Chapter 1511 Liberté Launches (Part I)
Before the French magnate could continue lecturing his wife, Iris Long and Jin Liwei's group finally arrived at the launch party.
Walking beside the couple was Sir Lu Jianhong, one of the original founders of Jin Corporation. The superstar Jin Chonglin, CEO Liam Jin's younger brother, also came with his current girlfriend.
The guests heard that Jin Chonglin's current girlfriend was the Chief Operating Officer of Madame Jin's other company.
The female guests took a not-so-subtle look at Chen Fei.
Their expressions said that they didn't think much of her appearance. Based on physical appearance alone, she certainly didn't match up to Jin Chonglin.
However, those who weren't quick to judge based on appearance alone could sense that the woman was as sharp as an ice pick. Her eyes didn't waver despite the judgmental gazes directed toward her.
Like Iris Long, natural confidence oozed from the woman named Chen Fei.
Maybe this was the reason why the playboy superstar, Jin Chonglin, fell for a rather plain-looking woman. She was different from his exes, that was for sure.
There was also another rather plain-looking woman coming in with the group. She was Yin Meixing, Liberté's first female ambassador besides Madame Jin. She came with her manager.
Most of the guests attending today were frequent attendees of the yearly Sommet International Film Festival. The year when the Chinese film, "Strong Yet Broken", won so many awards was probably the first time that they heard about Iris Long.
She hadn't married CEO Jin yet at that time, but they were already together. Some remembered that it was the first time that the couple revealed their relationship to the public.
It was reported that CEO Jin created an independent film production company just to support his girlfriend at that time who signed a contract to make the soundtrack for the indie film about the life story of a Chinese Paralympian's mother.
In the end, "Strong Yet Broken" broke through to become that year's dark horse. Iris Long also won the Best Soundtrack Award for her work in the film.
Similarly, Yin Meixing, the woman who played the film's female lead, the Chinese Paralympian's mother, also won the most-coveted Best Actress Award.
This must be why despite looking rather plain in appearance, especially when standing beside the drop-dead gorgeous Iris Long, Yin Meixing carried herself with a kind of quiet elegance and confidence.
She might look plain at first glance, but the more one looked at her, the more beautiful she appeared. She was that kind of subtle beauty.
As the owner of Liberté, Iris Long, now Madame Jin, took the initiative in greeting all the guests. Liberté's CEO, Clover Chua, joined her in welcoming everyone before the official start of the launch party.
CEO Liam Jin, Iris Long's billionaire husband and the one who apparently bought the bankrupted Sang Bleu before gifting it to his beloved wife, took on the role of loyal escort, accompanying her wherever she went. He also allowed her to lead the conversations and only spoke when asked directly.
He was definitely different from most of the billionaires who loved being the star of the show and only regarded their wives/girlfriends/mistresses as arm candies.
Due to his cue of letting his wife take the lead, the others followed suit and spoke directly to Madame Jin.
The guests who weren't familiar with her kept their opinions to themselves.
No matter what they thought about her, she was still a billionaire's wife and the host of today's event.
This party wasn't just for launching a rebranded perfumery, it was a highly sought-after networking event for the members of high society's top of the pyramid.
In addition, the legendary Sir Lu Jianhong introduced Iris Long as his beloved disciple. Once they heard him say this, their attitudes toward Iris Long instantly became many times better. Nôv(el)B\\jnn
After personally greeting the guests, Iris' group headed to their own tables. Grandpa Lu joined his old friends at a nearby table instead.
"My big bro didn't come today?" Clover asked.
"Dom volunteered to stay home to watch the twins with the nannies," Iris replied. "Little Mochi refused to let me and his dad leave, so Dom had to step in and try to distract him. Little Matcha is fine, but you know Little Mochi when he gets clingy."
Clover nodded. She was about to comment, but her assistant gestured at her from near the stage. Glancing at her wristwatch, she gasped a little. "Boss, it's almost time!"
"Go on, then. Let's start on time." Iris smiled, excitement glittering in her eyes.
Clover beamed at her before hurrying to follow her assistant. The ushers gently led everyone back to their assigned tables.
This time, Ashandra Knightson arrived by herself, instantly redirecting all the attention to her.
She was a famous living artist known for her genius integration of various traditional and newly invented art forms. Another thing that she was famous for besides being a best-selling genius artist was her beauty.
Various men had attempted to pursue her, even after knowing that she was a divorcée, but nobody succeeded. Sure, she would occasionally date someone, but these relationships remained mostly casual and none of them developed into something more.
The guests watched as Ashandra Knightson followed the usher who guided her directly to the same table as Iris Long and CEO Liam Jin.
A few were aware that Iris Long and Ashandra Knightson were good friends, especially those who were connected to Cross Academy, but most of the guests weren't aware of this fact.
They thought that Ashandra Knightson came because of CEO Jin's connections.
Unfortunately, their expectations were dashed as Ashandra greeted Iris Long, giving her a tight hug. The two acted like sisters. She barely noticed CEO Jin beside Iris Long.
"Am I late?" Ashandra asked as she sat down beside Iris.
"No, you're just in time," Iris told her. "Clover is doing a last-minute check backstage before starting the launch."
Ashandra let out a relieved sigh. "I'm sorry for not getting ready on time. I must have been drunker than I thought last night. I didn't want you to be late waiting for me to finish getting ready, so I let you leave earlier."
Chapter 1512 Liberté Launches (Part II)
"Don't worry about it," Iris said. "I'm already happy you came to see me here in Paris. You attending my perfumery's launch party today is just a bonus."
Ashandra smiled at her.
Their chat was interrupted when Clover stepped on the small stage and called for everyone's attention in French.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Clover Chua and I am Liberté's Chief Operating Officer. On behalf of our beautiful owner, Madame Iris Long, and everyone on our team, I welcome you all to Liberté!"
Everyone clapped their hands.
Clover thanked the guests for coming. She also spoke about the company's origins as the former Sang Bleu, the perfume maker for European royalty and aristocrats, and how their rebranding would foster more inclusivity instead of exclusivity.
"Of course, this doesn't mean that Liberté makes cheap perfumes marketed to just anyone. That's not the case at all. We strive to maintain the original brand's classic elegance while accepting clients who wish to wear our fragrances regardless of their backgrounds.
"Here in Liberté, we believe that a person's true worth is not based on status upon birth but on personal achievements instead. We believe in integrity, authenticity, confidence, courage, and freedom to pursue our passions. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"As a Liberté customer, our fragrances will be a tool to augment your success, whatever your definition of success is. We hope that one day, our Liberté fragrances will become synonymous with successâinclusive success. Because...here in our company, our motto is 'Respecting traditions, working toward progress. We are Liberté!'
"Thank you very much!"
Clover ended her speech amidst a standing ovation.
Iris was the first one to stand up. Of course, her husband, Jin Liwei, followed her to stand up almost simultaneously. The others followed the couple's lead and stood up as well, clapping, and cheering for Clover's wonderful speech.
"Clover did an excellent job, don't you think?" Iris asked.
"En." Jin Liwei said but his soft gaze was directed at his wife, not at Clover or anyone else.
Ashandra, who was watching them, snickered. Still, she commented, "Clover's French has improved a lot. The last time I met her, she could barely speak French."
"She has worked very hard to reach where she is now," Iris said proudly. "She told me that it was very difficult to integrate into French society at the beginning, but she never gave up. She followed through with my directive and succeeded with flying colours. All the values that she spoke of in her speech are values that she and her family all possess. That's why I think that she's perfect to lead Liberté."
Ashandra nodded, agreeing with her. "By the way, Xiulan, has Liberté been approved to join our academy's exclusive business network yet?"
"Yes," Iris said. "Liberté's approval was faster this time because Orchidia was already a member. Actually, Liberté is technically a subsidiary of Orchidia, but because of its origins as the former Sang Blue, Cross Academy's exclusive business network treated it as a completely separate company and required me to do a new application for it."
"I see. That's good, then. I was going to offer to become one of Liberté's references for its application, but if it's already a member, then there's no need."
Iris smiled and squeezed her friend's arm in gratitude. "What do you mean there's no need? I'll definitely ask you next time, Ashandra. You're not allowed to reject me! Grandpa Lu, AJ, and Amanpio were my references for Liberté's application because they were involved in helping me with it in one way or another."
Ashandra chuckled. "Alright, Xiulan. I'll be waiting for you to ask me next time."
They were interrupted by Clover calling Iris to the stage.
"Now please help me welcome our beautiful owner and the brains behind Liberté, Madame Iris Long!"
Jin Liwei was the first one to clap this time. He offered his arm to Iris. She took it. Then he escorted her to the stage, helping her up so she didn't trip, and waiting for her dutifully by the steps. He did everything smoothly while staying in the background, allowing his wife to take the spotlight every step of the way.
Iris smiled at Clover who handed her the microphone.
Standing on this stage felt different than any other stage that she stood in before. The stage was simple, small, and not very high. However, it somehow felt grander.
This must be because this was the first time that Iris was officially launching a business internationally. The faces watching her from below were also all in a different league compared to when she launched Orchidia Beauty back then.
The guests today belonged to the true game makers in the world. Of course, the ones who attended today were only a small percentage, but this was already a good start. In the future, her businesses would also become more renowned, as she was determined to also grow more powerful and influential in her own right.
This kind of feeling, where the whole world felt like it was within her grasp, was something that she had never experienced before in her past life as Evelina Vetrova.
It was an amazing feeling, so liberating!
She loved every second of it.
Most importantly, she glanced at the man standing below the stage, waiting for her, always staying by her side no matter what. The look of love in her husband's eyes was unmistakable, and so was the pride.
He looked so proud watching her achieve all of her dreams one by one as if they were also his own dreams.
Iris lifted the mic close to her lips and spoke.
"I won't waste your time with a long, boring speech, especially after listening to COO Chua's wonderful words. She explained Liberté's mission, vision, and core values very well.
"But I still want to say three important things.
"First, I want to thank my family and friendsâespecially my husband for always being there for me and supporting my endeavours no matter what. Our children, for giving me endless joy and the motivation to become the best version of myself all the time. To my loved ones, thank you very much!"
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Chapter 1513 Liberté Launches (Part III)
Iris continued, "Second, I want to thank each and every one of you for coming today. Your time and effort mean so much to us here at Liberté. I hope that you'll all enjoy our brand-new fragrances and find something that suits you.
"And finally, I promise that Liberté will continue to formulate high-quality yet sustainable fragrances that embody our company's mission, vision, and core values. Traditions are something we respect but don't allow to constrain us. We'll always work toward progress for a sustainable future.
"Once again, as the owner of Liberté, thank you very much! Please enjoy!"
Jin Liwei led the applause for his wife. Grandpa Lu, Ashandra Knightson, and the members of their group all stood up while clapping, leading the others to do the same.
Iris didn't leave the stage yet. Instead, she called Clover to stand beside her. Then she spoke to the audience once again.
"And now, let me introduce you to our brand-new Liberté fragrances!
"First up is my signature fragrance which I named 'Eve'. It has a delicate yet lingering scent that will instantly make you memorable to every person you meet. It is elegant and feminine, clean and fresh. Yet underneath all of these, it exudes confidence and hidden power. It is my signature fragrance for a reason.
"We've tested 'Eve' on various people and found out that each individual will smell slightly different. This molecular-level technology allows the fragrance to adjust itself to your own physiology. It will never become too overpowering regardless of how much you spray it on yourself. This is the time that less is more is definitely better. It is very close to having a custom-made perfume just for you without actually ordering a perfume customized for you.
"For this reason, 'Eve' can also become your signature scent without you smelling exactly the same as me or the person who has the same perfume. In short, 'Eve' will make you smell like the best version of yourself all the time!"
A pretty biracial modelâChinese-Frenchâwheeled a tray containing different bottles of the "Eve" perfume. The bottles were in different sizes and shapes depending on the concentrations. There were six in total.
The first one was the regular perfume with 30% strength which Iris took from the pretty biracial model and spritzed it on herself in front of everyone.
The second one was Eau de Perfume with 15% strength.
The third one was Eau de Toilette with 10% strength.
The fourth one was Eau de Cologne with 4% strength.
The fifth one was Eau Fraiche with 2.5% strength.
And finally, perfume oil with 20% strength. Clover took this and showed everyone how to apply it to her pulse points.
The large monitor beside the stage showed a video advertisement featuring Iris Long playing the piano on top of a glassy lake on the eve of a full moon.
She wore a long white dress, flowing around the contours of her hourglass figure. Her smooth skin shone under the moonlight which seemed to glow even more as the melody reached crescendo.
Then she stopped playing. The sound of water was relaxing, yet her very presence alone suggested that there was a powerful presence underneath the deceptively calm lake.
She bent down and touched the lake's surface with her fingers. As she lifted her hand up, she fished out a perfume bottle of "Eve". She caressed it and sprayed it on herself.
The lake's surface trembled. Then large waves suddenly rushed upward, enveloping Iris Long and the grand piano.
After a tense moment, the waves broke apart, revealing Iris Long. This time, she was now wearing a vibrant red dress. The full moon was nowhere to be seen in the night sky, but instead, her phoenix eyes appeared to glow like moonlight.
She seemed to stare at the audience's soul, before speaking in a low, sultry voice.
"Become the best version of yourself, 'Eve' by Liberté".
The advertisement ended.
"Bravo!" Ashandra Knightson cheered, surprising many.
Ashandra wasn't known for being lively in public. In fact, she had a cold and mysterious reputation which many attributed to her eccentricity as a genius artist. It was very rare for people to see her appearing cheerful in front of so many people.
"Bravo, my girl! Bahahaha! As expected of my disciple!" Grandpa Lu's proud voice boomed next.
In comparison, CEO Jin's applause appeared tame, but his expression betrayed the pride he felt for his wife. The clear doting in his eyes made some of the wives/girlfriends/lovers among the guests envious.
Now they could see that CEO Jin was a man truly in love with his wife. The way he looked at her right now was like someone who looked at his entire world.
How enviable!
Iris nodded in approval, her lips arched in a pleased smile. This was also the first time that she watched the full, edited ad. It was beautifully done. Bravo, indeed.
"Thank you very much," she said.
"Next, please help me introduce our first female ambassador besides me, the international award-winning actress, Yin Meixing!"
The spotlight shone on the woman. She stood up amongst the applause and walked lightly yet confidently up the stage.
This time, Jin Liwei stepped back and allowed an usher to help Yin Meixing up the stage instead. Although his wife normally wouldn't mind, he refused to touch another woman no matter how innocent the interaction was.
He didn't want others who were watching to make up stories about him and another woman. He only belonged to one woman alone, and that was his wife. Being linked to another woman was out of the question!
Clover led Yin Meixing to stand centre stage beside Iris. Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Yin Meixing might look rather plain at first glance, but she didn't lose out in aura standing beside the drop-dead gorgeous and charismatic Iris Long. She exuded calmness and confidence that made people want to like her.
Iris continued, "I chose Yin Meixing to endorse our regular perfume for females because I believe that her calm, peaceful, and dignified character is the perfect personification of serenity. This perfume, 'Sérénité', is light and calming. It's dreamy, yet still classy and feminine at the same time."
Chapter 1514 Liberté Launches (Part IV)
"If you are a woman who wants relief from the stresses of life, then this perfume is perfect for you. It will help you find an inner balance by incorporating aromatherapy wherever you go, while at the same time, making you smell amazing. In time, not only will you radiate calmness, but the people around you will also feel calmer," Iris said.
"Of course, its aromatherapy properties are only secondary. The main purpose of 'Sérénité' will remain as perfume. Whether you believe in aromatherapy or not, 'Sérénité' is perfect for the calm, peaceful, and dignified woman like Yin Meixing!"
Like before, the pretty biracial model wheeled the "Sérénité" perfume set with six different types according to concentration. Unlike the boldly beautiful glass bottle design of Iris' signature fragrance, "Eve", the bottle design for "Sérénité" is simpler yet still elegant.
Yin Meixing took the regular perfume bottle from the pretty biracial model and sprayed it on herself.
Both Iris and Clover also took a different perfume type from the presentation tray and held it for the audience to see. This time, though, they didn't apply it on themselves because they already smelled like "Eve".
Iris then handed the microphone to Yin Meixing.
"Thank you very much, Madame Iris Long and Mademoiselle Clover Chua for entrusting me with this amazing responsibility as your first female ambassador for your regular perfume line," Yin Meixing said in Mandarin Chinese.
Iris translated her words into French for the audience.
Yin Meixing continued, "I feel very much honoured to be the face of 'Sérénité' fragrance. For me, the most important is taking things one step at a time. I'm also an ambitious person, but I'm not the type to take bold risks all the time. I prefer to be consistent, prioritizing my inner peace at all costs. If you're a woman like me, then I hope that you also enjoy 'Sérénité' as much as I do.
"I've also personally tested the aromatherapy benefits of 'Sérénité'. It's true! It really does help me in calming my nerves. The effects are, of course, not instant. It's more of a gradual effect. I like comparing it to when you're drinking a cup of chamomile tea. In fact, I've been told that one of the most important ingredients in formulating this perfume is derived from the chamomile plant.
"I love that this perfume is not overpowering. It's very subtle, perfect for someone like me who has a more steady personality. It's perfect for everyday wear. I also love its name, 'Sérénité'. I think it's something that we all wish we could haveâa serene state of mindâespecially in today's world where everyone seems to be hustling and bustling just to survive.
"Once again, thank you to Madame Iris Long and Mademoiselle Clover Chua for giving me this opportunity. I also want to thank everyone for coming all the way here in Paris today. Please enjoy 'Sérénité'! And I hope that you'll also attain a more serene state of mind just like me."
Iris finished interpreting Yin Meixing's speech in French. The guests gave a warm round of applause.
Then the large monitor beside the stage played a new video advertisement. This time, it featured Yin Meixing working in a film set. Once the director yelled "Cut", she snapped out of her character. She waved goodbye to her co-stars, the director, and the other staff, while her assistants surrounded her.
One person put a coat over her shoulders. Another gave her a water bottle with a straw to drink. The scene changed. Yin Meixing was now posing for a magazine cover. Next, she was hurrying to attend the red carpet for a movie premiere.
At the end of her work day, she went home. Once she closed her front door, all the noise stopped.
Quiet settled in.
She removed her makeup, showered, and put on pyjamas. She felt exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open.
Then she saw a gift box on her dressing table with Liberté's logo on it. She opened it and took out a bottle of 'Sérénité' perfume.
She sprayed it on and fell asleep on her soft bed with a peaceful smile on her face.
The sun rose.
She woke up with a smile. Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Another busy day, but this time, the pace was visibly slowed down. She was able to enjoy small moments of quiet in between rushing to the next job.
As she climbed on the steps of a private jet, she looked at the camera and said, "Find your inner peace, 'Sérénité' by Liberté."
Another warm round of applause.
"Well done on the ad," Iris whispered to Yin Meixing while everyone clapped their hands.
Yin Meixing couldn't stop smiling. This was also the first time that she watched the full, edited advertisement. It looked so classy, definitely a league higher than any endorsements that she had ever done before.
"Thank you, Iris," she whispered, her voice a bit shaky.
Iris held her hand and squeezed it. "You're the perfect ambassador for 'Sérénité'. Thank you for accepting this endorsement for Liberté."
"There's no way that I'll miss out on this kind of exciting offer."
The two women laughed.
Iris spoke through the microphone again.
"And now, please help me welcome our first male ambassador, the one and the only JIN CHONGLIN!!!"
The applause this time was overwhelming. The guests stood up one by one, not waiting for other people's lead. They all did it on their own accord.
A superstar was indeed different.
Jin Chonglin kissed his girlfriend in the mouth in front of everyone. Since this was in France, nobody batted an eye at his actions.
However, there were plenty of female guests who cast envious eyes on Chen Fei as Jin Chonglin left her and walked to the stage.
Jin Chonglin paused by the steps to offer a fist bump to his elder brother.
Jin Liwei glanced down at his younger brother's fist before reluctantly returning the fist bump. They were in front of other people. It was not good to embarrass his own brother in public.
Jin Chonglin beamed, acting as if he achieved something big from this tiny action with his brother.
Jin Liwei, on the other hand, fought the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he focused on his beautiful wife standing gloriously on the stage.
Ah, yes. His wife was the best.
Always.
Chapter 1515 Liberté Launches (Part V)
Jin Chonglin arrived on the stage and stood beside Iris Long with Yin Meixing on Iris' other side.
Tang Yiyi requested during yesterday's rehearsal that he and Yin Meixing never stand beside each other. He didn't take offence because he knew about his playboy reputation. In fact, he agreed with Manager Tang's request.
Now that he was in a relationship with Chen Fei, he didn't want to become romantically linked to another woman anymore. Besides being constantly threatened that he would be castrated by his girlfriend, Jin Chonglin himself took the initiative to avoid unnecessary interactions with other women.
The Jin Chonglin today was completely different from the old Jin Chonglin.
And it was clear that he had changed because of his girlfriend, Chen Fei.
Other people might not believe in his loyalty, but he would all show them!
Hmph!
He was a superstar. There was nothing that he, Prince Lin Lin, couldn't do once he put his mind to it.
If he could become a superstar, then he could also be a loyal lover!
Even Chen Fei didn't completely believe in him. Hmph! He would show her, the nerve of the woman!
Despite his thoughts, Jin Chonglin showed everyone a professional smile, showcasing to everyone why he was a superstar. His every movement was designed to attract attention.
Below the stage, by the steps, Jin Liwei watched his younger brother preening like a peacock in front of everyone on the stage.
The image reminded him of his eldest twin son, Little Mochi, who loved showing off.
He couldn't help but sigh. Jin Liwei hoped that Little Mochi wouldn't grow up into a playboy like his Uncle Lin Lin. If he did, then Jin Liwei wouldn't care how old the boy would be at that time, he would smack Little Mochi's butt for playing with girls' feelings.
Just imagining the possibility was enough to give Jin Liwei a headache. Being a parent sure wasn't easy, even for a powerful billionaire CEO like him.
Once again, he focused his eyes on his beautiful wife on the stage, deliberately ignoring his younger brother. His wife had always been a sight for sore eyes.
He relaxed after staring at his wife.
The others who were observing him deepened their conclusions that CEO Liam Jin was truly hopelessly in love with his wife. Just look at him ogling Madame Jin in front of everyone.
If he and Madame Jin had been strangers instead, then he might even be arrested for the way he looked at her.
Some men even felt embarrassed for him. The women, however, felt envious of Iris Long.
At the moment, both Iris Long and Chen Fei became the objects of envy for most of the female guests at the launch party. They wished that their men would also look at them like how the Jin brothers looked at their lovers.
Back on the stage, Iris waited until the applause died down before talking about Jin Chonglin and the perfume for males that he was endorsing.
"I chose Jin Chonglin to become the face of our first perfume for males not because he's my brother-in-lawâ"
Her words caused a chuckle among the audience.
"âbut because he's Jin Chonglin, an icon in the music, acting, and modelling industries, whose influence is undeniable across the globe. A superstar like him is not afraid to explore new things, not shy to exercise his creativity, and is always ready to take on new challenges.
"That's why I think that he's the perfect face for our brand-new perfume for males, 'Vaillance'! This fragrance, 'Vaillance', is bold and strong yet clean and cool at the same time. It's the type that will grab your attention right away but will continue to attract you, making you want to know more about the person.
"In addition, 'Vaillance' isn't just mere perfume. It also functions as a fresh body deodorant that neutralizes any bad odours through our patented molecular-level technology. Our clinical studies reveal amazing results! Although 'Vaillance' won't stop you from sweating, it will leave you smelling fresh for up to 24 hours with just a one-time application.
"But even without the deodorant function, 'Vaillance' is perfect for a man like Jin Chonglin who's always confidently brave in anything he does. This is a fragrance that definitely makes a good first impression."
Everyone clapped their hands. Many felt interested in the deodorant function.
The Cross Academy alumni were especially intrigued. They couldn't wait for the speeches to end so that they could ask Iris or Clover about the interesting features of each of the three perfumes.
Jin Chonglin took the microphone from Iris.
He smiled, sending a couple of guests swooning from his overwhelming charisma.
Fortunately, most of the guests here had etiquette training. It wasn't easy for them to lose decorum in public.
He spoke in English. Iris didn't bother translating his words into French. Most of the people here could understand English, anyway.
"Thank you to my sister-in-law, Chairman Iris Long, and to COO Clover Chua...."
He thanked a bunch of important people and talked about "Vaillance", tempting everyone to buy it.
Honestly, Iris was impressed by how much he could bullsh*t and make it sound so appealing. Although "Vaillance" was truly impressive, the way Jin Chonglin talked about it just made it sound like the fountain of youth. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
And based on the audience's reactions, they believed him!
Iris swore that she would surpass Jin Chonglin one day. Not because she wanted to spout bullsh*t to other people, but because she wanted to reach the highest level as a celebrity.
This had been one of her dreams for so long.
It was also the original Long Xiulan's dreamâfor many people from all over the world to love and admire her.
Iris swore that she would achieve both of their dreams one day.
After Jin Chonglin's appealing bullsh*t, the pretty biracial model once again wheeled six different types of the "Vailliance" perfume. He took the blue-black glass bottle and sprayed it on himself.
Then his video advertisement also started playing on the large monitor beside the stage.
Chapter 1516 Liberté Launches (Part VI)
The setting was a Chinese martial arts cultivation fantasy. Jin Chonglin played a poor, dirty peasant who was forced to beg just to survive.
Then one day, he heard that if someone presented a specific rare herb to the nearest cultivation sect, then that person would be automatically admitted. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change his life for the better.
He gathered his courage, brought his meagre belongings, and entered the forest filled with dangerous beasts. Inside the dark forest, he encountered many dangers and barely survived by the skin of his teeth.
The CGI was incredible, seamlessly melding fantasy and Jin Chonglin's cool fighting choreography.
Then he encountered a group of vicious people ganging up on a weak little girl. From the robes that the people wore, they were members of the cultivation sect that he wanted to attend.
He didn't even hesitate to fight them, trying his best to rescue the bullied child. Unfortunately, he was too weak. As a normal mortal, he couldn't win against powerful cultivators. They soon overwhelmed him, beating him up, and leaving him barely alive.
Before he lost consciousness, he saw a large white tiger-like creature appearing and fighting the group of violent bullies.
He woke up inside a cave with bandages all over his body. The little girl was back, completely normal, with no injuries.
"Thank you for saving me," she said and offered him a beautiful, glowing plant with delicate small white flowers. "This is my token of gratitude. It will make you stronger so that you can have the opportunity to gain power."
Before he could say anything, the little girl transformed into a beautiful white-haired maiden.
"But remember, it is up to you whether you can become powerful or not. And it is also up to you how to use the power."
The beautiful woman then transformed into the large white tiger-like creature he saw earlier before he fainted. He stared in horror as the divine beast stared at him with sharp, otherworldly eyes.
"I will come see you again when you become powerful. And when you do, I want to see how you use the power. Whether I kill you or not, we will see then."
With those words, the divine beast disappeared.
Once he recovered from his injuries, he learned that the plant the divine beast gave him was the rare herb that the cultivation sect was searching for. He didn't hesitate to consume it.
The next scenes were a time-lapse of his hard work and sacrifices. From a mere mortal, he successfully became a cultivator. And from a low-level cultivator, he became the most powerful and most-revered master of his own sect. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Then finally, after many millennia cultivating into immortality, he finally met the divine beast again.
This time again, the divine beast was trapped by several other sects to take another of one of its rare immortal herbs. This immortal herb only sprouted every few thousand years watered by the divine beast's own heart-blood.
Jin Chonglin's character immediately released a powerful attack wave and cut down the chains trapping the divine beast.
"We meet again, old friend," he greeted.
The divine beast looked at him for a long time. "Are you certain that you are willing to go against your own kind to protect me?"
"It's not a question about my kind against your kind. This is a question about right and wrong. You gave me the opportunity to become the person that I've always dreamed of being. I am not an ingrate. I will always pay back what I owe."
The divine beast transformed into a beautiful white-haired maiden again.
Together, they fought against the other sects who wanted to entrap the divine beast and use her treasure for their own gains. The two were powerful, but there were too many enemies.
They reached a critically dangerous stage of the battle.
At the last moment, the beautiful white-haired maiden spat out her core. She infused it with Jin Chonglin's blood.
A white orb flashed out of the fusion before revealing a blue-black bottle of "Vaillance".
"I'll leave it to you," she said before her body shattered into thousands of shards.
Jin Chonglin screamed from grief. But he quickly sprayed "Vaillance" all over himself, gaining a tremendous boost to his powers, and ultimately defeating the enemies.
After the battle, he discovered the immortal herb lying on the bloody ground. He picked it up.
The next scenes were another time-lapse of him carefully cultivating the rare immortal herb, spraying it with "Vaillance".
The immortal herb grew tall and strong, flowered, and even bore fruit. Then the fruit grew bigger and bigger. And when it ripened, out came a white-haired child.
A tear flowed down Jin Chonglin's eye, but his smile was filled with joy.
"Father," the white-haired child called him before throwing herself into his arms.
The final scene showed Jin Chonglin teaching his white-haired child how to protect himself.
Then his voice said, "Dare to be brave, 'Vaillance' by Liberté".
The advertisement ended.
Standing ovation.
"Bravo, Prince Lin Lin!"
"Superb!"
His fans among the guests couldn't stop from cheering.
Iris stared at the now blank monitor. She was speechless at what she just watched.
"That...was so cringy," Iris couldn't stop herself from saying.
Clover avoided her eyes, while Yin Meixing maintained a soft smile all throughout.
Jin Chonglin heard her. While maintaining a bright smile and waving at the audience, he replied to Iris, "What do you mean that it's cringy? It's a total masterpiece!"
She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. Thankfully, she was able to recover quickly and regain her smiling expression.
"Who changed the original script for the 'Vaillance' ad?"
"Prince Lin Lin," Clover immediately shifted the blame.
He snorted but still smiled for the audience. "So what if I changed the original script? I turned it into a masterpiece."
"Who watches a twenty-minute ad?" Iris gritted her teeth.
Yin Meixing cleared her throat. She blinked at the three of them.
Iris, Jin Chonglin, and Clover all smiled even more brightly.
"I'll get back at you later," Iris said while beaming.
He smirked.
She saw it. "No, I'll ask Chen Fei to sort you out later instead."
He looked like he was electrocuted. "You!"
Yin Meixing: "Ahem!"
Iris and Jin Chonglin continued smiling.
Chapter 1517 Liberté Launches (Part VII)
After introducing the celebrity ambassadors and the three perfumes, the party entered a casual state. Guests were free to roam around, partake in the food and drinks, and interact with each other. Simply put, the much-awaited networking time had now started.
A small ensemble of musicians started playing classical music.
Liberté staff started distributing the fancy giveaway bags containing all three fragrancesâ"Eve", "Sérénité", and "Vaillance"âincluding all six types according to concentrations.
And because Liberté is technically a subsidiary company of Orchidia, there were also additional Orchidia giveaway bags filled with the brand's most popular products and samples of soon-to-be-released ones.
The female guests were thrilled to receive the Orchidia Beauty giveaways. Due to Orchidia's membership in Cross Academy's exclusive business network, its products were quite popular among the wealthy.
Iris also had Ketchup research which ones among the guests were parents. Then she instructed the launch party organizers to prepare additional Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby giveaway bags for these guests.
Unlike Orchidia Beauty which already gained some fame abroad, Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby were still mostly concentrated in China. Iris wanted to use this opportunity to introduce Orchidia's other brands ahead of the scheduled launch dates of the new foreign Orchidia bases in Germany, Singapore, and the Philippines.
Those who weren't parents also received special vouchers for Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby. If they weren't interested in personally buying from these brands because they weren't parents yet, then they could just gift the special vouchers to other people.
The special vouchers were worth 100,000 euros each.
Orchidia's price range wasn't too expensive that normal, average people couldn't afford most of its products. However, they were definitely more expensive than the best-selling brands currently dominating the market because many Orchidia products featured new patented technology. Orchidia was actually one of the most innovative companies in the industry today.
Even so, most of its products were still within the reach of normal, average people. Iris made sure of this despite Chen Fei's insistence at the beginning that they should pursue the high-end route.
She didn't want Orchidia, the company she favoured the most among her businesses, to cater exclusively to the wealthy elite. She also wanted the normal, average people to enjoy Orchidia products.
As a compromise, Long Jinjing suggested that they could pursue the mid to high-end route instead. Most of the products would be within the affordable range, but special products would be priced within the high-end range.
This strategy became a hit.
The special voucher worth 100,000 euros might be pennies to these wealthy elite guests, but it could already buy a lot of Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby products. Besides, there were other customized items included in the giveaway bags besides products from Iris' companies.
Back to the present, Iris watched as the female guests gushed with each other about receiving the Orchidia Beauty giveaway products. These products had been deemed miraculous by many of their loyal customers.
She couldn't wait until the scheduled launch dates for Orchidia's new foreign bases in the next few weeks. She would personally attend every single one of Orchidia's international launches, flying to different countries, while also doing her best to spend time with her family. It would truly be an extremely busy period for her, but she welcomed the challenge.
"Orchidia Beauty is still the best-selling brand," Iris commented as she continued watching the guests' reactions to the giveaways.
"En," Jin Liwei replied. "Everyone wants to look good no matter their gender, but not everyone wants to be a parent."
She sighed. "You're right. Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby are also relatively newer brands under Orchidia. It makes sense that it's not as popular."
"If you want, I'll contact the major shopping channels abroad and have them feature Orchidia products," Jin Liwei suggested. "Orchidia Beauty is already doing well, but it might receive additional sales boosts once featured in popular shopping channels. Orchidia Mommy and Orchidia Baby products are also the type that needs to be demonstrated to encourage potential customers to buy them."
Iris didn't hesitate. "Yes, please help me do that, darling. I was already planning on making contact with shopping channels abroad, but I'm not sure which ones are the best fit for Orchidia. I planned to conduct some research first, but now that you offered, it will save me a lot of trouble."
"Anything for you, love." Jin Liwei held her hand and kissed it.
Her cheeks turned pink beneath her makeup. "Thank you."
Once again, the other people around them were forced to eat dog food.
In the end, Clover was the one who interrupted the husband and wife's lovey-dovey moment. She wanted Iris to meet someone.
Jin Liwei wanted to follow his wife, but Grandpa Lu called him. n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
"Go on, darling," Iris told him. "Don't keep Grandpa Lu waiting too long. You can find me later."
He could only reluctantly agree. He gave her lips a quick peck before going over the sprightly old man.
Iris followed Clover who led her inside one of Liberté's private showrooms.
Inside, two women were waiting. One was a white European woman who Iris recognized as the daughter of a British marquess. The Marquess was the one who was originally invited to the launch party, but unfortunately, he couldn't come. Instead, he sent his daughter as his proxy to attend Liberté's launch party today.
The other woman had an exotic Middle Eastern appearance. She must be the other lady's plus-one guest.
Clover made the introductions.
It turned out that the other exotic-looking woman was an Arabic princess from Dubai. She was the marquess' daughter's last-minute plus-one guest. This must be why Iris wasn't informed that an Emirati sheikha attended today's launch party.
The Arabic princess grabbed Iris' hands, surprising Iris a bit. "My name is Amira. There's no need to be nervous around me. I mostly grew up in Britain, so just treat me like a normal person."
Iris smiled. Although she was surprised at first, she had never felt nervous around royalty.
Chapter 1518 Liberté Launches (Part VIII)
In her past life, the Vetrovs had dealings with various notable royal families from different countries. These royal families weren't all that respectable behind closed doors like how they presented themselves to the public.
The ones who had long histories were the worst. They got to their current positions by a lot of bloodshed. It was no wonder that many of them were connected to criminal empires in one way or another.
Of course, not all royal families had this kind of bloody history. But as Evelina Vetrova, she had witnessed several instances where members of royalty visited her parents to ask for favours or simply to maintain their secret friendship with criminals.
The Vetrovs would help them do dirty jobs to maintain their royal power, while they would provide the Vetrovs with secret platforms in their countries to spread their criminal influence. It was a complicated mutually beneficial relationship, albeit extremely fragile and dangerous.
She didn't doubt that some of these royal families might have betrayed the Vetrovs and contributed to the criminal empire's eventual downfall. A few might have been loyal friends until the end, but she doubted they would sacrifice their royal status for criminals like the Vetrovs.
Iris felt complicated, but she mentally shook her head and focused on the present.
She didn't know Sheikha Amira personally, so she didn't want to make any final judgment based on her past life experiences with royalty. She could always order a background investigation on this Arabic princess later.
Iris played the role of a host who welcomed the ladies with warm hospitality.
"I love your signature fragrance, 'Eve'," Sheikha Amira told her as she chatted with Iris on the velvet couch like friends. "To be honest with you, I only came here with my friend on a whim, not really expecting anything. But to my surprise, I ended up loving 'Eve'. I also like the other perfumes but 'Eve' is my favourite."
Sheikha Amira fished out the beautiful perfume bottle of "Eve" from her giveaway bag.
"The bottle is beautiful. The scent is also beautiful. Perfumes are very important in my culture. You won't find us leaving the house without wearing perfume. Perfumes are a way of life for us. That's why I can't stop myself from wanting to meet you. Although I'm a member of royalty, I mostly grew up in Britain and did my schooling there. I admire Liberté's core values of focusing on inclusivity instead of exclusivity."
"Thank you very much, Sheikha Amira," Iris replied.
"Please call me Amira."
"Alright, Amira."
The sheikha smiled.
Iris observed her and couldn't judge whether the other woman was sincere or not. It didn't matter. She didn't care whether a person was royal or not, wealthy or not, as long as the person enjoyed her products, then Iris would feel satisfied.
"I'm sorry for taking you away from the party," Amira said. "Once I decide on something, I just can't wait to do it right away. I want to meet you because I hope that we can cooperate."
Iris raised an eyebrow. "Cooperate? In what way?"
"I want to open a Liberté branch in Dubai. If possible, I hope that Liberté can also help me create new fragrances that appeal more to people from my culture."
Iris didn't reply right away. Now, she was more than surprised. She didn't expect this kind of request from this Arabic princess.
Amira smiled at her knowingly. "I understand your hesitation. But I assure you that I'm very open and a progressive modern woman. That's why I prefer staying in Britain, but as a member of the ruling royal family, I still need to establish my presence in my homeland. One way I do that is through business. I'm quite fortunate that my father dotes on me a lot. If you accept my request for cooperation, I'll make it so that my father will also support Liberté."
Iris didn't accept the offer at this time but instead said, "Thank you very much for your interest in cooperating with Liberté, Amira. But you know that this is a major matter. I hope that you could give us some time to consider it."
"Of course." Sheikha Amira smiled again.
The women chatted about other topics, mainly about Liberté's three available fragrances.
After the two female guests returned to the party outside, Iris and Clover sat inside the private showroom staring at each other.
There was a knock on the door.
Clover returned to her senses and quickly opened it.
It was Jin Liwei. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
He saw his wife deeply absorbed in her thoughts.
"Go back to the party first," he told Clover.
"Okay, sir boss!" Clover left the husband and wife alone in the room.
Jin Liwei sat beside his wife on the velvet couch. "What happened, love?"
"Oh, you're here?" Iris only noticed him now.
He asked her again. She told him about the Arabic princess' offer.
Jin Liwei also fell silent.
Iris waited for him to say something.
Then he said, "We definitely have to investigate her first."
"Yes." She nodded.
"If we look at it from the perspective of pure profit, this cooperation is extremely beneficial," he said. "The Arabic market is pure gold. But the real question is...and I think that this is the one that you're struggling with the mostâdo you want Liberté to be associated with that royal family?"
"If this cooperation is done right, then Liberté and Sheikha Amira will become progressive trailblazers," she said, contemplating her thoughts out loud for her husband to hear. "But if it goes wrong, then it will forever taint Liberté's reputation. We just rebranded Sang Blue into Liberté. I can't let anyone question Liberté's claims on respecting traditions and working toward progress!"
"En, so we have to handle this matter carefully."
Iris sighed. But in the next second, her eyes shone with a competitive light.
Jin Liwei saw it and chuckled. "Despite your worries, in the end, you're still interested, right?"
She leaned on his chest and smiled. His arms automatically wrapped around her.
"I think that this is a great new challenge," she said.
Chapter 1519 Liberté Launches (Part IX)
Iris and Jin Liwei also returned to the party after some time. The overall atmosphere had grown more relaxed with bottles of champagne and cocktail glasses flowing freely.
A few groups requested to use some of the private showrooms. It was understood that some important deals were being sealed at the very moment.
Sheikha Amira, who was chatting with her British friend and a few of the other female guests, met Iris' eyes and smiled at her. Iris nodded at her in acknowledgement.
Once again, Jin Liwei accompanied his wife as she went around to chat with the guests.
When they reached the Cross Academy group, Grandpa Lu's old friends surrounded her. They asked questions about the molecular-level technology features of Liberté perfumes and also the patented innovations of Orchidia Beauty products.
"Amanpio Kileksky published some of his innovations with Orchidia in the Cross Academy scientific journals, so if you're interested, you can check out those publications," she told them. "But the ones developed by Orchidia's Chief Product Officer are classified information, so I'm sorry to say that I can't talk about them with you."
Most of the patents acquired by Orchidia were due to Alric Bauer and Amanpio Kileksky's contributions, so the patents were shared between the two men and Orchidia.
The Cross Academy group instantly shifted their attention to Amanpio Kileksky's publications.
"Kileksy is known as the crazy inventor among the youngbloods in the academy," one commented. "I didn't know that he's helping out with one of your companies."
"We're friends," Iris said.
Another nodded. "It's always good to befriend your schoolmates, especially since it's very rare for the academy to recruit new students in the same generation."
"Exactly!" Grandpa Lu's voice boomed. "The academy hasn't recruited any new students since Xiulan my girl. That Dupont bastard is the most choosy among the headmasters in the whole history of the academy! Hmph! What are his exact criteria for recruitment? I want to know!"
"Now, now, Jianhong," Grandpa Lu's astronomer friend tried calming him down. "As the headmaster, Erwan is just upholding our academy's high standards. There's nothing wrong with his method."
"Hmph!"
The other gentlemen just laughed. They were already used to their friend, Lu Jianhong, throwing tantrums. Most of the time, the old man was just having a blast making a scene.
He had been like this from day one. In fact, Lu Jianhong had already mellowed out a lot in his old age. When they were still youngsters, Lu Jianhong had gotten into so many troubles. And it was always Liam Jin's grandfather who bailed him out from so many troublesome situations that might have destroyed his bright future.
His wild personality steadied a lot after his best friend and sworn brother (Liam Jin's grandfather) died.
Even so, it was fortunate that he still retained hints of his previous wild personality, keeping him feeling young despite his advanced age. Lu Jianhong had always been popular among the Cross Academy community.
And now, he was using the remaining years of his life to pave the way for his beloved disciple, Iris Long.
As members of the Cross Academy community, they had heard about the newest student, Iris Long. Her public achievements so far weren't anything impressive compared to theirs, and even to her schoolmates of the same generation.
Even Ashandra Knightson was more impressive because she managed to enter Cross Academy in the field of fine arts which was extremely difficult. After all, art appreciation is subjective.
Despite this, Ashandra had proven time and time again why she deserved her spot at Cross Academy. She was now the best-selling living artist in the world. Her popularity in the art world even ignited interest among new artists to try enrolling in the academy. Unfortunately, they couldn't reach her level of genius.
On the other hand, Iris Long was officially enrolled in Cross Academy as a student in Foreign Languages with a minor concentration in Business. Her music program was only considered an elective, but as a celebrity, she was more focused on working as a musician rather than as a translator.
So although they respected Iris Long as a fellow member of the Cross Academy community, they didn't admire her that much.
She was enrolled as a Foreign Languages student, but there were also plenty of polyglots among them.
As for her being Lu Jianhong's business disciple, she was still considered a toddler in their eyes. Many of them were business legends like their friend, Lu Jianhong. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
In the field of music, yes, they must admit that she was a genius. Being accepted by Maestro Ludovico de Luca and the legendary hitmaker Enrique Valdez as their disciples was an impressive feat by itself.
Yet why did she not choose Music as her primary concentration at the academy?
They couldn't understand, but they didn't bother asking her. Lu Jianhong was so protective of her. What if their friend threw a tantrum and refused to speak to them for the sake of his beloved disciple?
It wasn't worth it.
So they could only keep their opinions to themselves.
While they were busy chatting, someone edged closer and addressed Iris.
"Uhm, excuse me, Madame Jin...."
Iris glanced at him.
Jin Liwei recognized him as the nerdy tech billionaire who recorded Little Mochi's impromptu performance video yesterday. He wasn't a Cross Academy alumnus, but his mentor-slash-company investor was one. This was why he could join yesterday's gathering with Grandpa Lu and attend today's launch party.
"Do you have business with my wife?" Jin Liwei asked.
The nerdy billionaire blushed, causing Jin Liwei's expression to turn ugly.
"I...I...." He continued to blush while taking several peeks at Iris.
Jin Liwei's expression grew darker and darker by the second.
Grandpa Lu and the others started to notice the situation, but they stayed quiet for now, waiting for the nerdy tech billionaire to explain himself.
"Is...is it true...that y-you're...." he continued to stammer.
Iris glanced at her husband who was drowning in an ocean of vinegar.
"Is it true that you're Fantom's disciple?!" the nerdy tech billionaire finally asked.
Chapter 1520 Liberté Launches (Part X)
Iris froze.
But she regained her senses almost in an instant. She quickly looked around to see if other people heard what the man said just now.
Fortunately, people outside their group were also all engrossed in their own conversations. The classical music playing in the background should have also masked most of the chatters so that others wouldn't hear what people were talking about after a certain distance.
However, everyone in their Cross Academy group most certainly heard what the nerdy tech billionaire said.
Jin Liwei stepped in front of his wife in a clear protective manner. His aura was cold and intimidating. If looks could kill, the nerdy tech billionaire would have already been six feet under.
"Bahahaha! What nonsense are you talking about? I want to know!" Grandpa Lu's voice boomed in a joking tone, but his eyes flashed with danger as he glared at the young, stammering, blushing man.
"Jianhong, can you please shut up for a minute," one of his friends said before turning to the nerdy tech billionaire. "What did you say? Iris Long is Fantom's disciple? Did I hear you correctly?"
Another friend said, "I think I heard the same thing."
Yet another man joined in. "By Fantom, do you mean the legendary genius hacker who mysteriously disappeared years ago? I heard a rumour that he was supposedly a Cross Academy student, but nobody knew about his real identity. The academy's Computer Department guarded Fantom's identity like a precious treasure, but they never admitted or refuted the rumours."
"I heard about those rumours, too. Fantom is supposedly the one who singlehandedly upgraded the academy's cybersecurity, effectively lifting the Computer Department's status forever. Since then, the academy has allocated some of the highest amounts of yearly budget to the Computer Department because of their connection to Fantom. We're just not sure if Fantom was really a Cross Academy student or someone from the Computer Department just happened to befriend him."
"Fantom suddenly disappeared some years ago. Most people assume that he's dead. He's an enigma. Even we who are from Cross Academy don't know much about him. But one thing is for sureâhe's a legend."
Iris paled while listening to this group of men chatting about her past life's feats as Fantom. She glanced at the nerdy tech billionaire who also appeared to have realized that he made a big mistake.
'How did this person know?' she thought.
Before she could control herself, cold murderous intent flashed in her eyes.
The nerdy tech billionaire shuddered under her cold gaze.
"Baby," Jin Liwei whispered to her ear and squeezed her waist.
She regained her senses thanks to her husband. They were in public. It wasn't good to let others know that there was something wrong happening in their group.
So she smiled, yet her eyes remained cold.
The nerdy tech billionaire shuddered even more.
"Sir, would you be kind as to follow me inside?" she offered with a sweet smile yet dangerous eyes. "Let me show you more about our perfumery."
The nerdy tech billionaire didn't respond.
"Come on, boy! Why are you staring at the air like a numbskull? I want to know!" Grandpa Lu "patted" his back, "encouraging" him to return to his senses.
"Come on, boy! Why are you staring at the air like a numbskull? I want to know!" Grandpa Lu "patted" his back, "encouraging" him to return to his senses.
The nerdy tech billionaire indeed returned to his senses, but it was almost by puking his lungs out!
"Ah, y-yes! Of course!" He adjusted his eyeglasses with shaky fingers and attempted to act with nonchalance.
Now he definitely knew that he had been too careless to utter such shocking words in front of so many people. Just by looking at the frightening looks of Madame Iris Long, CEO Liam Jin, and Sir Lu Jianhong directed toward him, he had a hunch that he would suffer a terrible fate if he didn't handle his carelessness carefully.
He followed the husband and wife inside Liberté into a private showroom. He felt like he was walking into his own death.
However, he refused to be a coward! He straightened his back and raised his chin.
If he was going down today, he would go down with dignity!
He had built a billion-dollar tech company with his own hard work. He might not be a genius at the level of being admitted to Cross Academy, but he was still a genius among normal, average people.
"Heh, this skinny boy does have some spine in him!" Grandpa Lu commented behind them, stroking his well-groomed mustache.
It was then that Iris, Jin Liwei, and the nerdy tech billionaire realized that the others were following them.
Jin Liwei sighed. "Grandfather."
"Why are you looking at this old man like that, boy? Tell me, I want to know! I'm not an outsider! If you want to blame someone, then blame these old coots for sticking their noses into other people's business! Hmph!"
Grandpa Lu's old friends all tried refuting his words, yet they couldn't hide the curiosity shining in their eyes. It was clear that they would do everything to follow Iris and the others inside.
Iris thought about it for a few seconds before making a quick decision. She told her husband, "Let them follow if they want." n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
Jin Liwei paused but still nodded.
Once inside the private showroom, Iris gestured at the nerdy tech billionaire to take a seat.
He sat on the velvet couch, his butt almost on the edge of the seat, with his back straight and knees pressed tightly close. Although he tried putting on a brave front, the others weren't fooled. They could see the guy's nervousness as clear as day.
Jin Liwei followed his wife, as she busied herself pouring chilled champagne into several glasses.
Grandpa Lu was directing his friends to sit down here and there, treating them like unruly kindergarteners.
Jin Liwei distributed the champagne glasses to everyone. Then he took a seat beside his wife opposite the nervous nerdy tech billionaire.
Iris took a small sip of champagne and swirled it in the glass she was holding. Then she took a look around the room, making sure to look directly into the eyes of each and every person, most especially the nerdy tech billionaire whose suit was already drenched with his own sweat.
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Iris thought about it for a few seconds before making a quick decision. She told her husband, "Let them follow if they want."