“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 feelings—he 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. [This novel is a contracted work with W e b n o v e l . c o m (remove spaces). If you’re not reading this chapter on W e b n o v e l, it has been stolen. It’s very discouraging to see thieves profitting from my hard work. Please read this novel on W e b n o v e l. Thank you! Also follow me on Instagram @arriacross]
“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 years—hopefully for at least two more decades but that’s just me being optimistic—I 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.”
