Chapter 117: 1161 - 1170

Chapter 1161 - Starting To Feel A Little Like Home

The aroma of delicious home-cooked food welcomed Lu Zihao as soon as he entered the condo unit. He closed the door behind him and started taking off his light coat. Long Jinjing came out of the kitchen in an apron while still holding a cooking ladle.

He observed how her expression changed as soon as she saw him. Her smile bloomed like a flower and it made something inside his chest feel ticklish or itchy—that kind of weird sensation.

"You're here!" Long Jinjing rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck.

He lifted her up and they kissed. There was no hot tongue action but he still sucked on her soft lips, tasting a little of what she was cooking. His mouth immediately salivated for dinner (food) and for dessert (her).

She was about to help him hang his coat but she heard a sizzling sound so off she went back to the kitchen.

"Phew, that was close!" he heard her exclaim.

He didn't bother hanging his coat and just tossed it on the couch in a careless manner before heading to the kitchen to watch his woman cook. His eyes didn't miss the array of dishes already presented on the table.

"Dinner is almost ready, Nikolai," she told him. "You came home earlier than I expected. I hope you don't mind waiting a few more minutes before we can start eating."

"Hm, no problem." He leaned against the wall and crossed his muscled arms over his wide chest while continuing to watch her.

Her words echoed inside his head. She talked as if this place was his home, too. He looked at her tiny place and hmm...it indeed made him feel comfortable enough to lower his guards. Now that he thought about it, he already began looking forward to coming to this place and staying with his woman. He didn't give a fuck about such a tiny shoebox unit but since his woman lived here, the place was starting to feel a little like home to him.

He didn't need to wait too long before Long Jinjing finally finished cooking. The table was already set so he only needed to wash his hands and carry the last dish. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

They ate a hearty dinner, not really talking much while doing so, because he was too ravenous. He wolfed down all the food while keeping her close to his side. She also ate more than usual, but compared to his large food intake, her portion of the entire meal didn't even come close to one-fourth of everything. He finished everything, not even leaving a little for leftovers.

Long Jinjing was smiling while watching him finish off the last morsels of food on his plate. "How is it?"

"Delicious."

Her smile grew wider.

Afterwards, the two of them washed the dishes together. Long Jinjing became teary-eyed because this was the routine that they developed during their one-month relationship before they broke up. Now they were doing it again. She hoped that it would become permanent until they were both old and grey.

Then she started brewing some tea to help digest the heavy food that they ate. Lu Zihao was unwinding on the couch and sipping tea when Long Jinjing remembered something. She ran to her bedroom and came out holding a cardboard paper bag with the stylish brand of the boutique printed on it.

"For you. I didn't have the time to wrap them nicely because I was too busy cooking dinner."

Lu Zihao raised an eyebrow but didn't look too surprised that she was giving him a present. He had already been informed beforehand by both Bacon and Robin that Long Jinjing went shopping at a menswear boutique. Robin didn't know what she bought but Bacon did. However, Lu Zihao stopped Bacon before the little devil could list the things his aunt bought. Although it was corny and something that he never bothered before, he wanted to be surprised.

"Open it," Long Jinjing said and sat down beside him twiddling her thumbs. Her nervousness was clear on her face.

He opened the shopping bag and took out the items inside. First was the pair of leather gloves.

"Nice," he said.

She breathed out a sigh of relief and appeared less nervous.

He took out another item. It was the cowl scarf.

"Just what I need."

She smiled.

Then he took out the last item—no, two items. There were two belts that looked similar but had different metal buckle designs.

"You got me two?" he asked.

"Oh no!" She gasped and snatched both of the belts.

"What's wrong?"

"Uhm." Guilt was written all over her face which raised his suspicions.

"Tell me," he demanded in a low voice.

In the end, she told him the truth about what happened at the menswear boutique. His expression was hard when she finished speaking. Bacon didn't mention this part. The little devil only said that René Alejandro struck a conversation with Long Jinjing at the menswear boutique. Perhaps Bacon was about to tell him the whole story but he stopped the kid after learning that Long Jinjing went shopping for him because he wanted to be surprised. Lu Zihao inwardly sighed at his carelessness.

"Which is the one you chose for me?" he asked.

She held one of the belts to him. He took it and ripped the tag off. Then he stood up and unbuckled the leather belt that he was wearing before tossing it on the coffee table. Then he put on the new leather belt that she bought for him.

"Perfect fit," he commented.

"You like it?"

"Hm."

She batted her eyelashes at him and smiled, looking pleased. However, she once again felt guilty upon seeing the other belt that was still in her hands. Lu Zihao snatched it and headed to the kitchen. He was about to dump the damn belt into the trash can but she yelped behind him and rushed forward to take it from him. He didn't let go.

"Why are you stopping me?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"It's still new. Throwing it away is a big waste. I'll just return it to the store to get my money back."

"I'll just pay you its price."

She smacked his chest and walked away in an angry huff. Then she stopped, turned to face him and spat, "I don't need your money!"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1162 - Feels Similar

Lu Zihao felt so confused at Long Jinjing's outburst. He followed her out of the kitchen and pulled her arm to stop her. She glared at him. After restraining his own temper, he was able to coax her to tell him the reason why she became so mad at him.

"I feel like you think that money can solve everything! That you can just pay me in order to agree with whatever you want. I don't need your money, Nikolai. I don't love you because you're rich. I have my own money. I can earn my own money!"

His expression turned ugly after listening to her. He was filled with disbelief at the way her brain made up this kind of ridiculous thoughts.

"What the fuck, woman?! I never thought of you that way, like a whore I'm paying to fuck! And you're making me sound like a sugar daddy! How?! Why?! Jinjing, what the fucking hell?!"

Long Jinjing's eyes seemed to regain some clarity. She flushed and stammered, "I...uhm, Nikolai...I didn't mean it. I just...I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm overreacting like this."

He continued staring at her as if looking at an exotic creature that was beyond his comprehension.

Her lips trembled. She closed her eyes and massaged her temples. "I think...I'm too stressed out lately. I haven't really processed everything that you've shown and revealed to me yet about your, uhm, you know, your secret identity and all that."

She opened her eyes again and looked at him with a complicated expression. There was sadness, worry, fear, guilt, confusion, and of course, love.

"S-sorry, Nikolai. I didn't mean to...y-yell at you." She covered her face with her hands and burst into tears.

Lu Zihao's body moved on its own before he could fully process what was happening. He already grabbed and pulled her into his tight embrace. He rubbed her back, comforting her as she sobbed on his chest, quickly wetting the front of his shirt. His mind, however, continued figuring out what was wrong with her. Then he understood.

His huge revelation should have shocked her. Contrary to his expectations, she surprisingly took everything well. Too well, in fact. She didn't react the way he first thought and accepted everything with little to no rejection. She hadn't been exactly calm but there was no indication that she was affected by his revelation too much.

It seemed that he was wrong in thinking that everything was fine with her after knowing about the true nature of his work at Shadow Winds. He sighed and pressed his lips on the top of her head. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

She must have been putting off thinking about his revelation to the point that the stress piled up inside her until everything exploded today. Her outburst about money really didn't have anything to do with the root cause of why her emotions were all over the place like this.

"Don't apologize," he murmured to her. "It's not your fault."

Her arms wrapped around his waist.

They hugged like that for what felt like forever. Then he made her look at him. His fingers wiped away her tears. She looked pitiful, tired and embarrassed, but Nikolai still thought that she was damn sexy. Something below his belt started to stiffen but he forcefully tamped his desire down.

"Let's just sleep tonight. You're tired. I'm tired. We both need to rest." He rubbed her soft lips with the rough pad of his thumb. "I know that you must have many questions that you want to ask me but are hesitating. Ask away. If I can answer a question, I will. If not, don't overthink it. I might not answer something if I deem it unsafe for you to know."

She nodded but her mouth pouted, making him want to kiss her, devour her, but even someone like him sensed that the atmosphere wasn't quite right for him to seduce her. The woman clearly needed some time to process his revelation. And by hell, he was going to give it to her even though he didn't usually have this much patience for any woman he fucked before.

"I wanted to make our dinner date tonight special but I...ruined it."

Lu Zihao couldn't help it. He chuckled.

"You're laughing at me." Her pouting lips elongated even more.

His chuckled turned to full-blown laughter. He lowered his head and gave her pouting lips a smacking kiss. His hand also gave a playful smack on her butt. Then he realized that his other hand was still holding the belt that the Spaniard chose. He curled his lip in annoyance (and jealousy) and tossed the belt behind his woman's back. Such an eyesore, that ugly leather belt.

(The leather belt: What did I ever do to you? Wuwuwu!)

Then he suddenly carried his woman like a princess, making her yelp in surprise. They showered together, and unable to stop themselves, they still ended up having sex in the bathroom.

Later, they lay together on the bed naked in each other's embrace. Lu Zihao still looked like he had a lot of energy to spare but Long Jinjing was utterly exhausted after their bathroom play earlier. He didn't seduce her again. At least, not for the rest of tonight.

Still, she was unable to fall asleep. Her thoughts and emotions remained in turmoil. It was only now that she realized how much his shocking revelation about Shadow Winds was really stressing her out. There were many questions that she wanted to ask him but didn't know how to start.

In the end, she could only ask about what he did earlier today. "Did you catch the accomplices to the mall bombing incident?"

"Caught some. Not all of them. Still looking for the others."

"Oh." She ran her hand over his big, hard, scarred chest. It twitched under her touch. "You don't have any wounds or bruises on your body. I'm glad."

"Hm. Don't worry. Those accomplices are just lackeys who can't even compare to a finger of Shun or Robin, much less me."

"But still be careful."

"Okay."

Surprisingly, it was Lu Zihao who fell asleep first. Long Jinjing watched his scarred, handsome face.

Then at that moment, she finally figured out why she felt so bothered by René Alejandro earlier.

"He feels similar to you," she whispered to the sleeping Lu Zihao but he didn't hear her.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1163 - Not Worth Your Anger

Dragon Palace Home #10.

During the final weekend before Iris was scheduled to end her bed rest in the next few days, Theresa Blipsburg returned from Cross Academy and brought customized supplements plus other helpful concoctions for pregnant women like pain-relieving and calming massage oils, creams for stretch marks, and so many more. All of these were for Iris.

The most impressive that she gave Iris, however, was a personalized printed guide book that Theresa wrote after consulting with all of her mentors from the academy based on Iris' medical files. It covered everything including the most common and not-so-common do's and don'ts during pregnancy, recommendations for a wide range of areas such as diet, exercise, relaxation, and even suggestions for safe sex positions complete with detailed illustrations.

Iris was very grateful for her friend's thoughtfulness and generosity. Even Jin Liwei received a special copy of the guide book modified for him as an expectant father. The only issue he had was that the tone in his modified guide book was harsher. Reading it was like hearing Theresa lecturing, warning and scolding him to take better care of the pregnant Iris.

Theresa didn't stay for too long but promised to stay in touch with both Iris and Jin Liwei whenever they had any concerns about Iris and their twin babies' health. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

After meeting with Iris' private doctor to coordinate Iris' new health plan, Theresa returned to Cross Academy on the same day. AJ Zheneres and Ashandra Knightson also left with her. The friends all said their goodbyes to each other.

As for Amanpio Kileksky, he chose to stay for a few more days. He was working on something with Alric Bauer at Orchidia Beauty and rarely stayed at Dragon Palace except to sleep. Iris didn't stop the inventor but her husband looked displeased that Amanpio was overstaying.

It was now Sunday.

The husband and wife were together on their bed reading the guides that Theresa gave them. Both had serious expressions on their faces, as if they were both studying for an important exam.

"This is really helpful," Iris commented. "I appreciate how detailed this guide is compared to all those pregnancy books that you bought. Some of those books are so vague that I wonder how the authors even got published and touted as experts on the subject in the first place."

Jin Liwei chuckled. Indeed, the difference in quality was clear. Theresa Blipsburg was a genius after all. However, he had a wry expression due to the harsh tone of his personalized guide. He felt like a masochist just reading it even though it was indeed extremely helpful in his journey as an expectant father and as a supportive husband to his pregnant wife.

"Excuse me, Mommy and Daddy," a cute child's voice interrupted them. "Grandpa Butler is now accompanying Uncle Long Jian and his poopoo-headed mother Zhu Ning to mommy and daddy's room. Meow~"

Iris didn't react much and continued reading her guide. On the other hand, Jin Liwei closed his book and placed it on top of his bedside table.

He asked Ketchup, "Only the two of them?"

"No, Daddy! Mommy's lawyer, Atty. Hong Shaoqiang, is accompanying them. Meow~"

"Good." Jin Liwei glanced at his wife who still wasn't showing any reactions whatsoever.

At first, Jin Liwei instructed his lawyer, Atty. Kang Huizhong who was also Jin Corporation's famous corporate lawyer, to handle Zhu Ning's case. However, they decided to hand the case over to Iris' lawyer, Atty. Hong Shaoqiang, instead. This was to show and make a point to both Long Jian and his mother Zhu Ning that it was Iris who helped them.

Of course, Jin Liwei also had a hand in it and so did his brother-in-law's Shadow Winds, especially the hacker team ShaWn. However, most of the preliminary work was done by his wife and their AI children. In the end, it was Bacon who achieved a breakthrough in the case and dug the concrete evidence they needed to free Zhu Ning from jail and clear her from the crime.

Jin Liwei wanted to emphasize to both Long Jian and Zhu Ning that if not for his wife, he wouldn't even bother lifting a finger to help in this case at all. So they shouldn't dare to disregard his wife and thank only him.

His expression reverted to his old intimidating cold indifference. He looked like someone who was getting ready to mete out punishment.

"Darling." Iris reached out and interlocked their hands together. "No need to get so worked up for people like them. We're only doing this for my deal with Long Jian. Nothing more, nothing less. Whatever happens to them after this is none of our concern."

"I know, love." He gave her a soft smile but his expression turned cold again. "I just can't help but feel angry whenever I remember that foul-mouthed woman slandering you back then."

"Zhu Ning is not worth your anger. She hates all of Long Tengfei—Father's other women and children. Besides, I really don't feel too affected personally. It's Wei Lan and Long Xiulan she hates, not Evelina. But of course, I'm Long Xiulan now so I'll still defend myself if Zhu Ning continues to act foolish and insist on making me her enemy."

Jin Liwei curled his lip. "I won't let it come to that, love. If she dares offend you, I'll put her back to jail for harassment or for some other crime. With her nasty personality, it's easy to induce her to do stupid things and land herself back to the police station."

"I'll leave it to you then." Iris had no qualms passing today's meeting with Long Jian and Zhu Ning to her husband. She tilted her head to the side and thought of something. "Long Jian is not bad. He has changed in a number of ways for the better compared to Long Xiulan's memories of him in the past that I have. It'd be nice if his mother learns to control herself and not be a hindrance to her own son's potential of achieving sucess."

Before he could reply, Ketchup alerted them that Long Jian's group was now at the door of their master suite. Seconds later, the butler arrived leading the visitors inside the bedroom.

"Little Sister, Brother-in-law," Long Jian greeted.

His mother, Zhu Ning, stepped out from behind him. She didn't speak.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1164 - Patience

Zhu Ning looked older and haggard. There were now more wrinkles on her skin and white strands on her hair. She also looked thinner. Jail time hadn't been kind to her. She looked defeated unlike her previous arrogant self.

Despite this change, she didn't look grateful towards Iris or Jin Liwei. To be more precise, there was no other expression on her face aside from defeat. It was as if she was just following her son without thinking or feeling on her own.

The butler led Long Jian, Zhu Ning and Atty. Hong Shaoqiang to the nearby seats. Jin Liwei kissed his wife's forehead before leaving her on the bed to sit with the visitors. Long Jian and Atty. Hong handed Jin Liwei some flower arrangements and baskets of fruits for Iris. Long Jian brought an extra care package filled with sweets. It seemed that he remembered Iris' sweet tooth. Jin Liwei thanked them both before handing the items to the butler.

"Don't mind that we're meeting in our bedroom," Jin Liwei said while refreshments were being served. "My wife is in bed rest so she has to stay here and recuperate."

Long Jian glanced at his half-sister on the bed and frowned. "I saw Brother-in-law in the news at the opening of LXC Studio and you revealed that Xiulan is ill and is in bed rest, that's why she hasn't made any public appearance for so long. What's wrong with her? Why is she so ill to the extent that she has to stay in bed rest like this?"

It was Iris herself who answered him. "Big Brother Jian, my health has just not been ideal for quite a while. I feel better now. My husband is taking care of me."

"You look thinner."

"I'm already working on gaining weight. Thank you for your concern."

Long Jian sighed but still nodded. After the short conversation, he began to feel awkward and even nervous. It was so unlike his usual confident self. Both he and his mother didn't look like their usual selves today.

Jin Liwei had no intentions of helping to ease the atmosphere for them. In fact, his already cold intimidating gaze turned even icier. Long Jian couldn't look directly at him. As for his mother, Zhu Ning remained quiet as a mouse while sitting beside him. A closer look revealed that she was trembling under Jin Liwei's icy gaze.

Unbeknownst to Long Jian, Jin Liwei already went to meet Zhu Ning days ago. She hadn't been released from jail yet that time. He gave the woman a thorough warning not to mess with his wife ever again or he would make sure that she would rot in jail next time.

Zhu Ning must have been traumatized by her time inside the jail because she took his words to heart. Back to the present, she didn't even dare to breathe too loudly for fear of upsetting Jin Liwei.

Atty. Hong Shaoqiang started summarizing the conclusion of Zhu Ning's case, finally breaking the awkward atmosphere. Not completely but enough to make it easier for both the mother and son to breathe a little easier.

After the lawyer finished speaking, Long Jian cleared his throat and looked at the married couple. "We came here today to personally thank you for helping to free my mother from jail and also for clearing her for the crimes pinned against her once and for all. We owe you so much, Little Sister and Brother-in-law."

He didn't mention his deal with Iris in the presence of his mother and the lawyer. Iris and Jin Liwei were married so Iris should have already told Jin Liwei about her deal with Long Jian. Nevertheless, his gratitude looked very sincere.

"Mom." He nudged his mother and urged her to say something.

It took Zhu Ning a few seconds to gather the courage to speak. Her trembling, bony hands were clutching her pants. She finally looked up and made eye contact with Iris on the bed. She quickly looked down on her lap upon seeing Iris' straightforward gaze. As for looking at Jin Liwei...no way! The man had put the fear in her days ago.

"T-thank you..." This was all she could say.

Long Jian encouraged her to say more but her mouth refused to open again. All he could do was sigh and give an apologetic smile at the husband and wife.

"It's fine," Iris said with disinterest. "I'm getting tired."

Jin Liwei stood up. Both Long Jian and Atty. Hong understood the meaning and stood up as well, ready to leave. Long Jian pulled his mother with him.

Before they could leave, Iris called, "Big Brother Jian."

Long Jian turned to her.

"It's good to see you again," she said.

He looked a little surprised but he smiled and nodded. "Likewise. Good to see you again, Little Sister. Get better soon."

She nodded. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

After the group left, Jin Liwei returned to his wife's side on the bed. Iris was already back to reading the guide that Theresa gave her.

"That went better than I expected," he commented while gathering her in his arms.

She gave him a side eye. "Zhu Ning is frightened of you."

"She should be. This way, she won't dare do anything harmful to you or I'll fulfill my promise to send her back to jail and let her rot inside there for the rest of her life."

"As long as she doesn't harm us, we can forget about her. Our energy is better spent on more important people and things than that woman."

"En. I'll listen to you, wife."

She smiled and lifted her head up, clearly asking for a kiss. He gave her what she wanted.

The kiss started out light but quickly became hot. Both of them were panting afterwards.

"Theresa says it's not safe for us to make love yet," Iris said with a sigh. "It has been too long."

He sighed as well but chose not to say anything. It was difficult for him too but his worry for his wife's wellbeing trumped over his desire to make love with her.

"Patience, baby. Get better quickly and I promise to give it to you."

She tossed the guide on the bed and hugged her husband instead. Her softness made Jin Liwei's little brother stiffen but he restrained himself as usual.

'Patience, Liwei,' he repeated to himself.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1165 - Beyond First Class

Jasper Leung almost fainted when he was led to board a private jet. His two bodyguards came with him. A male flight attendant welcomed them and led them inside the aircraft. The two bodyguards didn't look too surprised but Jasper felt like his soul had flown out of his body at the shockingly luxurious treatment.

This was the first time that he was experiencing this kind of first-class treatment. No, this went beyond first class! Indeed, billionaires lived in a different world compared to normal folks like him. Now he was being given the privilege of experiencing a taste of this kind of exclusive lifestyle firsthand.

Assistant Xu Tian had arranged all of Jasper's travel details. All Jasper needed to do was provide his appropriate documents and pack his luggage. At first, he thought that he was going to fly via a commercial airline. He didn't want to expect too much but based on CEO Jin Liwei's standards, Jasper would surely get to fly in business class at least. After all, he was travelling to China for business as a paid intern of his idol CEO.

Although his trip was only for three days, he was looking forward to it very much and was determined to learn as much as possible from CEO Jin himself. His worldview had definitely started expanding after starting to work at White Tigress International Virtual Assistant Services.

His boss, Miss Kitty, might be a young child but she was, without a doubt, a genius. After only a few days of working with her, Jasper believed that Miss Kitty was the ultimate virtual assistant. The only problem was that she was still emotionally immature in a lot of ways and extremely chatty. She had the ability to talk one's ears off if she was allowed to do so. Fortunately, she was reasonable most of the time except for when she was being too naughty. She was still only a kid after all.

The flight from Singapore to China was expected to only take around five hours. If the weather forecast didn't change, it would take less time. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

Jasper studied the notes that Assistant Xu Tian sent him beforehand while inside the luxurious private jet. They included his schedule as CEO Jin's personal intern. It was more packed than he first thought. Despite this, he still had some free time in the afternoons and evenings to visit some tourist spots or go wherever he wanted.

The notes also included simplified biodata of Jin Corporation's executives, members of the board of directors, and other key personnel. He hadn't been given any instructions on what to do with the information or the reason why he was given the list of biodata in the first place but Jasper interpreted it as a test for him.

CEO Jin told him that he was going to be his shadow at work for the full three days. It was like being in Assistant Xu Tian's enviable position as CEO Jin's right-hand man. It was only natural to know the identities of all these key personnel in the company.

Jasper studied the notes in the same way that he studied for his final exams in university. The last part of the notes had nothing to do with business at all but with CEO Jin's personal life. More specifically, it was a reminder that CEO Jin's wife, the new Madam Jin, must be treated with the utmost respect possible. If he failed to do so, the notes warned that he would earn the wrath of not only CEO Jin but the entire household.

He already read this part several times before but still shivered. As the one who established Black Stars Singapore, Jasper had been forced to watch and share countless music videos and recorded live performances of Madam Jin, or more known as the multi-award-winning musician Iris Long, by Miss Kitty Jin. He had the impression of a beautiful and elegant lady based on what he watched of her.

Assistant Xu Tian's notes, however, created a scary image of Madam Jin in Jasper's mind. It seemed like Madam Jin was the true boss of the household and not CEO Jin. Even their daughter, Miss Kitty, couldn't stop praising her own mother to high heavens.

'I need to make a good impression on Madam Jin. Miss Kitty revealed that CEO Jin originally planned for me to stay at a hotel but Madam Jin wanted to invite me to stay at their home instead.'

Jasper didn't know exactly what to expect upon arriving in China. He had some ideas but CEO Jin's actions had been completely out of Jasper's expectations ever since his idol businessman personally hired him to work for Miss Kitty's virtual assistant company. He decided to keep an open mind and just experience whatever came his way, and of course, do his best not to faint like an overexcited fanboy.

The flight was very comfortable. The food was delicious. The male flight attendant told him that a world-class chef cooked it before it was packed for his flight. There were countless movies and TV shows to watch in different languages. He could also play video games if he wanted.

Since the flight didn't take too long, he had planned on studying the notes that Assistant Xu Tian sent him as much as possible. However, one particular game in the entertainment hub caught his eye. It was called "Supreme Ascension".

He only wanted to try it out but before he knew it the private jet was already touching down China.

"W-what...."

He couldn't believe that he lost track of the time playing games! How embarrassing! It was a good thing that CEO Jin Liwei didn't know. Jasper didn't want to give the impression that he was a games addict.

"But this game is really good. No, it's awesome. Wow. I'm going to get my own copy and play it during my free time when I return to Singapore."

Clearing customs was a breeze for a private flyer like him. It felt wonderful.

Someone was already waiting for him upon his arrival. He gasped when he saw the man who was personally picking him up.

"Assistant Xu!"

Although CEO Jin was still his number one idol businessman, Jasper still couldn't help but feel starstruck upon seeing the elite executive assistant.

Xu Tian smiled at him and shook his hand. "Welcome to China, Mr. Jasper Leung."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1166 - Finally Meeting His Idol

Compared to his comfortable air travel, Jasper Leung was tense at the unbelievably tight security at Dragon Palace Homes. Even clearing customs wasn't as strict as this!

Every time they had to stop at a security checkpoint, he felt nervous and even guilty for no reason at all. He tried to remember if he brought any illegal substances or firearms without his own knowledge. It was completely illogical because he was innocent but he still couldn't stop himself from feeling this nervous, no, frightened at the intimidating security protocol inside the exclusive village.

Jasper glanced at Assistant Xu Tian who was sitting beside him on the backseat as cool as a cucumber. This seemed to be normal routine for him. As expected of the executive assistant of CEO Jin Liwei!

He calmed down a little after being influenced by Assistant Xu. However, he began to feel nervous again once they reached Dragon Palace Home #10. The massive gates was impressive and so was the long...long...extremely long driveway. How long was it anyway? They had been driving for ten minutes already but had yet to see the mansion.

"We'll be there in another ten minutes," Assistant Xu told him.

Jasper nodded, not daring to complain. He didn't have time for it anyway because his face was almost glued to his window looking at the picturesque view outside. Finally, the palatial mansion came into view. He gasped upon seeing it. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

"Wow!"

It was like being transported to Europe. His earlier nervousness was now gone, replaced by pure awe instead at the magnificent sight before him.

"Let's go," Assistant Xu said.

Jasper followed the executive assistant up the stone steps. The butler welcomed and led them inside the mansion. Once again, Jasper's jaw fell down upon stepping inside. Was this a home? It felt like he was stepping into a fantastical world so far away from his reality.

His eyes were attracted by the huge portrait hanging on top of the twin grand staircases. It was a family portrait of CEO Jin Liwei and his wife with four cute cats of different colours. The green-eyed white cat especially caught his attention because its bright smile resembled Madam Jin in an uncanny way.

The butler told him, "Mr. Leung, my apologies but you'll have to wait before you can rest in your assigned bedroom. The master and mistress both want to meet you as soon as you arrive. Please follow me."

"Ah, yes! No problem at all. I'm not that tired because the flight was very comfortable. I also want to meet CEO Jin and Madam Jin to thank them for inviting me here. Please lead the way, Mr. Butler."

While they were walking, Jasper tried to play it cool at first but he couldn't stop himself from looking around like an ignorant kid. CEO Jin Liwei had a cold, indifferent, and intimidating public persona so Jasper thought that his idol businessman's home would reflect that. He was wrong.

Although the mansion was massive, it felt warm and even cozy. There were lots of photos of the married couple, their cats, and other people who must be their loved ones displayed here and there. The monogram LX was also everywhere. Jasper knew that it was the initials of CEO Jin and his wife.

He recognized some of the faces in the photos like the legendary genius businessman and co-founder of Jin Corporation, Sir Lu Jianhong, and the superstar Jin Chonglin. As for the others, he didn't recognize them but guessed that they were close to CEO Jin and his wife.

"Mr. Butler, is there no photos of Miss Kitty Jin?" he asked.

The butler looked confused at first, which in turn confused Jasper, but it didn't last long. Realization flashed in the butler's eyes.

Behind Jasper, Xu Tian mouthed "Ketchup" to the butler. It was only then that the butler remembered the Young Miss Ketchup's English name.

"Young Miss Kitty is also in the photos, of course," the butler said with a mysterious but polite smile. "Perhaps Mr. Leung has just not noticed it."

Jasper didn't think too much about the butler's earlier confused expression. He wanted to ask the butler to point out Miss Kitty in the photos but Assistant Xu Tian interrupted him before he could do so. Assistant Xu began reminding him again about the proper behaviour when meeting CEO Jin and Madam Jin.

"The madam is in bed rest so we'll meet her and President Jin in their bedroom. Remember not to look around too much inside because it's their private space. Don't ask too many questions about the madam either and pay attention to the president's expression. He's extremely protective of the madam so he won't take it kindly if you offend his wife even by accident."

"Yes, sir. I understand, sir!" Jasper began to sweat and his heart started thundering inside his chest.

"We're here." The butler opened the door to the master suite and led them inside.

Jasper had a few seconds to calm himself before the butler beckoned them to follow him inside the master bedroom. As soon as he entered after Assistant Xu, he heard a familiar excited child's voice.

"Meowowow! Welcome to our home, Jaspy! The cute and mighty Kitty is so happy that you visited our one big happy family! Mommy, Daddy, this is Kitty's new not-so-boring employee, Jaspy! Meow~"

"Thank you, Miss Kitty." He looked around, trying to look for his boss but couldn't find her.

"Hihihi! You can't see the cute and mighty Kitty! Meow~"

Jasper didn't have the time to figure out where his naughty boss' voice was coming from because his eyes immediately zeroed in to the tall, handsome figure who stood up to meet him and the beautiful, delicate figure propped on the big bed. He stood ramrod straight and quickly wiped his sweaty palms on his pants before shaking his idol CEO's hand.

Kyaaaaaah! He touched CEO Jin Liwei's hand. OMG!

He was freaking out inside but by the grace of the almighty deity of all fanboys, fangirls and fangays, he was able to stay upright and prevent himself from fainting on his idol's feet. His sweaty hands were trembling but at least he didn't completely embarrass himself in front of everyone.

"Welcome to our home, Jasper Leung," CEO Jin said with a smile.

Jasper was almost blinded. His idol's smile was too deadly! Kyaaaaaaah!

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1167 - Illogical Superstitions

The meeting with CEO Jin Liwei and his wife didn't last for too long because of Madam Jin's health. It was understandable that CEO Jin didn't want to tire his wife out too much.

Jasper was pleasantly surprised that Madam Jin wasn't so scary after all. She was actually a very kind lady. He no longer felt that Miss Kitty was exaggerating whenever she was singing praises of her own mother. It felt like he was meeting an angel and a goddess all at the same time. Madam Jin was also many times more beautiful in person than on screen.

Frankly, the couple was breathtaking. Now he couldn't wait to meet Miss Kitty Jin in person as well. He was sure that she would be a beautiful child because her parents were both gorgeous. However, he didn't dare ask CEO Jin and Madam Jin to meet their precious daughter especially after remembering Assistant Xu's repeated reminder not to ask too many questions.

'I'll work hard to earn their trust. Then they'll surely allow me to meet Miss Kitty in person.'

After thanking the couple for the opportunity to stay in their home and learn from CEO Jin Liwei as a paid intern starting tomorrow, the butler finally led Jasper to his assigned bedroom. Assistant Xu remained to speak with CEO Jin.

The trip from Singapore to here didn't take that long but Jasper still felt a little tired. He ended up taking a short nap before waking up before dinner. His two bodyguards acted as his guide in the mansion since they were originally CEO Jin's security subordinates. They led him back to the master suite because CEO Jin and Madam Jin apparently wanted him to join them for dinner. He was touched especially because Madam Jin was still in bed rest. This showed that the madam truly welcomed him to their home.

When he arrived, he discovered that there were other new arrivals like him. There was a flamboyant man leading the conversation and making everyone laugh.

"You're here," Madam Jin, Iris, smiled and beckoned him to join the group. "Everyone, meet Jasper Leung. He's an intern Liwei personally invited all the way from Singapore."

The flamboyant man greeted him in English. "Ah, so you're Jaspy! I heard so much about you! Welcome! I'm Dominic Chua, Boss Iris' super-duper to the highest level handsome and beautiful assistant and best friend! You can call me Dom. Nice to meet you, Jaspy! Hehehe."

A middle-aged lady smacked Dom on the shoulder and scolded him. "Introduce yourself properly! You're already this old but still so unruly, ha."

"Ouch, Momsy!"

"Listen to your momsy," Domingo Chua warned his son.

Dom pouted but behaved after being scolded by both his parents.

Jasper watched all this and felt amused and awkward at the same time. The atmosphere was very lively. He recognized the name Dom because he often heard it from his boss, Miss Kitty. She would mention her Uncle Dom now and then. Of course, he also knew that Dominic Chua was the registered owner of White Tigress International Virtual Assistant Services on paper. This was a good opportunity to meet the actual person.

He immediately noticed that the way this Mr. Dominic Chua spoke was almost identical to how Miss Kitty talked. So he was the reason why Miss Kitty always acted so overdramatic.

Madam Jin, Iris, laughed. Her voice tinkled like crystal bells, making everyone sigh in appreciation at the sound. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

She said, "Jasper, this is my best friend Dom and his parents, Uncle Domingo and Auntie Reina Chua. They're like family to us so my husband and I invited their whole family all the way from the Philippines to spend Christmas and New Year with us here. They're also the ones who influenced us to celebrate these special holiday occasions. Uncle and Auntie came here first but their other family members will be arriving later a few days before Christmas day."

Jasper greeted them. The Chuas were a cheerful bunch especially the mother and son so Jasper soon found himself chatting with them as if he had known them for a long time. The father, Domingo Chua, wasn't as chatty as his wife and son but he didn't shy away from talking to Jin Liwei in a familiar manner. Jasper was very impressed that these people treated CEO Jin as if he was a normal person and not a formidable billionaire.

Dinner was soon served in the bedroom.

Iris told Jasper that even though eating dinner in the bedroom with this number of people was not ideal, she still preferred having company instead of being bored eating by herself. She wouldn't allow her husband, CEO Jin Liwei, to leave their guests to eat by themselves in their first night of stay in their home either because he would want to accompany her all the time.

After finishing the delicious main meal, it was now time for dessert. Reina Chua kept on piling the cakes, white chocolate brownies, and other sweet pastries on Iris' plate.

"Auntie Reina, the doctor says it's not good for Xiulan to eat too much sweets," Jin Liwei said.

Reina waved a dismissive hand. "Doctors are always like that. Don't eat this, don't eat that. Even if it's just once or twice a week, let a pregnant woman eat whatever she wants! Don't deprive your wife, Liwei. Poor girl."

Jin Liwei looked like he wanted to say something but decided to close his mouth. He released a helpless sigh but there was a clear doting look in his eyes as he watched his wife enjoying dessert. Jasper observed all this.

Reina gave advice to Iris. "Xiulan, don't look at ugly people, animals, or things because your baby will come out ugly! So only look at something beautiful so your baby will be as gorgeous just like you and Liwei."

"Momsy, don't teach Boss that kind of illogical superstitions," Dom complained.

"Stay out of this! I was pregnant and gave birth to all four of you siblings so I know what I'm talking about."

Dom rolled his eyes but stopped when his father glared at him.

Then Reina told Iris, "By the way, I dreamed of you eating two bananas while stroking your belly last night. Such a weird dream, ha. I think you're going to have twins!"

Both Iris and Jin Liwei looked shocked.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1168 - Psychic Dreams

Iris and Jin Liwei turned to Dom at the same time. Dom immediately raised both of his arms up high while shaking his head.

"Boss, Sir Boss, believe me! I never said anything to Momsy or anyone in my family! I didn't even tell them that you're pregnant!" He gasped and quickly covered his mouth with both his manicured hands. "Oops."

Reina Chua smacked her son in excitement. "I knew it! I keep on dreaming about Xiulan stroking her belly or pushing a stroller or even nursing. I've been having these dreams since last month but your popsy told me that they're just dreams and not to bother you with them, especially after we heard that Xiulan's health hasn't been that good lately. But I just have this feeling that either Xiulan is already pregnant or she's going to become pregnant soon."

Everyone looked at Domingo Chua who sighed in a helpless manner before nodding. "Yes, it's true. Your Auntie Reina really kept on having those dreams. She would wake me up in the middle of the night to describe them."

Iris looked dumbfounded and so did Jin Liwei. Based on their expressions alone, Reina knew right there and then that her dreams were spot on. She became even more excited and hugged Iris.

"I'm so happy for you, Xiulan! You're still young but I just know that you're going to be a great mother." There were tears in Reina's eyes as she said these words which in turn made Iris' eyes water as well. Then Reina faced Jin Liwei. "You have to take care of your wife ha, Liwei. Pregnancy is hard on women. And after Xiulan gives birth, don't leave all the responsibility of raising your children to her alone. You have to help too and not just focus on earning money outside the house. You have to be a father both in name and in action."

"I understand, Auntie Reina," Jin Liwei replied in a solemn tone. "Please don't worry. I take my responsibility as a husband and father very seriously."

The teary Iris held the older woman's hands and squeezed them. "Liwei will be a great father, Auntie. He's already a great father. I'm the one who's worried that I won't be a good mother. I don't know how to be a good mother."

"Oh, Xiulan. All first-time mothers feel like they have no idea what they're doing even after all the preparations before the birth. Theoretical knowledge is completely different from practical application. You have to experience something first before you can really know what it's like. It's okay to worry and to be scared. This is all normal. I was like that too when I was pregnant with my eldest Marjorie. To be honest, I was terrified but look at me now, a mother of four adult children. All of them are doing well and letting me and their popsy enjoy our old age."

"Momsy, you and Popsy are far from old yet!" Dom protested.

Iris agreed. "Auntie and Uncle look younger than your actual age."

Reina touched her face and smiled. "Really? That's because we've been using all of the Orchidia Beauty products that you've been sending to our family. Your Uncle Domingo doesn't like being fussy so I told him, 'Fine! Don't use these beauty products that Xiulan kindly sent us all the way from China. I'll keep on looking young while you're going to look old. Then people will think that you're my father in a few more years!' Then he started using the products by himself without waiting for me to force him."

Everyone laughed. Even Jasper who had been listening in the sidelines joined the laughter. He never expected that CEO Jin Liwei's home to be so much fun, warm, and loving like this. They felt like a normal family despite their high social status.

After the meal, the group split into two in the bedroom while drinking hot tea to aid their digestion. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

The gentlemen lounged at the sitting area. They consisted of Jin Liwei, Domingo and Jasper. They were mostly talking about business and Jasper's upcoming short internship at Jin Corporation starting tomorrow.

As for the ladies, they stayed on the huge bed while talking about Iris' pregnancy. Of course, Dom was included in this group. Iris was attentive in listening to all of Reina's advice while Dom would receive smacks now and then for complaining about some of his mother's dodgy superstitious beliefs.

"You're amazing, Auntie Reina," Iris said. "You dreamed that I'm pregnant with twins. We've been keeping it a secret. Even our parents don't know yet that I'm carrying twins. Liwei and I want to surprise everyone after I give birth."

"It's nothing." Reina waved her hand, trying to downplay her psychic dreams. "I have these prophetic dreams sometimes. I think most of us Filipinos believe in this kind of meaningful dream interpretations. When I was pregnant with Dom back then, I remember dreaming about tripping on a toy car on the floor of our house. I took that as a sign that your Uncle Domingo and I were finally going to have a baby boy after two daughters. We were so excited because we always wanted to have a baby boy to carry on the Chua name.

"But just before I was about to give birth to Dom, I had the same dream. Well, not exactly the same. I tripped on a toy car again but that time, there was a Sharbie doll in a pink dress riding the toy car. That's when I knew that although I was going to finally have a baby boy, he'll still really be a daughter deep inside."

Dom burst into tears. "Momsy! Wuwuwu! I love you and Popsy so much! You're never ashamed of my handsome and beautiful self! Wuwuwu!"

"What are you crying for?" Reina also burst into tears but she was trying so hard to control her emotions. "You're our child so of course your popsy and I are going to accept you no matter what. Stop it na, ha! I don't want to have swollen eyes!"

Affected by them, Iris also started crying. She felt so touched by their mother and child bond. Jin Liwei arrived beside her in a flash and hugged her, looking worried.

"What's wrong, love?"

"D-darling, we'll also accept...our k-kids no matter what they become, okay?" she cried.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1169 - Nothing To Do With Us

"Of course, love," Jin Liwei said.

He glanced at Domingo Chua who looked as helpless as him as they watched the ladies sobbing their hearts out. Jasper stayed in the sidelines and looked awkward as hell, not knowing what to do with himself. Nobody anticipated that the cheerful atmosphere would become so emotional like this with the women all ended up crying.

In the end, everyone became concerned for Iris. The Chuas and Jasper all excused themselves and bid good night to the couple. Jin Liwei was left to comfort his wife. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

It took some time for Iris to control her emotions again. She pressed herself deeper in her husband's warm embrace and inhaled his scent for comfort.

"That was so embarrassing," she murmured, sighing.

"It's fine," Jin Liwei assured her. "Are you okay now?"

She nodded. They continued cuddling together in bed in comfortable silence.

After a few moments, Iris said, "Auntie Reina is a wonderful mother. I want to be like her when raising our children."

"She's her and you're you. You'll be the best mother to our children. You don't have to imitate anyone."

She lifted her head up to look at him. "Really? You think so?"

"En."

She smiled and touched her stomach. It was still flat. "I'll do my best."

"Me, too," he said, putting his own hand over hers.

###

Long Jian peeked outside the window of their house. There was a crowd of reporters camping outside their gates. He scowled. Fortunately, Iris and Jin Liwei were kind enough to send him and his mother home from Dragon Palace with a security escort. They were bombarded by the media as soon as they arrived home.

The bombing incident and the subsequent criminal investigations associated with it had been huge national news because of the many people it involved including big names like Jin Chonglin and Iris Long. So many of the victims and their loved ones wanted someone to blame. The bomber, Tian Kong, was condemned of course, but they hated the mastermind the most.

As the one suspected to be the mastermind, Zhu Ning had been subjected with the harshest denunciation from everyone. She wasn't tortured in jail but the disgusted mutters didn't escape her hearing. No matter how indignant she felt at the false accusations, the repeated condemnation from everyone still managed to affect her. She aged a lot inside jail.

The housekeeper called him for dinner. Long Jian stopped looking at the reporters outside and went upstairs to his mother's bedroom.

"Mom, it's time to eat," he called.

There was no response. He opened the door and saw a mound covered under the duvet on the bed. He sighed and walked inside before pulling the duvet away to reveal his mother.

Zhu Ning's expression was blank. It pained Long Jian to watch his mother acting so unlike her usual self. It was like her soul had left her body into an empty vessel. His hands clenched into fists at the unknown motherfuckers who framed his mother and traumatized her like this. She wasn't the kindest person in the planet but she didn't deserve what she experienced.

"Mom."

It took him a few tries before his presence registered in his mother's expression.

"Son...."

"I'm here, Mom. You're okay now."

Zhu Ning sat up on the bed and grabbed him, clutching the front of his shirt. There was some madness in her frightened eyes as she muttered over and over again, "I don't want to go back to jail. Don't let me go back there!"

"You're not going back to jail, Mom." He sat down on the bed and did his best to comfort his mother.

After a few minutes, Zhu Ning finally started to calm down. Long Jian sighed in relief.

"It's all thanks to Xiulan and her husband CEO Jin that we managed to free you not only from jail but also from all the crimes the prosecutors are pinning on you. Mom, I couldn't do anything with my own power but they helped me."

She didn't reply. He couldn't see her expression clearly because the room was dim.

"What did you pay for the bitch to help you?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

He frowned. "What?"

A fierce Zhu Ning faced him. He could barely make out her appearance in the dark. However, it was clear to him that there was something wrong with his mother's reaction.

She held his arm and dug her fingers on his skin. It hurt. He tried to pull away but failed.

"That bitch is the daughter of Wei Lan, that slut. There's no way that she'll help you without asking for anything in return! What did you exchange for helping me out of jail? Tell me!"

Long Jian kept his mouth shut. He had no intention of revealing his deal with Iris to his mother especially since Zhu Ning had the same ambition as him—to succeed Long Tengfei as the next head of Long Industries and the Long clan. If she knew that he was helping Iris to solidify her position and spread her influence in the company, his mother would surely go crazy. He couldn't allow that.

"It's nothing," he lied. "Mom, don't think too much about it."

Zhu Ning glared, not believing him at all.

He avoided her piercing eyes and tried to change the subject. "It's time for dinner. Let's go eat, Mom. You're so thin now."

"Tell me!" Zhu Ning shrieked.

Long Jian's entire body tensed. His temper almost flared but he restrained it by force. This was not the time to fight against his own mother.

"Leave it, Mom. At the end of the day, Xiulan and I have the same father. We are siblings. It's only natural for us to help each other out. Whatever feud our mothers have with each other should have nothing to do with us, the children."

She slapped him in the face.

His head turned to the side from the force. The sound reverberated in the room and rang inside his head. He was shocked and unable to react in time.

Zhu Ning was screaming at him like a demented banshee while hitting him on the chest.

"Traitor! How dare you betray your own mother like this?! You're siding with the enemies and abandoning me, your mother?! Why?! Because I went to jail and my reputation is ruined?! You traitor son!!!"

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!

Chapter 1170 - Live My Own Life From Now On

It took many moments for Long Jian to process what was happening. The shock hadn't worn off yet. Perhaps it wouldn't wear off for days to come, maybe even longer. The hits on his chest became more violent and the hysterical accusations much more vicious. He caught his mother's arms and shook her by force to make her stop.

"Mom, stop it! I said stop!!!"

Zhu Ning was too far gone in her hysterical fury to allow him to calm her down. She continued fighting against his hold and cursing at her own son. The ruckus alerted the housekeeper waiting for them to eat dinner downstairs.

The housekeeper checked on them but didn't dare to go inside the bedroom upon seeing what was happening from the small gap in the doorway. She quietly withdrew and returned downstairs to cover the dishes for dinner. Although the commotion alarmed her, she wasn't surprised at all. Zhu Ning losing her temper and wrecking everything in her path was a common occurrence in the house. There was no household staff who could stay for long in her employ. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]

Sir Jian wasn't particularly warm towards them, the help, but he was at least courteous and never insulted them. He might be impatient sometimes but it was understandable because he often brought a lot of work to home. He was terribly busy and worked late into the night in his home office. Despite this, he was still generous and would secretly give each of them bonus during special occasions without his mother's knowledge who would surely kick up a fuss if she had known about it.

In short, if it were only Sir Jian, the household staff would have no problems staying loyal. It was unfortunate that their actual employer, Madam Zhu Ning, was far from ideal. The housekeeper didn't know how many came and left before her. She was already planning to quit a while back but then the madam got arrested. Life in the house became more peaceful and she decided to stay for the meantime. But now that the vicious madam was back, the housekeeper's original plan to quit returned. She would just wait for her latest pay and leave afterwards.

Long Jian had no idea that their current housekeeper was planning to leave soon. He had no time to think about anything else right now aside from calming his hysterical mother. Nothing worked.

Frustrated, he threatened, "Mom, if you don't stop this right now, I'm going to leave you and this house!"

It worked like a charm.

Zhu Ning stopped trying to attack him and looked at him with disbelief. She was still furious but there was now growing panic mixed in.

"What did you say?! You're going to leave your own mother?!"

Long Jian tried to take a few deep breaths to calm himself down but the adrenaline rush from the situation didn't allow him to completely restrain his own temper.

He snapped at his mother, "Since you called me a traitor, then what's the point of staying here with you? I did everything I could think of to find a way to free you from jail and the crimes you're being charged! So what if I asked Xiulan and her husband for help? She's my sister and he's my brother-in-law! Mom, can you please stop this senseless hatred towards Father's other women and children? I'm so tired of this!"

Zhu Ning's face twisted and she moved to slap him again but he caught her hand in time. "How dare you speak to your mother like that?! No respect at all!"

"MOM!!!"

His sudden roar scared her. She froze in shock.

Long Jian looked like he was barely able to control himself. If Zhu Ning had a nasty temper, he had it too. They were mother and son after all. It was just that he learned to have more self-control, discipline, and to be less impulsive in order to pursue his high ambitions.

"You're my mother, so of course I respect you. I've always been filial to you. But mom, any more respect beyond filial piety is something that needs to be earned. It's not automatic even between a parent and child."

Zhu Ning looked like she had just been slapped by her own son.

He continued in a grim tone and expression, "I've always hated Xiulan and my other half-siblings just like what you always taught me. But you know what? Now that I'm an adult who's continuing to meet more people from all walks of life and varying backgrounds, my worldview has begun to open up and change. I realized that my original hatred towards my half-siblings wasn't even my own. You're the one who planted it in me the moment you gave birth to me."

"You're blaming me, your mother?!"

Long Jian sighed. There was a mixture of helplessness, frustration, and defeat in his expression.

He didn't answer her question but said instead, "Mom, whether I continue hating my half-siblings or build some sort of cordial relationship with them will be my own decision from now on. I'm an adult man now, capable of my own thoughts. Thank you for giving birth to me, raising me, loving me, and treasuring me as your only son, but I'll take over my own life now. Don't worry, Mom. I'll take care of you for the rest of your life and continue to be filial to you. But I'm telling you now that I won't allow anyone, even you, to forcefully interfere with the way I choose to live my life from now on."

"You!" Zhu Ning burst into tears and tried to hit him again. This time, however, his words must have shocked her too much because there was no force in her hits at all.

Long Jian allowed his mother to hit him. Each hit broke his heart, causing him great pain and guilt. However, it also felt like something was healing inside him, giving him a kind of peace in the mind and heart that he had never experienced before. A huge weight was lifted off his shoulders, raising him up, and making his view of the world much clearer.

His mother would surely resent him after this. Their relationship as mother and son might even change forever, but for the first time in his entire life, he felt like the air he was breathing in was fresher.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!