Chapter 1481 Legendary Dream Collab
Lone villa in the woods.
The woman wearing another floral dress covered up her bruises with a high-coverage foundation and concealer. Without makeup, she looked pretty except for her cold, malicious eyes. Her resemblance to the celebrity Iris Long at this point was about 70%.
But with her superb makeup skills, she transformed into a beautiful woman. And when she wore dark sunglasses to cover up her eyes, then her resemblance to Iris Long rose to at least 95%.
She stood up and allowed the flowy floral dress to hug her seductive silhouette. In front of the full-length mirror, she turned this way and that.
One corner of her mouth rose to a smirk, feeling satisfied while looking at her sexy figure.
Her eyes swept at the messy bed behind her. Memories of what happened last night flooded her mind.
She paled behind her thick yet expertly applied makeup.
The bruises still ached but the man was an expert in inflicting the most immense pain on her while still giving her the most mind-blowing pleasure she had ever experienced in her entire life.
Last night, her lover finally returned after going away for a "business" trip. He had heard that they had lost a lot of men after her directive to kidnap the child named Long Jun.
She knew that he didn't give a damn about losing any of his men. However, he enjoyed punishing her while on bed.
Of course, she also enjoyed it, but it didn't change the fact that he still hurt her. She now knew him enough to not doubt that he would kill her without mercy if she ever lost interest in her. This was why she worked hard to please him despite suffering from all kinds of humiliation.
She sneered at her reflection, staring at her face who looked so much like Iris Long.
"As long as you give me what I want, I'll even lick your feet," she said to her now-gone lover who had already left after using her.
She didn't care. It wasn't like she missed him when he was absent. Both of them were clear that they were only mutually using each other.
She just needed to be careful not to be deemed useless by him before she could complete her plans.
A knock on the door interrupted her monologue.
"Come in!"
The door opened and a maidservant entered.
"Change the sheets," the woman in a floral dress instructed.
The maidservant acknowledged her command and immediately started tidying up the bedroom.
The woman in a floral dress left the room and headed to the study. She sat behind her desk, opened her laptop, and continued writing the manuscript of her next book.
###
Iris Long finally began recording her collaboration album with Enrique Valdez in earnest. Their presence at JJ's record company immediately garnered massive media attention.
JJ's record company was soon surrounded by reporters, paparazzi, and fans every single day hoping to catch Iris Long and Enrique Valdez.
This time, neither Iris Long nor Enrique Valdez accepted any interviews from the media. The bad-tempered JJ was the one who had to appease the media because if not, they would continue to squat outside his company building.
Although this wasn't a rare occurrence for a famous and renowned producer like him especially whenever he worked with popular artists, it still annoyed him to death when his staff complained that they couldn't even go through the company doors because the crowd outside blocked them.
Since neither Iris Long nor Enrique Valdez were interested in facing the media, then he had no choice but to do it himself.
Good thing that his bad temper was well-documented in the industry.
He gave standard answers to the reporters' questions and expertly dodged those who wanted to dig deeper into Iris Long and Enrique Valdez' new collab. And finally, he scolded the immoral paparazzi who were no better than stalkers.
After completing this unpleasant mission, he returned to the biggest studio in his company building which he reserved for Iris Long and Enrique Valdez.
He found the two of them busy instructing the musicians on how to play exactly how they wanted. They even took the instruments and personally showed the musicians how to do it.
Neither of them noticed that JJ had returned. To his credit, he didn't disturb them and even signalled the others who did notice to keep quiet. He sat in the control room to observe Iris and Enrique while they did their magic. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
JJ was now familiar with Iris' style whenever she recorded music. She was extremely focused and meticulous when it came to every single instrument included in the song.
Now that he watched her with Enrique Valdez, JJ was surprised that the two were extremely similar. Even some of their mannerisms on how they played certain instruments, especially the guitar, was almost identical.
"Huh, is Iris that big of a fan of Enrique Valdez?" JJ wondered. "She even imitates the way he plays."
Shrugging, he didn't think about it too much. Even he imitated his favourite idols as a young man before he developed his own style. After he shifted his focus to producing music instead of performing, his style solidified even more.
He had believed that his music style already matured and reached its peak. Only after meeting Iris Long did he realize that he still had so much more to learn.
The brat habitually forced him to swallow his pride and anger so many times that he had almost strangled her out of frustration. However, he recognized that it was during moments of clashes between them that great masterpieces were born.
He had long considered Iris Long as his protégé. After all, it was him who produced her great comeback album, "Rebirth", effectively helping her transition out of her previous wild pop star image into an enchanting, multi-award-winning music diva.
But watching her working with Enrique Valdez made him scowl.
"Who's the protégé of whom here?! Hmph!"
Despite his bad-tempered jealousy, JJ still felt an unprecedented excitement.
"This dream collab will be legendary. And I, the great JJ, am part of it! Hahaha!"
His staff averted their eyes and focused on their tasks. They were already used to their temperamental boss.
Chapter 1482 Lucky to be Part of this Project
After today's recording session, Iris and Enrique came out of the studio's live room to the control room where JJ and the technicians waited for them. JJ handed each of them a bottle of room temperature water.
"Good job today, both of you!" JJ said.
"Thanks," Iris replied with a smile.
Enrique acknowledged him with a polite nod.
"Let's go eat out and celebrate since it's our first day of recording this album," JJ announced. "I already booked a restaurant."
"Okay, but let me call my husband first to let him know," she said.
JJ gave her a mocking snort. "Just tell your husband to come, too! But there will be drinking, so don't bring the babies!"
Iris didn't mind his bad temper. She knew that although he spoke like this, he doted on her children very much.
In fact, JJ was already looking forward to when the twins would grow up. He hoped that they inherited their mother's talent in music. If he was still alive by the time they wanted to pursue a music career, he wanted to help produce their first album.
When he shared this dream with her hoping to get her approval, she only shrugged and told him that it was up to her children whether they wanted to follow in her footsteps in music or not.
If they did become musicians in the future, then she and her husband would of course support them. But if not, it didn't matter. She and Jin Liwei would always support their children in whatever they wished to pursue as long as they didn't do anything harmful to themselves, others, and society.
JJ only snorted at her answer and didn't insist anymore.
Back to the present, Iris already finished calling Jin Liwei. After hearing that JJ said that it was fine for him to come, Jin Liwei didn't hesitate to do so.
The musicians and other staff working on the album cheered when they heard that their boss, JJ, was treating them to dinner today. The musicians were especially happy and relieved to have a chance to unwind after an exhausting workday.
Most of them had worked with Iris Long before. They already knew about her meticulous work style and her pursuit of her own vision of perfection. Working with her was definitely not for the faint-hearted.
To be honest, she was even tougher to work with than the bad-tempered JJ. She wasn't a tyrant in any sense, but her attention to the smallest details could get exhausting. They had to be in perfect condition all the time because if not, then she would never feel satisfied and the recording wouldn't stop.
At the same time, they loved working with her because her passion for music was something that they also resonated with very much. They didn't expect to learn so many new things from someone so much younger than them.
It was no wonder that she was a multi-award-winning musician. She deserved all the awards she won and more.
Now that Enrique Valdez was added to the equation, they all agreed with JJ calling this album a legendary dream collaboration. Every single one of them felt lucky to be part of this project.
Throughout the day, they also experienced Enrique Valdez's focused and meticulous style. Together with Iris Long, the musicians and everyone working on the project felt the need to always maintain their best conditions. Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Enrique Valdez might have left most people with the impression that he was the silent, brooding type, but everyone discovered today that he was actually fierce when working on music.
He was definitely fiercer than Iris Long. He didn't use any insulting words unlike JJ, but Enrique Valdez's aura was enough to intimidate all of them.
So this was what working with the legendary hitmaker felt like.
After the celebratory dinner at the restaurant, everyone headed home. Iris opened her car window and waved at the small crowd of people gathered outside the restaurant who came after learning that she was there.
Cameras flashed and screams arose as she smiled mainly at her fans, the loyal Black Stars.
There were also paparazzi, of course, but she didn't acknowledge them. As long as they didn't intrude on her privacy too much, she would just treat them like air.
She closed her window and relaxed her head on her husband's shoulder.
"Tired?" Jin Liwei asked while pulling her closer.
She snuggled closer to him. "No. I'm very excited. We're finally recording the album after so long."
"It's my fault that you delayed it again and again."
Iris sat up straight and looked at him straight in the eye. "You know that I would never trade giving birth to our children for this album. So don't say that it's your fault. Without you, we won't even have our children in the first place."
His eyes softened at her words. "Okay, I won't say it again."
She stared at him for a few more seconds before returning to snuggle with him. "I'm just grateful that Teacher Enrique waited this long to work with me. He has been so patient and understanding of the many delays on my side."
"En." He kissed her fragrant hair. "We'll treat him better."
"Yes, we should. He already sacrificed too much of his time for this album. I also need to do my best so as not to disappoint him. Of course, I'm also doing this for myself."
"You'll do it, love. I know you will."
She smiled and hugged his waist. With his gentle touches on her hair and back, she fell into deep sleep in no time.
When they finally arrived home, Jin Liwei carried his sleeping wife to their bedroom. The twins were also already asleep in their large crib bed with the cats. The dogs were on the floor.
The nannies greeted him and reported the babies' activities during the day before withdrawing for the night.
Little Matcha inherited his mother's ability to sleep deeply. He didn't rouse at all.
Little Mochi, on the other hand, was a restless sleeper. Perhaps sensing his parents' arrival, the fussy baby woke up with a loud cry.
Now that she was a mother, Iris developed the ability to hijack her original skill to sleep deeply and would now wake up whenever her babies cried.
Jin Liwei sighed and shook his head at his eldest twin son waking up his poor, exhausted wife.
Chapter 1483 I'll Always Want You
[*WARNING: 18+ scenes below!!! Reader discretion is advised.*]
It took Iris and Jin Liwei a lot of hugs and kisses to coax Little Mochi back to sleep. The cats and dogs who were also awakened by Little Mochi's loud cry could finally rest again.
Iris gave her sons several kisses and petted the cats and dogs before heading to the bathroom. Jin Liwei locked the door and embraced her from behind.
She tilted her head up to him. He leaned down and caught her luscious lips. Their tongues danced together.
His hands roamed all over her waist, stomach, and finally her breasts. He cupped one and squeezed it gently, making her moan in his mouth.
When their lips separated, he asked in a low whisper, "Is it okay tonight?"
"Yes," she said, panting a little.
"Not tired?"
"Tired, so you need to be gentle."
Her sexy voice tempted him. His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed. Slowly but surely, he peeled off the clothes from her body one by one.
When she was finally naked, he stepped back and admired her for a while. She tilted her head to the side and looked at him with a twinkle in her eyes. She wasn't shy at all in front of this man who was now her husband. She loved seeing the love and lust in his eyes for her.
Although they could now be considered an old married couple, the attraction between them had never waned. Perhaps in the future, their physical desires might decrease due to old age, but for now, they were still young. It was a given to continue enjoying their passion for each other.
"So beautiful," Jin Liwei murmured, as he stepped forward to embrace her once again. "So sexy." He rained down light but wet kisses on her long, smooth neck.
Even after a long day of work, she still smelled so fragrant. His erection now pushed against his trousers, fighting to get out.
She knew her effect on him. Her hand caught his hardness and stroked it through his trousers, causing him to groan. Yet he didn't rush to take off his clothes. He continued showering her with kisses.
His hands weren't idle. They played with her breasts, teasing her nipples until they hardened.
Iris couldn't take it anymore.
She began pulling his dress shirt off his body but felt too impatient to unbutton the buttons one by one. Unfortunately, his shirt had been made too sturdy. She couldn't even rip it off.
He chuckled at her impatience.
She might not be able to do it, but he was strong enough. He grabbed his lapels and gave it two powerful tugs. The buttons flew all over the bathroom. He gave a final tug until they were all ripped and his shirt flew open.
Iris immediately helped him throw it off his body.
Their mouths fused once again.
Next, she unbuckled his belt and unzipped his trousers. She slipped her hand inside and pulled his hard length out.
"Baby, you're killing me," he gasped.
Her answer was to enclose him in her soft palm and stroke him up and down.
He groaned and closed his eyes, enjoying the pleasure only she could give him. When he almost couldn't hold on, he caught her naughty hand to stop her.
Then he carried her and sat her down on the sink countertop and spread her legs. Then he knelt and pushed his face between her thighs.
"Ah!" Iris closed her eyes and threw her head back.
Her hand grabbed his head as he pleasured her with his mouth. His tongue entered her, causing her to tremble. Her other hand had to support her weight, or she might have already hit her head on the mirror behind her.
When he sucked her button of pleasure, she cried out. "Liwei!"
He sucked until she climaxed. When she started calming down, he didn't stop and continued licking, reigniting her pleasure once again.
Jin Liwei stood up and kissed her on the mouth, letting her have a taste of her own essence.
"Sweet, isn't it?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"No? But I love your taste, baby."
He was now so hard that it became painful. He opened a drawer and pulled out a box of condoms. After removing all his clothes and wearing a condom, he carried his wife down and turned her so that both of them faced the bathroom mirror.
His hand gently pushed her back until she was bending in front of him. He stepped behind her and rubbed his erection on her wetness.
"You want me?" he asked in a low, hoarse voice.
"Always."
"I also want you, baby. Always!" n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Then he slammed inside her.
Iris cried out.
Jin Liwei groaned.
Both of them closed their eyes, savouring the pleasure for a few moments.
Jin Liwei then opened his eyes, not wanting to miss the erotic image of the two of them in the mirror.
"Open your eyes, love," he encouraged her. "I want you to watch me making love with you."
Her eyes trembled before they opened.
Together, they watched as he began moving his hips behind her. The wet, squelching sounds were amplified inside the bathroom.
Jin Liwei held her hip, moving her to his rhythm while his other hand was busy playing with her breasts.
Watching their own reflection fired them up even more.
Even so, he stayed true to his word. He remained gentle, slowly penetrating her and thoroughly giving her pleasure.
The hand on her hip moved in front of her until it reached where they were joined together. He began rubbing it as his hips gradually accelerated.
"Yes!" Iris threw her had back.
He leaned forward to catch her mouth, sucking her lips and tongue, as his hips began slamming behind her.
Both of them were too far gone to remember their earlier plan to be gentle. All they cared about was chasing the peak together.
As he pumped harder and rubbed her with his fingers faster, Iris began screaming with delight. She reached the highest peak first, and he followed soon after.
He roared and ejaculated while still inside her. After he was done, he pulled out and removed the condom full of his white release.
They leaned on the countertop while embracing each other to catch their breaths.
Chapter 1484 Shower From Hell
Jin Liwei was the first to recover. He carried his exhausted wife to the shower. The hot water rained down on them.
He gritted his teeth but endured beyond his limits. It felt like the fires of hell were burning him alive, but he didn't voice out any complaints because this was the water temperature his wife liked the best.
Before Iris became pregnant, she already loved taking hot showers. Jin Liwei could still bear to join her back then. But after she gave birth to their twin sons, the temperature she preferred for her showers increased to inhuman levels.
At first, he even felt worried that she would scald herself. But no, she told him that she would freeze instead if she showered even one degree lower than her preferred boiling hot shower.
He could only accept this new reality in the end. This was why he preferred to make love with her before or after taking a shower (separately). Tonight, however, he took the initiative to join her in the shower to help her clean up because she was too exhausted. He felt sorry for her.
As a result, he once again had to suffer this shower from hell.
It was fine! This was nothing! His love for his wife burned hotter than this!
He deluded himself into thinking this way.
After helping his wife wash and cleaning himself up quickly, he finally escaped from the torturous shower from hell. Then he caught her snickering at him.
"Am I funny?" he asked in a dangerous tone, yet his eyes glinted with amusement.
Iris stood on her tiptoes and hugged his neck. Both of them were still sopping wet.
"I know you hate my hot showers," she said, giving him a light peck on the lips. "You don't have to join me next time. I can wash by myself. Be careful. The doctor says that too-hot showers might negatively affect a male's sperm production."
He hugged her waist. "It's fine. We already have the twins."
She chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Not just your sperm production. It might also negatively affect your testosterone production. Are you sure that it's fine?"
His expression changed.
She continued to tease him. "What if...you can't do it anymore?"
His hands tightened around her waist, pulling her closer. "You think I won't be able to do it anymore, hm?"
Her fingers trailed along his chest, drawing circles on it. His muscles rippled and flexed. In no time, his little brother stood up straight and proud again.
He caught her hand and wrapped it around his hard length. "I'll show you whether I can still do it or not."
Her laughter filled the bathroom before the sounds changed into something only adults were allowed to hear.
Good thing that the bathroom was soundproof and that their twins were now able to sleep through the night.
###
While recording songs for her new album with her mentor, Enrique Valdez, Iris was also filming music videos for the completed songs at the same time.
Everything was so hectic.
She loved it.
Of course, she didn't neglect her businesses either. She still completed the work needed for each of her companies plus her tasks at Long Industries. It was just that her time going to the companies in person was reduced to about once or twice a week. Nevertheless, she was still able to complete everything on time despite her extremely busy schedule.
Almost everyone knew that she was busy recording her new collab album with the legendary hitmaker, Enrique Valdez. But the contents of the album remained a big mystery.
The media tried hard to bribe the musicians and staff working on the album, but all of them were loyal. Not a single one of them was tempted. Even when the price of the bribe was increased, nobody spilled anything. The media could only lament that these people signed a super-strict NDA with a frightening penalty.
They weren't too far off the mark.
Everyone chosen to work on the project indeed signed a super-strict NDA with a frightening penalty, but this was just a minor reason why nobody spilled anything about the new album.
The truth was that Iris, JJ, and Enrique Valdez promised everyone that if they successfully kept the details of the new album a secret, the three would reward everyone with a handsome bonus. It didn't matter if the album did well or not, the three would still fulfill their promise.
In addition, the staff especially the employees were looking forward to the prestige of having worked with the legendary hitmaker himself, Enrique Valdez.
Nobody wanted to ruin this chance for everyone else.
What if Enrique Valdez became so disappointed, or worse, disgusted by someone's loose tongue? What if he walked out of the long-awaited project and vowed never to work with their country's musicians ever again? Nôv(el)B\\jnn
It wouldn't only disgrace them as musicians, but it would also disgrace their country's music industry. Other foreign artists might think that the country's musicians had no integrity to even keep their promises. This wasn't something that they wanted to ever happen.
Hence, everyone working on the project kept their mouths shut.
Those people who were trying to bribe them had no vision at all.
Why would they be tempted by momentary gains when they could enjoy bigger rewards in the future?
Iris, JJ, and Enrique Valdez observed their team members doing their best to accomplish their assigned tasks.
Even their project had designated cleaners to clean the studio after every recording session to prevent any theft from happening. There were also designated security guards patrolling the area around the studio.
They might seem paranoid but only after a few days, they really caught someone sneaking and trying to steal some samples from the studio. The night security guards immediately caught the thief after receiving an anonymous tip.
Nobody knew that it was Ketchup who detected the unusual movements of the new building maintenance worker.
Ketchup had long hijacked the CCTV system of JJ's record company. As long as her beloved mommy's interests were involved, Ketchup would always make sure to protect them to the best of her abilities.
It turned out that thief was sent by one of JJ's rival producers.
Chapter 1485 Blessing in Disguise
The next day, the morning news featured the arrest of a thief trying to steal from JJ's record company, specifically from the studio where Iris Long and Enrique Valdez were working on their new collab album.
Since Ketchup was originally the one who discovered the thief, Iris was the first to learn about it. She then informed both JJ and Enrique Valdez in the middle of the night, not caring at all whether they were asleep or not.
JJ was furious and horrified after hearing that someone tried to steal from Iris and Enrique's studio especially because he owned the company and it was his responsibility to keep any precious recordings safe.
If the thief succeeded in stealing something from the studio, then it would jeopardize the entire project. JJ didn't want to imagine the consequences.
In contrast, Iris Long and Enrique Valdez were calmer. They didn't comment much about the attempted theft and immediately returned to work as scheduled.
Iris didn't worry too much because if she didn't allow it, nobody could access her music files even if they used the actual computers they were stored in. Ketchup was also constantly monitoring the studio they were using at JJ's company.
But JJ didn't know that.
She didn't want him to overthink especially since the studio computers were his property.
What if he thought that she was encroaching on his company once he learned that she installed her own stealth security software on the studio computers?
Since no harm was done, then there was no need to explain it to him too much.
While Iris and Enrique were busy recording in the studio, JJ called for an emergency meeting. He wanted to tighten the security of his company.
And most importantly, he didn't want to let go of the mastermind behind the theft.
"Damn snake! Sue! Let's sue!"
JJ was adamant in suing one of his rival producers. There was no need to mention the damn snake's name because JJ didn't want to give him any importance.
Instead of working hard to hone his craft, the damn snake wanted to take a shortcut and steal JJ's project!
Unforgivable!
No wonder that person failed to produce any hits in recent years. Even the universe didn't want to reward a damn thieving snake like him.
After the emergency meeting, JJ returned to the studio. Everyone was on a short break when he came.
"I'm sorry for what happened," JJ apologized to both Iris and Enrique Valdez. "I take responsibility for what happened inside my own company. I'll make sure that it never happens again."
Enrique nodded at him, looking unconcerned about the matter. The legendary hitmaker was more concerned about the album recording.
Iris was the same. She gave JJ a thumbs up. "Just let me know if you need any help in recruiting additional security. My husband can introduce you to reliable people."
JJ sighed. "Please. Oh, never mind. You focus on recording. I'll contact CEO Jin myself."
"Alright." Iris nodded.
After the short break, Iris and Enrique returned to the studio's live room with the musicians.
JJ didn't have time to enjoy the raw instrumentals and vocals because he still needed to clean up the aftermath of the attempted theft.
His staff informed him that there was a huge crowd of reporters gathered outside his company building again. This time, the crowd was several times bigger than when the media first learned that Iris and Enrique Valdez had begun recording their new collab album.
He sighed again. But the moment he stepped out of the studio, his mouth gradually stretched into a grin.
Now that his head had cooled down and he could think about things clearly, he realized that this attempted theft was a blessing in disguise.
Neither Iris nor Enrique were interested in facing the media while working on the project, so JJ could use this incident to gather more interest and anticipation for the upcoming album.
"What a dumba**," JJ said while snickering. "You just gave us more media attention by trying to steal from me. Hmph! Now I'll make you pay a huge sum as compensation. There's no way that I, JJ, will let this go without squeezing you dry!"
The staff following him looked at each other as they pretended not to see their boss laughing like a demented idiot.
###
After the day's recording session, Jin Liwei picked up his wife from JJ's record company. They managed to evade the huge crowd of media gathered outside the building by using a low-key domestic-made car instead of their usual high-end luxury vehicles.
Once they travelled some distance away, they got off the low-key car and transferred to their usual luxury vehicle.
It wasn't that they looked down on domestic-made cars, but Jin Liwei just didn't feel assured letting his wife ride in a non-customized vehicle that lacked any extra security features. He didn't want to risk it.
His wife was his life.
If something bad happened to her, he might as well lose his life as well.
Jin Liwei glanced at his beloved wife who was still humming the song she recorded earlier today.
"JJ called me and asked me for advice on how to fortify his company's security," he said.
Iris stopped humming. "Yeah, he told me that he'll contact you."
"I already had Xu Tian take care of it."
She nodded. Then she thought of something and said, "I want to build a new state-of-the-art recording studio at our entertainment company. LXC Studio is now developing in the right direction and we also signed more talents, but we still lack a lot of facilities. The recording studios we have there are too rudimentary for my taste, that's why I chose to record at JJ's record company instead."
"I'll contact Chonglin and tell him about it. If LXC Studio lacks the funds to build, then I'll cover the capital." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
She beamed at him and hugged his arm. "I want my own personal studio at the company. I want it to be the same quality as my studio at our home."
He smiled at her. "Of course, love. Consider it done.
Chapter 1486 Yin Meixing
Later that evening, after Iris and Jin Liwei put all the children (including the cats and dogs) to bed, they stayed in the living area of their master suite to wind down.
Jin Liwei wasn't one to waste time. He called his younger brother and told Jin Chonglin about his plan to build better recording studios at LXC Studio, and of course, a state-of-the-art personal recording studio for his wife.
"I want a state-of-the-art personal studio at the company, too!" Jin Chonglin declared.
"Does the company have money?" Jin Liwei asked.
Jin Chonglin hesitated but still replied, "We should have some funds to build a couple of standard recording studios."
"Then I'll cover the capital for building a few more," Jin Liwei said but before his younger brother could celebrate, he added, "But I won't pay for your personal recording studio."
"What?! Why?! Big Bro, that's unfair!"
"I said I'll cover the capital for the standard recording studios and my wife's personal recording studio. Are you my wife?"
"I'm your younger brother!!!" Jin Chonglin cried.
"You're still not my wife," Jin Liwei said in an even tone.
Jin Chonglin grumbled. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"If you don't have anything more to say, I'm going to hang up now."
"Wait, Big Bro!"
"What?" Jin Liwei asked.
"Is Sister Xiulan there with you?"
Jin Liwei glanced at his wife. Iris looked over, her head tilted to the side.
"Yes, why?"
"Can I speak with her?" Jin Chonglin asked.
Jin Liwei frowned.
Iris chuckled at his reaction. She reached out her hand and gestured for him to give her the phone.
He hesitated for a few seconds before handing her the phone with great reluctance.
She shook her head at her jealous husband while smiling. "Brother Chonglin, it's me."
"Xiulan, there's something I need to tell you," Jin Chonglin said.
"What is it?"
"Do you remember Yin Meixing?" he asked.
"Yes, of course I remember her. Why?"
"Yin Meixing contacted our LXC Studio earlier today," he said. "She says that her management company suddenly went bankrupt."
Iris raised an eyebrow, but she appeared more interested in the topic now.
Jin Chonglin continued, "It's all over the news. There should be many management companies who want to sign her over, but she says that she wants to sign with our LXC Studio."
"Oh? Then what are you still waiting for? Sign her immediately."
"I'm already working on it. I just want to let you know because she mentioned that she wants to sign with us because of you."
"Oh?" Iris' eyes widened. "But I'm not an actress. Why would she want to sign with our LXC Studio because of me?"
"She says that you're her lucky charm." They heard Jin Chonglin snort on the phone.
Jin Liwei scowled. He was about to scold his younger brother for the disrespect but Iris raised a hand to stop him. The reluctant Jin Liwei returned to his seat.
Unaware that he dodged his older brother's wrath, Jin Chonglin continued gossiping without any care.
"Why would she consider you as her lucky charm? If she wants to use someone as her lucky charm, then she should've considered me, the great superstar Prince Lin Lin!"
Iris rolled her eyes. She lost interest in the conversation once her brother-in-law started his narcissistic self-praise.
She said instead, "Yin Meixing was a Best Actress winner for the film 'Strong Yet Broken' at the Sommet International Film Festival in France. Because of that, she's now in high demand. We should sign her to our LXC Studio as soon as possible before she changes her mind. Agree to her demands as long as they're not too excessive."
"Alright, got it," Jin Chonglin said.
His tone sounded a little miffed because she interrupted his earlier talk about why he was a better lucky charm than her.
Iris didn't care. She added, "I've worked with Yin Meixing before in 'Strong Yet Broken'. I know that she's hardworking, reliable, and pays her dues. She's not someone who acts like an arrogant diva. We can offer her the highest-level contract that we have."
"Got it. I'll make the arrangements."
After the call ended, Iris turned to her husband who was now sulking. She chuckled at his childishness. She sighed before moving to sit on his lap.
To his credit, he didn't ignore her. His arms immediately wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.
"Jin Chonglin is your brother and also my brother-in-law," she said while nuzzling his neck. "There's no need for you to feel jealous of him."
Jin Liwei's expression remained the sameâstoic. But Iris knew him well enough to sense his jealousy. He was basically drowning himself in a huge pot of vinegar.
Even so, she knew that he had made a huge improvement in the way he handled his jealousy throughout their relationship. If it were the Jin Liwei before when they began dating, he would have been unable to control himself. They might have fought already.
Now, however, he was able to control himself well. Yes, he sulked but Iris could handle a sulking Jin Liwei better than a forceful Jin Liwei.
She gave his lips a peck and smiled at him. "You know that you're the only man for me, right?"
His arms tightened around her waist even more. "Say it again."
"You're the only man for me, Jin Liwei."
This time, his eyes softened and the corners of his mouth raised into a small but smug smile. "And you're the only one for me, Evelina."
Their mouths fusedâslow but thorough.
When their mouths separated, both of them were panting.
"Don't be jealous of your younger brother anymore, okay?" She gave him another light peck on lips. "He has a girlfriend now, too. He and Chen Fei are already cohabiting. It looks serious between the two of them."
Jin Liwei made a sound in his throat to express his disinterest in the topic.
Iris smiled.
They were about to kiss again when another phone call interrupted them.
Ketchup announced, "Mommy, Auntie Meimei is calling. Meow~"
"Please answer it, Ketchup," Iris said.
"Okey-dokey, Mommy! Meow~"
Chapter 1487 Meimei's Webtoon
The excited Meimei spoke too fast that Iris could barely understand her.
"Slow down, Meimei," Iris told her. "Speak more clearly."
She heard her friend taking a few deep breaths. It was clear that Meimei was trying to control her overexcitement.
Finally, Meimei said, "My webtoon, 'Queen of the Shadows', has offers for TV and film adaptations!"
"Congratulations." Iris was happy for her friend. "Have you sold the IP rights for the adaptation yet?"
"Not yet," Meimei replied. "My publisher is looking for the best offer. They're also quite considerate of my opinions."
"Then what's your decision?" Iris asked.
"Xiulan, if possible, I want LXC Studio to buy the IP rights for the adaptation. The other companies' offers might be tempting but I only trust you. I know that you'll do my baby justice." Meimei finally revealed the true reason why she called Iris at this time of the night.
"Yes, we'll buy it!" Iris said without any hesitation.
She glanced at her husband. Jin Liwei nodded at her in approval.
"Name the price," Iris said. "Even if LXC Studio doesn't have any funds available, I'll personally cover it."
"Hehehe. I know you will. These are the prices the other companies are willing to pay for the rights." Meimei shared several numbers. "My publisher might start a bidding war between the companies soon. That's why I immediately called you to sell immediately. The price offers are already so high that I don't care if they get any higher. All I care about is to entrust my baby to someone who I know will respect my original work without botching it for the sake of their so-called artistic interpretation."
"Got it. I'll make sure to buy the rights." Iris spoke to her husband next, "Darling, please."
Jin Liwei kissed her check and stood up to call his younger brother yet again on his phone. He informed Jin Chonglin about Iris' plan to buy the IP rights to adapt Meimei a.k.a. Princess Porkchop's wildly popular webtoon, "Queen of the Shadows".
Just like Iris, Jin Chonglin immediately agreed. Even a superstar like him followed the bestselling webtoon, partly because he personally knew the author, but mainly because the story was always exciting and extremely addicting.
There were now two phone conversations happening in the room.
Iris with Meimei and Jin Liwei with Jin Chonglin.
On Jin Liwei and Jin Chonglin's side, Jin Chonglin couldn't contain his excitement as well.
Jin Chonglin: "How much?! Hurry, Big Bro! We must obtain the IP rights as soon as possible. Hold on, I'm going to call my manager. He should know more about the process."
Jin Liwei waited. In no time, they were on a three-way phone call. He listened while his younger brother explained the situation to Lin Dong.
Finally, Lin Dong said: "I actually just heard about this today. I was about to suggest to you tomorrow that we buy the rights. We can use this to establish our foundations in the field of TV and film production.
Jin Chonglin: "That's what I was thinking, too."
Lin Dong: "I also heard from my previous colleagues that Bright Summit is one of the companies interested in obtaining the adaptation rights for the webtoon."
Jin Chonglin: "Should we collaborate with Bright Summit then?"
Jin Liwei: "No, we'll do it by ourselves."
Lin Dong: "Yes, I agree with CEO Jin. If we want LXC Studio to be known as an independent entertainment company, we should start slowly disassociating ourselves from Bright Summit. Don't worry. With CEO Jin backing us, Bright Summit won't dare do anything to harm us. They'll even curry favour with us."
Jin Liwei: "En."
Lin Dong: "We can always collaborate with Bright Summit in the future but not for our first film or TV drama production project. Our LXC Studio needs to show everyone that we can create an entire production by ourselves and succeed. This way, we can finally solidify our foundations in showbiz without relying too much on Jin Chonglin and Iris Long's fame and also CEO Jin's backing."
Jin Liwei glanced at his wife who was still chatting with Meimei. Iris must have heard what they were talking about because she gave a thumbs-up after Lin Dong's ambitious words.
Jin Liwei: "I'll send my assistant to LXC Studio first thing in the morning. He'll assist you in securing the IP rights to adapt Yang Mei's webtoon. Don't worry about the funds."
Lin Dong: "Understood, CEO Jin. I'll also make preparations so that we can make the offer as soon as possible."
Jin Liwei: "En."
Jin Chonglin still had so much to say about the matter, Jin Liwei didn't want to waste time listening to his younger brother's useless chatter. Nôv(el)B\\jnn
"Go to sleep!" Jin Liwei ordered his younger brother before ending the phone call.
Similarly, Lin Dong excused himself before hanging up so that he could immediately prepare for their plan to purchase the rights to adapt Meimei's webtoon.
Jin Liwei felt relieved. He returned to his spot beside his beloved wife. She was still on the phone with her friend. He didn't disturb her and instead enjoyed watching her.
Back to Iris and Meimei's conversation, they had veered off the topic from Meimei's webtoon and instead gossiped about their friends' current situation. Meimei had missed so many girl squad gatherings due to her busy work schedule.
Iris shared several updates with her friend who missed out on so many things, including the following:
Little Jun was now on a positive road to recovery. He still wore casts for his more serious fractures, but his other injuries were mostly healed now. He was also doing well in his sessions with his psychiatrist, Dr. Grace Poon. His mother, Jiang Ying Yue, was also regularly attending therapy with the same doctor.
Jiang Ying Yue and Lin Yehan were planning to return to the farm villa for real soon. Their return got delayed several times because Little Jun refused to leave Dragon Palace Home #10. The little guy wanted to stay with his Jin cousins for longer. Dr. Poon also suggested not to force the child. As a result, the couple could only wait until Little Jun felt ready.
Chapter 1488 Play the Female Lead
Gravy had also returned home alive but with a limp. Little Jun was so happy to have his dog back that he cried. He didn't mind that Gravy was now a handicapped dog. The little guy declared to everyone that Gravy was a superhero who saved him just like his Uncle Haohao.
The Lu twins, Little Misha and Little Dima, got fatter again. Their milk consumption was monstrous. They already finished all the available frozen breastmilk of their Aunt Xiulan which was their favourite. Their father, Lu Zihao, was hoping that they would start losing weight after their aunt's breastmilk ran out, but the opposite happened. They actually got fatter while consuming pure formula milk.
"Won't they become obese at this rate?" Meimei asked in concern.
Iris was also concerned about it. "Big Sister Jinjing plans to reduce their milk intake but Grandpa Lu says not to worry about it too much. He showed us photos of Big Brother Zihao when he was a baby and he was fatter than the twins."
"Really?" Meimei laughed out loud. "I want to see his baby pictures, too! Ugh. I'm so sad that I missed out on so many things. I also haven't chatted with Dom for a while because he says that he's also very busy."
Iris: "Yes, Dom is very busy organizing my schedule and running errands for me and my businesses, especially now that I'm in the middle of recording my new album."
Meimei: "Ah, so that's why. Dom is my main source of gossip but now that he's too busy, I'm so behind everything!"
Iris: "It's fine. Once LXC Studio obtains the IP adaptation rights for your webtoon, we'll be closely working together by then."
Meimei: "Oh, right! I almost forgot!"
Iris: "What is it?"
Meimei: "Did I already tell you that I based my female lead on you?"
Iris: "Yes, you already told me that a long time ago."
Meimei: "So...uhm, do you think you can play the female lead in the adaptation?"
Iris was genuinely surprised. She laughed but Meimei's silence made her realize that her friend was serious.
"Meimei, I'm a musician, not an actress," Iris said, her tone turning serious.
"I know, but I really want you to play the female lead," Meimei said in an equally serious tone.
Both of them fell silent.
In the end, Iris could only say, "Let me think about it first, okay?"
"Okay!" Meimei regained her enthusiasm. "Don't worry, I'm not pressuring you. But think about it. I based the female lead on you, so if you decide to play the character, don't you think that it's basically just playing a version of yourself? Well, yes, the female lead has a dark side that is quite scary, but I think you can handle it. For the most part, the female lead is charismatic and straightforward like you. Just take acting lessons again if you're still feeling unsure especially when playing the female lead's dark side. To be honest, I can't imagine anyone playing the female lead besides you. I've written and drawn the webtoon for so long that my image of the female lead has already been cemented based on you."
Iris: "LXC Studio is planning to sign Yin Meixing. She's a great actress. Why don't you let her play the female lead?"
Meimei: "Really? You're signing her? I love her as the mother in 'Strong Yet Broken'. I would also love for her to act in the adaptation for my webtoon but I don't think she's suitable as the female lead. She's a great actress, but please excuse my rudeness, her visual impact is not very strong especially when compared to someone like you. My female lead has to be visually stunning that she can make people speechless just from her beauty alone."
Iris: "Fine, I'll think about it."
Meimei: "Yay!"
Iris: "But don't get your hopes up. I already told you that I'm not an actress. Even my previous acting coach criticized my acting skills."
Meimei: "That's okay. If you can't really do it, then I'll trust LXC Studio to find a suitable replacement. But I still have the final say! I want to include that clause in the contract."
Iris: "Okay."
The friends chatted for a few more minutes before ending the phone call.
Iris sighed and massaged her forehead. Jin Liwei took over. He laid her down on his lap and massaged her head, earning a contented moan from her.
"I think you can do it," Jin Liwei said all of a sudden.
"You think so?" she asked.
"Have you read the webtoon?"
"Of course."
"I also read it," he said.
She raised an eyebrow. "You? Really?"
He sighed. "Ketchup loves it. She and Dom apparently always read the latest updates together. Then Ketchup shares her opinions about the chapters with me at work."
Iris laughed. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
An adorable child's voice interjected, "The cute and mighty Ketchup loves Auntie Meimei's webtoon, Mommy! It's super-duper to the highest level exciting! Ketchup also loves discussing the latest chapters with my daddy. Right, Daddy? Meow~"
"En."
Jin Liwei agreed even though he couldn't really call it a discussion. It was more like Ketchup's one-sided fan-girling monologue than an open discussion between the two of them.
Sometimes, he would listen, but more often than not, he would let his cat AI daughter gush about the webtoon while he continued working in his office. But even when he wasn't actively listening, he would still catch up on the most important plot points and the most thrilling scenes thanks to Ketchup's nonstop excitement.
This was how Jin Liwei became more updated about Meimei's webtoon than his wife.
Iris couldn't help but laugh louder in amusement. As for her, she would read the webtoon now and then, but it wasn't really a priority for her.
To be honest, she only read the beginning chapters which was already a long time ago. She would intermittently check the latest updates but because she hadn't been following the story, she would always feel lost about what happened in between.
Now that Meimei expressed her hope for her to play the female lead, Iris decided that it was time to read the entire webtoon from the beginning to the latest chapters.
Chapter 1489 Yin Meixing Joins the LXC Studio Family
Unlike the contracts with Ren Jiyu and the national shooting team which took a long time due to the National Athletes Association's interference, LXC Studio managed to finalize the contract with Yin Meixing without any delays.
Since Yin Meixing was now considered a free agent after her management company became bankrupt, she had the sole authority to decide for herself. She didn't make any excessive demands, only requesting to have the final say when it came to choosing work obligations.
LXC Studio immediately agreed and even offered her the highest-level contract that they could offer. If she signed it, she would immediately become LXC Studio's most important managed talent besides Jin Chonglin and Iris Long.
But Jin Chonglin and Iris Long both had additional identities in the company. Besides being the company's flagship artists, they were also the co-owners of LXC Studio with CEO Jin Liwei.
Being on the same level as the co-owners of the company flattered Yin Meixing. It was then that she realized LXC Studio's sincerity. She didn't hesitate and agreed to sign with the company.
LXC Studio arranged a lavish signing ceremony for Yin Meixing which was many times more extravagant than when they signed Ren Jiyu and the national shooting team. All the major media outlets were invited.
This time, all the company owners were present.
Jin Chonglin arrived first followed by the power couple, Iris Long and CEO Jin Liwei.
When they arrived, the cameras flashed nonstop.
Lin Dong, LXC Studio's Chief of Talent Management and Jin Chonglin's long-time manager, was present alongside Tang Yiyi, the Deputy Chief of Talent Management and also Iris Long's manager.
The emcee began the ceremony by welcoming everyone and introducing the important administrative figures in LXC Studio. Then he finally welcomed the star of today's signing ceremony.
"Let us all stand up and give the warmest welcome to the incredibly talented international-award-winning Best Actress, YIN MEIXING!!!"
Everyone stood up and clapped their hands.
Yin Meixing, now looking more sophisticated, appeared and walked toward the stage. She wore a charming smile as she waved at everyone. When she reached the stage, she headed toward Iris first.
Iris held out her hand to shake but Yin Meixing pulled her into a tight hug instead.
"Thank you," Yin Meixing whispered in her ear.
Iris smiled and patted her back. "No, thank YOU for choosing our LXC Studio."
They had no time to chat for too long. Yin Meixing gave Iris' arms a final squeeze before shaking hands with Jin Liwei, Jin Chonglin, Lin Dong, Tang Yiyi and the other executives of LXC Studio.
Before the actual contract signing, Jin Chonglin made a quick but impassioned speech about how LXC Studio welcomes Yin Meixing as part of their family. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Iris spoke next.
"I first met Yin Meixing at the set of the film 'Strong Yet Broken'. I visited the set while they were filming so that I could better understand the emotions of the characters and incorporate them into my compositions for the film's soundtrack. I've witnessed firsthand how hardworking and dedicated Yin Meixing is when it comes to work. She immerses herself in her character. She doesn't simply channel the character. She becomes the character. It's amazing! I've always admired her acting skills. And now I'm extremely ecstatic and grateful that she chose LXC Studio as her next home. We will do our best to provide her with the best opportunities that we can offer, and hopefully, we can cooperate for a long time."
Finally, Yin Meixing shared her feelings about signing with LXC Studio.
"First of all, thank you everyone for coming today. I don't consider myself an A-lister. I'm just a simple actress who wants to work hard on improving my craft, and hopefully, the audience will love my portrayals of the characters I play. I've been in this industry for a long time, but for so many years since my debut, nobody knew who I was. I always played extras and struggled every day. But I love my job, so despite the lacklustre opportunities, I never gave up.
"It was only when I auditioned for an indie film that I was finally cast as the female lead. I was so excited, but our production encountered several financial issues. We almost gave up on the project due to helplessness, but the story was just too beautiful to let go.
"Then all of a sudden, a musician by the name of Iris Long entered the picture as the composer of our film's soundtrack. Shortly after her involvement with our film, a new company named LX Productions invested a large amount of money and solved all our financial issues. It turned out that CEO Jin was the owner of LX Productions. He only invested in us because of Iris Long. They weren't married yet at that time."
Everyone laughed at her anecdote. Not many knew about this story.
The reporters were already busy writing on their laptops and notepads, spinning Yin Meixing's anecdote as a fairy tale love story between the celebrity Iris Long and CEO Jin Liwei.
Yin Meixing continued, "To be honest with you, we didn't have the best impression of Iris Long. But after working with her, we learned that everything said about her on the web before wasn't true at all! She says that I'm hardworking and dedicated. I'll also say that she's the same. I can tell you right here, right now, that Iris Long is one of the most genuine people that I've ever met in my entire life.
"I also consider her as my lucky charm. Because let's be honest, without her amazing soundtrack and the investment of CEO Jin's LX Productions, then the film 'Strong Yet Broken' wouldn't even reach the heights it did at the Sommet International Film Festival. Then I wouldn't have won the Best Actress Award and gained widespread recognition. All the blessings that I'm enjoying right now is, in a big part, attributed to Iris Long. I trust her, and so I also trust her company."
She faced Iris, Jin Liwei, Jin Chonglin and the other company executives.
"Thank you for welcoming me to LXC Studio. I promise to work hard and prove to you that you didn't make a mistake in signing me today."
Chapter 1490 We Got It
After the contract signing, LXC Studio also threw a celebratory lunch for Yin Meixing at a five-star hotel's banquet hall. LXC Studio's other signed talents attended as well. The most notable ones include:
PandemoniumâBlaze, Eros, Night, and Thunderâcame. They were the original signed artists to join LXC Studio. They followed their senior sister, Iris Long, and manager, Tang Yiyi, from Bright Summit Entertainment Company.
Ren Jiyu and the national shooting team were also present. They were only recently signed, but their popularity kept on increasing. They were frequent guests at variety shows and talk shows. Ren Jiyu, in particular, was a massive favourite. He was now even scheduled to join a TV drama crew shortly for a cameo role. It might not be a significant role, but it was expected to give his showbiz career a great boost.
Some trainees joined in the fun. They hadn't debuted yet, but watching their seniors' successful careers made them feel hopeful about their own future careers in showbiz.
Unlike other companies who bled trainees dry, LXC Studio was quite humane. Of course, it was strict when it came to training themâwhich was a givenâbut the remuneration that they would receive once they debuted was the best they could find in the industry. As long as they persevered and worked hard, then their time to shine on the stage would come soon. They couldn't wait for that glorious moment to come.
An important guest appeared midway through the celebratory lunch. Guan Jintao, the blind Paralympian gold medalist whose story was the one that the film "Strong Yet Broken" was based on, unexpectedly came to join as well.
"Mr. Guan!" Yin Meixing was excited when she saw him. "I'm so glad that you accepted my invitation to come today!"
Guan Jintao smiled behind his sunglasses. His family member guided him to the same table as Yin Meixing, Iris, and the others.
"I apologize for being late," he said. "I wanted to come on time but my health is not that great anymore. There are so many tiny little aches and pains here and there when you're getting old."
Iris stepped forward to greet him with her husband and said, "You should've told us that you were coming so that we could've sent a car to pick you up."
"Thank you, but I'm fine. There's no need to treat me with too much of a special care. I just came to extend my congratulations in person to our Meixing who immortalized my mother in the film. Even if I die now, I'll always be forever grateful to all of you for letting the world know about my mother's sacrifices so that I can succeed despite my disability. I know that she's watching us from the other side and feels so proud."
Some people who heard him teared up.
Now that Guan Jintao came, the party became livelier. Others could see that the interactions between Iris Long, Yin Meixing, and Guan Jintao were very natural.
They might have doubted Yin Meixing because she was an actress, but they wouldn't doubt Guan Jintao. He had no reason to pretend to be on good terms with anyone. He was already a legend in his own right who brought glory to the country with a gold medal in the Paralympics.
While everyone enjoyed the party and interacted with each other, Lin Dong and Jin Liwei received a call at the same time on their phones. The two of them excused themselves to answer their respective phone calls.
Jin Liwei was the first to return after a few minutes. Nobody could discern anything from his stoic expression but Iris could sense his excitement.
Before she could ask him, she saw Lin Dong jogging at them. His excitement was almost bursting out.
"What happened?" Jin Chonglin asked his manager.
"We got it!" Lin Dong announced.
Jin Chonglin frowned. "We got what?"
"The IP adaptation rights to Princess Porkchop's webtoon, 'Queen of the Shadows'. We got it!!!" n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Iris' eyes widened. She turned to look at her husband.
He nodded. His expression was no longer stoic. There was now a slight smile on his lips.
Before she could express her own excitement, Dom ran to her with her phone.
"It's my twin sis, Meimei!" he announced.
It was now Iris' turn to excuse herself with her phone.
"Hello, Meimei?!"
The answer she got was a long, loud scream.
Iris removed the phone from her ear or else she would become deaf from her friend's screams.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Xiulan, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!!!"
Finally, Meimei calmed down. Or at least calmed down enough to stop trying to make Iris' ears bleed.
Meimei: "Did you hear about it? Xiulan, did you get the news?!"
Iris laughed. "Yes, I did. We got the rights to adapt your webtoon."
Meimei: "I'm so happy! You don't know how much I fought in your favour. My publisher was leaning toward accepting Bright Summit's offer, but I insisted on wanting to sell to LXC Studio. Good thing that your husband sent his assistant to help negotiate. It's a done deal! Yay!"
Dom heard the conversation. He started jumping around and dancing in victory.
"Congrats, Twin Sis! Congrats, Boss!"
Meimei also heard him. "Thank you, Twin Bro! This is the best news that I've received today!"
Iris was also happy. "This day calls for another celebration. Do you have time to join us here for lunch? I'll send Dom to pick you up."
Meimei's voice wilted. "Urgh! I don't have time! I still have a deadline to meet! I've earned so much money from my webtoon but I don't have time to even spend on anything. Wuwuwuwuwu! I'm so pitiful."
Dom leaned towards the phone. "That's okay, Twin Sis. I'll pack up some delicious food for you here and deliver them to you later."
Iris nodded in approval.
"Thanks, Twin Bro. Thanks, Xiulan. Oh no! I have to go back to drawing! See you later. Bye!"
The phone call ended.
Iris shook her head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Meimei was indeed pitiful. She couldn't even enjoy the fruits of her labour.
She and Dom returned to the party. Everyone was curious about what happened, but Iris and the others didn't reveal anything.
It would be a secret until the time to announce arrived.