Chapter 801 Brother - in
The remnant inside Lu Zihao started stirring again after hearing Jin Liwei's involvement in the matter at hand. Feelings that didn't belong to him started flooding his psyche but he quickly suppressed them. He subdued the remnant which was currently insisting that it wanted to see its third brother, talk to him, and re-establish their precious brotherhood.
In the end, he won another temporary battle. But if he continued on like this, his sanity would eventually fray. Bloodlust started leaking out of him again, as he reinforced his will on the remnant.
There was no way that he, Nikolai Vetrov, would allow a mere remnant to defeat him and kick him out of this body. It wasn't even a complete soul but only a small, annoying piece that refused to let go of the body and the original Lu Zihao's attachments in the world like the brotherhood with Jin Liwei and the others.
He was now the new owner of this body. Sharing his body? Hah! No way! It was like asking him, Nikolai Vetrov, who was known as a territorial devil to openly and kindly share what he considered his with an enemy. Impossible!
The increasingly regular battles for control might be difficult and taxing, but he was never afraid of fighting. With his strength and willpower, he was confident that he would one day win the war and completely defeat the annoying remnant and take full control of this body.
After subduing the remnant, he returned his attention on Bacon whose tail was now thumping. He had to admit though, that the black cat was indeed quite skilled in hiding its real thoughts and emotions behind its almost perfect impassive face. Once Bacon started working for him, he would train the cat to control his entire body. Showing its real thoughts and emotions through its tail was a huge weakness and Lu Zihao didn't tolerate any glaring weaknesses in him and also in his subordinates.
"Since you got parental permission, fine. I'll consider your request to work for me as a freelancer. But first, let's talk about the terms of our working relationship. How much salary do you want?"
Bacon blinked its golden eyes. "10 million US dollars per day?"
Lu Zihao's expression turned dark. "Absolutely not."
"5 million US dollars per day?"
"Hell no."
"1 millionâ"
"No," Lu Zihao interrupted, sighing. "If your asking price has that many zeroes, forget about getting paid in US dollars."
"Fine, Uncle Zihao." Then Bacon countered, "How about 1 million RMB per day?"
Lu Zihao's mouth twitched. On the inside, he was laughing at the black cat's attempt at negotiating. Damn. This cat was indeed his sister's child. Wait. His sister was never this shameless when asking him in their past lives. It was the old man who corrupted his sister, teaching her about being shameless in front of family. Grandpa Lu's booming laughter echoed in his mind.
He crossed his arms over his big, muscled chest and threw a hard, stern look at Bacon. "Do you think that you are your mother, the world-class hacker Drakon? I haven't met you before tonight so that means that you've only been 'born' recently. You haven't proven yourself yet. There is no way that you're worth 1 million in either US dollars or RMB right now. With how inexperienced you are, even your older sister, that white cat is worth more than you."
Bacon's tail twitched, an indication that it didn't like what his uncle said that his older sister Ketchup was worth more than him right now. Finally, he admitted, "Bacon doesn't have full comprehension yet of the value of money as it applies in the labour market. Since this is the case, I will ask my father to negotiate a fair salary for me instead."
A furrow formed between Lu Zihao's brows. His remnant stirred again at the mention of Jin Liwei. "There's no need to disturb your father again about this matter. Just ask your mother tomorrow."
"According to the white dumbhead's records, Mother is weak to Uncle Zihao. If I ask Mother, then there is a high probability that she will tell me to work for Uncle for free which is not in line with my original intention of wanting to offer my assistance to Uncle's work in the first place. Bacon doesn't want to work for free. The white dumbhead is earning her own money so I want to earn my own money, too. That's why it's better for me to ask my father instead. Father is an adept businessman and he will surely negotiate a fair salary for me. After all, he is also the one overseeing and guiding the white dumbhead in running her own business."
Lu Zihao was about to dissuade the black cat but before he could say anything, Bacon had already said, "Wait a moment, Uncle Zihao. Bacon will now ask Father."
The black cat AI's golden eyes dimmed once again.
Lu Zihao cursed. He almost turned off the TV in annoyance but then remembered that doing so was useless against his sister's AI children. All he could do was wait for his new nephew to return.
At the moment, he really didn't want to have any contact with Jin Liwei because the man had a direct effect on the original's remnant. He didn't have the patience to keep subduing the irritating existence inside him in such short intervals. He knew that avoiding Jin Liwei wasn't a sustainable solution, especially after promising his sister to attend their wedding at the end of the month. Nevertheless, all he wanted was a break to recharge his frayed nerves caused by the remnant in the past few days.
Bacon's dim golden eyes glowed brightly again. Without even so much of a greeting that he was back, he immediately announced, "Now connecting Father's call in 3...2..."
Lu Zihao didn't want to talk to Jin Liwei. "No, waitâ"
"1!"
"Hello, Lu Zihao," Jin Liwei's voice sounded throughout the penthouse.
Silence.
"Or should I say, Brother-in-law Nikolai?"
Lu Zihao shot up from his seat. "What did you just call me?"
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Chapter 802 - Drop All Pretense
Jin Liwei didn't reply right away. It gave Lu Zihao some time to calm his initial shock.
'It's fine. He knows that I call my sister Evelinka and that she sometimes calls me Big Brother Nikolai. We already made up the story that Evelinka and Nikolai are our online names in a computer game we played before. Him calling me Nikolai doesn't mean that he knows the truth.'
After telling himself this, he calmed down and returned to his seat on the couch. As for Jin Liwei referring to him as brother-in-law, he didn't think too much about it. He already expected that Jin Liwei would stop calling him Fifth Brother after their confrontation in his sister's piano room.
Without their so-called brotherhood, the only remaining bond connecting them now was through his sister. Therefore, it wasn't surprising that Jin Liwei would now address him as Brother-in-law instead of Fifth Brother.
Despite the remnant's fierce protests, this was the result that he wanted when he tried to mess with Jin Liwei's head by hinting that he and his sister had a big secret that the man couldn't handle.
No, that was wrong.
To be honest, he didn't intend to drop a hint about the big secret to Jin Liwei at all. The confrontation's effects on the remnant were just too extreme that his triggered emotions made him momentarily lose control of his good sense. This was also one of the reasons why he felt so pissed off at the remnant and why he didn't want to see or talk to Jin Liwei at the moment.
But even before the confrontation, he was already feeling tired trying to maintain the close brotherhood with Jin Liwei and the others. Although he had grown to like the four men enough to consider them as friends while pretending to be Lu Zihao, the original close bond of brotherhood between them didn't really have anything to do with him. The current friendship he felt with them wasn't deep enough to warrant continuing to pretend to still be the same Fifth Brother who was close to them.
"Bacon, everything you'll hear in this conversation is classified information," Jin Liwei said, interrupting Lu Zihao's thoughts. "Protect our call with the highest level of security."
"Bacon understands, Father," the black cat AI replied in a solemn tone.
Lu Zihao narrowed his eyes after hearing Jin Liwei's instruction but he remained silent, waiting for the other man to initiate the conversation instead.
"Brother-in-law Nikolai, I know that you don't want to see my face or talk to me at this time. The truth is that I don't want to see your face or talk to you at this time either."
No surprise there. Lu Zihao curled his lip but mentally agreed that the feeling was mutual.
Silence.
"I know that you're not my Fifth Brother Lu Zihao," Jin Liwei said in a voice so low that it was almost a whisper. "You are Nikolai, my wife Evelina's big brother."
Lu Zihao's eyes contracted. His jaw tightened and so did his entire body. "My sister told you the truth?"
"Not the whole truth. Only about her experience." Jin Liwei stopped talking and was quiet for almost a full minute before he spoke again. "Nikolai, my wife and I, we need to meet you in person. Let's sit down and talk. Only the three of us. I want to know the whole truth."
"No." Lu Zihao's response was instant and his tone final.
"Evelina wants to tell me the whole truth but she wants to get your blessings first."
"I said no."
Jin Liwei sighed. "Sooner or later, I'll still end up knowing everything."
"Don't you know that curiosity killed the cat?" Lu Zihao's tone became casual, almost lighthearted, but Jin Liwei detected the dangerous undertone in his words.
"Fortunately, I'm not a cat. I'm your sister's husband and the father of her children. I deserve to know the truth."
Lu Zihao threw his head back and laughed, the sound utterly demonic. "Deserve, eh? Listen to me, Third Brother."
"Don't call me that," Jin Liwei said in a harsh tone.
"Heh~" Lu Zihao chuckled. "Fine. Since you are now dropping all pretense, then so will I. Indeed, I'm not your fifth brother. But make no mistake, Jin Liwei. I am now Lu Zihao whether you like it or not. Don't try to box me in with your attachment to your old fifth brother. I am not him. I'll live how I want to live from now on."
"Isn't that what you've been doing all along? We've never tried to box you in even when you returned looking and acting like a completely different person which I now know is the case. We let you do what you want because all we want is to see you healthy."
Lu Zihao became silent once again.
"Just please, I beg you," Jin Liwei whispered, his voice strained. "Take care of Fifth Brother's body."
The remnant surged violently inside Lu Zihao, causing him to almost double over. A great pain pressed on his chest, as if something was trying to claw out in desperation. He gritted his teeth as his whole body became drenched in sweat in just seconds. Fortunately, the conversation he was having with Jin Liwei was only a voice call and not on video.
"Think about everything I said to you tonight," Jin Liwei said, sounding exhausted and sad at the same time. "Evelina and I still want to talk to you in person. Rest assured that I love your sister with my life and will do everything to protect her, including the secret you two have been keeping. We want to resolve this with you before our wedding."
Lu Zihao still didn't reply. All his energy was being used to suppress the remnant going berserk inside him.
"Father, what about Bacon's salary?" the black cat interrupted.
"Bacon, your mother hasn't finished your configurations yet," Jin Liwei told his son.
While the father and son were talking, Lu Zihao was frozen on the couch like a statue as he fought a fierce battle within him.
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Chapter 803 - Annoying Pests
Although Lu Zihao was in a precarious situation deep within his consciousness, he was still able to project an impassive appearance as if nothing was amiss and he just chose to remain silent.
Jin Liwei and Bacon didn't notice anything wrong with him, as the father and son continued talking with each other.
"I gave you permission to assist your Uncle in his work, but we still need to inform your mom about this," Jin Liwei said. "She's the one doing your configurations after all and you can't start working until she's done."
"I understand, Father," Bacon replied. "But will Mother agree to me working for Uncle Zihao?"
"Your uncle is your mom's brother. I'm sure she'll agree."
"Okay, Father. I hope so."
"Now be good and don't run off again without telling us first. I'm not happy with this behaviour. You're grounded for three days."
Bacon's face didn't show any expression but his swishing tail drooped. "I'm sorry, Father. Bacon won't do it again."
"Let's not disturb your uncle anymore," Jin Liwei said with a sigh. "When your mom has given her approval and finished your configurations, then I'll help you negotiate a fair salary with your uncle."
"Yes, Father. I understand." Bacon was very cute and polite while agreeing to all his father's words.
Jin Liwei made a sound of approval. He paused for a few seconds before addressing Lu Zihao. "Brother-in-law Nikolai, my wife Evelina and I will be waiting for you till you're ready to meet and talk with us in person. You're always welcome in our home. That's all I want to say. Good night."
A beep sounded indicating that the voice call ended.
Bacon stayed on the TV screen and stared at the motionless Lu Zihao sitting on the couch. His golden eyes glowed before he spoke with great politeness. "My apologies for disturbing you tonight, Uncle Zihao. And thank you for considering my sudden offer to work for you as a freelancer. Bacon hopes that we'll be able to finalize my work agreement soon. I bid you good night. Please take care."
With that, the TV screen flickered off and the living room descended to total darkness once again. Now that the annoying father and son were finally gone, Lu Zihao let go of his control and roared a pained battle cry as he fell down from the couch and landed on all fours.
Huge drops of sweat splattered on the cold floor. Veins popped out all over his body. His muscles tightened and trembled. He presented a frightening sight on the floor, as if he was about to transform into a demonic monster.
A few hours later, the living room was a total wreck. An exhausted Lu Zihao lay splayed on the floor. He was completely drenched in sweat to the point that he looked like he took a dive in a pool with all his clothes on.
He stared at the ceiling with dull eyes. If not for the rise and fall of his chest, someone might mistake him for a dead person upon seeing the sorry sight.
"Damn you," he whispered, cursing at the remnant who just went berserk inside him.
In the end, he won again and subdued the remnant as usual. However, he knew that this was only temporary. The remnant felt like it was getting stronger the more times it clashed with him. The length of time between clashes also grew shorter while the duration grew longer.
He covered his eyes with his arm and sighed. Jin Liwei's invitation to meet and talk in person together with his sister played in his mind.
Should he agree?
No, not at this time.
He needed to find a way to stabilize the remnant inside him first, or much better yet, to completely eliminate the irritating existence once and for all. If he didn't do this first and went ahead and met with Jin Liwei, the remnant might go berserk again. He couldn't afford to risk losing control in front of other people and most especially not in front of his sister. He didn't want to worry her.
'Maybe you can ask her about her experience.'
Although she didn't expressly mention it, he knew that she also battled with her remnant last year. He saw with his own eyes how the original Long Xiulan's remnant took over her body to exact revenge on Fan Luo and tortured the Alarm Girls. His pure and kind sister would never exhibit such maliciousness without an external, or in their case, internal factor.
Perhaps asking her on how she was able to deal with Long Xiulan's remnant and gain total control of her body would help him solve his own issue with the original Lu Zihao's remnant.
'No, that won't work. The remnants inside us are different. Hers went berserk due to a powerful grudge resulting from the original Long Xiulan's death. I don't sense any grudge from the original Lu Zihao's remnant at all. All I sense is a deep attachment to his sworn brothers and the old man.'
He thought long and hard about all the similarities and differences of his and his sister's situations regarding the remnants inside their bodies. In the end, he made his decision.
'I'll solve my own problem by myself. If my sister can do it, I can do it too. There's no need to make her worry about me. That's my job as the elder brotherâto worry about my younger sister. Not the other way around. I'm Nikolai Vetrov. A mere remnant won't be able to defeat me.'
Therefore, before he was able to stabilize the remnant inside him in some way, he wouldn't meet his sister and her man in person. Besides, he was pissed off at Jin Liwei because the man was the main reason why the remnant went berserk ever since the confrontation and the disintegration of their brotherhood.
It wasn't only Jin Liwei. He was also pissed off at his sister for telling her man about their secret. Although he admitted that it was him who dropped the hint first during the confrontation with Jin Liwei, she didn't need to follow it up.
What was she thinking? Did she lose all her rationality because of her love for her man? Had she forgotten how dangerous their identities as members of the Vetrovs were?
Even though he felt assured that Jin Liwei loved his sister and would protect her, that was only right now. Would the man still feel the same way once he learned that the woman he loved and her brother were direct scions of what was once the most powerful and nefarious criminal family in the international underworld?
His forehead creased as a painful headache assailed him. Mental and physical exhaustion prevented him from maintaining his composure.
Right at that moment, the image of the sweet and shy Miss Prim and Proper Long Jinjing appeared in his mind. He wasn't surprised anymore when his groin stirred and in just a few seconds, he sported a rock-hard erection.
If he could only fuck her again right now, all his troubles would temporarily go away from his thoughts. He would also feel more relaxed and balanced.
"Fuck! What the hell, Nikolai?!"
Now he treated Long Jinjing in the same way as the remnantâannoying pests in his mind.
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Chapter 804 - Fearsome Fans
The camera flashes and cheers from the crowd made the red carpet seem chaotic, but in actual fact, everything was very organized. There were many bigshot celebrities attending tonight's TV awards ceremony. Some of them were veteran actors and actresses who were considered as pillars of the country's entertainment industry. They were well-respected and commanded special attention from everybody.
However, it wasn't these veteran figures who received the loudest cheers from the fans. The ones whom the fans went crazy for were the certified superstars and hottest trending celebrities this year. Most of them were from the younger generation than the veteran figures.
Included in these two categories were Jin Chonglin and Iris Long respectively. When they arrived on the red carpet together in the same car, the noise level rocketed to deafening level in an instant.
One Jin Chonglin alone was enough to cause pandemonium anywhere but when the beautiful Iris Long was inserted into the equation, the effect was no longer mere addition but multiplication instead. Both of their fandoms were fearsome entities.
Jin Chonglin's army of fans ruled in its vast numbers and diversity, absolute loyalty and incredible purchasing power. Since he had been in the showbiz industry for far longer and had a higher status than Iris Long, his fans grew up with him unlike the relatively recent Black Stars.
However, this didn't mean that the Black Stars were inferior to Jin Chonglin's army of fans. The Black Stars weren't a typical fan club. They were more like an organized triad group instilling an almost military-like discipline among its members. It wasn't only because of their "uniforms" that they wore whenever they attended any of their Boss Iris' events which earned them the collective nickname "The Suits". It was also because of their strict internal management.
In addition, the Black Stars had the formidable and despicable special elite troll group, the Slippers Armyâone of the greatest banes on the internet, especially to those foolish enough to badmouth their Boss Iris. Unlike secretly hired water armies by other celebrities, the Slippers Army was very transparent in their defence of their Boss Iris and their offence against her critics.
Others had tried to use the existence of the Slippers Army and their despicable actions on the internet to damage Iris Long's reputation, but instead of apologizing on behalf of her fans in order to save her image, she threw a special fan concert and honoured their excellent trolling skills instead. That was when people realized that Iris Long was also a big troll herself.
After their Boss Iris' unwavering show of support to them, the Black Stars and most especially the Slippers Army only became even more loyal to her. This was the reason why despite their lesser numbers and experience as a fan club, the Black Stars wouldn't lose to more established fandoms like Jin Chonglin's army of fans when it came to fierce loyalty and influence.
Back to the red carpet, Jin Chonglin's army of fans and the Black Stars in their sharp tuxedo suits took the event by storm with their amazing, loud, organized cheering chants as soon as their Prince Lin Lin and Boss Iris arrived. The other celebrities and their fans had no choice but to stop and look over at the two arrivals.
Iris Long and Jin Chonglin weren't even nominees nor were they performers tonight. They were only presenters for a single award category, and yet they were receiving one of the grandest welcomes among the celebrities from the fans and photographers.
Despite the commotion their fans were causing, the two didn't delay on the red carpet. Iris Long and Jin Chonglin posed and smiled together for the cameras and then moved on like clockwork. The other veteran celebrities who were actually nominated on tonight's event looked at the pair more favourably upon seeing their considerate actions. After all, the two were basically only guests, not the "stars" of tonight's TV awards ceremony which were the actual nominees.
After passing through the red carpet, the pair finally entered the stadium where the ceremony would be conducted.
Iris released a long breath. Her lovely expression didn't change much but Jin Chonglin saw that it lightened after leaving the huge crowd outside.
The real reason why they moved through the red carpet as fast as possible was because Bright Summit advised both of them to do so, thinking that the two still had some trauma in crowded situations due to the bomb incident. Indeed, Jin Chonglin still felt a little traumatized but he was now getting better. He was used to crowds as a superstar after all.
As for Iris, she wasn't traumatized by the bomb incident at all. Nevertheless, she had no plans of arguing against Bright Summit's cautious instructions. In fact, it suited her current condition just fine. Her heightened sensitivity to smells was making her feel a little nauseous right now. If they stayed on the red carpet longer, she might faint in front of everyone. If that happened, Jin Liwei would surely be furious, especially since she assured him many times that she would be fine tonight.
"Are you alright?" Jin Chonglin asked her while flashing a smile and waving at those who greeted them.
She nodded while also smiling at those people. She held his arm and they followed their guide to their front seats.
"Big Bro told me to keep an eye on you tonight," he said in a low voice. "Why? Are you feeling sick? Or is my brother just being an overprotective, paranoid caveman as always?"
Iris smiled. "Indeed, your older brother can be such a caveman but I still love him anyway."
Jin Chonglin made a face and turned away. "What the hell, woman? You're still throwing dogfood even when Big Bro isn't here? Tsk!"
She chuckled but then whispered, "Brother Chonglin."
"What?"
"You must stay beside me at all times tonight. I'm feeling fine for now but if I look like I'm going to faint, you must take me away before it happens, okay?"
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Chapter 805 - Tongues Wagging
Jin Chonglin frowned and looked at Iris with concern. "So you're really sick? Dammit. If something happens to you on my watch, my brother will murder me."
"Smile," Iris reminded him. "Don't look at me like that or people will gossip that all is not well between us in-laws."
He smoothed out his expression but continued to talk in a low voice. "You're making me nervous, Sister Xiulan."
"Don't be. I'm feeling fine. Not 100% fine but enough to get through this awards ceremony. Hopefully."
"That doesn't sound reassuring at all," he muttered.
"Fortunately, we're only award presenters tonight. Don't worry about what I said anymore, Brother Chonglin. I feel fine, really. I just warned you so that you won't freak out if something really happens to me later."
He clicked his tongue but still maintained a light smile on his handsome face. From an observer's point of view, the two of them looked like they were talking about something amusing based on their smiling expressions. Nobody would ever guess that they were talking about something worrying instead.
A few minutes later, all celebrities and other attendees were finally seated on the ground floor VIP seats in front of the stage. The surrounding seats in the upper levels of the stadium were filled with hordes of fans holdings banners of their favourite celebrities.
Jin Chonglin was among the top 3 most seen face and name on the fan banners. The other top 2 were also superstars like him. One was an internationally successful male movie star while the other was a top actress in the country.
Iris Long's face and name could also be seen on a lot of banners, especially among a very distinct group wearing stylish tuxedo suits, but nowhere near the level of the superstars like Jin Chonglin. Nevertheless, she was still among the most eye-catching celebrities attending tonight's event. Even disregarding her breathtaking beauty and presence, her achievements this year alone were all truly deserving of respect and admiration. People no longer saw her as a mere pop singer.
She was Iris Long, a multi-award-winning musician and owner of the hottest trending beauty company this season, Orchidia Beauty, among her other incredible achievements so far since her comeback. In addition, she was also the fiancée of CEO Jin Liwei and future sister-in-law of superstar Jin Chonglin.
Her current status in showbiz had ascended many levels compared to her unstable track record when she was still a teenage pop idol. She was now a very valuable and in-demand celebrity.
People were looking forward to how she would manage her showbiz career down the road. Would she continue on this rising momentum and become even more famous in the future? Or would her career stall at this stage, neither rising nor falling? Or would she make an irreversible mistake, destroying her career and causing her to retire and disappear from the limelight?
Or perhaps the rumours were true and that she was planning to withdraw or maybe even retire from showbiz to focus on her role as the next Madam Jin after marrying CEO Jin Liweiâif they really ended up getting married.
There were quite a lot of people betting that Iris Long and Jin Liwei would break up before managing to tie the knot. Similarly, there were also many who believed that they would marry but would eventually divorce. They just couldn't imagine the relationship between the two of them lasting, especially since there was a perception that rich folks and people from showbiz would break up with their lovers or divorce their spouses on a regular basis.
In short, people were watching Iris Long. They wanted to know more about her, how she lived her life, and what the future held for her. This heightened interest was a huge boost to her current fame. Bright Summit wanted to capitalize on this and promote her even more.
As for Iris Long herself, she didn't give a whit about what others thought about her, especially right now. With so many people congregating in a single place, it was inevitable that there would also be a lot of distinct smells, both pleasant and nasty, from different sources. The mishmash of different scents in the air was starting to affect her as the awards ceremony went on.
Her nausea was gradually worsening. She was even starting to feel lightheaded and a little dizzy. Despite this, she was still able to project a calm and pleasant exterior, looking like the other audience members who were enjoying the show and applauding the winners.
Finally, a staff member informed her and Jin Chonglin to head backstage for their turn as award presenters after the commercial break. With a smile on her face, she grabbed on to her partner's arm and held on to him tightly.
"Hold me up, Brother Chonglin," she said in a low voice while still maintaining her smile. "I think I'm going to faint."
"Shit. For real?" Jin Chonglin immediately supported her without being too obvious about his actions. He, too, had a smile on his face as if nothing was wrong.
"Let's just get this over with."
"Keep holding on to my arm," he told her. "I'll carry the trophy. We'll only be on stage for a couple of minutes at most."
Iris made a sound of agreement. She held on to his arm more tightly and focused on staying conscious long enough to present the award and return backstage.
Many people noticed their closeness. Tongues immediately began wagging. Some speculated that there was something going on between them, perhaps an affair, and that they were cheating on CEO Jin Liwei. How scandalous! Others rejected this, saying that it was only natural for the two to be close since they were going to become in-laws in the future.
The commercial break ended.
A handsome Jin Chonglin flashed his killer smile and a beautiful Iris Long graced everyone with her enchanting smile as the two walked to the centre stage. All eyes focused on their closeness and on her hand holding his arm as if she didn't want to let him go.
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Chapter 806 Shell - Shocked
The award presentation for the best original theme song was completed. Although Iris Long and Jin Chonglin were famous and brought their own hordes of fans to the event, the award winner was still the real star of the moment while the two were only the supporting cast.
Other than the eyebrow-raising closeness between Iris Long and Jin Chonglin, nobody noticed anything else wrong with them. They did their job as award presenters and retreated backstage afterwards. They were soon pushed to the back of the people's minds after they were gone.
As soon as the two reached backstage, Iris' knees buckled and she fell into a half-conscious state. Jin Chonglin caught her before she dropped to the floor and called for help. The staff backstage immediately surrounded them and offered assistance. She groaned with a pinched expression and instinctively turned her head away from the people.
"Don't crowd her!" Jin Chonglin reprimanded them.
It was a good thing that there were no cameras belonging to the production filming backstage. However, there were some people doing so with their phones.
Jin Chonglin was angered upon seeing them but didn't lash out, only requesting them to stop taking photos and videos. Some listened, some didn't. He didn't have the time to care about them, though. His first priority was to do something about the collapsed Iris.
He tried to shield her with his body as much as possible before deciding that it was better to remove her from this crowded spot. He carried her off and demanded an empty dressing room from the staff.
The other celebrity award presenters who were getting ready backstage saw this scene. They were shocked at first before becoming curious. It wasn't only them. Almost everyone wanted to know what exactly happened. There were already a few people typing away on their phones and sharing what they saw to their friends, online followers, and even entertainment reporters.
Inside a small, unused dressing room, Iris was laid on the biggest couch which wasn't that big at all. Her feet dangled off the arm of the couch. Her eyes were still closed but based on her soft moans and whimpers, she didn't completely lose her consciousness.
A staff member was fanning her with a piece of random cardboard while the others were running errands for Jin Chonglin to find Iris' manager and assistant from the audience. As for Jin Chonglin, he borrowed a staff member's phone and was trying to call his older brother.
"Someone is calling for an ambulance for Boss IrisâI mean for Miss Iris Long," a staff who just entered the room informed them and inadvertently revealed himself as a Black Star. He looked worried and even teary as if his own mother was on the verge of dying.
Iris opened her eyes before protesting in a weak voice. "No ambulance. I'm fine."
"What fine?!" Jin Chonglin glared at her. "Fine, my ass! You're going to the hospital or my brother will flay me alive!"
The two staff members were surprised by the superstar's outburst. The Black Star was the first one to recover. His expression twisted in indignation and he was about to fight Jin Chonglin for yelling at his Boss Iris when his colleague stopped him and pulled him back.
"You almost scared the shit out of meâhello? Hello, Big Bro? Thank goodness!" His call finally connected and he began talking to his older brother. "Your wife fainted just now!"
Iris closed her eyes again and groaned. She could hear her man's cold voice on the other end of the line with her great hearing and knew that he was furious.
"I already know what happened," she heard Jin Liwei say. "Xiulan's bodyguards are on their way to where you are now to take her home. Don't let any ambulance take her to the hospital."
"Huh?" Jin Chonglin was confused. "Why? Isn't it better to take her to the hospital? She fainted, Big Bro! Fainted!"
"I didn't faint," Iris denied. "I was still conscious the entire time."
Jin Chonglin snorted at her claim.
"Cover for your sister-in-law for now, Chonglin. She needs to go home. I'll be the one to take her the hospital later if needed."
"Why?" Jin Chonglin continued to ask.
Jin Liwei and Iris were both silent, not answering him. Jin Chonglin sensed something and gestured for the two staff members to leave the room. After the staff left, Jin Chonglin asked his older brother again.
"Why don't you want to take Sister Xiulan to the hospital? Based on your tone, I can guess that you already know what's wrong with her. Is she seriously ill?"
"Just do this for us," Jin Liwei said, not answering his younger brother's question directly. "Your sister-in-law is a celebrity like you. Taking her to the hospital by ambulance will only create a huge, unnecessary commotion. We don't need that right now. I'll owe you one if you help us prevent that from happening."
"What's up with that? With the way the two of you are acting so mysterious, people might think that Sister Xiulan is pregnant." Jin Chonglin laughed as if he heard the funniest joke of the day.
The couple was silent and didn't reply. Jin Chonglin stopped laughing and looked shocked as realization hit him.
"Holy shit." He looked at Iris' face before his gaze dropped on her flat stomach. "Don't tell me you're really pregâ"
"Stop it! What if someone hears you?" Iris hissed at him and glanced at the door. She pricked her ears to make sure that nobody was trying to eavesdrop outside the dressing room.
"Oh. My. God." Jin Chonglin was in shock. He whispered, "You're really pregnant?"
It was Jin Liwei who replied to him on the phone. "If you know, then you know. Keep it a secret. We haven't told people outside our household yet because it's too early. Well, except for Second Brother Yingjie who confirmed the pregnancy. So don't tell anyone, alright?"
The shell-shocked Jin Chonglin could only stand there like an idiot with eyes and mouth wide open as he continued staring at Iris in complete disbelief.
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Chapter 807 - Jin Liwei's Headache
"Aren't the two of you marrying at the end of the month?" Jin Chonglin asked when he recovered a little from his shock. "Couldn't you wait to get pregnant until after your wedding? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Iris moved to sit up. He hurried forward to help her. She murmured thanks before harrumphing. "It's your brother's fault! He's the one who got me pregnant. His sperm cells are too dangerous!"
Jin Chonglin stared at her. "Did my big bro make the baby by himself? Aren't you an active participant in the act as well? Why are you only blaming him?"
She glared at him.
"Don't upset your sister-in-law," Jin Liwei's voice said on the phone. "She's having difficulty controlling her emotions due to her pregnancy. Be careful. She might beat you up if you anger her."
Jin Chonglin immediately became wary of Iris after hearing his brother's warning. He stepped back and began treating her like a wild beast.
A knock on the door interrupted them right at that moment. Dom and Tang Yiyi had arrived with Jin Chonglin's manager, Lin Dong.
Iris' manager was frantic upon learning that she fainted. Tang Yiyi only calmed down after speaking to Jin Liwei on the phone. As per Jin Liwei's request, she quickly took control of the situation and went out to deal with the event's production staff, explaining and apologizing to them why Iris had to leave early. Jin Chonglin also backed her up so they couldn't really blame Iris for what happened.
Moments later, Iris' bodyguards finally arrived to take her home. After the two groups said good bye to each other, Jin Chonglin and his manager returned to their seats in the audience. Lin Dong took Iris' seat and sat beside Jin Chonglin. They stayed until the awards ceremony was over before heading to the after-party.
The news that Iris Long fainted backstage and had to leave the awards ceremony early leaked online. For a couple of minutes, insider photos and videos of Jin Chonglin catching the fainting Iris and carrying her away were posted on several social media platforms. But before the entertainment websites and blogs could re-post the photos and videos, they already disappeared. No matter how many times people tried to re-upload them, they just kept on disappearing.
The Slippers Army was blamed for this strange phenomenon. They didn't deny it but in their private group chat, they were as bewildered about it as the other people who were blaming them. Nevertheless, they approved of the person who did it because it protected their Boss Iris' image.
Unbeknownst to them, one of their members really was the culprit of the disappearing photos and videos.
In cyberspace, a certain white catâalso known as KittyBaby online and a high-ranking member in the elite troll group Slippers Army of the Black Starsâwas hard at work erasing all copies of the photos and videos of her mommy collapsing as per her daddy's instruction. Her black little kitty brother watched her as she worked.
###
Dragon Palace Home #10.
Jin Liwei was at his home office. He just got off the phone with his baby girl who was now on her way home. His tight, cold expression indicated that he was restraining his temper.
Earlier, he was watching the awards ceremony live on TV inside his office while reading some company reports. Although his baby girl maintained a pleasant smiling expression the entire time, just one look at her and he knew right away that something was wrong.
He had the strongest urge to go to the event and drag her home but controlled himself, knowing that she wanted to attend the awards ceremony. As much as possible, he didn't want them fighting due to his interference in her career again. All he could do was to call her bodyguards to stand by if something really happened to her.
And indeed, something really did happen.
He watched her like a hawk while she was presenting the award with his younger brother. She looked fine on the surface but the way her jaw seemed a little tense, the way she sounded a little breathless, and most especially the way she held his brother's arm too tightly the entire time all indicated to him that she was quickly reaching her limits.
Ketchup immediately informed him when his baby girl collapsed as soon as they reached backstage after the award presentation. If he could only teleport to where she was, he would have done it in a heartbeat. He alerted her bodyguards to rush to where she was as soon as possible.
Back to the present, he was doing his best to calm himself before his baby girl arrived. If he didn't, he might rage at her for insisting to attend tonight's event. He knew that it wasn't her fault, but he still couldn't stop himself from worrying about her and their twins.
It was a good thing that his younger brother was with her when she collapsed. He could trust Jin Chonglin to keep the secret of his baby girl's pregnancy.
Although he sometimes felt jealous whenever the two worked together, he wasn't such an insecure man as to doubt his woman's loyalty and not trust his own younger brother. Besides, his jealousy stemmed from the fact that the teenage pop idol Iris Long used to chase his younger brother around in the past. But now that he knew that his woman wasn't the same Iris Long from back then, the reason for his jealousy had become invalid.
His thoughts were interrupted when his AI son called him.
"Father, Bacon would also like to help in this matter," the black cat AI said.
Jin Liwei glanced at his AI son. "Not this time. You're grounded for three days, remember? And your mom hasn't finished your configurations yet."
"I understand, Father." Bacon swished his tail before addressing his older sister. "Hey, dumbheadâ"
Jin Liwei scowled and reprimanded Bacon. "I don't want to hear you calling your Big Sister Ketchup that way again. Put the word 'dumbhead' in your bad words list. You're now grounded for five days instead of three."
Bacon's expression didn't change but his tail drooped. "I apologize, Father. Bacon won't say that word again."
"Good." Jin Liwei nodded.
Bacon addressed Ketchup again. "Hey, moronâ"
Long story short, Jin Liwei had to reprimand his AI son many times. Bacon's bad words list also grew longer. An exasperated Jin Liwei finally set Ketchup's existing bad words list as the universal list for his two AI children. Despite this, Bacon still said some new unpleasant words that needed to be added. He also ended up being grounded for seven days.
Jin Liwei massaged his now aching head. As expected, this new AI son of his would be a challenge to raise. Bacon was only a few days old and yet he already needed to be disciplined. Despite this, Jin Liwei treasured him just like how he treasured all his other children with his baby girl.
"Big Sister Ketchup," Bacon finally said after calling his sibling so many other unpleasant names. "Send a virus to the ones who repeatedly tried to upload Mother's photos and videos online. Destroy their devices. Oh, and compromise their data, too. That'll teach them not to mess with Mother and try to tarnish her reputation."
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Chapter 808 - True Professional
"Meow? Really? Should Ketchup do that?" the innocent white cat AI asked her black little kitty brother.
Bacon's tail swished with enthusiasm even as his expression and tone sounded bored. "Of course, you should. I would've done it myself because destruction is my area of expertise but Father grounded me so I can't do anything right now. So it's up to you to do it, you ninny."
"Add 'ninny' to the bad words list," Jin Liwei reprimanded Bacon again. "And no, we're not sending any virus to anyone to destroy their devices or compromise their data."
"I told you, Bacon, you big meanie! Daddy is super-duper stricter than Mommy! If Bacon doesn't listen to Daddy, you'll be grounded forever and ever! Ooooh, how sad and boring. So you should start calling the cute and mighty me as Big Sister Ketchup from now on because we're a happy family! Meow~"
Jin Liwei sent Bacon a stern look. "Listen to your older sister."
The black cat AI's tail slowed down. "I understand, Father."
"Ehehehe! That's right! The cute and mighty Ketchup is Bacon's big sister. Meow~"
Bacon ignored his noisy and lively older sister and stared at his father instead. "But Father, are we really just going to let those people off? They tried to tarnish Mother's name by uploading those photos and videos online. If they only explained the situation as it is, then there will be no issue. But instead, they're creating fake stories to damage Mother's reputation. They're already saying that Mother and Uncle Chonglin are having an affair and cheating on you, Father. Bacon thinks that they should pay for their malicious actions. We should punish them. Is Bacon wrong?"
Jin Liwei frowned and didn't reply right away. He thought for a few moments. His lips tightened in a thin line before he sighed.
"Fine," he said.
Bacon's tail started thumping in excitement.
"But only do it to those who really showed malicious intentions against your mom. Let off those who didn't contribute to the posts but only shared them just because other people did."
"Understood, Father," Bacon said before glancing at Ketchup.
"Aye aye, Daddy! Ketchup is on it! Meow~"
"Father, can Bacon contribute to the virus?"
Jin Liwei's frown deepened.
"Bacon won't take direct action but I would like to share some input to the construction of the virus to this white dullardâ"
"Add 'dullard' to the bad words list," Jin Liwei reprimanded yet again.
"Yeah! Don't call the cute and mighty me a 'dullard'! Ketchup is super-duper smart and Bacon's big sister! Meow!"
Bacon paused and looked at Jin Liwei's glare before forcing himself to say in a polite tone, "I'm sorry, Father. I'm sorry, Big Sister Ketchup. Bacon is wrong."
Jin Liwei massaged his throbbing head again. "Fine. Go discuss the virus with your sister. Don't make it too malicious and destructive. Just enough to teach those people a lesson."
Bacon's tail started rotating quickly in his excitement.
"But remember that you're still grounded," Jin Liwei reminded his AI son with a pointed look. "You can only provide suggestions but can't take action yourself."
"Understood, Father. Bacon will obey."
Jin Liwei nodded before releasing another sigh. He looked at the time and wished that his baby girl would arrive home soon.
###
Entertainment news reporters crowded outside the entrance of the high-class club where the after-party was being held. When they saw Jin Chonglin and his manager climbing out of their vehicle, they immediately surrounded the two. Jin Chonglin's bodyguards managed to prevent him from being squeezed but it was still very crowded.
At first, the questions focused on Jin Chonglin and his career, and of course, what he thought about the winners in tonight's TV awards. These questions were routine for him so he answered all of them without much effort.
Then came the questions about Iris Long and what happened to her backstage.
"We heard that Iris Long fainted backstage after the two of you presented the award. Is that true?"
Jin Chonglin's expression hardened for a fraction of a second before smoothing it out just as quickly. Nobody noticed his rapid change of expression. All they saw was his usual pleasant smile which didn't reveal any of his real emotions.
"Yes, that's true," he said.
"Why did she faint?"
"Is she on an extreme diet? Did she starve herself?"
"Is she ill?"
Jin Chonglin let the flood of question go through him and chose to answer only the most relevant ones. "Junior Iris' health has become very fragile after the car accident and coma. What happened earlier tonight backstage at the awards ceremony was just a manifestation of her underlying health problems due to the accident and coma. She's fine now."
He attempted to leave because the crowded feeling was starting to make him feel uncomfortable due to his trauma from the bomb incident. Lin Dong and his bodyguards started steering him to the club but the reporters were persistent.
"Everyone noticed the closeness between you and Iris Long. Is it true that the two of you have an affair and that you're cheating on your older brother, CEO Jin?"
Jin Chonglin stopped walking. His pleasant expression disappeared in an instant. He glared at the reporter who asked the question. He felt Lin Dong tugging his arm to warn him to stay cool but he shook his manager off.
"You call yourself a reporter yet your deduction skills are so poor. Junior Iris had to hold on to my arm the whole time because she wasn't already feeling well."
The reporter didn't give up. "If she wasn't feeling well, why did she still attend the awards ceremony? She should've just stayed at home."
"Because unlike you, she's a professional."
The reporters were shocked at his vengeful tone.
Jin Chonglin continued, "She agreed to be an award presenter tonight with me, so that's what she did even when she wasn't feeling well. And if nobody saw her fainting backstage, you wouldn't even know that she's unwell just by looking at her. That's a true professional right there, unlike you malicious people who hide behind your jobs as reporters."
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Chapter 809 - Lovesick Fool
Lin Dong once again tried pulling Jin Chonglin away and even whispered a warning to him not to be too aggressive to the reporters but he only shook off his manager again. Jin Chonglin was very pissed off at the moment and couldn't be stopped.
"And also, regarding your previous question about Junior Iris and I cheating on my older brother, that's pure slander," Jin Chonglin said. "You'll hear from my lawyer in the next few days. And I'm sure that it won't only be me taking issue about your false and malicious insinuations. My older brother won't be too happy either."
At first, the reporter didn't seem too concerned when Jin Chonglin threatened to sue him for slander. Celebrities did that all the time. It was a regular part of being in the trade as an entertainment news reporter. But when Jin Chonglin threw his older brother into the mix, the reporter couldn't stop himself from blanching. Even his fellow reporters stepped away from him in an instinctive reaction not to catch his bad luck.
Dealing with CEO Jin Liwei was a different matter than dealing with the younger brother, Jin Chonglin. And much more frightening. CEO Jin was a powerful man whose influence extended throughout different industries. Although he didn't usually interfere in the entertainment industry, there were insider rumours saying that he had done so in a handful of instances before and in such a ruthless manner, too.
After saying his piece to the ashen-faced reporter, Jin Chonglin left with his group to enter the club for the after-party. The other reporters shouted questions at him but he ignored all of them. His expression was hard. He didn't look like the usual approachable Jin Chonglin.
###
An hour later, Jin Chonglin and his group were on their way home. They didn't stay at the after-party for too long because Jin Chonglin wasn't in the mood. In fact, he wanted to leave right away but Lin Dong persuaded him to stay a little longer.
It would be rude for him to leave early when there were so many other powerhouses in the entertainment industry attending the same party. Besides, he also needed to stay long enough not only for his sake but also for Iris Long who had to leave early during the awards ceremony.
People approached him at the party to ask more details about Iris Long's fainting episode backstage. Since most of them were preoccupied with the awards ceremony that time, they only learned about what happened backstage when the show was over either through word of mouth or online.
Jin Chonglin gave them the same answer as he did to the reporters who asked him the same question outsideâthat Iris Long was still suffering from underlying health conditions due to the car accident and coma.
Inside the vehicle, Jin Chonglin removed his bow tie and threw it at a random corner. His suit jacket had already been removed at the party. Then he unbuttoned his shirt halfway his front torso, exposing his lean, muscled chest. He sighed in relief and set his seat in a reclining position.
"What's wrong with you tonight?" Lin Dong demanded beside him. "First, you went aggressive with the reporters. Second, you looked like you're constipated the entire time at the party. You didn't look like you were enjoying at all."
"Because I wasn't," Jin Chonglin replied in an indifferent tone.
Lin Dong sighed. "And third, you were too curt while conversing with the others at the party. Those weren't just veteran celebrities. There were also well-respected producers and other important figures in the industry. You might be a superstar right now but one wrong move and that title would be taken away from you."
Jin Chonglin shrugged. "I don't want to talk about any of this anymore. I feel too exhausted. Wake me up when we reach home."
With that, he closed his eyes and ignored his manager's attempts at talking. Lin Dong gave up a few moments later and finally stopped disturbing him. Silence descended inside the vehicle, but it suited Jin Chonglin just fine.
He wasn't really asleep. He just wanted to avoid explaining himself to his manager. His mind had been in a constant turmoil ever since learning about Iris' pregnancy in the dressing room at the awards ceremony earlier that evening.
His shock and disbelief were genuine. In fact, he was still reeling from shock and disbelief right now.
Although he knew that it shouldn't concern him this much because her wedding with his older brother had already been set. So what if she got pregnant at this stage? She and his older brother had been living together under the same roof ever since they became girlfriend and boyfriend. That was what he heard, anyway. It was already a miracle that she hadn't gotten pregnant yet all this time.
'What about her showbiz career?'
Jin Chonglin scoffed at his own question. Yes, he was concerned about how her pregnancy would affect her showbiz career, especially right now that it was on a rising momentum. If she took a break now, who knew if she could still grasp the opportunity to advance her career to a whole another level later? Deep inside, however, he knew that this wasn't the real reason why he felt so affected.
'Stop acting like a lovesick fool, you idiot! Be happy for them. You're going to be an uncle to a niece or nephew by next year.'
Yes, that was what he should doâbe happy for her and his older brother. But even as he persuaded himself of this, there was still a twinge in his heart that he didn't want to acknowledge.
His hopeless thoughts were interrupted by his ringing phone. He ignored it and let his manager get it.
"I know you're awake," Lin Dong said. "It's Iris' number. Do you want me to tell her that you're unavailable to talk right now?"
Jin Chonglin opened his eyes and grabbed the phone from his manager. Then he picked up the call. "Hello, Sister Xiulan?"
"It's me," a familiar cold male voice answered him instead.
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Chapter 810 - Jin Chonglin's Two Requests Part I
"Big Bro," Jin Chonglin greeted after recovering from a moment of disappointment. "How's Sister Xiulan? Did she return home alright?"
"Yes, your sister-in-law arrived home just now," Jin Liwei replied. "She's fine. Thanks for taking care of my wife. We owe you."
"No problem," Jin Chonglin murmured. "She's family after all."
"En."
Silence.
"Xiulan wants to talk to you," Jin Liwei said.
Jin Chonglin's heart skipped a beat and he pressed his phone closer to his ear. Anticipation filled him as he waited for Iris to speak. Then he mentally berated himself after catching his silly reaction.
'Relax, you fool. You're acting so uncool right now.'
He took a few deep breaths to calm himself.
"Hello, Brother Chonglin," Iris' lovely voice travelled from the phone to his ear.
It sucked big time but his heart skipped a beat again upon hearing her say his name. Dammit. Why did her voice sound so beautiful? Fortunately, he was Jin Chonglin. Music might be his specialty but his acting skills were also quite good. He was able to project a cool demeanour and not expose his true hopeless feelingsâhe hoped so, at least.
After another series of "how are you" and "thank you", Jin Chonglin updated Iris about what happened at the after-party. Then she finally revealed why she wanted to talk to him.
"Brother Chonglin, I want to request if you could finalize your men's line for Orchidia Beauty soon. I know that you're very busy right now but it would mean a lot to me and my company if we could make our original plan to launch your men's line of products before the year ends."
Jin Chonglin went silent as he switched to business mode. This was better. At least, he didn't have to feel like such a pathetic idiot for secretly coveting his own brother's woman. He thought about her request for a few moments.
"Do it for your sister-in-law," Jin Liwei's voice cut in the phone conversation. "I'll grant any two of your requests. One for helping out tonight when Xiulan collapsed and the other one will be for finalizing your men's line with Orchidia Beauty as soon as possible."
Jin Chonglin raised an eyebrow but he wasn't surprised at his older brother's offer at all. If asked about what he learned in the past year, it would be that his older brother was surprisingly the type to dote on his woman without reserve. His cold and dispassionate brother could actually be such an amorous man.
'Maybe it's because she's the woman, that's why Big Bro changed so much.'
He shook his head to clear his treacherous thoughts. Then he asked his older brother, "Is that a promise?"
"En."
"Let me tell you my two requests first," Jin Chonglin said. "If you can grant them, then I'll immediately agree to your wife's request."
"Fine. Go ahead and tell me."
Jin Chonglin didn't speak right away, taking a few moments instead to gather his thoughts first. Jin Liwei and Iris didn't rush him either. They patiently waited for him to tell them his two requests.
"I'm a famous and successful superstar," he began in a matter-of-fact tone. He didn't sound like he was bragging but just stating a fact. "I've accomplished so much in my showbiz career despite my young age. I already achieved most of my dreams and reached the top of my field for a few years now. As they say, once you're on the top, the only way left is to go down. I may not be ready yet to give up my top position but there are many younger and talented celebrities out there who might replace me at any time. Sister Xiulan is one of the strongest contenders. The showbiz industry is a very fickle creature. Today, I'm still a superstar, but tomorrow, I might be abandoned and kicked off from the top to be replaced by the next superstar."
Everyone was silent as they listened to him. His manager, Lin Dong, and his assistants at the front seat all had solemn expressions on their faces.
"Although I still feel pretty confident that I can remain at the top of my game for a few more yearsâhopefully for at least two more decades but that's just me being optimisticâI need to start investing in an insurance now to secure my future."
"I approve," Jin Liwei commented. "Now tell me about your first request."
Jin Chonglin took a deep breath before replying, "My contract with Bright Summit is expiring at the end of this year. I've been with them since I started my showbiz career and I'm extremely grateful for how they helped me succeed and become the superstar that I am today. They always take excellent care of me and I always appreciate that. Even when other superstars they groomed left for better opportunities, I stayed with Bright Summit out of loyalty. They've been negotiating with me to extend my contract since the summer but I haven't given them a definite answer yet."
"You want to leave Bright Summit?" Jin Liwei asked.
"I want to secure my own future," Jin Chonglin corrected. "If I extend my contract with Bright Summit for a few more years, they'll continue being my boss. I trust them right now but what if the leadership suddenly changes and the new leader doesn't think much of me? Then I'll be at the mercy of the higher-ups. I want to take control of my own career. I want to be my own boss."
This time it was Iris who asked the next question. "Are you planning on starting your own entertainment company?"
Jin Chonglin's jaw tightened and he swallowed hard before replying in a determined voice. "Yes!"
Lin Dong, his manager and a Bright Summit employee, didn't look too surprised. A determined expression also appeared on the manager's face. Wherever Jin Chonglin went, Lin Dong would definitely follow.
"Brother Chonglin, would you be open to partnering with me?" Iris asked all of a sudden. "Are you interested?"
Everyone looked surprised at her offer.
Jin Chonglin frowned. "Explain."
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