“Nice answer!” Jin Chonglin secretly gave her a thumbs-up below the table.
Iris nodded at him before facing the reporters again. “Yes, I’m currently limiting my public appearances but it doesn’t mean that I’m retiring from showbiz. I love being a musician, not only composing songs, but also performing on the stage in front of my fans. Like Brother Chonglin, I place a high level of importance on honing my craft as an artist. At this moment, I’m working on a very important project. I want to devote more time and focus on it.”
“Is that project your collaboration with the legendary hitmaker, Mr. Enrique Valdez?”
“Correct.” She didn’t deny it.
Although it wasn’t the whole truth why she was limiting her public appearances—the main reason being her pregnancy—she wasn’t lying either. It was indeed true that she was working on her collab with her music instructor, Enrique Valdez.
Other reporters wanted to ask her for more details about her collaboration with the legendary hitmaker but she reminded them that they should focus on asking about the announcements made today. Fortunately, they decided to do that. After all, the press conference was going to end soon. They were already delayed by almost half an hour because of the black out earlier. They didn’t want to waste asking any more unrelated questions or else they might get into trouble with their bosses who sent them to the press conference.
The next questions were not difficult for Jin Chonglin and Iris Long to answer because they were just clarifications about their departure from Bright Summit and on starting their new entertainment company, LXC Studio.
“Mr. President, please tell us the truth. Be honest. Do you really not regret letting go of these two? Jin Chonglin is a superstar while Iris Long has written hits after hits and won outstanding awards in the past year alone.”
The head of Bright Summit paused for a moment to formulate the best way to answer the question. “I’ll be lying if I say that I don’t regret it.”
The reporters’ eyes lit up.
Jin Chonglin and Iris glanced at him from the corner of their eyes while Jin Liwei’s expression turned icier.
“But it’s only natural to feel regret. Deep in my heart, I want both of them to stay, but I and all of us here at Bright Summit support their decision to leave and start the of their careers. I look forward to watching how much more the two of them will grow now that they have full control of their careers. It’s exciting, don’t you think? I feel like a parent whose children have grown up and have decided to leave the nest to venture out into the world on their own.”
It was a very diplomatic answer. As expected of the head of Bright Summit. Although the reporters felt unsatisfied with his answer because they wanted more drama, they could only accept what he said as time was running out.
A few more crafty questions and skillful answers later, the press conference finally ended.
###
“Why are you riding with us again?” Jin Liwei asked his younger brother, his tone filled with cold dissatisfaction. “Don’t you have your own car?”
Jin Chonglin flashed him a sheepish grin. “Sister Xiulan and I are both heading to Orchidia Beauty. Since you’re dropping your wife off, you should drop me off, too! Save fuel, save the planet. Am I right?”
It was clear that Jin Liwei didn’t appreciate his brother’s eco-friendly slogan when Jin Chonglin was encroaching on his precious time with his wife. He was about to scold his younger brother when he saw his wife falling asleep beside him. He quickly rearranged their positions so that she could sleep on his chest more comfortably.
“Don’t be noisy.”
“Fine.” Jin Chonglin shrugged and used the big teddy bear wearing his older brother’s shirt as a pillow. It was Iris’ Little Liwei.
They were in Jin Liwei’s business limousine. He had his subordinates change vehicles before picking them up from Bright Summit to give his wife more room to rest before dropping her off at Orchidia Beauty. There was no Jin Chonglin in his original plan but his annoying younger brother just had to force himself into the limo with them without permission, leaving behind his own assistant to follow them to Orchidia Beauty. Even Dom could only stuff Little Liwei into the limo before wisely deciding that it was better to ride in another car.
After a long moment of silence, Jin Chonglin spoke. “Hey, Big Bro.”
“Hm?”
“What’s the deal with Rose Young? I saw the tabloids.”
Jin Liwei sneered but still made sure that the arms holding his wife remained gentle. “I fired her because she wants to steal my wife’s place. As if I’d marry another woman.”
“Damn. I always knew that she likes you but I never expected that she’ll try to steal you away from Sister Xiulan. She has guts.”
“That woman is big trouble. Stay away from her.”
“Big Bro, you don’t need to remind me. Rose Young is not my type. Have you seen her chest? My type is…” Jin Chonglin’s eyes drifted to the full and shapely chest of the woman sleeping in his brother’s arms.
Jin Liwei glared at him. “Look at your sister-in-law like that again and you’ll force me to blind my own brother!”
Jin Chonglin immediately looked elsewhere before placing Little Liwei on his lap to hide behind the teddy bear. “I didn’t see anything. Big Bro, relax! I was just joking, okay?”
There was another moment of silence between the brothers.
“I’m serious about what I said. Stay away from Rose Young and her family. They’re bad news.” This time, it was Jin Liwei who broke the silence.
“I understand. Don’t worry. I’m not close to her, anyway.”
“The Youngs managed to turn a few members of our branch families into traitors.”
Jin Chonglin’s eyes almost fell out of their sockets. “No way. Who’s stupid enough to betray us? Betray you? Do they have a death wish?”
“Indeed, they have a death wish.”
Jin Liwei’s voice was devoid of any emotions and it sent chills down Jin Chonglin’s spine.
