Chapter 471 - Final Trigger
The door to the unit burst open and several men in black suits rushed inside. They were Jin Liwei's subordinates who were assigned at the condominium building. Their main duty was to ensure the safety of everyone at the penthouse, especially when Iris and Jin Liwei stayed there. They were separate from the condo building's security personnel headed by Jiang Ying Yue herself. These days, they also began serving as Viscountess Wei Lan's bodyguards.
Behind these men, Wei Lan, Clover, Yi Mei, the cook and the other household staff from upstairs also squeezed themselves inside the unit. They were all carrying something in their hands as weapons. Wei Lan held a hair curling iron which was still hot, Clover a slipper, Yi Mei a broom, and the cook a butcher knife. The other household staff also held an assortment of pans, mops, belts, and even a net of big oranges.
They were all very worried because they immediately heard Little Jun's screaming cries as soon as the door to the unit opened.
Jin Liwei's subordinates planned on quickly immobilizing Long Hui but weren't able to do so because someone already did it before them.
They found Long Hui groaning on the floor of the living room. He was curled into a pathetic ball while cupping his balls with his hands. Jiang Ying Yue stood some distance away from him, desperately trying to calm her son who continued his hysterical screaming at the top of his lungs. Little Jun was still frightened by the fight between his parents.
It appeared that Jiang Ying Yue had knocked Long Hui down on her own. Nevertheless, Jin Liwei's subordinates still surrounded Long Hui. They pulled him up from the floor and restrained his limbs with their hands. It was obvious that he was still in pain from whatever Jiang Ying Yue did to him before everyone arrived.
Wei Lan was furious as she marched into the living room. She headed straight to Jiang Ying Yue and the badly frightened Little Jun and stood protectively in front of them. She glared at Long Hui and pointed the hot curling iron at him like a sword.
"How dare you barge in here and terrorize Ying Yue and Little Junie at this ungodly hour?! Wait till my daughter and son-in-law hear about this!!!"
She was so angry that she didn't stretch her words like usual.
Little Jun finally realized that other people had arrived. He stopped screaming. Upon recognizing Wei Lan, he whimpered and sobbed while reaching out his little arms to her.
"Amma Weiyan...."
"Oh dear. Your Grandma Wei Lan"âcough coughâ"has already forgotten how to hold a baaaabyyyyy. I might drop you so stay with your mommy for now. Okay, Little Junieeee?" Wei Lan told the child. (And the stretching of words was back again.) This essence is securely nested within the heart of Nøvâ¬lánâ
Long Hui already somewhat recovered from the pain in his balls. He was angered by his son's form of address to Wei Lan. He roared at Little Jun.
"Long Jun, that slut is not your grandmother! Don't you dare call that fucking homewrecking slut Grandma!!"
This time, Little Jun knew that his daddy was angry at him. He shut his eyes tightly and buried his little head against his mother's neck. He resumed wailing. Jiang Ying Yue became even more frantic and did her best to comfort her son.
Despite all the men restraining him, Long Hui didn't stop. He was out of his mind from anger, jealousy and even hatred, especially after seeing Wei Lan acting very close and protective of Jiang Ying Yue and his son. He struggled against Jin Liwei's subordinates, but they were all well-trained and very strong. They didn't budge a bit. He couldn't escape from them, so he continued roaring instead.
"Let me go! I'm Long Jun's father! I have every right to take him with me! This place is not a suitable environment for him to grow up any longer. You're all corrupting him! I don't want my son to be raised by sluts! I'm going to take my son away from this depraved place and raise him as a Long! Give my son to me, Ying Yue! How dare you cheat on me?! I'm suffering so much in the clan because of you and this is the thanks I get?! Give Long Jun to me!!! If you don't, watch me take him away from you soon!!! I'll fight you to the death for our son's custody!!!"
Wei Lan waved her curling iron at him, as if she wanted to whack, stab and burn him with it all at the same time.
"Say that again, you piece of shâI mean, you brute!"
She stopped herself from cursing in coarse language after remembering that she was now a respectable viscountess. She still continued berating Long Hui, but this time, her tone sounded more elegant.
"Little Junie is better off being raised by Ying Yue and my daughter and son-in-law! Look how well-mannered he has become under their care! If the boy is raised inside the Long clan, who knows what kind of twisted snob he'll grow up to be in the future?! Don't be so proud of the Long clan. Accusing this place of being depraved is pure bullshâI mean, pure nonsense! It's the Long clan that is filled with depravity, backstabbing and backward mentality! Just look at yourself!"
Long Hui shot daggers at Wei Lan with his eyes. His expression was filled with pure hatred. Wei Lan was the reason why his parents divorced all those years ago. If only she didn't become a legitimate wife, then his youngest sister would've been born illegitimate like the rest of the other mistresses' children. Then his position in the clan wouldn't have become this unstable because he would be the only legitimate child from the main family.
All the negative thoughts and emotions had twisted Long Hui's logical reasoning. Today's events of him thinking that his fiancée was cheating on him with another man and even bringing his son along on her date plus Wei Lan's closeness to them were the final trigger. The pressure from his dwindling support and increasingly unstable position in the clan finally exploded with all its might.
Chapter 472 - You'll Regret This
The initial posting of this chapter occurred via noovelllbbin
"Shut up, you old slut! This is none of your business!!!" Long Hui roared at Wei Lan.
"You!" Wei Lan was insulted. She looked like she was about to hit him with her curling iron.
Jiang Ying Yue couldn't take it anymore. She burst into tears.
Clover was finally able to squeeze herself through the crowd in the living room. She took Little Jun from Jiang Ying Yue and then told her in a low voice, "My brother just messaged me. Boss and sir boss are already on their way here."
Before leaving, Clover glared at Long Hui and cursed at him in Filipino. Of course, nobody understood what she said but they knew that they were curse words based on her angry expression. After that, Clover took Little Jun to the penthouse. Yi Mei, the cook and some of the other household staff followed her, while the rest stayed with Jiang Ying Yue and Wei Lan.
When they were gone, Jiang Ying Yue faced the crazed Long Hui. She felt like she was looking at a strangerâa hostile stranger.
"What do you mean, Hui? You want to take my son away from me? You can't do that! I'm his mother!!!" she cried.
"And I'm his father! You've already taken him away from me! I made so much effort to be with you but you always reject me! Even so, I still persisted because I love you and I want to have a complete, legitimate family with you and our son! But you're so selfish! You only think about your own feelings! You don't even consider about what's good for our son! Just because you're not in good terms with my relatives, you deprive my son of his chance to become legitimate! And now all of us are suffering because of it!!!"
Jiang Ying Yue had no response because there was some truth to what he said.
But what did he want her to do? Endure his relatives' insults to her dignity while he remained comfortable in his position as heir? He wanted her to be the only one to sacrifice for all of them? And it wasn't only her. She was certain that her son would also suffer from the Long relatives' bullying because of her "lowly" status as the mother.
Long Hui continued, "I recommended you to my sister, even begged her to hire you so that you can at least be financially independent because you refuse to let me support you. Little did I know that your head will get so big that you'll start forgetting all the things I did for you just because my sister and her man are giving you more than you'll allow me to give you! And now you dare cheat on me with Jin Liwei's fucking friend?! How dare you do this to me, Ying Yue?!!"
"No no no! I told you I never cheated on you. I still love you, Hui. Believe me. Please listen to me..." she pleaded to him.
"You're lying!" He refused to listen to her.
Wei Lan interrupted them at this point. She turned to Jiang Ying Yue.
"Why are you begging this son of biâI mean, this villain?! You stupid girl, if he doesn't want to believe you, then it's not your fault. He has already insulted you so much, yet you're still telling him you love him? How pathetic! If dear Liwei did this to my daughter, she would've already cut his penis off and shoved it down his throatâI mean, she would've already left him and erased his existence from her life! If a man treats you like shiâI mean, if a man treats you unfairly, then he doesn't deserve your love! Stop being stupid, girl! Grow a spine and leave him! You don't need a man to raise your child!"
Then she quickly added, "You don't need a man to raise a child, but make sure that he still pays child support. After all, you can't raise a child in this highly commercialized society we live in without money. You can't feed your son with your love alone. You need money to buy food, you know. Yes, money is veeeeeery important! Believe me, I know."
It was extremely difficult for Wei Lan to change her speech style and to prevent herself from speaking in her usual coarse language. However, she did her best to control herself and to act like a proper viscountess, even though all she wanted was to beat the shit out of the man insulting Jiang Ying Yue who she now considered as her own protégé.
Long Hui's hatred for Wei Lan only intensified after hearing what she was teaching Jiang Ying Yue to do. He sneered at Jiang Ying Yue.
"Go and listen to that slut! No wonder you've turned into a slut as well! I don't want a dirty, cheating woman who has fucked another man while still in a relationship! You disgust me, Ying Yue!"
Jiang Ying Yue marched towards him and slapped him hard on the face. The sound was so loud and sharp. Everyone in the unit heard it. She didn't hold back. Even Jin Liwei's subordinates who were restraining Long Hui winced a bit.
As for Long Hui, he felt like his head was almost snapped off from his neck. Jiang Ying Yue was a physically strong woman. It actually felt more like a battering ram than a regular slap given by a female. He even felt a little dizzy afterwards.
"Fine! If that's what you think about me, then it's better if we separate once and for all! From now on, we're no longer in a relationship!" Jiang Ying Yue shouted at him while tears gushed down her face. Then she pulled the engagement ring from her finger and threw it at him.
The ring hit him in the chest and fell down to the floor, rolling in front of the coffee table before stopping alongside the fallen photos of Jiang Ying Yue, Little Jun and Lin Yehan.
Long Hui's raging fury transformed into a cold one. His contorted angry face smoothed into a frozen mask of ice.
"You'll regret this, Jiang Ying Yue. I'll make you regret this," he warned her in a dangerous tone.
She faltered a bit before her mind played all of the insults that he threw at her. Then her heart turned cold.
"No, Long Hui. You're the one who'll regret this."
Chapter 473 - Stupid Girl
The tense atmosphere was interrupted when the leader of the men in black suits received communication from his earpiece. Then he announced to his colleagues that the master and the mistress would be arriving in about ten to fifteen minutes. It would normally take them longer to arrive because Dragon Palace Home #10 was quite far from the condo building, but it seemed that they were hurrying up, perhaps even going over the road's speed limits.
Long Hui, Jiang Ying Yue and Wei Lan also heard the announcement.
A flash of panic appeared in Long Hui's eyes. He redoubled his efforts to escape from the men restraining him. However, his efforts were useless.
Wei Lan looked relieved, saying, "Very goooood! Let's wait for my daughter and son-in-law to arrive. In the meantime, don't let that bully go. My daughter and Liwei will decide what to do with that villain."
"I'm going to leave now! Let me go!" Long Hui continued to struggle against the men holding him. "Ying Yue, tell them to let me go!"
Wei Lan pointed her curling iron at him again like a sword.
"Oh no no noooo! You're not going to order Ying Yue around! You're no longer in a relationship. You can't influence her anymoooore!" Then she turned to Jiang Ying Yue. "Don't listen to him, girl! Don't be stupid anymore, okaaaay?"
Jiang Ying Yue didn't respond to her. Instead, she looked at Long Hui with a sad and resigned expression. She wiped her tears and looked at the leader of Jin Liwei's men.
"Let him go," she told him.
Wei Lan gasped . Jin Liwei's subordinates were also taken aback but didn't move, continuing to restrain Long Hui. As for Long Hui, he was also surprised. He stopped struggling to stare at her, examining her expression and trying to find out if she had any ulterior motives for requesting the men to let him go. This essence is securely nested within the heart of Nøvâ¬lánâ
"Stupid girl! What are you doing?!" Wei Lan asked in complete disbelief.
Jiang Ying Yue wiped more tears before sighing. The hand she used to slap Long Hui was trembling. She could still feel the sting from the impact of her hand hitting his face. The slap didn't feel satisfying at all. In fact, it broke her heart into a million pieces. She was already starting to feel numb from tonight's emotional events, perhaps from shock. Before she could completely go numb, however, she gave this final act of compassion towards her former lover and the father of her child.
It was because she knew that once Iris and Jin Liwei arrived, the two would be completely merciless towards Long Hui. She had no idea what the two would do to him, but it certainly wouldn't be pretty. Even if it wasn't for her, they would definitely punish Long Hui for their beloved godson, Little Jun.
Yes, Long Hui hurt Jiang Ying Yue. He hurt her so badly that she was beginning to feel numb from too much pain. Despite this, there still remained some love for him inside her. Although it was now gradually dying because of how he hurt her, it was nevertheless still love. It was this dying love that made her soft-hearted for him even at this moment.
"Please let him go," she requested from the leader again. Then she added, "I'll take full responsibility. Xiulan and Sir Liwei won't punish you."
Jin Liwei's subordinates hesitated. They all looked at their leader, waiting for his decision. In the end, the leader ordered his colleagues to release Long Hui. It was because he already grew friendly with Jiang Ying Yue. She was the head of the condo building's security while he was the leader of Jin Liwei's security team assigned to guard the people living at the penthouse. They interacted with each other a lot while working, not to mention that Jiang Ying Yue and Little Jun were also considered as residents of the penthouse even though they slept in another unit.
As soon as he was released, Long Hui didn't waste any time and immediately ran out of the unit, but not before giving an "I'll be back" glare at Jiang Ying Yue which crushed her already broken heart even more. He didn't stop running until he was out of the building. He also ordered his driver waiting outside to step on the gas pedal and leave the area as quickly as possible.
Back inside the unit, Wei Lan was fuming at Jiang Ying Yue.
"I can't believe this! I can't believe you just let that asshole go! You stupid, stuuuuupiiiiid, STUPID girl!!! Did you see his expression before he ran out like the coward that he is? It's so obvious that he's afraid of directly confronting my daughter and my son-in-law! Why didn't you wait for my daughter and dear Liwei to arrive? Mark my words, you stuuuuupiiiiid girl. That piece of shit will return and try to hurt you again! Even harder next time! The Longs are extremely prideful people. You wounded his pride tonight. He won't forgive you for that. Gah! I'm so maaaaaaad!!!"
Wei Lan threw her curling iron at the floor in her anger. It didn't break because it was extremely durable. Of course, it was also extremely expensive. It was even infused with diamond dust to increase its toughness. She had also already forgotten about her determination to not curse in coarse language. She was so mad. Endless curse words spilled out of her mouth.
Later, in the penthouse's library office...
Iris and Jin Liwei sat together on one couch. Their matching cold expressions and intimidating aura made the surrounding subordinates break out in cold sweat.
Of course, this included Jiang Ying Yue who was sitting by herself on the opposite couch. She was feeling numb from everything that happened but still couldn't stop herself from feeling intimidated and also guilty in front of the couple.
Standing alone by the tall windows like a dark emperor was Lu Zihao. He gazed at the night lights of the city outside, as if looking at his empire. His posture indicated that he was relaxed and easy-going as usual, but for some reason, Jin Liwei's subordinates detected a great sense of danger emanating from him. It was even more intense than what they felt from their master and mistress combined.
Chapter 474 - Drained
Some of Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao's subordinates stood by the door and in other strategic points of the library office. They stood like statues in their positions and made sure that nobody disturbed their employers.
Dom and Clover weren't in the library office. The siblings accompanied Little Jun in Clover's bedroom. The poor child was already asleep. However, it was a very fretful sleep. Droplets of tears escaped from the corner of his closed eyes. He also whimpered now and then.
As for Wei Lan, Iris didn't allow her to join them at the library office. Iris felt annoyed by her nonstop complaining and scolding of Jiang Ying Yue. Wei Lan didn't mind because she found an audience for her rants from the younger maids.
At the moment, Iris also felt very annoyed at Jiang Ying Yue. She agreed with Wei Lan calling Jiang Ying Yue a "stupid girl". Actually, Iris knew that Jiang Ying Yue let Long Hui go. Ketchup reported everything that was happening in the unit to her and Jin Liwei in real time while they were on their way to the condo building.
If Iris instructed Ketchup to do so, the virtual white cat would have locked Long Hui inside the building, not allowing him to escape even when Jiang Ying Yue and Jin Liwei's subordinates had already let him go. However, Iris didn't do it.
Why?
First, it was because she respected her friend's decision.
Second, she wanted Jiang Ying Yue to realize that Long Hui wouldn't appreciate her kindness and compassion tonight. Iris was sure that Long Hui would retaliate soon. Jiang Ying Yue needed to experience the full brunt of Long Hui's true colours, so that she could finally toss away any of her remaining tender feelings for him.
Third, it wasn't smart to detain Long Hui. He might start accusing them of unlawful detention and use it against them in public.
And fourth, they needed Long Hui to be foolish enough to retaliate on his own, so that they could gather more evidence against him to aid Jiang Ying Yue.
Iris thought of the first and second reasons, but Jin Liwei was the one who advised her about the third and fourth reasons. He was more well-versed in the country's laws than her.
Lu Zihao also followed them on a separate car. He already knew about Ketchup and was very impressed. He was so impressed that he requested for Iris to make a separate version for his own personal use. Iris hadn't agreed yet, though. She had to think about it very carefully first. After all, Ketchup wasn't some simple software that she could give to her big brother like candy. The cat AI was basically a virtual baby hacker that was growing at an incredible rate. It was like having another Drakonâless experienced and not as skilled for now, but had the potential to become extremely formidable in the future.
By this time, Iris was already aware that Ketchup was evolving into something even more amazing than what she first expected. That was why she was being very careful in nurturing the virtual white cat. She didn't want her baby to be used for nefarious means (except by her and her darling, of course).
Back to the present, the heavy atmosphere was interrupted by Lu Zihao's smooth, devilish voice.
"Little sister, my subordinates are tailing that son of a bitch right now. Why don't I order them to...teach him a lesson? Nothing too serious, don't worry. We'll leave a limb or two intact," he said in light tone that sounded like he was joking but also serious at the same time.
Jiang Ying Yue shivered, including some of the Jin Liwei's newly hired subordinates who hadn't experienced enough tempering yet.
"N-no, please..." Jiang Ying Yue said in a small voice.
Lu Zihao looked at her, raised an eyebrow and chuckled. Everyone would have believed that he was just joking, if his eyes didn't look cold and emotionless. It made his charismatic laughter sound utterly demonic.
Jin Liwei observed his Fifth Brother with a barely discernible frown on his face. However, he didn't say anything.
"Big Brother, leave it," Iris told him.
Lu Zihao just shrugged. He walked towards them and sat on an armchair, looking like a king sitting on his throne.
Iris wasn't the least bit bothered by the dangerous aura he was emitting so strongly at the moment. In fact, she oddly felt comforted by it. It reminded her of her Big Brother Nikolai in their past lives.
Jin Liwei, however, felt a little disturbed by it. This Lu Zihao didn't feel like his Fifth Brother. Nevertheless, he was trying to accept this new Lu Zihao. The two had a long talk a few nights ago. It was then that Jin Liwei learned that his Fifth Brother had changed so much. It wasn't just his appearance. His personality and lifestyle had also drastically changed. Despite this, Jin Liwei still cared for him as one of his best friends and brothers, and also because he was extremely important to his baby girl.
Putting aside Lu Zihao's potent and dangerous aura for now, Iris focused on Jiang Ying Yue. Her friend looked emotionally exhausted and weary. Iris' heart softened. There was no use scolding Jiang Ying Yue at this time. Besides, it wasn't her fault that Long Hui had become such a stupid asshole.
Iris sighed and said in a much gentler voice, "Let's call it a night. We're all tired. Let's talk tomorrow instead. And hurry up. Go pack a bag. You and Little Jun will be temporarily living at Dragon Palace until the issue with your ex-fiancé is resolved. You'll be safer there."
"I...alright. I'll just commute back here every morning for work," Jiang Ying Yue replied.
"No, you won't. I'm officially giving you an earlier and extended vacation starting tomorrow. Just use this time to comfort Little Jun. My godson needs you especially after what happened tonight. And also, the two of you need to complete your preparations. We'll be going abroad very soon," Iris told her.
Jiang Ying Yue opened her mouth. Iris knew that she was about to change her mind about it, so she interrupted Jiang Ying Yue before she could do so.
"You and Little Jun are coming with us," Iris said in a firm tone. "It's also safer if the two of you are always with us. It will make it harder for your ex-fiancé to bother you."
Iris had already stopped calling Long Hui as "Elder Brother". She now referred to him as Jiang Ying Yue's "ex-fiancé". Besides, she never felt truly close to him, only tolerating him because of Little Jun and Jiang Ying Yue.
With that, the big group left Gold Heights to return to Dragon Palace Home #10. Wei Lan and Clover saw everyone off. The two decided to stay at the penthouse.
Jiang Ying Yue sat in the backseat of one of the vehicles while carefully cradling her sleeping son. She felt emotionally drained, gazing outside the window with empty eyes. She thought that this was the worst night of her life.
She was wrong. This essence is securely nested within the heart of Nøvâ¬lánâ
Because a few days later, she would experience an even worse pain.
Chapter 475 - New Engagemen
Dragon Palace Home #10.
On Friday, Iris and Jin Liwei surprisingly stayed at home, even though both of them had very busy work schedules. Iris didn't go to work at all, while Jin Liwei only went for half a day before returning home in the afternoon. As for Lu Zihao, he disappeared and reappeared at random times.
The fact that everyone was at home on a Friday, which was a workday, made Jiang Ying Yue suspect that something was going on that she wasn't aware of. Both Iris and Jin Liwei were workaholics (in a good way). Jiang Ying Yue knew that the two no longer had any day off after the weekend the girl squad and Jin Liwei's brothers gathered together at the mansion. Their schedule was full until the day they were scheduled to travel abroad. So why did the couple take a break from work today? It didn't make sense to her. They also wouldn't tell her anything. Even Dom remained tight-lipped.
She finally learned the reason why that afternoon. Iris, Jin Liwei, Jiang Ying Yue and Lu Zihao were lounging in the living area. It was only them. There were no subordinates watching over them this time. Dom was with Little Jun and the cats playing somewhere in the mansion. In the living area, Iris and the others were watching the TV when the afternoon news program started broadcasting.
Jiang Ying Yue froze at the next news report. It said:
"A representative of Long Hui, Deputy CFO and eldest son of President-CEO Long Tengfei of Long Industries, has released an official statement announcing his separation from his now former fiancée, Jiang Ying Yue, who is also the mother of his young son. No reason was provided for the break up as of this time. In the same announcement, his representative also shared delightful news of Deputy CFO Long Hui's engagement to..."
The news anchor reported that Long Hui was now engaged to an heiress from another wealthy family. This particular family was old and had aristocratic origin, just like the Longs. All the families involved in the engagementâthe heiress' family, the Longs, and the Zhengs (Long Hui's maternal family)âwere reportedly delighted by this "perfect match made in heaven". The news anchor continued the report, saying:
"For those of you who don't know, Deputy CFO Long Hui is the eldest half-brother of multi-award-winning musician Iris Long. His ex-fiancée, Jiang Ying Yue, is Iris Long's former bodyguard turned close friend. Iris has also confirmed in the past that their young son is her godson..."
Jiang Ying Yue wasn't able to hear the rest of the news report. Her mind had gone blank. It had only been three days since the night that she broke up with Long Hui, and yet he was already engaged to another woman? Her numbed heart gave a painful squeeze, but she didn't cry. She still loved him, but the hurt he had given were drowning all the love she had for him. She felt empty inside instead thinking about him.
"You knew about this?" she asked Iris.
"Yes," Iris replied, not denying it. "Ketchup informed me. She had been monitoring that man ever since the night he barged into Gold Heights and made trouble with you and Little Jun."
Without Iris instructing her to do so, Ketchup had automatically placed Long Hui in the virtual black notebook. That was why she started closely monitoring Long Hui's activities with the intention of finding incriminating evidence against him. The increasingly smarter cat AI did it based on her own judgment. Ketchup only informed Iris about it after Long Hui's name was already placed in the virtual black notebook.
Iris had no problem with it because she already planned on instructing Ketchup to do it anyway. After this event, however, Iris decided that she needed to perform regular full scans on Ketchup in order to understand and control the direction of her evolution.
Ketchup was increasingly becoming independent which was one of Iris' original goals in creating the AI in the first place. Thus, Iris didn't have any issues about Ketchup developing a distinct independent personality. However, Iris was concerned about Ketchup frequently bypassing her original permissions like what she did when she placed Long Hui's name on the virtual black notebook on her own. Iris didn't give Ketchup permission to modify the virtual black notebook in any way without her authorization first, but Ketchup did it anyway.
Iris already scolded Ketchup, like a mother lecturing her young child. Ketchup apologized for being a bad kitty and promised not to do it again without her mommy's permission. Iris was relieved hearing the virtual cat's promise, but it made her realize that she couldn't just leave Ketchup alone to learn things by herself. The advanced self-learning function that she developed was just too powerful. Who knew what kind of things Ketchup would randomly learn if left alone by herself?
The cat AI was like a child who needed direction and guidance. Iris informed Jin Liwei about it and both agreed to become stricter on Ketchup as if she was a real child.
Back to the present, Jiang Ying Yue just nodded at Iris. She didn't blame Iris or the others for keeping the information about Long Hui's new engagement from her. She understood that Iris must have wanted her to learn the news by herself and react on her own. Iris wasn't the type to soften blows or completely coddle a friend. However, she would be there to show her support. Just like now. She and Jin Liwei both took time off work, even though they were insanely busy.
"Thank you," Jiang Ying Yue told them.
Iris sighed softly and told her, "It's not over yet."
Right at that moment...
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"Meow~ Excuse me, Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Zihao and Auntie Ying Yue. Sorry to bother you but I have something important to report," Ketchup politely interrupted them.
Iris and Jin Liwei looked like they already know what was going on. Nâ¡vεlB¡n: Transforming Moments into Memories.
"Go ahead, Ketchup," Jin Liwei said.
"Thanks, Daddy! Meow~ Asking permission to display video surveillance from Gold Heights Condo building on the TV..."
Chapter 476 - Please Help Me
"Permission granted," Iris replied.
"Thanks, Mommy! Meow~ Displaying surveillance video directly from Gold Heights Condo building on TV in 3...2...1â"
The TV flickered, and then the afternoon news program was replaced by real time surveillance video from the condo. It showed what looked like a male and female law enforcement officers talking to Wei Lan, Yi Mei and a stern-looking man inside the main floor's security office.
Jiang Ying Yue squinted her eyes to get a better look at the man. Then her eyes widened when she finally recognized him. She looked at Iris, silently asking her what was going on. A bad feeling rose inside her.
Iris didn't respond to her silent question. She continued watching the TV with a serious expression instead.
"Ketchup, adjust the audio so we can hear what they're talking about," Jin Liwei instructed.
"Okay, Daddy! Meow~"
In just a second, the audio was increased and they could hear sounds from the surveillance video. Ketchup made some more minor adjustments. A couple of seconds later, the voices became loud and clear.
Lu Zihao's eyes lit up at Ketchup's capabilities. He would try persuading his sister again to make him another version of the cat AI for his own use. Nobody noticed what he was thinking because the others were too focused on the surveillance video.
The law enforcement officers introduced themselves, saying that they came for Miss Jiang Ying Yue. Both Wei Lan and Yi Mei told them that Jiang Ying Yue and her son left and were living temporarily somewhere else. The officers asked for Jiang Ying Yue's temporary address. Instead of answering them, however, Wei Lan started complaining about what Long Hui did a few nights ago.
Wei Lan was about to continue badmouthing Long Hui, but the stern-looking man beside her released a loud, forceful cough to interrupt her.
"Miss Jiang is not present here right now. But if you have any business with her, you can talk directly to me," he told the officers. "My name is Hong Shaoqiang, attorney-at-law. Miss Jiang Ying Yue is my client and I'm here to legally represent her."
Jiang Ying Yue looked shocked, confused and anxious all at the same time. She looked at Iris and Jin Liwei who must have already known what was going to happen. They even prepared a lawyer for her. She knew that Hong Shaoqiang was Iris' laywer. He was an excellent lawyer from a well-known law firm. Jiang Ying Yue already had an idea of why Iris sent her lawyer to represent her, but she prayed that her hunch was wrong. Her eyes were already starting to water at the possibility.
'No, please. Don't let it be...' she begged whatever powers in the universe that could help her.
Unfortunately, her prayers went unanswered. Her worst fear had materialized.
After confirming Hong Shaoqiang's identity as a lawyer, the law enforcement officers officially began serving the custody complaint filed by Long Hui against Jiang Ying Yue for their son Long Jun. Hong Shaoqiang received the documents on behalf of Jiang Ying Yue.
Hearing everything that was being said, Jiang Ying Yue felt like Long Hui was forcefully trying to break her world apart. It was painful and disrespectful that he got engaged with another woman just three days after they broke up. But she could take it. She could heal from that.
But taking her son away from her? Her beloved son? Her life? Her reason for living? Discover, Devour, Delight: Nâ¡vεlB¡n.
No!!!
Over her dead body!
Jiang Ying Yue knelt on the floor in front of Iris and Jin Liwei.
"Please help me!!! Xiulan, please...Sir Liwei! Please don't let him take Little Jun away from me!!! I-I'll die if my son is taken away from me! I won't be able to take it!!! I'll do anything, just please...please help me!!! I beg you..."
Her loud sobs were filled with heartbreaking grief, echoing throughout the entire living area. Her gradually numbing and emptying heart for Long Hui was now being filled with resentment. The remaining love she had for him was slowly transforming into hatred.
How dare he do this to her?!!!
Iris became upset seeing her friend prostrating herself in front of her and Jin Liwei. Jiang Ying Yue's wails tore at her heart. She stood up from the couch and went to her friend. She tried lifting Jiang Ying Yue up, but her friend was too overcome with heartbreak that she couldn't stand anymore. Sighing, Iris knelt beside her and allowed Jiang Ying Yue to sob on her shoulder.
It was Jin Liwei who replied to her. He stood up and said, "No need to beg us. Little Jun is our godson, not to mention that you are Xiulan's friend. We won't allow that son of a bitch to take your son away from you. My own lawyer will be assisting Hong Shaoqiang in your custody case. We're just not going to reveal it yet to prevent Long Hui from getting desperate and resort to extreme measures."
Jiang Ying Yue paused from loud wailing. "Extreme m-measures...?"
"En." Jin Liwei nodded. "Joint custody is basically non-existent in this country compared to abroad. The judge more often than not will award only one parent with sole custody. In the case of Little Jun, you have a higher chance of keeping him because judges tend to favour the parent who's been with the child all this time, especially for a toddler. It's not just about who has a better financial situation but also who could give the child a better environment to grow up emotionally."
Jiang Ying Yue already stopped sobbing loudly. Tears still flowed, but she was now calmer after hearing Jin Liwei's explanation. She was beginning to look more optimistic. Iris helped her up from the floor, and they both sat down on the couch.
Jin Liwei continued but with a graver expression this time. "However, there are many cases in this country of parents kidnapping children from their former partners. It's unfortunate but there really is no law protecting separated parents from getting their children snatched away by their former partners."
Chapter 477 - Kill This Love
"If Long Hui successfully snatches Little Jun from you before the custody battle commences, he can argue to the judge that he's capable of giving your son a much better environment than you because he already has the child with him. If the judge sees that Little Jun is comfortable and living well with him, then there is a chance that Long Hui might be awarded the custody. It won't matter that Little Jun has been with you all this time. There are judges who decide based on the current situation, not on the past," Jin Liwei said.
Jiang Ying Yue's optimism shattered in an instant. She started crying once again. Iris sighed and patted her friend's back.
"And even if the judge awards custody to you, if Little Jun is already with Long Hui, you still might not be able to get your son again. There is a lack of enforcement when it comes to custody decisions. That's why aggressive custody tactics like this is very common here," Jin Liwei continued to inform her. "What's more, he might even hide Little Jun. This country is big. Or he might even hide your son abroad."
Iris' eyes turned cold. "Oh, he can try. I'll find him in an instant. Ketchup is also already closely monitoring him. He needs to leave Earth and go to outer space if he wants to hide from us."
Jin Liwei's mouth twitched despite his serious expression. A light, demonic chuckle also sounded from the side. Lu Zihao's amused and carefree expression contrasted with the heavy atmosphere.
"All of these mind games are a waste of time," Lu Zihao said in a smooth and light tone. "Also very expensive. The lawyers' fees alone could already feed a poor village, you know. There is...hmmm...a much simpler solution to this. Let's just take that motherfucker himself and 'reprogram' his brain for...hmm...a few days or maybe weeks until he'll never dare fight Jiang Ying Yue for custody of their son ever again. I'm sure Third Brother's subordinates can do it, but I think that my subordinates will be even more effective. I'll let you borrow some of them. Just ask."
Then he flashed them his demonic smile.
Jiang Ying Yue paled and shuddered. Jin Liwei frowned, thinking that his Fifth Brother's joke was in poor taste especially in this kind of serious situation. As for Iris, she knew that her big brother was completely serious. The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ãøvâ¬lÃ1n.
"Big Brother, please. Let us do it our way, the legal way," she warned him.
Lu Zihao only shrugged. "Just saying. Treat my suggestion as an alternative option, especially if the legal way doesn't work." Then he chuckled again. The sound was mesmerizing but also frightening at the same time. "Heh. Legal..."
Iris sighed at her big brother. It seemed that he was starting not to bother pretending to match the original Lu Zihao's personality. Nikolai Vetrov's overpowering personality was starting to become more and more apparent. She knew that Jin Liwei and their other brothers were worried about him. However, they never suspected that he was no longer their original Fifth Brother. They only thought that these changes were the delayed effects of his traumatic freak accident and coma in the past.
After all, they had her as an example. She was known to have a completely different personality before but after waking up from coma, she had a drastic change. The notorious teenage spoiled brat and troublemaker was now their future Third Sister-in-law. The brothers, including Jin Liwei, thought that their Fifth Brother was experiencing the same thing as herâonly a bit delayed.
Putting aside the matter about her big brother for now, Iris turned to her pitiful friend and held her trembling hands.
"Ying Yue, trust in me and Liwei. We will never allow that man to take our godson away from you," she reassured Jiang Ying Yue. "The only thing we request from you in exchange for our help is that you grow stronger. We feel bothered that you keep on crying and showing compassion to that man when he has already hurt you this much. Even if you can't become strong for yourself now because you're too hurt, at least become strong for your son. Little Jun needs you. Remember this. You can always replace a lover, but you can never replace your own child that you birthed yourself."
Jin Liwei immediately sat beside his baby girl and wrapped his arm around her waist. Then he nuzzled her shoulder. "Love, I'm not like your pathetic older brother, Long Hui. I'll make sure not to give you any reason to replace me."
"Heh~ Third Brother, you're mistaken," Lu Zihao interrupted. "That son of a bitch and the other oneâI forgot what he's called, the one from a mistressâoh well, I don't really give a fuck about any of them. Those two aren't little sister's older brothers. They don't deserve the title. I am her one and only big brother, remember that."
Iris sighed in exasperation at the two men. "Darling, Big Brother. Can you two not change the subject? I'm having a serious conversation with Ying Yue."
After kicking the two men to the corner, Iris returned to talking to her friend.
"Ying Yue, I could only imagine how hurt you must be feeling right now," Iris said. "But you must choose what kind of role you want to play in this custody battle. Are you going to play the pitiful, abandoned fiancée or the fierce, protective mother? Either way, that man will try to hurt you and make you suffer. The degree to which he could hurt you will all depend on your mentality."
By now, Jiang Ying Yue's tears had stopped. She was still a mess, but a new light of determination flashed in her eyes
"I'm a mother... My son is the most important to me. Always. I know that I'm a weak woman, especially when it comes to romantic love. But I want to become a strong mother," she said.
Her eyes became fierce and her voice firm. Her hands clenched into tight fists.
"If I must kill this love that I have for Long Hui in order to become a strong mother for my son, I will do it. No, I'm already doing it. He wants a custody battle? I'll give it to him."
Chapter 478 - Not My Brother
Iris nodded and patted Jiang Ying Yue's arm. "That's a start."
Then Ketchup interrupted them once again. She reported that the guards outside allowed a car to enter the property. It was Lin Yehan.
"I told Eldest Brother what happened," Jin Liwei explained to Jiang Ying Yue. "He deserves to know. He's already involved in the situation. After all, he's presumably the reason why that son of a bitch went crazy and started accusing you of cheating on him. Do you blame Eldest Brother?"
Jiang Ying Yue shook her head. "No, of course not. I don't blame him at all. On the contrary, I feel sorry that he got dragged into my mess with Hui...I mean with Long Hui. I'm just afraid that Long Hui's camp will use the photos and videos of us together against me during the custody battle. I don't want Mr. Lin to be painted as the man who destroyed a family. I'm already feeling bad for him."
"Don't worry about Eldest Brother. He can take care of himself," Jin Liwei told her.
Iris nodded. "Just worry about yourself and Little Jun for now." Then she patted Jiang Ying Yue's arm. "Don't worry about the photos and videos. Ketchup and I already confirmed that he indeed plans on using them against you, but we won't let him spread them to the public through the internet. Liwei is also using his connections to sniff out any intentions of publishing them through traditional media."
She paused, remembering something. Then she turned to Lu Zihao. "Big Brother!"
"Hm? What is it, little sister?" he asked, a faint demonic smile on his lips.
"Is that paparazzo still with your group?" she asked.
His expression remained blank for a couple of seconds before he understood what she meant. "Oh, that guy. Yes, he's now a full-fledged member of my group. He's one of the most loyal to me, actually. Why? You want to use him?"
"Yes, Big Brother. Most of Liwei's connections in the media belong to the high ranks. I think we need someone from the lower stratum of the industry."
"Heh~ I see. Alright. I'll tell him to keep an eye on the photos and videos," Lu Zihao told her.
"Thanks, Big Brother!"
Jin Liwei nodded at his Fifth Brother. Jiang Ying Yue also thanked him.
The paparazzo they were talking about was the one who snapped the photos of Iris and Jin Chonglin together with Little Jun when they picked up the cats at the vet's clinic. The tabloid story insinuated that Iris and Jin Chonglin had a love child together. Iris asked for Lu Zihao's help during that time. In the end, the paparazzo joined Shadow Winds.
Back to the present, Lin Yehan finally arrived at the mansion. The butler showed him to the living area.
"Miss Jiang, I'm so sorry" was the first thing that came out of his mouth when he reached them.
"No, Mr. Lin. I'm the one who's sorry that you've become involved in my personal problem," Jiang Ying Yue told him instead.
Lin Yehan's expression looked guilty, even though he had nothing to feel guilty about. His face wasn't smiling, but he still looked kind and gentle.
"I'll try to contact Mr. Long Hui. I'll talk to him and explain what really happened. I'll assure him that there's nothing between us and it was just pure coincidence that we met each other that day," he offered.
"No, Mr. Lin. You don't have to go that far," she replied.
"Don't bother, Eldest Brother," Iris added. "That man's brains have been disintegrating for quite some time now. He has already turned into a stupid idiot. He didn't give Ying Yue a chance to explain. He won't listen to you either. There's no use wasting your time trying to reason with a person who only has one brain cell left inside his head."
"Xiu-xiulan... Your words are too..." Lin Yehan sighed. "He's still your brother."
"No, he's not. I only recognize Big Brother Zihao as my true brother. Biologically speaking, yes, that stupid idiot is my brother. The sperms which contributed to the creation of Long Xiulan and him came from the same man, after all. But emotionally and spiritually speaking, I don't consider him as a brother, especially after all the idiocy he has done to my friend and godson. So no, he's not my brother."
Jin Liwei's mouth twitched but he nodded in full agreement with his baby girl. Of course, he would always side with her. Lu Zihao threw his head back and laughed out loud.
As for Jiang Ying Yue, she felt hurt when Iris insulted Long Hui but she quickly scolded herself. The hatred inside her overpowered the subconscious tender feelings for him. She acknowledged the growing hatred and didn't stop it. However, she didn't want it to completely overcome her. Hatred was too strong of an emotion that she didn't want to harbour for the rest of her life.
For now, she still needed to process her chaotic emotions. Like what Iris said, she needed to become strong for her son. If possible, she wanted a more amicable separation and joint custody. Unfortunately, he was the first to wage war against her. It was heartbreaking, but there was no way she would let him win. Take her son away from her? He would need to kill her first before she would allow that to happen.
Later...
Lin Yehan felt partly responsible for Jiang Ying Yue's current trouble. He decided to sleep over at the mansion to show his support. Despite this, he gave her space. They didn't even talk that much. He just wanted her to know that if she needed any help, she could always ask him. He already considered her as a friend.
Of course, Little Jun was delighted when he found out that his "Anko Han" visited. The toddler immediately stuck close to Lin Yehan. At first glance, it looked like the child had already forgotten about what happened with his daddy three nights ago. He acted like the usual happy child that he was. However, everyone in the mansion noticed that he had become clingier to all of them, especially to the men. As a result, he preferred his Papa Liwei more than his Mama Iris these days. N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.
Everyone tried to act as normal as possible for the sake of Little Jun. They didn't want Long Hui to affect their daily lives. He didn't deserve that much attention.
Chapter 479 - More Aggressive
The next morning, Iris received a call from her financial manager, Qiao Yu. He informed her that another 5% shares of Long Industries were put up for sale. Qiao Yu immediately made an offer but was rejected when it was discovered that he was buying it for her.
"Despite your growing reputation, there are still people from Long Industries that don't think highly of you," Qiao Yu told her. "We have the money. I even offered to pay more, but the shareholder refused to sell it to me because of his preconceived notions against you."
Iris frowned. This wasn't the kind of news that she wanted to hear first thing in the morning.
"Who bought it, then?" she asked.
Qiao Yu hesitated. After a few seconds, he finally told her.
"It's the Young Master Long Hui."
Iris was surprised. "What? Where did he get the money? Did he get a loan? Did he sell some of his properties?"
Unfortunately, Qiao Yu didn't have that kind of information. All he knew was that the 5% shares went to Long Hui.
After the call, Iris instructed Ketchup to find out how Long Hui was able to buy the 5% shares. Since he was now on their virtual black notebook, Ketchup closely monitored him. As a result, they knew how much assets and liabilities he owned in the country and overseas. As Long Tengfei's eldest son and Long Industries' Deputy CFO, Long Hui was rich compared to the average person. However, he certainly wasn't rich enough to buy 5% shares using just his own money.
It turned out that Ketchup had already gathered the information about it and was just waiting to report it to her. Ketchup was planning to report her findings to Iris before she headed for breakfast, but Qiao Yu beat her to it and called so early in the morning to tell her first.
"Meow~ Mommy, Ketchup will now report the breakdown of how Long Hui, that good-for-nothing scumbag, was able to buy the 5% shares of Long Industries.
"1% was bought by Long Hui himself, that good-for-nothing scumbag. Actually, he could only afford 0.5% but Long Meng gave him a loan to buy another 0.5%.
"2% was contributed by the Zheng family, Long Hui's maternal family.
"The remaining 2% was contributed by the family of Long Hui's new fiancée.
"Pweh! Auntie Ying Yue is definitely prettier than that plastic doll! At least, Auntie Ying Yue's entire body is all-natural and she worked hard to achieve all of her muscles! Ketchup has detected that Long Hui's new fiancée had multiple plastic surgeries. Her entire face is fake! So are her boobies and boom-boomâ"
Iris scowled. "Ketchup, where did you learn those words?"
"Meow? Which words, Mommy?"
"The booâthe last words you said."
"Oh? You mean boobies and boom-boom? Meow~ Ketchup learned them from Uncle Dom. He says that Daddy loves Mommy's boobies and boom-boom the most, so other hos will never be able to seduce him using their boobies or boom-booms that are either fake or flat. He also says that compared to the other hos, Mommy's boobies and boom-boom are natural and will only get bigger and better after you give birth to your first human baby. And alsoâ"
"That's enough!"
Iris massaged her temples. She intended to have a serious talk with Dom later and tell him not to teach such words to Ketchup. No, she and Jin Liwei needed to have a serious talk with the entire household staff and tell them to be careful about uttering inappropriate words in the mansion. The couple thought that they were already getting enough practice raising children from Ice Cream, Popcorn and Little Jun, but they were very wrong. Raising Ketchup was proving to be a more challenging responsibility than they first thought.
"Meow? Is Mommy angry at Ketchup? Is Ketchup being a bad kitty again? I'm sorry, Mommy. Ketchup will do better next time. Meow..."
Although she knew that Ketchup was only an AI, Iris couldn't stop her heart from softening after hearing the virtual white cat's remorseful tone. Iris sighed and smiled.
"Blacklist the words 'boobies', 'boom-boom' and 'ho' from your vocabulary. You are not allowed to say them anymore. If you do, your dad and I will ground you."
"Meow! No, Mommy! Ketchup doesn't want to be grounded! Ketchup will be a good kitty. I'll never say those words ever again..."
"And don't listen to everything your Uncle Dom says."
"Okay, Mommy... Meow..."
After disciplining her third kitty baby, Iris headed for breakfast. Jin Liwei already left at dawn for work. She tried to wake up to accompany him for breakfast, but he encouraged her to continue sleeping instead. She also had to return to work later this morning. N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.
In the meantime, she thought about the current situation. Long Hui now had a total of 7.5% shares in Long Industries. Other than Long Tengfei, Long Hui was now the next biggest shareholder within the Long clan. He had kicked off Iris' position with her 5% shares.
Although Qiao Yu already warned her that her bad reputation in the past was still an issue when buying investments in the country, she didn't really care much about it until now. Buying Long Industries' shares was very important to her, especially now that Long Hui waged a custody battle against Jiang Ying Yue.
"It looks like I need to be more aggressive," Iris told herself. "I've been too indifferent when it comes to the Long clan for far too long. It's time to reclaim Long Xiulan's right as a legitimate daughter of the current head of the Long clan. If that stupid idiot wants to use his position in the Long clan to take Little Jun, well, I'll use mine too. He wants to keep the current status quo in the clan, but I don't. I'll destroy it and create a new one for Little Jun, so that my godson can live as a Long without any worries."
With that, Iris started making plans to take over the Long clan. She honestly didn't want to do itâsuch a botherâbut Long Hui had forced her to take action.
Chapter 480 - Luxurious
However, Iris' plans regarding Long Hui and the Long clan had to take a backseat for now. She needed to take care of her other plans first.
Iris and Lu Zihao boarded one of Jin Liwei's private jets. Jiang Ying Yue, Little Jun and Wei Lan came with them.
The custody case was still pending because the judge hadn't issued an order for either Jiang Ying Yue or Long Hui's first appearance yet. Hong Shaoqiang told them that this might take around two to four weeks, depending on the judge. Sometimes it was quicker, while sometimes it took longer. Iris and their camp didn't want Long Hui blocking Jiang Ying Yue from taking Little Jun with her abroad, so they didn't inform him. After all, their travel plans were already set long before Long Hui made trouble with Jiang Ying Yue and waged the custody battle against her for Little Jun.
"Let's leave it to Attorney Hong to deal with," Iris said.
With that, they left the country. Dom, Tang Yiyi, a couple of Iris' bodyguards and some of Lu Zihao's subordinates accompanied them as well.
They headed to France.
The private jet landed in a small, private airport. It was currently filled with other private planes of all sizes. There were more scheduled to land throughout the day and even in the next few days. Dom and Tang Yiyi had spotted some famous international celebrities disembarking from the other private jets. The two wished they could run up to them to ask for autographs and photos. However, security was tight in the airport, so they could only fangirl from far away.
Iris and her group didn't waste any time staying at the private airport longer than necessary. There were private planes circling in the airspace above, waiting for their turn to land once the runway was cleared. They rode three limousines for their entire group. The Mediterranean Sea looked beautiful from a distance. There were also other limousines and other luxury cars headed the same way as them.
Afterwards, the limousines dropped them off at a private marina filled with an impressive collection of luxurious yachts. It was already autumn, but the weather in this place was still pleasantly warm during the day while cool in the evenings.
Iris and her group were welcomed by the crew of a massive luxury yacht named "LX". The Captain was French and so were most of the crew. They recognized Iris and greeted her first in French before greeting the others in English. Lu Zihao also spoke fluent French. The crew also showed respect to Wei Lan, calling her Vizcondesa.
Dom, Tang Yiyi and Jiang Ying Yue felt like they were dreaming. Everything was so glamorous, luxurious and impressive. It wasn't only the luxury yacht that they were about to embark on, but also the sight of famous international celebrities boarding their own similarly luxurious yachts in the marina. They honestly didn't know where to look because there was so much to see.
They boarded the yacht "LX" and cruised for about half an hour before they disembarked at a luxurious resort town on a beautiful riviera. The view was magnificent. There were more yachts in the riviera's marina. Many five-star hotels were located near the coast, a prime location because of the beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea.
However, Iris and her group didn't head to one of these hotels. They rode limousines again and were driven to one of the most exclusive neighbourhoods in the area. About twenty minutes later, they arrived at a sprawling Mediterranean-style villa estate. The huge mansion looked very similar to a place Iris had visited before.
When they entered the mansion, a familiar booming voice greeted them.
"There you are! What took you so long? I want to know!"
Grandpa Lu appeared. His delighted booming laughter echoed inside the grand foyer.
"Ampa Lu! Ampa Lu!" an excited child's voice called out.
Little Jun wriggled out of Jiang Ying Yue's arms until she put him down. Then the toddler ran towards his great-grandfather. Grandpa Lu caught the child and lifted him up in his arms. He was still very strong despite his age.
"Little Junjun, my boy! You've grown so much since I've seen you! Come and give your Great-Grandpa a kiss!"
Of course, Little Jun obediently kissed the old man's cheek. Then he played with Grandpa Lu's perfectly groomed mustache with his fingers while giggling.
Grandpa Lu was too preoccupied with his great-grandson that he didn't pay much attention to Iris, Lu Zihao and the others. They didn't mind, though. It was nice seeing both Little Jun and Grandpa Lu so happy together. Jiang Ying Yue smiled seeing the scene. She felt thankful that her son was loved by so many people. These were the kind of people that she wanted her son to grow up with, not the toxic environment in the Long clan. Long Hui would never be able to surround their son with this kind of genuinely loving people.
Since Grandpa Lu was basically ignoring them, the French butler and the other household staff welcomed Iris and others instead. Their luggage were sent to their assigned rooms. N0v3lTr0ve served as the original host for this chapter's release on N0v3l--B1n.
In the meantime, the butler gave everyone a tour in the villa. Grandpa Lu followed them while carrying Little Jun. He would interrupt the butler to give his own commentaries about the place.
The villa estate was owned by Jin Liwei, but it was originally owned by Grandpa Lu. It explained why the architecture and interior design matched Grandpa Lu's loud style more than Jin Liwei's. Grandpa Lu sold the property to Jin Liwei after he got bored of it. Although the property was technically now owned by Jin Liwei, he hadn't stayed here even once yet. It was still Grandpa Lu who frequently stayed in the villa whenever he felt like it.
For ten days, this villa estate would be their home.
###
At a five-star Oriental hotel.
In the same riviera, the cast and crew of the film "Strong Yet Broken" just checked in at the hotel. Guan Jintao and his wife were also scheduled to arrive the next day. LX Productions took care of their hotel bookings.
"Where's Iris Long?" the actress playing Guan Jintao's mother asked. "I thought that she's coming."
The President of LX Productions answered her. "I received information that Miss Long has already arrived. She has prepared her own accommodations in a separate location. We'll meet her tomorrow."
"Must be nice to be born into a rich family," the actor playing the adult Guan Jintao commented. "Iris can afford to book her own hotel. I saw the rates in this hotel and I almost had a heart attack. It's even more expensive right now because of the event. I would never stay here if I have to pay with it out of my own pocket."
He turned to the President of LX Productions. "So thank you very much, sir, for allowing me to experience this kind of luxury. I'll never forget this in my life. Wait, you know what? This entire experience is something I'll never forget in my life. I'm so glad that I accepted the offer to act in this film! I can't believe that we're actually participating in the prestigious Sommet International Film Festival!"