"Meow? Really? Should Ketchup do that?" the innocent white cat AI asked her black little kitty brother.
Bacon's tail swished with enthusiasm even as his expression and tone sounded bored. "Of course, you should. I would've done it myself because destruction is my area of expertise but Father grounded me so I can't do anything right now. So it's up to you to do it, you ninny."
"Add 'ninny' to the bad words list," Jin Liwei reprimanded Bacon again. "And no, we're not sending any virus to anyone to destroy their devices or compromise their data."
"I told you, Bacon, you big meanie! Daddy is super-duper stricter than Mommy! If Bacon doesn't listen to Daddy, you'll be grounded forever and ever! Ooooh, how sad and boring. So you should start calling the cute and mighty me as Big Sister Ketchup from now on because we're a happy family! Meow~"
Jin Liwei sent Bacon a stern look. "Listen to your older sister."
The black cat AI's tail slowed down. "I understand, Father."
"Ehehehe! That's right! The cute and mighty Ketchup is Bacon's big sister. Meow~"
Bacon ignored his noisy and lively older sister and stared at his father instead. "But Father, are we really just going to let those people off? They tried to tarnish Mother's name by uploading those photos and videos online. If they only explained the situation as it is, then there will be no issue. But instead, they're creating fake stories to damage Mother's reputation. They're already saying that Mother and Uncle Chonglin are having an affair and cheating on you, Father. Bacon thinks that they should pay for their malicious actions. We should punish them. Is Bacon wrong?"
Jin Liwei frowned and didn't reply right away. He thought for a few moments. His lips tightened in a thin line before he sighed.
"Fine," he said.
Bacon's tail started thumping in excitement.
"But only do it to those who really showed malicious intentions against your mom. Let off those who didn't contribute to the posts but only shared them just because other people did."
"Understood, Father," Bacon said before glancing at Ketchup.
"Aye aye, Daddy! Ketchup is on it! Meow~"
"Father, can Bacon contribute to the virus?"
Jin Liwei's frown deepened.
"Bacon won't take direct action but I would like to share some input to the construction of the virus to this white dullard—"
"Add 'dullard' to the bad words list," Jin Liwei reprimanded yet again.
"Yeah! Don't call the cute and mighty me a 'dullard'! Ketchup is super-duper smart and Bacon's big sister! Meow!"
Bacon paused and looked at Jin Liwei's glare before forcing himself to say in a polite tone, "I'm sorry, Father. I'm sorry, Big Sister Ketchup. Bacon is wrong."
Jin Liwei massaged his throbbing head again. "Fine. Go discuss the virus with your sister. Don't make it too malicious and destructive. Just enough to teach those people a lesson."
Bacon's tail started rotating quickly in his excitement.
"But remember that you're still grounded," Jin Liwei reminded his AI son with a pointed look. "You can only provide suggestions but can't take action yourself."
"Understood, Father. Bacon will obey."
Jin Liwei nodded before releasing another sigh. He looked at the time and wished that his baby girl would arrive home soon.
###
Entertainment news reporters crowded outside the entrance of the high-class club where the after-party was being held. When they saw Jin Chonglin and his manager climbing out of their vehicle, they immediately surrounded the two. Jin Chonglin's bodyguards managed to prevent him from being squeezed but it was still very crowded.
At first, the questions focused on Jin Chonglin and his career, and of course, what he thought about the winners in tonight's TV awards. These questions were routine for him so he answered all of them without much effort.
Then came the questions about Iris Long and what happened to her backstage.
"We heard that Iris Long fainted backstage after the two of you presented the award. Is that true?"
Jin Chonglin's expression hardened for a fraction of a second before smoothing it out just as quickly. Nobody noticed his rapid change of expression. All they saw was his usual pleasant smile which didn't reveal any of his real emotions.
"Yes, that's true," he said.
"Why did she faint?"
"Is she on an extreme diet? Did she starve herself?"
"Is she ill?"
Jin Chonglin let the flood of question go through him and chose to answer only the most relevant ones. "Junior Iris' health has become very fragile after the car accident and coma. What happened earlier tonight backstage at the awards ceremony was just a manifestation of her underlying health problems due to the accident and coma. She's fine now."
He attempted to leave because the crowded feeling was starting to make him feel uncomfortable due to his trauma from the bomb incident. Lin Dong and his bodyguards started steering him to the club but the reporters were persistent.
"Everyone noticed the closeness between you and Iris Long. Is it true that the two of you have an affair and that you're cheating on your older brother, CEO Jin?"
Jin Chonglin stopped walking. His pleasant expression disappeared in an instant. He glared at the reporter who asked the question. He felt Lin Dong tugging his arm to warn him to stay cool but he shook his manager off.
"You call yourself a reporter yet your deduction skills are so poor. Junior Iris had to hold on to my arm the whole time because she wasn't already feeling well."
The reporter didn't give up. "If she wasn't feeling well, why did she still attend the awards ceremony? She should've just stayed at home."
"Because unlike you, she's a professional."
The reporters were shocked at his vengeful tone.
Jin Chonglin continued, "She agreed to be an award presenter tonight with me, so that's what she did even when she wasn't feeling well. And if nobody saw her fainting backstage, you wouldn't even know that she's unwell just by looking at her. That's a true professional right there, unlike you malicious people who hide behind your jobs as reporters."