Chapter 1171 - Interference
Today was the day.
Iris finally ended her bed rest a few days earlier than expected. Her health saw a sharp improvement ever since taking the supplements that Theresa Blipsburg specially made for her and following her friends' customized health plan. It had only been a few days but Iris already gained a little weight.
She was still far from reaching her medically recommended healthy weight but this was already a few steps in the right direction. Even her private doctor couldn't help but feel amazed at this fast rate of recovery. Iris' latest ultrasound was a source of great relief to all of them because the twins had now stabilized inside her womb. As long as she didn't do any foolish and reckless stunts like before, the twins would stay put inside her until they could safely be born into the world.
Jin Liwei already left for work when she woke up that morning. There was Jasper, his intern for three days, to mentor at Jin Corporation, so Jin Liwei could only witness his wife finally leaving their bed and standing up and walking around on her own via video call. He was as happy and relieved as her.
After the video call, Iris asked Dom and his parents to accompany her to the indoor forest to take a walk. She wanted to enjoy the beauty of nature in person after so long without having to go outside in the cold weather.
Other people joined them. Grandpa Lu was having a great time chatting with the equally boisterous Reina Chua. Of course, Domingo Chua wasn't left out but he wasn't as loud as his wife and the older gentleman. Grandpa Lu was carrying Little Jun in his arms, not at all showing any frailty due to his old age. In fact, his energy trumped Domingo Chua who was a few decades younger than him.
Jiang Ying Yue had a day off today so she also joined the group. The cats tagged along as well. Popcorn ran around here and there but always returned to the group to jog beside his mommy's feet while the fat and lazy Ice Cream was being carried by Dom, a.k.a. Slave #1.
Iris was all smiles as she took off her sandals to walk barefoot in the indoor forest. She wanted to feel the earth directly with her skin. This place had become her favourite part of their home. Not only was it Jin Liwei's extravagant present for her for their first anniversary as lovers but they also exchanged their marriage vows in front of their family and friends at this very place. It was, without a doubt, a special place for both of them.
Since she only got cleared to end her bed rest today, Reina and Grandpa Lu didn't allow her to walk for too long. A few minutes and they already urged her to rest in the comfortable seating area on the islet in the middle of the koi fish pond.
Dom and his father, Domingo, were keeping an eye on Little Jun who was playing with his two cat cousins away from the pond. The rest were chatting on the islet. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
Grandpa Lu's voice boomed and echoed inside the indoor forest, scaring away some of the koi fish in the pond away from the islet.
"This old man is so happy that you're finally recovered and out of bed rest, Xiulan my girl! I was so worried that my already white hair turned even whiter! Your beloved grandpa is so relieved that you and your baby are both okay! Good, very good!"
Iris smiled. "Thank you, Grandpa Lu. Sorry for worrying you." She looked at the others. "For worrying all of you."
"As long as you're okay now," Reina told her. "Be more careful next time, ha."
Iris nodded.
Grandpa Lu and Reina decided to leave the islet and play with the cute Little Jun. Their laughter filled the place, giving warmth to the hearts of everyone present.
Iris turned to Jiang Ying Yue who was watching her son and the others from afar.
"Sister Ying Yue," Iris called. It was only recently that she began addressing her friend like this.
Jiang Ying Yue faced her. "Yes, Xiulan?"
"Are you okay?"
Jiang Ying Yue looked confused at first but still nodded with a smile.
"I mean with the lawsuit," Iris clarified.
"Ah." Jiang Ying Yue paled a little. Her smile also dimmed. "Yes, I'm okay...no, not really." She sighed.
Iris didn't reply but waited for her friend to say more.
"Lin YehanâI mean Mr. Linâ"
"It's fine, Sister Ying Yue. Call Eldest Brother whatever you normally call him."
Jiang Ying Yue blushed and looked down on her lap to avoid Iris' straightforward gaze. There was no teasing in Iris' tone or expression but Jiang Ying Yue still couldn't stop herself from feeling shy.
"Okay..." She cleared her throat. "Lin Yehan...he tells me that the lawsuit should have already concluded by this time but...it seems that your father, uhm, I mean President Long is purposely trying to delay the lawsuit behind the scenes."
Iris' eyes turned icy. Ketchup already informed her and Jin Liwei about Long Tengfei's interference in the lawsuit. Despite his disapproval at his son's actions, Long Tengfei was still doing everything in his power to secretly protect Long Hui.
Iris and Jin Liwei wanted to step in to move things along by force if necessary but Lin Yehan had specially requested that they don't interfere in the case. It was enough that Iris and Jin Liwei were protecting Little Jun's privacy and preventing the media from feasting on the innocent child. Lin Yehan wanted to solve his problem with Long Hui with his own abilities. Jin Liwei respected his Eldest Brother's decision, so as the wife, Iris trusted her husband's stance and stood by him.
Now, however, Iris was ready to break her promise with Lin Yehan if Jiang Ying Yue requested for help. She couldn't stomach watching her friend and the mother of her beloved godson suffering like this because of a jerk.
"Do you want me to help speed along the lawsuit?" Iris asked.
Jiang Ying Yue shook her head without any hesitation. "It's fine, Xiulan. Thank you. But I think we should trust Lin Yehan in this matter."
"Fine. If that's what you want." Iris smiled.
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Chapter 1172 - Meet The Qualifications
It took Iris many days to persuade her husband and everyone else to allow her to ease back to work. Her bed rest might have already ended but her miscarriage scare traumatized not only her but also her husband and all of their loved ones. They kept their eyes on her like a hawk at all times and never allowed her to overexert herself in anything. This time, she no longer dared to be careless. She didn't want to risk losing her babies anymore.
Nevertheless, she still resumed all the work she had that got held back due to her unexpected bed rest. Even if she couldn't complete all the tasks as fast as she wanted, this snail pace was still better than lying down on the bed and doing nothing. At least now, she could again start helping to solve some of the problems that their family had been dealing with for a while now.
Iris was busy inside her computer room at the moment. She was examining and analyzing Bacon's system. This was something that she had been itching to do ever since Bacon evolved to become the power flood itself. She put Bacon to sleep mode while she was studying him and tweaking the codes in his system along the way to consolidate the changes made after his evolution.
Afterwards, she created a temporary program to seal most of Bacon's power flood abilities. She needed more time to study and test out these new abilities in a controlled environment in order to ensure that Bacon wouldn't harm himself while using them. At the same time, she wanted Bacon to learn how to control himself.
Becoming the power flood meant that Bacon was now like a dormant nuclear weapon. He literally had the power to destroy the modern world as everyone knew it.
Therefore, Iris and Jin Liwei needed to teach Bacon on how to resist the temptation to unleash his new destructive powers. They didn't want a situation to occur where the world ended just because Bacon threw a tantrum over something trivial.
While Iris was absorbed in what she was doing, she felt a familiar strong warmth embracing her from the side. It took a few seconds for her to focus on the present. Her mouth curved up into a soft smile.
"Darling," she murmured and received her husband's kiss on the lips.
"Snack time," Jin Liwei said while sweeping his eyes all over his wife's body to make sure that she was alright.
Iris didn't miss the movement of his eyes. She knew that he was worried about the level of radiation exposure inside her computer room especially now that she was pregnant. She was worried, too.
"Look, I'm wearing the anti-radiation clothes that Amanpio made and Ashandra designed for me. I'll be fine."
"I know, love. But don't stay in here for too long just to be sure."
"Okay."
Jin Liwei kissed her cheek. "Let's go. Auntie Reina cooked champorado1 for you and some other Filipino sweets."
Her eyes lit up. She had eaten champorado before and liked it. Dom requested one of their chefs to cook it and the chef succeeded after following a recipe. However, Iris still wanted to try Auntie Reina's champorado after hearing Dom rave that it was the best ever in the world.
"Okay but let me finish this up first." She pulled her husband to sit beside her.
He frowned, not wanting for her to spend any more time inside the computer room today. "Loveâ"
"I'll be done in five minutes, no, three minutes. Promise. I'll just reinforce Bacon's priority command access to only the two of us. Remember when he almost tested out his new power flood abilities after getting Big Brother's permission? We can't let that happen again. His system became laxer with these commands after he evolved. I need to fix this right now."
"Ah." Jin Liwei sighed before nodding. "Bacon is still grounded because of that incident. That cunning kid." He clicked his tongue while shaking his head.
"Good thing that Ketchup detected it immediately and informed me just in time."
"En. Our daughter is very responsible and reliable."
The white cat chasing some virtual butterflies in one of the large computer monitors heard him and started bouncing in excitement. "Hihihi! The cute and mighty Ketchup is a good big sister! Right, Mommy and Daddy? Meow~"
"Yes, you are."
"En."
Ketchup became excited for a while after receiving praise from both her parents. Fortunately, she didn't disturb her mommy's concentration with her endless chatter. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
"Done!" Iris announced, sighing in relief. Then she called in a soothing voice, "Wake up, Bacon."
A black cat appeared beside the overexcited white cat on the computer screen. "Greetings, Mother and Father. Bacon is awake now."
"What about the cute and mighty Ketchup? Bacon, you big meanie! Don't forget to greet your big sister! Meow!"
Bacon blinked his golden eyes. He was silent for a full five seconds before saying "Greetings, Big Sister Ketchup" to his older sister with some reluctance in his tone.
Iris chuckled while Jin Liwei gave their AI son a stern look. Bacon shrank his head towards his fluffy body and widened his eyes in an effort to act cute. Iris laughed and patted her husband.
"Let's go for snacks," she said.
"En." He gave Bacon one last look. "Be good."
"Understood, Father."
The husband and wife left the computer room while their AI children powered down the devices inside without needing their mommy to remind them.
"How's Jasper Leung?" Iris asked as they were walking along the hallway.
"He's back in Singapore," Jin Liwei replied.
"What did you think about his performance as an intern?"
"Not bad."
She tilted her head to the side, silently asking him to clarify.
He did. "He's not naturally brilliant but he's easy to train and executes instructions well."
Iris listened to her husband listing off Jasper Leung's strengths that he displayed during his short internship. Afterwards, she asked, "So Jasper meets the qualifications that you're looking for in your plan?"
Jin Liwei didn't answer right away. Finally, he said, "For now, yes. But he needs more training and he has to grow as a leader faster. The Youngs won't wait for him to become stronger. He needs to catch them unaware. Only then would my plan be considered as effective."
"I trust in you."
"Thank, love."
Sweet chocolate rice porridge in Filipino cuisine
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Chapter 1173 - Need A Lot Of Manpower
Long Industries.
It was a normal day at work. The sky outside was overcast, affecting the mood of the majority of the employees. Everything felt monotonous. Nothing was interesting at all. They wished that they could go home soon but the workday was far from over.
Then the people in the lobby noticed Assistant Cai Guang coming out of the elevator and standing by the main entrance. It looked like he was waiting for someone. The person must be a bigshot for President Long's right-hand man himself to wait and welcome him or her. Only VIPs had the privilege of having Assistant Cai Guang welcome them personally before leading them to meet President Long Tengfei.
Moments later, three low-key luxury cars arrived and formed a line outside the company. Bodyguards in sharp tuxedo suits came out of the first and last cars before forming a protective barrier for whoever was about to come out of the car sandwiched in the middle.
First to come out of the backseat of the car was a young man in a stylish duffle coat. He was wearing a fedora and oversized sunglasses, both of which covered more than half of his face, so others couldn't clearly see what he looked like. Then he turned sideways and reached his hand back inside the car.
A delicate hand in a black leather glove held his hand followed by a pointed, knee-high boot to the ground. Then a woman in an A-line dress coat stepped out of the car. The young man in a fedora and the bodyguards were treating her as if she was a precious but fragile treasure. They all seemed ready to catch her if she so much as swayed on her feet.
By this time, Assistant Cai Guang already came out of the company building to receive the mysterious VIP. Everyone inside the lobby craned their necks to peek at who was coming. [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 mystery was soon revealed when the path opened up and everyone saw the beautiful face of the woman. She wasn't wearing a face mask to conceal her appearance. Her breathtaking smile when Assistant Cai welcomed her made the people watching feel like a ray of sunshine was brightening up the grey day.
"Ohmahgahd! It's Boss Iris! Kyaaaaaaah!"
"Where?! Boss Iris?!"
"Wuwuwu! It has been so long since she showed herself in public! I miss Boss Iris so much! Wuwuwu!"
These Black Stars were entry-level workers and didn't have the long-time prejudice of the older employees against Iris Long. The older employees were the ones who repeatedly witnessed President Long's youngest daughter causing an embarrassing ruckus in the company whenever she visited back then when she was still a rebellious teenager. She also insulted a lot of them when they tried to stop her or calm her down. This was why they held no affection for her.
Fortunately, their impression of their President Long's youngest daughter already started to improve especially after she became the brand ambassador of Long Industries. Before her sudden withdrawal from the public, she often came to the company and interacted with the employees, both old and new. Seeing her much better personality, some of the older employees decided not to judge her based on her past behaviour and to keep an open mind to see if she had really changed for the better or if she was just acting because of her rising fame as a celebrity.
Compared to these older employees, the new hires didn't care much about what happened in the company before they started working there. They would sometimes hear about Iris Long's unreasonable behaviour and actions before but they didn't think too much about it, especially since some of them were Black Stars. Those of them who were Black Stars fiercely defended their Boss Iris and wouldn't allow their coworkers to defame her in front of them.
Now that their beloved Boss Iris was right in front of them, they wanted to run towards her and ask for her autographs and photos with her and also to see with their own eyes if she was now okay. All of them had been so worried when they heard that she was ill and in bed rest. They were about to run to her but their supervisor glared at them.
At first, they felt torn whether to stay at their stations or to ignore their supervisor and run towards their Boss Iris, but in the end, all of them chose their jobs (for now). They were just hired not too long ago after all. With sad faces full of regret, they could only watch their beloved goddess from afar.
Assistant Cai Guang led the beautiful Iris Long inside the company building. Her entourage of several bodyguards certainly made her more eye-catching. The Black Stars instantly recognized their Boss Iris' Filipino assistant and best friend, Dom the Beauty King, when he removed his sunglasses and readjusted his fedora on top of his head.
"Kyaaaaaaaah!"
"Boss Iris, you're so beautiful! The most beautiful ever!"
"We love you, Boss Iris! Are you okay now?!"
"Still gorgeous, Brother Dom!"
Despite their supervisor's clear disapproval, the Black Stars were unable to control their excitement and delight from seeing their Boss Iris in the flesh. Iris stopped walking and looked over at them screaming for her. She smiled before heading towards their direction. Her action made them even more excited that they were literally bouncing on their feet and screaming as if their lives depended on it.
"Hello," Iris greeted.
"Hi!" Dom greeted next.
"Boss Iris!"
"Dom, the Beauty King!"
"Kyaaaaaaaah!!!"
Iris: "I remember some of you from the last time I came here."
The ones she was referring to felt so happy that she remembered them.
Iris: "As for you, I haven't seen you before. Are you new?"
"Y-yes, Boss Iris! I only got hired last week."
Iris: "Congratulations."
"T-thank you!"
She chatted with her fans for a few minutes. She also signed autographs and took photos with them all while assuring her beloved fans that she now felt better.
"Sorry for worrying all of you and thank you for your concern." Iris glanced at the disapproving supervisor. She raised an eyebrow before smiling at her fans.
She told them with a wink, "If you get into trouble with your superior because of me today, you're welcome to apply at Orchidia Beauty. We're still expanding and need a lot of manpower."
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Chapter 1174 - Stop Interfering
Before the Black Stars could react, Iris Long gave them a final bright smile and waved goodbye before walking away with her eye-catching entourage through the lobby. Assistant Cai Guang was leading them and the group disappeared in the elevators, presumably to meet with President Long.
It took a few seconds before their Boss Iris' words registered in the brains of the dumbfounded Black Stars. When it did, everyone in the lobby area almost became deaf from the loud screams.
That same day, all the Black Stars working in entry-level positions at Long Industries resigned en masse. It surprised their supervisors but didn't affect the company too much. They could always hire new employees. There were thousands of new graduates vying for these entry-level positions.
They never expected that this mass resignation created an unnoticed ripple among the Black Stars holding higher positions in the company. When they heard that their Boss Iris herself invited their fellow Black Stars to apply at Orchidia Beauty, they felt envious and started evaluating their current situations at Long Industries whether it was feasible to resign or not and try their luck applying at their beloved Boss Iris' company.
Those who resigned immediately applied at Orchidia Beauty, targeting different positions that matched their qualifications. They knew that their Boss Iris' invitation wasn't a guarantee that they would be hired but their excitement boosted their hope. For Black Stars like them, working at their Boss Iris' company was like a dream come true.
All this would happen in the next few days. Back to the present, Iris didn't know that her words were this effective. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
Cai Guang wanted to say something at her trying to poach people from her father's company but kept his mouth shut in the end.
Iris didn't notice his glances because she was too busy inhaling her husband's scent on the silk scarf wrapped around her neck. Being trapped inside the elevator was making her a bit nauseous with all the different smells assailing her. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad.
Ever since she started taking the supplements and following the health plan that Theresa Blipsburg custom-made for her, all her previous pregnancy symptoms had become much more manageable. They hadn't disappeared completely but Iris was already satisfied. At least, she wasn't fainting anymore. Theresa assured her and Jin Liwei that she would only feel progressively better from now on.
"Boss, endure it a little more. We're almost there." Dom said these words in an effort to calm Iris.
Cai Guang shook his head at his distant nephew. Iris might look a little unwell but she was very calm. Dom was telling her to calm down and yet he was the one who looked panicked instead.
"I'm fine, Dom," Iris said.
He nodded but still urged Cai Guang, "Uncle, please hurry up!"
Cai Guang could only stare at his nephew. What did the brat mean for him to hurry up? Could he, Cai Guang, make the elevator go faster? Even if he could, he still wouldn't do it. What if it made the Young Miss Xiulan feel worse? Wouldn't he have to suffer the wrath of not only her father President Long but also her husband President Jin? He, Cai Guang, wasn't a foolish old man to court death like that!
Dominic, this distant nephew of his, was so smart and yet sometimes he was so dumb. Tsk tsk. Cai Guang couldn't help but scold Dom in his heart.
The elevator ride felt long, especially for Iris and for everyone who was worrying about her, but it was actually short in reality. When the door opened, Iris managed to maintain her poise and not stumble out of the elevator to breathe in the fresher air of the hallway.
The group followed Cai Guang all the way to Long Tengfei's office. Cai Guang announced her arrival first before she stepped inside. Dom was about to follow her but Cai Guang pulled him back and glared at him.
"Xiulan," Long Tengfei greeted his daughter and even stood up.
"Father," Iris greeted him back.
Once he reached her, he suddenly didn't know what to do with himself. He just stood there in an awkward manner before gesturing for his daughter to sit on the couch. Iris immediately noticed that the modern couch was different to the traditional-style carved wood sofa with foam embed that decorated the office before.
Long Tengfei cleared his throat. "I had Cai Guang replace the old seats with something more comfortable for today. It's not good for pregnant women to sit on hard surfaces for long periods of time."
Iris' eyebrows both rose. She felt a little surprised at first but didn't find Long Tengfei's thoughtfulness too abnormal. Long Tengfei had never been showy about his concern for his children but he definitely cared for all of them in his own distant way. That didn't make him a great father. Not at all. On the contrary, he had many shortcomings as a father but nobody could deny that he took responsibility for all his children, both legitimate and not, and supported all of them financially without any complaints.
"How are you?" he asked before sitting down on the opposite couch, still looking awkward in front of his daughter.
"Better," Iris replied and noticed that refreshments were already served on the coffee table. Long Tengfei must have prepared for her arrival in advance. She didn't stand on ceremony and immediately grabbed one of the bite-sized pastries.
Long Tengfei's eyes softened while watching his daughter enjoying the refreshments. He took this chance to examine her from head to toe and back up again. He frowned.
"Eat more. You lost so much weight. Shouldn't you be getting fatter when you're pregnant?"
She wiped crumbs from her lips with a serviette. "I already gained a little weight after my bed rest ended a few days ago. My friend from Cross Academy prescribed some supplements for me and is helping me become healthier."
"Good." Long Tengfei was relieved. If someone from the academy was helping his daughter, then the person must be a genius and knew what he or she was doing.
"Liwei is also taking care of me," Iris didn't forget to add.
They chatted about trivial things for a few minutes before Iris finally got straight to the point.
"Father, I would like you to stop interfering in Eldest Brother Lin Yehan's lawsuit against Elder Brother Long Hui."
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Chapter 1175 - Stupid Hormones
Long Tengfei was caught off guard. He wasn't able to reply to his daughter's words for a few moments. Iris didn't speak and patiently waited for him to gather his wits. He opened and closed his mouth. She could almost see the gears in his head turning, thinking of a way to answer her.
In the meantime, she continued enjoying the pastries in front of her. Knowing that her health plan didn't allow her to overindulge in sweets, she took mini bites of the already bite-sized pastries, savouring their taste as if they were the best food in the world. Well, for a pregnant woman like her, anything that satisfied her cravings was considered as the best food in the world at that moment.
She was on her third pastry when Long Tengfei released a long, drawn-out breath. It seemed that he was finally ready to speak. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
"Xiulan...." He sighed again.
"Yes, Father?"
"He's your brother."
She knew who he was talking about and murmured, "Indeed, he is."
"And he's my son."
She stopped eating. Her emotional intelligence had grown by leaps and bounds this year. Although there were still situations that she couldn't read accurately, she wasn't as dense as before. She immediately knew what Long Tengfei's words meant. She placed the half-eaten pastry back on the table and focused on Long Tengfei.
"Father, I remember having a similar talk with you before about your eldest son's falling out with your grandchild's mother and the rest of us. He hurt Sister Ying Yue too much and even slandered one of my husband's best friends on national news."
Long Tengfei remained silent.
"It was my understanding that you wouldn't interfere in our conflict when we talked about this matter last time but it seems that I was wrong." Iris tilted her head to the side. "Father, he has to pay for what he did."
Another sigh from Long Tengfei. "I know that I said something like that before but..."âsighâ"...as a father, I just can't sit still while I watch my own son going through something like this. If this happens to you or your other siblings, I would do the same thing. I can only do this much for all of you and use my wealth and influence to protect my children."
Iris didn't react much but her nose started to feel a little sting and her eyes watered. Ugh. Her emotions were starting to overwhelm her again. Almost anything was able to make her feel touched now. She wanted to scoff at Long Tengfei but her feelings were doing the opposite.
It seemed that she was starting to...sympathize with Long Tengfei's predicament as a father who was caught between his children's conflict which also involved his first grandchild, Little Jun. She scowled. This wasn't good. She had to take firm stand not be swayed like this because of her unstable emotions.
Stupid hormones!
Long Tengfei saw her scowling and thought that she was angry at him. He wasn't surprised. If this were any normal situation, his pride as a Long wouldn't allow anyone to act this presumptuous in front of him but this was his youngest daughter who he honestly thought would continue being a disappointment before but now had soared to unbelievable heights like a reborn phoenix. Now, this daughter of his only kept on giving him great pride with all her accomplishments since waking up from her year-long coma. He really couldn't muster any urge to scold her for showing such an unpleasant expression on her face in front of him.
"You're pregnant now," he said. "You're going to be a mother, a parent very soon. You'll eventually understand how I feel, why I can't just leave your older brother alone."
It was clear that Iris was upset. Long Tengfei didn't want to upset her due to her pregnancy but it was inevitable to have hard feelings when talking about this topic.
Iris leaned back her head on the back of the couch and closed her eyes while taking deep breaths.
"Daughter, are you...alright?"
"Yes, Father. Just give me a few moments to control my temper so that we can continue talking calmly like the reasonable adults that we are."
Long Tengfei was left speechless for a moment but understood that pregnant women had frightening mood swings. When his ex-wife Wei Lan was pregnant with their daughter back then, the woman was like a demented tigress who wanted to bite everyone's heads off. Compared to the mother, the daughter was clearly much better in this aspectâno, in MANY aspects.
Iris remained in that position for so long that Long Tengfei thought that she had already fallen asleep. He was about to try calling her and see if she would respond but her eyes already opened.
"Father, I'm fine now. Mostly fine." She sat up straight and immediately finished the half-eaten pastry she left on the table earlier. Her expression looked better after eating the pastry.
"Do you want more?" Long Tengfei asked. "I'll have Cai Guang bring more."
"No, thank you. It's not healthy for me to eat too much sweets." Iris drank plain water before facing the original Long Xiulan's father. "With everything you just told me, does this mean that you'll continue to interfere with the lawsuit against your eldest son?"
He didn't respond. He didn't need to. She already knew his answer from his silence alone. She couldn't help but sigh.
"Fine. I can't force you to change your mind. But a word of advice, Father. It won't be good for your reputation or the company's if it's found out that you're using your influence to delay the lawsuit. You might even get into legal trouble."
Long Tengfei still didn't respond. From his expression alone, he already knew the risks before acting on his paternal instincts to protect his eldest son.
Iris added, "Even if you keep on trying to delay the lawsuit, it will still have to end eventually. The evidence is strong against your son. This is just stalling for time. Unless you pay off the judge to rule in his favour, then your son can't escape the inevitable."
"I know." He sighed and looked older than his age at that moment. "But I can't just abandon my own son."
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Chapter 1176 - Horrible Taste In Women
Iris felt frustrated at Long Tengfei's stance to continue protecting Long Hui. At the same time, she could also understand why he was doing this. He was right. She was now a mother. If something like this happened to her children, she would do everything in her power to protect each of them even if it was against the world. Her husband, Jin Liwei, would also do the same thing. She was sure about that.
Her bad temper was threatening to burst out of her but she restrained herself. There was no point in forcing Long Tengfei to abandon his own son, even when Long Hui deserved to be punished severely for what he did.
"Fine," she said. "Continue to help your son, if that's what you want. Liwei and I won't interfere in the lawsuit. This is Eldest Brother Lin Yehan's request to us as well. I just hope that you know that what you're doing right now is delaying the justice that your grandson, Little Jun, and his mother both deserve after all the pain that your beloved eldest son gave them."
At first glance, Long Tengfei's expression looked cold. On closer inspection, however, his eyes revealed the painful struggle he was experiencing being caught in between the conflict of his children and the mother of his first grandchild. In an awkward manner, he pushed the plate of pastries closer to his daughter.
Iris gave him a straightforward look before accepting his gesture and picked another pastry to eat. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
"I heard that you and your husband helped your brother Jian to free his mother from jail?" he asked, changing the subject.
She raised an eyebrow but wasn't surprised that he knew all about it. She was already aware that he secretly kept tabs on all his children as much as he could.
"Yes," she murmured.
"That's very...generous of you. Helping your brother and all. His mother, Zhu Ning, is...uh, she'sâ"
"If you can't say it, then I will. Zhu Ning, your ex-mistress, is a very narrow-minded woman with a nasty personality."
He winced a little at her blunt statement but didn't deny it.
"Well, all the women you impregnated have issues in their personalities including Mother. You really have horrible taste in women, Father."
He winced again, then frowned, before saying, "Not all of them."
"Ah, right. Big Sister Jinjing's mother, Sun Jingfei, is quite nice. Good job, Father, especially for finally marrying an unproblematic wife in Aunt Jiahui."
Long Tengfei sighed. "Alright, Xiulan. That's enough."
She finished the pastry and tapped her flat belly. "I hope that if I have a son, he won't inherit his maternal grandfather's horrible taste in women. I want my son to inherit his father's excellent taste in women instead. After all, Liwei chose me."
He couldn't help it. He chuckled at his daughter's shameless bragging. Then he murmured, "Indeed, your husband's taste is excellent. He chose my daughter." There was pride in his voice.
"As for helping out Big Brother Jian, well, we're siblings. At least, he treats me like a sister even when we've never really been that close, unlike some people who defames me and my husband for siding with the mother of his own son."
Of course, Long Tengfei knew who she was talking about. He released another tired sigh. "Xiulan."
"Alright, Father. I'll stop now."
She stood up, not wanting to stay in this place any longer or risk losing her temper on the older man. Long Tengfei was just being a protective father. Out of respect for all the support he gave to the original Long Xiulan in the background since her birth, she wouldn't force him to turn his back on his other child no matter how much of an asshole Long Hui acted to all of them.
Long Tengfei didn't reply to what she said. Instead, he stood up and asked, "You're leaving so soon?"
"Yes. I feel tired now, Father."
He looked a little alarmed. "Go rest now, then. It's not good for the baby if you push yourself too hard. You just got out of your bed rest and shouldn't be running around like this in the first place."
She made a low sound of assent. Long Tengfei personally walked her out of his office where her entourage was waiting. Both of them felt unresolved about Long Hui's issue but they still chose to set it aside for now.
"Father."
"Yes?" He looked a little surprised that she was still talking to him but quickly hid the reaction behind a neutral expression.
"You received the invitation for the Christmas gathering from Meimei?"
"Yes. If you don't want your Aunt Jiahui and I to come anymore, it's fineâ"
She frowned. "What are you talking about, Father? Of course, you're going to come if you're available. You're not available?"
"We are available," he replied in a hurry.
"Good. You should see your grandson now and then or Little Jun might forget your face if you don't show yourself for too long."
"Ah, yes. You're right. Your Aunt Jiahui misses Little Jun, too." His eyes softened at the mention of his grandson and his wife but once again adjusted his expression to a neutral one.
"Goodbye, Father. See you at Dragon Palace on Christmas."
"Alright. Take care of yourself and my grandchild." He glanced at her flat stomach.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot. Mother will also be there with his Spanish stepson. Liwei already called Mother and warned her not to make a scene with you and Aunt Jiahui, so everything should be fine. Mother has been careful not to upset my husband. She cares more about him, her son-in-law, than me, her own daughter, but that's fine. I don't mind it much. It's up to you, Father, if you still want to come to the Christmas gathering or not."
He scowled at the mention of his ex-wife. "I see. I'll keep that in mind. Your Aunt Jiahui is very excited to attend so we're coming no matter what. We're coming for my daughter and my grandson, not for that woman."
She nodded and waved at him before meeting up with Dom and her entourage. Cai Guang was there to lead them downstairs to the lobby.
"Mr. Guang, you're coming to our Christmas gathering, right?" she asked.
Cai Guang looked a little uncertain.
An excited Dom persuaded him. "You should come, Uncle! Momsy and Popsy and my siblings will all be there! We're going to sing karaoke and have a super-duper fun time together!"
"Young Miss Xiulan, did you invite me because of this brat?"
Iris chuckled. "Part of it, but I would still invite you even without Dom. If Father and Aunt Jiahui are coming, then you should, too."
"I understand. Thank you for your invitation, Young MissâI mean Madam Jin. This old one will certainly come."
"Yipee!" Dom clapped and shook his body in delight.
Cai Guang glared at him. If not for the presence of the Young Miss Xiulan, he would have already smacked this overdramatic nephew of his. "Act properly, Dominic! You're not a child anymore."
Iris chuckled again.
Later, Iris and Dom were chatting in the backseat of the car on the way home when Ketchup's adorable voice interrupted them.
"Excuse me, Mommy! Great-granduncle Long Jufang is calling you. Meow~"
Iris raised an eyebrow. "Answer it."
"Connecting the call in 3...2...meow!"
"Xiulan," the elder's voice greeted. "I heard that you just visited your father at the company. Are you available right now? I want to meet up. I have something that I know will interest you."
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Chapter 1177 - Long Jufang's Visit
Iris told Long Jufang that she would check her schedule first. After hanging up, she had Ketchup call Jin Liwei. When the call connected, Iris told her husband about the Long elder's request to meet up.
"Invite him to Dragon Palace," Jin Liwei said.
"Okay." She didn't have any problem with her husband's suggestion. In fact, she was also thinking the same way.
Both of them didn't want to risk her meeting anyone they didn't fully trust outside of their home. Although the twins had already stabilized in her womb, the two of them still felt traumatized by her miscarriage scare. They didn't want a repeat of that happening ever again. It was safer for her and the twins to stay at home as much as possible.
Jin Liwei added, "I'm finishing up a meeting. I'll head home soon, love. Tell Long Jufang to come for dinner. I'll accompany you while you talk to him after we eat tonight."
"Alright, darling."
They exchanged sweet nothings to each other, making the spectator Dom giggle like always. Of course, Ketchup who inherited most of her personality from her Uncle Dom followed suit and giggled like a little fool with the big fool. Iris chuckled at the two after ending the call with her husband.
Afterwards, she asked Ketchup to call Long Jufang. Iris arranged the meet-up with the elder at Dragon Palace mansion later at dinnertime. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
###
Dragon Palace Home #10.
Later that evening, Long Jufang arrived at the mansion. A driver drove him but he was the only one who entered inside. This was the first time that he was setting foot inside this place. Although he was good in controlling his expression, he couldn't completely conceal the glint of greed in his eyes as he looked around while following the butler.
The whole place screamed of money. Lots of money, but not in a tacky way. There was a classy elegance in how everything was decorated in the mansion. Nevertheless, there was no denying that almost every single item decorating the place must have cost a fortune.
Aside from the luxury, Long Jufang also noticed the intimidating security staff patrolling the entire property. They stared at him with cold expressions. He felt intimidated but his pride didn't allow him to show it on his face. His posture became straighter but he still couldn't remove the feeling of smallness compared to the enormity of the place.
Enormity not only in size and wealth but also in the power of Jin Liwei backing everything in Dragon Palace Home #10.
The butler told him that they were about to arrive at the formal dining area. Before they even reached there, Long Jufang could already hear loud, booming laughter. His heart skipped a beat and his eyes shone in excitement. He recognized the voice.
There were other voices mixed in what sounded like a cheerful conversation but Long Jufang only cared about that one booming voice. He had always wanted to form a close connection with such an imminent figure.
The butler announced his arrival and the conversation stopped. Long Jufang finally saw all the people that he was joining for dinner tonight.
Iris and Jin Liwei, of course. Jin Liwei was sitting at the head of the long dinner table while Iris sat beside him.
At the other head of the long table sat Sir Lu Jianhong. Long Jufang almost couldn't contain his excitement but he managed to maintain his composure and didn't embarrass himself.
Beside Sir Lu Jianhong sat his grandson, Lu Zihao. Long Jufang was taken aback by the young man's huge size and almost suffocating aura. The scar on his face made Long Jufang tremble inside, especially when Lu Zihao stared at him with eyes several times colder than the eyes of the security staff patrolling in the place.
Sitting right beside Lu Zihao was Long Jufang's other grandniece, Long Jinjing. His eagerness abated a little. The girl was sensible and never troublesome unlike the spoiled Long Xiulan, but he didn't think highly of Long Jinjing at all because of her illegitimate birth. She was just the daughter of a mere mistress after all. The only good thing about the mother and daughter was that they stayed in their lanes and never brought any shameful scandals to Long Tengfei and the Long clan aside from their very existence.
On the other side of the table sat Iris' Filipino assistant. Dominic Chua was his name, if Long Jufang remembered it correctly. He heard that he was also Cai Guang's distant nephew from the Filipino branch of the family.
A middle-aged couple was also present but Long Jufang didn't recognize them, although he found them a little familiar.
"Welcome to our home, Granduncle Jufang," Iris greeted.
Long Jufang greeted her back and everyone else, including Long Jinjing, Dominic Chua, and the middle-aged couple, even though he thought that these people were beneath him. He needed to act politely especially since he was in Jin Liwei's territory. In addition, Sir Lu Jianhong and his grandson were also present. He wanted to leave a good impression on these important people.
The butler guided him to sit on the other side of Jin Liwei across Iris. The atmosphere became more muted compared to the cheerfulness before his arrival. He didn't mind, though. What he cared about was this precious opportunity to chat directly with the powerful Jin Liwei and the legendary Sir Lu Jianhong.
At first, he failed in having a smooth conversation with Jin Liwei but soon discovered that the younger man treated him better after he included Iris and praised her accomplishments. It wasn't only Jin Liwei. Sir Lu Jianhong also began to chatting with him after Long Jufang complimented Iris. That was when he discovered that it was actually easy to get close to these men. The key was his grandniece, Iris!
However, he also soon realized that Sir Lu Jianhong had no filter whatsoever and openly spoke his mind without caring for propriety at all.
"Long Jufang, I see that you only care about my beloved granddaughter, Xiulan my girl, but what about my other beloved granddaughter, Jinjing my girl?! Do you have something against my future granddaughter-in-law? Tell me, I want to know!"
Long Jufang's eyes almost popped out of his head as he looked at the furiously blushing Long Jinjing in disbelief.
He sputtered, "Future granddaughter-in-law?!"
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Chapter 1178 - Bloody Farce
There was shock and utter disbelief on Long Jufang's face as he stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at Long Jinjing, Sir Lu Jianhong, and Lu Zihao. Then he shuddered when Lu Zihao gave him a cold glare before pulling Long Jinjing closer to him.
That protective action alone was enough for Long Jufang to finally understand the relationship between his illegitimate grandniece and Sir Lu's grandson. His shock and disbelief immediately transformed into a calculating glint in the eyes which he quickly hid. He didn't want to earn the ire of the grandfather-grandson duo.
Long Jufang tried to lighten the tense atmosphere with a smile. His mouth shook a little in the process due to him restraining himself from grinning ear to ear.
Look at that!
Two daughters from his Long clan marrying into the two most powerful business families in the country!
It was indeed an excellent decision for him to side with Iris instead of Long Hui. The half-sisters, Iris and Long Jinjing, had become very close in the last couple of years. Iris poached her sister to become an executive in her own company. Since then, the two of them had been soaring up higher and higher than what most members of the clan expected from the sisters.
One had a problematic past while the other was an illegitimate daughter. Both of them brought shame to the Long clan for different reasons but were now redeeming themselves many times over.
Iris managed to become the new Madam Jin while Sir Lu Jianhong just declared that Long Jinjing was going to become his grandson's bride. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
Long Jufang almost couldn't contain his excitement. Look at his fellow elder, Long Meng, who chose to side with Long Hui. The eldest son was considered by many as the heir apparent but now he was basically in exile to escape a lawsuit against him. Long Hui's downfall was the exact opposite of his half-sisters' continued rise to the top.
Once again, Long Jufang inwardly praised himself for his good insight in betting on the right childâno, children. He always looked down on Long Jinjing because of her illegitimate birth, but at the moment, it was as if she had transformed into a plain pebble into precious pearl.
"I see. So that's how it is." Long Jufang nodded and continued maintaining a subtle smile even though his muscles were aching to fight a big grin from spreading across his face. He looked at Long Jinjing and gave her the kindest expression that he could muster for an illegitimate child. "Jinjing, you're as secretive as your sister. Your granduncle had no idea that you're going to marry Mr. Lu Zihao."
The red-faced Long Jinjing stiffened and looked like she was about to panic but Lu Zihao only pulled her closer to his body before glaring harder at Long Jufang as if he wanted to murder him. Long Jufang trembled and immediately avoided the younger man's scary eyes.
"N-no, we're n-notâ" Long Jinjing stammered but Lu Zihao interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.
"Jinjing has no obligation to tell a distant relative like you about what's happening in her life," Lu Zihao said in a low voice so cold that Long Jufang felt his innards almost get frostbitten.
The smile on Long Jufang's face stiffened. It took a tremendous amount of control for him not to explode at the younger man's disrespectful words towards him, an elder. He immediately sensed the mockery in Lu Zihao's tone especially when he said the words "distant relative" to refer to him, Long Jufang. The younger man was indeed Sir Lu Jianhong's grandson. Both of them spoke whatever they wanted without caring for propriety at all.
Long Jufang cleared his throat and continued smiling even though his teeth were grinding so hard that it felt like he might just crush his own jaw. He hated it but thought that he had no choice but to take the jab from the younger man without complaining.
The atmosphere had now turned awkward.
Long Jufang turned to Iris and Jin Liwei, giving them a meaningful look to help him out. Iris tilted her head to side with an innocent expression as if not understanding what he wanted. Jin Liwei had a cold and unreadable expression. It was clear from his expression that he would only follow whatever his wife wanted. If Iris didn't make a move, he wouldn't do anything either.
Frustrated, Long Jufang could only suffer this humiliation in silence. Before he could control himself, he automatically sent an accusing look at Long Jinjing.
Bang!
Most of them were startled.
Dom and the middle-aged woman both shrieked in an almost identical manner.
Iris clutched at her chest and paled. Jin Liwei was by her side in an instant, enveloping her in a protective embrace.
Everyone looked at one direction.
Lu Zihao's hammerfist was still grinding on the hardwood table where he slammed it just now. Veins popped up on his skin. He looked bloodthirsty and ready to pounce at Long Jufang any second now.
"NiâZihao!" Long Jinjing immediately grabbed his arm when she recovered from her shock. Then she touched his clenched fist on the table and started rubbing it. "Did you hurt your hand? Let me take a look."
Lu Zihao didn't reply to her. He was busy murdering the terrified Long Jufang with his eyes.
He hissed at the elder, "I dare you to look at Jinjing like that again and I'llâ"
Bang!
Everyone looked at another direction.
This time, it was the grandfather who slammed his hammerfist on the table. Long Jufang watched as Sir Lu Jianhong, who had been silent after questioning him earlier that he hadn't answered yet, stand up in a huff. The older gentleman looked furious like his grandson.
"What bloody farce it this?! I want to know! Dinner has not even started yet and the table has turned into a cockfighting ring where you keep on pecking at each other?! This old man has lost my appetite! You eat by yourselves! Hmph!"
"S-sir Lu...." Long Jufang blanched and panicked. He wanted to stop the older gentleman from leaving.
Lu Zihao also stood up and pulled the anxious Long Jinjing with him before following his grandfather out of the formal dining area. Heavy silence enveloped the table after their sudden departure.
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Chapter 1179 - Grandpa Lu Trashtalks Another Old Man
When the three people got far away from the formal dining area, Grandpa Lu stopped walking and turned around to face the still scowling Lu Zihao and the red-faced Long Jinjing. Then he grinned and started smacking his grandson's back.
The loud, thumping sounds made Long Jinjing flinch. She was about to ask Grandpa Lu to stop hitting his grandson but Lu Zihao gestured to her that he was fine. She looked hesitant but still followed what he wanted.
"Bahahaha! Did you see the expression of that old pretentious dingbat when we all walked out one after another?! Did that mutton-headed snoot think that he can bully my beloved granddaughter in front of this old man? Hah! Over HIS dead body! Not mine because I still want to live very long to meet, play and dote on all my great-grandbabies! Hmph!"
Lu Zihao's scowl transformed into a bemused expression as he watched the old man trashtalking another old man who was younger than him by more than a decade and even cursing him to death.
"When Xiulan my girl told us that Long Jufang will be joining us for dinner, this old man didn't think too much about it until Ying Yue my girl declined to eat with us tonight! Ying Yue is such a good girl and an excellent mother. Her only fault is having loved a wishy-washy, cowardly scoundrel who only thinks about himself! Ying Yue my girl didn't say anything bad about that Long Jufang or even show anything negative about him on her expressionless bodyguard face but this old man clearly saw all the pain, humiliation, and anger in her eyes at the mere mention of that old coot. Why would she look like that?! This old man knows!
"Long Jufang and all those backward Longs must have hurt her! Poor girl! The Longs have always been a bunch of elitist snobs who think too highly of themselves just because of their noble roots. What noble roots?! Whatever noble roots they had before already fell into decay a long time ago! Their narrow minds are stuck in the ancient times! Do they really think that they can continue acting like pompous bastards to everyone who they think are beneath them? Tell me, I want to know! Do they really think that, huh?!"
Lu Zihao allowed the old man to release all his bad feelings in his long tirade about the Longs. Then he noticed that his woman looked like she was about to cry but was just trying hard to hold it in. His eyes became cold again but there was also worry in them. He pulled her into his arms, embracing her.
"What's wrong, hm?" he whispered directly to her ear.
She shook her head and just wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face against his chest to hide. She didn't care anymore if others saw her acting this intimate with Lu Zihao even when she usually got shy.
"Jinjing my girl, what's wrong? Tell Grandpa Lu. I want to know!"
She finally showed her face. There were tear stains on the front of Lu Zihao's shirt. She shook her head and forced herself to smile. "I'm fine, Grandpa Lu. Please don't worry about me."
"Is it because that old snob back at the dining table didn't treat you right compared to Xiulan my girl? Hah! This old man isn't blind. I saw everything with my own two eyes! That haughty goat only began paying proper attention to you when this old man said that you're going to be my granddaughter-in-law! Hmph! Typical backward Long! He thinks he's above everyone else but doesn't hesitate to kiss the asses of those who have higher statuses than him! Does he think we're all stupid that we can't see what a calculative bastard he is? I want to know! Does he really think us stupid, huh?!"
Long Jinjing sighed. She tried to hide it but both Grandpa Lu and Lu Zihao still saw the sadness in her eyes. "I'm really fine, Grandpa Lu. I'm used to it. Not everyone in the clan are, uhm, discriminating. There are some who are good people. Besides, I'm already used to them not really accepting me because I'm...illegitimate."
Lu Zihao's expression turned dark. He started to head back to formal dining area.
She pulled himâor tried to pull him back. "NiâZihao! What are you going to do?"
"I'm gonna beat up that motherfuckingâ"
"No!" She hung on to him like a koala as if her light weight and petite body could physically stop him from moving. "I said I'm fine! Elder Long Jufang is Little Sister Xiulan and Brother-in-law's guest. I don't want to give them any trouble. Little Sister Xiulan is pregnant. We shouldn't upset her by creating a big ruckus!"
Both Grandpa Lu and Lu Zihao stopped upon the mention of the pregnant Iris. Their expressions were both ugly but at least they weren't going on an angry tirade or threatening to beat up Long Jufang anymore. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
"Hmph! Although this old man knows why Xiulan my girl is putting up with that pretentious old snoot, I'd rather not eat at the same table with that kind of fake person! Instead of having a bellyful of food, I'll have a bellyful of anger if I just force myself to pretend to be nice to that Long Jufang! I'm too old to start acting plastic now! Come, Haohao my boy and Jinjing my girl. Let's go find Ying Yue my girl and my precious great-grandson Little Junjun my boy and eat dinner together with them instead!"
Grandpa Lu started walking away, expecting the two of them to follow him.
Lu Zihao didn't move but Long Jinjing gently shook his arm.
"Let's go, Nikolai. I'd also rather eat dinner with Sis Yue and Little Jun than Elder Jufang."
"Hm."
They started walking together but at a much slower pace than the sprightly old man who was already chatting with a houseboy headed to the same direction.
"Nikolai?" she whispered.
"Hm?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
He glanced down at her from the corner of his eyes and grunted.
"What was on your mind when Grandpa Lu said earlier that I'm going to be...uhm, his...granddaughter-in-law?"
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Chapter 1180 - Their Relationship Is Like A Storm
Long Jinjing observed Lu Zihao's reaction but there was none at all. He didn't even pause as the two of them continued walking behind Grandpa Lu who had already managed to make the houseboy share his life story.
She wasn't surprised because it had always been rare for Lu Zihao to express any of his real feelings since they got to know each other. It was only after he revealed Shadow Winds to her that he began to display some parts of his real emotions to her on a regular basis.
Despite already knowing all this, she still felt disappointed that her question didn't elicit even just a tiny bit of reaction from him. To her, this proved that his feelings for her weren't deep enough. He didn't love her yet. Hopefully, he would begin loving her one day as much as she loved him.
Her heart clenched but she had already gotten used to this kind of pain. The hope that everything would work out in the end and that he would learn to love her acted as a temporary salve for her heartache.
"Never mind," she whispered with a bitter smile.
He stopped walking all of a sudden. Since they were holding hands, she also stopped with him. [Read official chapters on W e b n o v e l (dot) com. Please stop supporting piracy. Also follow author on Instagram: @arriacross]
"You're upset," he said. It wasn't a question but a statement.
"It's fine."
"You really want to know what I think about what the old man said at the dinner table about you being his future granddaughter-in-law?"
She hesitated before nodding. His sigh was almost imperceptible but she still detected it after being with him for some time now. It disheartened her.
Why did he sigh? Was he annoyed at her? Did he think that she was being too pushy? Possibly. But she still wanted to know what he thought.
In the end, he told her, "I don't know."
"What?"
"There are so many things going through my mind. They're all so confusing that I can't make sense of all of them. That's why I don't know. This is the truth."
She stared at him, focused again on reading his expression. This time, it wasn't as unreadable anymore. Indeed, she saw the trace of confusion in his dark eyes. It might not be the ideal answer that she was looking for but at least he felt something and wasn't indifferent. Her earlier disappointment lessened but didn't disappear.
"Okay, Nikolai. I understand."
"Hm."
They looked at each other while standing in front of a glass wall. The moon was blocked by dark clouds. Water droplets outside the glass indicated that it was raining.
As Long Jinjing continued to stare at the man that she loved and was hoping to love her back someday, she thought that the stormy weather outside was perfect to describe their relationship.
It was tumultuous, dangerous, and even downright terrifying, but there was still that instinctive hope for a better and brighter tomorrow after the storm passedâif she survived. And she hoped that she would survive in the end.
The moment made her love for him feel like it was overflowing from her heart. It was painful and sweet at the same time. Her body moved on instinct. She jumped on him, wrapping both her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, not caring anymore if other people saw her daring actions. He caught her, looking surprised and confused at the same time. His reaction satisfied her.
Then she kissed him.
Deeply. Thoroughly. Passionately.
She kissed him, trying to convey to him all of her feelings as much as she could. He tried to take over the kiss but she refused to surrender the control this time. She vented all her negative emotions from what happened with Elder Long Jufang earlier in that deep, hard kiss.
Hearts racing, heavy breathing, tight embracing, lips sucking, tongues dancing, and temperature rising.
Both of them became lost in their own little world of fierce boiling desire. Their surroundings faded away. There was only the two of them and their mutual desire for each other.
Long Jinjing was the first one to break away from the kiss. It was because she couldn't breathe anymore. She forcefully twisted her head to the side and started gasping. His wet mouth continued to suck on her neck while she wheezed some air into her lungs. She was still wrapped around her like a koala.
It was a challenge but she still managed to clear her head. Barely.
She saw their reflection on the glass wall and immediately flushed in embarrassment. The next thing that she noticed was the reflection of the people watching them. She could see a grinning Grandpa Lu and the houseboy who was pretending not to look but was actually peeking at them. The members of the security staff might be expressionless but she knew that their eyes were watching everything.
Oh no.
She patted Lu Zihao's back, urging him to stop sucking on her neck and jaw. He didn't stop.
"Nikolai," she whispered. "Everyone is watching. Stop."
He continued for a few seconds before finally stopping. He rested his forehead on the crook of her neck and shoulder while panting.
She tapped his back and said, "Let me down."
However, he only tightened his hold on her. Their position certainly looked scandalous. Fortunately, Long Jinjing felt safe at Dragon Palace. She still felt extremely embarrassed though.
Finally, Lu Zihao put her back down to stand on her own feet before hissing to her ear, "After dinner, you better prepare yourself. I'm gonna fuck you until you pass out!"
She shivered from delight before nodding. If it wasn't for Grandpa Lu who expected them to eat dinner together with Jiang Ying Yue and Little Jun, then it would be fine with her if Lu Zihao said that he wanted to skip dinner to have sex in his bedroom.
She wanted to feel his hardness deep inside her wet core tonight. Multiple times. Oh, how she wanted him so much tonight. Every night.
However, their desire had to wait. They still had to accompany Grandpa Lu for dinner.
"Bahahaha! This old man is happy to see you two so passionate with each other! But you still need to eat or you won't have any fuel to last the whole night! Hurry up and let's go! The sooner we finish eating, the sooner you two can start making my next great-grandbabies! Bahahaha!"
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