Jin Liwei’s words somehow managed to penetrate Iris’ dazed mind. She tightened her hold on his hand even further and pulled him along, as she walked to the aisle on the way to the stage. Her face automatically smiled softly, accepting her group’s congratulations, even though she was still feeling dazed.
As for Jin Liwei, he didn’t protest as she dragged him. He could sense that she was quite out of herself. She was basically just moving on instinct. He didn’t want to ruin the moment for her, by pulling his hand away from her hold. Besides, he loved the fact that her instinct made her hold him. It filled him with so much contentment.
At the front area of the audience, tears flowed down Wei Lan’s face. It was a good thing that she wore waterproof makeup. She felt so proud of her daughter. Never once had her daughter won any important and meaningful awards like this before. She heard that her daughter also won a lot of awards back in China during the Harmony Music Awards and the Diamond Guild Awards earlier this year. She even received a special award for inventing new musical techniques. Unfortunately, Wei Lan wasn’t able to witness those amazing moments of her daughter.
Now that she was present to witness her daughter win a prestigious award for the first time, Wei Lan felt very proud. She tossed the viscountess image that she had been maintaining all throughout the film festival. At the moment, she was just a mother. Wei Lan knew that she had many shortcomings as a mother to her daughter. She lacked the nurturing instinct that seemed to automatically develop in all mothers. In addition, she and her daughter clashed almost all the time in the past.
Despite this, Wei Lan never hated her daughter. She loved her. Long Xiulan was, after all, her one and only daughter. Even if the world turned upside down, Wei Lan and Long Xiulan would always remain flesh and blood mother and daughter. It was a good thing that both of them had changed for the better. Her daughter matured a lot and stopped looking for fights with her.
As for Wei Lan herself, she also believed that she had matured, especially after marrying her second husband, the Vizconde of Castillo de Estrellas. He helped widened her narrow perspective of the world and taught her about compassion. In turn, it made her a little less selfish. Wei Lan believed that this was one of the major reasons why she and her daughter had become closer since she returned to China.
Wei Lan was filled with so much pride for her daughter. She clapped her hands so hard and cheered with all she had. She wanted everyone to know that she, Wei Lan, was Iris Long’s mother. Her daughter was so talented in music that she could even win such a prestigious award abroad! Only her daughter could do that!
Beside her, Grandpa Lu and Lu Zihao also gave Iris a standing ovation.
“That’s my girl! My beloved student! My favourite granddaughter! As expected of Lu Jianhong’s protégé! Bahahaha!” Grandpa Lu cheered and bragged at the same time, even though his mentorship of Iris had nothing to do with music at all.
Lu Zihao was silent and looked impassive. His eyes, however, showed how proud he was of his little sister. He looked at her making her way to the stage. His eyes narrowed in displeasure when he saw that she was dragging Jin Liwei. This moment was for his sister! What was the man doing, trying to share the spotlight?
“Miss Iris Long—” the guest announcer was about to remind her again to hurry up to the stage when he saw where she was going.
Everyone watched in amazement as Iris hugged the two music legends. They became more amazed when Maestro Ludovico De Luca and Enrique Valdez both hugged her back. They even patted her. The cameras immediately focused on the scene.
Maestro De Luca looked like he was telling Iris something. Unfortunately, he covered his mouth so the lip readers couldn’t know what he was saying. Even the usually taciturn Enrique Valdez was seen whispering something to Iris.
Some of the people already knew that Iris Long was connected to the two music legends. After all, she was seen meeting up with them at a café a couple of days before the film festival officially began. However, they only thought that they were acquaintances. A few of them even thought that her connection to the two music legends was because she was the daughter of a viscountess. But seeing their interaction now, she seemed very close to the two of them.
Now they were all wondering whether there was another layer to her relationship with Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez. Perhaps they had something to do why she was so talented in music, capable of composing an entire high-quality film score by herself, despite her young age.
Her work was so emotional, digging deep into one’s soul, yet also very polished. Her music was brilliant technically, yet not pretentious at all. In fact, it sounded natural and effortless while evoking deep emotions.
If the renowned classical music maestro and the legendary hitmaker were directly involved in the development of her musical talents, then Iris Long was a figure to watch out for in the music world.
After embracing each other, Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez urged her to hurry up the stage. Jin Liwei took control of the situation and firmly pulled his baby girl. Fortunately, she already regained her senses. She hurried up but still didn’t let go of her darling’s hand. As a result, Iris and Jin Liwei climbed the stage together.
When the couple faced the entire audience in their matching black and red outfits, the cheers and applause became louder. They looked so perfect together that everyone couldn’t help but admire the couple.
