Chapter 511 - Demonic Angel
This year's Sommet International Film Festival finally concluded. The Chinese participants needed to return home to their country soon. Their participation in the film festival wasn't a vacation. It was still part of their work.
Everyone involved in "Strong Yet Broken" was busy. The film helped each of them gain recognition in their own respective fields, especially Yin Meixing who was now a well-respected actress. They had new projects that they were all working on.
Iris Long was also the same. Time was tight for her. The official launch of her company, Orchidia Beauty, was in three days. She and Jin Liwei needed to return as soon as possible in order to make it in time.
At the moment, there was an air of mystery surrounding Orchidia Beauty. They deliberately leaked a portion of the grand launch's guest list to the public. It included many impressive figures.
The Jins: Jin Liwei, Jin Chonglin, Li Zhiruo (Grandma Li) and Huang Yuyan.
When the people saw that the Jins would be attending, they didn't question it because Jin Chonglin was an endorser of Orchidia Beauty. They assumed that his family would be coming to support him. And now that everyone knew that Iris Long and Jin Liwei was engaged, it added another reason for the entire Jin main family to attend. After all, both Iris Long and Jin Chonglin were endorsers of the new company.
The Lus: Sir Lu Jianhong (Grandpa Lu) and Lu Zihao.
People also didn't question their attendance because many knew that the Lus and the Jins were close to each other. Perhaps the Lus would also be attending to support Jin Chonglin. It had also already been reported that Iris Long was close to both the Lu grandfather and grandson.
The Longs: Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui.
Also Vizcondesa Lan of Castillo de Estrellas of España.
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It was a given that Iris Long's parents were also invited.
Other than this leaked guest list, there wasn't any substantial information about Orchidia Beauty itself. They hadn't revealed the identities of the people running it yet. On their press release announcing the company's official launch, they only promised to reveal everything to the public during the grand party. This made the people more curious about it.
Why the need to act so mysterious? Was this just a marketing strategy to create hype? Or was there truly something the company was keeping a secret that would shock everyone once revealed?
Iris was feeling very excited for the launch of her company. She had been working on it since last year. That was why she didn't want to stay in France any longer than necessary. She urged Jin Liwei and the others for everyone to return to China as soon as possible.
In the end, they all decided to stay one more day in France in order to rest. Iris wanted to depart immediately but Jin Liwei persuaded her to wait one more day. The two of them had been attending events with everyone from "Strong Yet Broken" throughout the entire duration of the film festival. They almost had no time to rest.
During the final day of their stay in France, Iris and Jin Liwei decided to host both a victory and farewell lunch party. Everyone from "Strong Yet Broken" came. All of them couldn't help but gasp in amazement at the grandeur of Jin Liwei's villa estate. Guan Jintao couldn't see, but his wife described everything to him.
Maestro Ludovico De Luca, his wife and Enrique Valdez also attended. Their arrival made everyone from "Strong Yet Broken" starstruck. They swore that from now on, they would do their best to maintain their relationship with Iris Long. She was connected to all of these impressive people, including Sir Lu Jianhong and Madam Wei Lan, now a Spanish viscountess. Not to mention that she was engaged to the Chinese billionaire, Jin Liwei.
They were in the grand dining hall. The large and long dinner table was removed in preference for lounge chairs and small tables instead. The lunch was buffet-style which Iris and Jin Liwei now preferred whenever they hosted parties, thanks to the Chua family's influence. It was less formal and encouraged everyone to mingle freely.
The atmosphere was light and cheerful. Everyone was still feeling euphoric over Iris Long and Yin Meixing's double wins last night. Their beautiful trophies were displayed on a high table for the others to admire. It was the producer who suggested it, feeling proud of the women's achievements for his film.
While they were all chatting and eating, the French butler announced a surprise guest. Moments later, the stunning Ashandra Knightson walked into the dining hall. The men who hadn't met her yet, except for Lu Zihao, stopped what they were doing when they saw her. Their jaws fell down and their eyes widened upon seeing such a beauty. Lu Zihao wasn't affected at all.
Iris smiled brightly when she saw her friend. She and Jin Liwei welcomed the artist. They spoke in English.
"Ashandra, I'm so happy that you dropped by. This is our last day here before we have to go home to China," Iris told her friend after hugging each other.
"Xiulan, I missed you so much! AJ and Theresa also miss you. Florence is in Southeast Asia right now, but I know that she's also missing us," Ashandra said to Iris before giving a friendly hug to Jin Liwei as well. "Good to see you again, Liam. You better take care of my friend or us Cross girls will rip you apart and feed you to the rats."
"Don't worry. If I ever hurt her, you're free to punish me. I'll deserve it," Jin Liwei replied.
Ashandra nodded, satisfied at his answer. Then she turned to Iris again and scolded, "Why did you only tell me now that you're here in France? If I knew, I would've hurried to meet you here. We could've spent more time together!"
"I didn't know that you were in Italy attending an art exhibition. I thought you were still at the Academy busy working on your next masterpiece. I didn't want to disturb you."
"Silly girl. You're welcome to disturb me anytime. What are friends for?"
Iris responded with a warm smile. "Thank you."
"By the way, I heard what happened last night. Congratulations on winning the Best Soundtrack Award! I'm so proud of you. This is for you." Ashandra handed Iris a gift bag.
"May I?" Iris asked.
"Of course. Please open it."
Iris gasped when she saw what her friend gave her.
"Ashandra, this is beautiful! Thank you!"
"I'm glad you liked it. It's one of my latest works."
The gift was a large, beautiful, silk scarf. Although it was a scarf, it was also an incredible painting. An ethereal woman wearing a pristine white dress was soaring to the heavens among the stormy clouds with her jet-black wings. The woman's angelic beauty was a contrast to her demonic wings. Her eyes looked fierce and determined, as she flew towards whatever was up there.
"I chose this particular scarf to give you because the woman in my painting is very similar to you, Xiulan. As a person, your kindness and generosity are like that of an angel. But once you set your mind into something, you obsessively pursue it like a demon," Ashandra explained.
"Exactly," Jin Liwei wholeheartedly agreed to the artist's brief analysis of his baby girl.
Iris didn't reply to the two. She continued to admire the scarf instead. Then she asked, "What's this painting called?"
"I call it the 'Demonic Angel'."
"Beautiful," Iris whispered.
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Later, Ashandra greeted Grandpa Lu, Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez. They all knew each other because they were former and current students of Cross Academy.
After Iris introduced her friend to everyone, the party resumed its light and cheerful atmosphere. The people who hadn't met Ashandra yet were all very curious of her. When they learned that she was an accomplished artist whose works always sold out at insane prices in auctions, they were all very impressed.
Once again, everyone from "Strong Yet Broken" were amazed by Iris Long's connections. It seemed that Ashandra Knightson was her personal friend. Meaning, Iris met the respected artist on her own instead of getting connected through Jin Liwei. In fact, even Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez seemed to be only close to her and not to Jin Liwei.
If other people started accusing Iris Long of using CEO Jin Liwei to climb socially, then the "Strong Yet Broken" team would be the first ones to defend her.
Chapter 512 - Matrimonial Assets
After the lunch party, all the guests left the estate villa.
Iris, Jin Liwei and the others began packing their luggage. Jiang Ying Yue almost wanted to cry because her son had the most to pack among them. Grandpa Lu and Wei Lan bought Little Jun so many toys, clothes, shoes, and other items that Jiang Ying Yue didn't know the purpose of. In the end, the French household staff helped her pack because it would take her a few days if she did it by herself. This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.
That same night, they finally left the villa estate which they called home for almost two weeks. They boarded Jin Liwei's massive luxury yacht LX. Everyone from the "Strong Yet Broken" group were also travelling together with them. They all bid goodbye to the beautiful coast of the French Riviera.
After the yacht were the limousines. Then they arrived at the private airport. Since there were many of them travelling together this time, Iris and Jin Liwei decided to use their new private jumbo jet. It was purchased right after Jin Liwei acquired his luxury yacht LX. Iris also wanted to buy something big and luxurious for them, so Jin Liwei suggested a jumbo jet.
"My family is now your family and vice versa. There's now many of us. Our family will only continue to expand from now on. Instead of taking separate private jets, isn't it more fun and economical to travel together at the same time? We can go on vacations together with our family and friends," he reasoned.
Iris was persuaded so she agreed. When she looked at the price, however, even she couldn't help but wince. So expensive! She could afford to pay it in full, but she would need to work extra hard in order to replenish her bank account. Besides, she already appropriated a good portion of her wealth for the development of her companies and in diversifying her investments.
In addition, she was also putting a lot of money into researching and developing Ketchup even further. The cat AI's abilities were growing so fast that Iris was afraid she might not be able to keep up with it. She needed to fully understand her creation—no, her third baby. It was also to increase Ketchup's security and to reduce the possibility of the cat AI from being stolen and used in nefarious ways.
Seeing his baby girl's conflicted expression, Jin Liwei came to the rescue.
"How about we buy the jumbo jet together?"
Iris wasn't willing. He already bought them a yacht. She also wanted to buy something for both of them.
Jin Liwei didn't give up. "Let's do it 50/50. You pay half, I pay half. It'll be one of our first matrimonial assets together. Sounds good, right?"
"Oh." Her eyes lit up when he said it like that.
He continued, "We should start buying things together now, so that we don't have to worry about any of these things after we marry. Then all we have left to worry is when to have children and how to raise them."
She hugged his arm and smiled, feeling a little shy that he was talking about marriage. The last part of his sentence made her nervous, though. The idea of giving birth to their own (human) children still filled her with a little anxiety. Fortunately, it was no longer as intense as before.
"Okay, love?" Jin Liwei asked her again.
She nodded.
And that was how the couple became the co-owners of the luxurious, private jumbo jet they named LX Air.
When the others saw the gigantic plane, their jaws fell down. Only Grandpa Lu had a knowing look on his face. Lu Zihao managed to maintain his usual roguish expression, but surprise still flashed in his eyes for a few seconds.
"We're flying commercial?" Wei Lan asked.
"No, Auntie. We're flying private. Xiulan and I bought this jumbo jet together," Jin Liwei replied to her. "She paid 50% while I paid the other half," he quickly added, wanting to make it clear to everyone that his baby girl also contributed.
He especially glanced at everyone from the "Strong Yet Broken" group. He didn't want them to think that his baby girl was just using him for material gains, like the other stupid motherfuckers who kept on belittling his (future) wife.
As for the "Strong Yet Broken" group, a lightbulb suddenly lit inside their minds.
Since they spent so much time everyday with both Iris Long and Jin Liwei during the Sommet International Film Festival, they sometimes heard him calling her as Xiulan. During the lunch party earlier that day, they also heard everyone else referring to Iris as Xiulan. They asked and confirmed that Iris Long's real name was Long Xiulan.
They continued this train of thought.
Jin Liwei was the true owner of LX Productions. The luxury yacht they used earlier was called LX. And now, this unbelievable private jumbo jet was called LX Air. The couple also wore matching LX bangles.
The connection finally registered to them.
"LX means Long Xiulan, right?" Yin Meixing asked. "That is so romantic! So sweet! CEO Jin actually named all of these after you!"
"No, that's wrong. LX means Liwei and Xiulan," Iris corrected.
"Oh! That's even better! How romantic!"
Finally, they all boarded Iris and Jin Liwei's jumbo jet, LX Air. The inside was massive!
Upon entering, an opulent and spacious lounge room greeted them. The seats had seatbelts, but they looked extremely comfortable. There was a formal dining area with one large table. A more casual dining area had smaller individual tables for intimate meals with smaller groups. There was an entertainment room which looked like a mini movie theatre with a popcorn machine in a corner.
Beside the entertainment room, there was an arcade. On the opposite side was a children's playroom and several vending machines filled with candies, snacks, and drinks. Iris and Jin Liwei added this for Little Jun and also for their future kids. A small part of the playroom was dedicated to various cat equipment for play. They were for Ice Cream and Popcorn, if Iris and Jin Liwei decided to bring them to their travels.
In another part of the plane, the adults could enjoy some cocktails from a well-stocked bar with its very own bartender. They could even play billiards, darts, mah-jong, poker or other card games.
If the passengers wanted to relieve themselves or take a shower, the jumbo jet boasted three full bathrooms and five powder rooms. Two for the ladies and another two for the gentlemen. The other one was a family room for those who had small children like Jiang Ying Yue.
On the second floor...yes, there was a second floor! The upper level was dedicated to the bedrooms, a library, gym, and a common room to relax while gazing at the clouds outside the windows.
Seeing everything inside, all had the same thought.
'Isn't this basically a mansion inside a freaking plane?'
It wasn't only the jumbo jet or its interiors that were amazing but also the crew. They were all very professional. Just like in Jin Liwei's other private jets, the crew members were all males. Iris complained about it at first but his answer made her shut up.
"I don't want to give you any reason to feel jealous," he told her. "Although I also feel a little jealous having all these men serving you, at least I know that with me around, they won't dare flirt or seduce you. And I also trust that you'll kick them in the nuts if they do anything inappropriate to you."
Chapter 513 - A Little Patience
It was already late in the evening. Their private jumbo jet, LX Air, was scheduled to take off just before midnight. The cabin crew welcomed all of them and led them to their assigned bedrooms. Everyone needed to share. There might be a lot of bedrooms in the jet, but there were also many of them. Or if they preferred, they could always sleep in the main lounge area instead.
The master bedroom was, of course, reserved for Iris and Jin Liwei. They were the owners of LX Air, after all.
They all stayed at the main lounge area and put on the seatbelts during take-off. When it was safe to move around, they started exploring all the amenities the jumbo jet had to offer. They were like children visiting the amusement park for the first time.
While the others explored, Jiang Ying Yue excused herself to her assigned bedroom with her son. Little Jun was already fast asleep. Jiang Ying Yue wanted her son to sleep properly on a bed.
Later, Iris and Jin Liwei also excused themselves to the master bedroom. Most of them didn't really notice the couple leaving because they were too busy exploring everything inside the jet. N0v3lRealm was the platform where this chapter was initially revealed on N0v3l.B1n.
Only the sharp-eyed Lu Zihao and his subordinates paid attention to almost everything around them. He was a little unhappy that the two were going to their bedroom ahead of everyone else. His eyes narrowed dangerously when he saw Jin Liwei's hand slide from his sister's back down to her butt. The perverted man even squeezed his sister's butt! It wasn't hard to imagine what the two planned on doing inside their bedroom after this.
Lu Zihao closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths in order to calm the murderous aura emanating from him. Fortunately, his subordinates were the only people around him right now. The others were playing around in the other areas of the jet.
"Out of sight, out of mind," he murmured to himself.
Already out of sight from Lu Zihao, the couple walked while keeping their bodies together. They climbed the staircase to the second floor and headed to their bedroom. It was smaller compared to their own bedrooms in the penthouse, the mansion and at the French villa, but it was still the biggest among all the bedrooms available in the jumbo jet.
As soon as the door closed, Jin Liwei pushed Iris against it and kissed her. The kiss was deep and hungry. His hands covered her butt and squeezed them before lifting her up. Her arms wrapped around his neck while her legs did the same thing around his waist.
Jin Liwei's tongue swept inside her mouth like a king declaring "Mine, mine, all mine" to his territory. Iris also gave as much as she received. She sucked hard on his lips and tongue, making him groan. She could already feel the hardness inside his pants below her.
While still carrying and kissing her, he walked them towards the bed. Iris couldn't breathe anymore, so she pulled her head away, gasping. He shifted his attention to her neck instead, giving the smooth and fragrant skin some hot and wet kisses. She moaned and stretched her neck to the side in order to give him more access.
Finally, they reached the bed. He gently sat her down on it while he remained standing. Her hands immediately went to work, unbuttoning his shirt to reveal the hard muscles of his chest, shoulders and abs. The shirt fell to the floor. She showered kisses on his abs, loving that they kept on tightening. Then she began unbuckling his belt and unzipping his trousers. Afterwards, she pulled everything down including his boxers. His erection sprang out, almost hitting her on the face.
Before he could even react, she already took his entire length inside her mouth.
"Ah, fuck! Oh shit, Xiulan!"
Jin Liwei couldn't stop himself from cursing because it felt so good. He grabbed her hair and held her head while a loud hiss escaped from between his gritted teeth. His eyes closed in pleasure, a groan sounding deep within his throat. He moaned, as she continued to pleasure him with her mouth.
Then she stopped all of a sudden and looked up at him while tilting her head to the side.
"How are you feeling, darling? Are you feeling more pleasure right now?" she asked. "I read from a few sources that having sex in a plane is more pleasurable because of the dip in atmospheric pressure, the lower than normal oxygen levels, and the constant vibrations. Ah, wait! Let me get my laptop. I need to record my observations."
Jin Liwei stopped her before she could jump out of the bed.
"Later," he told her in a gruff voice.
Then he pulled her up and kissed her on the mouth once again. While doing so, his hands unzipped the back of her long-sleeved midi dress. It opened. He ran his hands all over the smooth skin of her back before unclasping her bra. The dress fell to the floor. He also tossed her bra...somewhere.
Since the night weather outside was chilly, she wore thermal stockings. He also began removing her stockings, unrolling the soft cloth slowly from her hips down to her beautiful legs. His mouth kissed and licked the part of her skin being gradually exposed.
Finally, the stockings were completely removed from her legs. She was only left with her panties. She was already wet and needy for him. A whine escaped from her throat, expressing her impatience. But he only chuckled and continued teasing her with hot and wet yet light kisses all over her skin.
She needed him right now! She didn't want to wait any longer! No more teasing!
She grabbed his erection and squeezed it in her hand in a dangerous manner, warning him. A groan of pleasure and alarm sounded in his throat before he released an aroused laughter.
"Jin Liwei, please!"
"A little patience, love," he told her, still laughing softly.
"I'll be patient later. I need you now!"
He kissed the tip of her nose. His baby girl was too adorable!
"Alright," he finally said. "Sit back down."
She immediately sat on the edge of the bed. He knelt in front of her and removed her panties before spreading her legs wide open. His fingers rubbed her wet folds. She was already so wet for him! He inserted two fingers inside, slowly moving them in and out of her.
"Oh, darling..." she moaned and lay on the bed with eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of his fingers inside her.
When she opened her eyes again, she was already panting hard. Jin Liwei was looking directly at her eyes, watching her every expression. They gazed at each other with heat and passion. She opened her legs wider and moved her body sensuously on the sheets.
"Liwei, please..." she breathed, her voice husky.
He took a sharp inhale of breath. His baby girl looked too damn sexy! The wild beast inside him was beginning to overwhelm his sanity. Grunting, he left her to quickly rummage inside the bedside table drawer. Iris heard the sound of tearing foil. When he returned, his length was already sheathed in a condom.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"Yes!"
"This is going to be wild, love."
"Exactly what I want."
He growled and roughly pulled her legs. Her whole body followed until her butt was on the very edge of the bed. He was still standing. He straightened her legs up in the air and hugged them close to his body with one hand while his other hand guided his erection to her wet entrance. Then he stabbed his entire length deep inside her.
Iris cried out and then moaned. Jin Liwei also released a deep groan. His eyes closed, his body taut like a stretched bow, as he savoured the feeling of being inside his woman. A few seconds later, he opened his eyes and looked down at her.
She was also looking at him with her beautiful, half-lidded eyes. Her long hair was spread all over the bedsheets, like a sensual halo of womanly beauty.
His gaze dropped to her lovely breasts which were rising and falling quickly with her breaths. Saliva automatically pooled inside his mouth at the sight of his favourite mounds. Leaning forward while still hugging her legs to close to his body, he folded her in half until her knees touched her own shoulders. Then he caught one of her nipples inside his mouth and sucked hard. His hips also started moving, thrusting inside her again and again. He made sure to take care of her other nipple as well. He didn't want it to feel lonely, so he gave both the same equal love.
After her breasts, he returned to kissing her sweet mouth. He also quickened the rhythm of his hips. His sweat dripped down on her skin below, mixing with her own sweat. Their hot breaths merged as one, as they continued to devour each other's hot and hungry mouths.
Jin Liwei raised his body once again into a standing position, taking Iris' legs with him. He crossed her straight legs into an X position, making her squeeze him even tighter inside her. Then he hugged her crossed legs to his chest while pounding his hips inside her with speed and force that made her scream at the top of her lungs.
Fortunately, they made sure that all bedrooms in the jet were soundproofed. She could scream all she wanted and he could roar all he wanted and nobody would be able to hear them outside.
The wet and loud sounds of their smacking flesh made both of them more aroused. It was harder to breathe than usual, but it also heightened the pleasure that they were feeling. There was also some sort of an invisible heaviness or maybe lightness—they weren't sure exactly how to describe the sensation—pressing down on both of them, making everything more intense than usual. Was this the reason why the mile-high club was so popular?
"Liwei! Oh my goodness, Liwei!!!"
Iris closed her eyes tightly, as her scream turned soundless. The orgasm was so intense, battering her entire body and mind in a series of hot, violent and forceful waves. At that moment, she forgot how to breathe, how to scream properly...she even forgot her entire self. There was only pleasure...the pleasure her man was giving her with every heavy slam of his hips, burying himself inside her again and again.
Moments later, he also joined her to the peak. He stiffened and buried himself deep inside her and flooded the condom with his white release. He was like a wild animal, ferociously growling and grunting, as he enjoyed their combined pleasure.
When it was over and the used condom discarded, the couple cuddled on the bed.
"It's subtle, but it's indeed more pleasurable making love in a plane," Iris commented.
"En." He kissed her temple. "Want to do it again to make sure that it's really true?"
"Yes!"
And the couple made love again.
And again.
And again...
Until both of them passed out from pure exhaustion and pleasure.
Chapter 514 - Unsuitable
Now that this year's Sommet International Film Festival was officially over, Iris Long and Jin Liwei along with the others were making their way home. Many were looking forward to their triumphant return and were constantly on the lookout for any updates about them.
This was especially true for Iris Long and Yin Meixing, the two women who brought the greatest honours to their country from the prestigious international film festival. It felt like they won the two awards for all the Chinese people. The news kept on featuring the two women. As a result, their prestige in their respective fields grew so much in just a day. And it only continued to grow as more and more people talked about them on the streets or online.
The general public's attitude was mostly proud, excited and enthusiastic. However, the attitude in the country's high society was the exact opposite. These haughty creatures, who always thought that they were better than everyone else, disdained Iris Long's constant news features.
"She's going to be so full of herself again," they said.
"I don't even know what the judges in that competition were thinking in choosing Iris Long to be the winner. I hated the music in that depressing movie! Every time I hear it, I become depressed!" This chapter made its debut appearance via N0v3lB1n.
After belittling her achievements, these members of high society would then go on to say that no matter how successful Iris Long was becoming lately, she could never be a suitable partner for someone as powerful as Jin Liwei.
Who was Jin Liwei?
He was the current President-CEO of Jin Corporation, the number one company in the country. He was also a billionaire on a global scale with power and influence that reached far and wide not only in the country but also abroad, especially in Asia. He was a formidable man who should deserve only the best in everything, including a wife.
But who was Iris Long?
A celebrity with a beautiful face and sexy body.
So what? She wasn't the only beautiful and sexy woman in the world. There were other far more beautiful and sexier women out there.
A multi-award winning musician.
So what? She only started winning awards earlier this year. What if this year was a fluke and she couldn't repeat her musical success in the next few years?
A genius polyglot. A skilled translator and interpreter.
Fine, they would give her that. Indeed, she displayed her talents and skills in languages in the recent international business conference. Her language skills shone once again during the Sommet International Film Festival.
However, it was extremely unfortunate how foolish she was for not pursuing a career in translation instead. Yes, she would do some freelance translations on the side for Long Industries and Jin Corporation, but her showbiz career remained her main priority. What a stupid decision! If only she would abandon her showbiz career for a more stable career in the field of business translations, then she would become a little more suitable for Jin Liwei. Only a little bit, though. To the envious members of high society, she would still be quite not good enough for Jin Liwei.
This kind of disparaging attitude among the members of high society towards Iris Long was fueled by rumours saying that some Jin branch families were very unhappy with her as their next Madam.
"Iris Long? She's too young! Only twenty-one. She's basically still a teenager! Will she even be able to fulfill all the duties and responsibilities associated with being the madam of us, the Jins, the current number one business family in the country?" a member of a Jin branch family was heard saying to some of his friends.
"Someone like Miss Rose Young is a far better match to our family head than that young celebrity. Miss Rose is successful and holds a high executive level position in Jin Corporation, not to mention that she's around the same age as the family head. What's more, she gets along to many of us in the branch families. She's perfect for the family head and is more suitable to become the next madam than that Iris Long," another was heard saying.
These disgruntled members of the Jin branch families were close to Rose Young's maternal family. They were also the one who pushed for her promotion as the next CMO of Jin Corporation. It was only natural that they preferred her to become their next madam than Iris Long who always had a bad reputation in high society since a long time ago. In addition to this, if Rose Young married Jin Liwei and became the next madam, it was almost a sure thing that she would elevate their branch families' status within the Jin clan because of their support for her.
Along with Jenny Tseng, one of the biggest gossipmongers in high society, these members of the Jin branch families influenced people in high society to think more highly of Rose Young as a better marriage match for Jin Liwei than Iris Long. It was actually quite easy to make most of high society to think like this. It was because Iris Long and her mother Wei Lan's reputations in high society had always been rotten.
With the mother and daughter's recent rise to prominence abroad during the Sommet International Film Festival, many members of high society stewed in envy, resentment and hatred towards the two.
These deep-rooted bias against both Iris Long and Wei Lan would be difficult to change. The two would need to achieve something phenomenal in order to sway their opinions of them. Something that would make these snobs make them eat their own words.
It would be easier for Wei Lan because she had the Spanish nobility backing her. China's high society might be haughty but they didn't want to lose face and offend any member of the Spanish nobility.
For Iris Long, however, it was more difficult. She needed to reach Jin Liwei's level first before she would be openly accepted by high society as a suitable match for him.
Could she do it?
They doubted it.
Chapter 515 - Grand Welcome
10:39 AM.
The sun was shining brightly in the blue sky. The weather wasn't too warm, nor too cold.
In this beautiful day, the jumbo jet, LX Air, landed on the private airport. It was the largest aircraft present in the place. The other smaller private planes looked like dragonflies next to the massive Pterodactyl which was LX Air. Fortunately, the private airport was big enough to hold such a gigantic aircraft.
Just before 11 AM, the passengers of LX Airdisembarked. Iris Long, Jin Liwei, and the others were finally back to their home country.
Contrary to what one would expect from someone who travelled for more than ten hours, both Iris and Jin Liwei didn't look exhausted at all. In fact, they were both glowing and energetic.
The others snickered and peeked at them with knowing expressions after seeing their refreshed appearances. Iris and Jin Liwei spent the majority of the flight locked inside their bedroom. It didn't take much imagination to know what the two had been doing.
Unlike the couple, the others looked exhausted and weary. The jumbo jet was extremely comfortable, but there were so many things to do that they spent almost the entire flight dining, playing around and entertaining themselves. They became too busy having fun that they neglected to have a proper rest in the bedrooms.
Now that they were back in China, they intended to go home and sleep for the entire day. However, they were all surprised when a grand welcome reception greeted them at the airport. Thus, their original plans to rest had to be delayed for a few more hours.
Everyone was driven to the airport's main building. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by a sea of screaming, shrieking, jumping, whistling, and clapping people. Iris and the others were almost blinded by the bright camera flashes clicking nonstop at them.
"Welcome back, Boss Iris! Congratulations on the Best Soundtrack Award! We, the Black Stars, are so proud of you!" N♡vεlB¡n: Inspiring Minds, Illuminating Souls.
"Boss Iris, we love you so much! Our mighty slippers will be supporting you every step of the way!"
"Iris Long, you're so beautiful!"
"Kyaaaaah! It's CEO Jin! Kyaaaaah! He's so handsome! Kyaaaaaah! He's holding Boss Iris' hand! Kyaa—"
"Oh shit! Help! Someone fainted!"
The Black Stars made up a large portion of the massive crowd. They held big banners showing Iris Long's name and image along with their messages of support and adoration. Among them were the WeiRis shippers waving banners showing both Iris and Jin Liwei's images together, declaring them as the most perfect couple in the face of the planet.
Aside from the Black Stars, there was a smaller group of fans holdings banners of Lu Zihao. Their eyes lit up in rabid worship as soon as they saw him.
"Kyaaaaaaah! Lu Zihao, you're so HOT!!!"
"Lu Zihao, I love you! Please marry me and put babies in my tummy!!!"
"Hunter Lu, you can hunt me anytime!!!"
Beside Lu Zihao, Grandpa Lu heard everything that these fans were screaming at his grandson.
"Pft! Did you hear what they were saying, Haohao my boy? 'Put babies in my tummy! You can hunt me anytime!' Bahahahaha! Why are kids these days so funny? I want to know! Bahahaha!"
Grandpa Lu's booming laughter made Lu Zihao's eyes dim a bit. A sullen expression flashed in his eyes, unhappy that the old man was laughing at him. But he quickly covered it up with his usual devilish expression. He didn't give a damn about all of these adoring fans. He wasn't like his little sister who cared about her fans. These people had nothing to do with him. All he cared about was the safety of his sister.
His eyes made a silent command. His subordinates immediately responded, fanning out before encircling their entire group. Jin Liwei also issued a similar command to his own men. The two groups coordinated, making the security tighter and more organized. Their subordinates were protecting all of them, but upon a closer look, they were actually more concentrated around Iris. It was because the majority of the fans present were here for her.
Both Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao didn't want to risk her being grabbed or jumped at by any of these people, either on purpose or by accident. Even if it was only by mistake, both men wouldn't forgive anyone who hurt her.
The airport also provided its own professional security to protect everyone in Iris' group, but compared to Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao's subordinates, the difference in quality was obvious. The two men's subordinates were all intimidating and had dangerous auras. They looked like they could kill someone if needed to protect their employers. In contrast, the airport's security only had their uniforms which said "Security" as a deterrent to troublemakers.
Iris Long liked greeting and interacting with her fans in person. Today was no different. She headed straight to her fans. Jin Liwei also followed because they were holding hands. He stayed close to her, making sure that nobody got too touch-feely with his baby girl.
She signed autographs and took photos with her fans. She shook their hands and even hugged some of them. Jin Liwei allowed hugging to some extent, as long as they didn't touch her where they shouldn't touch. The fans became well-behaved in his presence. His cold and scary gaze made them tremble. As a result, they didn't touch Iris longer than necessary.
Some WeiRis shippers wanted to ask Jin Liwei for an autograph too but his cold and scary expression discouraged them from doing so. They could only turn to Iris instead who was many times nicer than him.
There were also a few who asked Lu Zihao for an autograph, but he didn't grant their repeated requests. He flashed them his devilish smile instead, making them descend into another fit of screaming and shrieking until they forgot about asking for an autograph from him.
The great crowd didn't only consist of the Black Stars, WeiRis shippers and the Lu Zihao's fans. There were also fans who came for Yin Meixing and the other actors and actresses from "Strong Yet Broken". There weren't many of them, but they held their own and screamed for Yin Meixing and the others.
After interacting with the fans, the owner of the private airport, the bosses of Bright Summit and the talent companies managing Yin Meixing and the others' careers all came in person to officially welcome Iris' group back home in China.
"Sorry, Iris. I was told that Bright Summit is coordinating with the airport and the other management companies for this grand welcome, but I didn't know that it would be this big. It looks like they also arranged a press conference right here at the airport. At this rate, it'll already be afternoon before we could go home," Tang Yiyi whispered to Iris.
"It's alright, Elder Sister Yiyi. I appreciate everyone coming to welcome us back. I'm happy," Iris replied in a warm tone.
"Okay, that's good. But after this, you're not allowed to work on anything today. You need to rest. We're going to be busy in two days for your company's launch."
"Yes, I understand."
"I'm serious, Iris. You're too much of a workaholic that I can't help but worry about your health. You have a history of collapsing and being hospitalized. I don't want that to happen again," the manager said in a stern voice.
"Don't worry, Miss Tang. I'll keep an eye on Xiulan and make sure that she's well-rested," Jin Liwei interjected into their conversation.
"Oh...I see. Okay..." Tang Yiyi felt a little awkward talking directly to Jin Liwei. She cleared her throat. "Please take care of Iris, then."
"Always," Jin Liwei simply said.
Thus, the group had no choice but to attend the press conference. It was now noon, lunchtime. They were all hungry but endured it after the big bosses of the airport and the management companies promised to treat them to a feast afterwards.
The cast and crew of "Strong Yet Broken", including Guan Jintao and the President of LX Productions sat for the press conference. Iris Long and Yin Meixing, as the two award winners in the Sommet International Film Festival, took the most prominent positions at the very centre.
Jin Liwei, Grandpa Lu, Lu Zihao, Wei Lan and the others stayed offstage. Instead, they sat on VIP seats near the front of the stage separate from the reporters and the fans.
There were many reporters who attended the press conference. They weren't only focused on Iris Long, Yin Meixing and everyone from "Strong Yet Broken". They also couldn't stop looking at Jin Liwei and Wei Lan who threw the biggest bombshells in France along with Iris Long.
Chapter 516 - Home Is Wherever We're Together
Although many reporters and fans came, the press conference was kept short. The questions were also strictly monitored by the big bosses of Bright Summit and the other management companies. If there was a question that they didn't like, it was shot down immediately.
As a result, most of the questions focused on the film "Strong Yet Broken" itself and everyone's experience participating in the Sommet International Film Festival. There were also more questions targeted to both Iris Long and Yin Meixing, specifically about the two awards that they won. Their beautiful trophies were even brought out for everyone to admire.
Despite the management companies' tight control on the questions, there were still some bold reporters who risked it and asked personal questions, mostly for Iris.
"Iris Long, we want to know more about your relationship with CEO Jin Liwei. Are the two of you living together under the same roof?"
"When is the wedding?"
"Are you pregnant? Or do you already have a baby together, that's why you plan on marrying?"
Bright Summit's boss and Tang Yiyi were about to stop the reporters from asking these questions, but Iris assured them with a silent look. She maintained her calm and pleasant expression.
"Jin Liwei and I will be granting interviews as a couple another time. You can ask those questions, then. But for now, I would like to request everyone to please focus on our film, 'Strong Yet Broken'. This press conference is for all of us involved in the film, isn't it? It's not meant for me alone."
There were still a few insistent personal questions but Iris didn't budge. The reporters couldn't force her to answer, so they could only give up...for now. They were already looking forward to her promise that she and Jin Liwei would grant interviews as a couple. Each of them was hoping that they would be the ones chosen to interview the two together. The interview would surely be a hit.
The press conference ended with a resounding success. The big bosses of Bright Summit and the other management companies were pleased at the publicity for their artists.
Later, Iris and the others bid goodbye to the crowd. Then the owner of the private airport led them to the in-house restaurant. The high-class restaurant was booked only for them today. It was already afternoon. Everyone was hungry, especially for those of them who arrived from France that morning.
Lunch was a sumptuous and luxurious feast. The airport owner and the bosses of the management companies paid for it. They went all out to celebrate the triumphant return of Iris Long, Yin Meixing and everyone from the "Strong Yet Broken" team.
Late in the afternoon, everyone was finally allowed to go home. Iris, who looked refreshed and glowing in the morning when they landed, now showed exhaustion and weariness on her beautiful face. Inside the car, Jin Liwei embraced his baby girl and kissed her forehead.
"Darling, I'm tired," she murmured.
"I know, love. You worked hard today," he told her while stroking her long hair with his hand.
"But I'm happy."
He looked at her face. Indeed, she looked happy.
"Me, too," he said.
"Really?"
"En. I'm very happy that everyone finally knows that you're mine. I've been waiting for this moment for what feels like a long time."
They gazed into each other's eyes, soft smiles making the corners of their mouths curve upwards. The love they had for each other felt like it only grew stronger once it was revealed to the world.
"I can't wait to be home," she said.
"We're already home," he replied.
A furrow formed between her brows as she looked outside. "No, we're not. The mansion is still quite far away."
He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear before saying, "Home is wherever we're together. Regardless of the place or the country, I feel at home as long as you're with me."
Warm and fuzzy feelings flooded Iris' heart. She grabbed Jin Liwei's head with both hands and gave him a loud, smacking kiss on the mouth. As a result, a wide stupid grin broke out of his face.
"Yes, darling. You're right."
"En, I know."
Then the two grinned at each like stupid idiots, drowning the driver and the other subordinate in the front seat with pure, unadulterated dogfood. The two poor single dogs could only cry inside their hearts.
###
The next morning, Iris and Jin Liwei felt refreshed after having a good night's sleep. It was their final day off before returning to their busy schedules again.
Tomorrow would be the official launch of Iris company, Orchidia Beauty. All preparations had been completed. Iris wished that it was the next day already so that she could finally witness the results of her hard work.
Today, however, the couple decided to pay their respects to both of their families. First, they would eat lunch with Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li at the Jin Family's Old House. Grandma Li had flown down from her mountain estate to stay with Huang Yuyan. Then later that evening, the couple would head to the Long ancestral residence to dine with Long Tengfei, Yang Jiahui and Meimei for supper. This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.
Iris and Jin Liwei brought along souvenirs from the French Riviera. The two had been busy attending events almost everyday during the Sommet International Film Festival. They didn't have the time to go shopping for souvenirs at all. It was Jin Liwei's French butler who took it upon himself to buy appropriate souvenirs for both of their families.
In addition, Wei Lan also bought many things during her multiple shopping trips. She gave a small mountain of her purchases to Iris and Jin Liwei, instructing them to give everything to Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li. As a viscountess, Wei Lan was trying to become a magnanimous person, so she also bought two small keychains—tiny, to be exact—for Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui. How generous of her! As expected of a viscountess!
The couple only smiled at Wei Lan's "generosity" to her ex-husband and his third wife. Jin Liwei took a seventy-year old vintage cognac from his own cellar at the mansion to give to Long Tengfei, while Iris packed a huge Orchidia Beauty gift basket for Yang Jiahui in order to make up for the big difference in the number of souvenirs between the two families because of Wei Lan.
Chapter 517 - Grounded
This time, Jin Liwei decided to drive the two of them himself instead of depending on a driver. Iris also preferred it this way because she could be more intimate with her darling with just the two of them.
Jin Liwei chose the red two-door coupe they used on their eventful second date last year. Two more cars followed them. Jin Liwei's men were in one car while the other was filled with Lu Zihao's subordinates.
Iris was unhappy about the bodyguards following them on a normal day like this, but she decided not to say anything and just ignore them. She didn't want to fight with either her darling or her big brother about the issue of bodyguards anymore. The two men loved her and cared about her. That was why there were so protective. She understood their reasons for surrounding her with bodyguards, but it didn't mean that she liked it.
At least now she didn't feel like she was being monitored or controlled anymore, unlike her experience in her past life. The purpose of her bodyguards in this life was to protect her and that was mostly it. They weren't required to restrict her freedom or to stop her from doing what she liked.
She realized this now. Perhaps this was why she had stopped freaking out about bodyguards. She still didn't like their presence though, especially on a normal day like this. It was better to pretend that no bodyguards were following them. If she didn't, it would only ruin her mood.
While driving in their car by themselves, Iris and Jin Liwei enjoyed the comfortable silence between them. Their mere proximity to each other was enough to make them feel content.
That was until Iris remembered Hou Liang's call earlier that morning right after they woke up. It was about Ketchup, a.k.a. KittyBaby.
The white cat inherited Iris' tremendous curiosity, especially her thirst for knowledge and new experiences. While Iris and Jin Liwei were in France attending the Sommet International Film Festival, Ketchup asked for both of their permission to join the Black Stars fan club because "it looked fun".
Iris and Jin Liwei agreed but on the condition that she wouldn't reveal anything about her real identity. Of course, Ketchup immediately promised to be a good kitty.
Then Iris placed a lot of limitations on Ketchup so the cat AI wouldn't do anything that might put her in a vulnerable position. However, she still didn't expect that the cat would be so careless as to make a slip of the tongue with Hou Liang! It seemed that the limitations she placed on Ketchup weren't strict enough.
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Ketchup was becoming naughtier and naughtier by the day. As the parents, Iris and Jin Liwei had begun to always worry about her next escapades. They both knew that she was a not a real person or even a real cat. Even so, they still loved her and treated her as their third kid. They couldn't make themselves just view her as a mere tool.
And because they treated Ketchup like their real kid, Iris couldn't bring herself to place too much limitations on her. She still wanted to nurture the cat AI's curiosity as it aided her self-learning function. It was a double-edged sword, but Iris and Jin Liwei decided that they would do their utmost best to raise Ketchup to become responsible and disciplined. If Ketchup went out of control, it would be due to Iris and Jin Liwei's negligence in raising her.
On the phone that morning, Hou Liang (a.k.a. MonkeyFace) asked Iris about Kittybaby.
"Is KittyBaby really your child?"
Iris' heart stopped for a moment. An expression of shocked disbelief appeared on her face, catching the attention of Jin Liwei beside her on the bed. Then she glared at a random corner. She imagined a certain white cat hiding with a guilty expression. Iris put the call on speakerphone so Jin Liwei could hear the full conversation.
"KittyBaby said that Drakon is her mother. Is it true?" Hou Liang continued to ask when she remained silent.
It was Jin Liwei's turn to glare at a random corner. He looked scarier than Iris. A certain white cat must be shaking in her fluffy fur by now.
Iris closed her eyes and sighed. She massaged her temples, feeling a phantom headache. Sighing once again, she glanced at Jin Liwei, silently asking him what they should do.
He nodded with a reluctant expression.
"Yes," she eventually replied to Hou Liang after getting Jin Liwei's approval to confirm her relationship with the naughty KittyBaby.
A pause.
"I see. You adopted her?" Hou Liang asked after a few moments of silence.
"Hmm... Something like that."
"KittyBaby is a brilliant hacker, just like you. She must be a genius, that's why you're training her to be the successor of your legacy as a hacker."
"Hmm..."
"By the way, how old is she? She sounds so young by her manner of speech."
Iris hesitated. It had only been a few months since she successfully developed Ketchup's current form as a cat AI with a highly adaptable and dynamic personality, in addition to her hyper-powered self-learning function. Based on Hou Liang's tone, it seemed that he thought that Ketchup, a.k.a. KittyBaby, was a human. Iris couldn't tell him that the talkative KittyBaby was only a few months old. That would be questionable.
Fortunately, it was Jin Liwei who answered Hou Liang, saving her from making up a lie.
"That's none of your business," he told Hou Liang in a cold voice. "Information about our daughter is private. Don't dig too much...or I'll make you regret it."
Jin Liwei's threat worked. Hou Liang immediately stopped pursuing the matter. He was still a little traumatized after Jin Liwei attacked him last year when Iris invited him to the penthouse for the first time and introduced herself as Drakon. Iris' man was too scary and violent!
Not that Iris herself was any different. As Drakon, she was a force to be reckoned with. In fact, she was even more dangerous than Jin Liwei. It was a good thing that she was a kind person in general, as long as nobody crossed her bottom line.
The phone call ended. This chapter was first shared on the Ñøv€lß1n platform.
"Ketchup!" Jin Liwei's angry voice whipped through the air in the bedroom.
"Wuwuwuwu! Ketchup is so sorry! Meow.... Sorry, Mommy! Sorry, Daddy! Ketchup won't do it again! Promise! Wuwuwuwu! Meow...."
The laptop on the study desk a few metres away from the bed flickered and powered on by itself. Then the screen showed a fluffy white cat trembling while crying pitifully.
"You know that Drakon is a wanted figure all around the world. Do you want your mom to get into trouble because of your carelessness?" Jin Liwei asked. He didn't raise his voice while talking but the anger was obvious in his tone.
"Noooo! Ketchup doesn't want Mommy to get into trouble! Sorry! Wuwuwuwu! Meow..."
"It's a good thing that Hou Liang is a trustworthy person but we can't be careless with anybody from now on."
"Yes, Daddy. Ketchup is very sorry! Meow...Wuwuwuwu!
"You're grounded for one month! No Black Stars, no surfing online for entertainment for one whole month! You're only allowed to do the tasks your mom and I assigned to you."
The white cat's sobs became louder and more pitiful. A small puddle of tears already started forming around her.
Chapter 518 - LunChapter At The Jin Family's Old House Part I
Iris' heart softened upon seeing the white cat's pitiful appearance and miserable sobbing. It sounded similar to how Little Jun cried. In fact, Ketchup based her crying on a mixture of her human cousin Little Jun and her kitty siblings Ice Cream and Popcorn. She was able to maximize the intended effect on her mommy. Iris turned to Jin Liwei.
"Darling, don't you think that grounding Ketchup for one month is too much? She already said sorry."
Jin Liwei wavered at his baby girl's expression. However, his sternness returned when he thought about the potential consequences of exposing Drakon's real identity to the wrong people, not to mention the fact that Ketchup, a.k.a. KittyBaby, was not a real person but a highly advanced AI. He knew that there were people in the world who would kill to acquire the cat AI once they discovered about its existence. And as the creator, his baby girl would also be in grave danger. He couldn't risk it. His wife and kids were his life. He would protect them with everything he had.
"No, love. This is for her own good. Ketchup needs to learn the consequences of doing things that she shouldn't do the hard way. She'll learn discipline this way," he told his baby girl.
Iris glanced at the pitiful Ketchup who was now mewling softly while curled in a puddle of her own tears. Then she looked at Jin Liwei again.
"I still think that one month is too long. It's torture for a hacker like us not to play around online for one month. How about let's ground her for one week instead?"
Ketchup immediately stopped crying and peeked at her parents behind her paws. Her expression was hopeful after hearing her mommy pleading her case to her daddy.
A furrow formed between Jin Liwei's brows. Now he felt like a bad guy. He almost gave in...almost. Good thing that he kept in mind what could've happened if the information Ketchup revealed to Hou Liang went into the wrong hands.
"Love, you're too soft on her. If we don't discipline her now, she'll start thinking that she could get away with almost anything because she could count on you, her mom, to defend her. She'll grow a hard head. Not good. What if she makes more mistakes in the future because of carelessness that we could've prevented by properly disciplining her? It would be too dangerous, especially with both of your hacker identities."
Iris sighed with a sad expression. "I understand...but I think that one month is still too long. How about ten days? Or maybe twelve?"
"No. Three weeks."
"Two weeks?"
"Fine. Two weeks. No less than that."
Iris smiled after he agreed. Two weeks sounded more reasonable than one month. She glanced at Ketchup who was now swishing her tail a little bit, grateful that her punishment was shortened from one month to two weeks instead.
"She needs to learn her lesson. She can't just reveal anything about both of your identities to anyone without our permission. Like I said, it's too dangerous. If any of these information gets into the wrong hands, all of us will suffer," Jin Liwei said, reminding the two about the consequences.
Iris nodded. "Ketchup, you heard your dad. You're grounded for two weeks. You're only allowed to go online for tasks we've assigned you. No Black Stars or playing around for these two weeks. If you don't obey, I won't stop your dad if he makes your punishment longer. Do you have something to say?"
Ketchup stood up and wiggled her fluffy white butt. "Meow~ Thank you, Mommy and Daddy for reducing my punishment to two weeks only! Ketchup is very sorry and won't do it again! I promise! Meow~"
Jin Liwei nodded, satisfied. Iris sighed in relief.
"Mommy, Daddy, can Ketchup still talk to Uncle Dom and the others? Or does that count as playing around too? Meow?"
"Of course, you can still talk to them and to us," Iris replied. Ñøv€l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.
"But no more learning any weird words from your Uncle Dominic or your Aunt Clover," Jin Liwei added.
"Meow? Weird words? Oh, like 'boobies' and 'boom-boom'?"
"Yes," Jin Liwei replied through gritted teeth, a scowl on his face.
Iris chuckled softly.
"Okay, Daddy! Ketchup will compile any new words that I hear from Uncle Dom and the others from now on, and then ask Mommy and Daddy which ones are weird and which ones I could use! Meow~"
"En."
With that, the couple finished disciplining their naughty third kitty baby. Ketchup's two-week punished started that morning. That cat AI sulked a little for a few minutes before returning to her tasks that Iris and Jin Liwei assigned to her.
Afterwards, Iris felt relieved that Jin Liwei was a firm disciplinarian. If it was just her, she would have already given in. Jin Liwei was right. She was too soft-hearted when it came to their kids. It wasn't only Ketchup but to Ice Cream and Popcorn as well. Of course, to Little Jun too.
Jin Liwei was also right in saying that it would be too dangerous to give Ketchup free rein. They needed to discipline her in this early stage of her rapid development in order to prevent her from going out of control.
His attitude just proved that he would be a great father to their own (human) children in the future. But would she be a good mother? She wasn't sure.
Back to the present, Iris and Jin Liwei finally arrived at the Jin Family's Old House. It was late morning just before noon. Perfect time for lunch.
The weather was a little chilly today, so Jin Liwei made sure that his baby girl was well-covered before allowing her to step out of the car. The bodyguards following behind them carried the abundant souvenirs they brought with them.
Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li welcomed them at the front hall. To Iris and Jin Liwei's surprise, there were other people present as well.
"Members of the branch families," Jin Liwei whispered to her.
"Oh." Understanding flashed in Iris' eyes.
Based on the expressions of both Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li, it seemed that they didn't invite the branch families. They must have heard that Iris and Jin Liwei would be coming, so they invited themselves for lunch.
Iris could feel the hostility from some of them directed towards her, especially from the younger female members of the group. She inwardly sighed and felt a minor annoyance—like someone trying to ignore an annoying mosquito buzzing all around, attempting to suck her blood.
The couple greeted Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li first.
"Oh, Xiulan! I'm so happy to see you again! You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you!" Huang Yuyan exclaimed.
She immediately pulled Iris into a tight hug. She didn't even greet her own son yet. One would think that Iris was her own child and not Jin Liwei by how she treated the two of them right now.
"Auntie Yuyan, thank you. I'm also happy to see you again," Iris replied.
After Jin Liwei's mother, Iris greeted the matriarch next. Grandma Li's cold aura—which was very similar to Jin Liwei's—warmed a lot after hugging Iris.
"Yuyan is right. You look more beautiful than the last time we saw you," she said.
"Of course," Jin Liwei interjected. "My fiancée has always been beautiful but she has become even more so because of my tender loving care."
Chapter 519 - LunChapter At The Jin Family's Old House Part II
Jin Liwei said these cheesy words in a low voice, so the members of the branch families present didn't hear him. If they did, their image of their clan head would be destroyed forever.
Both Grandma Li and Huang Yuyan chuckled at what he said. His overall expression might appear cold but his mother and grandmother could clearly see the proud look in his eyes when talking about his beloved fiancée.
Iris smiled, a little shy.
After greeting Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li, Jin Liwei wrapped his arm around Iris' shoulders and pulled her close to him. Then they faced the branch families together. Jin Liwei greeted them first before introducing her to them.
"Everyone, this is my fiancée and my future wife, Long Xiulan. Some of you might know her as Iris Long."
Only some of the older ones greeted her politely. Most of them looked at her from head to toe and then back again in a rude manner, especially the younger female ones. They were Jin Liwei's distant cousins, mostly teenagers or around Iris' age in their early twenties.
Their leader was Jin Jiali, eighteen years old. She was pretty and resembled Jin Chonglin a little bit. However, her blatant hostile expression directed at Iris subtracted from her good looks. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her legs spread in a dominant manner. She raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips in a mocking expression. Her entire body language looked aggressive. It was obvious that she was looking down on Iris.
The other girls behind her mirrored her. However, there was a couple of girls who separated themselves from the group and looked at Iris with excited expressions on their faces instead.
Another bigger group consisted of older people. Most of them were around Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li's age, while a few looked to be the same age as Jin Liwei.
Their leader was Jin Chenggong, Jin Jiali's father. He was a cousin of Jin Liwei's father and the current head of his own branch family. He was also a member of Jin Corporation's board of directors.
"Hello, it's a pleasure to meet all of you," Iris greeted them politely but not warmly.
It was clear that the majority of them didn't like her. She felt indifferent towards them. She didn't have the least bit interest in trying to make them like her. For her, they weren't important. The only important people in the Jin family were Jin Liwei (of course), Grandma Li and Huang Yuyan—all the members of the main family. Oh, and Jin Chonglin too. She almost forgot.
If these Jin branch families didn't like her, so what? She didn't even give a whit about the Long branch families, so why would she care about these Jin branch families?
To a certain extent, yes, she wanted the entire Jin clan to accept her as Jin Liwei's marriage partner, but it didn't mean that she would slave herself into making them like her. Working hard to be successful in her music career and her own businesses should be enough. If they still didn't like her even with her accomplishments, then it was their problem, not hers.
The most important thing for Iris was that Jin Liwei loved her and that his mother, grandmother and brother accepted their relationship.
Jin Jiali raised her eyebrow even higher. "So you're Iris Long, huh?"
Jin Liwei didn't like the way this little cousin of his—he forgot her name—was looking at his baby girl. He scowled. His aura also became colder.
"Continue looking at my future wife like that and I'll ban you from entering here ever again," he warned.
Jin Jiali and her other cousins shuddered under Jin Liwei's cold gaze. They had always been afraid of their older cousin Jin Liwei. It didn't help that he was also the current clan head. Even some of the elders were afraid of him.
The atmosphere turned tense. They all just met each other but it was already awkward and uncomfortable.
Usually, Huang Yuyan would try to smooth things out. She had always been kind and wanted everyone to get along. This time, however, she didn't do anything. It was obvious from her expression that she was displeased at Jin Jiali and her group's attitude towards Iris.
"Liwei, don't take your cousin Jia'er too seriously. She's still a child. Please excuse her," Jin Chenggong said in a subtle attempt to defend his daughter's rude behaviour.
"A child?" Jin Liwei turned to Jin Jiali and asked, "How old are you?"
Jin Jiali didn't respond. Ñøv€l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.
"Answer me," Jin Liwei said in a commanding voice. His tone brooked no argument.
"I...I'm eighteen," Jin Jiali finally replied.
Jin Liwei looked at Jin Chenggong. "Uncle, your daughter is already eighteen years old. She already reached the age of majority and no longer a child. Unless there's something wrong with her brain that her mental development is stunted and is similar to that of a young child, then she should learn how to take responsibility for her own behaviour."
The father and daughter turned white then red and finally purple from humiliation. Jin Liwei's indirect insult towards Jin Jiali was clear to most of the people. Only a few slow ones didn't understand what Jin Liwei meant and looked totally clueless.
Jin Chenggong was the first one to recover. He cleared his throat. "Yes, you're right," he said in a tight voice.
Jin Jiali opened her mouth, resentful that her father didn't say anything to defend her against the insult. However, one fierce warning look from her father made her shut her mouth. She pressed her lips tightly together and glared at Iris instead.
Watching Jin Liwei act this way, the branch families' bad impression of Iris Long worsened.
'This woman is a bad influence on the clan head. Jin Liwei has always been someone who prioritizes family. Now he's even insulting his own cousin to defend that woman,' they thought to themselves.
It was true that Jin Liwei always prioritized family. This was a known fact among all members of the Jin clan. What they didn't know was that Jin Liwei now considered Iris as his number one family. These branch families were demoted several ranks in the family hierarchy in his mind, especially since they were being this rude to his future wife.
The tense atmosphere grew heavier that Huang Yuyan had no choice but to step in and try to diffuse it. She was worried that Iris might feel too uncomfortable.
"Xiulan, my dear! What are all these things that you brought with you? Why are there so many?" she asked, deliberately shifting the attention to the assorted things the bodyguards were carrying.
"Auntie, we bought them for you and Grandma Li from France," Iris replied.
"Oh, you didn't have to!" Although Huang Yuyan said this, she actually looked excited.
Even Grandma Li's eyes lit up seeing the large number of wrapped souvenirs for them.
"The truth is that Liwei and I have been so busy during the Sommet International Film Festival that we only bought a few things for you. Most of these are actually from my mother. She wants Liwei and I to give them to you and to let you know that she can't wait to meet the two of you."
Chapter 520 - LunChapter At The Jin Family's Old House Part III
Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li's eyes widened after hearing that most of the souvenirs came from Wei Lan.
"Please say thank you to Madam Wei Lan," Huang Yuyan said. "Oh, I should probably start calling her Vizcondesa Lan now!"
Someone from the branch families snorted in derision. Just as how Iris Long was unpopular to them, her mother Wei Lan was also thought of badly by many people among high society.
Both Grandma Li and Jin Liwei looked at their direction with cold eyes. Their expressions were almost identical. Indeed, they were grandmother and grandson.
Iris pretended that she didn't hear the rude sound. Although her expression remained generally pleasant, her eyes narrowed and turned cold as well.
Grandma Li gave a cold glare at the branch families before smiling warmly at Iris.
"We've already met your father and Madam Yang Jiahui but not your mother. Yuyan my dear, how about we invite the viscountess for a meal?"
"Mother, that would be lovely!"
Iris smiled at the two older women. "I'm sure my mother would be delighted."
After the eventful greetings and tense introductions in the front hall, they all headed to the dining area for lunch.
"Is Brother Chonglin not coming today?" Iris asked while they were walking.
"Oh, he's supposed to come but he called early this morning to say that he wouldn't be able to because of schedule issues. It looks like his work today got delayed," Huang Yuyan explained.
"We'll be able to see that boy tomorrow. Don't worry, Xiulan my dear. If that boy doesn't attend the grand launch tomorrow, I'll make sure to lecture him well and teach him a lesson. Leave everything to Grandma, alright?" Grandma Li assured.
"Thank you, Grandma Li," Iris replied.
Lunch was even more awkward and tense than during the introductions earlier. Huang Yuyan was a good host and tried to make the weird atmosphere more pleasant even though she felt displeased by the branch families unexpected presence. As for Grandma Li, she completely ignored them. The matriarch focused on chatting with Iris and Jin Liwei instead.
Thus, it felt like everyone was eating in two different places because of the clear division between the two groups. The main family plus Iris on one side while the branch families on another side.
This made the branch families resent Iris even more.
Iris just ignored them and temporarily erased their existence from her mind. She and Jin Liwei visited the old house to eat lunch with Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li, not with them.
After lunch, everyone headed to the nearest lounge area to drink some digestive tea.
This time, Jin Chenggong and the others ones who worked for Jin Corporation pulled Jin Liwei to speak about some business matters.
"Go ahead. I'll stay here and chat with Auntie Yuyan and Grandma Li," Iris told him.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
She nodded.
"If you want to leave, just tell me anytime. Okay, love?"
"Okay. Now go."
Jin Liwei left and followed Jin Chenggong and the others to another room to speak business in private.
In the meantime, Iris shared her experiences during the Sommet International Film Festival with Huang Yuyan and Grandma Li. The two were fascinated about the prestigious event, especially knowing that Iris won an award from there.
"I'm so proud of you, my dear," Grandma Li told Iris.
"I watched your acceptance speech. It was so romantic of you to bring my son to the stage with you," Huang Yuyan said. Her eyes reddened and she began wiping her teary eyes. "Oh, I'm getting emotional just remembering it."
Iris held Huang Yuyan's hand. "Auntie, thank you for giving birth to Liwei. If you didn't, I wouldn't have met him."
"Oh!" Huang Yuyan's immediately tears gushed out like mini-waterfalls from her eyes.
Grandma Li comforted her daughter-in-law while nodding approvingly at Iris' words.
Later, Iris excused herself to go to the nearest powder room. After relieving herself and refreshing her appearance, she exited and found several people waiting for her outside in the hallway.
Jin Jiali and her female cousins immediately surrounded Iris, cornering her to the wall.
"Hello, everyone. Do you need to pee, too? Go ahead. There's no one inside now. I'll just go ahead," Iris said in an overly pleasant voice. Her eyes, however, were completely cold. Ñøv€l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.
"You're not going anywhere!" Jin Jiali announced.
Her cohorts blocked Iris' way, preventing her from leaving. One of them even tried to push Iris hard, intending to make her stumble to the floor, but Iris deftly avoided the movement by stepping away. The girl's hands missed, making her look stupid. This angered many of them.
"Don't think too highly of yourself, Iris Long!" Jin Jiali said. "Just because Elder Brother Liwei, Aunt Yuyan and Grandmother Li all accept you doesn't mean that the rest of the Jin clan do!"
The other girls nodded. They were just the echo to her main voice.
"Big Sister Rose Young is many times more suitable for Elder Brother Liwei than you! She's the CMO of Jin Corporation. Do you know what CMO means? I bet you don't because you're STUPID! You don't know anything about business, unlike Big Sis Rose who's a super smart businesswoman."
Iris almost yawned at these girls' attempt of bullying her. It was like having small, ugly, toothless dogs yipping and growling down at her feet. The Alarm Girls and Fan Luo threw worse insults at her back then than these bully wannabes. However, her eyes became colder after hearing Rose Young being compared to her.
Jin Jiali continued, "Since you're STUPID, I'll tell you what CMO means because I bet you don't know. CMO means...Chief Ma...Chief M-, uh, Chief Manager Officer! Yes, that's what it means!"
"You're so smart, Jia'er!"
"Chief Manager Officer! It sounds so impressive!"
Her sidekicks did their job and praised Jin Jiali, feeding her inflated ego and her desire to bully Iris.
Iris tilted her head to the side and said in a rather lazy manner, "Actually, that's incorrect. CMO means Chief Marketing Officer. At least, that's the most common meaning. In other companies or organizations, CMO can also mean Chief Maintenance Officer or Chief Medical Officer. There are many variations to it. But I've never heard of a Chief Manager Officer before. That's a first. Maybe you mean Chief Management Officer? That's uncommon too, but it's a more correct term than Chief Manager Officer."
Iris explained all of these terms with such ease that the other girls couldn't help but feel impressed.
However, Jin Jiali felt humiliated that Iris pointed out her error. Pride made her refuse to accept that she made a mistake.
"No, you're wrong. I'm right. CMO really means Chief Manager Officer!" she insisted. "It's a unique position in Jin Corporation because my family's company is the best in the country and in entire Asia!"
Iris pretended to widen her eyes in surprise. "Your family's company? Jin Corporation?"
"Of course! I'm a Jin. All of us here are Jins, except for you. So we own Jin Corporation!"
"Hmmm. That's not how a business works," Iris murmured, tapping her a finger on her chin. "Business ownership depends on how much shares of the company you own under your own name. Just because you have the same surname as the majority owner or a shareholder doesn't mean that you automatically own the company too. It's like saying that the children and relatives of a country's president also deserve to be president just because they have the same surname as the political head. Besides, it's not only the Jins who own Jin Corporation. Grandpa—I mean, Grandfather Lu Jianhong also owns exactly half of it. He never gave away or sold any of his shares ever since he founded the company with Liwei's grandfather."