Chapter 141 - Long Hui
The temperature within the dining hall immediately plummeted. Yang Jiahui and Meimei wanted to defend Iris but stopped themselves. If there was one person in the residence that they didn't want to offend, it would be Long Hui. He was, after all, the Long family's legitimate heir. If something ever happened to Long Tengfei, Long Hui would immediately take over as the head of the family and the business.
Iris was, of course, also a legitimate heiress but she wasn't expected to succeed Long Industries. The company was the family's lifeblood and the reason why the Longs were enjoying their current status as a prominent business family.
To all of the Longs, Long Hui was their crown prince and one of the most important figures in the family, second only to Long Tengfei himself. Compared to him, Iris' importance in the family was negligible except for the legitimacy of her birth, automatically labeling her as an heiress. As long as she wasn't officially disowned, she would inherit a large share whether the rest of the family liked it or not. And Long Tengfei had no intention of disowning any of his children, either legitimate or illegitimate. In short, her role was only that of a decorative princess who held no authority over the family.
"Son, your sister has greeted you properly," Long Tengfei's strict voice cut through the tense atmosphere. "Is that how you welcome her after not seeing her for so long?"
"My apologies. I was rude." Long Hui slightly bowed his head to Long Tengfei's direction before turning back to Iris. "Good to see you too, Little Sister."
Iris nodded, looking unruffled despite the tense atmosphere.
They ate a sumptuous meal of traditional Chinese cuisine. The aunt and niece continued to chat with Iris while eating. The father and son, on the other hand, ate in relative silence. They weren't the talkative type of people to begin with.
Perhaps due to the slight tension in the air, the aunt and niece did their best in maintaining the lighthearted conversation.
After dinner, they all headed to a living area connected to a veranda overlooking one of the beautiful gardens of the inner courtyard. It was a great place to relax while watching the moon and the stars in the night sky.
The five seated themselves and were served a light blend of hot osmanthus tea [1]. The women continued to chat with each other, while the two men sipped their tea, only speaking briefly when spoken to.
Moments later, a maid delivered a stack of Iris' album "Rebirth". There were 29 copies in CD format.
Long Tengfei coughed and then gave the maid a stern look. "I didn't say to bring them all out."
The maid blinked, confused. "Master, I didn't bring everything out. These are only a third of the CDs. There are still more of the DVDs, the Blu-rays―"
"Alright, enough!"
Long Tengfei's expression was cold, but Yang Jiahui noticed the tip of her husband's ears turning red. She laughed quietly to herself, not wanting to embarrass her husband in front of his daughter.
"Xiulan...my daughter, you don't have to sign all of them. You can sign just one...maybe two or three...or if it's not too tiring, sign ten of them. It's up to you, of course."
"It's fine, Father. I'll sign all of them."
"Good, good." Long Tengfei nodded, keeping his expression stoic when inside he was delighted.
"Ah! Wait, Xiulan! Let me grab my copy from my room first!" Meimei exclaimed before dashing off.
The maid handed a black marker to Iris. She wrote "Father" on the first one before signing it and then gave it to Long Tengfei. This time, he couldn't stop the smile from appearing on his face.
Seeing this, Yang Jiahui also grabbed one of the CDs and handed it to Iris, smiling shyly.
Iris understood and signed "Aunt Jiahui".
"Thank you, Xiulan."
Iris smiled and continued signing the rest of the CDs.
Long Hui watched everything in silence, an indifferent expression on his face, sipping his tea.
Meimei finally returned and shoved her copy to Iris. Iris wrote "Meimei" and then signed it.
"Yay!" Meimei hugged the CD to her chest. "Wow. This feels like you're really a celebrity."
"I am a celebrity."
Meimei giggled. "I know." Then she took out her phone and sat beside Iris, taking a selfie of the two of them. "Now I have proof that I met a celebrity today."
Iris chuckled. She almost finished signing everything. She was about to reach for the last CD when someone beat her to it.
Long Hui grabbed the last copy, studying the CD carefully from the front to the back. Everyone looked at him, wondering what he was up to.
Meimei was displeased. Was he planning on provoking Xiulan again? She liked Xiulan and already considered her as her friend. Meimei was about to open her mouth and say something to Long Hui but Yang Jiahui hurriedly stopped her niece with a look. Meimei pouted but obeyed.
"Is something the matter, Elder Brother?" Iris asked in a calm tone.
"Long Hui," he said, handing the CD to her.
Iris didn't understand.
He sighed, looking like an adult who was being forced to explain something to a child who couldn't understand the meaning of his words.
"What I mean is give me an autograph. Write my name 'Long Hui' because I'm going to keep this CD. Now do you understand?"
###
Footnotes:
[1] Osmanthus is a yellow-gold blossom grown in Southern China. The dried flowers can be steeped into pure tea or as part of an herbal tea blend with other teas. Osmanthus is also a popular ingredient used in Chinese desserts because of its uniquely sweet, buttery taste and fragrance.
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Chapter 142 - Playing Around
Iris blinked a couple of times before taking the CD and writing "Elder Brother Hui" instead of his requested "Long Hui". She didn't like how he was talking down at her like a child, so why should she completely heed to his request? She gave the signed CD back to him.
Long Hui frowned, displeased that she didn't follow his exact instructions. However, he didn't complain, nodding at her instead.
She smiled sweetly at him, oddly enjoying his expression of displeasure.
Long Tengfei nodded. He was pleased that his two legitimate children were acting in a civil manner to each other. Yang Jiahui released the breath she was holding and smiled. Meimei started chatting again with Iris.
The topics of their conversations changed frequently. Iris mentioned that she was looking for a female bodyguard. Long Tengfei offered to help her look for one.
"Thank you, Father."
"En." Long Tengfei nodded.
"Do you have any specific requirements for a female bodyguard?" Long Hui unexpectedly asked, joining the conversation on his own accord.
She tilted her head to the side, thinking. "I personally don't have any specific requirements other than loyalty, trustworthiness, and of course martial arts skills. I actually don't want bodyguards but my boyfriend and my manager, even Father, want me to have at least two. They managed to convince me so I'm currently hiring."
Long Hui had a serious look on his face as if thinking deeply of something.
"Wait!" Meimei interrupted. "Xiulan, you have a boyfriend?"
Iris nodded.
"Really? How come we don't know? Oh, is it supposed to be a secret? Is he from showbiz too? Who is he? Oh, it's okay if you don't want to say."
"He's not from showbiz. He's just a regular businessman, no one special."
Long Tengfei coughed hearing his daughter's description of Jin Liwei. When did the President-CEO of the number one company in the country become just a "regular businessman" who was "no one special"?
For Iris, Jin Liwei was indeed just as she described him. In her definition, anyone legally running their businesses out in the open―a.k.a. not directly related to the black market or criminal organizations―were "regular" and "no one special". So what if Jin Liwei was a multi-billionaire and the head of the number one company in the country? Lots of crime bosses were multi-billionaires as well with organizations spanning several countries, even continents. Compared to these hidden dragons and crouching tigers of the underworld, Jin Liwei couldn't be any more than regular. Besides, Jin Liwei wasn't the only business leader in the world. Each country had its own business leader, so Jin Liwei was really no one special―this was according to Iris. (Poor guy! His own girlfriend thought that he was no one special.)
If Long Tengfei knew what his daughter's thoughts were, he would probably choke on his own disbelief.
The conversation changed topics several times afterwards before moving on to Long Tengfei's offer to Meimei to work at Long Industries after she graduated.
Iris was the only one who noticed Meimei's discomfort because she knew that the other's true ambition was not to become a corporate worker but a digital manhuajia instead.
"Digital artists are increasingly becoming important in the company, especially in the advertising department," Long Hui said. "Long Industries pays well with good benefits. Many newly-graduated digital artists will fight for you for this job offer, so don't waste it. However, don't expect any preferential treatment once you start working. I will not allow you to use your connection with Father once you're inside the company. You can only use your own skills and hard work to climb up."
The corners of Meimei's mouth turned down. She knew that he was right, but the way he said it was just too insensitive for her. She could only mumble, "Yes, Big Brother. I understand."
Long Hui nodded before turning to Iris. "How about you, Little Sister? Are you planning on working in showbiz for the rest of your life? I think that you need to start thinking about your future seriously. A showbiz career is very uncertain and irregular. You might be popular now but what about in 3 years? 5 years? 10 years? The two of us are the only legitimate heir and heiress. Don't tell me you're planning on receiving your portion of the inheritance without even making any contribution to the family?"
Yang Jiahui paled hearing the word "inheritance" because this would only be received once her husband was dead. She didn't even want to think about it.
On the other hand, Long Tengfei was silently listening to his children's conversation. As a matter of fact, he approved of this kind of discussion. He didn't mind their talks about inheritance because it was indeed inevitable that he would die someday and pass on his wealth to his own children. Except for Long Hui who was his immediate heir, he never forced any of his other children to work at his company. He let them decide what careers they wanted to pursue, but deep inside he still wanted all his children to follow in his footsteps and continue his legacy by working for the family business.
"Even our other siblings are aiming to work at the main company," Long Hui continued. "Our brother is already working at a small branch division. Once he gains enough experience and skills, he'll transfer to the main company. Our sister is in her last year of university and has also expressed interest in entering the company like our brother by starting at a small branch division first. You're the only one who's still playing around. I know that you're the youngest, but you're already 20. You're now an adult, no longer a child."
Iris' eyes narrowed, but her face remained calm. This man said that she was 'playing around'?
"Thank you for your advice, Elder Brother Hui," she replied in a light yet cold tone. "I'll be sure to never forget what you just said to me."
She would indeed never forget how he described her current career as 'playing around'.
Meimei felt sorry for Iris, so she ended up speaking before thinking. "Xiulan's career is off to a great start ever since her comeback. Her songs and album debuted within the top 10 rankings in the music charts and they're only getting more popular by the day. And even if her showbiz career isn't doing well, Big Brother just said that she's an heiress of this family. I'm sure she can also enter the company and start working anytime she wants like your other siblings."
"Oh?" Long Hui raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you think?"
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Chapter 143 - Unqualified
"Xiao Mei!" Yang Jiahui wished she could gather his niece's thoughtless words and put them back in her mouth. She hurriedly looked apologetically at everyone. "Please don't mind what this girl said. She doesn't know what she's saying."
Meimei was confused at her aunt's reaction. Her aunt was giving her a warning look, so she shut her mouth, but she still didn't know what she said wrong.
"You are right. Little Sister Xiulan is indeed a legitimate heiress of this family," Long Hui said. "However, she's currently the only one among us siblings who can't work at the company even if she wants to."
Understanding flashed in Iris' eyes, but she remained quiet.
"Eh? Why is that?" Meimei still didn't understand.
"Xiao Mei, please stop talking." Yang Jiahui sighed heavily.
"It's because she's not qualified. Except for her, all of us siblings have university-level education. That's why we're qualified to work at the company, not just because we are the children of the company head. Even you, Little Sister Mei, also need to finish your degree in digital arts before you can work at the company even though you already have a job offer. Do you think that it will sit well with everybody if Little Sister Xiulan was allowed to work at the company despite being undereducated and unqualified? She barely completed senior high school. Even Father will face harsh criticisms if she was allowed to work at the company with her current education level."
"Oh." Meimei finally understood. She glanced guiltily at Iris, wishing that she didn't say anything at all. Now it felt awkward because of her ignorance.
Iris' expression remained calm, but there was a thoughtful look in her eyes.
Long Hui looked directly at Iris' eyes. "That's why I suggest that you stop playing around in showbiz and start attending university. You're a celebrity and popular enough in this country that attending a local university might not be a good idea. If you're willing, I'm sure Father can find a good university abroad where you can get your degree in peace."
"Hmm...I'll keep that mind," Iris replied lightly. "Thank you for the concern, Elder Brother Hui."
A displeased expression appeared on his face. He opened his mouth, about to say something, but closed it again instead.
Silence.
The atmosphere felt very awkward.
Meimei wanted to lighten the mood but stopped herself. What if she said something wrong again? She wanted to console her new friend but saw that Iris still looked unruffled.
'Xiulan must be feeling embarrassed but she's acting like she's not affected at all," Meimei thought. 'Big Brother Hui is really too insensitive.'
Although displeased that Iris didn't seem to be taking his advice seriously, a trace of approval flashed in Long Hui's eyes. If this was before, his youngest sister would have already been throwing a tantrum, fighting with him, and storming out of the residence before he could even utter another word. It seemed that this sister of hers really had matured and grew sensible after waking up from coma.
The four Long siblings were never close to each other due to not growing up together and having different mothers. Long Hui's position as the heir apparent was unshakeable so the other siblings never really challenged him, opting to maintain a civil relationship with him instead. It was only Xiulan who dared to fight him because she felt secured of her status as a legitimate daughter.
All the siblings, including Long Hui, looked down on this youngest sister of theirs who was the most spoiled and entitled of them all. Because she was the youngest, their father would always tell them to back down whenever they had a disagreement with her. They resented that their father was too soft on her and never harshly disciplined or reprimanded her whenever she besmirched the Long family name. It was so unfair because they had to always act their best, careful not to shame the Long family name in any way.
Long Hui had long heard that his youngest sister had a drastic change in personality after waking up from coma. Of course, he didn't believe it at first. But when she made a showbiz comeback and her songs started playing almost everywhere, he began to believe. Her new music was able to affect him to the point that he began to doubt if this new and elegant Iris Long was the same person as his spoiled youngest sister.
Meeting her now for the first time after so long, he decided to test whether her personality change was genuine or perhaps just mere acting to get into their father's good graces. Either she unlocked a hidden talent for acting or she really changed for the better because he was impressed that she was able to keep her cool after his repeated provocations.
Iris finished her cup of tea and then made a show of glancing at her wristwatch. "It's getting late. Please excuse me. I need to call my boyfriend to pick me up."
"Eh? What? You're leaving already?" Meimei whined.
"Not immediately. I'll still have to wait until my boyfriend arrives to pick me up."
"Xiulan, why don't stay over tonight?" Yang Jiahui suggested.
Meimei: "Yes! Then we can continue to hang out."
Iris: "Thank you but I'll have to decline. My workload will increase starting tomorrow. That's why I visited today before I become too busy."
Besides, Iris was already missing Jin Liwei despite it only being a few hours since he dropped her off earlier. She wanted to spend as much time with him as possible, especially now that both of them were so busy. Now that her workload would start increasing, they would have even less time to spend together.
Meimei: "Aaaw! Fine. But will you visit us here again?"
Iris: "Yes, when I have the time. If you're free and don't have any classes, you can come over to play at my place or accompany me at work if you want."
Meimei: "What, really?! I can?!"
Iris: "Of course. Just give me a call beforehand."
Meimei: "Yes, of course! Oh wow. I'm so excited. I've always wanted to see what goes on in celebrity's daily life."
Iris chuckled before excusing herself to give Jin Liwei a call. Within half an hour, Jin Liwei called informing her that he was already waiting outside the compound's main gate.
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Chapter 144 - Negative
Everyone walked Iris to the main wing's entranceway. Yang Jiahui handed her a big box of different pastries. Iris and Meimei exchanged phone numbers.
"It's good to see you again after so long, Little Sister," Long Hui told her. His expression was cold as usual, but his tone sounded sincere enough. "And my congratulations on your new album."
"Thank you, Elder Brother Hui," Iris replied.
"I hope that you'll consider the things I told you today. Never forget that you have the blood of the Longs running in your veins."
A slight frown briefly appeared on her face before she smiled at Long Hui. "I will keep your words in mind."
He nodded.
Long Tengfei stepped forward. "Xiulan, my daughter, come visit us again when you have time. You're always welcome here."
"I will. Thank you, Father."
He cleared his throat and then remembered something. "By the way, has your mother visited you yet since your recent hospitalization?"
"No, but Mother called saying that Cao Guang contacted her. She said that she's somewhere in the Mediterranean and can't immediately return to the country."
Long Tengfei scowled. He was about to comment on his ex-wife's irresponsible behaviour but thought better of it. He didn't want to agitate his daughter, especially now that they were just starting to repair their relationship. And besides, Dr. Ching told him that his daughter's emotional and mental wellness should be prioritized, not just her physical health, or else a repeat of her previous collapse might happen again.
He took a deep breath and smoothed out the scowl from his expression. He nodded. "Alright. Take care on the road."
She bid them goodbye and goodnight before following the guard all the way to the main gate. It was already past 9 in the evening. There was a slight coolness in the air. She rubbed her exposed arms to warm them up a little.
Outside the compound, a car was already waiting. Jin Liwei's subordinate opened the door for her and she hurriedly climbed inside into the arms of her man.
The couple cuddled in the backseat as the car drove home.
###
Gold Heights Condominium.
Later that night, in their bedroom.
They were preparing for bed when Jin Liwei handed Iris an envelope.
"Hm? What's this?" she asked.
He just pushed the envelope to her, silently telling her to open it herself.
She took out the documents and began reading. Her eyes widened and she glanced at Jin Liwei. Then she carefully read every single word. When she was done, she smiled at him.
"Satisfied?" he asked her.
She nodded and opened her arms wide, inviting him for a hug.
Of course he obliged her. He pulled her into his arms, kissed the side of her neck, and then nibbled on her earlobe.
She shivered and then sighed in satisfaction. The she looked at the documents again. "Negative, negative...Everything is negative. Excellent. I thought you've already forgotten."
"Baby, you want it so of course I'll get it. I got tested three days ago. I only received the results today. I was actually supposed to get tested a few days earlier but I had to cancel my first appointment because I was too busy at work and had no time."
She pulled his face so that they're looking at each other. Then she gave a quick peck to his lips. "We can have full sex now."
His eyes immediately darkened with desire and his breath quickened, but he controlled himself. "Yes, we can. And we will, baby. But not now."
"Hm?" She tilted her head to the side, studying him. "Am I hearing things? Aren't you the one who's the most eager for us to have full sex?"
He chuckled, tucking a lock of long, silky hair behind her ear. "Indeed."
"Then why?"
"Baby, I love you. Now I realize that I just don't want to have sex with you. I want to make love with you. I want both our first time to be special."
"Special? How?"
"Hmm...Let me plan it first, okay?"
"You want to plan it? How? Having sex...I mean, making love needs a plan?"
A furrow appeared between her brows. Her expression was so cute that he couldn't help but kiss the furrow.
"Oh!" Her eyes lit up. "I think I know what you mean. You want to make a plan for our positions? You want to choreograph our movements? Hmm...but that doesn't sound like it'll be fun. Won't it be boring if sex―I mean, if making love is choreographed? I don't want that, Liwei."
He threw his head back and laughed.
"Why are you laughing? Hey!"
"Sorry, baby. You're just too cute."
She pouted at first but quickly smiled after.
Jin Liwei was feeling very happy (and relieved) that his baby girl's period was over. She was back to her usual calm and good-natured self. He didn't need to be so cautious around her anymore, afraid that she would snap at him without any warning.
He held her hand, the bracelet he gave her glinting in the light. "Don't worry about it. Leave everything for me to plan."
"But I'm so curious. I want to know! Liwei, tell me. Please...darling?"
He immediately wavered upon hearing her say "darling". He almost spilled all his ideas to her but was able to catch himself. Ah, how dangerous! His baby girl seemed to be gathering more and more weapons to her arsenal on how to make him do anything she wanted. Not that he was complaining.
He was more than happy to give her everything she wanted as long as they remained together for all time.
"Be patient, baby. Okay? I want it to be a surprise."
She pouted again, making him smile.
"Fine," she finally muttered.
Afterwards, Iris kept his STD test results in a safe place. Then they laid down together on the bed in each other's arms.
Jin Liwei asked her about what happened during her visit to the Long residence. She told him everything that happened.
"I actually agree with my brother. He's right. I'm not qualified to work in any corporate jobs because I'm undereducated. I don't have a university degree."
He frowned. "Are you planning on working in the business industry?"
If she was really planning on it, he would prefer it if she worked at his company instead. She would end up as his wife anyway (according to his plans), so it would be better for her to establish her authority at his Jin Corporation.
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Chapter 145 - Lover's Privilege
"I'm open to the idea," Iris replied to Jin Liwei's question. "If there is a good opportunity to establish myself in the business world, why not? Only if it doesn't directly conflict with my music career, of course."
"If you really want to establish yourself in the business world, remember that your boyfriend is a businessman. And the top businessman in the country, if I may say so myself," he told her. "Use him however you want."
She giggled, and then looked up at his face with a teasing glint in her eyes. "What if I say I want Jin Corporation? What would you do?"
He raised his eyebrows, his mouth curved up into smile. "Easy. You'll just have to marry me and we'll own it together."
Her expression instantly froze and her body stiffened. She avoided his eyes.
Awkward silence.
There was a painful tightening in his chest at her reaction. Although he didn't regret his words, he regretted that they were uttered in such a teasing and casual manner. As a result, it sounded like a careless proposal. He wanted his proposal to her to be special, not like this.
First, he needed to diffuse this awkwardness. He measured his words before speaking to her again.
"Don't think about it too much, baby. Just know that whatever you want to do with your career, I'm here to support you. I know that you like doing things on your own, but you have a lover's privilege to ask me for help whenever you need it. Likewise, I'll ask for your help if I need it because it's also my privilege as your lover. Okay?"
"Hmm...Lover's privilege..." She finally looked up at him again, a soft smile on her face. "I like that."
Jin Liwei was relieved seeing her look and smile at him again. He held her chin, tilting it up, and kissed her. His tongue plunged deep inside her sweet mouth.
She moaned and gave as much as she got.
He climbed on top of her, supporting his weight on one arm while his other arm slipped under her silk pyjama top. His hand closed in one of her soft mounds, squeezing it lightly and flicking his fingers over her nipple.
She gasped. Her hands also slipped under his T-shirt, feeling his abs and the hard muscles of his chest. She lightly run her fingernails across his bare skin, earning a low yet loud growl from him. Delighted by his reaction, she nipped at his lower lip.
Their tongues danced together. Sometimes gentle, sometimes fierce. They sucked each other's gradually swelling lips.
When their glistening mouths separated, they looked at each other's desire-filled eyes.
Jin Liwei gave her another series of quick, surface kisses before laying down beside her. He was breathing heavily.
Iris turned her body to watch him trying to calm himself. She knew that he was already hard because she felt him through his pyjama pants while he was on top of her. She was a little perplexed why he was holding back for quite some time now. Before, he could barely control himself and would strip both of them naked for several rounds of pleasuring each other without going all the way until she falls asleep due to sheer exhaustion.
"Do you want me to help you?" she asked, seeing that he was still struggling to calm down.
Her hand reached for his crotch but he caught it before she could touch him.
"I'll be fine, baby."
"Are you sure?"
He looked at her, a gentle expression on his face. "Yes." Then he rose from the bed to turn off the lights. "Let's sleep now. You have a busy schedule tomorrow and I still need to go to the company to take care of some tasks."
"Okay."
They fell asleep in each other's arms.
###
The next day, both of them woke up at the same time. The sky was still dark outside.
Iris almost didn't want to get up from the bed but Jin Liwei carried her off to the bathroom. Her sleepiness gradually faded away as Jin Liwei washed her body under the shower. She saw that he was already hard and standing.
Unlike before, he didn't grab her hand to pleasure him. He was simply washing both of their bodies.
"Baby, no," he gasped when her hand wrapped around his erection. "We don't have time. You said that you have to be early today."
She was already stroking him. "Be quick, then."
He hissed and closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of her pleasuring him. It had been so long. Then he opened his eyes, pulled her against him and kissed her hungrily on the mouth.
Moments later, his loud groans echoed inside the bathroom. He spurted his white release all over her but was soon washed away by the water from the shower.
"Better?" she asked, grabbing the soap to take over washing the two of them.
He grunted, still savouring the remnants of his spent pleasure. When he finally calmed down, he looked at her, satisfied. "Thanks, baby."
"Lover's privilege, remember?"
He grinned. Then his hands reached for her plump bottom cheeks, squeezing lightly. "Your turn?"
"No time. Let's hurry up. We're going to be late."
He hesitated for only a few seconds before nodding.
Within the next minute, they finished showering. They quickly dressed and then headed out to the kitchen for breakfast. Dom and the driver were already there waiting. Dom was, as usual, whining for food.
After breakfast, Jin Liwei and Iris' group went down together but separated into two vehicles.
And so their busy day started.
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Chapter 146 - Pipsqueak
When Tang Yiyi said that she would increase Iris' workload, she really increased it to the point that Iris barely had any time to rest after a job before travelling to her next job commitment. Even the time spent inside her executive van travelling between locations was spent on Tang Yiyi briefing her about her next job. Sometimes when time was really tight, her hair, make-up and wardrobe change would all be done in the van while on the road.
JJ's record label and Bright Summit decided to put more focus and resources on Iris' career, especially now that her album "Rebirth" was proving to be more successful than they initially anticipated. Bright Summit, in particular, was ecstatic that the top two albums in the music charts were by its own artists.
Jin Chonglin was such a big star that directly competing against him in the music charts would only end up in devastating disappointment for other musicians, unless they were bigger stars than him. His star power was just on another level. Bright Summit was already more than satisfied with the number 2 position of Iris Long's album. They didn't expect her to compete against Jin Chonglin for the number 1 position. They just wanted her to maintain her second place.
JJ, however, wasn't satisfied with just number 2. Jin Chonglin wasn't signed under his record label so for JJ, Jin Chonglin was an opponent. As Iris Long's music producer, JJ wanted her to unseat Jin Chonglin from his throne in the music charts.
When the song "Rebirth" beat Jin Chonglin's song for the first time to claim number 1 in the singles ranking, JJ was so delighted that he laughed and chatted for the entire day, scaring his employees, making them wonder if their boss finally lost his marbles.
The next day, however, Jin Chonglin's song reclaimed the number 1 spot. It appeared that his army of fans did everything in their power to boost his song back to the top position.
JJ was so enraged that he immediately called Iris on the phone.
"Hello?" Iris' voice was lovely as usual.
"Hey, brat! I want you to beat the sh*t out of that pipsqueak Jin Chonglin! You hear me!"
Silence.
"Hello? Brat, are you still there?"
"Excuse me?"
"Good, you're still there. Hmph! I admit that his song is good but hello? 'Rebirth' is many leagues better! Even 'Black Star', 'The Phantom of Your Love' and all the other f*cking songs in your album are so much better than his song! His song is basically just gigolo music―well, 'great' gigolo music, I'll admit that. But your songs are works of art! They're masterpieces! An award-winning music producer like me ought to know what I'm talking about!"
"Oh." Iris' laughter sounded like the tinkle of crystal bells. "So that's what you're talking about, Mr. JJ. I thought you wanted me to beat him up like what I did to the Alarm Girls. I was wondering why you want me to get into deeper trouble by beating up someone like Senior Jin Chonglin."
"Ah? What are you talking about? Of course I'm talking about the music charts! Forget about those stupid girls!" JJ's voice boomed. "Listen to me, you brat. That pipsqueak Jin Chonglin might be many times more famous than you now but music quality never lies. That gigolo music of his has indeed great musicality, but if we're talking about fundamental quality, your songs are way superior than his."
"I know."
JJ was a little taken aback by her nonchalant yet confident response that he wasn't able to react for a few seconds. When he finally processed what she said, he threw his head back and laughed uproariously. "Yes! You should be confident of your own music!"
Iris waited for him to finish laughing.
"Here's what you gotta do, brat. You must claim the number 1 position in both the singles and album rankings and become the undisputed queen of the music charts! Your music is already more than qualified to reach the top, so it's gonna be up to the musician―you―to work hard to increase your own star power to compete against the likes of that pipsqueak. You hear me?!"
"Hmm..."
"Whatever you need to claim the top, just ask and my record label will do its best to provide. Anything! Bright Summit has the best of both worlds at the moment. But I bet that if they're forced to choose between that pipsqueak and you, they'll choose him. Hmph! So your best support to reach the top is ME! You hear me?"
A light chuckle. "I understand, Mr. JJ. I'll do my best."
"Hah! You better be, you brat! I'm betting on you."
The two talked some more. Iris told JJ that the complete piano version of her "Rebirth" album including the sheet music for each of the songs would be ready soon. She promised to submit everything to him for inspection in the next few days.
After their phone conversation, Iris still didn't care about rankings. However, she kept JJ's words in mind. Although she didn't personally care about the rankings, she thought that it might be fun to try competing against someone like Jin Chonglin, a musician currently at the top of his game.
That was why for the next few days, Iris worked like she was on stimulants.
At first, everyone in the penthouse were concerned that Iris might be overworking herself with the workload increase but contrary to their worries, Iris looked energized instead. She was very much in her element in all of her live performances. The more she performed, the better she became. Her stage presence only became stronger with every performance.
Tang Yiyi had no complaints in regards to Iris' music performances. As for the interviews, however, she was worried almost to death. Tang Yiyi knew that Iris could be brutally honest to the point that she sometimes had no filter at all. Tang Yiyi feared that if asked suddenly, Iris might admit that she had a boyfriend. So the manager decided to give Iris a personal coaching on how to answer tricky interview questions.
"This is so stupid," Iris commented in their first session.
"Iris, please take this seriously. This is necessary." Tang Yiyi pleaded with her.
"I am NOT going to lie and say that I don't have a boyfriend," Iris said, looking directly at her manager's eyes. "Please don't force me, Elder Sister Yiyi, because I'm never going to do it. My boyfriend is important to me. I like you and I don't want to be on bad terms with you."
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Chapter 147 - Got Her Pregnan
Tang Yiyi opened her mouth to argue but upon seeing Iris' stubborn expression, she gave up. To be honest, even she thought it stupid that celebrities, especially young ones like Iris, were forbidden to have romantic relationships.
Many management companies had a "no relationship" term in the contracts offered to talents. Iris' lawyer was from a well-known law firm so Bright Summit didn't fight against her demand to remove this ridiculous term from her contract before signing.
Tang Yiyi thought that this was a smart move from Iris. However, as a manager, her main priority was to ensure that her artist's career would not only become successful but also be sustainable in the long run. Iris was very talented and beautiful that it wouldn't surprise Tang Yiyi if Iris became a big star in the future. That was why Tang Yiyi wanted to prevent any mishaps that may destroy such a bright future before they could even happen.
But it seemed that Iris had no intentions of lying about her relationship status.
"Fine," Tang Yiyi could only sigh. "You don't have to lie. You can just deflect the question and not admit to anything."
Iris frowned, showing her dislike to the suggestion. "What a hassle."
Tang Yiyi wanted to bang her head against the wall. Iris' straightforward personality was a double-edged sword. On one hand, it was endearing because it set her apart from the other two-faced celebrities who were all smiles and compliments on the surface but were actually vicious backstabbers behind the scenes. On the other hand, her straightforwardness could backfire and be used against her. Tang Yiyi could only hope that nobody would ask Iris about her relationship status.
###
Iris' busy schedule continued. Likewise, Jin Liwei was also extremely busy. His company's latest business project finally completed its development stage and was now starting to be implemented. He needed to fly all over the country for business trips, so he and Iris barely had any time to actually spend together. Despite this, Jin Liwei made sure to call her several times a day.
Since both of them were so busy, they temporarily put aside the hiring of a female bodyguard. Jin Liwei was able to persuade Iris to lend her one of his subordinates as a bodyguard in addition to the one she hired. He promised her that he would retrieve his subordinate once they hired a female bodyguard for her.
A few nights later, while Iris was preparing for bed, her phone rang. She thought it was Jin Liwei. He was away on a two-night business trip to the southern part of the country. But when she looked at the number, she was surprised at the name being displayed.
"Hello?" she answered the phone.
"Little Sister, it's me," a cold voice replied on the other end of the line.
"Hello, Elder Brother Hui. What a surprise."
"I got your new number from Little Sister Mei."
"I see. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Are you still looking for a female bodyguard?"
"Yes."
"Good. I have someone I would like to recommend. I hope that you'll meet her and see if she'll be a good fit for you."
Iris tilted her head to the side. How interesting. Who was this woman that Long Hui, heir of Long Industries, would go to such lengths to help find a job?
"Hmm...I need someone qualified." Iris made sure to emphasize the word "qualified", especially after how much he previously stated that she was unqualified to work at Long Industries. "Does she have any experience working as a bodyguard?"
"Of course she's qualified. She's a certified professional bodyguard. She's well-trained in several martial arts and could also handle weapons if needed. As a matter of fact, she's actually overqualified. She has a degree in criminology."
"Hm? Then why would she choose to work as a bodyguard?"
"I don't understand it either but she says that it's her passion, what she loves doing."
"Oh." Iris nodded, immediately understanding. Then she thought for a moment. "If she's so great, why are you recommending her to me?"
Silence.
Iris waited patiently. After about ten seconds, she heard him sigh deeply.
"Actually, she was one of my bodyguards but she had to quit about two years ago. That's why I can personally attest to her skills."
"Hmm. Why did she quit?"
Another few seconds of silence.
"She got pregnant," he said.
"Oh. You mean you got her pregnant?"
"Yes."
Iris' eyes widened. She only asked to tease him a bit, but her question actually hit the nail on the head. This was getting more and more interesting.
"Did she keep the baby?" she continued to ask.
"Yes."
"Oh."
So this was the reason why Long Hui went out of his way to recommend someone to his sister. The woman was his child's mother.
"Does Father know?" she asked after the pause.
"I didn't tell him but I'm sure he knows. He keeps tabs on all of us his children."
"Hmm..."
"Will her being a mother be a problem for you?" he asked her.
"If I say yes, what would you do?" Iris wanted to test how far Long Hui would go for this woman.
"I really hope that you'll hire her."
"Why?"
"So that I can see her and my child. You're my sister and you coincidentally need a female bodyguard. If you hire her, I'll have a reason to regularly see them."
Iris couldn't stop herself from laughing.
"I am serious here, " he said through gritted teeth.
"So you only want to use your sister to get closer to them. What a hassle. If you really want to see her and your child on a regular basis, why don't you just take her as your wife or mistress? Elder Brother, you're being so complicated and you're even involving me, an innocent bystander, in your schemes"
"Do you really think that I didn't try?" Long Hui sounded exasperated. "I want my child to be legitimate, so I proposed marriage to her but she rejected me! She's the one who left me! I tried but she gave up on us! Do you understand?!"
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Chapter 148 - Jiang Ying Yue
Iris could hear Long Hui panting after his outburst. She waited for him to calm down. It seemed that the man wasn't so cold and indifferent after all.
"I don't even know why I'm telling you all of these," Long Hui finally said. "You must be thinking that I'm being ridiculous."
"Yes."
"You..." He was speechless for a few moments. "You could've just denied it, you know."
"Why?"
"To make me feel better and not embarrass me."
"But I don't care if you feel better or embarrassed."
"You! I'm your elder brother, you know!"
"I know. But I still don't care."
He didn't know how to respond to her nonchalant, brutal honesty. Afterwards, he sighed deeply. "Forget it. I shouldn't have even called you. If you're not interested in helping me, just say so."
Iris chuckled. Teasing this man was proving to be quite enjoyable. "I didn't say that I'm not interested. Actually, I'm very interested."
"Really?"
"Yes. By the way, how old is your child?"
"My son is one-year old." His tone noticeably became gentler.
"Only one. So young. Why is the mother already in a hurry to work?"
"She refuses to take my offer of child support," he said, sighing.
"Oh."
"She's not from an affluent family like us. She needs to work in order to survive. She was able to last this long without working because I gave her quite a big sum of money when she left my employment."
"Why won't she take child support from you? Does she hate you?"
"You ask too many questions," he grumbled.
"Of course I'm going to ask questions. I'm a potential employer of this woman you're recommending to me."
"Fair enough." He thought for a few seconds. "I don't know if she hates me or not. Although she's refusing financial help from me, at least she's allowing me to see our son. I want to give my son the best of everything but I don't want to take him away from her. She won't marry me either. So I can only think of this."
"Will she even agree to work as my bodyguard?" she asked.
"She will."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because she has no choice. Unless she lies about being a mother, nobody will hire a bodyguard with such a young child."
"Don't children that age need constant attention? Will she even be able to work properly?"
"Don't give her long hours! One or two days per week max."
Iris blinked. "Elder brother, I need a permanent bodyguard."
"Just hire her, Little Sister. Even if it's only in name. I'll even pay her salary if you want. Just don't tell her. You can always hire another one who will be your actual female bodyguard if you really want a permanent one."
She was impressed at the great lengths Long Hui was going through for this woman. She must be really important to him, in addition to her being the mother of his child.
"Fine," she said. "I'll have my assistant invite her for an interview."
"Really? Thanks."
"Don't thank me yet. If she doesn't want to work for me, I can't do anything about that. Similarly, if I don't like her, I won't hire her no matter how much you beg me. I'm not running a charity, Elder Brother."
A long sigh. "Fair enough. But can you let me know whatever your decision is after meeting her?"
"Sure."
After the phone call, Long Hui sent her the woman's contact information. Iris forwarded it to Dom, instructing him to schedule an interview.
It seemed that Dom immediately took action even though it was already very late at night because within half an hour, Iris' phone received a text message from him saying that the interview was scheduled tomorrow morning before they leave for a magazine photo shoot at around noon. Unfortunately, she was already deeply asleep when he sent it so she only read his text when she woke up the next day.
###
It was raining heavily outside. The sun couldn't be seen behind the thick clouds in the grey sky. The temperature was also a bit chilly and damp.
In short, it wasn't the greatest start for an important day. Jiang Ying Yue was headed for a job interview. She was feeling a little nervous because she hadn't worked in the past two years. Her one-year old son was still sleeping when she left him in the care of her kind neighbour who was a housewife taking care of her own child.
Jiang Ying Yue wore her usual bodyguard uniform which was a three-piece suit with a simple necktie and comfortable black shoes. It now felt a little tight because of the bit of weight she gained after her pregnancy.
Her pant legs were immediately soaked by the rain even with an umbrella. She walked alongside students and corporate workers who were hurrying for school and work to the subway station. Finally, she was able to squeeze into a jam-packed train. She thought about what happened last night.
A young man called her before midnight inviting her for a job interview. It was for a bodyguard position for a celebrity.
"May I ask which celebrity?" she asked.
"Of course. It's Boss―I mean Miss Iris Long."
Jiang Ying Yue immediately knew that Long Hui must have recommended her for this job. After all, Iris Long was his sister. Then she wondered if the siblings somehow improved their relationship. Why would the bratty Iris Long help her older brother?
"Hello? Are you still there? Do you want to come for an interview?"
She thought of rejecting the offer. She didn't want to have any more connections with Long Hui if she could help it. However, she really needed a job right now but potential employers would immediately reject her application once they learned that she was a mother of a baby. She could always lie but decided against it. She loved her son and would never deny his existence.
Her agency also wasn't too enthusiastic of her job prospects, prioritizing the young new recruits instead of helping someone like her to find an employer.
Rejection after rejection. Failure after failure.
The money Long Hui gave her when she quit being his bodyguard was dwindling quickly. She thought about abandoning the idea of working as a bodyguard to work at any available jobs, but her heart resisted. This was her passion, to serve and protect her designated charge.
She took a deep breath. "Yes, I would like to come for an interview."
Back to the present.
It was finally Jiang Ying Yue's stop. She squeezed through the packed crowd of bodies, almost falling on the railway platform outside the train doors.
She followed the directions given to her last night by the young man on the phone. She needed to take a taxi to reach the place. After about twenty minutes, she finally reached her destination. She paid the taxi driver, feeling the pinch to her wallet.
It was a high-rise building located at a rather wealthy area. She walked to the entrance and read the sign.
"Gold Heights Condominium."
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Chapter 149 - Are You Hiring Me?
Jiang Ying Yue stepped out of the private elevator into a beautiful penthouse unit. The place looked elegant and luxurious without being ostentatious. She was greeted by a cute young man. He gave her a welcoming smile.
"Hello. You must be Miss Jiang. My name is Dominic Chua. I'm Boss―I mean Miss Long's assistant. We spoke on the phone last night."
She shook his offered hand. "Hello, Mr. Chua. Thank you for this opportunity."
"Please call me Dominic."
"Thank you, Mr. Dominic."
The young man gave a small cute pout before smiling again. He led her through the massive unit into what looked like a library.
Her mouth opened and her eyes widened seeing the amazing collection of books. They were even in different languages. She caught herself just in time to arrange her expression into a neutral one.
They walked further inside the library until she saw a beautiful young woman sitting behind a big, dark desk. The desk was made of a kind of wood that she hadn't seen before. The irregular wavy black lines on the wood made the desk look very exotic.
The young woman sat in front of a computer, her expression focused. Her slender fingers flew rapidly yet silently over the keyboard. She didn't appear to notice that they had arrived.
"Please take a seat, Miss Jiang."
She was offered a cup of hot lemongrass green tea. They waited for a little over five minutes before the young woman behind the desk finally glanced at them.
"Boss, this is Miss Jiang," Dom told the young woman.
"I know." Iris Long stood up and walked around the desk. "Thanks, Dom."
"No problem, boss. Ehehe."
Jiang Ying Yue also stood up and admired the young woman as she walked towards her. Iris Long was wearing a peach-coloured knitted sweater dress. The dress hugged her hour-glass body perfectly. Jiang Ying Yue envied the other's figure a little because her own figure was more on the muscular side. Nevertheless, she was proud of her muscles because she would rather look strong and powerful than delicate and weak.
"Hello, Jiang Ying Yue," Iris greeted her and shook her hand. "I've been looking forward to meeting you ever since I heard about you from my brother."
Jiang Ying Yue stiffened but managed to give a polite smile. "Hello, Miss Long. Thank you for this opportunity."
Iris nodded and gestured for her to sit back down while she also took a seat across her.
Jiang Ying Yue handed Dominic her résumé and Dominic passed it to Iris. Iris only took a cursory glance at the résumé before setting it down on the low table between them, not bothering to look at it again.
'Has she decided not to hire me anymore? Why isn't she taking a closer look at my résumé? If she has no intentions of hiring me, why bother inviting me for an interview in the first place? Maybe she's only doing this as a favour to her brother. Just doing the motions and wash her hands off me. I shouldn't have accepted this interview.'
"So when can you start working?" Iris suddenly asked.
Jiang Ying Yue couldn't process immediately process the question. What did she mean? Was she hiring her or not? She blinked, unable to quickly give an answer.
"Hm?" Iris tilted her head looking at her. "Is there a problem?"
"No!" she hurriedly replied. "I mean, no, there's no problem at all. I can start working any time."
"Good. I have a photo shoot later. We leave at lunch time." Iris stood up.
Eh? Jiang Ying Yue was confused. Was she hired or not?
"Dom, finalize the hiring procedure. I already signed the employment contract. I need to start getting ready." Then she turned to Jiang Ying Yue. "Go follow Dom. He'll introduce you to my other bodyguard who'll be your colleague from now on. He'll explain what you'll need to know when it comes to working as my bodyguard. There's another bodyguard but he's only a temporary one. He'll leave now that you're here." Iris briefly nodded and was about to leave.
Jiang Ying Yue felt dazed for a few moments before regaining her senses. "Wait! Miss Long, I... Are you hiring me?"
"Yes."
"B-but...you haven't even checked my résumé yet."
"I did."
"There's another page to my résumé. You didn't look at it yet. Miss Long, I really appreciate this opportunity but I would like to be hired based on my qualifications and skills, not just because I have a connection with your brother."
"Hmm..." Iris studied her quietly.
She almost squirmed under the young woman's gaze but fought against it, instead making her already ramrod straight back even straighter.
Iris finally spoke again. "Don't worry, Jiang Ying Yue. I already know about all of your qualifications, skills, experience and achievements beyond what's written on your résumé. What did you think I was doing in front of the computer earlier? Playing games?"
"Oh." Jiang Ying Yue knitted her brows. "Did your brother send my information to you in advance?"
Iris laughed like it was the funniest thing she had ever heard. "I don't need my brother or any other people to send me information. I can gather whatever information that I need on my own. And Jiang Ying Yue, it seems that you're misinterpreting something. Don't think that I hired you as a favour to my brother. I don't give a whit about his feelings. Although I admit that your connection to him interests me, I'm not going to hire someone just because of that. Whatever happened between the two of you is none of my business. From now on, you're my bodyguard. You now belong to this household which has nothing to do with my brother. As long as you do your job properly, I'll treat you well. That's all."
Jiang Ying Yue took several deep breaths. She couldn't describe what she was exactly feeling at the moment. She heard that Iris Long was a temperamental spoiled brat, so she already readied herself to deal with prima donna attitude typical to spoiled heiresses. But now, contrary to her expectations, she was faced with a no-nonsense Iris Long who acted like a real boss. She made a decision.
"Thank you very much, Miss Long," she said, bowing her head. "I'll do my best to protect you and to ensure your safety as your bodyguard."
"That's what I want to hear," Iris said, smiling gently.
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Chapter 150 - The Suits
A month flew by. To Iris, it felt like a blur. She was busy every day, her full schedule packed almost to the brim.
She guested in several TV and radio programs to perform and to sit down for interviews. She posed for magazines. She appeared as a guest performer at various events such as festivals, grand openings, road shows, sports events, and even at the concerts of other more established musicians than her.
She also granted one-on-one interviews with some of the most popular social media influencers in the country. Because these influencers belonged outside the traditional showbiz culture, most of them weren't aware of the unspoken rules. At the moment, Iris Long was being carefully nurtured by both JJ and Bright Summit. This was why traditional interviewers didn't pry too much into her personal life as a courtesy to these two giants in showbiz.
Social media, on the other hand, was free-for-all. Tang Yiyi almost didn't permit Iris these interviews because she wasn't sure that she would be able to control the situation once these social media influencers started asking questions that were too personal. Additionally, Iris herself had a straightforward personality, preferring the hassle-free truth over the art of deflecting questions.
Iris assured her manager that she would be fine. She was even the one who personally chose which social media influencers to grant interviews. Iris just gave Tang Yiyi a list of names. Tang Yiyi asked Iris how she decided which names to put into the list, but Iris just gave her a mysterious smile.
Fortunately, much to Tang Yiyi's relief, all the interviews went smoothly just as Iris assured her. She didn't know how Iris did it, but she indeed chose the right social media influencers.
In addition to these, Iris also held her own mini-concerts and signing events where the Black Stars proved that they were quickly becoming a powerhouse among the fan clubs in terms of showing their undying support to their boss.
The Black Stars fan club gained popularity in their own right because whenever they showed up at Iris Long's public appearances, they would collectively wear tuxedo suits. They decided to do this to pay homage to Iris' outfit when they first recognized her as their boss during her launch party.
Although the quality of their tuxedo suits varied depending on what they could afford―from custom-made ones to rental and even handmade ones―seeing a large group of people looking sharp in tuxedo suits was an experience unto itself. When others saw them more than a couple of times, the Black Stars began to be informally known as "The Suits".
"Oh, it's The Suits. Seems like Iris Long will be here today."
"Uwah! Is it just me or The Suits look like they're triad [1] members or something?"
"I wish our fan club has a dress code like The Suits. Looks so d*mn cool. Maybe we can wear denim from head to toe and then we'll be called The Denims."
"That's so lame, bro."
The Black Stars, a.k.a. The Suits, only grew more and more loyal to their boss. To celebrate the recognition of their status as her official fan club, Iris Long gave them an exclusive fan concert for free.
After the concert, she invited the fan club officers to her dressing room. Because it was a weekend, Meimei tagged along. Immediately upon meeting each other, Meimei and Dom got along extremely well to the point that they swore they were twins from different parents. The dressing room was alive with their constant chatter. Jiang Ying Yue was also there with her male colleague, looking all stern and alert.
The Black Stars fan club officers finally arrived. Zhou Mei'er led the group, followed by Wu Chen, Feng Wan and her three friends. Hou Liang didn't come this time but a teenage girl was shyly standing behind the four posh ladies.
"Child, go on and introduce yourself to Iris." Feng Wan gently pushed the shy girl to the front.
The girl was red in the face and almost couldn't look directly at Iris. "U-uhm...hello, boss Iris. M-my name is Ming Li and I...love you...I mean, I'm a big fan."
"Oh, so you're Ming Li," Iris smiled gently and grabbed the girl's hand.
Ming Li's face became redder.
Iris: "I remember you. Madam Feng Wan sent me your letter. It was lovely. Thank you very much."
Ming Li: "You read my letter?"
Iris nodded.
Ming Li turned her head to Feng Wan and her three friends. "Thank you so much, Aunties!"
The four posh ladies smiled at her.
Ming Li looked at Iris again but still couldn't meet her eyes. The girl's eyes became teary. "I-I'm really sorry for posting your photos at the hospital online...I didn't mean to cause you so much trouble. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"
Iris: "I forgive you. Don't think about it anymore. Just don't do it again next time, okay?"
Ming Li nodded quickly. "Yes, yes! I promise!"
After the meeting, the girl became one of Iris' most die-hard fans. As LittlePhoenix online, she joined the Slippers Army and followed iEatSlippers' lead in whacking the bashers of their boss Iris with their virtual mighty slippers of justice.
During this eventful month, the singles music chart saw the most activity. Iris' "Rebirth" and Jin Chonglin's song were in fierce competition against each other, constantly changing positions between rank 1 and rank 2. One day, it would be Jin Chonglin's song at the top. The next day, it would be Iris' "Rebirth".
This close competition between Iris Long and Jin Chonglin's music also sparked a fierce rivalry between the Black Stars and Jin Chonglin's army of fans.
At the end of the month, Iris finally secured a stable hold in the singles chart. "Rebirth" was able to maintain its number 1 position for more than a week. Jin Chonglin's song was currently at number 2 but it was now the turn of Iris' other song "Black Star" to start another fierce competition against it. "Black Star" and Jin Chonglin's song started fluctuating between numbers 2 and 3. As for "Phantom of Your Love", it had a comfortable hold on its number 5 position.
In the albums chart, the month ended with Jin Chonglin as the reigning king. His album remained at number 1, not budging even a little. His army of fans felt relief at their idol's superiority in the albums chart despite the unexpected competitiveness of Iris Long's songs in the singles chart, ending with her victory.
When the new month just started, however, their security and sense of superiority soon shattered. A great upheaval shook the music charts.
All it took was a single announcement by JJ's record label.
###
Footnotes:
[1] A term used to refer to organized crime groups in China, similar to how "yakuza" or "mafia" are used.
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