Jin Chonglin scowled. He opened his mouth to protest but closed it again. He couldn't think of anything smart to say against his older brother's words. His pride resisted the idea of his superstar status being eclipsed by Iris Long who was currently less famous than him. However, even he couldn't deny that the trajectory of Iris Long's rise to fame was going extremely fast since her comeback. He felt a burgeoning sense of anxiety, like he was running as fast as he could, but the sounds of footsteps behind him were getting closer and closer.
Taking a few deep breaths, he forced himself to calm down. He decided to ignore his brother's words and pretend that he didn't hear them.
'I'm Jin Chonglin, a superstar. I won't lose that easily.'
He maintained his famous killer smile for the audience and cameras. However, a complicated mixture of emotions roiled inside him as he watched Iris Long.
The woman was too beautiful, too intelligent, too talented…too amazing, bright and magnificent.
He saw her as his rival. He admired a lot of talented musicians, but she was one of the few ones he really respected with genuine sincerity.
Looking at the way his older brother gazed at her, he couldn't help but sigh. She was the one that got away. If only…
'Stop it,' he scolded himself, quickly stopping the thought before it could fester inside him.
Jin Chonglin tamped down the chaotic emotions messing his heart and mind. He forced himself to focus on the present.
"Thank you very much! Now it's PARTY TIME!!!" Dom announced, eliciting another round of cheers among the guests.
The food was very generous, focusing more on "hearty" than "haute cuisine" which was usually what events of this calibre served to their guests. Those foods were meant to impress, not to satisfy hunger. The food in this event, however, made everyone salivate and guiltily ignore their diets (if they were dieting).
Everyone mingled while enjoying the delicious food. The atmosphere was light and cheerful. The guests were especially happy after receiving the generous gift packages from Orchidia Beauty.
Iris, Jin Liwei and the others on the stage returned to their family and friends. It took them a while to reach their tables, though. The others guests stopped them, offering their congratulations.
Director He and the two hosts of "MusicFest Tonight" congratulated Iris. They wanted to chat more with her, but Jin Liwei's presence beside her intimidated them.
Next, JJ and DJ Song.
"My sincerest congratulations, Iris."
"Thank you very much, DJ Song. Thank you for coming."
"Brat! You did well!"
"Thank you, Mr. JJ."
Although it was a shock to the radio host and music producer when they discovered that Iris Long was engaged to Jin Liwei, they didn't take any issue with it unlike most people. To the two music veterans, Iris Long was a hidden gem that was only beginning to reveal her preciousness. They intended to help in polishing her until she shone the brightest. JJ was especially heavily invested in her. As long as Jin Liwei didn't hinder her potential, the two music veterans would have no issue with his relationship with Iris who they considered as their protégé.
JJ covered his mouth and leaned forward before whispering, "Hey, brat. Introduce me to Maestro De Luca and Enrique Valdez, okay?"
DJ Song also leaned forward a bit, clearly sharing his friend's desire to personally meet the two international music legends.
Iris smiled. "Of course. Please follow me."
Delight flashed in their eyes. They eagerly followed the couple as they weaved through all the guests who frequently stopped them to offer congratulations.
Outside the grand hall, Lu Zihao was listening to his subordinate's report at an empty hallway away from the crowd. According to the report, the security consisting of his subordinates and Jin Liwei's men stopped a total of eleven attempts of trespassing the event so far—with the assistance of the incredible AI (stupidly) named Ketchup, of course!
Most of the people who attempted to slip inside were from the media who didn't have press badges. However, there were a few diehard fans who tried sneaking in to get a glimpse of Iris Long, Jin Chonglin and the other celebrities inside.
"Hmmm… Continue what you're doing. Don't let any pests slip inside…or I'll make you regret it," Lu Zihao said in a low, dangerous voice.
"Understood, Boss Hao!"
"Yes, Boss Hao!"
"Now go."
When his subordinate was gone, Lu Zihao gazed at the dim crescent moon in the night sky outside the glass window. The shadows deepened the planes of his face, accentuating the vicious appearance of his long scar. His eyes were dark, like bottomless pits of pure blackness. He looked dangerous…and lonely.
With a determined sigh, he straightened his body and pulled up the collar of his turtleneck shirt. He always wore turtlenecks now, even while wearing a formal tuxedo suit. Many were already intimidated by the scar on his face. If people saw the terrible scar on his neck, like someone wanted to chop his head off, they would probably run away screaming.
He was about to return to the grand hall when he heard the clacking sounds of high heels. His presence melted in the darkness, all while keeping his eyeon the new arrival.
Heh~ It was the CFO of his sister's company. What was her name again?
"Long Jinjing," he whispered, his voice disappearing in the shadows of the night.