
"A common trait of geniuses," Enrique Valdez said.
"Ahahahaha! Very true. We're also guilty of it, especially when we were younger."
The two music legends glanced at Iris and Jin Liwei, smiling and waving at them, before heading inside the convention centre to join the others from Cross Academy.
As for Iris and Jin Liwei, they had no choice but to resign themselves to deal with everyone's attention. They started walking on the red carpet together with Jin Liwei keeping his arm around Iris' waist.
"It seems that Clover's plan to lessen the attention on us only worked for a few seconds," Iris whispered, sighing.
Jin Liwei didn't reply because he didn't mind the attention at all. He couldn't be any prouder walking together with his baby girl in front of all these thousands of people with more watching the livestreams online. Maybe there were already hundreds of thousands of viewers. Maybe even millions.
Iris was a little concerned about the two of them getting too much attention. She didn't want the two of them to overshadow her company tonight. This night was for Orchidia Beauty and their first batch of products. She wanted the people to focus on the business and the products rather than on her relationship with Jin Liwei, even for just tonight.
"Don't worry, love. It's still only the red carpet. Once you officially launch your company later, I'm sure that everyone will focus on it and your amazing products," he reassured her, squeezing her waist a little to comfort her.
She nodded. "Yes. You're right."
The camera flashes almost blinded the two of them as soon as they started posing. The cameras were even more numerous and intense than during the Sommet International Film Festival. All the media were focused on them. Almost everyone from the crowd behind the barricades were also taking photos of them.
Iris continued smiling, even though she couldn't see anything besides the bright, flashing lights. Jin Liwei looked like a god of ice beside her, his expression looking cold but not so indifferent this time.
He couldn't maintain the indifference in his expression, especially after hearing so many sons of bitches and motherfuckers shouting "Will you marry me?" to his baby girl. It was a good thing that one of his arms was wrapped around her waist because if it wasn't, he would've probably already stormed off to the crowd and beat the shit out of the bastards.
Feeling the slight murderous aura emanating from her darling, Iris looked at his face.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling uncomfortable? Do you want us to go inside now?" she asked.
Jin Liwei realized the direction of his thoughts and forcefully tamped down on the familiar green-eyed monster rearing its ugly head inside him again. He took several deep breaths before controlling his murderous aura.
"Don't worry about it, love. I'm okay. I know that you want to interact with your fans first so you should. We'll go inside after you're done," he told her.
She nodded, grateful for his understanding. Then she headed straight towards the crowd behind the barricades to greet her fans, the Black Stars.
Jin Liwei followed her, of course, in addition to the event's security which was actually made up of a mixture of his men and his Fifth Brother Lu Zihao's subordinates. It was both of their idea to use their own subordinates, instead of hiring unknown people from a security agency. This way, they would be able to ensure that each member of the security had top-notch skills and loyalty to them. Most importantly, they would be rest assured that their people would always prioritize Iris' safety over anyone else.
Ketchup had also taken over the area's surveillance and communication systems. She also already hijacked the police's communication system without their knowledge, increasing her monitoring capabilities even further.
Even a tiny mouse wouldn't be able to escape from the white cat's thorough detection. There was no way a person would slip past her, especially right now that Ketchup was in a bad mood because of being grounded for two weeks. As a result of not being able to entertain herself freely online, she developed a ruthless mindset in punishing anyone who dared to try slipping past her security systems at the event tonight.
"I will destroy anyone who dares ruin tonight's launch party. Mommy worked so hard for this. And if anyone tries to hurt Mommy and Daddy, I will hurt them a million timesâno, a billion times! Mreow!!!" Ã00vâ¬l--Ã1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
The white cat's glowing silver-green eyes developed a golden hue in the middle while her paws and the tip of her tail started to darken. Her cute expression also became fierce and feral. However, this only lasted for a couple of seconds before she reverted to the sweet and adorable Ketchup. Even the white cat wasn't completely aware of what happened to her.
Unbeknown to Iris, her cat AI and third baby had slipped into a dangerous path of evolution that night.
Chapter 537 - Reverberate Throughout The Country
Iris and Jin Liwei had no idea about what was happening to their third kitty baby. At the moment, the couple were busy dealing with everyone clamouring for their attention on the red carpet.
"Congratulations on your Best Soundtrack Award win in France, Boss Iris! You brought honour and pride to our country! The Black Stars are so proud of you!"
"Boss Iris, CEO Jin! You look so great together! Please tell us when you're going to marry! We want to support you with our mighty slippers!"
"Ah! So beautiful and handsome! What a heavenly couple! I can't wait until you make a cute baby bun together! I'm sure that your crown prince or princess will be so CUTE!!!"
Iris was signing autographs and taking photos with the Black Stars. Her face broke into a bright, breathtaking smile after hearing her fans' words of support.
"Thank you, everyone! Liwei and I appreciate all of your support," she told them.
Jin Liwei nodded.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! Boss Iris and CEO Jin thanked us!!!"
All of these were being livestreamed online. Many of the fans were livestreaming the event themselves using their phones to their own small number of followers. The media were also livestreaming online. They had more viewers. The most popular one even had millions watching at the moment.
Since the Orchidia Beauty launch was still technically considered a private event, it wasn't being broadcast on TV. So the media could only livestream it online.
###
There were many people watching the livestream. They had several choices of which to watch. Most of them chose the ones by the media because they were more professional compared to the fans' shaky amateur livestreams.
However, not all of the people watching were doing it with supportive hearts. It was the exact opposite. They were watching the event with black hearts filled with hatred and envy, wishing a tragedy to befall on Iris Long and the others.
Long Hui in his own residence at the Long ancestral residence.
His mother, Zheng Suyin, at the Zheng ancestral residence.
Almost all the members of the Long branch families, including the elders, Long Jufang and Long Meng. Long Jufang and the camp supporting Iris were excited. Opportunistic glints flashed in their eyes. In contrast, Long Meng and the camp supporting Long Hui all had gloomy expressions. There were already some who were wavering, ready to jump ships again and return to the camp supporting Iris.
Long Jian and his mother, Zhu Ning. He didn't stop his mother when she started throwing and wrecking things inside their house again. Zhu Ning went crazy with fury and envy when she watched Sun Jingfei walking the red carpet.
"That slut is a mistress! Why does she get to walk on the red carpet with that slut daughter of hers?!! Tengfei is also there! And that new wife of his! All those sluts!!! What are their qualifications to be invited in such an event?!!!" Zhu Ning screeched.
Long Jian also wanted to know.
When Wei Lan appeared on TV, looking poised and classy, very much like a viscountess, Zhu Ning totally snapped. The sounds of wreckage intensified inside their house.
"Why?! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!!!"
Zhu Ning was so overcome by envy and fury that she stiffened, eyes rolling to the back of her head, and then dropped to the ground unmoving. The debut release of this chapter happened at Ãøvâ¬l-B1n.
"Mother!"
Long Jian was scared out of his wits when his mother fainted. Later, an ambulance arrived and took them to the hospital.
In a condo unit, Rose Young and Jenny Tseng were drinking gin as they watched the livestream. The livestream caught the moment when Iris Long and Jin Liwei were kissing.
Rose's eyes turned red. She threw her glass to the floor where it shattered into several sharp pieces. Then she burst into tears.
"Big Brother Liwei, why are you kissing that dirty slut?!! You belong to me!!! Please love me!!! LOVE ME!!! ONLY MEEEEEE!!! Die, Iris Long! You slut!!! Stay away from Big Brother Liwei!!! He's mine!!! ALL MINE!!! I'm gonna kill you!!!"
Throughout her meltdown, her friend Jenny Tseng was laughing.
"Ahahahaha! You're so funny, Rosie! Good thing we're friends because if we're not, I'm so gonna start hating on you. Your level of delusion is just out of this world. It's getting kinda annoying, you know. But since we're friends, you're okay! You're still so funny, though. Ahahaha!"
Rose grabbed her friend's glass and downed the gin.
"Hey! That's mine!"
"Shut up, Jenny," Rose muttered.
"Pft! Ahahaha!"
In Singapore, Rose Young's father, Romeo Young, was also watching the livestream. No emotions showed on his face. He watched Jin Liwei walk on the red carpet with the woman blocking all of his plans and his daughter's dreamsâIris Long. He grabbed his phone and called someone.
Back in China, Jin Chenggong returned to sit beside his wife in the living room. He just finished talking to Romeo Young on the phone. He was calmer now compared to yesterday when Jin Liwei cut off his branch family from the entire Jin clan. He looked like a man with a purpose.
"It looks like the main family has really accepted Iris Long to be the clan head's wife," his wife said.
Jin Chenggong snorted. "That woman bewitched everyone in the main family, like how she bewitched Jin Liwei to make him fall in love with her. Did you see her mother? Walking so pompously on the red carpet with so many bodyguards! So what if she has become a viscountess? In the end, she only obtained her status from seducing a man. Those mother and daughter are the same! Without the men they bewitched, they would be nobodies!"
Their disowned branch family wasn't the only one watching the livestream. The other Jin branch families were also watching.
They were saying that it was to support their second master, Jin Chonglin, because he was one of the new company's endorsers but that was a lie. They were watching because of Iris Long, their future Madam. There were a lot of them who didn't approve of her as their clan head's wife.
"She's not good enough," they said.
However, they didn't dare voice out their disapprovals, especially in front of Jin Liwei and the main family. They were afraid of being disowned like what happened to Jin Chenggong and his branch family.
In addition to all of these people, there were also others watching the event online.
Jin Corporation employees.
Almost everyone in high society.
People in the country's business world who were curious about CEO Jin Liwei's engagement to the celebrity Iris Long.
Upon seeing all of the influential figures walking the red carpet, they were all shocked, amazed and impressed by the guest list.
"We need to take note of this new company, Orchidia Beauty. Being able to gather all those impressive people...the owner is not a simple person," a company CEO said. "Good thing that we're not in the beauty industry. All the other beauty companies must be feeling very anxious right now. It seems like a new powerful rival has arrived to take a big chunk of their market shares."
It was a restless night for all of these people for different reasons. Orchidia Beauty might be an entirely new company, but it was already making a big splash which was reverberating throughout the entire country. All eyes were on the new company tonight.
Chapter 538 - Shameless Trickery
After posing for the cameras, interacting with the fans, and answering interview questions from the reporters on the red carpet, Iris and Jin Liwei finally headed inside the convention centre. Because they were the last people to arrive, their entrance to the convention centre would mark the end of the red carpet event.
"Iris Long! CEO Jin! Please stay a little longer!"
The people kept on requesting for them stay. In fact, the couple already went over their allotted time on the red carpet by a few minutes. They needed to leave soon, not wanting to be the reason for the grand launch to be delayed longer than necessary.
Iris waved a final time at the crowd before leaving the red carpet with Jin Liwei. However, she stopped when they reached the bottom of the steps leading to the convention centre's entrance. These particular steps were particularly steep and higher than usual.
"What's wrong, love?" Jin Liwei asked when she didn't move.
"Uh... Darling, my mermaid-style dress is too tight at the bottom. I don't think I'll be able to climb these steps without struggling." Iris sighed. "My designer and I didn't take these steps into consideration when designing this dress. It's my fault for not checking everything in the venue thoroughly."
"I see. Don't worry, love. It's no problem."
Then he bent down and lifted her up all of a sudden, carrying her up the steps princess-style. His movements were so quick and smooth that Iris wasn't able to react in time. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his shoulders to secure herself.
Everyone saw this scene. They all went wild.
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
"This is the most romantic scene ever!!!"
"CEO Jin literally swept Boss Iris off her feet!!!"
"Uwah! Too much dogfood! My single dog self is becoming diabetic...but I don't care!!! Gimme more! MORE!!! MOOOOOOOOOORE!!!!!"
The media captured the moment. They took countless photos, recorded it on video, and livestreamed the event.
###
Rose Young and Jenny Tseng were now drunk out of their minds. Rose was sobbing and cursing, while Jenny kept on laughing and giggling. They already ran out of gin, so they switched to champagne which was the only alcoholic drink left in the condo unit.
The friends were still watching the livestream on the big screen TV in the living room. This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.
When it showed Jin Liwei carrying Iris like a princess up the steps, Rose threw another glass to the floor. She howled like a demented beast, making Jenny cover her ears while still laughing everything in the world was funny.
"Damn you, Iris Long! Curse you, slut!"
Rose was too furious, too jealous and too drunk. Her face turned from red to purple. Then she dropped on the couch like a heavy log.
"Eh? Rosie?"
Despite her drunken state, Jenny Tseng was still able to function properly...or as proper as she could be. She crawled over to her friend who now lay unmoving on the couch.
"Rosie? Yoohoo~ Ahahaha! What the hell, Rosie? Did you really pass out? How lame! So funny! Ahahahaha!"
Jenny lasted a few minutes longer before passing out as well. But not before finishing the remaining champagne by herself.
###
The guests were either chatting or getting to know each other or both inside the grand hall where the official launch party was being held. Waiters and waitresses carrying an assortment of drinks and bite-sized snacks kept everyone from starving until it was time for dinner later.
Suddenly, an unbelievable sight appeared at the entrance. All heads turned towards that same direction.
Jin Liwei walked inside the grand hall carrying Iris Long in his arms, like a mighty prince carrying a beautiful princess he intended to marry. His gait was light and smooth, not looking strained at all, as if Iris Long only weighed like a bag or feathers.
"Oh! How romantic!" many women exclaimed, feeling envious of Iris Long.
"Bahahaha! That's my boy! So manlyâjust like ME! Right, Haohao my boy?! Bahahahaha!" a booming voice said in a mixture of delight, pride and amusement.
"What do you mean that my grandson is just like you? Hmph! My grandson took after MY husband, of course. A gentleman but also a passionate lover. Not like an old gorilla like you!" an elegant elder female voice retorted, pretending to sniff in disdain.
"What are you saying, you old hag? I want to know! I might not be a gentleman but I'm definitely more passionate than my brother, your husband!"
"You? Passionate? Shameless is more like it!"
"Bahahaha! That's very true, too!!!"
The people around Grandpa Lu and Grandma Li all chuckled, entertained by the two elders' banter. Even those who came from abroad still laughed, despite not understanding Mandarin. Just looking at their expressions was funny in itself.
As for the couple who showered everyone with dogfood just by their entrance, Jin Liwei continued to carry Iris while walking to the direction of their families and friends.
"Darling, we've already passed the steps. You can put me down now. I'll be fine and can walk on my own," Iris said.
"You're wearing high heels tonight. I saw that they're higher than usual. Let me carry you a little longer so that you won't tire and hurt your feet too soon," he replied with a straight face.
"Oh." Her eyes widened before warming in appreciation. "Thank you, darling. You're so thoughtful."
The corners of his lips curved upward, smug at himself. "En. No problem, love. Anytime."
Ah, poor Iris Long.
There were times that her denseness would still kick in, despite having developed her emotional range to an impressive degree compared to when she just woke up in this second life of hers. Whenever this happened, she would have no idea that her darling was already tricking her with his shamelessness. In fact, she would even fall in love with him deeper and harder because of his "thoughtfulness and concern" for her.
'My baby girl is too cute,' Jin Liwei would think to himself after tricking her, falling in love deeper and harder with her as well.
This was why Iris didn't protest when Jin Liwei carried her all the way to where Grandpa Lu, Grandma Li, Long Tengfei and the others were sitting together.
Chapter 539 - The Two Emcees
When the couple arrived to where their families and friends were sitting, Jin Liwei finally put his baby girl down on her feet. It was obvious that he was reluctant to let her down by the slowness of his movements.
"Darling, are you alright? Why are you moving so slowly? Are you in pain? Am I too heavy for you?" Iris, her denseness still activated, asked.
"Pft! Bahahaha! Xiulan my girl, your man just doesn't want to let you go, that's why! I bet that if he could, he would carry you for the entire night during this party!" Grandpa Lu's booming voice interrupted the couple's moment.
Iris tilted her head to the side after hearing what the old man said. "Really?" she asked her darling.
"I already told you. I'm just concerned that you'll tire and hurt your feet too soon," Jin Liwei said with straight face again.
Grandpa Lu almost choked on his own booming laughter. The others also watched the scene in amusement. They could all see Jin Liwei's shamelessness. It was only Iris who didn't realize her darling's shameless trickery yet.
Later, everyone was seated by their assigned tables. Wei Lan and Sun Jingfei were seated on separate tables away from Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui.
Long Tengfei, Yang Jiahui, Sun Jingfei, Meimei and Long Jinjing all felt nervous at first about Wei Lan. They were afraid that she would pick a fight with them and create a scene. But to their relief, she only gave them a polite smile before chatting with other people.
She wasn't exactly cordial with them, but at least she wasn't creating trouble that would embarrass all of them. Better to ignore than to fight.
They also didn't attempt to talk to her, afraid that they would trigger her. But if their eyes met, they would smile at each other. Wei Lan's smile didn't look genuine, but at least she was smiling and not snarling.
As for Wei Lan, she didn't dare create a ruckus tonight. Not only was she doing her best to maintain her elegant, classy and magnanimous viscountess image, but she also didn't want to piss off her daughter. Iris already warned her beforehand to behave, especially after revealing that Long Tengfei, Yang Jiahui and Sun Jingfei would be attending. Wei Lan was very unhappy and even demanded her daughter to uninvite those people but Iris didn't budge.
In the end, Wei Lan could only "endure" attending the grand launch with all those people. She didn't want to fight with her daughter and destroy their current relationship. Iris and Jin Liwei were very generous to the people close to them.
Wei Lan had been enjoying all the perks associated with being close to the couple. Like when Jin Liwei introduced her to one of the best real estate agents in the country so that she could start looking for a property for when her husband and stepson joined her in China after they finished their matters. Also when her daughter agreed to give her regular free samples on new Orchidia Beauty products before they were released in the market.
There were also many other perks aside from these. Wei Lan especially enjoyed Jin Liwei's generosity of lending his own subordinates to act as her bodyguards. Her husband, the viscount, was a very low-profile and down to earth person.
If he didn't whip out his own title, nobody would know that he was an actual viscount from a long line of Spanish nobility. He wasn't showy at all, including in his security details. It was his adopted son, René Alejandro, who provided them with bodyguards while they travelled to the most dangerous and poorest places in North Africa and South America last year. Most of the bodyguards were from the orphanages who were very good with hand-to-hand combat and other practical yet deadly martial arts.
When Wei Lan decided to return to China, René Alejandro didn't give her any bodyguards because he said that she didn't need them. She couldn't argue against him because her husband doted on his adopted son.
That was why Wei Lan enjoyed Jin Liwei's generosity in lending her his subordinates. Having a team of bodyguards protecting and following her whenever she went out in public made her feel more like a true viscountess. If she pissed off her daughter, Jin Liwei would surely side with Iris. Then he would stop lending her his subordinates.
Wei Lan didn't want to risk angering the couple and lose all the perks. More than this, however, she was also rather enjoying being a mother to a full-grown daughter. She also liked Jiang Ying Yue and Little Jun, experiencing great joy in dressing them up in fashionable clothes.
These were the reasons why she was acting so polite to Long Tengfei and his two other women.
'I'm sooooo magnanimous! Truly a great viscountess! The bestest forever and ever!' she praised herself after smiling politely at the three, even though all she wanted was to slap them all.
Wei Lan's thoughts were interrupted by the two emcees.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for coming tonight! Ehehehe. And welcome to Orchidia Beauty's official grand launch!"
Everyone clapped their hands and cheered.
"My name is Dominic Chua."
"And I'm Clover Chua! We're going to be your emcees tonight!"
The brother and sister looked fabulous tonight.
Dom wore a tailored three-piece tuxedo suit that Iris commissioned to be fully customized just for him. They used Jin Liwei's very own tailor.
Similarly, Clover looked pretty and glowing in her peach midi dress. All the female members of the girl squad had dresses made by the same designer as Iris. They all looked luxe and glamorous.
"I recognize that guy. He's Iris Long's assistant," one of the guests said. Dive into Stories, Embrace Enchantment: Nâ¡vεlB¡n.
"I knew it! So I was right. He really is Senior Iris' assistant. So that's why he looked so familiar."
These guests were Iris' fellow celebrities from Bright Summit, also managed by Tang Yiyi.
"That cute female emcee has the same surname as him. And they resemble each other a little. Maybe they're siblings. Or cousins."
"Yeah. Both of them should be Senior Iris' people. But why are her people acting as emcees in this event? Is Orchidia Beauty short on staff that they need to borrow Senior Iris' people?"
"That's what I want to know, too."
Although they had many questions, they had to stop, be quiet and listen because Dominic and Clover Chua began telling a story.
Chapter 540 - A Tale All The Way From MuniChapter
The two emcees, the brother and sister Dominic and Clover Chua, wore solemn expressions. But for some reason, they still looked entertaining. Where Stories Blossom: Nâ¡vεlB¡n.
"One day, there was a beautiful young woman who travelled to Munich, Germany," Dom began. "She visited the local street market and saw an interesting stall. The stall looked shabby and empty compared to the other stalls bustling with tourists. However, the beautiful young woman noticed that quite a number of local women were buying from that particular stall. It seemed that the stall targeted locals unlike the other stalls that aimed for tourists."
Clover smoothly continued her brother's tale. "The stall sold a variety of homemade liquids and creams in simple glass bottles and mason jars. The beautiful young woman also observed something intriguingâthe female seller and her customers all had smooth, bright and glowing skins. She became curious. 'Why are their skins so beautiful?' she asked herself. She made her way to the stall and started talking to the seller. Then she discovered another surprising fact."
"The productsâall the liquids, creams and lotionsâwere all homemade!" Dom exclaimed in excitement. The audience couldn't help but laugh, even if they didn't intend to. The siblings just had an effect on others, making them feel very entertained.
"What's more, they were all made with ONE HUNDRED PERCENT natural ingredients formulated through natural biological processes!" Clover exclaimed next, enunciating each syllable of "100%".
Dom: "The beautiful young woman bought one of everything right there and there, and then took the German seller's contact details."
The audience could discern by now that the tale was about the start of Orchidia Beauty. The beautiful woman in the two emcees' tale must be the founder and owner of the company. They looked around, trying to figure out if she was sitting among them. They were already curious about her identity before this but listening to the interesting tale, they became even more so.
Clover continued to hook the audience with the story. "The beautiful young woman returned to her hotel suite and used some of the products that very night. They felt very nice when applying, but she didn't really notice anything different."
Dom: "However! When she woke up the next morning, her skin became super-duper softâlike a baby's butt!"
Loud laughter and giggles erupted from the audience.
"Ehehehe." Dom couldn't help but break out of his serious storyteller persona to giggle as well but quickly became solemn again when his sister elbowed him hard.
"Be serious, Big Bro," she scolded him.
The audience laughed even harder seeing their antics.
Clover smiled at the audience, still maintaining her storyteller persona unlike her brother. "After learning of the amazing effects of the homemade skincare products, the beautiful young woman continued using them for a few days with more noticeable results. Then she decided that it was finally time to contact the seller."
Dom: "It turned out that the one who developed all the products was the seller's brother! Right then and there, the beautiful young woman offered to create a company with the amazing skincare products and make them available to consumers. The German sibling agreed. And thusâ"
"Orchidia Beauty was born!!!" Dom and Clover both exclaimed.
All the guests clapped their hands and cheered. It was very interesting to know how the currently hyped new company, Orchidia Beauty, was founded.
Dom: "Please welcome to the stage, Mr. Alric Bauer and his sister Miss Alona Bauer!!! Yay yay!"
The German siblings stood up from their seats beside the other foreigners (from Cross Academy but the other guests didn't know that...for now). The brother and sister headed to the stage amidst the loud applause.
Alona looked nervous but she was a naturally vivacious person. The excitement was clear in her eyes. Her brother, Alric, was silent and looked bored at first glance. But upon closer look, his eyes were also sparkling with excitement.
"Mr. Alric Bauer is the Chief Product Officer of Orchidia Beauty," Clover informed everyone. "He and his sister, Miss Alona Bauer, are the heads of the Product Development team of the company. This all basically means that Mr. Alric is the one who developed all the wonderful products that many of you have tried already and loved. He was also the one who singlehandedly created the homemade skincare products that his sister sold in the unassuming stall in the local street market back in Munich, Germany. Without him, there will be no products. And without the products, there will be no Orchidia Beauty!"
The audience couldn't help but stand up from their seats to give the German siblings, specifically Alric Bauer, a well-deserved standing ovation. What kind of dedication, hard work and passion did it take to develop such amazing products?
Alric nodded his head in thanks while Alona bowed to the audience. Her eyes were already teary.
The two emcees allowed the loud standing ovation to continue for a few more moments before they gestured for the audience to settle down and return to their seats.
"Next, please welcome to the stage Miss Long Jinjing!" Dom announced.
Long Jinjing stood up from beside her mother and walked to the stage. She was also wearing midi dress like Clover but hers was cherry blossom pink. Her outfit accentuated her pure and gentle image. She might not be as gorgeous as her sister Iris Long, but she was also good-looking and attractive in a more subdued way.
Upon seeing her, the audience started whispering among themselves.
"Hmmm... That's CEO Long Tengfei's daughter with a mistress. See that woman there? That's the mistress, the girl's mother. I don't know why they're here."
"I think the more important question is why is Long Jinjing, CEO Long Tengfei's daughter with a mistress, heading up the stage?"
"I heard that she graduated from business school with honours."
"Yes, she did. She and her friend who also came with her tonight graduated with honours.I know because my son also attends the same university. Those girls are my son's seniors."
"I heard that the two were supposed to work at Long Industries after they graduate. They already had job offers, but then they didn't go through with it in the end. It seemed that they accepted jobs in another company."
"Wait. Don't tell me they're working for Orchidia Beauty!"
"Oh my goodness. I think you're right! Don't tell me Long Jinjing is the beautiful young woman in Munich, Germany who founded Orchidia Beauty with those German siblings from the story just now!"
Long Jinjing had now reached the stage. Dom played the gentleman and helped her up.
"Careful, milady," he said in an elegant accent, even bowing to her with an exaggerated sweep of his arm.
"Dom." Long Jinjing pouted, her face turning red.
"Ehehehe."
"Fufufufu."
The brother and sister, Dom and Clover, were too mischievous!
Long Jinjing felt very nervous. She was sweating but forced herself to calm down. Her eyes found her mother in the audience who was smiling at her with pride and love. Seeing her mother and even her father's proud expressions gave her strength and courage.
"I'm so nervous, too. You're not the only one," Alona whispered to her in English.
"Thank you."
Clover raised the mic close to her mouth and announced:
"Miss Long Jinjing is Orchidia Beauty's Chief Financial Officer!"