Chapter 25: 241 - 250

Chapter 241 - Where Is Iris Long?

At first, it was very difficult for Jin Liwei's employees to get used to seeing their President being followed around by kittens and cat sitters everywhere. He even brought them to important meetings. His employees began to wonder if their President finally snapped and went cuckoo in the head after the scandal with the Fans.

However, like so many generations of humans before them, they became utterly charmed and enslaved by the irresistible power of feline cuteness. They began taking sneak photos of the kittens when their President wasn't looking. Some even ran outside to buy some treats to try tempting the kittens and earn brownie points from them.

They also started calling the kittens "Young Miss Ice Cream" and "Young Master Popcorn". They thought it was hilarious at first, but they began to feel like it was just right. Of course the kittens of someone like their President Jin Liwei needed to be treated in a special way.

Popcorn ran around everywhere, curious at everything. His poor cat sitter huffed and puffed chasing after him all day. On the other hand, Ice Cream just stayed with her Daddy, either laying on his lap or on his desk while he worked.

She was very well-behaved, except when female employees tried to go near Jin Liwei. Then she would transform into a little tigress, hissing and baring her claws in a threatening manner, warning the female pests to stay away from her Daddy. Daddy only belonged to Mommy! She and Popcorn were given permission by their Mommy to scratch the faces off of anyone who dared steal away their Daddy! Until Mommy returned, she would safeguard Daddy!

Spending time with the kittens somewhat helped ease Jin Liwei's heartache as he continued longing for his baby girl. He still wasn't able to contact her. He had no idea where she was, but he trusted Grandpa Lu to keep her safe.

Besides running Jin Corporation, Jin Liwei partnered with Long Tengfei to help the other victims of Fan Luo and also the families of those unfortunate ones who lost their lives from her schemes. Based on the timeline, Iris was the eighth among the fourteen women harmed by Fan Luo.

Most of the women who survived Fan Luo's evil machinations became disabled because of their injuries. As a result, they couldn't find decent jobs, becoming burdens to their families instead. The ones who recovered well from their injuries only discovered now that the reason why they were blacklisted from their previous work was because of Fan Luo.

Learning about the truth of who caused their suffering ignited the hatred within their hearts.

"I hope that evil b*tch Fan Luo dies!"

"I'm very thankful for the one who kidnapped and tortured that evil woman. However, I wish he killed her instead of letting her go alive! I'm lucky that I only became paraplegic, but what about the other women who died because of her? She deserves death!"

It wasn't widely reported in the news, but it was briefly included in the exposé about Fan Luo that she ordered a hit on the people she paid to harm the fourteen women. So it wasn't only the families of the dead women who hated Fan Luo, but also the families of the ones she hired to harm the women. Yes, technically, they were also criminals but it didn't change the fact that they were still killed on the orders of Fan Luo after she used them.

Her evil knew no bounds.

These families stormed the hospital where Fan Luo was lying in coma and attempted to kill her themselves. However, her room was surrounded by police officers so they couldn't accomplish their objective.

Jin Liwei and Long Tengfei's offer of help somewhat mollified their desire for revenge. Both Jin Liwei and Long Tengfei gave the women and the families financial aid in the name of their fellow victim, Iris Long. They helped them secure good jobs based on their skill levels. They also paid the tuition fees of those who wanted to go back to school or get a certificate from a training institution with a promise of good jobs waiting for them after they finished their studies.

All of these were arranged in secret, but the information was still leaked to the media by the women and the families themselves.

"Iris Long Helps Fellow Victims to Start a New Life!"

"Generous Act of Musician Iris Long Earns Gratitude From the Other Survivors & the Families of the Deceased Victims of Fan Luo"

"Where is Iris Long? Everyone Still Waiting to Hear From Her"

There was still no word from Iris Long herself. Her social media accounts weren't updated for many days now. The Black Stars were reassured by Bright Summit's official statement that she was alright and recuperating at a hospital in another country. However, they still worried about her and wanted to know how she was doing from her own words.

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Unlike her silence, Jin Chonglin released an official statement through a video played in all media outlets. He looked hot as usual, but there was an unmistakable weariness on his expression.

"I, Jin Chonglin, would like to officially announce that I will be taking a hiatus for an indefinite period of time. This wasn't originally in my plans. I didn't want to take a break. I wanted to continue working. But because of the shocking revelations regarding...regarding that evil woman...Fan Luo...who used to be my...my fiancée, I decided that I need some time to digest everything and to deal with the emotional shock."

He paused for a few moments. There was an obvious disgust when he said Fan Luo's name. He took some deep breaths before he continued speaking while looking directly at the camera.

"I don't know how long this hiatus will last. Maybe only for a few weeks or maybe months...perhaps even years. I don't know. It will depend on how ready I feel to face the world again after what happened. I apologize to my fans. I hope that you understand my current situation. Thank you very much for your support! I also would like to extend my support for Iris Long for what she's going through right now. I'm so sorry for what happened to her. My thoughts are with her. Please get well soon, Junior Iris! And I sincerely hope that we can work together in the future."

An outpouring of support flooded Jin Chonglin, not only from his army of fans, but also from the Black Stars. It was at this moment that the two fan clubs became closer to each other and treated each other as allies.

There were even some of them who started shipping Jin Chonglin and Iris Long, referring to them as LinRis.

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Chapter 242 - I Miss You So MuChapter

Jin Family's Old House.

For the first time since the successive scandals with the Fan family rocked the entire nation, the main members of the Jin family gathered together. Actually the rest was just waiting for Jin Liwei to come.

Jin Chonglin had been staying at the old house ever since Fan Luo's crimes were exposed to the public. He moved back because his own place was surrounded by reporters. The old house was more secure and safe.

While waiting for her eldest son to arrive, Huang Yuyan was very nervous. She paced back and forth, looking like she was about to cry at any moment.

Jin Chonglin sighed watching his mother. "Mom, don't be so nervous. Big Bro won't eat you or anything like that."

"I know that, son. But your big brother can be scary sometimes, you know. Just like your grandfather." She then cast a glance at her mother-in-law who was reading a classic book of poetry near the fireplace.

"Hmm. Indeed, our Liwei takes after my dear husband, your grandfather," Grandma Li said without taking her eyes off the book she was reading.

Shrugging, Jin Chonglin put on his headphones and started bopping to the beat of the music.

Moments later, Grandma Li's assistant appeared and informed them, "Master Liwei has arrived."

"Oh!" Huang Yuyan paled and became even more nervous.

"Yuyan, get a hold of yourself," Grandma Li snapped at her. "Don't you think it's ridiculous that you're acting so afraid of your own son? I know that you're feeling guilty but you don't need to act so afraid. He's your son, for goodness' sake! Didn't you say that you want to become strong?"

"I...I'm sorry, Mother."

"Aaw, Grandma. Don't be so hard on Mom. She's trying her best." Jin Chonglin came to his mother's defense.

Grandma Li shot him a glare. "Stop coddling your mother."

"Come on, Grandma. Don't be angry at Mom anymore." Jin Chonglin went to hug his grandmother and sweet talked her.

Even someone like Grandma Li was defenseless against her own grandson's oozing charm. She glared at him, but her expression already softened.

Finally, Jin Liwei appeared carrying a fat grey cat in his arms. An orange cat was also perched on his shoulder. Two people followed behind him carrying cat stuff.

"What in the world?!" Jin Chonglin exclaimed. "Big Bro, are you alright? I think maybe you should take a break from work or something. Too much stress is not good, you know. Stress can make even the sanest person a little bonkers. I'm also taking a break right now. Why don't you take one, too?"

Jin Liwei looked at him without saying anything, and then decided to ignore him. He turned to his grandmother and mother instead, greeting them.

"Grandmother, Mother, I want you to meet the children of Xiulan and I. The grey one is Ice Cream and the orange...I mean the ginger one is Popcorn," he introduced the kittens with a straight face.

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"Pft!" Jin Chonglin couldn't take it anymore. He doubled over and started laughing, clutching his stomach.

Grandma Li's mouth twitched, but she was able to maintain a calm expression unlike her second grandson who was already tearing up from laughing so hard.

"Oh~ They're so cute~" Huang Yuyan gushed and extended her arms, trying to get the kittens' attention.

Ice Cream just stared at her, but Popcorn leaped from Jin Liwei's shoulder into her arms.

"Mother, that's Popcorn, your grandson," Jin Liwei told her in a serious tone. "This is Ice Cream, your granddaughter. She's a little shy, especially to people she hasn't met before. She needs to get used to you first before she'll let you hold her."

"Oh, Big Bro... I can't... This is too much..." Jin Chonglin tried to suppress his laughter but failed.

Huang Yuyan smiled. Her anxiety from earlier already dissipated because of the kittens and her eldest son's unexpected cuteness.

Everyone sat down and chatted. Jin Chonglin began playing with the kittens together with their cat sitters. Surprisingly, Ice Cream liked Jin Chonglin right away, leaving her Daddy's lap to join the play.

Huang Yuyan gathered her courage and sat beside her eldest son. She grabbed his hand and held it tightly. Her eyes watered.

Jin Liwei frowned seeing his mother about to cry but he stayed silent and waited for her to speak first.

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"Son... I'm so sorry. I'm such a bad mother. I shouldn't have blamed you for...for...distancing our family from the Fans. It's all my fault. Everything is my fault! I was the one who let them enter our family and lives." She burst into tears.

"Mother, please don't cry," Jin Liwei told her.

"Son, please forgive me..."

"Of course. Don't think about it anymore, Mother. It's all in the past."

Huang Yuyan hugged her eldest son and cried harder. Jin Liwei held his mother, patting her back in an awkward manner.

Jin Chonglin stopped playing with the kittens as he watched his mother crying on his brother's chest. She also cried hard when she apologized to him after he moved back to the house.

The brothers never blamed their mother regarding the matter with the Fan family. It was the Fans' fault for deceiving her and everyone from their Jin family. Of course, they were also stupid for trusting the family of vipers.

"The two of you should stop spoiling your mother too much," Grandma Li interrupted the emotional atmosphere. "She is your mother and you two are her sons. The way you're treating each other is like your roles are reversed. Is she your child and are you her parents?"

"Aaw, Grandma—"

Grandma Li glared at Jin Chonglin. She was serious this time, so he had no choice but to shut his mouth.

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"Yuyan my dear, I won't always be here to pour sense to you. You said that you want to be stronger, so you have to start learning how to depend on yourself first. Do you want to burden your own children and depend on them for the rest of your life?"

"I...I understand, Mother." Huang Yuyan tried to stop crying.

It was at this moment that Popcorn started clowning around, jumping and running and flipping all over the place. His antics elicited chuckles from everyone, most especially from the crying Huang Yuyan. The atmosphere lightened because of him. As for Ice Cream, she got bored. She returned to Jin Liwei, curling herself beside him and began sleeping.

Huang Yuyan wiped the last of her tears and turned to his eldest son. "By the way, how's Xiulan? Is she alright?"

Jin Liwei's expression cracked. Sadness and longing escaped from his eyes.

"Meow..."

Ice Cream sensed his heavy feelings, so she moved from her comfortable position and settled herself on Jin Liwei's lap. Then she began rubbing herself against him. He petted her.

"Grandpa Lu took Xiulan somewhere. I don't know where he took her," he said.

"What?! That wily old man!" Grandma Li huffed. "How dare he steal our dear Xiulan? I'm going to call that old buffoon and give him a piece of my mind. Hmph!"

"Wait. I keep hearing the name Xiulan since you arrived, Big Bro. Who's she?" Jin Chonglin asked.

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"Xiulan is your future sister-in-law."

"Sister-in...ah?"

"My future wife."

Jin Chonglin looked shocked. Then he released a string of loud and graphic curses out of his mouth.

"Mind your language, Mr. Jin Chonglin," Grandma Li rebuked him.

"Sorry, Grandma. I'm just so surprised. I mean, wow. I never expected that my ice block brother will say these words. Wow."

Jin Chonglin had no idea that his older brother already had a girlfriend. Even though he stayed with his mother and grandmother in the old house, they never mentioned this matter in his presence. They figured that it would be best if Jin Liwei was the one to mention and introduce his girlfriend to his brother.

Now that Jin Chonglin knew, he became curious. The name Xiulan didn't ring any bell to him at all. He didn't know that Iris Long's real name was Long Xiulan. They also didn't tell him that Iris and Xiulan were the same person.

"So when am I gonna meet my sister-in-law?"

"When she comes back," Jin Liwei replied, sighing sadly while he continued to stroke Ice Cream.

"Eh? You don't know where she is and you don't know when she's going to come back. How come?"

"Chonglin, stop asking your brother," Grandma Li told him. "You'll eventually meet Xiulan when the time is right."

"I miss Xiulan. I want to see her again," Huang Yuyan interjected. "I hope she comes back soon."

Jin Liwei controlled his expression which cracked even more. "She's going to come back. She'll definitely come back. She promised."

'Baby, where are you? Please come back. I miss you so much,' his heart called out to wherever she was.

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Chapter 243 - Unbalanced

Zürich, Switzerland.

Iris woke up from yet another nightmare. She was panting and trembling, drenched in her own cold sweat. Her heart raced wildly inside her chest.

"I'm alright it's just a dream I didn't do it it's not me," she chanted to herself again and again, trying hard to calm herself down.

The nightmare was always the same. It was of her torturing the Alarm Girls and Fan Luo. She could hear all their screams of pain, agony, hatred and fear directed at her. She cried for her body to stop, but it wouldn't listen. She couldn't control it. Her body kept on torturing the women in bloodthirsty ecstasy.

The blood staining her hands felt like permanent marks slowly blackening her soul. No matter how hard she tried to clean off all the blood, it felt like she would never feel truly clean again.

Ever since she woke up from fainting after the remnant punished Fan Luo and the Alarm Girls, she had been having these nightmares almost every time she fell asleep. It came to a point that she didn't want to sleep anymore.

After a few days of severe insomnia, she knew that she couldn't live like this. She had to do something to deal with it herself. Getting psychological help from a professional was out of question because they might wrongfully diagnose her as having dissociative identity disorder. Nobody except her brother Lu Zihao would believe that she transmigrated, anyway.

That was why she decided to leave the country. She hoped that distancing herself from the place where these traumatic events happened would help her regain a sense of balance within herself.

She felt unwilling to leave Jin Liwei, but he had a close connection to the events. He was one of the reasons, alongside Fan Luo and the Alarm Girls, why the remnant within her went berserk. She worried that staying with him while she was still feeling unbalanced would only worsen her state.

Besides, she also wanted to take this time away from him to fully figure out her feelings for him. Their relationship had been so fast that they already became lovers before she could even make sense of the situation. Ever since he barged into her life, they had been together. She wanted to know if her deepening feelings for him would change now that they weren't seeing or talking to each other on a daily basis.

So far, the result was that she was missing Jin Liwei every single day. Her heart longed for him. She was tempted to call him, but she stopped herself. She had a feeling that if she heard his voice, her resolve to fix herself first would go down the drain and she would want to immediately fly back to him.

She grabbed a pillow and hugged it, imagining that it was Jin Liwei. His image in her mind comforted her until she finally calmed down.

"I miss you so much, Liwei," she murmured, tightening her arms around the pillow.

Sighing, she rose from the bed. The sky was dark outside. As usual, she woke up from the nightmares while it was still dawn. The sun would rise in about an hour.

She wore a fluffy robe and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The middle-aged female caretaker was already awake and greeted her in German. The caretaker brewed some calming Kava tea blend for Iris.

They were at Grandpa Lu's mansion villa which was located in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the city. The area was picturesque with sprawling hills and forests, overlooking the lake.

Unfortunately, Iris hadn't gone out exploring yet. At the moment, she just couldn't find it in herself to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of this place. She was still dealing with the emotional trauma the torture gave her. As a result, she spent her days inside the villa playing the piano almost nonstop.

Immersing herself in music helped her in escaping from the memories of the torture. It seemed that this method was somewhat effective because her nightmares weren't as frequent anymore. Sometimes three days would pass by without a nightmare.

The sky outside began to lighten. Iris sipped her tea and waited for the sunrise. The caretaker began cooking breakfast.

"Good morning!" Grandpa Lu's voice boomed while walking down the staircase. He was already dressed impeccably, ready for the day.

Iris and the caretaker greeted him back.

"Wah!" he suddenly exclaimed, clutching his chest in a dramatic manner. "Oh. It's just you, Xiulan my girl. I thought it was a ghost! You're still beautiful, but let me just say that you look TERRIBLE! I didn't want to force you before and allowed you to be by yourself, but enough is enough! After breakfast, go get dressed. We're going out!"

Iris protested. "But Grandpa Lu, I don't think—"

"We're going out even if I have to drag you! You're gonna grow moulds and mushrooms at this rate if you continue holing yourself inside the house! I don't know what happened to you, and I respect that you don't want to tell me, but I can't take it anymore seeing you like this! So we're going out today whether you like it or not!"

Iris sighed, not really looking forward to the idea. "Alright, Grandpa Lu. May I know where we're going?"

"To Cross Academy, of course! You haven't been there yet, right? So I'm taking you! That Dupont bastard has been pestering me every single day to bring you to the academy ever since he learned that you're here in Switzerland! Hmph! I'm so tired listening to his nonstop nagging! So annoying! If he really wants to see you so badly, why doesn't he just come here instead? I know! He's just too lazy to come down from the mountains! Bossy bastard!"

A lovely chuckle escaped from her lips. It felt like it had been so long since she laughed. Grandpa Lu's expression looked satisfied after seeing her laugh. He nodded.

After breakfast and a shower, Iris boarded a helicopter with Grandpa Lu. They wore thick coats because it was winter cold in the Swiss Alps.

Iris' earlier reluctance to go out was now replaced by excitement. She visited the academy as Evelina in the past, but it wasn't a very enjoyable experience because her small army of entourage severely restricted her. They only allowed her a short amount of time to tour the academy and limited the people she met.

This time, she didn't have any such restrictions. She could finally explore the academy in its entirety and meet the people comprising it.

Grandpa Lu noticed her excitement. "We came at a good time. There are quite a number of people staying at the academy right now. You'll be able to meet some of your fellow students and their instructors. Some alumni are also visiting. Oh, your instructors will also be there. Kalisha and Akio decided to drop by the academy when I told them that I brought you to Switzerland."

"I can't wait to meet all of them," she said with a smile.

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Chapter 244 World - Renowned Campus

The helicopter flew for more than an hour before they reached a remote part of the Alps. This part of the mountain range was off-limits to outsiders. Cross Academy basically owned several whole mountains as private property.

Moments later, a great sprawling fortress became visible. It spanned several mountains, a marvel of architecture and engineering. Most of the man-made structures were built below the permanent snow line, where there were forests and even pastures further below.

However, the entirety of Cross Academy reached up to the glacial region on top. This was where the observatories, research facilities and focused training grounds were located.

The helicopter landed on a designated helipad within a retractable dome. It opened for them and then closed again after they landed. There were several other helicopters parked inside.

On another side of the mountain was a runway and a massive interconnected hangar for the airplanes. Cross Academy owned several helicopter and airplanes, but most of its alumni had their own private aircraft. After all, they were some of the most successful and wealthiest figures in the world.

After landing, Iris and Grandpa Lu rode a minibus to reach the main castle which was also the academy's administrative building. The castle was the first structure built when the great founder Professor Galaxianne Arria von Cross established the academy. The fortress and the other buildings were added much later by her successors.

The journey from the helipad to the main castle took about thirty minutes. They passed through several districts along the way. Since the entire campus spanned several mountains, Cross Academy was like a small country in itself.

The helipad and the hangar were considered as the airports. The campus also had its own private bank with several exclusive branches in other countries to serve its students and alumni. It had its own hospital, public transportation, gas station, restaurants, mall, cinema, parks and many more.

The academy's security force acted like the campus' private police, enforcing the academy's rules. It also had a private fire station with trained firefighters.

There were also residential neighbourhoods for the students, alumni and all the staff working permanently for the academy.

Further down the mountains were crop and livestock farms, orchards, vineyards and woodlands. The academy had its own food business supplying its residents and exporting any excess products to Switzerland and other partner countries. Its top-class brewery and winery produced world-famous beer and wines.

Visitors could also stay at a five-star hotel. Of course, they would need to pay for their accommodations from their own pocket. Not everyone could just enter the campus, so visitors needed to obtain special permission from the academy before they could come. Most of the time, the visitors were world and business leaders, royalty and other important figures who wanted to develop a close relationship with Cross Academy.

Basically, the campus had everything they needed to live conveniently, even luxuriously.

Despite all of these, the academy's official students and alumni rarely ventured outside to enjoy the campus' convenient recreational features. The geniuses would rather spend all their time studying, learning and improving their skills with their instructors and peers.

The districts were mainly populated by the workers and their families. Not all people staying in the academy were students, alumni and instructors. Some were regular people who came to work. Many of them lived in the campus permanently with their families.

Finally, the minibus arrived in front of the main castle. Iris and Grandpa Lu disembarked and entered the intimidating castle made of stone.

It wasn't a pretty castle like the ones built for royalty or nobility. It was big, crude and unsophisticated. It was a castle built to weather the harsh elements of the Swiss Alps and to provide a safe haven for the Cross Academy students when it was just founded.

In all honesty, it was the ugliest building in the entire campus. However, it was also the source of pride for everyone. After all, this was the building built by the great founder and the start of the long and magnificent history of Cross Academy. To the students, instructors and alumni, this ugly castle was a sacred place.

Grandpa Lu turned to Iris, waggling his eyebrows. "What do you think? Hideous, isn't it? Such a shame that Professor Cross had such horrible taste in architecture. Bwahaha!"

Iris pressed her lips tight to prevent herself from laughing.

"I don't know what you told Miss Long but based on your evil laughter, I bet you're once again criticizing the founder's taste. Jianhong, have a little respect for our founder Professor Cross," Professor Erwan Dupont's stern voice rebuked Grandpa Lu.

"Here comes the bossy bastard," Grandpa Lu whispered to Iris.

She just smiled a little, not replying.

Professor Erwan Dupont and Giulia Moretti welcomed them. They spoke in German, including Grandpa Lu.

"Miss Long, it's been a while. I'm glad you finally have the chance to visit the campus. Welcome to Cross Academy!" Professor Dupont's stern tone became a little gentle when he greeted Iris.

"Thank you, Professor Dupont. It's an honour to be here."

They first headed to the headmaster's office for some tea to warm up. The castle's crude architecture clashed with the elegant interior design, somehow managing to produce a unique charm.

One of Professor Dupont's assistants served them tea and some biscuits. Like Giulia Moretti, the assistant wasn't a student or alumnus. Although they didn't hold the title of geniuses, all of the regular employees were still proud to work for such a world-renowned institution as the Cross Academy.

"How long do you plan on staying in Switzerland?" Giulia Moretti asked Iris.

Iris hesitated before replying, "I'm not sure."

"Hmph!" Grandpa Lu snorted, crossing his arms across his chest. "If I didn't drag her out, that girl would've holed herself up in my house! Switzerland is such a beautiful country and yet she doesn't go out to appreciate it!"

She looked down, a bit embarrassed.

Fortunately, neither Professor Dupont nor Giulia Moretti commented about it, deciding to move on to another topic instead. After talking for some time, Giulia Moretti invited Iris for a tour. The two old men waved them away, claiming that they had important things to discuss.

Giulia Moretti leaned close to Iris and whispered, "They just don't want to walk because their knees might not take it."

"I heard you Giulia, you brat!" Grandpa Lu's voice boomed, disgruntled. "This old man's knees are stronger than yours! And of course, stronger than Dupont's! Hah!"

"What did you say? Jianhong, you're older than me," Professor Dupont said.

"What does age has to do with one's strength? I want to know! I take care of myself, so I'm healthier and stronger than people three, no, four times younger than me! I'm not like you who sits on a desk all day!"

The two started arguing.

Giulia Moretti and Iris giggled before leaving the two old men. Giulia toured her around the castle, introducing her to the employees they met on the way. So far, they hadn't met other students or instructors yet. They were probably busy with their own studies.

"We don't have a lot of current students. Even among the geniuses in the world, we have an extremely high criteria and only accept the very best," Giulia told her. "Sometimes years pass by without us admitting a new student. You're actually the only student we admitted in the past two years. You're also one of the rare ones who chose to stay in your home country after enrollment. Most students choose to move here at the campus and directly study here."

Iris nodded.

"The education system here is a combination of self-directed and one-on-one with instructors. There really isn't a classroom setting, except for when a notable expert comes and gives a lecture. Then the students attend the lecture on their own accord. Sometimes instructors will also want to bring their students out of the academy for practical experience. That's why there are times when the academy doesn't have any students at all because they're all out getting experience in the real world."

Giulia turned to Iris. "Although you didn't choose to stay here at the campus, you're still a student of the academy. All of our resources are available to you. You're also quite fortunate because there are quite a number of instructors and alumni who are visiting right now. Perhaps you can learn something from them."

"That sounds great, Madame Moretti. I'm looking forward to meeting them." Then Iris paused, tilting her head to the side as she thought over something. "Hmm... Maybe I'll stay here at the campus for the time being."

"I was waiting for you to say that," Giulia Moretti said with a pleased smile. "I've already prepared accommodations for you at the dormitory. Compared to the houses in the districts, it's more accessible to the learning centres and libraries."

Iris smiled, feeling excited. She would have to thank Grandpa Lu later for bringing her here.

The desire for new knowledge began bubbling within her, gradually drowning the painful memories of the torture. Perhaps staying at the academy was what she needed to recover from her emotional trauma.

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Chapter 245 - The Other Geniuses

Iris and Grandpa Lu both stayed at the campus. He had a house in one of the residential districts which was mostly occupied by instructors. He sent someone to pick up her luggage from his mansion in Zürich and sent it to her dorm.

The unit she was assigned to was more like an apartment suite. It had a bedroom, a living room, a bathroom, a study room and a kitchenette.

What pleased Iris the most was that it also had a computer room already equipped with three high-performance computers. Of course the computers couldn't compare to her own back at the penthouse, but she knew that the academy had more advanced computers in the Computer Department available for her to use.

She hadn't met with any of the other students yet, probably busy with their own studies. However, Giulia Moretti assured her that Professor Dupont would be throwing a welcoming dinner for her and Grandpa Lu soon. She would have a chance to meet her fellow students then.

In the meantime, Iris began immersing herself in her own studies. She met with Professor Kalisha Schwarz and Professor Hisakawa Akio.

Besides her language studies, she also visited the Computer Department. They were informed that the hacker Drakon would be coming. When the current department head saw her, he teared up.

Iris also blinked her eyes rapidly, trying hard not to cry. He was one of her previous instructors as Evelina.

"Oh, forgive me. I thought that you're one of my former students. For some reason, you give off the same vibes," he said, wiping his eyes with his sleeves. "But that's impossible. You're clearly a different person. And besides, she's...she's not with us anymore."

"Are you talking about Fantom? Or should I say Evelina?" she asked in a soft voice.

His eyes widened. "You know her?"

She nodded. "She's...she's my master. She taught me everything about computers before she...passed away."

"Oh! So that's why your style, Drakon's style, is so eerily similar to Fantom's. I see."

It seemed that Professor Dupont didn't inform others about Iris' claim of being Evelina's student.

"So you're the student of my student. I was a little disappointed when I heard that Drakon didn't enroll in our Computer Department, but now that I know that you're Evelina's student, I'm not surprised. She had been a key force in advancing the development of our department to what it is now. She had long surpassed me and her other computer instructors in just two years since her enrollment." He sighed, shaking his head. "It's unfortunate to lose such a genius among genius like her."

A lump caught in her throat. She took a few deep breaths to control her emotions.

After that, she began coming to the Computer Department regularly.

In just a couple of days, she reinforced the campus' computer security system. They were still using the old system she developed as Evelina in the past, albeit they made several improvements on it. However, she developed a newer, sleeker and more secure version. It was also more aggressive against attackers.

The department head and the other instructors verified the security of her version. In the end, Professor Dupont approved it and it became the academy's new security system.

When they finished installing it, the department head teared up again.

"Ah, I must be getting old," he said, giving a sheepish laugh as he wiped his tears. "You just remind me of Evelina so much. I'm sure that she's proud of you as her student. I wish she's here with us to see your achievements."

'I'm here. I can see everything,' she replied inside, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

Finally, it was the night of the welcoming dinner. All the students, instructors and alumni gathered at the main castle's dining hall. The walls, windows, ceiling and the floor were ugly as always but the elegant furniture and decorations made up for the architecture's ugliness.

Grandpa Lu chatted with his fellow alumni, their loud conversations and boisterous laughter livening up the atmosphere.

Iris also finally met her fellow students. All of them were older and enrolled years before her. Thus, they were her seniors. But if she was still Evelina, they would be her juniors instead.

At the moment, there were eight current students staying at the campus in addition to Iris.

The first one was Logann Wiztein, an attractive man. He was a brilliant student specializing in genetic engineering. His research involved evolution and bloodlines. His work was very controversial. The academy kept a close watch on him so he wouldn't go too far when it came to morals and ethics in the science community.

Second was AJ Zheneres, an economist. She was a small and bubbly woman, but her gaze was sharp. Although she was still technically a student, she already started working for the academy. Her instructors swore that she had a frighteningly accurate intuition, bordering on psychic, when it came to predicting market trends. This innate talent was so valuable that the academy didn't think twice to recruit her. It was rumoured that the academy's business profits tripled because of her.

Third was Amanpio Kileksky, an inventor. He was an attractive guy in a nerdy way. He was charming but sometimes would speak utter nonsense. His inventions were also a mixed bag. Some of them were simply useless. But his best inventions were so ingenious that he already received world recognition, possessing several patents under his name. He could invent anything from the simplest daily tools to the most complicated mechanisms used by space agencies.

Another inventor was Florence O'Sevan, a pretty woman. Unlike Amanpio who invented random things, her inventions focused on environmental sustainability. So besides being an inventor, she was also a sustainability specialist. She was one of the students who rarely stayed in the campus. She preferred travelling to different places around the world with her instructor, mostly helping poor villages to live more comfortable lives with her inventions without relying too much on wasteful technology.

Fifth was the gorgeous Ashandra Knightson. While Iris' beauty was ethereal, Ashandra's beauty was almost demonic. She looked like a vampire goddess. Despite her dangerous beauty that could destroy nations, she was actually very nice, sweet and quite shy. She was an artist, specializing in paintings but she also liked making sculptures and fashion designing. Her works always sold well in auctions.

The sixth was Trumann Seekerton, an aerospace engineer. All the major space agencies already tried recruiting him but he declined. He preferred exploiting the academy's generous resources to fund his forward-thinking ideas, instead of being restricted by the budget limitations of space agencies. His ambition was to establish the academy's own private space agency.

Next was the lovely Theresa Blipsburg, a biomedical engineer. Together with her instructors, they already developed innovative state-of-the-art medical instruments that were gradually becoming available in some of the best hospitals in the world. She also minored in chemical engineering with focus on synthesizing new medications. Her research was still in the early stages but if she succeeded, she would save a lot of lives.

Last was the serious Michael Exlorsson. He was a taciturn man who had an intimidating gaze. His hands were large and calloused, but those hands created marvels of advanced technology. He was a mechatronics engineer. Of course, he specialized in robotics and automation, but his ingenious designs were already making waves in the automotive, manufacturing, and even the medical industries.

Iris had never met other Cross Academy students in person before as Evelina because her small army of entourage didn't allow her. That was why she was excited and curious meeting other students in this lifetime.

Comparing herself to their numerous achievements, she realized that she still had a long way to go. These people were, without a doubt, geniuses.

Although their fields of expertise were different from each other, they were still able to find interesting topics of conversation, especially the ladies. They all spoke in English because only Iris could speak German among them.

Amanpio sidled close to her. "Hey. Can I get your number? I also want to invite you for lunch or something. I know a good restaurant near the mall. And...do you have a boyfriend?"

Iris gave him a polite smile. "I can give you my e-mail address. If the others are willing to join us, we can have lunch together. And yes, I do have a boyfriend."

"Oh dang. Tsk. Oh well. I tried. By the way, you're my type." He winked at her, only leaving her side when she gave him her e-mail address.

She didn't really think much about it. He didn't look serious. Besides, they were fellow students. Forging close connections with anyone from Cross Academy was always a good idea.

After dinner, the group dispersed. The males returned to their own respective research while the ladies made a promise to meet the next day for a girls day out. They planned to watch a movie, go shopping and eat dinner together.

'I'm so glad I decided to stay here at the campus,' she thought. 'But I miss Liwei. I wonder if he's alright and taking care of Ice Cream and Popcorn. I miss them so much.'

Her heart longed for him...for home. But she must regain her inner balance first before returning to him.

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Chapter 246 - Let's Talk About Love

The next day, the ladies met at the dorm and went together for their girls day out. However, Amanpio Kileksky invited himself and joined them, so it wasn't really a girls day out anymore.

"Oh, look at me. It's like I have my own harem! Dreams do come true," he said.

"Harem, my a**!" AJ Zheneres snorted. "It seems that inventors really are delusional!"

"Hey!" the other inventor Florence O'Sevan protested. Then she glared at Amanpio. "This is a GIRLS day out. You're not a girl, so shoo shoo!"

"Aaaw. Come on. I was just joking." Amanpio batted his charming eyes and flashed his best smile. "Just treat me like a girl today, okay? We Cross Academy students shouldn't discriminate based on gender."

Theresa Blipsburg grabbed Iris and Ashandra Knightson's hands and dragged them away, ignoring Amanpio. "Let's go. We don't want to be late for the movie."

They began walking to the nearest bus shuttle stop. The weather was quite nice. The sun shined brightly. Some of the wispy clouds floated below them because of the elevation. It was cold but not biting. Their winter attires protected them from the wind chill.

Amanpio caught Iris' eyes and winked at her. She just blinked, not feeling anything. She thought that her Liwei was still more handsome than Amanpio or any of the other men she met in the academy. Thinking about Jin Liwei, she felt a little depressed. The longing in her heart intensified. She was tempted to drop everything and fly back to him.

'Not yet,' she reminded herself.

Staying at the academy was doing wonders for her psyche. She would be so mentally exhausted from all the studying that the nightmares were becoming less frequent. She also had less time to think about the memories of the torture because she was too busy.

She was now in a better state of mind, but the memories of the torture continued to linger and affect her. She needed more time to strengthen her mind so that the memories and the nightmares would stop affecting her so much.

Even though she longed to see and talk to Jin Liwei so badly, she needed to ascertain her feelings for him first. She already told him that she was falling in love with him, but what if she only got influenced because he kept telling her that he loved her?

At first, she thought that distance would somehow lessen her feelings for Jin Liwei. But now she was discovering that it was the exact opposite. Her feelings for him were becoming deeper and heavier each day they were apart that it hurt.

There was a good-looking man like Amanpio who was showing interest in her, but all she could think about was Jin Liwei.

"How do you know if you're in love?" Iris suddenly asked aloud.

Amanpio's eyes lit up. "Aaaw. We just met each other and you already think that you're in love with me? I know that I'm gorgeous and a genius, but this is still a bit too fast. Is this what they call love at first sight? Don't worry. You're my type so even if I have no idea what it's like to be in love, I'll give us a chance."

Iris frowned. "You're weird."

"Ahaha! Proudly! Weird is my middle name," he declared, winking at her.

Theresa glared at him. "Oh, shut it!"

The ladies began scolding Amanpio. He stood there in a relaxed manner, looking like he was having the time of his life surrounded by women.

Ashandra ignored them, turning to Iris instead. "Why do you ask? Do you think you're in love?"

"Yes. I want to know if I'm in love with my boyfriend or not," Iris answered honestly.

Her words caught everyone's attention. They stopped bullying Amanpio, throwing him aside to concentrate on Iris instead.

"Dear, why don't you describe to us how you're feeling about your boyfriend? Maybe we'll be able to help you determine whether you're in love or not," Florence suggested.

The others nodded, encouraging Iris.

"Okay."

Iris began a detailed description of how she felt about Jin Liwei. Her expression was serious. The way she was describing her feelings, it sounded like she was presenting a complicated scientific report.

As for the others, they also looked serious. They even interrupted her and asked questions for clarification. If an average person listened to their conversation, they would assume that the group was discussing a scientific theory rather than talking about love.

Amanpio tried interjecting but he was repeatedly shot down by the ladies. His words were pure nonsense anyway.

The shuttle bus finally arrived. They climbed inside and sat together at the very back, continuing their love discussion.

"Girl! You're definitely in love!" AJ was the first one to say.

"Oh?" Iris tilted her head to the side. "Really? I am? How do you know? Is there some sort of guide that I can read to determine exactly if I'm in love or not? I tried searching online, but I can't find any reliable sources no matter how hard I try."

"Pft!"

AJ and Theresa burst into laughter. Florence chuckled while Ashandra giggled.

Amanpio looked as confused as Iris.

"Sorry, we're not making fun of you," Theresa said, the first one to control her laughter. "You're just so cute. Listen, Xiulan. There's no such thing as an ultimate guide to know if you're in love or not."

"What? No guide? What is humanity doing? No one has developed an algorithm yet to determine whether a person is in love or not? There should already be an instrument to measure the level of one's love!" Then Amanpio's eyes lit up. "Wait. Maybe I should build one! Ahahaha! I now have an idea for my next experiment!"

Everyone looked at him like he was of a different species from them. Well, except for Iris. Her eyes also lit up when she heard him.

"Oh. That's a great idea," she said. "Life would be much easier if we have a device like that."

The other ladies looked at her in disbelief.

'Is she serious?' they thought to themselves.

"I know, right?" Amanpio was delighted to hear her interest in his idea. "Don't worry. I'll surely build a lovememometer! Ahaha!" Then he suddenly stood up and yelled, "Madame Driver, please turn the bus back to the academy! I must return to my lab!"

In the end, the driver kicked out Amanpio from the shuttle bus. There were also other passengers riding the bus, and the driver couldn't just turn around for the sake of a single person even if he was a student of the academy.

The ladies rejoiced that the annoying guy finally left. They once again focused on Iris' matter.

AJ: "To answer your earlier question on how we know that you're in love, it's because all of us have been in love before. Right, ladies?"

The others all nodded their heads in agreement.

"I was even married once when I was only nineteen," Ashandra revealed. "But that son of a b*tch is a womanizer so I divorced him. I still love him a little even now, but I respect myself more."

"My fiancé moved here just for me," Theresa said, showing her engagement ring. "He's working as a nurse at the hospital. I often stay at the dorm because of my research but I go home to our apartment in the districts during the weekends."

Iris turned to Florence, an expectant look on her face.

Florence sighed. "Several boyfriends, all led to heartache. They can't handle my lifestyle of always travelling around in the world. I'm still optimistic about love, though."

"As for me, I'm happily married," AJ announced. "I live in the districts with my husband and our baby girl. He's my first love and I still love him up to this day."

"Oh." Iris' eyes sparkled as she looked at everyone like they were living textbooks.

She began asking them all sorts of questions about their love life. They answered her with gusto, reminiscing about their best romantic moments.

In the end, Iris clutched her chest with her hands. Her eyes were filled with wonder.

"I...I'm in love with Liwei..."

A smile bloomed on her face with the realization.

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Chapter 247 - The Maestro And The Hitmaker

'So this is what being in love feels like,' Iris thought, giggling to herself.

There were still a lot of things that she was unsure of, but her new friends advised her not to rush or force things but just to let everything happen naturally. Iris was now looking forward to seeing Jin Liwei in person so that she could hug and kiss him, and of course tell him that she loved him.

Then a small sense of insecurity crept in. They hadn't seen or spoken to each other for so long. Would he still love her?

Determination flashed in her eyes. Well, she would just have to remind him. If he dared forget his love for her, she would just have to beat it back to him until he remembered again. Besides, she trusted Ice Cream and Popcorn to constantly remind him of her. Satisfied of her plan, she nodded.

Finally, the group arrived downtown. First, they watched a sci-fi movie which they harshly criticized as illogical and scientifically inaccurate.

Then they went shopping at the mall. Only AJ and Iris had black cards. The others stared at them in envy, even though all of them were already wealthy in their own right since becoming Cross Academy students.

"Ah, the difference in treatment between us students," Theresa sighed, shaking her head.

Florence followed suit, sighing as well. "Xiulan is the student of the business genius Sir Lu Jianhong, while AJ is the academy's star child because she's making them so much money than they know how to spend."

Ashandra giggled. She was actually offered a black card before because her artworks always sold well during auctions. However, she declined it because she didn't think that she needed it. She lived quite modestly compared to the others. As long as she could make art, she was happy.

Afterwards, they pampered themselves at the hotel spa and then ate dinner at a family restaurant popular throughout the entire campus for their homemade recipes.

Besides spending time with Jin Liwei, this was the happiest and the most relaxed Iris felt with other people. She liked the feeling that within this new circle of friends, they treated each other as equals.

The group then separated into two groups after dinner. AJ and Theresa headed to their district homes, while the rest returned to the dorm.

It was such a fun day, but it wouldn't happen anytime again soon. All of them were busy with their own studies, research and work. However, they promised to keep in touch with each other.

With that, the day drew to a close. Iris slept well without experiencing any nightmare.

The next day, Iris had an appointment to meet two of the current most famous musicians in the world. She felt extremely nervous because both had such huge influence in her own music. The truth was that they were two of her main music instructors in the past when she was still Evelina.

When she arrived at the meeting place which was a rehearsal room in the Music Department, nobody was there yet. She came ten minutes earlier than the agreed time.

Her heart thudded inside her chest. Her palms also began to sweat. She had great respect for the two musicians. She was anxious and of course excited to meet them again, even though they wouldn't know that she was also Evelina.

It was actually them who set up the appointment with her when Grandpa Lu introduced her to them as his student during the welcoming dinner. They recognized her as Iris Long, the composer and pianist behind the album "Rebirth Melodies" which was still performing well in the European market.

To distract and calm herself, she sat in front of the grand piano in the room. Then she began playing Liszt's "La Campanella". The highly technical piece immediately sucked her into a flow state with its swift and energetic tempo.

Her surroundings disappeared as she immersed herself within the light, airy and charming music. The nervousness she felt earlier was forgotten, as her hands skipped over the keyboard. It was a short piece but a fulfilling one.

When she finished playing, she smiled looking relaxed. Then she was interrupted by the sound of a lone applause.

She turned and saw two older men standing by the doorway.

The one clapping was Maestro Ludovico De Luca, a world-renowned classical composer and musical director who was also known for his piano scores. His greying hair was bald on top of his head. At first, he looked intimidating but he was passionate, kind and helpful to those he found worthy or deemed to have potential as musicians.

Standing a little behind him was the legendary hitmaker, Enrique Valdez, whose music had won an unprecedented number of awards. He started as the vocalist and lead guitarist of one of the most famous rock bands in the world. When it disbanded, he pursued a solo career and then started writing music in many genres for other artists, films, musicals and many more.

He was also called as the number one southpaw guitarist in the world. He was actually ambidextrous and could also play the regular right-handed guitar, but he favoured his left hand more as it was what he used to write with.

Although he was almost in his sixties, he still looked ageless with his chiselled facial features, mesmerizing hazel eyes, gorgeous olive skin and toned body. He could pass as someone in his thirties. He was a taciturn man who preferred to let his music talk than opening his mouth to explain himself.

Both musicians were skilled in playing many different instruments. They were the ones who encouraged Evelina to learn other instruments besides the piano. Nevertheless, her favourite instrument would always be the piano.

Iris immediately stood up and greeted them respectfully.

"Hmm. Excellent technique, great control of tempo. Very detailed, refined and graceful. Most importantly, I can feel your joy while playing the piece. Overall, a delightful 'La Campanella'!" Maestro De Luca praised as he walked closer.

She thanked him modestly.

The silent Enrique Valdez spoke. "Sit. Play the entire 'Rebirth Melodies'."

Iris wasn't surprised. The hitmaker always went straight to the point. She obeyed. Soon, the soulful piano melodies of 'Rebirth', 'Phantom of Your Love', 'Black Star' and the ten other songs in the album filled the entire music room. She played nonstop for almost an hour.

When she was done, she needed a few minutes to stabilize her emotions. Then she remembered that there were other people in the room. She stood up in haste and looked at them, a little embarrassed and nervous.

Maestro De Luca's eyes shined with unshed tears, while Enrique Valdez looked even more brooding than usual. They looked at each other and then at Iris.

"You really play and sound like her," Maestro Deluca murmured, sighing.

He didn't elaborate but Iris immediately knew that he was talking about her past life as Evelina.

"Be my student. Yes or no?" Enrique Valdez suddenly asked.

"Yes!" She didn't hesitate.

Maestro De Luca scowled at his colleague. "I was going to offer first," he mumbled under his breath. Then he faced Iris with a gentle expression. "I can tell that you have a deep classical music background, so how about becoming my student as well?"

"Yes, Maestro." She looked at both of them. "It's my great honour to become a student of such great teachers. I'll be in your care!"

Although technically she already graduated from their tutelage in her past life, music was something that could never be perfected. She knew that she still had a lot to learn from these two music legends. If she could improve her own music even further by becoming their student again, she would gladly do so.

Just like that, Iris became an official student of Maestro Ludovico De Luca and the hitmaker Enrique Valdez. Her busy schedule was about to become even busier.

That night in her dorm suite, Iris stared at her newly-charged phone that she hadn't used in a long time. She looked at the time. It was already past midnight there. He must be sleeping now, so she shouldn't disturb him.

She put down the phone and tried working on some translation exercises her instructors assigned for her. However, she couldn't concentrate. Sighing, she grabbed her phone again.

There were hundreds of messages and voice mails from Jin Liwei. Her heart fluttered, also feeling a little guilty for not contacting him since she left. However, she needed the time and distance away from him in order to regain her inner balance.

Taking a deep breath, she dialled and waited. If he didn't answer, she would leave a voice mail and a text message.

Ring ring ring—

"Hello baby?" a familiar male voice answered.

A beautiful smile lit up her face when she heard his voice. Then her eyes suddenly filled up with tears, flowing down her cheeks.

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Chapter 248 - I'll Be There Soon

Dragon Palace Home #10.

It was already past 1:30 AM but Jin Liwei still couldn't sleep. Ever since his baby girl left, he barely had any decent night of sleep. He only slept when his body couldn't take it anymore and shut down by itself.

He missed his baby girl so much. It felt like she took a big part of him with her when she left. He felt incomplete without her.

Even though she never replied, he sent her multiple messages and voice mails every single day. He woke up every morning after a couple hours of sleep (if he was lucky) hoping that she would at least send him a message or call him. And every day, he hurt when she didn't.

It felt like he was going crazy with every passing day that she was gone. He looked terrible. He looked thinner with dark circles around his sunken eyes. If it wasn't for his assistant Xu Tian who sent a barber to his mansion, his hair, beard and mustache would have already grown wildly like that of a caveman. Dominic also pestered him to eat his meals.

He was sprawled on the chaise longue by the glass windows in his bedroom. The night sky was dark, almost pitch-black because thick clouds covered the moon and the stars.

Depressed, he downed brandy directly from the bottle while staring at the darkness outside the windows. His other hand stroked Ice Cream who was curled beside him, her head resting on his thigh. Popcorn was sleeping belly up in the middle of the enormous bed as if he owned the entire thing.

"Baby, when are you coming back? Please come back," he pleaded, hoping his feelings could somehow reach her wherever she was.

He almost broke down. So he took another swig of the brandy, trying to numb the pain of missing her.

Then his phone which he always kept beside him lit up. He glanced at it and froze when he saw the caller on the display. His heart jumped, almost as if he couldn't believe it was real.

The piano melody of "Phantom of Your Love" began playing. It was his special ringtone for his baby girl's number.

"Hello baby?" His voice shook when he answered the phone, gripping it tightly in his hand. "Are you alright? Please be okay. I've been so worried about you. Where are you? Can I see you? Are you ready to come back? I want to see you so badly. I miss you so much."

Jin Liwei's words rushed out of his mouth in quick succession. He almost didn't breathe as he spoke. His heart hammered inside his chest.

When he didn't hear anything from the other side of the line, he looked at the phone's display again to check if the call was still connected. It was. He returned the phone to his ear.

"Hello? Baby, are you there?"

Silence.

His expression fell and he slumped back to the couch. Ice Cream mewled, complaining from the sudden movement before returning to sleep.

"Liwei..."

At last, he heard the voice that he had been waiting to hear for so long. His eyes watered, his grip on the phone tightening once again.

"Baby?"

Then he heard sniffing noises.

"Are you crying? Are you hurt? Please don't cry," he told her, even when he wanted to cry as well. But he didn't let the tears spill from his eyes.

"I miss you..." she said.

Her voice was a whisper, almost inaudible. But he heard every single word and his heart soared.

"I miss you too, baby. So much."

"I'm sorry I didn't contact you. I...I needed some time alone to...to figure things out..."

"No, no. Don't apologize to me," he said in a hurried tone. "I'm the one who wronged you."

"Oh Liwei..."

They stopped speaking for a few moments, but the silence wasn't awkward at all. They listened to each other's breathing, feeling the connection between them. No words were necessary to convey how much they missed each other. They just knew.

It was Iris who broke the silence first.

"I have something that I want to tell you," she said.

"What is it?"

"I want to tell you in person. I want to see you, Liwei."

"I want to see you too, baby. So much. When are you coming back?"

"I..." She hesitated and then sighed. "I can't right now. I still have some matters that I want to finish here."

The anticipation he was feeling crashed down, replaced by disappointment. He took a few deep breaths to control his emotions.

"Alright..." he forced himself to say. Then cautiously he asked her, "Then can I come see you instead? Is that okay with you?"

"Really?" He could hear the excitement in her voice, making him hopeful once again.

"Yes, of course! Tell me where you are."

"But...I'm far away. You have Jin Corporation to run..."

"Baby, you're more important to me than the company. Please just tell me where you are."

She hesitated once again. He waited patiently for her to answer.

"I'm at Cross Academy in Switzerland," she finally said.

"I'm coming right away, baby. Wait for me."

He stood up, headed for the bathroom to quickly wash up and change into clean clothes. He was already making plans in his head to arrange his flight at the shortest amount of time as possible. He would need to rouse people from their sleep, but he honestly couldn't care about them right now. His baby girl was more important than them.

"I know that it's already late there. Why don't you sleep first and fly in the morning instead?" she suggested.

"I want to see you...I NEED to see you as quickly as possible. Besides I won't be able to sleep anyway. I'll just sleep on the plane."

"What about Ice Cream and Popcorn?"

"They don't have the necessary travel papers. I'll leave them to Dominic. He's still staying here at the mansion."

"Okay," she said. He could hear the smile in her voice, making him smile as well. "I'll inform Grandpa Lu that you're coming then. I'm sure he can do something so that the academy can grant you permission to enter even in such short notice. Keep your phone on. He'll most likely call you after I tell him."

"En."

He was now smiling with joy, almost grinning. Finally! He could see his baby girl and hug her and kiss her.

"I can't wait to see you, Liwei." Then she whispered, "I'll be waiting for you, darling."

"I'll be there soon, baby. I love you."

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Chapter 249 - Fall In Love All Over Again

Zürich, Switzerland.

After what felt like forever, Jin Liwei finally arrived at Grandpa Lu's mansion villa where a helicopter was waiting for him. The property was beautiful and the view stunning, but he didn't notice any of it at all.

He didn't even accept the caretaker's invitation to go inside the mansion for some refreshments because he felt too excited and impatient. He couldn't wait to see his baby girl again! His mind was only filled with thoughts of her.

Exhaustion made his body feel heavy and sluggish. His bloodshot eyes were dry and even painful. He also felt a nagging headache in his temples. He didn't sleep at all during the twelve-hour flight.

Despite all of these, happiness and anticipation filled his heart. He wished he could just teleport to Cross Academy, so that he could see, hug and kiss his baby girl sooner.

The helicopter flight took more than an hour. Jin Liwei forced himself to be patient. He was indifferent to the breathtaking view of the Swiss Alps at first, but when the academy's sprawling fortress came into view, he couldn't help but gasp at its sheer majesty.

He already had some idea of what to expect, but seeing the unbelievable expanse of Cross Academy with his own eyes was still very shocking. It felt like he was entering another world isolated from the regular outside world he came from. And in a sense, he was. He might as well be an alien visiting a new mysterious planet.

"So this is Cross Academy," he murmured.

The school for geniuses. This was where Grandpa Lu and his own grandfather studied, known as the business genius duo, before building what was now the number one company in their country, Jin Corporation.

And now his baby girl was enrolled in such a legendary academy. It only really hit him now that she was a GENIUS recognized by other geniuses.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, sighing. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile. Instead of feeling insecure, he felt proud of her.

Finally, the helicopter landed. A guide sent by Grandpa Lu welcomed him at the helipad. They rode a minibus to Grandpa Lu's district house.

Compared to his grand mansion villa in Zürich, Grandpa Lu's house in the campus was a quaint two-storey chalet. It was very modest, unlike his other luxurious properties all around the world.

The guide led him inside the house without knocking. The front door was unlocked. Immediately after entering, they heard the beautiful, flowing piano melody of Fauré's "Pavane" in F-sharp minor, Op. 5.

Jin Liwei's heart skipped. He immediately knew that it was his baby girl playing.

"Liwei my boy! There you are! I've been waiting for—hey!"

It was as if a trail appeared in Jin Liwei's mind, lighting up his way towards his baby girl. Everything and everyone else disappeared. He couldn't hear anything besides the piano melody. It spellbound him like a siren luring him to a point of no return.

He didn't even notice Grandpa Lu who was now scowling at him, as he rushed past the grumpy old man.

"Hmph! Look at the kids these days! Is it that difficult to greet your elders first? I want to know!" Grandpa Lu complained at the young man he sent to fetch Jin Liwei.

The young man only smiled, not saying anything. He also tried making conversation with Jin Liwei during their trip from the helipad to the elder's house, but Jin Liwei was too distracted to respond to him.

While Grandpa Lu continued to grumble, Jin Liwei finally saw his baby girl playing the piano near the fireplace in front of the window. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her.

The sunlight shining through the window behind her looked like a divine halo, and she was the beautiful angel playing a heavenly melody. He was already in love with her but seeing her at the moment, he fell in love with her all over again.

For him, she was the most beautiful woman in the universe.

He was so struck by his overwhelming love for her that he just stood there like an idiot with open mouth and eyes filled with awe.

As the final notes drifted to a stop, Iris' hands floated over the piano keys for a few moments before she finally turned to look at him.

When their eyes met, it was as if electricity zapped both of them. They ran, practically flying to each other.

Iris leaped into his waiting arms, and he caught her. Her legs wrapped around his waist. Then she grabbed his head for a hungry kiss. Their mouths smashed together, fusing, opening to devour and to be devoured.

Their moans only fueled their feelings and desire, intensifying an already scorching kiss. They didn't care anymore if they couldn't breathe, as long as they got their fill of each other. No words were needed for now. They wanted to convey how much they missed each other through the kiss.

"Oy oy! You know that this is my house, right?" Grandpa Lu's voice boomed, interrupting their fiery kiss. "Although I want to have great-grandbabies as soon as possible, it doesn't mean that I want to see you making them in front of me! Liwei, you spermy-headed rascal! How dare you ignore and not greet your grandpa! Don't you know the strings I pulled just so you can enter the academy on such short notice?! When did you become so ungrateful? I want to know! Hmph!"

Iris was the first one to regain her senses. Her neck and face turned crimson after hearing Grandpa Lu's words.

"Liwei..." She tapped his back, trying to get his attention.

Jin Liwei's eyes were still trained at her luscious lips. He looked like he still wanted to kiss her. Well, she also wanted to kiss him but Grandpa Lu deserved respect from the two of them. He had done so much for them.

"Liwei! Darling, put me down!"

"Hm?" Finally, Jin Liwei's desire-filled eyes cleared a bit. He blinked several times, looking confused as to what was happening in his surroundings.

"Hai! This is what happens when sperm fills a man's brain! He can't even think properly anymore!" Grandpa Lu continued to complain. "Hmph! Fine! This old man won't interrupt you young lusty kids anymore! But if you really want to make babies, go upstairs and do it in a room! Hmph!"

Iris gave an embarrassed smile. "Sorry, Grand—"

"Hello, Grandpa Lu. Thank you very much for everything. You're the best," Jin Liwei told Grandpa Lu in a hurry, and then continued to carry Iris as he headed upstairs into one of the guest bedrooms.

"Hmph! Don't take too long! It's almost lunch time!"

Iris hid her burning face against Jin Liwei's neck. But despite her embarrassment, excitement and desire roared to life within her. She started sucking his neck, leaving her marks on his skin.

"Mine," she whispered.

Jin Liwei groaned and then replied in a husky voice. "Always."

He caught her lips once again. He reluctantly stopped kissing her when they reached the second floor. He opened a door in random, but it turned out to be a bathroom. He tried another one. Success! It looked like an unoccupied bedroom. They entered and closed the door, once again kissing each other hungrily.

He walked to the bed and they fell down together, her on her back and him on top of her. The desperate kiss slowed into a sensual yet gentle one. They opened their eyes and just gazed at each other, pressing their lips together every few seconds.

"I missed you so much, baby," he told her, stroking her face.

"I missed you, too."

They continued gazing at each other's eyes.

"Thank you," he said.

Her head tilted to the side. "For what?"

"For letting me see you. For staying with me. I know you said that you're coming back, but I was still afraid that you'll hate me and leave me."

"Oh Liwei."

He laid the side of his head above her chest, near the crook of her neck. She wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back with one hand while her other hand ran its fingers through his hair.

They stayed in that position, not speaking, just basking in each other's embrace. Their earlier hungry desire transformed into tender comfort, simply thankful that they were together once again.

"...love you..." Jin Liwei mumbled before his eyes fluttered close, a soft smile on his lips.

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Chapter 250 - Best Morning Ever

Jin Liwei's full weight bore down on top of her, crushing her down the bed.

"Liwei? Get off, you're heavy..."

He didn't respond. His entire body became relaxed and unmoving, his breathing deep and regular.

Iris blinked. The man actually fell asleep on top of her! She lifted her head and peeked at him. When she saw the dark circles around his sunken eyes and the weary lines on his face, her brows scrunched together in concern.

She was too preoccupied by desire and excitement at finally seeing him again that she failed to notice his exhaustion earlier.

Sighing, she kissed the top of his head and struggled to get him off her. He was heavy, but she somehow managed to slide him beside her on the bed. She was gasping and sweating after the struggle.

How worn out he must be to not even rouse with all the movements? Her heart ached, knowing that she must be the reason why he ended up like this.

"Sorry," she murmured, giving a gentle kiss on his lips.

Then she proceeded to take off his coat, muffler, boots and socks. Taking his coat off was very hard, but she didn't complain. The man just flew thousands of kilometres in the shortest time possible just to see her. How could she complain? Although she wanted to spend time with him, he needed to sleep first.

She stroked his face.

"I love you, Jin Liwei. I'll tell you again sometime when you're awake."

She gave him one more kiss before quietly leaving the room and closing the door. Then she headed downstairs. She could already smell the delicious aroma of lunch.

Grandpa Lu sat on the couch in the living room, watching the world business news. He turned when he heard her, frowning.

"What? Done already? I know I said to hurry up and not take too long, but that was too quick! Hai! Kids these days don't have stamina anymore! Tsk tsk."

Iris' face and neck turned crimson. She cleared his throat. "Liwei is asleep."

"Even worse! Sleeping right after getting what he wants and so fast too? It seems that I need to have a man-to-man talk with that boy and teach him how to properly romance his lady!"

Iris' face burned even more. "No, Grandpa Lu...uh, we didn't do it. He's exhausted from the long flight. Let's let him sleep for now."

"Bahahaha! My girl, I was just teasing you! I already noticed that he's exhausted. Alright, I guess it'll just be the two of us for lunch then. Come, let's eat! This old man is starving!"

###

Within the restful haze of nothingness, he heard a familiar voice from far away, the most beautiful voice that he had ever heard in his entire life.

"...I...love...you...Jin...Liwei..."

The words echoed within his heart, resonating with his own love for the owner of the beautiful voice.

He was uncertain whether it was just a dream or not, but happiness still filled him before he sunk even more deeply into the cocoon of dreamless sleep. His consciousness floated within this comfortable blankness, slowly recharging his worn out mind and body.

Then suddenly, his entire body began to burn with a lava of desire. The haze of nothingness transformed into a fiery passion of two glistening, hot, tangled bodies.

He was vaguely aware that this was just a dream, but he didn't care. He often had these erotic dreams ever since getting to know his baby girl. However, this dream in particular felt more realistic than usual.

Phantom touches blazed a trail of pure pleasure all over his chest, abdomen, hips and thighs. And most importantly, a delicious wet heat stroked his rock-hard length sending his nerve endings into frenzy.

A moan escaped from his throat, as a wet sucking force squeezed him. His hips unconsciously thrust hard into the wet heat. He heard a yelp from far away, but he disregarded it, thrusting deeper. He wanted more, craved more of that pleasurable wet heat.

Then a sharp pain made him gasp.

His eyes snapped open.

Disoriented at being startled awake, he didn't immediately recognize where he was. However, the highly sensitive condition of his body and the pain in his hard length made him disregard his current surroundings.

His vision zeroed in on his flushed baby girl sitting beside him. She was glaring down at him while massaging her jaw. His mind started to clear, piecing together what might have been happening while he was asleep. Then he looked at his hard little brother who was standing strong and proud, but was now decorated by faint teeth marks.

"You...baby, did you...bite me?" he asked, his voice husky from sleep.

She pursed her lips, continuing to glare at him. "Well, it's because you startled me. You were sleeping but suddenly slammed inside my mouth. It hurt, you know. I bit you in reflex."

"Sorry..." he apologized, pulling her to his embrace.

Eh? Why was he the one apologizing? He was the one who got his d*ck bitten! Then he mentally scolded himself. He hurt his baby girl's mouth, so of course he should apologize! It was his fault, even if it wasn't! Anything he did that hurt his baby girl, even if it wasn't intentional, was his fault! Everything was his fault!

"It's okay. It doesn't hurt anymore," she said, kissing him on the mouth. Her hand reached his still hard length and started stroking him.

"Baby, you're killing me," he gasped, groaning.

Her thumb rubbed the teeth marks. "Does it still hurt? I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. It's your fault, you know."

"Yes, yes. It's my fault. Ah. How about you give it another kiss? So it won't hurt anymore."

Her fingers tightened dangerously around it.

"Whoa, baby. Careful! Be gentle."

"You want me to bite it again?"

The pain and pleasure mixing together almost made him come, but he controlled himself. He gave her a sexy smile. "Go ahead. Bite me all you want. I'm all yours."

She tried to maintain her glare but failed, giggling instead. "Don't tempt me. Just lie back and don't move. If you do, I'll stop."

"No, don't stop! I'll be good. Promise."

"Good." She moved closer to his lower body, dipped her head down and then took him once again in her mouth.

He closed his eyes and gasped. When his eyes opened, he saw her looking at him as she pleasured him. The sight was so sexy that he...

He groaned in protest when she stopped. "Baby, please... I was so close..."

"I know. That's why I stopped."

"Hah..."

His baby girl was becoming more and more wicked. And he loved it!

Then she started removing her pyjamas. His hands moved to help, but she slapped them. He just chuckled and laid there, enjoying the view of her stripping in front of him.

"Take off your shirt," she ordered.

Of course, he immediately obeyed his queen. He also removed his pants which was already lowered to his thighs.

When she was completely naked, she climbed on top of him. His eyes widened.

"Baby, wait...I didn't bring condoms."

"It's okay."

He frowned. "Are you on the pill?"

"No."

"Then—"

"Ssshh." She pressed a finger on his lips, shutting him up.

Afterwards, she pressed his erection down until it was flat against his stomach, and then sat directly against his length. They both closed their eyes and moaned at the contact. Her wet heat against his hot hardness.

He gripped her hips when she started grinding herself on top of him, helping her set a firm rhythm. He wasn't inside her yet, but he was already going crazy. It was taking all of his effort not to go wild and just stab himself inside her. If he was already like this, what would he be like if they went all the way? He would probably lose his mind.

The louder her moans, the harsher his breathing. He pulled her down and kissed her, devouring her cries of pleasure. She pulled away from the kiss when she couldn't breathe anymore. His mouth caught her nipple instead, sucking hard. Of course, he made sure to give equal attention to her other nipple so it wouldn't feel left out.

"Oh Liwei!"

Her nails scraped against his chest, leaving glaring red marks. Her hips became wilder, grinding on him faster and harder.

He gritted his teeth, his body taut as a bowstring, as he matched her frenzied rhythm with his hips. He tried delaying his climax to let her come first, but when he looked up and saw her beautiful and flushed self moving in ecstasy on top of him, his control snapped.

A roar escaped from his throat when he reached the peak of his pleasure. His mind exploded in bright white lights, and he felt his warm release spurting onto his own abdomen between them.

She continued grinding against him even when he finished, chasing for her own orgasm. When she started stiffening, he made it more intense for her by gripping her hips and increasing her pace.

"Liwei! Oh Liwei!"

"Yes, baby!"

Her body pressed hard on top of him, as she screamed her climax. It was the most glorious sound he had ever heard from her. Her screams gradually became whimpers, her body trembling. He rubbed her back, soothing her after her most intense orgasm yet.

When they both calmed down afterwards, she lifted her head and looked at him with a satisfied smile. "Good morning."

He also smiled. "G'morning, beautiful. Best morning ever."

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