Finally, it was time for the question and answer portion. Almost all of the reporters raised their hands for the opportunity. The host pointed at a random reporter.
“Question for Jin Chonglin. Unlike most superstars who immediately started their own studios the moment their careers started to take on new heights, you stubbornly stayed with Bright Summit throughout all these years. Everyone admires your loyalty and thought that you’ll stay with Bright Summit, the company that supported your showbiz career right from the start, until you retire. What prompted you to leave Bright Summit? Please be honest and tell us if you had any disagreements with anyone at Bright Summit. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why you’re leaving Bright Summit and decided to start your own entertainment company with your sister-in-law Iris Long?”
Jin Chonglin flashed the reporter his killer smile. “That’s more than one question but I’m in a good mood today so I’ll answer all of them as best as I can. Let me just say this once and for all. I’m truly grateful for all of the support that Bright Summit granted me throughout my career while signed with them. I’ll always think of them as family no matter what happens. As for the loyalty that you’re talking about…hehe.”
He smirked and looked every bit the playboy that he was known for. “Jin Chonglin’s number one loyalty will always lie on my craft as an artist. Meaning, I’ll always pursue the road which I think will take my artistry to a whole new level, and I believe that LXC Studio will give me that. Owning my own company, or in this case, owning it with my sister-in-law and brother, will ultimately give me unprecedented freedom to do many things that I’ve never tried before as an artist. As for any disagreements with Bright Summit, there’s none of that. Right, President?”
The head of Bright Summit coughed before smiling. “Of course, there’s none of that!”
“I want to ask Iris Long,” another reporter said.
She smiled. “Alright. Go ahead.”
“First of all, congratulations on your marriage with CEO Jin.”
“Thank you.”
“My question is: are you pregna—”
Darkness fell over the entire hall.
“!!!”
“What the hell?! What happened?!”
“Come on, Bright Summit! Why aren’t the emergency lights turning on?”
The sudden black out caused a commotion. Bright Summit staff frantically tried to solve the problem while doing their best to calm everyone down. Many turned on the flashlight function on their phones.
Staff members led their president, Jin Chonglin and Iris Long to a safer place backstage away from the reporters in the hall. Moments later, Jin Liwei and his bodyguards followed them inside. Jin Liwei found Iris and pulled her in his arms.
“You okay, love?”
She pressed her face against his chest and took a deep inhale of his scent as if her life depended on it. The air backstage felt a little stuffy and it was making her uncomfortable, but she still nodded to reassure him. Then she pulled his head lower and whispered directly to his ear.
“Did you do this?”
“No, Ketchup did.”
Their eyes were already starting to adjust in the darkness. She gave him a knowing look. “But you instructed her in advance, didn’t you?”
“En.”
She sighed but still smiled. “Thank you. I still want to keep our babies for ourselves. I don’t want random people paying attention to them and disturbing their growth. At least, not for now.”
“En. Don’t worry, love. I know. I’ll keep you and our children safe. Always.”
The couple’s whisperings caught the attention of the others who were with them backstage, but they couldn’t hear their conversation. Even if they wanted to eavesdrop, they couldn’t because the two bodyguards were blocking them from going too near the couple.
Jin Chonglin rolled his eyes. “Che. To the husband and wife acting all lovey-dovey in the corner, can you have some decency to spare us single dogs here?”
“I have a wife,” Bright Summit’s president said.
“I have a girlfriend,” the host said next.
“I have a fiancée,” the staff who led them backstage said.
Jin Chonglin’s expression turned ugly. He stomped to another corner and started sulking there. Fine! So he was the only single dog here! What was wrong with that?! He had many women lining up to become his girlfriend!
They started laughing at his expense. The mood lightened in an instant but it only lasted for a short time before Bright Summit’s president apologized to Jin Liwei for the black out.
“It’s very rare for a black out to occur in this part of the city but it occasionally happens. That’s why we have backup generators throughout the company building. I don’t know why they didn’t activate.”
“It’s fine,” Jin Liwei said. “It’s not something we can control.”
Iris hid her face against his chest. He could really say that with a deadpan expression when he was the one who instructed their AI daughter to force a black out if a reporter dared to ask her if she was pregnant.
Ten minutes later, the electricity finally returned. It took another ten minutes for the press conference to continue where it left off. However, before the previous reporter could repeat the same question she asked Iris Long before the black out, the host reminded everyone that they would only welcome questions about the announcements today. Fortunately, the reporters got the message.
Or more specifically, they didn’t want to offend the icy man flanked by two bodyguards sitting nearby emanating a frightening aura whenever they directed questions at his wife onstage. Nobody dared to ask her any too-personal questions, so they decided to change tactics.
“Iris Long, many noticed that you’ve been limiting your public appearances lately. Are the rumours true that you’re going to permanently retire from showbiz to focus on your duties and responsibilities as the new Madam Jin? You’re leaving Bright Summit and started LXC Studio with Jin Chonglin instead. Perhaps you’re planning on taking more of a backseat role now.”
Iris tilted her head to the side, as if the question baffled her. “Why do you think that I need to retire in order to fulfill my duties and responsibilities as my husband’s wife? I’m not an incompetent woman that I won’t be able to handle being a wife while continuing to work on my own career. I can and I will have both.”
