Chapter 571 - Don't Ever Forge
"Fucking shit!!!" Zhu Ning shrieked and threw a bunch of tattered newspapers and magazines at the TV. "Iris Long! Iris Long! I always hear that little slut Iris Long, her fucking company Orchidia Shitty, and her big slut of a mother Wei Lan everywhere! I'm so fucking tired hearing about them!!! Fuck!!!"
Long Jian pressed his lips together into a thin line, trying to hide his distaste at his mother's coarse words. Instead of replying to her, he walked over instead, grabbed the remote control and turned off the TV.
"Hey! I was watching!" Zhu Ning complained.
"Try not to watch or read the news anymore, Mother. You'll only get upset at what you'll hear. Remember what the doctor said when you got hospitalized. You shouldn't stress yourself too much," he told her.
"Hmph!"
"Mother, about your concerns, don't worry about them. We were in a public setting during the party. The media was also present. I have to be on my best behaviour, even to Long Hui, Long Xiulan and Father's third wife. Not to mention that I'm currently the company's Deputy COO. I can't be rude to anyone or it'll reflect badly on the reputation I worked so hard to build in the company. Please understand, Mother. I had to act nice with them in public. It doesn't mean that I'm now close to them and replacing you."
His coaxing softened up Zhu Ning.
"Alright, son. Mother was just scared that I'll lose you. You're my pride and joy, my treasure."
"Yes, Mother. I know."
The atmosphere lightened after that. Long Jian was relieved. He was about to suggest that they go to sleep but his mother had other ideas.
"So that little slut Long Xiulan has been appointed as brand ambassador of Long Industries? Does that mean that she'll start joining the battle of succession? I know that she has a lot of supporters within the clanâstupid peopleâbut your Uncle Xiaopeng said that she has never bothered involving herself with clan matters," she said.
"Long Xiulan is just a brand ambassador, Mother. That position wields no power in the company. She's just basically a pretty face hired by us to endorse and make the company look good," he explained. "I don't know exactly what her plans are but if she really has ulterior motives about Long Industries, she's not going to succeed by holding a useless position. I would feel more threatened if she started at the bottom as an intern. Right now, I still think that Long Hui is the biggest threat. According to Uncle Xiaopeng, he's once again starting to stabilize his support system in the clan after he broke up with that bodyguard and got engaged with that plastic bimbo."
Zhu Ning nodded. "Yes, you're right. You're the smartest so you can see things more clearly than Mother. But you should still be careful of that little slut Long Xiulan. She's the daughter of that crafty old bitch Wei Lan. If she's really eyeing your father's seat as the next head of Long Industries, I'm sure that she has many disgusting tricks up her sleeves just like her mother. Don't let down your guard, son."
"I understand, Mother. I'll be careful."
"How's everything at work, son? I rarely see you. You've been so busy leaving for business trips. I've missed you!"
"Everything is going well, Mother. I've now earned the COO's full trust, so he entrusts me with a lot of important tasks, helping me build experience and reputation not only in the company but also in the country's business industry in general. That's why he's sending me to a lot of business trips to close deals and meet with important business clients...things like that."
Zhu Ning smiled and nodded, pride exuding from her every pore. "That's my son!" The initial instance of this chapter being available happened at N0v3l.Bin.
"Compared to my great performance, Long Hui is having a hard time regaining his footing in the company. Father has been noticeably cold towards him, perhaps because of the issue regarding the upcoming custody battle of his son with that bodyguard. The child is Father's first grandson after all, so it's understandable that he'll also feel affected by what's happening. They're still waiting for the court to release more information about when the custody battle will officially start."
"Hmph! Who cares about that child and that custody battle?" Zhu Ning rolled her eyes and waved a dismissive hand. "I just hope that the performance of that son of a bitch Long Hui continues to worsen, so that everyone will know that you're better than him and more deserving to succeed your father as the next head of Long Industries."
Long Jian made a sound of agreement before yawning. "Mother, I'm tired. I'm going to rest. You should, too. Remember that you have an appointment with the doctor next week. You need to take care of your health and not stress yourself too much."
"Alright, son. You're the only one who loves and cares about your mother. I'm so lucky to have an intelligent, responsible, reliable and filial son. Good night, son. Sleep well and rest. You've been working hard."
"Yes. Good night, Mother."
He started walking away but she called him back.
"Son."
"What is it, Mother?" he asked a little impatiently.
"Don't lose sight of our final goal," she reminded him. "You're going to succeed your father and become the next head of Long Industries and the clan. Don't ever forget it."
A furrow formed between his brows but he nodded. Then he headed upstairs to his bedroom, leaving his mother surrounded by the torn magazines and newspapers featuring Iris Long and Wei Lan.
Later, steam fogged up the glass walls as he relaxed his tense muscles under the hot shower. While washing himself, he thought about everything that happened during the inauguration party and his mother's outburst as soon as he came home.
If this was before, he would have been on the exact same wavelength as his mother, eyeing the seat of clan head and Long Industries with great hunger. But for some reason, he didn't feel like that anymore.
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Chapter 572 - Mindset Change
Long Jian still wanted to succeed his father and become the next head of Long Industries. It was what his mother stamped into his consciousness ever since he could remember. From his childhood to teenage years and young adulthood till he was transferred to the main headquarters of Long Industries earlier this year, he had been working hard for this one goal. His desire was as great as his mother's, like a hungry beast eyeing a big juicy meat. His mother's great hunger remained as ever. As for his hunger? It felt like it had lessened.
'I wonder when I started feeling this way,' he thought, lifting his head up to let the steaming water rain down on his face.
It was around the time he started working under the COO that things started to change for him. The COO was strict yet passionate about his work. Seeing Long Jian working hard and performing beyond what was required of him impressed the executive. The COO took Long Jian under his wing, constantly testing his limits by dumping difficult tasks on him. Long Jian completed everything the COO threw at him with flying colours. The older man became instrumental in Long Jian's promotion as Deputy COO.
By closely working with the COO almost everyday, Long Jian finally experienced something that he never had all those years ago as a childâthe presence of an active father figure in his life. The COO was very passionate in his work, yet was still able to balance it with his family life. Long Jian had been invited to dine at the COO's home. He had met the older man's familyâhis wife, adult children who all had their own successful careers, grandchildren, pets and other relatives.
Whenever Long Jian visited the COO's home, he was always amazed at its happy and warm atmosphere. It felt like a real family, a real home.
"They're so different from each other," he muttered under the hot shower, comparing the COO to his own father, Long Tengfei.
Both the COO and Long Tengfei were successful men in the business world, but why were their family lives so different from each other? One had a happy, complete and harmonious one while the other one had a severely broken and dysfunctional family (if it could still be called that) where wives, mistresses, children and the other branches were pitted against each other.
Yes, Long Tengfei cared about all of his children. He was generous in providing for them financial-wise and never batted his eyes about the eye-bulging costs of their education. However, he lacked in providing a constant presence in his children's lives, depriving them of a reliable father figure.
Compared to Long Tengfei's distant, hands-off paternal love, the COO's love was visible and tangible. Once the COO took Long Jian under his wing in the company, he treated him like a son, mentoring him not only about work but also about life in general. His words of wisdom gradually opened Long Jian's mind to a wider perspective outside his obsessed hunger to succeed his father as the next head of Long Industries.
As a result, Long Jian awakened his true passion in his work. Now he loved his work as Deputy COO. Truly loved it. It wasn't just a means to achieve the goal he shared with his mother anymore. This awakening of passion automatically made him perform even better at work, completely outshining Long Hui and his other peers in the company.
There were even some occasions that he would completely forget about his goal of competing against Long Hui, showing everyone that he was better and deserving to be their father's successor because he had become so engrossed in his work for the sheer love of it.
He turned off the shower but remained standing there for a few moments, as he was finally able to process the changes in his mindset.
"Long Tengfei is a pathetic excuse of a father." His low voice bounced in a subtle echo around the bathroom. Ãøvâ¬l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.
There was resentment inside him towards his father...but there was also pity.
"He wants all of his children to be peaceful." He sighed. "How? We weren't wired to do that. We were programmed to battle each other. It's too late."
###
About a week later, Long Jian was at the airport. He just returned from a quick two-day business trip in another far-away municipality.
He was often sent out on business trips to supervise official inspections, attend meetings and even close deals on his own. He was also quite a charismatic person, giving a positive impression to clients and partners. This was the reason why the COO liked sending him on important business trips in addition of trusting his ability to complete his assigned tasks.
The airport wasn't very busy at this time. He was able to exit quickly. His assistant picked him up. They were heading to the parking area when his assistant received a call. His assistant's expression changed all of a sudden and gave him a worried look.
"What's wrong?" Long Jian asked.
"Sir, your mother is in the police station right now."
"What?!" Long Jian was shocked. "What happened?!!"
He was about to grab the phone from his assistant when his eyes caught sight of one of the public TVs around the airport. It was playing the news.
His expression turned ugly as he watched his mother and Wei Lan fighting each otherâclawing, slapping, hitting, punching, kicking, and hair pullingâon TV.
The video recording was shaky but the audio was clear.
"You slut! Don't act all high and mighty in front of me just because you married a viscount! You're still the same slut like before!" Zhu Ning shrieked at the top of her lungs as she pulled Wei Lan's hair with all her might, refusing to let it go, even when several bodyguards and other people were trying to separate the two women.
The fight happened in a spa. Various eyewitnesses, mostly the spa employees and other customers, spoke to the media and described what really happened.
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Chapter 573 Wei Lan VS - Zhu Ning Part I
A few hours ago.
Wei Lan was scheduled for a facial at a new mall spa that she happened to notice while shopping. She had never been here before but it looked nice, so she wanted to try it, immediately scheduling an appointment. Due to her high exposure in the media recently, the spa employees recognized her in an instant. The estheticians fought for her. In the end, one won over the others.
Unfortunately, this esthetician assigned to take care of her experienced a family emergency on the day of the appointment and had to cancel at the last minute. All the other estheticians were fully booked that day, but the spa management didn't want to cancel Wei Lan's appointment because they already viewed her as the first VVIP of their establishment. They were afraid that if they cancelled her current appointment and tried to reschedule her, they wouldn't be able to keep her as a regular client. Thus, they decided to prioritize her and had another esthetician delay an appointment with her scheduled client in order to squeeze Wei Lan.
Unaware of the shady business going on behind the scenes, Wei Lan arrived at the spa for her appointment and strutted like the viscountess that she was. Everyone greeted her, making her feel extremely important and pleasing her to great heights.
"Good afternoon, Vizcondesa Lan," an esthetician greeted and introduced herself. "I'll be taking care of you today. Please follow me."
A big, charming smile broke out of Wei Lan's face. The esthetician, other spa employees and customers in the waiting area were dazed for a few seconds because her smile resembled her daughter, Iris Long. There was no doubt that Iris Long inherited a good portion of her beauty from Wei Lan.
After everyone started regaining their senses, Wei Lan followed the esthetician inside for her facial, not knowing that the young woman wasn't the one originally assigned to her.
A few minutes later, the esthetician's original client arrived.
It was Zhu Ning.
She was one of the spa's first clients ever since it opened, making her familiar with most of the employees.
"Good afternoon, Madam Ning," the receptionist greeted, trying to hide her panic.
"Hi. I'm ready for my facial," she replied and looked around, expecting to see her usual esthetician. She frowned when she didn't find the young woman.
"Uh...Madam Zhu, we have a slight problem today with your appointment," the receptionist said. "Your esthetician is currently unavailable."
"What?!" Zhu Ning's expression turned ugly.
"We sincerely apologize! I tried calling you many times but...." L1tLagoon witnessed the first publication of this chapter on Ãøvâ¬l--B1n.
"So you're telling ME that it's MY fault for not answering your call?" Zhu Ning's angry eyes was shooting invisible daggers at the poor receptionist, scaring the young woman.
"No! That's not the case at all, Madam Zhu," the receptionist said in a hurry.
Zhu Ning intimidated the poor receptionist a little bit more before snorting. "So? Tell me what happened."
The receptionist then made up a random excuse for the unavailable esthetician, not admitting that she was working on another client because it would surely infuriate the already frustrated Zhu Ning.
"If it's alright with Madam Zhu to wait around two hours, she'll manage to take care of you today. But if it's inconvenient to Madam, then we'll have to reschedule your appointment for another day."
"Just give me another esthetician," Zhu Ning said, a scowl on her face.
"I'm sorry, Madam Zhu, but all of our estheticians are booked today."
"What an unprofessional spa!"
Zhu Ning started complaining, insulting, and arguing with the receptionist, eventually reducing the poor young woman to tears. The manager and other staff were forced to make an appearance to comfort the receptionist and try to appease the raging Zhu Ning. However, Zhu Ning didn't stop. She refused to accept their explanations and offers, spending almost two hours making a ruckus. Even when the mall security was called, they still couldn't control Zhu Ning.
Everyone was now fed up with Zhu Ning. The commotion she was causing was affecting the spa's business. They weren't able to answer calls or cater to their other clients. Some of the arriving clients even left as soon as they saw the commotion, not bothering to check in at the reception desk.
"What in the world is happening out here? Why is it so noisy?" Wei Lan's voice sounded from the inner hallway until she finally appeared with a refreshed and dewy skin from the facial. Zhu Ning's original esthetician followed behind her.
As soon as Zhu Ning saw Wei Lan with her esthetician, she immediately made the connection as to why her appointment had to be cancelled. Her ugly expression turned even uglier.
"So it's you, slut! You're the one who caused this mess for me! How dare you steal my appointment and esthetician!"
Wei Lan was shocked to see a furious Zhu Ning shouting at her. She had no idea what was going on, only thinking that the crazy woman was unable to control herself upon seeing her as usual. If this was before, Wei Lan would have already shouted at Zhu Ning and fought with her, but now she controlled her temper.
'You're a viscountess now,' she told herself.
She lifted her chin and showed an uninterested expression. "I don't knooooow what you're talking about," she told Zhu Ning before ignoring her. Then she turned to the esthetician and the other spa employees. "Thaaaaaaank you for today. I need to go now. Goodbyyyyyyyye!"
"Goodbye, Vizcondesa Lan! Please come again," they told her in a fawning tone.
This exchange between Wei Lan and the employees in addition to being ignored infuriated Zhu Ning even more. She pounced and started attacking Wei Lan. The spa employees and the other clients tried to block her and protect Wei Lan. However, Zhu Ning was like an out of control, violent chimpanzee.
She grabbed the front of Wei Lan's dress, almost ripping it off of her body, all the while clawing, hitting and even kicking her. When Wei Lan's French twist hairdo came loose from the violent movements, Zhu Ning grabbed her hair and pulled hard.
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Chapter 574 Wei Lan VS - Zhu Ning Part II
Wei Lan yelped, feeling several locks of her hair come off of her head from Zhu Ning's violent claws. Her eyes flashed with pain, hatred and fury. Then she started retaliating at Zhu Ning, clawing and hitting and pulling hair as well.
Then she noticed that there was now a crowd of people by the spa's entrance. They were recording the altercation on video with their phones. Wei Lan gritted her teeth and stopped fighting, enduring Zhu Ning's violent attacks instead. There was no way she would let this crazy woman destroy the good reputation she had built up since returning to the country!
"Help! Heeeeeelp meeeee! This craaaaaazy woman is attacking meeeeee! She's going to kill meeeeeeee!" Wei Lan started crying and screaming in a pitiful manner. Nâ¡vεlB¡n: Unleashing Imagination, One Read at a Time.
A group of men wearing black suits rushed inside the spa. They were Jin Liwei's subordinates who were now working as Wei Lan's bodyguards. They didn't accompany her inside the spa because she told them that they didn't match the intimate and feminine ambience of the place. She instructed them to go walk around the mall and just wait for her call when she was ready to be picked up. This was the reason why it took them so long to respond to the commotion. They were at the mall's food court eating some snacks when they noticed a number of excited people heading to the same direction.
"Come, quick! Iris Long's mother is having a fight with another woman! Let's watch!"
"Dammit! Who dares bully Boss Iris' mom?!" someone roared before taking off his shoes and waving them in the air. "I'm gonna whack that witch with my mighty slippers!"
"Those are shoes, not slippers!"
"Shut up! Let's hurry! We gotta protect our boss' mom!"
"Yeah!"
The bodyguards became alarmed after overhearing what the people were saying. They immediately hurried to the spa and found that, indeed, Wei Lan was being beaten by a violent woman. They immediately rushed in to protect her, blocking her from the attacks.
"You slut!" Zhu Ning shrieked at the top of her lungs, pulling Wei Lan's hair with all her might, even as the bodyguards clamped around her wrists, trying to force her to let go. "Don't act all high and mighty in front of me just because you married a viscount! You're still the same slut like before!"
Wei Lan's first instinct to such offensive insults was to fight eye for an eye and tooth for tooth. Her own anger was quickly exceeding her self-restraint. It was taking everything she had not to claw Zhu Ning's eyes out with her red talons. Fortunately, part of her consciousness was focused on the growing crowd by the entrance.
"What did you say, you crazy hag?! How dare you spout such hateful words to our boss' mom?! Slipper cannon!"
A shoe was thrown but failed to hit Zhu Ning, bouncing on the floor instead. She didn't even notice that someone threw something at her. She was too busy attacking Wei Lan.
"Slipper bazooka!"
Another shoe was thrown. This time, it hit Zhu Ning's back.
"Which bastard threw a smelly shoe at me?!!" Zhu Ning shrieked, shooting a furious glare at the crowd.
"It's not me!" a barefooted man shouted. "I'm innocent! Stop spouting lies!"
"Yeah! I didn't see nor smelled any smelly shoe!" the barefooted man's friend supported him. "Maybe something is wrong with your eyes and nose!"
"And your brain, too!"
"What did you say?!!" Zhu Ning's fury was diverted from Wei Lan to the two trolls. She lunged at them but the mall's security immediately pulled the trolls out of the spa and blocked Zhu Ning, causing them to be scratched in the face by her.
Right at that moment, the barefooted man's phone began ringing.
"Oh, stars above
Oh, land of dreams
I failed but I'm still dreaming..."
Everyone present recognized the song, including Zhu Ning.
"Shut that damn phone off!"
However, the ringtone continued playing.
"No matter how far a black star falls
It's still a star that can glow again..."
Zhu Ning continued roaring and struggling against the mall's security guards. "Turn it off!!! I don't want to hear that little slut's song!!!"
The two Black Stars were members of the notorious online troll group Slippers Army. They were triggered by Zhu Ning's offensive words.
"Fuck! Bro, give me your slippers!" the barefooted man demanded his friend. "I'm gonna shove them down this dirty-mouthed hag's throat! How dare she say those things about our boss!"
"Wait a sec!" His friend actually began removing his shoes.
"Don't you dare take off those shoes! Move aside and let us handle this," the mall security warned them. "If you don't comply, we'll report you and turn you in for causing trouble when the police arrives."
The two Black Stars froze before giving a sheepish smile.
"Oh, ahahaha! Who's causing trouble? Not us! We're peace lovers!"
"Yeah! We follow the example of our boss and act with respect, dignity and elegance. Ahahaha... Don't mind us, please continue doing your job. We'll be on our way now. Bye!"
The two started retreating.
"Hey! Go get your shoes first," the security guard said.
"What shoes? I didn't wear any shoes today! Yeah! I came to the mall with no shoes on! That's the current fashion trend right now!"
"Yeah! It's called the 'I woke up with no shoes like this' trend! It's super popular right now! Buh-bye!"
After the two trolls were gone, frightened by the threat of being reported to the police, Zhu Ning returned inside the spa to attack and rage at Wei Lan once again.
"You mother and daughter are the same! Both of you are fame-hungry sluts! I'm going to scratch your faces off! Let's see if the people will still love you once the two of you become ugly!"
Wei Lan was well aware of the many phones recording them right now, so she maintained her calm poise mixed with a combination of frightened, pitiful and indignant expression.
"We never saw eye to eye since back then, Zhuuuuu Ning. But our conflict should remain only betweeeeeen the two of us. Don't draaaaaaag my daughter into our conflict! You can curse at meeeeee but I won't allow you to baaaaaadmouth my daughter!"
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Chapter 575 Wei Lan VS - Zhu Ning Part III
Wei Lan's words touched the people watching the altercation. They admired her maternal protectiveness towards her daughter, Iris Long. They cheered for her and threw disgusted glares at Zhu Ning.
"You damn fake bitch!" Zhu Ning screamed.
Her dirty mouth earned even harsher condemnation from the crowd.
Seeing the crowd going against her and siding with her mortal enemy, Zhu Ning went crazier with fury. She struggled even harder against the mall security guards, injuring some of them.
"I hate you! I hate you so much! I hope you die, Wei Lan you slut! Your daughter too! I hope you both die! The world will be a better place without a slut mother and daughter like the two of you! I'll kill you both!! KILL YOU!!!" L1tLagoon witnessed the first publication of this chapter on Ãøvâ¬l--B1n.
The crowd gasped hearing Zhu Ning's demented words.
Pak!
Wei Lan slapped Zhu Ning in the face.
"I can ignore you cursing me. I can ignore it! But cuuuuuursing this viscountess' daughter? Unfoooooorgivable!"
"BITCH!"
The various amateur livestreams of the fight had now become top trending. Online entertainment news website worked fast, releasing details and updates of the altercation as it was happening by being in direct correspondence with the eyewitnesses. Sensational headlines popped up all over the internet.
"Viscountess Wei Lan in a Public Fight with an Angry Spa Customer!"
"Wei Lan Beaten Black and Blue By an Anti-Fan!"
"Crazy Lady Threatens to Kill Iris Long and her Viscountess Mother!"
"Police Arrives and Drags Wei Lan's Attacker to Police Station!"
It didn't take long for some people to figure out the attacker's identity. Some netizens who knew her immediately commented and informed everyone.
"That crazy woman is Zhu Ning. She's CEO Long Tengfei's former mistress before he married Madam Wei Lan. Zhu Ning bore CEO Long a son who is Iris Long's older half-brother."
"Zhu Ning failed to marry Long Tengfei no matter how many times she tried seducing him to propose to her. But in the end, he still chose to marry Wei Lan, that's why Zhu Ning hates her very much. Wei Lan succeeded where she failed miserably!"
"Shameless woman! She's just a mistress! How dare she call the legal wife and daughter sluts?! Wei Lan might only be the second wife but at least she's still a legal wife, not like that shameless Zhu Ning who's just a mistress! Zhu Ning should look in the mirror before spouting such insults! She's the slut!"
The netizens condemned Zhu Ning's shameless and hypocritical behaviour. They were rankled by how she threatened to kill not only Wei Lan but also Iris Long. By this time, Iris Long was someone the general public was celebrating due to her great accomplishments since the year started. They took offense at Zhu Ning threatening such a talented and respectable young woman.
###
At the police station.
The place was surrounded by reporters, curious passersby and rumourmongers. Several police officers were mobilized to control the crowd and to keep them away from the police station.
Both Wei Lan and Zhu Ning were already inside. A few minutes later, Attorney Hong Shaoqiang arrived to represent Wei Lan. He was recognized by some of the reporters as Iris Long's lawyer. People were waiting if another lawyer would arrive to represent Zhu Ning. However, no such person came.
It wasn't that Zhu Ning didn't contact her lawyer. She did but he was unavailable. She tried calling her son to ask for help but couldn't contact him. Then she remembered that Long Jian should be on a flight back home at that moment. She called some of her friends, asking them to lend her a lawyer but they were taking a long time to respond to her request.
"I want to sue that sluâWei Lan for physical assault!!!" Zhu Ning announced inside the station while the police officers were taking testimonies from all sides, including the spa management and some key eyewitnesses from the mall. At least she remembered not to curse too much while in the presence of the police officers. Then she showed them her hands and arms. "Look at my bruises! I'm injured! All of these were because of that woman!"
Wei Lan crossed her arms and lifted her chin in an indignant manner. "You got those bruises because you keeeeeep on beating me up! It's not myyyyy fault! Mr. Police Officer, look at me. My bruises are woooooorse than hers! I have scratches all oooooooover my body! Ah! I'm in sooooo much pain!"
"Shut up, slut!"
Wei Lan shrank back and showed a frightened expression. She also made her eyes water to maximize the effect, quickly glancing at the police officers to make sure that they could see how "scared" she was of Zhu Ning.
Attorney Hong Shaoqiang stepped forward and took over discussing the matter with the police. He didn't let Wei Lan speak anymore. As a skilled lawyer, he was able to dig the truth of what really happened. The spa manager revealed that it was their fault for changing the appointments on the spot in order to prioritize Wei Lan and push back Zhu Ning without a proper notification.
"Now we know that my client has no fault or responsibility in this matter," the attorney said. "Madam Zhu's accusation that my client stole her appointment and esthetician is unfounded. Therefore, the real victim in this case is my client!"
The spa manager and other employees looked sorry and ashamed for what they did, while Zhu Ning appeared as if she still didn't believe that it wasn't Wei Lan's fault.
After cooperating with the police, Wei Lan and company left the station.
When they were gone, Zhu Ning felt helpless alone. She didn't have a lawyer to represent her.
Being in the police station had somewhat calmed her down. She stopped carelessly raging at everyone. The intense negative feelings she let explode earlier and the gravity of the current situation finally started catching up with her. She felt dizzy, short of breath, and her chest felt tight and heavy.
Fortunately, there was an on-duty police medic at the station who immediately examined her. Moments later, the medic helped stabilize her condition. She felt better albeit looked cold and pale.
'I wish my son is here with me,' she thought.
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Chapter 576 - Magnanimous Viscountess
Outside the police station, Wei Lan and company weren't able to leave immediately because there was a big crowd blocking their way. The reporters were shouting questions at them.
"For now, my client and I need to discuss our next steps regarding the altercation with Madam Zhu. It was the other party who instigated the incident. My client, the viscountess, is completely innocent in this case. She is the victim," Attorney Hong Shaoqiang spoke to the reporters.
The reporters turned to Wei Lan. She spoke after receiving a nod of approval from the attorney.
"I am deeeeply embarrassed that all of you witnessed such a shaaaaaameful incident between I and Zhu Ning. Because of our former relationship with the same man, the father of both our childreeeeen, Zhu Ning and I have always been at odds with each other. We are like oil and water. We have neeeeeever gotten along. I don't deny that. I just wish that she stops draaaaaaagging my lovely daughter into our conflict. She even threatened to kill my baaaaaaaby! How could I sit still after thaaaaat?! My daughter is happily engaged with deeeeeaaaar Liwei but she's also veeeery busy with her showbiz work and her company Orchidia Beauty. I'm sooooo proud of her but also worried because she works soooooo hard! That's why I'm doing my beeeeeest to help run her foundation, Iris of Hope. I don't want this embarrassing incident to worry her and distract her from moooooore important matters that she neeeeds to take care of.
"I hope that Zhu Ning calms down and realizes that we should mooooove on and groooooow up. We're not young anymoooore. It has been so looooong and I'm tired of fighting with her. I just want to enjoy the rest of my life with my beloooooved husband." She giggled at this point. "And also to enjoy my new cloooooser relationship with my daughter and my fuuuuuture son-in-law. Zhu Ning and I may neeeever be best friends but at least I hope that we stop trying to tear each other apart whenever we meet. I think that it's the right tiiiiiiiiime to put things in the past where they belooooong."
The crowd oohed and aahed at her speech. They praised her for being magnanimous, even when her clothes were ripped, her hair was in disarray, and her body was covered in bruises and scratches.
"A woman of class, just like Boss Iris!"
"Yeah! Not like that barbaric hag who only knows how to use her fists!"
"She's just an ex-mistress! How dare she beat up the legal wife?!"
"Wei Lan is also an ex, you know!"
"But at least she's an ex-legal wife!"
The Black Stars among the crowd sided with Wei Lan. They felt angry on her behalf, especially after hearing such a magnanimous speech. She was indeed the mother of their Boss Iris! To these loyal fans, the mother and daughter were the epitomes of class and elegance even during adversities like this. Knowing that someone was threatening these lovely ladies filled them with hatred towards Zhu Ning.
As for Wei Lan, she could feel that the people were sympathizing with her. She made sure to show a "sincere" and "heartfelt" expression to maximize the people's sympathy for her.
'1-0! Loser: Zhu Ning. Winner: MEEEE,' she mentally chuckled, smug at the aftermath of Zhu Ning's stupidity.
The people were on her side.
###
Two days later, Iris was on the road travelling to a mall show. Dom and Tang Yiyi were with her inside the executive van. Her male bodyguard was driving while her female bodyguard sat on the passenger seat. There was another vehicle following behind them manned by Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao's subordinates. The mall show was expected to be crowded, so her security was a big priority today.
They were currently discussing Wei Lan and her fight with Zhu Ning the other day. It was all over the news ever since then.
Ketchup informed Iris about the situation while it was happening, so she was able to send her lawyer to Wei Lan at the police station. Attorney Hong Shaoqiang was currently busy working with Grandpa Lu and Jin Liwei's lawyers to prepare for Jiang Ying Yue's custody battle against Long Hui for Little Jun. It was fortunate that the lawyer treated her as a VIP client and immediately responded to her request to represent Wei Lan out of the blue. Nâ¡vεlB¡n: Unleashing Imagination, One Read at a Time.
"Poor Mama Boss! Her beautiful face and skin were scratched and bruised by that evil woman! Hmph!" Dom huffed.
Iris sighed. "Attorney Hong said that Mother decided not to file a case against that Zhu Ning. I asked Mother for the reason and she said that it will reflect badly on her husband's noble reputation if she got involved in a legal case like this. Using her own words, she is trying to be 'magnanimous'."
"I was really shocked when I saw on TV that your mother was being beaten up," Tang Yiyi said.
Iris' eyes turned cold. "That Zhu Ning better learn her lesson."
There was a part of her that was angry at Zhu Ning for hurting and insulting Wei Lan. She might not consider Wei Lan as her true mother, but the woman was still the one who gave birth to the body she was living in now. Without Wei Lan, there literally would be no Iris Long born in the world. In addition, Wei Lan had proven herself to have changed for the better ever since returning to the country. She had also been working hard as an ambassador for Iris of Hope.
"Hmph! That evil woman is just bitter and jealous of Mama Boss and you, boss!" Dom continued to complain about Zhu Ning.
Iris put a stop to the conversation when they finally arrived at the mall. The parking was full and there was already a great crowd of people scattered throughout the immediate vicinity of the mall. They weren't shoppers but fans. The majority of them held banners with her name and image.
"Wow! Look at all those people. Ehehehe." Dom whipped out his phone and started recording the scene on video, planning to post it later on Iris' social media pages.
"Ready, Iris?" Tang Yiyi asked.
"Of course," Iris replied with a smile. "It's showtime."
###
Chapter 577 - Love Song Of The Year
A sea of people packed inside the mall. From a bird's eye view, they looked like a colony of ants inside their anthill. They filled all floors, looking down by the railings to the stage set up on the ground floor. Even when no celebrities appeared yet, they were already screaming and chanting and crying their hearts out.
The mall show was hosted by a popular daily afternoon-time TV program. It would usually broadcast live from the studio every weekday, but sometimes it would travel to different places like festivals, amusement parks, and in this case, malls. Today, it was sponsored by the mall to showcase the new renovations and newly added stores.
For the first half of the program, the hosts did their usual talk-slash-variety segments. Then finally...
"We have very special guests today," one of the hosts announced. "And I know that they're the real reason why all of you came here today!"
The crowd cheered.
"Aaaw. And here I thought you all came for me! What a way to dash my over-confidence," the other host joked.
Everyone laughed and continued to do so as they hosts bantered with each other.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, without further ado, from the hit TV drama 'Our Love, Our Destiny'â"
"Singing the love song of the year 'Shining Eyes', please welcomeâ"
"JIN CHONGLIN and IRIS LONG!!!"
The crowd went wild, almost screaming the roof off the mall. Their noise could be heard by the people outside the mall. It was that loud.
Iris and Jin Chonglin walked out of a nearby store, apparently hiding there the whole time. The wild crowd went even crazier when they appeared. The two were encircled by tight security made up of Iris and Jin Chonglin's personal bodyguards in addition to the mall security. Iris and Jin Chonglin waved at the crowd, as the opening of their song played in the background.
Still walking on their way to the stage, Jin Chonglin raised his mic and began singing. His voice was deep and smooth, making the majority of people shiver with delight, like they ate something warm and sweet.
"Walking down the town of life
I caught a glimpse of you"
The crowd of adoring fans raised their hands up in the air and waved it along with the music while singing along. Everyone looked like one giant coral reef waving their tentacles with the flowing water. It was an amazing sight to see. The cameras took several shots of the audience, giving the live viewers at home an idea of how spectacular the impromptu effect was.
Jin Chonglin continued singing while pointing at the adoring crowd and flashing them with his killer smile. Many fans fainted right there and then. The hand waving was interrupted as his army of fans descended into hysterical screaming and shrieking.
"Your beautiful self
Making even the flowers smile back"
They finally reached the stage. He climbed up first before extending a hand to help Iris after him, as she also began to sing.
"Smitten I followed you around
Not expecting anything in return This essence is securely nested within the heart of Nøvâ¬lánâ
But you always knew
So your shining eyes saw me"
Some were already having goosebumps and even tearing up because Iris Long's voice always sounded so exquisite ever since her comeback. She was the type of singer whose live performance's voice sounded almost the same, sometimes even better, than the original studio recordings of her songs.
The music became full as the sound of the orchestra played in the background, washing over the sea of people inside the mall. Iris and Jin Chonglin were singing with only a recording of the song because it was inconvenient to bring their musicians to this mall show. The two originally planned on playing an acoustic version where either Iris or Jin Chonglin would play the guitar, but the TV program asked them to sing with the recording instead, saying that the full studio version of the song would sound better on TV than an acoustic version.
Now the two were at the centre of the stage, serenading everyone with what was dubbed the love song of the year. Their voices soared together, harmonizing perfectly as if they belonged together. The original LinRis fans could only sigh at the fact that the two were meant to be siblings-in-law and not lovers.
The audience continued singing along with them, many with tears flowing down their faces. Even a couple of the hosts standing beside the stage could be seen dabbing at their eyes.
Iris and Jin Chonglin sang the last line of the song together while looking at each other's eyes. Both of them had smiles on their faces. She, a bright smile showing how much she was enjoying the performance. He, a deep smile tinged with a little sadness.
"I got you~"
As soon as the song ended, a booming sound of applause, cheering, screaming, shrieking and crying reverberated throughout the entire mall.
"LINRIS! LINRIS!! LINRIS!!!"
Even though most of their fans already accepted that Iris was engaged to Jin Chonglin's elder brother and not to him, they still used their couple name to cheer for them...because it was easier to chant.
"Thank you, everyone!"
"Thank you very much!"
Iris and Jin Chonglin bowed and waved at their adoring fans after their performance. The hosts came forward and sandwiched the two of them in the centre before beginning to interview them.
It was a short interview because time was tight. The TV program was being broadcast live and they had to follow a strict time allowance for each segment. The massive crowd of people in the mall might have come for Iris and Jin Chonglin but at the end of the day, the two were still only special guests in today's show. They were only supposed to perform their one song, "Shining Eyes", and also to promote their upcoming song which would be released soon this month.
"I wrote 'Shining Eyes' while Senior Chonglin wrote our next song," Iris told everyone. "The two songs are very different, corresponding to our own distinct musical styles, but both still talk about the same universal theme of love. Yes, our next song will still be a love song but with a kick."
###
Chapter 578 - The Box
Everyone oohed and aahed after hearing Iris' claim that her upcoming song with Jin Chonglin would be a "love song but with a kick".
"That's right!" Jin Chonglin immediately backed her up. "Not only a kick but an entire burning workout! It's hot and spicy! You're all gonna sweat from the heat!"
His army of loyal fans started shrieking in excitement. They fanned themselves, already sweating just from hearing his hot voice.
Iris and Jin Chonglin already started dropping tiny teasers since last month. Most of them were behind-the-scenes photos or short clips from the recording studio or music video. Indeed, based on those teasers, the upcoming song wasn't emotional and wholesome like "Shining Eyes". It was hot, fierce and sexy...or at least that was the impression most people got.
"Prince Lin Lin, the teasers aren't enough! Please give us more!"
"Boss Iris, are you going to dance in the next song? Please don't revert to your old trashy image! I want my classy and elegant Boss Iris, not the bratty and trashy Iris Long from back then!"
With her great hearing, Iris heard this one comment. It wasn't only this person. It seemed that quite a few Black Stars were worried that she would change her current image and "revert" to the old Iris Long's wannabe sex symbol image. She couldn't help but inwardly sigh.
Pasting a smile on her face, she pretended not to hear these worried comments from her fans. She would just let the music video speak for itself.
Finally, their time was up. Iris and Jin Chonglin left the stage while the TV program went into a commercial break. The hosts bid them goodbye and prepared for the next segment.
It felt like nobody could hear anything because of the deafening sounds of the cheering crowd. They didn't stop screaming and shrieking, as their Prince Lin Lin and Boss Iris were assisted through the tight crowd by the security.
"Be gentle. Don't hurt anyone," Iris reminded her own bodyguards as several fans tried to touch and grab her.
The same thing was happening to Jin Chonglin. A couple of fans were even able to slip through his bodyguard's protection to grab his neck and kiss him on the cheek. It was clear that his own bodyguards were not as strong as Iris' tough security consisting not only of her own bodyguards but also a combination of Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao's well-trained subordinates. Nobody was able to slip past their protection to get to her, unless she allowed them.
She liked personally interacting with her fansâshaking hands with them, sometimes even hugging them, signing autographs, taking photos with them, and receiving fan letters, flowers, and other gifts. Right now, as she and Jin Chonglin squeezed their way through the crowd, their fans were handing various presents to the two of them.
"I love you, Boss Iris! I don't care what others say! You're the best musician in the world for me! Yes, even better than Prince Lin Lin!" a fan cried while shoving a small teddy bear and letter to Iris.
"Hey! I heard that!" Jin Chonglin complained.
The surrounding people laughed at the exchange. His army of fans didn't take offence at the fan's words, a Black Star. The two fandoms had developed a close relationship ever since Fan Luo's evil deeds were exposed to the public. They became even closer this season due to their prince and boss' music collaborations and the fact the Iris Long and Jin Chonglin would eventually become siblings-in-law. They were basically family now, making their own fandoms feel as if they were family as well.
Dom, Tang Yiyi, Lin Dong and Jin Chonglin's assistant managed to meet them, joining their protected group. They didn't return to the store they were hiding at earlier before their performance. Instead, they now headed to a secure hidden hallway in the mall with a backdoor directly leading to a separate management-only parking lot outside. Their vehicles should already be waiting for them there.
While they struggled to move through the great crowd, the fans kept on giving letters and gifts to Iris and Jin Chonglin. Their managers and assistants were prepared, carrying huge net bags for the gifts. Both Iris and Jin Chonglin would hand whatever they received to them.
The fans who were unable to get near the group resorted to throwing the presents instead. Even the fans looking down by the railings in the upper floors were tossing the gifts they prepared, hoping to land on their Prince Lin Lin and Boss Iris. Some of the gifts were caught, some missed. The fans who missed their throws could only sigh at their bad luck.
Despite the stressful situation of being squeezed like sardines in a tight can, both Iris and Jin Chonglin still maintained big smiles on their faces as they interacted with their fans. Their managers, assistants and bodyguards played the role of bad guys whenever a fan needed to be reprimanded or warned not to get too close.
One fan caught Iris' attention. He was a skinny young man who looked to be in his early twenties, wearing a nice navy blue tuxedo suit, identifying as a Black Star with his outfit. She thought that he looked charming with his boyish, lopsided smile. However, there was something about him that made Iris pause. She didn't know exactly what it was. Her instinct was telling her to take note of this guy.
The male fan noticed her looking at him. His smile grew wider.
"I love you so much, Boss Iris," he told her.
His tone caught her attention because he spoke in a calm voice, unlike the other excited, screaming fans. She was able to hear what he said with her great hearing. Even if she couldn't, she would still be able to read his lips.
Then he lifted a box that had a logo of a popular bakery shop, offering it to Iris. It must be a cake. He was able to squeeze himself to the front until only the security was separating them. This essence is securely nested within the heart of Nøvâ¬lánâ
Iris smiled at him and received the box. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he replied but continued to hold on to the box.
###
Chapter 579 - Scene From Hell
The current situation was that both Iris and the man were holding the cake box together because he refused to let it go immediately. Iris kept the smile on her face. It was normal for her to encounter fans like this. There were people who would want to prolong direct contact with her by refusing to let her go during handshakes, hugs, or in this case, gift-giving.
As a rule, Tang Yiyi told her not to say no to her fans. It would be her entourage's job to play the bad guys and drive away any persistent fans who were being too touchy-feely with her, especially when the fans were males. And indeed, the bodyguard closest to her immediately blocked the man and warned him away.
The man finally released the box and stepped back, not resisting the bodyguard, but still continued to speak to Iris. "My name is Tian Kong. Please remember it. I'm a big fan."
A faint furrow formed between her brows when she felt the weight of the box after he released it. However, she wasn't able to think much about it because Tian Kong distracted her with his words.
"I've supported you ever since your first showbiz comeback. You were so amazing! I immediately became a big fan. I was one of the earliest members of the Black Stars. I bought all of your albums and merchandise. I was even able to buy one of your Orchidia Beauty facial skincare set before it sold out in 5 seconds."
"Thank you very much for your support, Mr. Tian Kong. I appreciate it," she told him.
"I also sent you so many fan letters and gifts before but I never got a reply from you."
"Sorry about that. I receive so many. I'll keep you in mind when I check my fan letters next. Thank you."
One of her bodyguards blocked Tian Kong even more and barked, "Move it."
Tian Kong, however, bent his head to the side, completely ignoring the bodyguard in order to continue looking and speaking with Iris. She was now beginning to feel uncomfortable with this persistent fan.
"You're the best musician for me, Boss Iris! You're still so young and have so many years ahead of you to experience more success! Why would you become engaged so early? I don't think it's wise to marry when you're still so young!"
Iris' smile disappeared and she stepped back. Another bodyguard squeezed himself through the crowd in order to help his colleague block Tian Kong. The other Black Stars were now reprimanding him.
"That's not up for you to decide! How dare you boss our boss around?! You have no right!"
"I agree with you to some degree but mind your own business! We, the Black Stars, are always supportive of our Boss Iris no matter what! If you don't support her decision to marry CEO Jin, then you're not a real Black Star!"
Tian Kong's expression turned dark. He glared at the fans scolding him.
Iris felt touched when her other fans began defending her relationship with Jin Liwei but still thought that the situation was getting out of hand.
"Everyone, please calm down. There's no need to fight with each other. Let's maintain peace and order, okay?" she told them.
"Kyaaaaah! Boss Iris asked something of me! Yes, boss! Peace and order are now my ultimate virtues in life!"
"Sorry, boss! We won't fight with each other anymore!"
The surrounding fans all nodded. It was only Tian Kong who had an expression of ridicule on his face as he watched the others obeying Iris. Her two bodyguards were able to drive him back, but right at that moment, his expression transformed into a smug one.
Iris was watching him, the niggling feeling she felt earlier only became stronger with each passing second. When she saw his smug expression, alarm bells started ringing in her mind. He looked at her again and glanced at the cake box she was holding before looking away. If she wasn't observing him, she would have missed this.
She raised the box close to her face and sniffed at it. At first, she could only smell the faint scent of cardboard. She couldn't smell any sweetness of cake or pastries at all. In addition to its unusual weight, she began to have a bad feeling. It was only then that her nose registered another smell.
It was very faint but it struck her like lightning. She froze and her expression turned into alarm. Her alarm turned into fear when she saw Tian Kong's hand reached inside his trouser pocket where a rectangular bulge from his phone could be seen.
There was no time. Her instincts took over. This essence is securely nested within the heart of Nøvâ¬lánâ
"Everyone, duck!!!"
Then she threw the box up in the air as hard as she could. For two seconds, the people around her were confused. Only a few listened to her. Most watched the cake box fly in the air, wondering what Iris was playing.
Tian Kong's expression turned furious when he saw what Iris did. She glared at him while grabbing both Dom and Tang Yiyi to the ground.
BOOM!!!
A flash of fiery red and orange lit up in the air. The shockwave caused the people to drop to the ground. Everyone couldn't hear the cacophony of their own screams over the loud sound of the explosion.
The mall descended into chaos, turning into a scene from hell.
###
At the same time at Jin Corporation.
Jin Liwei was at a meeting with his fellow executives and some key personnel when a loud siren sound started blaring inside the conference room.
Everyone automatically took cover under the tables, their bodies moving on instinct from the regular emergency drills the company made them do. Rose Young moved a couple of beats slower compared to the others because she was the newest one to work in the company among the group.
"W-what's happening? Is there a fire? Shouldn't we run outside?" she asked in a slightly panicked voice before looking at Jin Liwei.
If there was no Xu Tian blocking her way, she would've already thrown herself at Jin Liwei under the table and pretended to be afraid in order to seek comfort from him.
Chapter 580 - Going Crazy
Jin Liwei didn't respond or even look at Rose Young. He had no interest or time for the woman, even though he also wondered what was happening. Then his phone started vibrating on top of the table. He ignored it at first but it wouldn't stop, so he reached up and grabbed it. A bad feeling came over him when he saw the caller display. He tapped the phone and placed it on his ear.
"Emergency! Emergency! Mommy is in danger! A bomb exploded in the mall! A fan tried to harm Mommy and everyone present in the area! Mommy is alive but is in danger of being crushed from the sudden stampede! I repeat! This is an emergency! Mreow!"
Jin Liwei felt like his heart stopped after hearing Ketchup's growling words. He immediately got out from under the table.
"There's an emergency. I have to go. I'll leave everything here to you," he instructed the COO. "Xu Tian, let's go. Hurry."
He ran out of the roomâliterally ran. Xu Tian had no choice but to run as well in order to follow him.
"Big Brother LiweiâI mean CEO Jin, where are you going?" Rose Young asked, but as usual, she was ignored.
The COO, Rose Young, and the others watched the two disappear from sight. They felt confused but also curious, especially because the loud emergency alarm immediately stopped once Jin Liwei and Xu Tian exited the conference room. One of younger participants of the meeting peeked outside.
"Huh? Everyone is acting normal outside. Did the emergency alarm only activate in this room?"
Others went outside the conference room and asked around, confirming that nobody heard any emergency alarm in the company except for them. Coupled with their President's unusual behaviour, this incident quickly became a hot topic of discussion among them.
Later...
Jin Liwei was now seated inside a vehicle. Xu Tian was driving him because there was no time to call for a driver. Ketchup continued to update him through the vehicle's system.
"Daddy, Uncle Haohao is calling."
"Answer it."
The call connected.
"Something happened to little sister." Lu Zihao's low voice was cold and devoid of any emotions, totally unlike his usual happy-go-lucky attitude.
"I know. I'm on my way to her," Jin Liwei said.
"I'm on my way as well."
"En." Jin Liwei's expression was tense. He urged Xu Tian to drive faster. It wasn't rush hour yet but the road was relatively busy, making Jin Liwei wish he could fly or better yet teleport to his baby girl as soon as possible. However, he forced himself to calm down. "Ketchup, share your reports to your Uncle Zihao as well."
"Okay, Daddy!"
Both Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao felt relieved to hear that their subordinates have safely escorted Iris, Dom and Tang Yiyi out of the stampede.
Oh, and Jin Chonglin's group as well. Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao almost forgot. The two weren't too concerned about him because he was some distance away from Iris' group, far away from the explosion itself. He also had his own security team protecting him.
Ketchup showed her daddy and uncle a recording of the mall's surveillance video when the explosion happened. They watched it at the same time, even though both of them were in different places. They could also hear each other's voices because the call between them was still active. However, neither of them made a sound as they watched the most important woman in their lives throw what deceptively looked like a cake box up in the air as hard as she could before it exploded.
If she didn't throw it...the two men didn't want to imagine what would happen to her.
Both of them attempted to call Iris several times but couldn't go through. It seemed that Iris' group was too busy heading to safety and dealing with the chaos. It was possible for Ketchup to hijack the surrounding online devices but didn't do so because the cat AI already confirmed that her mommy was alive. More important than this, her mommy also placed a lot of restrictions on her to prevent her from speaking aloud in a crowd of non-approved strangers. All Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao could do was to wait until someone from her group answered their calls or when it was safe enough for Ketchup to initiate the contact.
"How much longer?" Jin Liwei asked Xu Tian in an impatient and tense tone.
"We'll be there in about 15 to 20 minutes, President."
"Hurry."
"Yes, President."
Jin Liwei was about to go crazy worrying about his baby girl. He was tempted to open his car window and shout at the other vehicles ahead of them on the road to drive faster or make way for him. All of them were driving like turtles!
"Young Miss Ketchup, please alert me if any traffic enforcers are in the area because I'm going to drive faster," Xu Tian requested the cat AI, knowing that his boss was feeling impatient and worried about Miss Long.
"Okay, Tiantian! Ketchup will also disable any CCTVs in the area and the dashcams on the surrounding vehicles! Meow!"
Jin Liwei nodded before continuing to talk to Lu Zihao. It seemed that he would be the first one to meet his baby girl because his Fifth Brother was farther away.
Then all of a sudden, Ketchup went crazy.
"GRRRRRRRRR!!! MREEEEEOOOOOOOOOW!!!"
The lightings in the vehicle blinked on and off. The horn also activated by itself, making a long, loud and annoying beep. Xu Tian cursed when the car stopped for a couple of seconds, suddenly propelling him and Jin Liwei forward. It was a good thing that they were wearing seatbelts. Otherwise, they might have been injured.
"Xu Tian! What's happening?!"
"President, it wasn't me. The car stopped by itself!"
The vehicle was now moving forward but it was obvious that something was wrong. The built-in monitor showing the live feed from the mall's surveillance video died.
It wasn't only them. The other vehicles also stopped at around the same time before moving forward again. Loud horns sounded, alarming everyone in the area, most especially the drivers and the passengers inside their out-of-control vehicles. The traffic lights were also out of whack.
"What's wrong?!! Ketchup, calm down!!!" Jin Liwei scolded the cat AI who was currently going crazy.
###Where Stories Blossom: Nâ¡vεlB¡n.