Chapter 151 - Mommy And Daddy Ice Cream And Popcorn Side Story
Their memories before Mommy and Daddy were hazy. They vaguely remembered a bigger, warm, furry body who frequently licked them clean. The body felt comfortable and safe. There also seemed other little ones besides the two of them.
Then one day, several scary-sounding monsters took everyone away, leaving only the two of them behind. They felt so hungry and so cold. They could only rub against each other to make themselves feel warmer. They cried and cried, but still nobody came.
After what felt like forever, they heard a pretty voice. Moments later, there was another voice, deep and scary. They felt afraid of the second voice, but the pretty voice rubbed them gently, calming them down.
The pretty voice and the scary voice took them somewhere. They were very scared, but they felt safe with the two voices.
Everything was a blur during that day, but it was the best day of their lives. They were fed with milk. Though the milk wasn't as yummy as the one they got from the bigger, warm, furry body before. Finally, they were warm, comfortable and safe again.
Later, they learned that the pretty voice was their Mommy and the scary voice was their Daddy. They also began to learn of their own names: Ice Cream and Popcorn.
Mommy was the best. She would talk and sing to them with her pretty voice. They would always feel calm and safe whenever she was near.
Daddy was still a little scary, but he treated them nicely. He wasn't as gentle as Mommy, but he never hurt them. He would also often stick close to Mommy. They liked him better when he smelled a little like Mommy.
Ice Cream and Popcorn were very happy. They loved their Mommy and Daddy the most in the whole world. Well, the truth was that they loved Mommy way more than Daddy. But it was okay because they knew that Daddy also loved Mommy more than the two of them.
To Ice Cream and Popcorn, there were only two types of people in the world.
First were Mommy and Daddy who were the most important to them. It was because of Mommy and Daddy that they were able to have such a wonderful and safe home.
Second were their slaves. Everyone at home, except for Mommy and Daddy, were their slaves. The one called Dom was Slave #1. They liked him the most among their slaves because he always seemed to know what they wanted. If they wanted milk or food, he would feed them. If they wanted to play, he would play with them. Their other slaves were also nice but they couldn't understand them the way Slave #1 understood them.
However, there were times that they hated Slave #1 because he would bring them to a nice-looking man who they already met on the same day Mommy and Daddy found them. He had a nice and gentle voice but deep inside, he was actually a monster in disguise!
The monster in disguise would uncomfortably rub and press all over their bodies, force their mouths wide open, and then shine bright lights in their eyes making them go blind for a few seconds. Then he would stick something cold and hard in their butts. Unforgivable! But this was not the worst thing that he did to them.
The worst thing was the Ouchy! The Ouchy was a very thin, sharp thing that he would use to stab them. So painful! They would scratch and roar, showing everyone not to mess with them, but the monster would just hold them down and continue to stab them! They would cry painfully, calling for their Mommy and Daddy to save them. They hated Slave #1 during those times because he would be laughing happily and taking photos of their suffering.
The monster was called "doctor" or "vet".
Popcorn wasn't too smart so he turned to Ice Cream. "Big Sister, what do 'doctor' and 'vet' mean?"
Ice Cream gave him a bored glance, licking her paw. "It means 'evil monster'. So Popcorn, whenever you hear those words, you have to run and hide quickly."
"Oh, I see. You're so smart! Wanna play? Let's play! I wanna play!"
Their daily life was full of adventures. When they grew a little bigger and stronger, Mommy finally let them out of the big door. They didn't know that their home was actually bigger than they imagined.
They loved it whenever Mommy sat in front of a big, white thing called the piano and make wonderful sounds come out of it. Ice Cream would rub against Mommy's leg until Mommy placed her on top of the piano. Popcorn preferred to run all around, singing along with the wonderful sounds. Mommy would praise him, making him happy.
One day, they were in their room. Ice Cream, sleeping peacefully on her fluffy bed, was abruptly awoken by Popcorn.
"Big Sister, wake up! Something bad is happening!"
"What is it?" Ice Cream felt grumpy from having her beauty sleep disturbed by her hyperactive brother.
"We gotta help Mommy! Mommy's in danger!"
"What?!" Ice Cream was instantly awake.
"Look there! Daddy is hurting Mommy!"
Ice Cream turned and saw Mommy lying on the couch, Daddy on top of her.
Popcorn: "Daddy's eating Mommy's face! Listen, Mommy's making crying noises. I bet she's in pain! She also sounds like she can't breathe! We gotta save her! Bad Daddy!"
The two ran to save their precious Mommy. Popcorn arrived first, biting Daddy's pants. He shook his head and roared. Ice Cream also arrived and tried to climb up the couch, crying loudly, trying to make Daddy stop.
"You always tastes so sweet, baby." Jin Liwei panted.
Iris moaned. "Liwei...kiss me more..."
They were so into each other that they didn't notice their kittens making a ruckus below them.
Popcorn: "Big Sister, Daddy won't stop! What should we do?"
Ice Cream: "Bite him."
"Okay!" Popcorn opened his mouth and then bit hard on Daddy's leg. Unfortunately, he still loved his Daddy, so he held back from drawing blood.
"Ah!" The sharp pain on his leg snapped Jin Liwei out of his desire. "What the he― Popcorn! What are you doing?! Stop! Let go!"
He grabbed the kitten by the scruff of its neck.
Popcorn hissed and swiped his extended claws at his Daddy.
"Stop it," Jin Liwei growled.
The kitten started crying pitifully.
"Okay, that's enough. Don't be so harsh on him. He's still a baby." Iris took Popcorn gently from Jin Liwei's hand. She also scooped up the meowing Ice Cream from the floor.
The two immediately dove into their Mommy's embrace and looked up at her face, checking to see if she was alright.
"Why are you suddenly acting like this? Are you two in pain?" Iris asked in concern. Then she turned to Jin Liwei. "Should we take them to the vet?"
The two kittens immediately froze. They hurriedly jumped off the couch and ran to hide.
Iris: "What was that about?"
Jin Liwei: "Who knows?"
Iris: "Are they sick?"
Jin Liwei: "Doesn't look like it. Don't worry about them. Our kids are healthy."
When Mommy and Daddy left, Ice Cream and Popcorn were already sleeping in their hiding spots.
The next day, they had already forgotten the incident of Daddy eating Mommy's face. Upon hearing the cursed word "vet", this entire chunk of yesterday's memories were automatically erased from their minds.
And so the wonderful life of Ice Cream and Popcorn continued.
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Chapter 152 - Second Date Part I
Jin Liwei woke up that morning feeling refreshed. As usual, he finished work very late last night, returning to the penthouse past 1 AM. His baby girl was already deeply sleeping. He joined her under the warm covers after a quick shower.
Yawning, he looked at the time. 8:19 AM. This was the first time since working on his company's current business project that he slept for so long. He felt lighter and energetic. He almost forgot the wonderful feeling of being well-rested.
His baby girl was still deeply asleep in his embrace. He ran his fingers through her long, silky hair and inhaled her sweet scent that was unique to her. Thankfully, she didn't experience any nightmare last night. He also noticed that the frequency of her nightmares gradually dwindled now that she was preoccupied with work. This was a good sign, right? He hoped that they would disappear altogether.
Aside from feeling refreshed, he was also feeling very excited. Ever since both of them started becoming very busy at their own respective work, this was the first time that his baby girl had a full day off. As the boss of his own company, he scheduled a day off for himself on the same day even though it was in the middle of a workday week. The business project was important but it would survive a single day without him. Besides, he needed to spend more quality time with his girlfriend.
Every time he watched her on TV or read Dominic's reports about her activities, he knew that she encountered a lot of other men while working. It would always take a lot of his self-control not to abandon work and rush to where she was to personally drive away all those salivating wolves eyeing his woman. If he ever did that, he knew that she would be very upset with him. He didn't want to give her any reason to harbour any negative feelings for him.
Finally, today was the day they agreed to have their second date. A date with only the two of them. No annoying flies this time (a.k.a. his brothers). That was why he felt so excited upon waking up. He researched (a.k.a. ask his assistant Xu Tian) on how to make a date romantic and made plans for today accordingly.
He nuzzled her hair and tried to wake her up. Alas, she continued to sleep peacefully. After a few more failed attempts, he could only give up and wait for her to wake up naturally later. Besides, she deserved to rest as much as possible especially after working almost nonstop for weeks.
After showering her face with light kisses, he reluctantly rose from the bed.
He worked out at the gym. He added a lot of machines and equipment to the sadly lacking place. Now it looked like a proper gym instead of a plain dance studio. Then he showered and ate a big breakfast. The old housekeeper was still cold towards him, but at least she treated him politely and stopped trying to attack him. He didn't mind the treatment. After all, the only important person to him in this place was his baby girl. Oh, and their kids, Ice Cream and Popcorn.
Two hours later, he returned to the bedroom yet his baby girl was still sleeping soundly. He tried waking her up but to no avail. He was very excited for their date today. He was looking forward to it for days now.
While waiting for her to wake up, he quietly stationed himself at her study desk to finish some work. He would frequently glance towards the bed to check on his baby girl.
Unfortunately for him, it looked like she had no intention of waking up anytime soon.
And he was right.
When Iris woke up, it was almost noon.
Already a third of the activities on his date plan now had to be cancelled because they could only do them in the morning.
"Good morning, baby," he greeted her. He walked to the bed, leaned down and gave a light kiss on her lips. "Are you excited for today?"
"Mmn...morning... Hm?" She yawned, stretching her body. "Why?"
His face fell.
Then she remembered. "Oh. It's our date today."
His expression brightened. "Yes."
He didn't urge her to hurry up and get ready, but she could feel the excitement emanating from him. Truth be told, she was also excited for today, so she got ready in no time.
Jin Liwei suggested that they wear matching outfits again, but she declined.
"I want to wear a dress today," she told him.
He felt a little disappointed that she didn't want to match outfits but seeing her beautiful figure accentuated by a long, flowing floral sundress, the disappointment instantly flew away. She looked very casual yet still elegant. Looking down at his formal dress shirt and trousers, he took them off and changed into a casual long-sleeved navy blue polo shirt and black jeans instead.
The two left the bedroom. Iris wanted to eat brunch first at home but Jin Liwei said that they would eat outside. She nodded but still grabbed a banana from the kitchen to tide her hunger.
They rode the elevator down to the private underground parking area. Three of the cars were Jin Liwei's. This time, they chose a red two-door coupe.
As they drove away from the condo building, Iris ate her banana.
Jin Liwei mentally reviewed his plans for today's date. First would be a romantic lunch at the best French restaurant in the country which was conveniently located just half an hour drive away.
On the way, however, Iris saw a lively street food market. She turned to him, her eyes bright and curious.
"Liwei, can we eat there?"
A slight frowned appeared on his face. "Baby, we already have a reservation at a restaurant."
"Oh. Okay. Never mind."
Her obvious look of disappointment stabbed at his heart. He cleared his throat. "Do you really want to eat at that market?"
Her eyes immediately lit up. "Yes! Can we?"
"Of course, baby." He smiled at her while sighing inside. He turned the car towards the street food market.
It was unfortunate that they couldn't do exactly as he planned. Oh well. As long as his baby girl was happy. Besides, he had many other activities planned for today. Crossing one out wasn't a big deal.
Or so he thought.
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Chapter 153 - Second Date Part II
Although it was a weekday and not as busy as a weekend, finding a parking spot was still a challenge. Jin Liwei had to drive around the area several times before they were able to find a spot on the roadside. Iris was so excited that she almost jumped out of the car as soon as they parked. Fortunately, Jin Liwei was quicker and was able to stop her.
"Baby, wait. Wear your mask and your sunglasses first."
"Oh, right. Thanks."
They walked together to the bustling street food market.
Colourful and vibrant food stalls were crammed together selling various food products. Vendors frequently yelled out, trying to attract customers to their stalls. Smoke was everywhere and different smells mixed in the air.
Iris pulled Jin Liwei all over the place, curious at everything. She knew that Dom, the glutton, frequented street food markets during his days off. She had always been interested but never really had the chance to go until today.
Jin Liwei held her hand firmly to make sure that he wouldn't lose her in this crowded place. On the outside, he had his usual cold and indifferent expression. Inside, however, he had the urge to vomit seeing some of the things being sold. He was about to suggest for them to go to the French restaurant after all but stopped himself upon seeing his baby girl's enthusiasm. He could only sigh and let himself be pulled along by her.
For lunch, he made safe choices like barbequed chicken and duck chops with noodles. On the other hand, his baby girl was more...er, adventurous. Skewered scorpions, black spiders, water beetles, and silkworm chrysalis were on her paper plate alongside the more palatable fried rice and calamari.
Holding one side of her mask to have enough space to eat, she took small bites of each of her "adventurous" choices before grimacing in disgust. Then she would offer them all to him.
It took him a lot of effort not to visibly cringe. He forced out a smile and took the skewers from her before placing them on the edge of his plate. He had no intention of trying them whatsoever. He tried ignoring that part of his plate but too late. His appetite was already gone. Giving up on eating, he just sat back to admire his baby girl enjoying her fried rice and calamari.
Finally, they left the market. He felt so relieved. This wasn't how he imagined their romantic lunch date would be, but what was done was done.
Once inside the car, their clothes stank of smoke. He activated the air freshener and hurriedly drove away from the place.
Next on his date plan was to watch a romantic movie at the cinema. He drove to an upscale mall. Parking was no problem this time.
The line-up at the box office wasn't long, so they took their time to choose which movie to watch. Of course, Jin Liwei already checked which romance movies were currently showing beforehand.
Jin Liwei: "How about we watch 'A Love Across Time'?"
Iris: "Hmm..."
Jin Liwei: "Or maybe 'Never Let You Go'?"
She frowned.
Jin Liwei: "I heard 'Where the Heart Lies' is getting rave reviews from critics. Would you like to watch it?"
"No. I want to watch that." She pointed at a movie poster.
The title read "The Hit List", a gangster movie.
Iris: "Can we?"
How could he reject her when she was looking at him with those beautiful eyes? He immediately bought tickets, then lined up again for a bag of popcorn and a big bottle of room temperature water. Although he preferred chilled drinks, his baby girl avoided them because she was a singer. But still he bought only one big bottle because he wanted the two of them to share.
When they entered the auditorium, there were only about twenty people in addition to the two of them. Most were males. There were only three females watching including Iris.
Iris and Jin Liwei chose seats at the very back. The movie started after a few minutes. Jin Liwei wasn't paying attention to the movie at all. This kind of gangster movies didn't interest him, unless they were rare classic masterpieces. Instead, his eyes were directed at his baby girl's expression for the entire duration of the movie.
She took off her mask and sunglasses since nobody was paying attention to them anyway in this dark place.
Her expressions and reactions while watching the movie were amusing, especially her mumbled comments.
"Who shoots a gun like that? So stupid. And he's supposed to be a trained assassin?"
"This brawl looks too choreographed. Ill-choreographed at that. Very unrealistic."
"Hmph. What kind of criminal organization is this? They're all filled with stupid, brainless idiots. Disgraceful!"
Initially, he was already prepared to endure two boring hours sitting here but surprisingly, he felt entertained. The movie was boring as expected, but watching his baby girl's contempt for it was entertainment in itself. She was so cute! He smiled in amusement, popping popcorn into his mouth now and then. His eyes never stopped looking at her the whole time.
After the movie, Iris continued to grumble about the movie's stupidity. Jin Liwei had no idea what happened in the movie but he nodded and agreed at everything she said.
There was absolutely zero romance in the movie. This wasn't how he imagined their romantic movie date would be, but what was done was done.
Next activity on his romantic date plan was to go shopping together. Although he knew that she could buy whatever she wanted with her own money, he still wanted to buy things for her. He also wanted for them to buy more matching outfits or any other matching things, especially now that they were living together.
Walking inside the mall, they heard her songs from her album "Rebirth" being played at various shops. He felt very proud of her, wanting to shout out to everyone that she was his.
His good mood, however, was short-lived. Most of the men they passed by would ogle his baby girl's body. He put his arm around her shoulders to pull her closer to him while scowling and glaring at the lecherous men. How dare they look at his woman with their dirty eyes?! He felt the strongest urge to gouge their eyes out.
Similarly beside him, Iris' mood was also taking a dive. Her expression was hidden by her face mask and big sunglasses but her eyes were shooting daggers at the females ogling her man. She placed her arm around his waist, staking her claim.
The temperature around this gorgeous couple was like that of frozen hell. People subconsciously gave them a wide berth to avoid the threatening aura surrounding the couple. Even so, the people couldn't take their eyes off of them because they looked so beautiful together. Even though they couldn't see what the girlfriend looked like, they knew that she must be gorgeous.
The lechers needed some good thrashing, Jin Liwei thought, but he had a more important mission for today which was to have a romantic date with his baby girl. So far, they weren't able to accomplish anything according to his plan but he refused to give up.
Of course, he researched which shops sold matching outfits for couples beforehand. He was about to suggest going into one of the shops when...
"Oh, a pet store!" Iris exclaimed. "Liwei, let's go buy some stuff for Ice Cream and Popcorn."
Those eyes again. How could he ever resist?
"Of course, baby," he immediately said, allowing himself to be pulled along by her.
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Chapter 154 - Second Date Part III
This time, both of them were a little more knowledgeable about various pet products so they didn't take almost everything from the shelves unlike the first time they shopped for their kittens. Despite this, they still bought a lot. The car they brought was too small so they asked the shop to deliver their purchases to the penthouse instead. Like before, the manager catered to them, smelling big money from the couple. He immediately agreed. They only needed to pay extra.
Iris beat Jin Liwei, taking out her credit card faster than him. Hers wasn't black like his, but it was still one of the higher end privilege cards available only for the rich.
The manager didn't bat an eye seeing the card. After all, this was an upscale mall and most of the shoppers in this place were wealthy people. He already encountered this card before, but he would still probably freak out if he saw Jin Liwei's legendary black one. It was, after all, only a card offered to a select few among the wealthiest in the world.
Fortunately, the name on Iris' credit card was her real name, so she wasn't recognized. Coincidentally, "Rebirth" was playing inside the store.
Jin Liwei looked at the time, it was already late afternoon. They spent more time in the pet store than he intended, but he didn't have the heart to rush his baby girl when she was clearly enjoying choosing items for their kids. It seemed that his original plan of shopping for matching outfits together would have to wait another day. This wasn't how he imagined this shopping date would be, but what was done was done.
Next up on his date plan was to enjoy culture together at an art gallery. Xu Tian warned him that depending on the woman, an art gallery date might be seen as boring and unromantic. Jin Liwei waved his assistant's concerns away. He knew that his baby girl appreciated and had great taste in art. He was pretty sure that his plan would be successful this time, especially since she was a creative and artistic person herself, although more on the field of music than fine arts.
They exited the mall to their parked car outside.
While Jin Liwei drove, Iris was busy texting on her phone.
"Baby, would you like to go to an art gallery?"
"Hm? Yes. That would be lovely," she replied but her attention was still on her phone.
Who was she texting? He was curious but didn't ask.
After some time, she placed her phone back inside her purse. They chatted until something caught her eye.
"Oh, look! It's a KTV!" [1] She turned to him. "I've never been to one before. Can we go?"
This time, he hesitated even when faced with her beautiful eyes. If he agreed to her again, he would have to cancel their date at the art gallery. None of the activities he arranged for today's date was going according to his original plan.
Iris: "You don't want to? Oh, it's okay. Let's continue to the art gallery then."
Seeing her disappointed expression, he sighed; a helpless smile on his face. He turned the car and drove towards the KTV she pointed at.
"Eh? Where are we going?"
"To where you want to go."
"Really?"
"Yes, baby." He glanced at her and saw her beaming at him. His heart momentarily stopped before beating wildly inside his chest. He immediately felt glad giving in to her.
There weren't a lot of people so they were able to quickly settle in one of the karaoke boxes. Being a singer, Iris wasn't shy at all, immediately choosing songs and started singing. All the songs from her album "Rebirth" were already available so she chose them first and gave Jin Liwei a private concert.
Intense emotions surged through him as he watched and listened to his baby girl singing only for him. They looked at each other's eyes the entire time.
She was so beautiful, so talented, so amazing. And she was his.
He could feel his love for her deepening with every passing moment.
After singing her own songs, she also sang other songs and urged him to sing together with her. He didn't have a great singing voice but he was able to hold most of the tunes.
They only stayed for 45 minutes because Iris didn't want to overwork her vocal chords. Then they left.
There was not enough time anymore to go to the art gallery, so he could only give up on it. Karaoke wasn't in his plans, but what was done was done.
It was already evening. There was only one activity left on his date plan. To have a romantic dinner date. He already booked a private table at an exclusive seafood restaurant well-known in high society. Dining was only available for its members. Jin Liwei was, of course, a top member.
He was about to tell her that he was going to take her to dinner when...
"Liwei, I'm tired. Can we go home now?"
He froze. He took a couple of deep breaths to prevent himself from panicking. "Baby, don't you want dinner?"
"Let's eat at home."
"But―"
"Please, Liwei...darling. I feel really tired."
"Alright, baby." All he could do was sigh. If this was what she wanted, so be it.
Finally, they arrived at the condo. Inside the elevator, Iris leaned against Jin Liwei. He kissed the top of her head. He was feeling a little down that nothing went according to his plans today. But what was done was already done. Though he would be lying if he said that he wasn't disappointed.
The elevator door opened and they entered the penthouse.
"Hm?" Jin Liwei looked around, confused.
There was nobody in sight. The place was dimly-lit. A trail of red rose petals was on the floor.
He looked at his baby girl to see her smiling nervously at him. Did she plan this?
She held his hand and pulled him. They followed the path of red petals until they arrived at a candlelit dinner table for two in front of the ceiling high glass windows overlooking the lovely night lights of the city outside. A romantic violin tune was playing softly in the background.
Dom was waiting for them in a waiter-style tuxedo suit.
"Welcome, Sir and Madam. My name is Dom and I'll be your server for tonight. Ehehe."
Jin Liwei turned to his baby girl. "Did you plan this?"
She nodded.
"Oh, baby." He pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she lifted her head to look at his face. "Do you like it?"
"I love it."
She smiled at him so brightly that his breath caught. He lifted her up and crushed his mouth to her sweet lips.
The two failed to hear Dom's squeals as they kissed each other hungrily. When their mouths separated, both were panting. Their eyes glazed with desire.
"I think we should eat," she mumbled.
"En. I'm hungry," he said, nibbling her earlobe and making her shiver.
Finally, they seated themselves. Dom poured them warm apple cider on wine glasses. Iris didn't drink alcohol, so Jin Liwei avoided drinking too when they were together. Then Dom left to get their dinner.
"Is this the reason why you were busy texting earlier?"
She nodded. "I was coordinating with Dom."
He reached across the table and held her hand. "Baby, thank you. I'm so happy."
"I'm glad."
They smiled at each other.
So what if nothing went according to Jin Liwei's plans today? His plans were nothing compared to his baby girl's sweet surprise for him. For him, today was the most romantic day of his life yet. He never imagined that one day he would be the one romanced by his woman. He never expected it to feel so good. Happiness sang in his blood.
"I love you, baby."
###
Footnotes:
[1] A karaoke establishment commonly found in Asia. Also known as "karaoke box". The term "KTV" (abbreviation for "karaoke television") is particularly used in China, Singapore and Cambodia.
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Chapter 155 - A Force To Be Reckoned With
In the music charts, the month ended with Iris Long's victory in the singles rankings while Jin Chonglin retained his title as reigning king in the album rankings.
The Black Stars celebrated with gusto over their victory on the singles chart and were now eyeing the albums chart. On the other hand, Jin Chonglin's army of fans were sullen that they lost in the singles chart. As a result, they became even more determined to defend the number 1 position of their idol's album.
Both of these fan clubs poured tremendous support to their respective celebrities' albums. It was in this way that Jin Chonglin's fans regained their confidence because the gap between them and the Black Stars was still too big. Jin Chonglin had been at the top of his game for years now. Additionally, he wasn't just popular in the country but across Asia as well. Compared to Iris Long who just made her comeback, not to mention her past as a second-rate pop star, Jin Chonglin had already rooted himself deeply in the music industry.
But as soon as the new month started, JJ's record label released an official announcement.
"We are excited to announce the upcoming release of the piano version of Iris Long's album 'Rebirth' next month. This new album will be titled 'Rebirth Melodies'. All of the songs in the album are singlehandedly transcribed for solo piano by Iris herself. So for her fans who are pianists, we have another exciting news. We have compiled the sheet music for all of the songs into a piano songbook which will be available for purchase separately or as a package with the album. One month from now, Iris Long's new album 'Rebirth Melodies' and the piano songbook will be officially available for sale in the country and internationally as well. Please look forward to Iris Long's next album!"
JJ's record label also released thirty-second audio samples for the piano versions of "Rebirth", "Black Star" and "Phantom of Your Love", the current top songs from the original album.
As expected, the Black Stars were ecstatic upon hearing this news. Although "Rebirth Melodies" technically contained the same songs as the original "Rebirth" album, it was still considered as a new album. Coming up with a new album so quickly was already an accomplishment to be proud of. What was more, this new album was planned for international release! How exciting was that?
The pianists among them were the most excited. Many of them already made their own fan transcriptions of the songs from the album, but they still wanted to get their hands on the piano songbook as soon as possible. They wanted to compare their boss Iris' original transcriptions to their own versions.
Listening to the audio samples, they were already quite impressed. It seemed that their boss Iris didn't just transcribe the songs as they were but also took creative liberties and rearranged them to elicit more powerful emotions.
They were all so excited about this new album that it took some time before someone noticed that there was more to the announcement. When someone pointed it out, people began reading the next lines of text at the bottom.
"The song 'Phantom of Your Love' has been chosen as the official theme song for an upcoming film. Iris took it upon herself to rearrange the song to make it more cinematic and fitting for the movie's overall theme. In addition to this, we are also confirming that Iris has been appointed as the film's official music composer. She is currently working hard in cooperation with the film's director and producers to compose a film score for the entire movie. We will reveal more information in accordance to the film's production progress. Thank you."
After reading, everyone was completely shocked.
Iris Long was going to compose a film score for a movie?!
What the hell?! How did that happen? Could she really compose an entire film score by herself?
This bombshell instantly overshadowed the news of the upcoming release of her piano album "Rebirth Melodies". People wanted to know more about this mysterious film and how Iris Long became its official music composer. They bombarded JJ's record label with online comments, e-mails, and even with phone calls. However, the record label refused to say anything more. The people turned to Iris Long's social media pages and even to Bright Summit but both kept silent just like JJ's record label.
And so everyone started playing detective. In the following days, people started investigating which films were currently in production. As a result, some directors and producers had to release official statements denying that Iris Long was working with them because they were being constantly bothered by these wannabe detectives.
There was another outcome to this huge revelation. "Phantom of Your Love" finally moved from its stable fifth position in the singles chart, jumping all the way to number 2. It unexpectedly joined the fierce battle between Jin Chonglin's song and "Black Star".
Fans were curious about how their boss Iris would make "Phantom of Your Love" more cinematic. The musicians among the fans even started making their own cinematic versions of the song even without knowing what the film was about. As a result, there was a great surge of fan covers of this song being uploaded online. A betting pool was even set up to see which of these fan covers would be the most similar to Iris' official version when it was released.
After a couple of weeks, a much bigger shock swept everyone.
The album "Rebirth" finally kicked Jin Chonglin's album from its number 1 position in the music chart.
Although its hold to the top position was not stable yet, the fact that Iris Long's album was even able to reach this position and replace an album by a big star like Jin Chonglin was already unbelievable to many. After all, there were still a lot people who viewied Iris Long as a second-rate pop star despite her image change and recent accomplishments.
As the new queen of the music charts, taking the sought-after double crown, Iris Long was finally starting to be recognized as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
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Chapter 156 - Little Jun
Gold Heights Condominium.
The mouth-watering smell of bacon and eggs permeated the kitchen. Everyone sat around the kitchen island while the cook and Yi Mei served them food.
Iris and Jin Liwei sat together on one side. Dom and Meimei sat on the other side. Their nonstop chatter livened up the atmosphere. Meimei regularly slept over whenever she had no classes.
Jiang Ying Yue sat on another side with her one-year old son, Long Jun. The child sat on a high chair. A nanny was beside them. Everyone in the penthouse immediately fell in love with the toddler when they saw him for the first time. He looked a lot like his father, Long Hui.
Because Jiang Ying Yue lived quite far from the penthouse, Iris arranged for a two-bedroom unit for her and her son right in the same condo building. Jiang Ying Yue tried to decline the offer, knowing that she could never afford the price of living in this wealthy area.
But Iris told her, "Don't decline. It's not for you. I already bought it as a gift for my first nephew. The unit is under Little Jun's name and will be officially transferred to him once he reaches the age of majority. And it's more convenient that you move here so that you can come quickly whenever I need you."
Jiang Ying Yue didn't have any reason to reject Iris' generous offer, especially since it was all for her son.
"I also arranged for a nanny to care for Little Jun when you're working," Iris added. "The nanny's salary is paid for by my brother."
Jiang Ying Yue opened her mouth to protest but Iris raised her hand to stop her.
"If you have any objections about him paying for his son's nanny, go talk to him," Iris said. "Like I said before, your relationship with my brother is none of my business. I won't tell you what to do, but don't forget that my brother is your son's father. I'm also your son's aunt. All we want is the best for Little Jun. But of course, you're the mother so we'll respect your decisions regarding your own child."
In the end, Jiang Ying Yue decided to accept the siblings' offers. After all, they were all for her son. Iris' words managed to penetrate through her pride. Despite this, she still felt a little resistant to accepting help from other people. She felt that she could do everything by herself as long as she worked hard enough.
Her relationship with Long Hui was a big mistake, but the fruit of their mistake was the biggest blessing in her life. She would never regret giving birth to her son, Long Jun. Her son completed her existence. She still didn't want to have anything to do with Long Hui, but she could never deny the fact that he was her son's father. Iris was able to make her realize that she shouldn't deprive her son the opportunity to be provided for by his own father. She still didn't like it, but she would stop resisting so strongly because this was for her son's sake.
Back to the present, Jiang Ying Yue silently observed everyone. She was surprised by the warmth in this household. While she was still working as Long Hui's bodyguard, she often heard the various Long family members disparaging the Young Miss Xiulan. But she could see nothing of that sort here.
Iris had been very generous to her ever since she started working for her, especially to Little Jun. The penthouse was basically her son's home. He would spend the entire day here being doted upon by everyone. Their two-bedroom unit a few floors down was just a place to sleep. She worried a little that her son was being spoiled too much, but as a mother, she didn't have the heart to tell them to stop.
She looked at her new boss and the man sitting beside her. She frequently caught them staring into each other's eyes as if they were the only ones present in the world.
It was only because of her training as a bodyguard that was letting Jiang Ying Yue maintain an impassive expression on her face. The first time she saw Jin Liwei in the penthouse was a few days after she was hired. She immediately recognized him because she worked as Long Hui's bodyguard for a few years. Long Hui was the heir of Long Industries. She often accompanied him to business meetings and events, so she was familiar with some of the key figures in the business world, especially someone as powerful as Jin Liwei.
She wondered what business the President-CEO of Jin Corporation had with her boss that he went out of his way to personally go to the penthouse. Then she learned that the two were in a relationship. They were even living together! She was so shocked that she questioned whether she was hallucinating or not.
Now a few weeks later, she was starting to get used to the possibility that her boss could be the next madam of Jin Corporation. Even she could see that the feelings between the lovers were real, especially Jin Liwei's.
Jiang Ying Yue's thoughts were interrupted by the crying of her child.
"What's wrong, Junie boy?" Dom asked.
Jiang Ying Yue checked. "His diaper just needs to be changed. Please excuse us."
Iris nodded.
Jiang Ying Yue left carrying Little Jun in her arms, the nanny following them.
"Big Brother Liwei, what are you reading?" Meimei asked.
Jin Liwei was reading the newspaper while they ate breakfast.
Unlike Jiang Ying Yue, Meimei didn't recognize Jin Liwei when she first met him as Iris' boyfriend. Or more specifically, she didn't know him in the first place. She had no interest in the corporate world. Iris' words when she visited the Long ancestral residence stuck with her. She believed Iris when she said that her boyfriend was just a "regular businessman" who was "no one special".
Even when Dom told her that Jin Liwei was the head of the number one company in the country, she didn't feel excited or amazed. To her, a company was a company. In other words, boring.
Jin Liwei showed the girl the page he was reading. It was the entertainment section. The headlines were all about Iris.
"Iris Long: the Newly Crowned Queen of the Music Charts!"
"Iris Long's Upcoming Album 'Rebirth Melodies' Already Breaking Pre-order Records for an Instrumental Album!"
"Film Critic: 'Only an Indie Film With Low Budget Will Have the Guts to Appoint Someone Like Iris Long to Compose an Entire Film Score.'"
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Chapter 157 - Third Album
Dom and Meimei leaned forward to read the headlines from the newspaper.
Meimei: "Oh wow! They're all about you, Xiulan!"
Dom: "Of course! It's because Boss is the best."
Meimei: "Your upcoming album is already breaking records! Amazing!"
Dom: "Ehehe. As expected, Boss is awesome."
Meimei: "Uwah! Xiulan, can you give me a signed copy?"
Dom: "Hey! Don't ask boss for a copy. You should buy one!"
Meimei: "Aaaw. Come on. Fine, I'll just steal―I mean, ask for another one from Uncle Tengfei. I'm sure he'll buy lots again."
The two high-fived and laughed.
Meimei: "Eh? What did that stupid film critic say? 'Someone like Iris Long'? What's that supposed to mean? Is that an insult?"
Dom: "Hmph! Film critic, my a**! Posing as an expert when he doesn't even know what he's talking about!"
Iris took the newspaper from Jin Liwei and speed read the article containing an interview with a film critic.
"Hmm... He's not wrong," Iris said. "I'm indeed composing a film score for an indie film. And yes, they have low budget."
Meimei: "Oh, is that true?"
Iris nodded, returning the newspaper back to Jin Liwei. He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before continuing to read.
Dom: "Hmph! So what if it's an indie film with low budget? Being indie doesn't mean low quality! Boss dared to accept the offer to be their official composer so of course the story is awesome! Not that I know what the story is about because it's supposed to be a secret but I trust Boss' judgment. I'm sure it's a super duper great story. That film critic doesn't even know what movie he's talking about and he's already judging it! So unprofessional! And he calls himself an expert? Pweh!"
"Oooh." Meimei bobbed her head. "I see. You're right! I've watched awesome indie films before. How dare that film critic! He's just a hater. Haters gonna hate. Hmph!"
Dom: "Yeah!"
The two grumbled together and bad-mouthed the critic.
Iris watched them, a warm smile on her face. She didn't really care about what strangers were saying about her. But she felt grateful that she had people who would readily defend her name because they liked her as a person and not because it was their job or duty to do so.
She finished eating and sipped hot ginger tea. These days, her schedule wasn't as packed to the brim. Likewise, Jin Liwei's business project was already running smoothly so his schedule also eased up. That was why they had more times like these when they could eat meals together without rushing for work.
It was a Saturday. At the moment, their morning was very relaxed. But later in the afternoon, she would be guesting on a TV show. Jin Liwei didn't need to go to work today. He said that he would be meeting with his brothers Lin Yehan, Wang Yingjie and Yu Mo later to hang out.
She leaned against Jin Liwei, looking over his shoulder to read the newspaper with him. Over half of the entire entertainment section was talking about her. The main interest, however, was on her appointment as the official composer for a currently unknown film.
Iris remembered how it came about.
She met with JJ at his office. Tang Yiyi was with them and it seemed that the manager was already informed beforehand. There were two other people in the office. Iris didn't recognize them.
JJ introduced them as the director and executive producer of an indie film that was still in production stage. After the greetings, they immediately talked business.
"Miss Long, we would like to use your song 'Phantom of Your Love' as our film's official theme song," the producer said.
"I was actually the one who wants to use your song," the director interjected. "The first time I heard the full song, I knew that it's the perfect theme song for our film."
Iris was silent for a few moments, thinking. Then she asked, "May I know first what your film is about?"
"Of course!" The producer then looked at the director.
The director nodded. Then he began describing the story in detail to Iris.
Her eyes lit up in wonder as she listened. Her head tilted to the side, imagining the story the director was telling her. What was even more amazing was that it was based on a true story.
After the director finished talking, they all looked at Iris. Expectation and nervousness were in their eyes. Finally, they received her answer.
"It would be my honour to grant your request," she told them. "But I have one condition."
Director: "What is it?"
"I want to read the full script first and then rearrange the song to perfectly match the story."
The director and the producer hesitated.
"I'll sign an NDA if you need me to."
"Deal," the director immediately said.
The next day, Iris received a sealed copy of the script from Tang Yiyi. They didn't require her to sign an NDA but just asked her to keep the script's existence a secret. She assured them that she would.
After reading the script, she immediately began rearranging "Phantom of Your Love", making it darker than it already was, more soulful to the point of eerie, and of course cinematic. She worked with her symphony orchestra to record the new version of the song.
Less than a week later, she submitted the song to JJ. Within a few hours, JJ called her on the phone. He excitedly told her that the director and producer loved the song so much that they wanted her to compose the film score for the entire movie.
"This is a great opportunity for you as a musician," JJ told her. "Think about it carefully, brat."
Iris was moved by the story so she agreed without hesitation.
JJ was pleased with her answer but he still had to warn her. "They can't pay you a lot, you know. They don't have the budget."
"It's okay."
After a quick negotiation, everyone met up again for the contract signing, officially welcoming Iris as part of the film production team.
Additionally, it was decided that JJ's record label would release the soundtrack album of the film. Of course, since Iris would be the one composing the entire film score, all the rights were hers and it would count as another full album under her name.
It was scheduled to be her third official album.
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Chapter 158 - Chaos Around The World
Dragon Palace Homes #10.
The last time the four brothers hung out together was when Jin Liwei took Iris to the farm villa for their first date. Each of them had their own different careers. It was not easy for them to match their schedules, especially for Jin Liwei who was the head of the number one company in the country and Wang Yingjie who was a surgeon from a busy hospital. Compared to the two of them, Lin Yehan and Yu Mo had more regular schedules.
Today, the four brothers gathered at Jin Liwei's enormous residence. They were at the indoor tennis courts.
They alternated opponents until they all played against each other a few times. Finally, they decided to stop when they felt too tired to continue. They were all panting and drenched in sweat.
Servants instantly appeared to give them water bottles and towels before withdrawing to give the brothers privacy.
Wang Yingjie was very observant. He turned to Jin Liwei. "Third Brother, is it just me or are your servants more eager to serve than usual? There's also something that I noticed. I've seen no signs of your presence in your house. Perhaps you were just too busy working that you haven't stayed here for a while?"
"En. I haven't been staying here. Xiulan and I have been living together at her place."
"What?!" Yu Mo exclaimed. "Third Bro, is that true?! Since when?! Why haven't you told us?! And I'm so sad! I go to Xiao Xiu's place every week but she never told me. I had no idea."
"I moved in with Xiulan after I returned from my Canadian business trip."
Yu Mo: "So long ago and you never told us! Are we still your brothers?"
Jin Liwei gave his Fourth Brother a side-eye, not bothering to reply.
"Seems like you're quite serious about your relationship with her," Lin Yehan commented with his usual gentle voice.
"En. I plan to marry her," Jin Liwei said with a nod.
All three brothers stared at him with wide eyes. Yu Mo's expression was the most comical. His mouth opened and closed like a gasping fish out of water. His eyes looked like they were going to pop out of their sockets.
Yu Mo: "Y-you...what..."
Lin Yehan had a thoughtful expression.
Wang Yingjie just nodded, as if he already expected it. His eyes were on Jin Liwei's left wrist. He immediately knew what LX on his brother's bangle stood for even without asking.
The four brothers headed to the showers. Yu Mo pestered Jin Liwei on the way, asking him all sorts of questions about his relationship with Iris. Jin Liwei answered some of them, but mostly just ignored his Fourth Brother's nonsense. After showering, they entered the adjoining sauna buck naked with only a single towel each.
"It would have been better if Fifth Brother is with us," Lin Yehan sighed. "Third Brother, you met with Fifth Brother while you were in Toronto, right? How is he?"
Jin Liwei nodded. "He's doing well. He looked healthy when I saw him. He also recovered his mobility."
Wang Yingjie: "That's a great relief. Paralysis can be a tricky condition to recover from."
Yu Mo: "I wonder when Fourth Bro will come back."
The brothers became quiet, thinking about their youngest brother. They thought that they were going to lose him when they first heard about the accident. Thank the heavens that he managed to hold on to his life. All of them were looking forward to the day that all five of them could gather together again.
Lin Yehan cleared his throat. He wanted to dissolve the suddenly somber atmosphere, so he changed the subject. "By the way, Third Brother. Is your company alright? There are a lot of companies all around the world that have been struck by the recent hacking which exposed shocking scandals to the public. I heard that Europe and North America are the ones affected the most."
Yu Mo: "Oh yeah, I heard about that! It's all over the news. The scandals sparked public outrage with millions of clients suing the companies. Company chief officers are either resigning or are being fired. Almost all of them are facing police investigations."
"My company is not affected at all," Jin Liwei replied. Then he paused, realizing something. "Now that I think about it, the companies that are related to Jin Corporation aren't affected either. Perhaps that's why only very few have been hit in the country compared to abroad."
Lin Yehan: "That's great to hear."
Wang Yingjie: "It's not only businesses. Research facilities and even universities have been hit. The worst are the ones involving politicians. New reports are popping up every day. Nobody has noticed any patterns yet based on the ones affected so far. It seems that the hacker is hitting randomly. I wonder what his goal is."
Yu Mo: "Isn't it obvious? He wants justice! I, for one, approve of this hacker! Those who have been exposed need to pay for the crimes they committed! What's the name of the hacker again? I forgot."
"Drakon," Jin Liwei answered.
Yu Mo: "Yeah! I think Drakon is cool! I heard that he didn't make any money from this recent hacking. He just wants to expose the evildoers."
Lin Yehan sighed and shook his head. "Fourth Brother, don't idolize that hacker. He's now a wanted criminal. Many authorities from all over the world are now hunting for him. He should've contacted the police and shared his findings with them instead of carelessly dumping everything to the public. The chaos he caused all around the world is no joke. Stock prices crashing, riots everywhere. There have even been unverified reports that people are being assassinated because of the exposed scandals."
Wang Yinjie turned to Jin Liwei. "What do you think about it, Third Brother?"
"I agree with the analyst who said that the hacker doesn't care about justice," Jin Liwei replied while wiping the sweat off his body with a towel. "That hacker is just looking for attention. It seems that he only surfaced about a year ago. He's doing all of these to make a name for himself. That's all."
Lin Yehan: "Whatever his reason for hacking and causing all this chaos, I'm glad that he didn't touch Jin Corporation."
Jin Liwei: "En."
Wang Yingjie nodded.
Yu Mo muttered, "I still think that Drakon is cool."
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Chapter 159 - Cross Academy
The delicate, traditional koto [1] music playing in the background evoked an image of a relaxing stroll in a bamboo forest. Iris sat inside a private room at the best Japanese restaurant in the city, sipping a hot tea blend of Gyokuro and dried sakura blossoms. The ambience was a combination of modern and traditional aesthetics.
Jiang Ying Yue stood stone-faced by the door, while Iris waited at the plush leather seats amidst the traditional décor. The two of them were currently the only ones in the room.
Moments later, there was a knock on the door. Jiang Ying Yue opened it and three people entered. A server led two foreign people into the room.
The foreign man was advanced in age but he still looked tall and imposing. His back was straight, not stooped at all unlike other men his age. He had a full head of white hair connected to his equally white beard and mustache. The wrinkles on his face didn't diminish the stern and sharp look in his eyes. Walking beside him was a middle aged petite blonde woman who looked like she had a perpetual smile on her face.
Iris stood up and gave them a welcoming smile. She glanced at Jiang Ying Yue and nodded. Jiang Ying Yue bowed her head before exiting the room.
The blonde woman stepped forward and extended a hand to Iris. She spoke in German. "Hello. My name is Giulia Moretti. You must be Miss Xiulan Long. We have spoken on the phone before. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Hello, Madame Moretti. It's a pleasure to meet you too," Iris replied in fluent German.
Then they turned to the older man. Giulia Moretti introduced him.
"This is Professor Erwan Dupont, Headmaster of Cross Academy."
"Professor Dupont, it is my great honour to meet you, sir," Iris respectfully greeted the Headmaster. "Thank you very much for taking the time to fly here all the way from Switzerland to meet me despite your busy schedule."
Professor Dupont nodded and shook hands with Iris. "I've been looking forward to meeting you, Miss Long."
They seated themselves. The server poured tea to the two new arrivals and then took their orders. The food arrived a few minutes later. They chatted good-naturedly about each other's countries while eating. Though it was mostly the women doing most of the talking.
After eating, they finally talked about the purpose of this meeting.
"Miss Long, the Headmaster and I, with my capacity as the admissions counselor, have come here today to officially invite you to become a student of Cross Academy." Giulia Moretti handed Iris a thick envelope.
"Thank you." Iris received it with a smile and opened it, reading the official offer from the academy, an enrollment form, and other documents.
Giulia Moretti: "As you may already know, Cross Academy is an exclusive, one-of-a-kind institution. Nothing like it exists anywhere else in the entire world. Following the original purpose of our great founder 250 years ago, we continue to gather only the most talented and skilled individuals in various fields across the world. Successful enrollment is only available through direct offer from us and never by application. Miss Long, do you know why we extended an offer to you?"
"Yes," Iris answered.
Professor Dupont finally spoke. "Your recent hacking exploits have left a trail of chaos all over the world. As an individual, I say your actions were utterly irresponsible and cruel. However, as the Headmaster of Cross Academy, I daresay that your superior skills undoubtedly make you deserving to become a student of our academy. We only care about skills, not motivation or reputation. We nurture but it's up to the individual to grow."
Iris bowed her head, acknowledging his words.
Professor Dupont: "You say that you know the reason why we extended an offer to you. Pray tell."
Iris: "Because my style and skills in hacking remind you of someone."
"Correct." Then his eyes became sharper as he directed them at her. "Drakon, what is your connection to Fantom?"
She took two deep breaths before answering. "Fantom...taught me everything I need to know about hacking and computers. You can say that Fantom is my master."
Professor Dupont looked like he already expected her answer. "Since that's the case, do you know Fantom's real identity?"
Her eyes darkened. "Yes."
They waited for her to say more. It took almost a full minute before she finally answered.
"Fantom is...was Evelina Vetrova, a Cross Academy alumni," she whispered in a flat tone. "And she's dead."
Everyone was quiet after that. Nobody said a word. The atmosphere became heavy, almost suffocating.
Professor Dupont sighed heavily. "Indeed. What a sad life she lived. She was one of the brightest talents that I have known. Our Cross Academy will always be proud of her."
Iris' hands clenched into fists. They trembled a bit, before she forced them to relax.
The he looked at her again. "But her amazing skills live through you. That's why we're here today. Tell me, Miss Long. Did you create that ruckus all over the world just to get our attention?"
"Yes, sir. I want education but I have no interest in wasting my time at a regular school."
He nodded. "Indeed, your past school records are horrendous. Fortunately, Cross Academy doesn't judge base on that. Specialized talent and skills aren't necessarily reflected on school report cards. Miss Long, you are indeed a disciple of the late Miss Vetrova. Not only did you inherit her world-class skills as a hacker, but you're also skilled in languages. As you requested, we will not enroll you to our Computer Science Program like her but in the Foreign Languages Program instead with minor focus on Business Administration. After all, with Fantom as your master, we can't really teach you anything new as a hacker since she herself had a huge influence to the development of our current Computer Science program when she was still a student and later on as an alumni."
Then he gestured to the blonde woman sitting beside him, silently instructing her to take over.
Giulia Moretti nodded and then smiled at Iris. "Miss Long, would you be willing to accept our offer to become a student of Cross Academy?"
"Of course," Iris answered. "It will be my honour."
Giulia Moretti: "Excellent! Please complete the form I gave you and provide the necessary documents. The Headmaster and I will be staying in this country for a week to process your official enrollment. If you have any questions or issues, please feel free to give me a call and I'll do my best to assist you."
"Thank you very much, Professor Dupont and Madame Moretti."
The Headmaster's stern and sharp eyes softened a bit, showing a pleased glint within them. "Miss Xiulan Long, as the Headmaster, I welcome you to Cross Academy."
###
Footnotes:
[1] A Japanese 13-stringed musical instrument which is also Japan's national instrument.
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Chapter 160 - Legendary School For Geniuses
On the way home inside the car, Iris studied the documents Giulia Moretti gave her. She planned on completing all the necessary requirements for enrollment today and submit everything to the admissions counselor tomorrow.
After reading through them, she leaned back and closed her eyes. She was at the backseat. Jiang Ying Yue was sitting at the front with the driver. They left Dom at the penthouse. He was busy with paperwork regarding her recent job commitments.
Iris' feelings at the moment about her enrollment to Cross Academy were complicated.
Cross Academy was viewed by most of the world as a legendary school for geniuses. It was situated at a remote location in the Swiss Alps. Not much was known about its history other than what they revealed to the public. Nevertheless, most textbooks agreed that the academy was founded by a mysterious explorer and educator named Professor Galaxianne Arria von Cross about 250 years ago.
The first students she recruited to establish the Cross Academy when they settled in the Swiss Alps all became key historical figures with great accomplishments after they returned to their own homelands. She passed down the academy to one of her students and disappeared thereafter, never to be seen or heard from again.
The academy continued to follow the mission laid down by its great founder—to gather and nurture the most talented and skilled individuals in the world. However, throughout its two and a half centuries of existence, it also evolved to become an independent, neutral superpower with assets and networks comparable to a wealthy country. After all, most of its alumni were world-class leaders in their own fields of expertise.
What made it unique was that once enrolled, its students didn't need to travel all the way to Switzerland to study. Instead, the academy would send highly skilled instructors to wherever part of the world its students lived. Despite this option, most students still chose to study directly at the campus in Switzerland.
In her previous life as Evelina, she was recruited by the academy in her early teens after playing around in the deep web. Bored and curious, she accepted the offer without thinking too much. She only thought that it would be interesting.
What she didn't expect was the delighted reactions from her family after they learned that Cross Academy made an offer to her. They were absolutely ecstatic. Even her cold mother had a rare pleased expression on her face. It was only afterwards that she realized how prestigious a standing Cross Academy held on the world stage.
Since her background was special and her family rarely permitted her to leave the estate, the academy sent instructors to her. She officially enrolled as a Computer Science student. But seeing her talent in music, the academy decided to nurture her in this field as well, replacing her private music teacher with some of the top musicians in the world who were also alumni of the academy. That was how her skills in both computers and music were developed to such a high degree.
The number of times she actually visited the Swiss campus could be counted in one hand. And each time, her entourage was like a small army.
Now as Iris Long, she never really thought about getting a regular university degree because she already received the best education in the world in her previous life. That was until Long Hui pointed out that she was undereducated and unqualified to work at Long Industries.
She realized that to others, she barely completed senior high school. It was unfortunate that no matter how intelligent or skilled a person was, he or she would still be looked down upon by most of society if he or she lacked a university degree or an equivalent proof of higher education or training.
Unless a person developed a massively successful career or was earning millions or better yet billions of money, others would have preconceived notions that the undereducated were automatic failures in life.
Iris personally didn't give a whit about what others thought about her. She just wanted to live her life the way she wanted it, enjoying her passions, discovering new things, and most importantly pursuing her dreams. However, she was slowly realizing that she was now living in society, not in a closed off environment anymore. She still didn't care about others' unwanted opinions, but Long Hui's words stuck with her.
She had the education but no proof. Of course, she could always enroll at a regular university and easily pass everything, but she didn't want to take time off from her showbiz career to spend years studying. So she decided that her best option was Cross Academy.
Now that she was about to become a student in the academy once again, Iris couldn't help but feel uncomfortable using her connection to her previous life. She was both Evelina and Iris, but they were two different people.
She wanted a fresh start as Iris Long, but it seemed that she still needed Evelina Vetrova.
This was making her a little nervous. It felt like she just opened a door which she couldn't close—the door separating her past and present lives.
Iris shook her head, not liking the direction of her thoughts.
"Ying Yue, could you please put on some music?"
Jiang Ying Yue turned on the radio. Jin Chonglin's song was currently playing. She was about to change to another station but Iris stopped her.
"No, that's fine. Thank you."
Iris leaned back and focused on the sexy R&B song to distract herself. Her fingers tapped with the beat of the music.
For some reason, the song was making her think of Jin Liwei.
Taking out her phone, she started typing.
"I think I miss you."
Then she hesitated, contemplating whether to send the text or not.
'He's my boyfriend. There's nothing wrong in texting him to say that I miss him.'
Persuading herself like this, she finally sent the text.
Ding!
Barely three seconds had passed and he already replied.
Liwei: "I miss you too, baby. So much. Will come home early tonight in time for dinner. I love you."
She was already smiling before she even realized it. And just like that, all her earlier worries were blown away by a single text from her man.
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