Chapter 481 - ZiRis
The five-star Oriental hotel where the cast and crew of "Strong Yet Broken" were staying at was partly invested by Jin Liwei himself. Not as part of Jin Corporation, but as a personal investment. It was a fairly new addition to the hotel scene in this riviera.
Grandpa Lu was slotted to be one of the original investors a few years ago, but he got bored during the process at the same time that he also got bored of his Mediterranean-style villa estate in the area. So he just dumped everything on Jin Liwei, while he cruised in the Mediterranean Sea and visited the surrounding countries in his own massive luxury yacht.
It was a different yacht to "LX" which Iris and her group used earlier to transport themselves to the riviera. The "LX" yacht was a new acquisition by Jin Liwei. He bought it during the summer because he knew that his baby girl was scheduled to attend the Sommet International Film Festival in the autumn. Of course, he named it after the two of themâLiwei and Xiulan. Ãøvâ¬l--Ã1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
The cast and crew of "Strong Yet Broken"thanked the President of LX Productions for letting them stay in such a high-class, luxurious hotel. They had no idea that it was all thanks to Jin Liwei. He was actually the one financing their entire stay at the riviera for the Sommet International Film Festival.
In the less luxurious parts of the riviera, Chinese media representatives were staying at more affordable hotels and room rentals. They came to cover the Sommet International Film Festival this year. "Strong Yet Broken" was the only Chinese entry, so it was a big deal to the film industry back home.
Despite this, the general public wasn't very interested. The news wasn't important enough to become a trending topic back in China. It was just one of those type of news that made people say, "Oh, that's cool," but that was it. Nobody really thought that "Strong Yet Broken" could win awards against the other foreign films starred by some of the most famous international celebrities and made by some of the most renowned directors and producers in the world who already had experienced winning awards in the Sommet International Film Festival in the past. To them, it was already an achievement that a Chinese film was shortlisted at all in such a prestigious film festival and even nominated in a few award categories, including the most sought-after main prize, the Soleil d'Or or the Golden Sun Award.
The Black Stars, however, were super excited because they found out that their Boss Iris was nominated for the Best Soundtrack Award. Most of the other nominees she was competing against were also new to the international scene like her, but there were a couple of big name composers. Whether she won or not, the Black Stars would support her all the way.
Although the major media outlets back in China weren't giving much attention to the participation of"Strong Yet Broken" in the Sommet International Film Festival, the Black Stars were still able to get the latest updates online. Most of the Chinese reporters covering the film festival opted to publish their articles online instead where they would likely gain more attention than if they waited to be featured in traditional news.
In addition to this, Iris Long's social media pages were also frequently updated during this period by her assistant Dominic Chua and her manager Tang Yiyi. The posts showed her journey from China to France, including her modes of transportation like the private jet, limousines and luxury yacht. Her fans thought that she either rented them herself or borrowed them from her father, or maybe they were financed by Bright Summit or endorsement sponsors.
Finally, the Chinese reporters were able to take actual photos of her at the riviera. These photos were immediately posted to the online news websites and blogs for the Chinese netizens.
The photos showed Iris Long walking along the streets in a fashionably elegant long-sleeved maxi dress with a waist tie which accentuated her hourglass figure. She was escorted by a tall and handsome man who had a long scar on his face. Despite the scar, many netizens couldn't help but fangirl (and fangay) over him. They actually loved the scar because it gave him a dangerous vibe that made him more attractive. It was later confirmed that he was Lu Zihao, Sir Lu Jianhong's grandson.
Now more people believed that these two were the true engaged couple. Instead of continuing to be heartbroken, a good portion of the LinRis shippers converted to become the ZiRis shippers instead. How could they resist such a gorgeous hunk? They felt that Lu Zihao was manlier than their Prince Lin Lin.
Iris Long and Lu Zihao were seen going inside a café where they met with Maestro Ludovico De Luca and Enrique Valdez. It wasn't only the Chinese reporters who were having a field day snapping photos of the group, but the foreign reporters and paparazzi as well because Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez were such well-respected big names in the international music industry.
Both the maestro and Enrique Valdez were recipients of the Best Soundtrack Award at the Sommet International Film Festival in the past. This year, they weren't involved in any of the films at all, but they still received special invitations to attend from the organizers.
The Chinese netizens were impressed by Iris Long's connection with the two music powerhouses. Although they already knew that she was friendly with Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez, it was still a shock whenever they saw her interacting so naturally and so familiarly with them.
Regarding Lu Zihao, they were also very curious about him. He looked muscular yet not overly bulky. There was a gracefulness to his posture and movements, like a panther moving in its natural habitat. The Black Stars noted that his body build didn't match the man in the photo their Boss Iris shared during her interview on Feng Jiu's talk show.
Thus, there were people who became unsure if he really was Iris Long's real fiancé.
Chapter 482 - Once A Social Climber, Always A Social Climber
The netizens shared their opinions about the matter.
"Lu Zihao matches Iris Long's hint that her fiancé is a businessman. I live in the south part of the country and I know that Mr. Lu has acquired several businesses here in the town that I live in. They're just small businesses, but he acquired a few, so he's definitely rich."
"Oh! He also bought a couple of small businesses where I live! It was all over the local news. I was wondering who this Mr. Moneybags Lu Zihao is. So it turns out that he's actually Iris Long's businessman fiancé."
"It seems like this Lu Zihao specializes in small businesses. He's certainly not as impressive as his grandfather Sir Lu Jianhong, the business genius who founded Jin Corporation with CEO Jin's grandfather back in the day."
"So what if he's not as impressive? He's so hot and so manly! Boss Iris sure is lucky to catch a man like him!"
"We're not yet sure if he's really Boss Iris' fiancé, you know. His body build doesn't match the man in the photo boss shared on Feng Jiu's talk show."
"Easy! He probably worked out a lot since then!"
The netizens continued discussing Lu Zihao until a new wave of photos and reports were published online. The photos showed Iris Long wearing a more elegant dress this time. The sun was setting in the background, so it was almost evening in France when the photos were taken. Iris was seen shopping at the designer boutiques with her mother, Wei Lan. It was only the mother and daughter this time, accompanied by a few bodyguards.
Many were surprised that Iris and her mother were acting close. It was well-known that when Iris was just a teenager, the mother and daughter didn't have a good relationship and that they fought all the time. It seemed like the two had already repaired their relationship.
###
Back in China, it was already late at night. Sun Jingfei, Long Jinjing's mother, was about to go to bed when her best friend sent her a website link. She clicked on it and saw the photos of Wei Lan and Iris shopping together in France.
"Hmm... Wei Lan has become more elegant. She has finally matured, I guess. Good for her. And good for Xiulan, too. At least the mother and daughter are beginning to bond like what nature intended," she murmured before finally going to sleep.
In another place, Zhu Ning, Long Jian's mother, was once again wrecking the things inside their house. Long Jian wasn't at home because he went for a business trip for a few days.
"Wei Lan, you bitch! How dare you act like a celebrity?! Shopping at those designer stores and posing for the paparazzi! You think you're some kind of a big shot?! You're nothing but a slut! A slut! A FUCKING SLUT!!!"
In the Zheng ancestral residence, Zheng Suyin, Long Hui's mother, also saw the photos online. Her niece ran to her bedchamber even when it was already late at night just to show her the photos.
"That Wei Lanâor whatever her nameâis just using Iris Long's celebrity status to attend such a prestigious international film festival. What a parasite," the niece commented. "Iris Long isn't even famous abroad. Practically nobody knows her there. Well, except for those old people from the European classical world. But who cares about classical music? Booooriiiiing~ Whatever. Who do they think they are? Iris Long and her mother are so full of themselves."
Zheng Suyin scrolled down the tablet to view the rest of the photos.
"Once a social climber, always a social climber," she said in a cold voice filled with venom. "With a mother like that, her slut daughter is sure to lose her supporters in the Long clan. Now that your Big Brother Hui owns 7.5% shares in Long Industries and is finally engaged to a suitable marriage partner, some of his previous supporters are returning to support him again. As is right. My son is the rightful heir to the Long clan and Long Industries. That slut mother and daughter are a joke. I don't even understand why that little slut managed to obtain such a strong group of supporters in the Long clan."
While the aunt and niece insulted Wei Lan and Iris, Long Tengfei and his wife Yang Jiahui were also looking at the same photos in the Long ancestral residence. The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to N0v3l--B1n.
"I hope that Wei Lan doesn't embarrass my daughter at the international film festival," Long Tengfei muttered.
"I don't think so," Yang Jiahui replied. "Meimei says that Wei Lan has been getting along with everyone in Xiulan's household, especially the younger members of the staff. They look up to her."
Long Tengfei didn't reply.
Yang Jiahui sighed. "People can and do change, Tengfei. Xiulan changed and it seems that her mother has also changed for the better. Don't be so judgmental of Wei Lan anymore. Xiulan has accepted her back, so you should just let them connect as a mother and daughter should. Besides, it's not like you have any room to talk. Meimei and her friends are very upset right now with your eldest son. Can't you intervene in their situation? Your eldest son and youngest daughter are currently at war against each other. I know that you want your adult children to make their own decisions and I commend you for that. But as a parent, do you want your children to fight like this and treat each other like enemies?"
"I also wasn't informed that my son broke up with Jiang Ying Yue and then got engaged with another woman. His mother and all the people involved hid it very well. It was already too late when my informants found out about it," he said. "I've already talked to my son but he wouldn't listen to me. He has also started regularly visiting his mother at the Zhengs."
"Maybe...how about let's invite Hui and Xiulan here for dinner?" Yang Jiahui suggested. "Tengfei, let's help them resolve the issue with Jiang Ying Yue and Little Jun. I'm especially concerned for the well-being of the child. This kind of situation is not good for your grandson."
Long Tengfei was quiet for almost a minute, thinking, before he sighed and finally said, "Alright. We'll plan something."
The night drew to a close. Each of these people went to sleep with their own thoughts after seeing the photos of the mother Wei Lan and her daughter Iris.
Chapter 483 - Opening Nigh
The opening night of the Sommet International Film Festival was expected to be filled with glitz, glamour, haute couture, and impressive personages. It wasn't only people from the film industry who received special invitations to attendâsent by the festival's organizers themselves or were brought as companions of the participants. There were also TV personalities, musicians, models, fashion designers, socialites, social media influencers, other kinds of celebrities, millionaires, billionaires, and even members of noble and royal families all over the world.
Even though the red carpet event and the opening ceremony wouldn't start until late in the afternoon and evening respectively, a great crowd of people already surrounded the venue as early as dawn, in order to score the best spots behind the barricades to view the parade of the stars on the red carpet. In fact, the spectators and fans would have camped out the night before if only the police and the festivals' security allowed them. Unfortunately for them, this was strictly not allowed. Anyone who didn't follow the festival's rules would be kicked out and even banned.
The media and the paparazzi also had strict rules to follow. Only those who had press badges were allowed inside. Even then, they could only stay within their designated spot behind the red ropes on the edge of the red carpet. Despite this, they still had front row positions compared to the regular spectators and fans behind the barricades on the other side of the road. In addition to this rule, they also had to follow a strict formal black tie dress code just like the attendees. If they didn't, they would be kicked out of the red carpet event even if they had press badges.
Just before dusk, the guests and the stars started arriving. Rows of shiny luxury cars drove slowly and stopped where the red carpet began to drop off the VIPs one by one. Once the VIPs stepped out of the vehicles, their names were announced aloud as they walked the length of the red carpet and posed for the paparazzi, in order for everyone to know who they were.
Loud screams and cheers could be heard from the spectators behind the barricades upon hearing their favourite celebrities.
"Maestro Ludovico De Luca and Madame De Luca!" the emcee of the red carpet event announced.
The classical music maestro and his wife waved at the spectators before walking the red carpet while holding hands. Those who had backgrounds in classical music cheered and bowed to show their respect to the world-renowned maestro.
"Enrique Valdez!" the emcee announced next.
Deafening shrieks and screams arose from the crowd after hearing the legendary hitmaker's name.
"Enrique, I love you!"
"Please marry me, Enrique Valdez!"
"I want to have your babies, Enrique!"
Thirsty declarations and comments like these were shouted in different languages. Throughout all of these, Enrique Valdez remained taciturn as always. His chiselled features, mesmerizing hazel eyes and gorgeous olive skin caused some fans to faint from overexcitement. He was almost in his sixties, but he looked ageless as ever. Some of the younger celebrities who walked the red carpet before him looked older than him, even though they were only in their thirties and forties.
Enrique Valdez came to the event alone. He didn't bring anyone with him. There were news during the summer that he broke up with his latest fling who was a Brazilian supermodel. The high profile model kept on hinting to everyone through her social media posts and interviews that she was going to be Mrs. Valdez soon. It seemed that Enrique Valdez disagreed and just dumped her.
The legendary hitmaker walked the red carpet like the lone wolf that he was and posed for the cameras. He had no bad angles and looked gorgeous in virtually all the shots taken of him.
A few VIPs later, another car stopped in front of the red carpet. Two men, one older and one younger, stepped out. A booming laughter was immediately heard by the people close by.
"Sir Jianhong Lu and Mr. Hunter Lu!"
Grandpa Lu and Lu Zihao walked together on the red carpet. There weren't a lot of people who recognized Grandpa Lu. Only those who were related to or knowledgeable about the business world knew the legendary Chinese business genius. This included the millionaire and billionaire businessmen who were also guests attending the opening night. Their eyes lit up upon hearing Grandpa Lu's name and couldn't wait for the chance to talk to him in person.
As for Lu Zihao, nobody recognized him at all. The people whispered among themselves.
"Who's that hunk?"
"Is the scar on his face makeup?"
"No, it looks real."
"He looks rich. Why didn't he have the scar removed? I'm sure he could afford it."
"What are you talking about? Leave the scar alone! OMG! It makes him look SO FREAKING HOT!!!"
"Hunter Lu! Please look here! I just met you and I don't know who you are but I already love you!"
This person spoke in French. Lu Zihao seemed to have heard her. He turned his head and looked directly at the woman. Then he flashed her a demonic smile.
"Kyaaaaaaaah!"
The crowd went crazy. Although they had no idea who he was, his alluring appearance and dangerous vibes made him incredibly attractive to them.
"Bahahaha! That's my boy! Now if you'd only use that irresistible charm of yours that you inherited from ME, your beloved grandpa, to find yourself a wife, then this old man could die happily and peacefully! Bahahaha! Wait! No, not yet! I still need to wait for my great-grandbabies from you and from your Third Brother and Xiulan my girl! This old man refuses to die before then!"
Then Grandpa Lu "dotingly" smacked his grandson's back several times. The loud thuds sounded painful but Lu Zihao didn't even react. He stood nonchalantly with a faint demonic smile on his lips, as if the hard smacks were light as a feather's touch.
The two posed for the cameras. However, Grandpa Lu got bored quickly, so he pulled his grandson away even though their time wasn't up yet. The organizers couldn't do anything because the grandfather and grandson looked too intimidating to approach.
Moments later, the emcee announced the next VIP guests. This vehicle carried the flag of Spain and another flag bearing an official-looking coat of arms.
"Vizcondesa Lan of Castillo de Estrellas of España, accompanied by Miss Ying Yue Jiang!"
Chapter 484 - Vizcondesa Lan
Jiang Ying Yue stepped out of the black, luxury car first. She wore a long qipao-inspired emerald dress with an intricate phoenix pattern. It was sleeveless, so her muscular arms stood out the most. The other foreign guests viewed her fit body with a mixture of admiration and envy. She looked elegant and strong at the same time. She stepped aside to allow the next person to step out of the car.
Wei Lan emerged from the car wearing a deep sapphire blue dress. The neck, sleeves and the bottom part of the skirt were made of sheer fabric woven with thousands of crystals sparkling brightly from the spotlights and camera flashes. She also wore an intricate diamond hair piece which looked like a tiara but wasn't. Her makeup was subdued compared to what she usually wore in the past. Smoky eyes and nude, glossy lips. Her posture looked graceful. Overall, Wei Lan really looked the part of an elegant and dignified viscountess.
This time, the organizers sent a few representatives to give a warm welcome to Wei Lan and Jiang Ying Yue. They were especially respectful, polite and enthusiastic towards Wei Lan who they referred to as Vizcondesa Lan.
The people who saw this scene instantly became curious about Wei Lan and Jiang Ying Yue. The spectators immediately grabbed their smartphones and searched up the Viscountcy of Castillo de Estrellas. They confirmed that it was indeed a real title of nobility in Spain. They couldn't find any additional details about it, though. All they could glean from the paltry information available on the internet was that the viscount and everyone in his noble household and businesses were all extremely low profile. Despite the lack of information, the people still felt impressed by Wei Lan. After all, she was a real life member of nobility even if it was through marriage.
As for the other VIP guests, they couldn't search up more information about Wei Lan like the spectators because phone use was strictly prohibited on the red carpet. Instead, they planned on approaching her later to introduce themselves and directly speak to her. If she really was a viscountess, then it would be a good idea to befriend someone of high status like her.
Wei Lan and Jiang Ying Yue walked together on the red carpet. Since Wei Lan was a member of nobility, the organizers allowed her to bring more bodyguards compared to the other VIP guests. Most of the VIP guests like Maestro De Luca and his wife, Enrique Valdez, and Grandpa Lu and Lu Zihao didn't bring any bodyguards at all. They just came on their own.
It was only Wei Lan who took advantage of the situation in order to show her status as a viscountess. She brought ten bodyguardsâall Jin Liwei's subordinates. They arrived on a separate private jet at dawn that same day. Her entourage made her look extra important and impressive to everyone.
She posed with Jiang Ying Yue for photos, once again wowing everyone with her confidence and skills in posing. Her past as a model certainly shone through, as she naturally found the best angles and lighting to ensure that every photos taken of her were all flattering.
As for Jiang Ying Yue, she looked stiff compared to Wei Lan's gracefulness. She stood military-style with her back ramrod straight. Instead of looking awkward, however, it made her look strong and even intimidating.
Fortunately, Wei Lan didn't force her to do some of the poses they had been practicing for days. Wei Lan concluded that Jiang Ying Yue's stiff military-style pose looked more natural than if she forced herself to pose like how Wei Lan taught her.
"Vizcondesa, look here!"
"Smile, Vizcondesa!" Ãøvâ¬l--Ã1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
The photographers shouted requests at Wei Lan. Of course, she granted all of them. In the end, she posed for far longer than the time allotted to the guests. However, the organizers didn't rush her and allowed her the extra time. The special treatment was very apparent.
Everyone was very curious about her. The members of the media wanted to interview her. Unfortunately, there were no interviews allowed on the red carpet. They had to wait for the formal dinner after the opening ceremony later that night in order to conduct interviews.
It was only the Chinese reporters who recognized Wei Lan. However, they still had to do a double take to make sure that it was really her.
Wei Lan was also somewhat famous back in China, or more accurately, she was infamous. She was known as the mother of Iris Long and also as the high profile ex-wife of Long Tengfei. Their divorce back then filled the entertainment news and tabloids, especially after Wei Lan demanded a ridiculous amount of alimony and child support from Long Tengfei. What was even more ridiculous was that she got everything she wanted from her ex-husband. After the divorce, she had become a notoriously extravagant socialite who everyone loved to hate. In short, her reputation back home wasn't pleasant at all.
"When did Wei Lan become a viscountess?" the Chinese reporters asked among themselves.
"I have no idea. But what I do know is that this is surely gonna be BIG NEWS!"
They joined their foreign peers in snapping hundreds of photos of Wei Lan. They couldn't wait to publish them online. Perhaps their bosses might even feel enough interest to feature this story on a TV news program or in a newspaper article. They thought that Wei Lan suddenly becoming a Spanish viscountess was the biggest Chinese news of the night.
They couldn't wait to interview her at the formal dinner later. There were so many questions that they wanted to ask her. These Chinese reporters became too focused on Wei Lan that they had almost forgotten the purpose of why they came here in the first place. They were here to cover the participation of the only Chinese entry, the movie"Strong Yet Broken", in the Sommet International Film Festival.
One Chinese reporter wasn't just snapping photos like the others. Instead, he was livestreaming the red carpet event for the Chinese viewers back home.
In just a few minutes of featuring Wei Lan, the viewers count immediately jumped from a pitiful 200 to almost 80,000. And it was still increasing.
Chapter 485 - New Status
Back in China, it was already past midnight and yet more and more people were foregoing sleep to tune in to the livestream of the Sommet International Film Festival's opening night. Around half of the original 200 viewers of the livestream were made up of the Black Stars. Some of them were assigned to watch the red carpet event's livestream right from the beginning and then alert the other Black Stars once the casts and crews of the participating films started arriving.
Most of the Black Stars weren't very interested in watching the entire red carpet event. After all, they only cared about their Boss Iris.
For now, it was mostly the special guests who were arriving first on the red carpet. They knew that their Boss Iris wouldn't arrive until much later because her assistant and manager were posting live updates on her social media pages. The two wrote that she had just finished getting ready, and that they had only just left on their way to the venue.
They also posted teasers of her dress, not revealing her appearance yet in the photos. Her full look would only be revealed once she walked down the red carpet later tonight. But even though it was only a close up of the dress' fabric, the Black Stars already knew that their Boss Iris would look beautiful and glamorous. She always did. The Black Stars believed that even if she had to wear a sack of rice, she would still work it like a queen and look fabulous as always.
The rest of the Black Stars originally planned on watching the livestream not until much later, but they tuned in earlier than expected even when their boss hadn't appeared yet. It was because their comrades alerted them that their boss' mother, Wei Lan, had suddenly become a Spanish viscountess! They all wanted to see with their own eyes if it was really true.
Word of mouth about Wei Lan's appearance as a special guest on the film festival's red carpet soon spread. When photos of Iris Long and her mother shopping together in France were published online, people thought that Wei Lan was only able to attend because of her daughter. However, she just walked on the red carpet without her daughter. It seemed that she received a special invitation from the organizers themselves and not just as a tag along to her daughter.
The livestream's view count kept on increasing by the minute. At the moment, it had already reached more than 150,000 and the numbers was still growing. It didn't matter that it was already very late at night. Everyone was curious about Wei Lan, perhaps even more so than her daughter's participation in the film festival.
It wasn't only the Black Stars who were contributing to the increasing view count. The showbiz industry, especially the entertainment news media outlets, were also watching. Nâ¡vεlB¡n: Inspiring Minds, Illuminating Souls.
Of course, the news also reached the higher-ups of Bright Summit Entertainment Company. They immediately called Tang Yiyi who accompanied Iris Long to France. Tang Yiyi confirmed that Iris' mother, Wei Lan, had indeed become a Spanish viscountess.
"I'm sorry. I only learned about it during this trip. I was also as surprised as you all are and everyone else," Tang Yiyi told her bosses.
However, this was only an excuse. The manager frequently visited Iris to check up on her, including when she and Jin Liwei stayed at the penthouse when Wei Lan just returned to the country. Tang Yiyi had already discovered Wei Lan's new identity back then because the woman couldn't keep her mouth shut about it. Despite this, Tang Yiyi decided to keep it a secret, just like how she kept Iris' relationship with Jin Liwei a secret. She refused to betray Iris' trust. She considered Iris as her most precious artist under her management.
Bright Summit's higher-ups were currently having an impromptu video conference meeting so late at night while watching the livestream. They were already brainstorming various ways on how to rebrand Iris Long's image now that she had suddenly become the daughter of a member of Spanish nobility. Even though she didn't have a title herself, the higher-ups thought that the connection was already enough to exploit.
In addition to these people, the entire Chinese high society was also alerted and tuned in to the livestream. They didn't care that it was already past midnight. They had to watch. Wei Lan wasn't well-liked by many in the country's high society. Actually, she was hated by a lot. There were many madams who thought that their husbands had an affair with Wei Lan, although they didn't have any proof. Wei Lan's reputation was so bad in high society that she would be the first woman the madams blamed when they had suspicions that their husbands were cheating on them.
And now they discovered that the gold digging, social climbing slut had become a Spanish viscountess? This bombshell that Wei Lan dropped was too explosive! They couldn't believe it! Wei Lan, a viscountess? And it was even a real, existing title!
Many were filled with envy and even more hatred towards her.
"So she married a Spanish viscount this time? She's indeed a certified gold digger and social climber. A tiger truly can't change its stripes. She'll never change! A truly disgusting woman!"
Some, however, were extremely impressed by her achievement.
"Ah, she has truly outdone herself this time. Imagine, marrying a viscount? And a real viscount at that! The title still exists today, not like the long lost noble title that the Longs, her ex-husband's family are so proud of. I wonder how the Longs will react once they know about this. They'll probably have an apoplexy! Who knew that Wei Lan could still catch a bigger fish than Long Tengfei years later? This Spanish viscount is probably the biggest fish that she could ever hope to catch in her lifetime...and she did! Wei Lan's methods may be questionable, but nobody could deny that she knows how to effectively use what she has in order to ascend in life. We should befriend her once she returns to the country. I don't care about what kind of a person she is. It will certainly be beneficial to us if we connect ourselves to her, viscountess!"
The reactions were mixed among these people. Many hated her for what they called her "ill-gotten success, wealth and status", while others were already making plans on how to get close to her and exploit her new status.
Chapter 486 - Chicken Pretending To Be A Phoenix
The best friend of Sun Jingfei, Long Jinjing's mother, repeatedly messaged and called her. However, Sun Jingfei was already asleep. She had a strict sleep routine because she needed to wake up early every morning to open her small bookstore. As a result, she didn't learn about the news until the next morning.
In another place, Zhu Ning, Long Jian's mother, was in complete disbelief upon watching the livestream after being alerted by her friends. At first, she didn't understand Wei Lan's long title at all.
"What's a vizcondesa?" she asked her friends during a video call. "Does it mean 'social climber' or 'gold digger'? Or maybe both? Ahahaha! And what's with the other Spanish words? That slut is so pretentious as always."
Her friends hesitated before explaining to her what "vizcondesa" meant. They told her that it was an official Spanish title.
"Ahahaha! You must be joking! No way!" Zhu Ning didn't dare believe it.
However, her friends shared their observations. They noted that the car which dropped Wei Lan off at the red carpet bore the flags of Spain and of an official-looking coat of arms, presumably of the Viscountcy of Castillo de Estrellas. Since Wei Lan dared to use these two flags at such an important international event, her new title as a viscountess must be true.
If it wasn't, she would be condemned not only by the film festival's followers, but also by the country of Spain and all the Spanish nobility for pretending to be someone that she wasn't. The stakes were too high just to fake something like this especially in such a highly publicized international film festival.
In addition to this, the film festival's organizers themselves sent representatives to personally welcome Wei Lan. It was obvious by their actions that they treated her with much respect. They were also giving her extra special treatment compared to the other VIP guests. All of these showed that Wei Lan's new title must be real.
It was only after her friends' explanations that Zhu Ning finally began to comprehend Wei Lan's new identity. Her face contorted in fury upon realizing that the gulf between their statuses had increased exponentially.
Zhu Ning couldn't accept it!
She went batshit crazy and began wrecking the things in her house, as usual.
The household staff hid themselves from her sight for fear of becoming their madam's target. They wished that their young master were here. He was the only one who could calm his mother. Unfortunately, Long Jian was still on an out of town business trip.
"Noooo! How could that slut reach so high?!! Curse you, Wei Lan!!! I hope your new husband divorces you and abandons you like the dirty rag that you are!!! Why are you so fucking lucky?!! Damn you!!! I spent so much time and effort persuading Long Tengfei to marry me but he married you instead!!! Then after divorcing, you took away a huge chunk of his fortune!!! Damn it! If only Long Tengfei married me, I could've gotten that fortune after divorcing him!! Then I could've also travelled all around the world, met a Spanish viscount and married him!!! Aaaaggh!!! It should've been me standing there at the international film festival and the one everyone is fawning at!!! I should've been the new viscountess, not you!!!"
Zhu Ning's envy of Wei Lan had long warped her logical reasoning. She always saw Wei Lan's achievements as a direct provocation to her. Even when it had nothing to do with her, Zhu Ning would always think that Wei Lan was deliberately showing off just to spite her. She wanted everything that Wei Lan had for herself.
While Zhu Ning continued to wreck the things inside her house, the atmosphere was cold at the Zheng ancestral residence. As usual, Zheng Suyin's niece ran to her aunt's bedchamber and showed her a recording of the livestream.
Zheng Suyin watched the recording several times. Her hands tightened on the tablet. Her niece snatched it away, afraid that she would destroy another tablet.
"Search if this noble title is real," she instructed her niece.
"I already did. There's not much information available on the internet, but it's a real Spanish title that still exists today," her niece replied. "I thought that the old hag only used her connection as Iris Long's mother to attend the international film festival, but it turns out that she's actually a VIP guest! Hmph! So what if she became a viscountess?! It's not like she married a king! Don't worry, Auntie. I'm sure she'll embarrass herself in front of the world at the film festival. She may have a noble title, but she's still the same lowly prostitute on the inside."
Zheng Suyin narrowed her eyes, as she watched the recording once again. Then she nodded. "You're right. She only became a viscountess through marriage. True nobility comes from the blood, not from the clothes. Sooner or later, her husband's eyes will open and see that she's nothing but a slut."
Although her tone was calm, fury roiled inside Zheng Suyin. She always saw herself as superior in every way compared to Wei Lan. She had always been proud of her noble origins. It was something that the homewrecker slut would never obtain no matter how many men she slept with. Now, however, Zheng Suyin was filled with unease and envy because Wei Lan's status was now higher than hers. Even though Wei Lan wasn't born into nobility and just got the title through marriage, others still recognized it, not like the Zheng and the Long clans' lost noble legacies.
She wanted Wei Lan to only be known as a social climbing, gold digging homewrecker her whole life. The sin of stealing another woman's husband should remain as a black stain on Wei Lan's reputation.
But what was happening? The slut was being respectfully called a "vizcondesa" right now by so many people! They were treating her like a queen. These people were all blind! They should open their eyes and see the slut's true nature! Wei Lan was nothing but a chicken pretending to be a phoenix!
Although the recording grated on her nerves, Zheng Suyin watched it several times. She already used her own phone to watch it and sent her niece back to her own room. Zheng Suyin wasn't able to sleep that night at all. She stewed on her hatred instead while imagining countless ways of humiliating and killing Wei Lan. Ãøvâ¬l--Ã1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
In another equally ancient place, Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui also watched a recording of the livestream at the Long ancestral residence. It was already way past midnight, but both of them were still wide awake.
They sipped a hot herbal tea fusion at Long Tengfei's study. Iris gifted it to them, saying that it was her new favourite from her endorsement of Serenity Premium Tea. It was Lin Yehan's newest addition to his tea company.
At the moment, Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui sat on the sofa and watched the big flat screen TV. Originally, they wanted to watch it because of Iris. They wanted to support her first international film festival participation. Never did they expect that Wei Lan would also appear and attend as a VIP guest while bearing the title of a Spanish viscountess.
Chapter 487 - Come Back To Me
Yang Jiahui looked at her husband. Long Tengfei looked cold and emotionless. After a few moments, he softly harrumphed.
"As long as that woman doesn't embarrass my daughter," he muttered under his breath.
Yang Jiahui only gave a faint smile and continued watching the TV. It would be a lie if she said that she wasn't the least bit envious of Wei Lan right now. After all, who wouldn't want to become a member of nobility and be respected by so many people just by one's title alone? However, Yang Jiahui mentally shook the envy away from her heart, preventing it from taking root and festering deep within her.
What was left was the feeling of gladness for her step-daughter, Iris. If being a viscountess meant that Wei Lan changed into a better person and repaired her relationship with Iris, then Yang Jiahui could only feel glad for the mother and daughter.
Iris and Meimei were now best friends with the other members of their girl squad. Iris was Yang Jiahui's step-daughter, while Meimei was her niece. She loved the two young women like her own children. She only wished them happiness in their lives.
The Long family was already filled with so much drama and problems. Yang Jiahui didn't want Iris to experience any additional enmity with her family members, especially with her own biological mother. A mother and daughter should have a close bond incomparable to any relationships.
Yang Jiahui's thoughts were interrupted by her husband's mutters.
"That woman has been posing there for half an hour. Just move on already," Long Tengfei complained about Wei Lan's continued posing in front of the cameras. He was exaggerating, of course. Wei Lan's posing for the cameras hadn't reached the half an hour mark yet. Then he said, "I wonder how long till Xiulan appears."
At the moment, the married couple already stopped watching the recording of Wei Lan's red carpet entrance. They returned to watching the actual livestream. Long Tengfei still had to wake up early the next day for work, but he didn't want to miss his daughter's first red carpet appearance at the world-renowned film festival.
This was the Sommet International Film Festival! Not only was his daughter an attendee, but she was also an award nominee! Long Tengfei felt immensely proud of his youngest daughter. Win or lose, his daughter was already the winner in his heart.
While Long Tengfei and Yang Jiahui patiently waited for Iris to appear, Long Hui was also watching the livestream inside his residence at the eastern wing. He actually just arrived home, so he was still in his business suit. He looked rumpled, though.
After working, he headed straight to a hotel to meet up with his new fiancée who demanded to have a "date" with him. He couldn't refuse because her family contributed a lot in helping him obtain the recent 5% shares of Long Industries.
Long Hui didn't really like his new fiancée. She looked like a mannequin instead of a real person. Her cosmetic surgeries were well done and didn't look too unnatural, but he still preferred an all-natural body.
Inside the hotel room, Long Hui closed his eyes and imagined that it was Jiang Ying Yue he was fucking instead of his new fiancée. Her muscled body was always beautiful and attractive to his eyes. Even after she gave birth and gained a little weight, he still thought that she had the most gorgeous female body that he had ever seen in his life.
He fucked his new fiancée furiously, making the woman scream at the top of her lungs until she passed out from too much pleasure. After several rounds, Long Hui picked up his clothes and started putting them on. His face didn't show any emotions. He looked like he didn't feel anything at all after having sex with his new fiancée.
As a matter of fact, the sex felt unsatisfactory. Jiang Ying Yue felt so many times better. Fucking his new fiancée was just a duty he needed to fulfill as payment for her family's assistance in the battle for succession in the Long clan.
Back to the present, Long Hui tossed his necktie to the floor while watching the livestream on TV. He glared hatefully at Wei Lan. He blamed her for corrupting Jiang Ying Yue into going against him.
Then his eyes turned cold when he looked at Jiang Ying Yue standing a little behind Wei Lan. She looked absolutely gorgeous in her qipao-inspired dress. Seeing her muscled arms and calves, Long Hui's body automatically reacted. He got hard.
He was annoyed at his body's reaction. At first, he planned on ignoring it and letting it pass. He already treated Jiang Ying Yue as his enemy, after all. However, his body still couldn't help but crave for her, especially after the unsatisfying sex with his new fiancée. His eyes narrowed and he hissed when the TV showed Jiang Ying Yue turning around, displaying her tight butt inside her dress.
"Fuck it," he growled and started undoing his belt in a hurry.
After unzipping his pants and pulling down his boxers, his erection popped out. It was swollen and hard, already leaking in anticipation. He wrapped his hand around it and started stroking while he looked at Jiang Ying Yue on the TV. Inside his mind, Jiang Ying Yue was completely naked. He could see all of her sexy muscles. He also imagined the tight feeling of being inside her, squeezing him hard as he pumped himself again and again inside her wet heat. Her inner muscles were strong, never failing to give him the greatest sexual pleasure he had ever experienced in his life so far.
His hand moved faster and tighter around his hard length, while his other hand massaged his balls underneath. Sweat beaded on his skin. His breaths turned into pants. He moved and sat on the foot of his bed. His eyes never left the TV. He watched Jiang Ying Yue like a hawk, ogling her body and imaging the feeling of being inside her.
Moans escaped from his throat, while he pumped his hand on himself as fast as he could. Moments later, his body started stiffening. Then he growled deeply and shot his white release on his own abdomen.
After pleasuring himself, he felt empty. He continued watching Jiang Ying Yue on TV. A complicated expression flashed in his eyes. He realized that he was missing her.
"Damn you!" he cursed at her after recognizing the painful feelings inside his chest.
He ran to the bathroom and cleaned himself up. Then he returned to his bedroom afterwards. He picked up his phone and stared at it. He alternated looking at his phone and at Jiang Ying Yue on TV. Wei Lan, Jiang Ying Yue and their entourage already left the area for posing in front of the cameras, but the Chinese reporter who was livestreaming the red carpet event decided to zoom in on their backs as they walked away. Nâ¡vεlB¡n: Inspiring Minds, Illuminating Souls.
"Come back to me, Ying Yue," he whispered.
His face contorted in frustration after hearing his own words. He was angry at Jiang Ying Yue, angry at his youngest sister and her fiancé, angry at that homewrecking Lin Yehan, but most importantly, he was angry at himself. He still loved Jiang Ying Yue, but he couldn't stop the negative emotions from overwhelming his heart and mind.
Once again, he looked at Jiang Ying Yue on the TV. Then he frowned, realizing something.
"Where's my son?"
His eyes turned cold. If Jiang Ying Yue was in France, then she must've also brought Little Jun with her. She actually dared to take his son abroad during their custody battle?
He glared at her on the TV and made up his mind. Even though it was already past midnight, he tapped his phone and called his lawyer.
Chapter 488 - Title Is A Spoiler
While Long Hui was trying to make trouble back in China, almost everyone in France was focused on watching the Sommet International Film Festival in excitement. Due to the time difference, it was still early evening in France. The sun hadn't completely set yet. There was still a lingering light in the horizon. The dimming sunlight was sandwiched between the growing darkness above and the rippling Mediterranean Sea below. It was a beautiful view, but at the moment, it was ignored. The people were more concerned about looking and snapping photos of their favourite celebrities currently walking the red carpet.
The casts and crews of the participating films finally started arriving. Most of them were unknown faces in the international scene, but there were some who were already world-famous or near that level. The screams and shrieks from the adoring fans were deafening when these famous international celebrities appeared.
Later, darkness enveloped the sky, yet the riviera only became brighter and livelier. The night lights were so strong and bright that the stars in the sky couldn't be seen by the naked eye. Nevertheless, the place still retained its famous romantic atmosphere.
The red carpet was currently very busy. Cameras flashed nonstop. The film festival's organizers were hard at work making sure that the flow of people on the red carpet was smooth. After Wei Lan earlier, they no longer allowed anyone to overstay their welcome on the red carpet. Some of the more fame-hungry and clueless ones were even rudely told off to move on by the paparazzi and reporters. They held up the line by posing too long, thinking that they could also do it because Wei Lan did it before. This earned the ire of the paparazzi, reporters, and the organizers, especially when there were more famous and important personages waiting for their turn behind them.
Fortunately, these little mishaps were resolved quickly and didn't blow up into something bigger. There were a couple of instances when the organizers almost kicked off people from the red carpet, but good thing that it didn't reach that point.
Finally, the cast and crew of the only Chinese entry, "Strong Yet Broken", started appearing one after another. They arrived in separate vehicles. First were the director and producer, then the President of LX Productions. The other important crew members also arrived.
Next, Guan Jintao and his wife arrived. When his name was announced, many of the spectators and the media recognized the retired blind Paralympic gold-medalist. They cheered for him. The people's reaction almost rivalled that of what the other world-famous celebrities received earlier.
Seeing this, the organizers sent a representative to personally welcome the inspiring retired athlete and guide the husband and wife through the red carpet. Even though he was already retired from competitive sports, Guan Jintao maintained his fame on the international level as a motivational speaker. The paparazzi and the reporters requested him to pose longer. They were excited to take photos of the swimming legend because he usually didn't appear in public, unless he had to attend events like this.
Afterwards, the film's actors and actresses, both main and supporting, also arrived on the red carpet. Before starring in "Strong Yet Broken", they were relatively unknown even in China. It was only after the indie film made a surprising explosion in popularity that they became famous. Almost all of them benefited from the film and received many offers to star in new works.
This was especially true for the main actress who played Guan Jintao's mother. She became well-respected in the acting industry after winning Best Actress at the Diamond Guild Film Awards for her role in "Strong Yet Broken". This time, she was once again nominated for Best Actress at the Sommet International Film Festival.
The cast and crew of the film gathered together on the red carpet, waiting until all of their group members arrived. The organizers allowed them to linger, so that each film's cast and crew could take a group photo together.
"Where's Iris Long?" Guan Jintao asked.
For him, Iris was the one who managed to persuade him to become involved in the making of the film through her soulful music. Without her musical contribution, Guan Jintao wouldn't have given the film the time of day. Then "Strong Yet Broken" would have to bear the label of an unauthorized biographical film, decreasing its authenticity and perhaps even its impact in the film industry.
Guan Jintao thought that the film wouldn't be as successful as it was now without Iris' music. That was why he treated her with great respect and wanted her to be appreciated for her contribution in the film.
"Miss Iris Long is coming. She should be here at any moment," the President of LX Productions told him.
"I see. That's good, then," Guan Jintao replied with a nod.
One of the supporting actresses interjected, "I wonder why Iris Long has a different arrival time than the rest of us."
LX Productions' President hesitated. He was about to answer her but decided to keep his silence instead. Ãøvâ¬l--Ã1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.
The group chatted quietly among themselves while waiting at a corner. The main actress and actor were still having their individual posing time in front of the cameras.
At the entrance of the red carpet, another vehicle slowed down and stopped. The door opened and someone stepped out. A tall figure straightened to his full height. He swept his cold eyes across the crowd of people behind the barricades and on the red carpet in an indifferent manner.
He wore a tailored dark navy blue suit. Instead of the usual white dress shirt underneath, he opted for a black one instead. Then he topped it off with a blue necktie which was half a shade lighter than the colour of his suit. The dark accents of his outfit gave him a debonair yet also a kind of predatory aura, further emphasized by his cold and indifferent expression.
When the spectators behind the barricades saw him, their eyes lit up. They buzzed with curiosity and excitement while ogling him.
"OMG! Who's that hottie?"
"Wow! Another hunk arrived!"
"He looks familiar but I can't remember where I've seen him..."
"This guy's cold elegance is more of my type than that Hunter Lu's dangerous wildness earlier. There are so many handsome mentonight! Yum!"
While the people speculated about his identity, the man turned around and extended his hand inside the vehicle. A delicate, porcelain-like hand reached for it. The man's cold and indifferent expression became gentler, as he helped someone out of the vehicle.
Seconds later, a beautiful woman emerged. The man and woman gazed into each other's eyes. It was very obvious to everyone that the two were a couple.
Then the woman smiled at her man. The smile was so lovely that it even took others' breaths away. Of course, her man's eyes darkened. He lifted the hand that he was holding and kissed it, while continuing to gaze into her eyes.
"Ayiiiii!!!!" the crowd squealed while watching them.
"Who's that couple? Oh my gosh! They're so romantic that I want to slap them! To sweet! Ugh! I want a handsome man to look at me like that, too! Huhuhu! Dear future boyfriend, where are you?!"
"Hot damn! That woman is gorgeous! Look at that face and hourglass body! What's her name?"
The people continued to wonder about the couple's identity. Finally, the emcee announced their names.
"Miss Iris Long and Mr. Liam Jin!"
###
Chapter Title: "Iris Long and Jin Liwei's Grand Entrance"
Chapter 489 - Is It Him?
Many heads turned to the direction of the pair of new arrivals after hearing the emcee's announcement. This was especially the case for the businessmen and the others who were related to the business industry one way or another. The name Liam Jin was a big name in the international business world. After all, he was the current President-CEO of China's number one multinational company, Jin Corporation.
For many years, he was also known as one of the most eligible bachelors among the top business executives in the world. As a top executive, he was often invited to important high-class events like this. Whenever he attended any social events, he never brought or escorted any women except for his own mother or grandmother.
This was the first time that he came with a woman who wasn't related to him by blood. As a result, his fellow executives from other top companies were curious about his companion's identity. Who was she? It was reported that he was recently engaged to a mysterious fiancée that he hadn't publicly introduced yet. Was she his fiancée?
The couple had only began walking the red carpet.
Guan Jintao, his wife, and the rest of the cast and crew of "Strong Yet Broken" heard Iris Long's name in the announcement. Their eyes lit up. Finally, their group would soon be complete. Since they were farther along the red carpet, they couldn't see her yet.
"It looks like Iris Long came with an escort. Maybe it's her fiancé," the actress playing Guan Jintao's mother commented.
"I think so, too," the actor playing the adult Guan Jintao replied. Then he tapped his chin, as a thoughtful expression appeared on his face. "Hmmm... Liam Jin sounds familiar...."
His cast mates and the crew members looked totally clueless. Guan Jintao also had a contemplative expression despite his closed eyes. It seemed that he also had an idea who this Liam Jin was.
The main actress said, "Really? This is the first time I've heard of that name. But that's because I don't know much about the business industry. Iris Long has repeatedly mentioned before that her fiancé is a businessman."
A couple of seconds after she said this, the main actor's eyes widened. He gasped, finally realizing who Liam Jin was. The main clue was "businessman". The producer and the director also realized it at the same time as him. Their jaws fell down in shock. They turned to the President of LX Productions who wore a knowing expression on his face.
"Is it him?" the producer asked.
The President of LX Productions nodded.
"No way..." the director whispered in disbelief.
"Huh? You know this Liam Jin?" the main actress asked them.
"Oh shit. Yeah, I know him," the main actor replied. He looked as shocked as the producer and the director. "Actually, I think you know him, too. We all know him. Holy shit, Iris Long! Is this for real?"
"Really? I know him, too? How come I don't remember?" the main actress asked, looking confused.
The other cast mates and crew members were also confused. They continued to ask the others who Liam Jin was, but they didn't answer.
"Iris Long and Liam Jin have already arrived on the red carpet. We'll meet with them shortly. Be patient," Guan Jintao told them. Based on his expression, it seemed that he had also already recognized Liam Jin based on his name.
With that, the group waited for couple to reach them.
Back to the first part of the red carpet, Iris and Jin Liwei walked together while holding hands. Just like how most of the cast and crew of"Strong Yet Broken"didn't recognize him as Liam Jin, there weren't a lot of people in China who knew his English name. They only knew him as Jin Liwei. On the other hand, he was more known abroad by his English name, Liam Jin.
Beside him, Iris was wearing an elegant peach long dress with intricate embroidered details on a sheer overlay. The sheer cloth showed off the smooth skin of her upper chest, while the embroidery covered her breasts and the rest of the dress. She also wore an asymmetrical cape made with the same sheer embroidered cloth as the dress' overlay. It had a turtleneck collar, giving her a very sophisticated look. The light cape looked transparent, so her hourglass figure was still visible for everyone to see. From the back, it looked like the train of a wedding gown because of its relatively long length. It flowed behind her and billowed in the air whenever a breeze blew by.
Her hair was in a simple high bun. As for her makeup, it wasn't very dramatic compared to what she usually wore whenever she performed onstage. The main star of her face was her phoenix eyes. They were emphasized by light, smoky eyeshadow and cat eyeliner. Her lips were painted a rose colour which complemented her peach dress well. Overall, her entire look suggested a lovely, blushing bride.
While one hand was holding Jin Liwei, her other hand carried a small designer clutch. The clutch looked simple. No complicated adornments at all, just a simple classic clutch. Instead, it was the diamond ring on her finger which caught the eyes of everyone. It sparkled under the bright lights and the nonstop flashes of the cameras.
Surprisingly, a few people among the spectators and even those on the red carpet recognized her. They were classical music enthusiasts.
"Oh, I know her! She's Iris Long. I have her album 'Rebirth Melodies'!"
"I also have that album! I love it!" This chapter was first shared on the Ãøvâ¬lÃ1n platform.
"Wait, isn't she the one who performed with Maestro De Luca at his concert in Germany last year?"
"OMG, I think you're right! It's her, Iris Long!"
"Uwah~ She looks so beautiful in person, like a princess."
"I know, right? And it looks like that handsome man is her boyfriend or husband. They look so great together."
There were only a few of them, so their voices were drowned by the other spectators. However, Iris still heard them talking about her with her great hearing. She looked at them and gave them a bright smile. Her smile felt like a shower of heart-shaped arrows shooting straight into their hearts. Male or female, they all fell for her stunning beauty. They started screaming and shrieking for her.
At that moment, even Jin Liwei heard them. Without changing his cold and indifferent expression, he looked at the people screaming for his baby girl in adoration. Then he lifted her hand and kissed it once again in front of them. It was as if he was telling them:
'You can all love her, but I'm the only who is allowed to kiss her like this.'
Finally, the couple reached the photography area. Iris and Jin Liwei posed together in front of the cameras. Almost all of the members of the media recognized Jin Liwei, especially after being introduced by the emcee as Liam Jin. He was, after all, one of the wealthiest men in the world.
As for Iris, it was mostly the European media who recognized her from her past performance with Maestro Ludovico De Luca at his German concert. Nevertheless, just by coming together to the red carpet event with the billionaire business executive Jin Liwei, Iris already caught the eyes of everyone.
Jin Liwei released his baby girl's hand and wrapped his arm around her waist instead, pulling her close to his body. It was an undeniable show of possessiveness. Anyone looking at them right now would never mistake them for anything other than lovers.
Chapter 490 - They're Engaged?!!!
The majority of the film festival's participants were unknown faces. Many of them might be famous in their home countries, but they were all considered newbies in the international scene. Only a few participants were world-famous celebrities. As a result, the media would usually just go through the motions and take photos of whoever posed in front of them, even though they had no idea who the hell they were photographing. It was part of the red carpet event's programme.
Attendees would pose in front of the cameras wearing their best dresses, suits, or if they were daring enough, costumes or other unconventional outfits. Many fashion and entertainment media outlets published various best and worst-dressed rankings throughout the duration of the Sommet International Film Festival. In addition to showcasing arts and culture of films from all around the world, the film festival was basically a parade of fashion as well.
The paparazzi and the reporters were always ready to photograph the participants at any given time throughout the duration of the film festival, especially on a formal event like the opening night. They never knew when one of the photos they took would become a front cover for a magazine or be featured by popular publications. But of course, they still prioritized taking photos of important and well-known people. After all, a magazine featuring a famous person would almost always sell well compared to those featuring unknown faces. The debut release of this chapter happened at Ãøvâ¬l-B1n.
As one of the wealthiest men in the world, Jin Liwei or more known outside China as Liam Jin, was considered as an important and well-known figure in the business industry. He was often included in various lists such as "Wealthiest in the World", "Most Powerful Businesspeople in Asia/World", "Top Economic Figures", "World's Best CEOs", "China's Most Powerful People", "World's Most Eligible Bachelors in Business", and other similar impressive rankings.
In addition, he was only in his early thirties. He had ample time to become even more impressive. If he didn't make any major career mistakes, he could definitely create his own business legacy just by being a stable and reliable leader. Although he wasn't a rare business genius like Sir Lu Jianhong or even his own grandfather, Jin Liwei was still one of the most formidable and reliable business leaders in the world in his generation.
Marrying him meant entering a lavish life of wealth and luxury. It was akin to marrying a king. So it wasn't surprising that many people would be interested in the woman who he had chosen to marry. Looking at Jin Liwei's possessive arm around the woman's waist, she should be his mysterious fiancée.
The couple posed together in front of the enthusiastic cameras. Their little intimate actionsâgazing into each other's eyes, keeping their bodies in close contact, Jin Liwei nuzzling Iris' headâwere all seen by everyone. The paparazzi and the reporters eagerly lapped the couple's public displays of affection.
Of course, they saw the sparkling diamond ring on Iris' finger. They zoomed in on the ring and took countless photos of it. In addition to the ring, many also noticed the couple's matching bangles. This time, Jin Liwei deliberately wore a suit that had sleeves a couple of inches shorter than what he usually wore. His luxury watch and LX bangle around each wrist were visible for everyone to see.
Diamond ring? Matching bangles? Not to mention that the two looked like they were on the verge of making out in front of everyone on the red carpet?
If the couple said that they weren't engaged after this, nobody would believe them.
Jin Corporation's President-CEO and Chinese billionaire Jin Liwei, a.k.a. Liam Jin, was finally engaged! Not only that. It also looked like he was completely in love with his fiancée just by the way he looked at her, like she was the only woman in the world for him. He, a man noted for avoiding close association to women and was even rumoured to be gay before, was now proudly showing off his lady to the entire world.
Everyone felt curious about Iris Long.
Some of the reporters remembered her meeting up with Maestro Ludovico De Luca and Enrique Valdez at a café the other day. That time, she was accompanied by a man who had a scar on his face. That distinct-looking man ended up attending the red carpet event with the business genius Sir Lu Jianhong. They discovered that he was actually Sir Lu's grandson. So it seemed that Iris Long was connected to the Lus, as well.
Then on the same day, she was also photographed with the woman who turned out to be a Spanish viscountess. Many of the foreign reporters didn't know yet that Wei Lan and Iris Long were actually mother and daughter.
A few of the reporters also remembered her name among the nominees for the film festival's Best Soundtrack Award.
And now she attended the opening night in the arms of billionaire Liam Jin whose family was on the same level as the Lus in China?
Who in the world was this woman?
Not only did she have all of these impressive connections with important people, but it looked like she was also a talented music composer in her own right. After all, she wouldn't be nominated for Best Soundtrack Award if she didn't have the skills. The Sommet International Film Festival only shortlisted films of the highest quality. If Iris Long was nominated, then it meant that her work met the high standards of the selection committee. Even if she didn't win this time, she had already gained the respect of the film festival's followers just by being a nominee.
While the foreign media continued to snap photos of the posing couple and also started making mental plans to dig for more information about Iris Long, the Chinese reporters present were all in utter shock. They goggled at Iris Long and Jin Liwei in total disbelief.
Their eyes fell on Iris Long's engagement ring, the couple's matching bangles, and their obvious intimacy. They blinked their eyes several times and took a closer look at the couple's faces just to make sure that they were really Iris Long and CEO Jin Liwei.
Despite the shock, their hands automatically snapped countless photos of the couple. The reporter livestreaming the event for the Chinese viewers back home made sure to get a careful close-up of Iris Long and Jin Liwei. Of course, he focused on the engagement ring and their matching LX bangles to ensure that the viewers would clearly get the hint about the true nature of the pair's relationship.
The foreigners present at the event might not think much about Iris Long and Jin Liwei's relationship, but this was a big deal to the Chinese people, especially to Iris' fans, those related to showbiz, high society and the business world in the country.
Back in China, the livestream's view count had now reached more than 120,000 and it was still increasing by the minute. At the beginning, it was mostly the Black Stars who were watching, but Wei Lan's surprising appearance as a viscountess resulted in a sudden spike in view count. When the cast and crew of "Strong Yet Broken" started appearing, more Black Stars logged in to watch the livestream in anticipation of their Boss Iris' debut in the Sommet International Film Festival.
Upon seeing their boss acting so intimate with CEO Jin Liwei, all of them were shocked out of their wits.
"What the hell?! Iris Long and Jin Liwei are engaged?!!!"