Everyone oohed and aahed after hearing Iris' claim that her upcoming song with Jin Chonglin would be a "love song but with a kick".
"That's right!" Jin Chonglin immediately backed her up. "Not only a kick but an entire burning workout! It's hot and spicy! You're all gonna sweat from the heat!"
His army of loyal fans started shrieking in excitement. They fanned themselves, already sweating just from hearing his hot voice.
Iris and Jin Chonglin already started dropping tiny teasers since last month. Most of them were behind-the-scenes photos or short clips from the recording studio or music video. Indeed, based on those teasers, the upcoming song wasn't emotional and wholesome like "Shining Eyes". It was hot, fierce and sexy…or at least that was the impression most people got.
"Prince Lin Lin, the teasers aren't enough! Please give us more!"
"Boss Iris, are you going to dance in the next song? Please don't revert to your old trashy image! I want my classy and elegant Boss Iris, not the bratty and trashy Iris Long from back then!"
With her great hearing, Iris heard this one comment. It wasn't only this person. It seemed that quite a few Black Stars were worried that she would change her current image and "revert" to the old Iris Long's wannabe sex symbol image. She couldn't help but inwardly sigh.
Pasting a smile on her face, she pretended not to hear these worried comments from her fans. She would just let the music video speak for itself.
Finally, their time was up. Iris and Jin Chonglin left the stage while the TV program went into a commercial break. The hosts bid them goodbye and prepared for the next segment.
It felt like nobody could hear anything because of the deafening sounds of the cheering crowd. They didn't stop screaming and shrieking, as their Prince Lin Lin and Boss Iris were assisted through the tight crowd by the security.
The same thing was happening to Jin Chonglin. A couple of fans were even able to slip through his bodyguard's protection to grab his neck and kiss him on the cheek. It was clear that his own bodyguards were not as strong as Iris' tough security consisting not only of her own bodyguards but also a combination of Jin Liwei and Lu Zihao's well-trained subordinates. Nobody was able to slip past their protection to get to her, unless she allowed them.
She liked personally interacting with her fans—shaking hands with them, sometimes even hugging them, signing autographs, taking photos with them, and receiving fan letters, flowers, and other gifts. Right now, as she and Jin Chonglin squeezed their way through the crowd, their fans were handing various presents to the two of them.
"I love you, Boss Iris! I don't care what others say! You're the best musician in the world for me! Yes, even better than Prince Lin Lin!" a fan cried while shoving a small teddy bear and letter to Iris.
"Hey! I heard that!" Jin Chonglin complained.
The surrounding people laughed at the exchange. His army of fans didn't take offence at the fan's words, a Black Star. The two fandoms had developed a close relationship ever since Fan Luo's evil deeds were exposed to the public. They became even closer this season due to their prince and boss' music collaborations and the fact the Iris Long and Jin Chonglin would eventually become siblings-in-law. They were basically family now, making their own fandoms feel as if they were family as well.
Dom, Tang Yiyi, Lin Dong and Jin Chonglin's assistant managed to meet them, joining their protected group. They didn't return to the store they were hiding at earlier before their performance. Instead, they now headed to a secure hidden hallway in the mall with a backdoor directly leading to a separate management-only parking lot outside. Their vehicles should already be waiting for them there.
While they struggled to move through the great crowd, the fans kept on giving letters and gifts to Iris and Jin Chonglin. Their managers and assistants were prepared, carrying huge net bags for the gifts. Both Iris and Jin Chonglin would hand whatever they received to them.
The fans who were unable to get near the group resorted to throwing the presents instead. Even the fans looking down by the railings in the upper floors were tossing the gifts they prepared, hoping to land on their Prince Lin Lin and Boss Iris. Some of the gifts were caught, some missed. The fans who missed their throws could only sigh at their bad luck.
Despite the stressful situation of being squeezed like sardines in a tight can, both Iris and Jin Chonglin still maintained big smiles on their faces as they interacted with their fans. Their managers, assistants and bodyguards played the role of bad guys whenever a fan needed to be reprimanded or warned not to get too close.
The male fan noticed her looking at him. His smile grew wider.
"I love you so much, Boss Iris," he told her.
His tone caught her attention because he spoke in a calm voice, unlike the other excited, screaming fans. She was able to hear what he said with her great hearing. Even if she couldn't, she would still be able to read his lips.
Then he lifted a box that had a logo of a popular bakery shop, offering it to Iris. It must be a cake. He was able to squeeze himself to the front until only the security was separating them.
Iris smiled at him and received the box. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he replied but continued to hold on to the box.
###